Is competition collapsing?

Should we check this premise first? (USHPA headquarters, Colorado Springs, CO, USA)

Previous articles in this series

http://www.ushpa.aero/member_comp_restructure.asp

Steve Kroop <info> writes:

It seems that one of the cornerstones of the plan to restructure our competition system is the notion that competition is declining in the US and that our current system is largely to blame (i.e., if it is not largely to blame then why change the system?).   Since this premise is the basis for such a radical change we should explore this. 

I think if you were to ask anyone who has been around a while, they may tell you that there has been a decline in competition, but that is subjective.   Something a little more quantitative is necessary.   The chart showing the decline in the number of sanctioned competitions, by itself, does not prove a decline in competition.   First, we should ask the question: has the overall amount of competition declined disproportionately more than the overall decline of the sport of HG?   Second, this chart only proves that there has been a decline in the number of sanctioned events not necessarily a decline in number of pilots participating in competition.   In order for that chart to be meaningful we would need to know the number of participants in each event. 

Lets assume for a moment that when we look at the number of participants in each event, that there was an overall decline in participation at sanctioned events.  This, in no way, tells us if there has been a decline in participation in competition; it only shows that there has been a decline in participation in sanctioned events.   This begs the question:  How much competing is going on out there in local, regional, club and league events?   We may find that there is no decline in participation at all. 

But lets assume for a moment that there is a decline in participation in competition.   Before we attempt to fix the problem it would seem to me we would first need to know the cause of the decline.   As it turns out, the factors for the decline may have nothing to do with the current competition system and changing the system would have no effect. 

So going back to the chart, what possible reasons are there for a decline in the number of sanctioned comps?   Here is are some possible factors. 

• Overall decline of membership

• Consolidation (fewer meets but greater attendance at individual events)

• Proliferation of unsanctioned events

  • Lack of need for sanctioning

  • Sanctioning is to burdensome

• Loss of competition sites

• Increased liability concerns

• Organizer burn out with no system to mentor replacements

• Competing vehicles for competition (on-line contest)

• Change of pilot demographic 

  • Average age of pilots is going up (changing priorities)

  • Pilots coming into the sport are less competitive by nature

  • Pilots coming into the sport and current membership are becoming more risk adverse

Clearly this is a partial list but it is essential that we (1) determine if we, in fact, have a decline in competition participation and (2) objectively quantify the causes before we make wholesale changes to a system that may not be broken at all. 

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