The Graying of NCRS

[Terry D.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Reba and others;
All of us understand the rising costs of putting on an event, but how much do we have in the treasury? Couldn't the club afford to lower the prices and subsidize the cost out of it's bank account. We had a similiar problem in the little boat club I belong to. The rising costs were preventing some members from attending. We had more money in the bank then was needed for everyday operations, so we started to pick up part of the tab for our events, guess what, an increase of people at our events. Wish I had a solution for the graying, we face that same problem. Just my two cents
Terry

[George J.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Keith,

I joke that when I joined I was often the youngest guy on the judging field. The problem is that 22+ years later I'm still often the youngest guy on the judging field.

Patrick

Patrick,
You were the youngest, until I joined. I think you've got me by a couple of months! Seriously, though, there has never been the intense interest in cars from our generation (gen X) that there was with those that grew up in the '50's and '60's. I think we need to become comfortable with the idea that our organization will not continue to grow. What we need to find is a way to at least keep it sustainable.

George

[Steve B.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Lots of great points here. I am 47 and have been a Corvette nut since childhood. I have campaigned a few cars over the years but the fact that work, family and other obligations have meant that I personally have not been able to participate as much as I would like. I would wager that there are plenty of others in their 30s/40s dealing with similiar issues. Another factor is 5 dollar gas makes it even tougher to justify bringing a car out. As Dick stated, it's up to the membership to help promote our organization.

[Dick W.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Reba and others;
All of us understand the rising costs of putting on an event, but how much do we have in the treasury? Couldn't the club afford to lower the prices and subsidize the cost out of it's bank account. We had a similiar problem in the little boat club I belong to. The rising costs were preventing some members from attending. We had more money in the bank then was needed for everyday operations, so we started to pick up part of the tab for our events, guess what, an increase of people at our events. Wish I had a solution for the graying, we face that same problem. Just my two cents
Terry

Terry, the large amount (usually stated as more than $1,000,000.00) is an untruth perpetuated by a couple of members that know better, but continue to stir the pot. The main pot stirrer was on the NCRS BOD when it converted from a privately owned corporation to a 501 (c) 7 corporation. One of the numbers that jump out from the financial statement is the almost $400,000 in a savings account. This money is in a restricted account that is for the publication of the final Corvette Restorer and Driveline in the event of dissolution of NCRS. The only monies that can be spent out of that account is the interest, which is used to help fund the matching charity money the chapters receive. Cash in bank-dues is another large figure. NCRS accounting is on a accrual basis, which means that when you pay your dues, the money is "spent" each month over the duration of your membership. There is usually $100,000-$150,000 in inventory, which includes deposits that have to be made for future conventions. Then you have assets, which include office equipment, the trailers that are used to carry merchandise to events and judging supplies to the Convention.

If the National were to pick up part of the tab (which they have done many times) for a convention, eventually the dues would have to increase. There are probably 13,500 members that do not attend a Regional or Convention and is it fair for them to subsidize the others that do attend?

Contrary to belief, NCRS is not a cash rich organization.

[Bob D.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Mark

Bullpucky buddy, I'm gonna outlive your butt by a mile!!!

I want every other regional and national at MY house! We can share judging duties--but you buy all the judges' meals! By the way what's a Camaro?


Actually, I 've gotten my nephew involved in Corvettes. He just turned 16 and he loves Corvettes and hopefully will be around long after we're gone. All of us have to do a btter job of getting young folks involved.

[Paul J.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

It's been great reading this thread and seeing others say the same thing that I've been preaching. Too many of us look at things with blinders on. NCRS is a very small and narrowly focused organization. This is not a bad thing, considering the charter. We belong to NCRS because of our interest in these cars. While NCRS offers many aspects of membership such as knowledge and restoration help, many of the frequent social opportunites and organized outings such as shows, rallyes, autocrosses, and parties are at the local club level. These help to build an interest and a bond to this hobby, but often exclude NCRS. Unfortunately, by the time most of us are old enough to own one of these cars, we have other priorities and the time is just not there. Priorities and interests change, not only for people starting and managing families, but for young kids too. The more stable groups are those over 40, but even things change with them, and many of them find that robbing an IRA to buy a midlife crises was not the best idea. The bottom line is NCRS is what it is. It's a niche organization and there's nothing wrong with that.

We can try to figure out how to get younger people interested in this hobby, but it's like anything else, they have to have the interest, which has not been there for at least a generation (as Dick said). Then there are the prices and other deterents that have been mentioned by many others in this thread.

This hobby will always exist in some form, and the values of these cars will ensure that there will always be a market for NCRS correct examples, whether or not NCRS survives. It's harder to develop an interest when you don't see these cars every day, but some kids will develop that interest and eventually join the hobby. Membership will ebb and flow, and there will be some down times, just as there was at the beginning of NCRS.

[Michael J.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

I find this thread interesting as well. I belong to many clubs and attend many national meets, though I have never been to an NCRS one. I belong to Classic Thunderbird Club International (only '55-'57 T-birds), and they don't worry about "graying" at all. Consider their objects of desire were built for only 3 years, and there is no new version to drive on long freeway trips, they do just fine as a national club, check them out in Memphis this year for their National. I also belong to SAAC and MCA for my '68 Shelby GT500KR, no issues of graying there either, but they do have new versions of their objects of desire to drive on the hot freeway for 1000+ miles. I also take a car to the Mopar Nationals ('70 AAR 'Cuda) and concorso/tour de elegance type events, great fun but not at all like NCRS meets, usually tons of outsiders who just like a car show, and judging is nothing like NCRS but the awards are prestigious. And of course I belong to two local Corvette clubs focused on tours, cruise-ins, and show and shine type events. Mostly all C4-C6 cars here, and very few of my fellow members belong or even are interested in NCRS. If you look at the full spectrum of car activist organizations, NCRS is a very specific and somewhat rigid organization compared to others in the car club field. Therefore, it takes a very high interest in the specifics of the organization to be heavily involved. I would submit that is and always will be limited, I don't think it is possible to double our membership, nor do we really want to do that. So I would say just focus on the narrow mission and clientele we have and don't worry too much about it. Just my 2 cents. And BTW, of all the discussion forums I frequent, this one is by far the best for information, discussion, and valuable tips and advice.

[Jim B.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Reinforcing what others have said, this "graying" problem isn't unique to NCRS, or Corvette for that matter. In the current issue of Hagerty's magazine they published the results of their annual hobby survey; the average age of responding car collectors in 2011 was 56, 5 years ago in 2006 the average age was 52. This would indicate the hobby isn't adding many new collectors.

I suspect it's a bigger issue than the hotels we pick or fees we charge to get a Corvette judged. A cultural and economic change has taken place during the last 2 generations and we are seeing it begin to influence the average NCRS member's age.

[Jim M.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

I believe th car hobby will continue for a long time but the cars themselves will change. Last summer I attended a car show here in the Northwest that had all the usual cars those of us with either gray or no hair appreciate and enjoy. However at this show there was a whole section of cars tricked out by the younger generation, mostly in there 20's I'm guessing. The cars were all Subaru's, Honda's, Nissan's and the like, all with engine modifications like turbo's, racing seats, wheels, paint, custom interior's (not the George Barris custom interiors) and of course sound systems that would fill a football stadium with sound. Even though the cars were not my cup of tea, I spent time checking each one out and talking with the owners and I could tell they were very much into there cars and the hobby. They put a lot of time, effort and love into their cars which I could appreciate. Our hobby will live on, it will just be different. Fifty years from now these guys will still be tricking out their Subaru's and wondering what's wrong with the younger generation spending time souping up their electric cars .

[Clem Z.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

i bought my first new corvette in 1959 and my age 25 and i don't see to many 25 year old corvette owners now. the young people i talk to are more interested in a all wheel drive audi or sabrau than a corvette because they can have a performance car that can haul the whole family. also with the way the economy is today it is pretty hard to justify owning a "toy" for a car that sets in the garage most of the time. mrs clem points that out to me when i open my mouth about her spending.

[Jim B.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

I believe th car hobby will continue for a long time but the cars themselves will change. ...

Perspective changes everything. A friend's father-in-law (well past retirement age) owns not one, but two, Model A Fords. I appreciate his Fords, they are pretty cool. But he has no interest in my 63, it's not really an antique in his mind.

[Joseph K.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Mark,
Thanks! My wife and I laughed out loud.

[Patrick N.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

Out of curiosity, has the data ever been shared to determine how the groups membership is actually doing? Membership up / down year over prior? What is the avg age of members, age of members joining?

[G A.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

We can try to figure out how to get younger people interested in this hobby, but it's like anything else, they have to have the interest, which has not been there for at least a generation (as Dick said). Then there are the prices and other deterents that have been mentioned by many others in this thread.

I would like to use part of Paul's statement to make a point, so Paul, I'm not intending to pick on your opinion.

When I was a young lad, my Grandmother showed me some pictures of some noble fellows and their airplanes. I had no 'interest' in aviation until that moment. I am today going on 40 years as an aviator and 30 of those as a professional aviator.

If no one shows kids we are out here they will not have a chance to get 'interested' .

I would have no problem with NCRS spending my dues in some sort of advertising. Heck, NCRS members pay Hagerty, Grundy et al a lot of money for our insurance. Why wouldn't some of those companies want to push us so we can grow? Just brings them more business, right?

If folks on the outside don't know we are here we are doomed.

Dan

[Rich C.]

Re: The Graying of NCRS

I'm 48 (no grey yet, knock on wood!) back when the convention was held in Lake Placid, times were a little economically tight for me! Lake Placid was all of 100 miles from where I live. It escapes me the exact amount but I believe it was like $60 just to attend. I didn't want my car judged, just wanted to observe. Now I'm sure some here would snicker.. if you can't afford $60 you must be a loser and we don't need your kind. But in those years it was a luxury to have a vette and keep it on the road! I was so turned off I quit the NCRS for several years! I didn't want to attend any banquets or such, just wanted to be inspired by the cars enough to keep buying the N.O.S. parts to SOMEDAY restore my own. Today... times are different, I have my own electrical contracting buisness and things are great. But it took till my 40's till I had enough financial freedom to even consider a convention. I'm sure I'm not alone. This is not the ONLY reason, but it is just one more little one!

'73 LS-4 454, owned 21 3/4 years-buying N.O.S. parts for the restoration for 21 of them

Smu ttynose 'Finestkind' IPA, now on tap!