National rifle association bulletin

[ovenpaa]

Finding a serious sponsor has hopefully/undoubtedly already been investigated however how many 'Household names' would be prepared to put their name to a shooting organisation other than those actively supplying to the sport and even then would it be worth the investment at a major level as the only people who would recognise the name would be shooters. A good example is ATK who have a massive sporting goods turnover in the USA, certainly running into billions however given the potential size of the UK market I doubt they could justify the investment even though it could be offset against tax and more to the point how many UK shooters know or care that top notch brands such as RCBS are owned by ATK.

The UK shooting consumers are a fickle bunch and I am not sure they would be significantly swayed by a deep green branded NRA, nor if the NRA would care to be sponsored by the parent company. Incidentally I have nothing against ATK, far from it indeed, the 35mm Bushmaster rocks!

[ColinR]

Ovenpaa - I don't think anyone sponsoring the NRA is the way forward because the sponsor would want to impose their values and at a time that the NRA seem to be shedding the mire they have accumulated from the past I think that would be a disaster. It is the NRA that need to shine of their own accord and to become proactive and forward thinking. This tread started with the suggestion that the NRA are Bisley centric and I don't think any third party sponsorship would change that, more likely encourage it. The NRA need to remain independent and plough their own furrow, undeterred by some big company's money. They clearly need to find a way, and fast, how to better represent shooters throughout the country and not just the Surrey/Southern environs. Just talking and sending out a Regional Representative will have little effect. What is needed is decisive action that demonstrates a real intent to become nationally representative of shooters.

[Rab]

What is needed is decisive action that demonstrates a real intent to become nationally representative of shooters.

Colin, out of curiosity what kind of decisive action do you have in in mind?

[ColinR]

^ Oh absolutely; I don't personally think that the NRA will ever build a new range. My comments were really for those folks who are building new ranges either commercially or as part of a club; thinking outside the box as some guys are doing can provide us with the facilities we need at a regional level.

I personally believe that's the future. The NRA will just become increasingly less relevant.

Surely the aim is to have a strong and representative national organisation that becomes increasingly more relevant? Given the apparent reticence of the NRA they should be the ones providing the facilities for their membership, rather than accepting the dilution of their position.

Worryingly the NRA admit that the pressure on range booking at Bisley is becoming a concern and that they are looking to increase/improve facilities at Bisley to address this problem. Not looking to spread the load to accommodate regional shooters, but again pursuing this Bisley centric path. This is not a culture that will easily change I fear. As a business it is becoming more successful from a financial point of view, but is failing to service its customers. Someone at the NRA needs to realise that its finances will ultimately falter if it does not look after its customers. Simple marketing!!

[ColinR]

What is needed is decisive action that demonstrates a real intent to become nationally representative of shooters.

Colin, out of curiosity what kind of decisive action do you have in in mind?

One way might be to consider the sponsorship route I suggested above. It would be the easiest and fastest way to get the support of shooters in the regions and that support is the key to the NRA's long term success as a national representative of shooting.

Overall any decisive action would be thinking outside the Bisley box for once and realising there is a huge untapped market waiting for their support.

[Chuck]

Colin:

You are right Chuck, money is money, but the NRA are by far the most qualified to sponsor a range and the object here is to consolidate NRA as a national body with ranges far and wide. Can you imagine Starbucks or MacDonalds sponsoring a shooting range , they can't even make decent coffee or burgers! It would have to be an NRA initiative as they have the knowledge, experience and one would hope, the reason to consider such a proposal.

Why a big name? Big names take big salaries...and want to rule the roost.

Look at more local potential "sponsors" - if their input allows the club /range to develop then fine. Many indoor ranges are wee boxes that need a serious refit. A couple pf outdoor ranges I've been on are just garbage tips with a backstop.

Look at the US models - they are social places as well as ranges though no doubt our loonytune laws will have something to say about us doing that.

No alcohol of course but if I look at those I was in in the USA or here they are a shop coupled with refreshments and a social area. ..

It needs imagination - and committees who WANT to do something, not live in the past. Going to confirmed anti gun nuts like Starbucks (you should be avoiding them for that reason alone) is a waste of time...

[ColinR]

Colin:

You are right Chuck, money is money, but the NRA are by far the most qualified to sponsor a range and the object here is to consolidate NRA as a national body with ranges far and wide. Can you imagine Starbucks or MacDonalds sponsoring a shooting range , they can't even make decent coffee or burgers! It would have to be an NRA initiative as they have the knowledge, experience and one would hope, the reason to consider such a proposal.

Why a big name? Big names take big salaries...and want to rule the roost.

Look at more local potential "sponsors" - if their input allows the club /range to develop then fine. Many indoor ranges are wee boxes that need a serious refit. A couple pf outdoor ranges I've been on are just garbage tips with a backstop.

Look at the US models - they are social places as well as ranges though no doubt our loonytune laws will have something to say about us doing that.

No alcohol of course but if I look at those I was in in the USA or here they are a shop coupled with refreshments and a social area. ..

It needs imagination - and committees who WANT to do something, not live in the past. Going to confirmed anti gun nuts like Starbucks (you should be avoiding them for that reason alone) is a waste of time...

The big names are the only ones that could make sponsorship worthwhile as they are the ones with the money and able to make the spend a benefit due to tax they can save on the deal. My experience is that sponsors do not take salaries for the money they provide. But as I said before someone offering sponsorship to the NRA would probably only benefit Bisley. Independent ranges arranging sponsorship deals with the local garage or fish and chip shop are unlikely to have any positive effect on the quality of shooting nation wide. However if the NRA were to sponsor these independent ranges with specific planned improvements we could possibly see a beginning of the end of the 'garbage tips with a backstop' and get consistency within the facilities offered around the country. They could call them NRA Affiliated Ranges and open them to all NRA members in the same way that Bisley is managed. You might then get your shop and refreshment area, like Bisley and like the US.

[Chuck]

Actually I am not talking about sponsoring the NRA - more like clubs try and attract sponsors for their own local set ups.

If the NRA need sponsors then they should engage the high power sponsor finders that do such a thing as they have the money. Now being it involves firearms maybe some US companies could jump on this - say someone like Midway (they're on TV here right now) could put some cash into the hands that feed them?

Just throwing out some thoughts on it.

The biggest setback is that if/when someone comes along the opportubity is lost to dogma about whose discipline is best and club politics point scoring or other such nonsense.

Just wondering about this charitable status stuff...The RSPCA is a charity is it not yet it seems very political to the point of having police powers?

[ColinR]

Actually I am not talking about sponsoring the NRA - more like clubs try and attract sponsors for their own local set ups.

If the NRA need sponsors then they should engage the high power sponsor finders that do such a thing as they have the money. Now being it involves firearms maybe some US companies could jump on this - say someone like Midway (they're on TV here right now) could put some cash into the hands that feed them?

Just throwing out some thoughts on it.

The biggest setback is that if/when someone comes along the opportubity is lost to dogma about whose discipline is best and club politics point scoring or other such nonsense.

Just wondering about this charitable status stuff...The RSPCA is a charity is it not yet it seems very political to the point of having police powers?

Clubs/ranges seeking localised sponsorship will not improve the overall situation and maybe if the NRA were to be sponsored they could use the cash to set up a deal with independent ranges to improve facilities under a program of NRA Affiliated Ranges, thereby bringing selected ranges up to a standard and making them available to NRA members.

Good point re: charities. Certainly some charities outwardly seem a lot more proactive than the NRA. RSPCA and RSPB to name but two seem a lot more political oriented. I don't suppose many people outside of shooting know there is an NRA in the UK, but most will have heard of the NRA in the US. That initself says something about our national organisation.

[Sim G]

When our club looked to set up our own range, we discovered that there was actually oodles of money about for such a thing from Sport England and the Lottery charities. The trick was knowing how to apply for it. If the NRA truly wish to be national, then we really need facilities around the whole UK. Unfortunately this would mean a level of business acumen and an openness to scrutiny that the NRA have shown over previous decades that they do not possess....