That is exactly one of the problems - ideas seem to fall on deaf ears. The problems have caused the lack of participation. I'm on the phone with guys all of the time that discuss the same issues. The number one complaint I hear is the judging is often sloppy or suspect. A distant second is the flying site or its location and not knowing where it will be next year. Even guys that are close to the meet aren't going to attend if they don't think they will get a fair shake. If a guy knows the meet is going to be somewhere every year, he/she can plan to attend and begin a quality build - even if they will have to attend in 3 years.

Masters needs to "land" somewhere and stay. Contrary to some beliefs, some of the biggest years were on the West Coast, in particular at Mile Square Park. It was a good site - another problem that some of the Masters suffer from - some of the sites aren't really cut out for these types of models.

When the meet was a primarily Southern California venue, there was more sponsorship from local places. When you constantly move, you cannot build a support base because you are not going to be around next year. Motels are more likely to work with you on special rates because they will have your business next year.

An example I use is the Superbowl - try to follow this. It is held in the same location every year - your television. Yes, in it's case the physical location changes for very few, but the money is there because the location is the same - television. If "Joes Used Cars" is in town, and the owner is inclined to sponsor the meet, he will be more likely to do so the next year, or his competitor may want to get in on the action. If that name can be more tightly tied to the Masters name, (better than) "Scale Masters presented by . . . " or some variation, then the television and print coverage is an added sponsorship value. It is impossible to drum up money when you just roll into town Thursday, and back out Sunday afternoon.

The idea of a national championship is not going to happen now. The money is not there to travel - but why not set up a Masters in the Midwest and one on the West Coast. There is no one recognized champion now - who is better, the winner of Top Gun or Masters? Why just have one?


The format needs to change. More optional maneuvers and some of the mandatory maneuvers need to go away and/or change. With the way the points are given now, if you are a point behind after the first round, you probably have wasted your trip. With the way the scoring is laid out, all but a few are eliminated in static, sometimes incorrectly by judges that don't know what they are looking at. The same goes with the judging in the flying.

With more optional maneuvers, it becomes more of a freestyle viewing experience - fun to watch. One reason the public doesn't stick around is it is boring to watch. If you have ever been to one, you hear the gasps and applause at the high speed jet flyby, or the bomber dropping bombs, and then you see the yawns during the figure 8, etc. Since the scoring is wrapped up, there is no reason to stick around - no "finish" so to speak.

If Top Gun is doing great - then see what they are doing. Why not have a promoters option - in other words is some big gun scale guy doesn't qualify or attempt to - invite them.

The Masters organization needs to contact competitors and others in the scale modeling fraternity and get some new ideas and do them. If something doesn't work this year, change it again. At the core of the contest, it is the same as 1983, but scale modeling has progressed exponentially in 26 years. At Hemet a couple of years ago, there were a few of us that in 30 minutes came up with a whole new format including some of what I mentioned above - but you would have to forget the old days and be ready to seriously change.

Dennis