-=2023 PRIZE DISCUSSION=-

So, if we are bringing the Build-Off back all the time.  Granted Bragging rights are nice and good.  Having a prize gives incentive to come back and finish.

I have found in the past that if we share in the prizes, it is just easier to do.  For instance, in 2019

@redzz02 did 1st place
I did second place
@Crazy_carl did 3rd.  

Anyone think they could sponsor a place?  Maybe team up and sponsor places?

Just a thought.  One or two people doing all the places can be tough on the sponsor.

Thoughts?

I can commit to sponsoring a spot, I'll call third because I'm also committing to building us an actual trophy, something smaller and light (for shipping purposes). I had been wanting to do it through this year as a surprise at the end but just couldn't find the time between work and the hundred projects I had on the go! Lol

Not saying I'm not going to enter the 2023 BO but if I do it will be a much simpler build overall than the monumental task of building the Mud Duck which isn't close to "finished"!

While we are on the topic of prize discussion, prizes do help bring people into the site and help with motivation. I have a secondary question for you.

What kind of prizes do you think people would like to win? Like specific examples. "Within reason". In the past we went from stickers and homemade stuff, to led lights, winches, bumpers, tools, t-shirts, and various things.

Shoot some items below then we can discuss later (August-September) on who if any would like to help with prizes.

I like where you're going with this and you're right on the money @MightyRaze, prizes will help attract more entries and hopefully bring more people towards the finish line!

I think it would be cool if everyone who officially enters the Build Off gets at the very least a ATLTF sticker right off the hop, perhaps even a Build Off sticker...? Put it somewhere you'll notice it often for motivation or to guilt yourself into getting back to work if you haven't updated in a while...whatevers clever!

I think it would be even cooler if everyone who completes their build and is eligible for voting automatically gets a ATLTF/Build Off t-shirt to proudly wear, a ATLTF sticker pack and a small gift card.

1st, 2nd and 3rd would obviously get all of the above aside from their main prize(s) which is where the bigger things like parts/accessories/tools come in.

Financing could take some work but maybe we can lure in a sponsor or 2 to help partially with prizes? Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't NiLight a sponsor one year? I wonder what they're up to these days? Lol.

Let's face it, it's not about recouping your investment it's about participating and having fun in a grassroots style motorsport BUT it is always nice earning even a little something for the effort right!? Something you can hold or wear, show people how they missed out and you had all the fun!

That's my two cents!

what if we got a tractor, and sent it around to forum members, each one modding a small part of it, and then at the end we give that to the winnner?

Stuff:
- plasma cutters
- Welding equipment (some guys don't have a welder apparently)
- mud tires (these can be hard to find)
- the wisdom of an old mudder (most guys don't have this apparently )
- call some buisnesses and see if the will sponsor a prize in exchange for your soul and their name plastered all over the place (princess auto has a featured builds thing in their catalog, basically a bunch of random go karts and log splitters but they might be willing to sponsor a buildoff)(although that is a canadian store...) perhaps hobo freight?
- grab a cheap minibike from walmart and offer that as the prize, I have one personally and it's great for booting around town, I literally drive it in -15 degree weather, costs 3 bucks to fill up and you can go like 50km on a tank. drive it to work.
-Does anyone know what the american version of canadian tire is?

Anyway just my random ideas...
-

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-CC100X-98CC-Gas-Powered-Ride-On-Mini-Bike-Red-Unisex/710288252

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Realtree-RT100-105CC-Camo-Gas-Powered-Ride-On-Mini-Bike/642471041?athbdg=L1200

Something like what i'm thinking?

You're talking about alot of high dollar stuff there @TechnoChicken, did I miss a post where you told us you won the lottery!?

Not to mention shipping would be probably as much as the product. The we have the issue of customs and border crossing. Is it legal to ship to the other country? One of our active members right now lives in Israel. Something to think about.

I find it easiest, if the supplier can ship it directly to the other country. Just too many restrictions for imports/exports.

Brianator wrote:

I like where you're going with this and you're right on the money @MightyRaze, prizes will help attract more entries and hopefully bring more people towards the finish line!

I think it would be cool if everyone who officially enters the Build Off gets at the very least a ATLTF sticker right off the hop, perhaps even a Build Off sticker...? Put it somewhere you'll notice it often for motivation or to guilt yourself into getting back to work if you haven't updated in a while...whatevers clever!

I think it would be even cooler if everyone who completes their build and is eligible for voting automatically gets a ATLTF/Build Off t-shirt to proudly wear, a ATLTF sticker pack and a small gift card.

1st, 2nd and 3rd would obviously get all of the above aside from their main prize(s) which is where the bigger things like parts/accessories/tools come in.

Financing could take some work but maybe we can lure in a sponsor or 2 to help partially with prizes? Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't NiLight a sponsor one year? I wonder what they're up to these days? Lol.

Let's face it, it's not about recouping your investment it's about participating and having fun in a grassroots style motorsport BUT it is always nice earning even a little something for the effort right!? Something you can hold or wear, show people how they missed out and you had all the fun!

That's my two cents!

While I have not sent stickers to everyone that has entered.  I do send stickers to ALL finalists whether they win or not.

Yes, NiLight sponsored one year.  They got big for their pants evidently and no longer do that it seems.  Doug has reached out to them a few times to sponsor again and hasn't heard anything.  I'm almost certain Super Clean would sponsor some product, but it can't be shipped to Canada apparently.  I try to keep it to things that can be shipped outside United States or can be purchased and shipped within Canada (Amazon) but you still run into things that can't be shipped.  Back in 2017 it took Doug several months to get a second-place prize to Dave 007 in Australia. 

It's been mentioned SEVERAL times in the past, but I do think trophies should be on the table.

I'd like to be the one to build us a trophy not only because I had a great idea to have a small all terrain customized tractor on top but because I wanted to last year and didn't.

My plan is to use some small engine parts (like a weedeater piston and con rod plus other small parts), have them mounted to a base and put the tractor on top.

What I would encourage is that whoever wins to further customize the tractor itself to mimic their build off machine then the next person can do the same so on and so forth! That actually goes along with @TechnoChickens idea of sending a tractor around too!

What y'all think of that idea?

I don't want to discourage, but what happens when the last person to have it is one of the people that falls off the forum.  I've seen too many winners just fall off the forum.

Something to think about.

Yr1 winner...  mr.modified
Yr2... redzz02
3.. Doc Sprocket
4.. redzz02
5.. redzz02
6.. AllisKidD21
7.. Hillbilly Offroad
8.. MightyRaze

How many of those previous winners are here contributing today? And how often?  redzz02 I feel was an anomaly that came back and won a few other times.

Probably best to keep it simple.

Id be willing to help out with a prize or at least throw some money in the pot. Im not rich but im down to throw in something!

Why not start a go fund me, or similar site, and people like myself, can donate, 10, 20 or 30 bucks. Something, to help out with prizes. Another member mentioned contributing, not alot, but every bit helps.

Brianator wrote:

You're talking about alot of high dollar stuff there @TechnoChicken, did I miss a post where you told us you won the lottery!?

nah, I was going to suggest a go fund me but someone else beat me to the punch lol

CRAFTSMAN MUDDER wrote:

Why not start a go fund me, or similar site, and people like myself, can donate, 10, 20 or 30 bucks. Something, to help out with prizes. Another member mentioned contributing, not alot, but every bit helps.

Yea a go fund me is a great idea I think.

I dunno guys, doesn't feel like a proper way to use that site regardless if it's being abused by others. It's meant to help people in actual need not help a bunch of rednecks like us fund a prize pool! Lol

I think if some members are willing to throw a few bucks in a pot and we can snag a couple of sponsors that would be cool!

Brianator wrote:

I dunno guys, doesn't feel like a proper way to use that site regardless if it's being abused by others. It's meant to help people in actual need not help a bunch of rednecks like us fund a prize pool! Lol

I think if some members are willing to throw a few bucks in a pot and we can snag a couple of sponsors that would be cool!

I agree.  If money is thrown into a pot.  It has to be transparent, and every penny should be accountable for the members.  Also, not as big an issue, but there is the currency issue.  Right now, half our active members are Canada, the others Half is USA.  With one exception being Israel.

NiLight has thrown in led pods once, but @doug has not been able to get them to do so since.  I have purchased them and sent them out as prizes myself in the past.  I will try to continue to do so as long as I am a member of ATLTF for 2nd place.  I struggle with 1st and 3rd place.  Then there are those members who like to win 3rd place that seem to have everything they need.  Or it appears so in their video's.  LOL 

My other issue I have seen in the past.  People say they will sponsor a prize then Don't. ...either vanish from the site or forget they were going to send one.

Brianator wrote:

I dunno guys, doesn't feel like a proper way to use that site regardless if it's being abused by others. It's meant to help people in actual need not help a bunch of rednecks like us fund a prize pool! Lol

I think if some members are willing to throw a few bucks in a pot and we can snag a couple of sponsors that would be cool!

Go fund me also has a habit of taking your money and donating it to "charities" (cough) so it might be a better idea to use a private site

What i will comment though, is that the size of the prize is directly proportional to the size of the buildoff. the bigger the prize, the more people will want to compete. (think about the lottery, the jackpot is millions of dollars, so millions of people waste their money on it)

Agreed @TechnoChicken and the more people that are willing to donate prizes/money to it the better it will be, we can't just print money unfortunately! (Please no politics) LOL.

I can't help but think that a Build Off Entry fee would discourage people from entering but maybe not? What you all think of that? Even $20 a entry, which isn't alot times 10 entries is a $200 prize pool. Not alot but more than we have now and people could still donate other items for prizes, there's nothing saying the top 3 have to just be one larger prize each, why not something larger and smaller stuff as well?

Financing is the issue but if we all give a little it won't be a burden on anyone and we could end up with some decent prizes.

I'm personnly going to try to get us at least one sponsor.

Brianator wrote:

Agreed @TechnoChicken and the more people that are willing to donate prizes/money to it the better it will be, we can't just print money unfortunately! (Please no politics) LOL.

I can't help but think that a Build Off Entry fee would discourage people from entering but maybe not? What you all think of that? Even $20 a entry, which isn't alot times 10 entries is a $200 prize pool. Not alot but more than we have now and people could still donate other items for prizes, there's nothing saying the top 3 have to just be one larger prize each, why not something larger and smaller stuff as well?

Financing is the issue but if we all give a little it won't be a burden on anyone and we could end up with some decent prizes.

I'm personnly going to try to get us at least one sponsor.

Uh, possibly a suggested fee, I would be hesitant to enter just because it makes it more complicated then it already is
(I wasn't trying to make this political just saying your comment about people "abusing" the site was a little off, all good though )

@TechnoChicken There are alot of people abusing the privilege of GoFundMe and I guarantee there's alot of fake sob stories too, try taking a browse around and see for yourself.

Lol it's not hard to make a little payment, no different then making purchases online really.

Brianator wrote:

@TechnoChicken There are alot of people abusing the privilege of GoFundMe and I guarantee there's alot of fake sob stories too, try taking a browse around and see for yourself.

Lol it's not hard to make a little payment,  no different then making purchases online really.

just look at the Ottawa truckers protest, and I'll leave the thread jack at that