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Robin Miller: A SNAFU in Manxland

Those old enough to remember the great American TV series M*A*S*H, a comedic but poignant account of behind-the-lines activity in the Korean War, may recall the acronym SNAFU cropping up from time to time.

But can you remember the long version? SITUATION NORMAL: ALL FUCKED UP. And it must be the judgement of many that it seems an accurate description of what has been going on in the Isle of Man for the past few months.

It all started when, flushed with success in reviving the fortunes of the TT,  the Isle of Man government decided to explore the possibility of accelerating the process while reducing the not inconsiderable cost of staging the historic event. But it required big thoughts.
 
A London a agency was employed, cost circa £300,000, and the big thinkers came up with a big idea: making the TT, already a world brand, into a World Series. It would have to be on circuits which could be described "road", mostly in the Southern Hemisphere because it would be in the winter but culminating in the Isle of Man in June...

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Governments love big ideas. So despite buckets of cold water from every corner they, and their appointed agency, began the search for sponsors with the promise of global TV coverage being the baited hook. While the agency, not surprisingly, remained optimistic the path to the Glencrutchery Road remained untrodden by anyone with a dime to spare, wiser heads prevailed and the project was abandoned.

Not all was lost however. Part of the proposition was that the TT series would have been run by an independent promoter with full marketing rights, including TV, rather like Dorna has with the FIM for MotoGP. This could apply just as effectively for the TT and the recently launched Classic, reducing the cost exposure for the Government and promoting the events much more effectively. Good idea.

So, in the early part of this year a tender process was launched and by TT time two of the known contenders were TV production company North One, whose excellent coverage had done much to promote the TT, and a fast-growing events company Vision Nine which had established a reputation for big live festivals mixed with music in surf boarding, BMX and other extreme sports.

Come TT time and Vision Nine appeared to have been given the nod. Six months and dozens of contractual exchanges later, on Monday November 28, they were given the bullet. Legal action is threatened.

Prior to the fateful Monday, rumours were rife and tired of the lack of official communication Vision Nine Chief Executive Julian Topham went public with an interview effectively stating that because of the strength of the leaks he was assuming the deal was off. But he demanded official notification from the Manx Government.He also questioned whether there had been any real intention to conclude a contract and because of the cost to Vision Nine plus the reputational damage he was considering legal action.

It had the desired effect. Within a few hours the Department of Economic Development issued a press statement that the tender process had been discontinued. The following day the Chief Minister Howard Quayle said a review would begin ‘in the very near future’ on delivery of the TT and Classic TT.

He also warned that as legal action was being threatened the matter was sub judice and should not be discussed. This was dismissed by back bench member Chris Robertshaw who immediately tabled a motion of urgent importance in the House of Keys condemning the whole process as ‘shambolic’ and questioning the lack of information when the Vision Nine deal was originally approved. He also described the delay in properly informing Vision Nine as ‘embarrassing’ and went on to suggest that the entire processes of the government needed profound reform.

Local media has described the process as a farce and Development Minister Laurence Skelly as ‘besieged’ following similar disasters with concerts by Tom Jones and The Jacksons which failed by some margin to attract the required number of paying customers.

What to make of all this? Dealing with governments, large or small, is always difficult. Politicians rarely understand business and vice versa. Departments often compete rather than combine and the Isle of Man government seems particularly dysfunctional. The TT is an historic event and trapped by its own history. Change is greeted with suspicion by the die-hardship and hostility by vested interests who feel threatened. So even with near-perfect process, which clearly has been absent, it would have been hard work.

What happens next? Who knows - who cares do I hear you say?! Because the good news is that the TT and the Classic TT will be back in 2017. But good as it is, it could be better. SNAFU, at least for the time being, has prevailed.

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