1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,640
Speaker 1: It is just on fourteen minutes after ten o'clock and

2
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,200
Speaker 1: joining me live in the studio for a real change

3
00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,560
Speaker 1: of pace, a pretty fast pace, I would say. When

4
00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,159
Speaker 1: you talk about the supercars, it is Tim Watsford, the

5
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,080
Speaker 1: CEO of NT Major Events. Good morning to.

6
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:14,720
Speaker 2: You, Good morning Katie. How are you yeah?

7
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,880
Speaker 1: Really well? Now, Tim, we know that the Merlin Darwin

8
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,440
Speaker 1: Triple Crown it's going to return for three days of

9
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,840
Speaker 1: non stop motorsports action for next year. Good news, Hey, yeah.

10
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:25,160
Speaker 2: Massive news.

11
00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,640
Speaker 3: I think it's we want to try and take advantage

12
00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,760
Speaker 3: of the Black Friday sales where everyone goes a little

13
00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,200
Speaker 3: bit mad this tommyar So you can get your tickets

14
00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,680
Speaker 3: now for eighty nine bucks, which is super cheap for

15
00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,280
Speaker 3: three days worth of racing action. And the guys have

16
00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,080
Speaker 3: worked their bums off to put together another great program.

17
00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,160
Speaker 3: So you know, twenty twenty two, we're trying to step

18
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:44,440
Speaker 3: up again. I think I've been saying that for the

19
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,480
Speaker 3: last four years, every years, trying to be bigger and better,

20
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,040
Speaker 3: and I think we're going to do that with next year,

21
00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:48,880
Speaker 3: really really good stuff.

22
00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,959
Speaker 1: What can people expect for next year? Because I think

23
00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,400
Speaker 1: that if you're a motorsports fan, you're always sort of

24
00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,160
Speaker 1: you know that it's going to be a great weekend

25
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,160
Speaker 1: no matter what. But are there any sort of changes

26
00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:58,440
Speaker 1: to the plans for next year?

27
00:00:58,640 --> 00:00:59,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, there is.

28
00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,400
Speaker 3: We kind of a bit of a journey last year,

29
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:03,600
Speaker 3: to be honest, around looking at what the fans want

30
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,880
Speaker 3: in particular, and they were screaming out motorsports. So what

31
00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,160
Speaker 3: we've done this year in particular adding to what you

32
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,880
Speaker 3: see during the day is top fuel drags.

33
00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,360
Speaker 2: And really try to push that drag program.

34
00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,840
Speaker 3: So the difference from last year to this year to

35
00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,840
Speaker 3: those that kind of have been around the traps for

36
00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,560
Speaker 3: a little while is we folded the concert into a

37
00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,640
Speaker 3: top fuel drag racing meat which will take over Friday

38
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,720
Speaker 3: and Saturday night. They'll be accompanied by the door slammers

39
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,640
Speaker 3: and then from a on track during the day perspective,

40
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:31,400
Speaker 3: austrain and superbikes are coming back.

41
00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:32,880
Speaker 2: They're an amazing spectacle.

42
00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,039
Speaker 3: We got these little things called S five thousands, which

43
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,920
Speaker 3: is a little kind of Formula one looking car, the

44
00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,160
Speaker 3: hot tip. They're supposed to break the lap record.

45
00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:40,839
Speaker 2: They're fast.

46
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,039
Speaker 3: So then we've got supercars and we've got to own

47
00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,600
Speaker 3: pre production, so it's very motorsports heavy it's going to

48
00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,920
Speaker 3: be a busy weekend. It is actually Indigenous Round as well,

49
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,880
Speaker 3: the formal Indigenous round for supercars. So really really happy

50
00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,440
Speaker 3: the guys have jumped on board and want to celebrate

51
00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,760
Speaker 3: everything that the top end Larikia.

52
00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,600
Speaker 2: And Indigenous means to us and our culture.

53
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,960
Speaker 3: So look, we're trying to go bigger, which want to

54
00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,960
Speaker 3: go better and Yeh've got no doubt next years can.

55
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:04,800
Speaker 1: Be big well and no doubt that's what That's what

56
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,720
Speaker 1: the punters want, Like that's what people want. They're there

57
00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,680
Speaker 1: for the motorsports and you know, the drags throughout the

58
00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,760
Speaker 1: day I'm assuming will be a real you know, a

59
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:13,480
Speaker 1: real draw cart.

60
00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,239
Speaker 3: Yeah, massive, like the drag racing that we did last

61
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:17,800
Speaker 3: year night Drop North. For those that are for me

62
00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,520
Speaker 3: with it, door slammers and funny cars, they do the

63
00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,200
Speaker 3: strip in about six seconds, don't quote me. I think

64
00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,440
Speaker 3: the top fuelers do it in about three seconds. They're fast,

65
00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,160
Speaker 3: so the fast current planet. So we've got a few

66
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,480
Speaker 3: of them coming up and effectively doing their grand final

67
00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,440
Speaker 3: of their season in Darwin. So they'll be playing for

68
00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,040
Speaker 3: points now. If you those they are out Hiaton Valley

69
00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,919
Speaker 3: on the Friday night last this year. Sorry, it was

70
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,080
Speaker 3: crowd record for the Friday over the twenty years that

71
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,000
Speaker 3: we've had supercars up here or twenty odd years. So

72
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,440
Speaker 3: we're looking to really stack in Valley for Friday and

73
00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:46,960
Speaker 3: Saturday night.

74
00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,800
Speaker 1: That's pretty crazy when you consider that last year was

75
00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,079
Speaker 1: you know, COVID was such a big issue for us.

76
00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,400
Speaker 1: Then to have that record breaking number, it's pretty amazing.

77
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:56,760
Speaker 2: Stuff it is.

78
00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:58,640
Speaker 3: And I think we try to play to our strengths

79
00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,440
Speaker 3: and our niche and and we thought, you know, the

80
00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,680
Speaker 3: fans want motorsport, they like drags racing. I have a

81
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,280
Speaker 3: new drag racing until we move to the territory Beynest

82
00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,399
Speaker 3: Katie and now I love it. They're fast, so look

83
00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,280
Speaker 3: and even if you don't, even if you don't like it,

84
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,240
Speaker 3: they're allowed. The atmosphere is electric and I can no

85
00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,680
Speaker 3: doubt say that, Yeah, Hidden Valley on Friday in particular

86
00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,800
Speaker 3: Saturday night are going to be absolutely mental.

87
00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, fantastic stuff. Now obviously people can jump online. You've

88
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,880
Speaker 1: got that Black Friday sale that's starting tomorrow. We did

89
00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,919
Speaker 1: catch up with the police earlier this morning about cyber

90
00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,000
Speaker 1: You know some of the cyber scams. This is not

91
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,359
Speaker 1: a scamps from line obviously and head to the do

92
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,080
Speaker 1: and Supercars to get your tickets. Hey, it's not the

93
00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,840
Speaker 1: only thing that we know is coming back for next year.

94
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:41,760
Speaker 1: The other thing is based in the Grass and that

95
00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,960
Speaker 1: lineup was an outs last week. Pretty exciting with that.

96
00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,920
Speaker 3: One, too massive, and look, I'll gloat here a little bit.

97
00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:49,960
Speaker 2: We've got the best lineup in the country next year.

98
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,040
Speaker 3: So for those that are music fans and first of

99
00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,400
Speaker 3: all lovers from right across the country, it is a

100
00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,640
Speaker 3: pretty premier lineup and we're seeing the tickets walk out

101
00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,200
Speaker 3: the door as a result, our second release or a

102
00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,480
Speaker 3: general admission release sold out. We're into our final release

103
00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,640
Speaker 3: of tickets now we've got a handful of VIP tickets

104
00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:07,960
Speaker 3: that I'm assuming you're going to go on the next

105
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,960
Speaker 3: couple of days left. Now that's we've gone from fourteen thousand.

106
00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,560
Speaker 3: We're going to try and push that barrier next year.

107
00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,120
Speaker 3: I can't say we were going to land just yet,

108
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,800
Speaker 3: but fourteen thousand and seven of thousand are in a

109
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,640
Speaker 3: state last year, so it's a really good lick for

110
00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,839
Speaker 3: the for the top end from a hospitality and accommodation

111
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,280
Speaker 3: perspective and an economic impact.

112
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,479
Speaker 2: So we're playing that card again. Good Tommy year, Let's

113
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:27,120
Speaker 2: let's dance.

114
00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,840
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's gonna be on anything else exciting that we

115
00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,919
Speaker 1: can expect for next year. I'm assuming lots of stuff,

116
00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:33,000
Speaker 1: but nothing you can announce.

117
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,360
Speaker 3: Checks we've got. We've got done our reill under the wing,

118
00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:36,839
Speaker 3: so we announced that a couple of weeks ago. So

119
00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,359
Speaker 3: the cows are coming over from Townsville to play them

120
00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,400
Speaker 3: to Mighty Territory IELs, so that'll be a blockbuster. The

121
00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,800
Speaker 3: Cowboys have recruited well, so that's gonna be a cracking game.

122
00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,600
Speaker 3: Standing by for what AFL brings for us, then we've

123
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,720
Speaker 3: obviously gotten the center Parchama, which will be an amazing

124
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,080
Speaker 3: from a package's perspective. Parchamer in April is literally walking

125
00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:55,840
Speaker 3: out the door as well, so those that want to

126
00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,000
Speaker 3: make the trip to the center do so it's going

127
00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:59,839
Speaker 3: to be another amazing cultural experience.

128
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,480
Speaker 1: Do you reckon that things are going to calm down

129
00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,039
Speaker 1: to some degree now? You know, in terms of the

130
00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,719
Speaker 1: borders sort of opening, there being a lot more certainty

131
00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,320
Speaker 1: from different states when it comes to those borders as

132
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:11,720
Speaker 1: they reach those high vax rates.

133
00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,479
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, and we're seeing that, and we're also seeing

134
00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,240
Speaker 3: that from from a competition perspective, there are a lot

135
00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,839
Speaker 3: of If I look at music festivals or motor sports

136
00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:20,520
Speaker 3: next year.

137
00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,200
Speaker 2: There's a lot that's online already.

138
00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,279
Speaker 3: And to your point, the confidence level in people that

139
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,760
Speaker 3: they previously had for Darwin is now being matched through

140
00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,240
Speaker 3: the Eastern States with border relaxing, So we've got to

141
00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:31,880
Speaker 3: work to do to be honest, we want to try

142
00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:33,400
Speaker 3: and get in front. Like I said, we've got the

143
00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,360
Speaker 3: best line up. I think we've got the best motorsports program,

144
00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,760
Speaker 3: so that should attract people in themselves. But yeah, confidence

145
00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,520
Speaker 3: is back right across the country. We're seeing that. So

146
00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,360
Speaker 3: that's a great result and that's what we all want.

147
00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,039
Speaker 3: We want people coming up and really enjoying what we

148
00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,839
Speaker 3: have to offer, and events of the catalyst for conversion,

149
00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,760
Speaker 3: I'll say as I keep shouting, So yeah, events are

150
00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:51,359
Speaker 3: going to bring people up through the dry.

151
00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:52,880
Speaker 2: Season each year. Well, good stuff.

152
00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,800
Speaker 1: Tim Watsford, the CEO of NT Major Events, always good

153
00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:57,359
Speaker 1: to catch up. Thanks for your time this morning.

154
00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:57,720
Speaker 2: Do you think