1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: And well we know thousands turned out to Hidden Valley 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: on the weekend for the supercars and joining us on 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: the line to let us know, well just how it 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: all went is the CEO of n Team Major Events, 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Tim Watsford. 6 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 2: Good morning, Tim, Good morning Katie. 7 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 3: How are you? 8 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: Oh very well, probably got a bit more energy than 9 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: you and your team mate. 10 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: What a massive weekend. 11 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, there's been a bit of caffeination put down 12 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 3: the tach today, that's for sure. Now, it was great, 13 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 3: it was amazing. You guys did an amazing job here 14 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 3: at Major Events to kind of get it away. Plenty 15 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 3: of moving pieces and you know, I took over forty 16 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 3: thousand people through through the gates over the weekend. Is 17 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 3: testament to kind of this event now and it's growth. 18 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 3: I think it's going to be a monster in the 19 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 3: years come. 20 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: Well, you had said to me on Friday, dare I 21 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: say that you know that you'd like more than forty thousand, 22 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: and so we reached that number, Tim, Yeah we did. 23 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 3: There's been touch and go down. I'm not going to lie. 24 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 3: Friday nights they really streamed through for the Nitro and 25 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: then bought tickets all through Saturday so that the nitrob 26 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 3: up North or the drag component for the event now 27 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 3: is really starting to head at straps and I think 28 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 3: there's a bit more to go to be honest, we 29 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 3: can we can really do a bit more with that 30 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 3: with the night times for Friday and Saturdays. But they 31 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 3: turned out in droves and you're, like I said, we 32 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 3: ended up hitting the magical forty thousand number, which is 33 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 3: which is amazing, and everyone right across the board seems 34 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 3: to be really happy with how the weekend went. So 35 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 3: now we get stuck in and ready to look at 36 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 3: what we did for twenty twenty three. 37 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and how do you reckon it went from you know, 38 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: the perspective of it being the first ever indigenous round. 39 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, amazing. And I had the opportunity to speak to 40 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 3: some of the key players in the Sipcars organization yesterday 41 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 3: afternoon at length around some of the outcomes that they're 42 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,199 Speaker 3: receiving and I guess the support from the teams as well, 43 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 3: and I should shout out to the team sponsors. It's 44 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 3: it's quite an ask to play with a brand, as 45 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: we all know in marketing circles and for them to 46 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 3: I guess integrate their brands with indigenous livery from a 47 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 3: cast active well second to that, and then from everything 48 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 3: from our welcome to country to smoking and ceremony on 49 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 3: the grid is pretty special as well. So the guys 50 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 3: across the board are really happy and now everyone, I 51 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 3: think right across the country season is exactly what we 52 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 3: hold so dear up here in the top end, so 53 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 3: we'll put it on, We'll put it on an up 54 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 3: in headlight, so to speak, for years going forward. It's 55 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: definitely here to stay, that's for sure. 56 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: Am I Anything that you know that worked incredibly well 57 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: that you'll make sure that you're going to do next year, 58 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: I think. 59 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 3: I think the little strategy we went on a couple 60 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 3: of years ago around just making it I guess the 61 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 3: motor sports extravaganda one of a better word, is a 62 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 3: selling point and I personally had feedback from around the 63 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 3: bikes and the drags and obviously the supercars and replicating 64 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 3: what was done in New South Wales many years ago 65 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 3: around being a triple challenge is resonating, so we'll continue 66 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 3: on that journey now. I think there's a bit of 67 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 3: programming work, to be quite honest, around what we do 68 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: on the night time, So watch this space we're looking 69 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 3: at kind of what more can we do to jam 70 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 3: into the drags category, So there's there's a little bit 71 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 3: more to go. But look, yeah, from also from a 72 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 3: family perspective, I'm a little bit biased. My daughter was 73 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 3: out there as well and enjoyed everything that Tracks Center 74 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 3: had to offer, from the laser tag to games to 75 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 3: arcade machines for the better part of six thousand a day. 76 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 3: So I think the family has really got out there 77 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: and supported as well. But look, yeah, holistically everything went 78 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 3: to plan. Plenty of smiles and the most important thing 79 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 3: the town was full, So that's that's where we went ahead. 80 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: Well, this is the thing, I mean, how many hotel rooms? 81 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: Do you have any idea sort of how many hotel 82 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: rooms or exactly how many visitors you had from interstate? 83 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 3: Well we'll go and do a structured research. Now plenty 84 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 3: from interstate, though I spoke to, well, I'm going to 85 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 3: say one in you know, one in ten were locals. 86 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 3: The ones that I spoke to. Everyone was seen to 87 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 3: here from from right around the glorbe actually just a coincidence, 88 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 3: but there's anecdotally this morning that there wasn't a room 89 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 3: spare in town. So we'll go through with our state 90 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 3: holders now and make sure that our research is solid. 91 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 3: But this is a big one. This is a big one, Katie. 92 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: We saw plenty come out even from Wednesday, so that's 93 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 3: a good shot in the arm for the local economy. 94 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 3: You know, five or six nights up in the top 95 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 3: end and it surrounds is really important. And that's what 96 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 3: we're trying to do here at major events, make sure 97 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 3: that we developed such a rich calendar of major events 98 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 3: that people want to come and enjoy, not any event, 99 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 3: but a couple of days pre and post and this 100 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 3: is exactly what it's doing. So hopefully in the next couple 101 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 3: of months we will announce kind of where the figures are, 102 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 3: but no doubt I know they're going to be strong. 103 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: Tim Any learnings from this year or anything that you 104 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: might look at and say, all right, we've got to 105 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: change that slightly for next year. 106 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 3: I think I think we're managing my staff, to be honest, 107 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 3: they've got a few weary eyes, I guess, and speaking 108 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,679 Speaker 3: quite candidly, I spoke to a few of my directors 109 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 3: here at major events over the West End, and I 110 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 3: think my words are something like JEESEZ, you've been a 111 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 3: bit off here. Plenty of moving parts that we all 112 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 3: want to try and and get better at, to be honest, 113 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 3: But from a fans perspective, I think they wouldn't have 114 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 3: seen the challenges that we had kind of behind the scenes. 115 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 3: So look, labors. Labor is the one that I think 116 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 3: more broadly and it's been kind of spoken to death 117 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 3: about in our industry. Both events and hospitality was a 118 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: challenge and it got us over the weekend. So we 119 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 3: worked through that. But I think the mono is to 120 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: go bigger next year, so you know, watch this space. 121 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 3: We'll have a look at everything and through the review 122 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 3: process and go one step further and see if we 123 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 3: can put it up into the mid forties. If I'm 124 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 3: saying it early. Around what we can do next year. 125 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 2: Oh good stuff. 126 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: And I think it's always wonderful, you know, to see 127 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: so many people in town. The town absolutely bustling as well, 128 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: which we saw over the course of the weekend, but 129 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: also into the leading tim The one thing that people 130 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: raised with me that they were a bit worried about 131 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: yesterday was apparently there was a bit of a lineup 132 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: getting out of the supercars. 133 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, there was, and once again This goes back to 134 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: kind of the staff shortages or labor shortages at the 135 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 3: moment that we're experiencing. So there were there was, and 136 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 3: we'll own that there was some queuing in particular around 137 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 3: transport to try and get people out that would have 138 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: experienced previously. And that's probably a bit different compared to 139 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 3: the Friday and Saturday, Katie, just because everyone left at 140 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 3: the completion of the race. So you jam out, you 141 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 3: jam out better part of twelve or thirteen thousand at 142 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 3: one point in time, we're always going to have a 143 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 3: bit of congestion. That was just elevated with kind of 144 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 3: the challenges that we're seeing across the board. The Friday 145 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: and Saturday was a steady flow of in and out, 146 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 3: so those challenges probably weren't realized. But yeah, that's one 147 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 3: that we need to we need to get better on. 148 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 3: We need to try and work out how how we 149 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 3: can get people to help get people home and particular 150 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 3: through the public transport system. So we'll take all that 151 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 3: on board and we'll try and work out to make 152 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 3: sure that that'sand experience is better for next year. We 153 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 3: always do. So if there are people out there that 154 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 3: have feedback, please please jump online Major Events dot com 155 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 3: dou and share it with us. You know, without it, 156 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 3: we can't plan for next year, So please share everything 157 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 3: that's good and bad where you can. 158 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 2: And Tim, you've got what ten days now to organized 159 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: Territory Day, you and your team. 160 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: I feeling about it. But we're still out hidden Valley 161 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 3: right now packing up. So there's there's probably about a 162 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 3: weeks worth of work to go here. But yes, we're 163 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 3: we're blowing stuff up so to speak, right across the 164 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: territory next week, which is which is going to be 165 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 3: good fun. So there's there's plenty of there's plenty of 166 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 3: good stuff that the guys have organized right from Alice, Tenant, 167 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 3: Catherine and Darwin for our major events and then yeah, 168 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 3: seventeen remote locations that the guys will go and organize 169 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 3: fireworks to celebrate everything that we hold dear in the territory. 170 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 3: So look out, we'll walk out now for two weeks 171 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 3: to two weeks time. 172 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: Well, you know, to you and your team, well done 173 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: on on the supercars, what an amazing event. And and 174 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: hopefully after after Territory Day you might get to have 175 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: a little little rest, little. 176 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: Rest, little tiny rest. We're we do it all again 177 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 3: in the back end of the year because of the pedals. 178 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 3: We'll go to the drive. 179 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 2: You guys love it, your your team is fantastic. You 180 00:07:59,120 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: have to love it, I think. 181 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: And you've got to love events and all that is 182 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: territory to you know, to be able to do it, 183 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: which I think is wonderful. 184 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I just I do want to shout out 185 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 3: to my guys, Cadie. It is. 186 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 4: Although it seems as a sexy industry working in events, 187 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 4: there's there's a lot of long hours and there's a 188 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 4: lot of there's a lot of time and labor put 189 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 4: into these put into these major events. So, like I 190 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 4: said before, there's a few weary eyes around this morning 191 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 4: out of hid and Valley, trying to pack up what 192 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 4: was a pretty successful weekend. 193 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: But you know, full shout out to the crew. They're 194 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 3: an amazing bunch. 195 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, our wonderful stuff. Well. 196 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: Tim Watsford, the see of NT Major Events, good to 197 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:36,719 Speaker 1: catch up with you. 198 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: We'll talk to you next week about Territory. 199 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 3: Day gone good only it's good. 200 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: Thank you.