To learn more about Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA) car audio competitions and its plans for California in 2010, I sat down with Steve Stern, founder and president of MECA and Todd Woodworth, California event promoter for MECA, at the 2010 International CES convention for a quick interview.

Bing Xu: How long has MECA been around?

Steve Stern: We started in 1999, this is our twelfth season.

BX:  Obviously when you started MECA, there were existing sound quality competition formats, what would you say the mission statement of MECA is? And how does it differ from the existing formats?

SS:  MECA is a car audio club for people who love car audio… We are out to have car audio parties basically--car shows with music. Our mission statement is vast and broad, but the main thing is to have fun and fair events for our competitors first and to help the industry sell more products; with manufacturers supporting their retailers to host shows, to drive the industry [forward] and [increase] sales.

Todd Woodworth:  What I see about MECA [that is different] is that it has a real focus on the competitors and on fairness...and [MECA] continuously works to keep it that way.

BX:  As you know, being that I was involved with competitions [in California] last year, one of the common things that guys I brought to the shows for the first time complain about, was that it was kind of boring. It was a lot of people sitting around for eight hours, and not getting much done.  At the same time, when I talked to my friends who own shops about hosting, their biggest concern was, “[Competitions] don’t really attract crowds that we want that could potentially be our clientele”.  Is there something that you think you can do differently to address these concerns?

TW:  Well, a main thing we are doing is adding SPL (Sound Pressure League) this year, I think there is a lot more of a spectator factor with SPL [competitions]... [There will be] a lot more cars there, with a lot more people talking and interacting.  You will have more of a fun atmosphere....In addition, MECA offers some fun formats that are a little bit more entertaining [than past shows].

SS:  Yeah, a main thing that is entertaining at the shows is the drive by SPL parade, we have them play music...but the vehicles are open and everybody can hear it... They are crowd pleasers.  The other cool thing about MECA shows is that... [After registration] there are instantly [occurring] clinics. If you are a member they are free. So if you need help with any of the things we do: RTA, SQ, Install, SPL, or the drive by parade, we will give you a clinic to get you ready for the show.  Again, if you are a member it’s free, if you are not it is ten bucks so we will still give you help.   So something is going on right from the start to get you ready for the contest, and the purpose of the clinics is to show people how to get the best score the first time, whether it is sound quality or sound pressure league...  We can’t please everybody, but we do care and we will keep trying, and give the best effort that we can.  Plus, we work with the host and sponsor to find out what they want and need from the show.  We have different levels of participation, so we can do inexpensive shows or we can do the most extravagant shows for them depending on their budget.  It’s really up to them to drive people to the event, especially their customers.  If they are complaining about the shows not attracting their customers, well, they have to be there first to be turned off.  So let’s get them out there first, if we can get people to come to our shows, we are going to win them over!

BX:  When I talked to people and my customers about competing, be it online or in person. They always [have this impression] that it is really really difficult with [extremely] high standards; and when they go to shows and see the [complex] score sheets, they get very intimidated.  A lot of guys, as soon as I mention competing, they say, “Oh no no, this is not for competition, this is not built to compete!”  The truth is, their cars are perfectly capable of competing, but they are intimidated by the image of sound quality competition. How do you think MECA will work to address this problem?

TW:  Well first of all the score sheet is much simpler.  It’s not a complicated two page thing [like last year]; it’s very simple and straightforward.

SS:  It is based on 100 points, so think of it based on percentages.  80 point car, 80 percent [of perfection], 94 point car, 94 percent.

TW:  In addition to that, the way the classes are laid out, it’s going to be much less intimidating.  You will be competing against people that have similar vehicles.  [Over the past year], sound quality only is the most popular class in California, maybe 90 percent of the people are going sound quality only, no install [judging].  This year, they will not be all grouped together like they were last year, where you have 25 to 30 cars all in the same class.  Now you will have five or six cars, all grouped together and they will all get more of a fair shake.   The stock class, for example, is a very limited, basic system [class], where guys can just show up and get an idea about where they are without being lumped in [the same class] as manufacturer [supported] cars, or someone who has been competing for 10 years.

SS:  They will be competing against cars with similar complexity of design, that’s how our classes are built.  It’s very logical and we have been doing this and refining this for years.  We are in the best place we have ever been now with these classes.  [To us], sound wins sound quality. If you want to do install, we have an install score sheet, 100 points...and you can win an install trophy.  But you cannot win sound quality because you have a nicer install, it doesn’t work that way.  We try to keep this sport universal, because it’s about music, appreciating music, understanding music and understanding the equipment you have and knowing how to use it.  With our clinics, we try to help people to get more comfortable with their equipment, so they can feel more comfortable competing with it.

BX:  What are your hopes for MECA, in California over the next three to five years?

TW:  For myself, I know it’s going to take a couple of shows for us to figure things out. I would like to do 20 to 30 shows in the first year...I would like to link up with larger [car] shows to add to the fun factor.  Hooking up with shows at Extreme Autofest and Autorama gives the competitors something to do, something to walk around and see.  I want to make it a bit more fun than a bunch of guys sitting in a parking lot for 10 hours listening to each other’s cars.  I hope to have a big turnout for our West Coast finals, to let the East Coast guys know that we are here to stay.

SS:  The people I have met here really fit our most desirable profile.  They aren’t all about the money, but they are all about the sound. They are about doing a good job.  Whatever Todd wants to do, I will support that. If [California] grows like MECA grows in other areas, it will usually take three years [to get fully established].

BX:  If someone wants to find out more about MECA, where do they go?

SS:  The first place is our website, www.mecacaraudio.com. We also have www.mecaforums.com... You are welcome to contact me directly, my channels of communication are very open. And Todd’s name and information will be on our site as the California event director.

BX:  Great, it sounds fantastic and I hope to see you guys soon at a MECA show!

For the story on MECA and information on the first California show of the season, please click below:

MECA story