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What really miffed the fans last night was the fact that they rushed through heats 8 & 9 whilst it was pouring down with rain, what can be worse for the riders safety when those at the back get filled in and can't see where they're going. Jenkins actually pulled up in 8 and tootled round as he couldn't see and Ellis was totally coated at the back in 9 and lost yards as the race went on. Then the rain stopped, the riders came out on track and had a look. It was decided to grade the track and Graham Trollope brought the tractor to the gate, but then it was decided they wouldn't grade it. All the time the clouds were passing and blue sky was visible. Heat 10 then took place, Holder off gate 3 didn't get away too well but passed everyone out of bend 2 down the back straight. There was a tussle for second between Howarth and Cook and Basso rode around at the back apparently totally uninterested. That gave the fans the impression that the track WAS raceable. Then both teams had meetings and it was obvious that it was going to be abandoned. No attempt was made to try and improve the surface, the sun was shining, there was no hint that there was more rain on the way (both visibly and on the apps) and a result they had a very unhappy crowd. If just a little effort had been put in to try and improve the track surface it would've been appreciated (after all it was only just 8.35) we all know rider safety is important, but so is making an effort so the fans get their moneys worth. This was another bad day for this sport, no wonder it's dying on it's arse!

I think the big plus the IOW have in their favour is that they domt pretend to be something they are not... They provide riders with a chance to race and earn... But they dont make out that what they do has some bigger, wider, relevance, kudos, and meaning other than putting on authentic entertainment (varied), for their punters... Speedway in the UK has built itself into some contrived, cobbled together 'plastic' version of a pro team sport, rather than actually being a bona fide one in the real sense of the phrase.. A very, very difficult starting proposition from which to grow themselves into a successful business I would think... If you dont run any team sport that engenders that, fundamentally, so important emotional buy in, then you will really struggle to get cut through.. A fantastic raw product to sell.. Just so poorly packaged and sold..

Does that mean there is a vacancy to clean the toilets , take down the air fence and abuse the fans ?

The clubs know nearly all the fans that were mugged off tonight,, will be standing outside waiting to get in another time,, with another chance of being mugged off some more. Fans are treated like schitt,, cos they let themselves be.

And, yet again, a thread becomes a t1t-for-tat exchange of "my Dad's bigger than your Dad" type of childish exchange. Give it a rest, for God's sake.

You have to give Nigel Tolley a lot of credit, I think he's realised that no matter what team he puts out or which manager he puts in charge, people in the local area just won't come out and support speedway sufficiently enough to make ends meet. But Tolley continues to persevere and do his very best against the odds. You have to take your hat off to him.

ALEXA sorry i mean Lisa-Colette what is the weather forecast for Plymouth

To be fair, he hates every track that isn't Belle Vue.

Only yesterday I started a thread about the survival of the Premiership and some ideas going forward with a good discussion that has followed…. And then British Speedway serves up the next scandal a few hours later. Shocking.

But if the track was so dangerous, why did they race heat 10? If it was truly unsafe, could have called it off earlier! Going to 10 heats & then stopping doesn't seem like rider safety was the only thing going through promoters / riders / referees mind?

You only seem to think your opinion is the only one that matters so why should we listen to it? How many home defeats Edinburgh had this season to Glasgow? Edinburgh pummelled teams home and away also so again. No quite there with your theory. You on come on here being rude, don't spit the dummy when you get it back. Another point just got fun. Glasgow had the highest home averages of all champ sides in 2022. Explain that one away...

It depends on what you want from an evenings racing. The purists will only go to league meetings even though team riding is a thing of the past and you effectively have seven gate and go merchants. Others will go for the thrill of simply watching four riders on bikes with no brakes whilst some will be happy with individual meetings, 4TT and pairs etc and look at GP’s as the pinnacle of the sport. Each league and format has its followers and it depends whether an attendee is an anorak or someone with a family who wants a fairly fluid array of racing etc without tractors being part of the entertainment. As it stands, anything new should be given a chance and I would rather go to a meeting that has a mixed format with say short track, NDL competition and perhaps side cars rather than take it or leave it fifteen races over two plus hours and nowt else. You are entitled to your opinion and it is the sort of feedback that promoters should be interested in and I am sure the IOW will not lose sleep over it. They like many are trying to run/provide entertainment so you cannot knock them for what works on their patch but may not work in say Manchester or Birmingham. As an aside your Rockets when run by Len Silver out of Rayleigh did it all and put on meetings even when it rained, he just used tons of saw dust. A legend in speedway if ever you wanted someone who knew how to entertain before the nutters took control of the asylum.

... and also their only opportunity to see F1 in this country this year. I love my F1 but I've only been to Silverstone a couple of times, for the experience. Personally I think that F1 is a sport better watched on TV

And if they do... I doubt there'll be a single (real) fan that says I'm not going to that because it's not BSPL

Keyboard warriors.

Maybe so but they go hand in hand with there actually being a sport to follow. Speedway in this country is just not a popular option anymore and we have to accept that. Football especially is the main attraction in this country and the biggest draw for people and then cricket and rugby. There are too many things for people to spend there money on now and with the cost of living speedway is a low low priority, some people are struggling to put food on the table there not going to want to waste the money they do have on a 3rd rate sport which has no credibility imo. We the fans constantly get the pee taken out of us and a total lack of regard for us in the way they manage and inform us, they can’t treat us with any kind of respect so how on earth are they going to get new people through the door.

The question of how to build attendances is not unique to speedway, it is factor for every form of entertainment. We consume things differently. Television and other streaming media brings entertainment to us. It presents it more accessibly, cheaper and usually better than going in person. It gets people used to the elite level of sport. Going out to pay to see an inferior level of sport is not what most people want to do. Me, I get my fix from watching GPs on TV. I went to my local track last about 10 years ago. The experience was not as good as watching on TV. Most sports have the same issues. Football is great live, but you see more and get more insight on TV. Even subscribing is cheaper than going. Successful sports have monitised their TV offering. Going out to a rickety old stadium was all you had in the 1990s. By the 2000s it was a transitional period but now the norm is to consume sport in a different way. Professional speedway's product is at the level of non-league football, but the overheads to run it are so much higher.

With all the suggestions in this thread about six man teams, north / south leagues race nights etc all means nothing as at the end of the day the sport needs supporters and what the supporter wants more than anything (as quoted above) "It's also about having an evening out where you go home feeling entertained" and at present that is something the supporter is not getting in fact the supporter is treated as a cash cow for the club each week with no respect or real return for there money by the sport. (Look at the Sheffield v Peterborough match tonight) Promotions moan about the lack of crowds at matches but at the same time the crowd are getting fed up of seeing the same teams twice or three times a season and the same rider(s) six or eight times a season wearing different team colours. Maybe before this great sport totally collapses in this country certain people should look at Barry Bishop and the Isle of White who seem to regularly put on an entertaining fast moving and packed programme of motorcycle action that seems to leave the crowd wanting more and wanting to come back to see more of the action again and again. The way the sport is going in this country I can see the IoW (and maybe one or two who join them and there ideas of motorcycling entertainment) being the last ones standing as the other clubs across the country fall by the wayside.

Sadly, when Sky were throwing millions at it and bringing it to our living rooms, the BSPA weren't interested in investing in the sport so their not going to help now it's on life support...

Coming in 2024: 5 man teams, 10 heats, £30 admission, meetings can be called a result after Heat 3.

So didn't the bikes have to be raced flat out before heat 10,,,it is strange they nearly always make it heat 10,,,but then suddenly can't get any further

I had toyed with whether this was better placed in the general discussion thread and a slightly different title tailored more towards just general UK speedway, but I think actually the survival of UK speedway as we know it hinges on the survival of the Premiership itself. We already know that not only the long term but short term and immediate futures of Wolves, Peterborough and Kings Lynn are all uncertain… We normally get to the AGM every year and look for decisions made towards the running and long term future of the sport… So how can the Premiership survive? Here’s my take: 1) All efforts has to be made to keep the 3 mentioned clubs running. Easier said than done and the ball isn’t in their court so to speak for Peterborough and Wolves with regards land usage, whereas Kings Lynn just need a new promoter/owner. 2) We need more teams and more variety in the league. This means actively encouraging the likes of Poole, Glasgow, Oxford etc back into the Premiership. In my opinion a top division of 8 teams should be a minimum. More on that below at point 3…. In my opinion, talk of one big league joining up with the Championship simply won’t work. Lack of riders and complete drop in standard with the existing Premiership sides would be a sure fire way to close the sport down completely. There is already a lack of riders at both levels of the sport but even more so in the Championship. This was proven by the failure of Plymouth, Scunthorpe, Birmingham etc failing to name a team of 7 riders until either the last minute of the season or all together when they started the year with riders injured. 3) Additional night of fixed race nights - Add Wednesday into the mix. This absolutely goes head to head with Denmark but actually affects very few riders, especially if fixtures are planned accordingly. This for a number of years has been a massive problem for the UK in that they botched the fixture list up. The likes of Poole and Oxford could continue to run their home matches on Wednesdays and have their away matches on Monday or Thursday. Their home matches could be arranged to ensure riders were available. 4) 6 man teams - This immediately frees up at least 7 riders from this years Premiership. Teams to be comprised of 5 standard riders and 1 British junior (I hate the term rising star). Naturally by having less riders per team this will mean that each rider gets more rides so means they earn more money, whilst less travel money is paid by the team. Everybody is a winner! I absolutely hate the guest ruling. They are way too many guests being used nowadays which brings discredit to the sport and competition in general. If any rider is missing then they are replaced by rider replacement. Only when a second rider is then missing can a guest be sourced. By having less riders per team, this should immediately reduce the risk of needing guests. Further to that, it has been discussed previously but I would welcome a shared spot for the no.1 position. I will use the scenario where a team could sign Artem Laguta and Tai Woffinden to share one team spot meaning it saves on logistics for the rider not having to do a full season and again, reducing the chances of riders going missing. 5) The stumbling block to all of the above is the chances of the Championship then becoming either disbanded or severely impacted as we currently know it. They themselves would have less teams as several move up but should for 1 season only reduce their points limit. This would be done to lower the standard and used as a way of preventing doubling up as it currently is. Doubling up needs to be reduced and a bridge in standard to the Premiership. Teams should have either 5 or 6 riders, with reduced teams and riders again increasing rider availability. Riders like Sam Masters, Benjamin Basso etc should really be forced out with doubling up only afforded to British riders to the likes of Danny King, Steve Worrall, Charles Wright, assuming their averages then fit. ———— To summarise….. Premiership: - Minimum of 8 teams - 6 man teams (including British junior) - Race format to mean riders getting more rides - Race nights on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday - Shared no.1 spots for 2 riders Championship: - Minimum of 8 teams - 5/6 man teams (including British junior) - Race format to mean riders getting more rides - Race nights on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - No doubling up for foreign riders I haven’t gone to the extent to work out what the points limit should be, but the Championship would have to be reduced to make it more affordable for the lesser sides and ensure there is enough riders to go round. Riders will be riding more than before with more fixtures in the Premiership and more rides per match. This is only scratching the surface but should in my view be a starting point to not just look at reducing costs, but increase the viewing quality for the fan and make speedway begin to prosper again.

Oxford to maintain their unbeaten start? A win would see the Cheetahs go nine points clear at the top. Cheetahs: 1. Sam Masters, 2. Henry Atkins, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Jordan Jenkins, 5. Scott Nicholls, 6. Cameron Heeps, 7. Ryan Kinsley. Bandits: 1. Rory Schlein, 2. Jye Etheridge, 3. Jonas Knudsen, 4. Leon Flint, 5. Thomas Jorgensen, 6. Jacob Hook, 7. Connor Coles.

Can just imagine it. Annoyed its rained off and the first person you meet is Moaning Mike the biggest whinger on BSF.

Well, it is easy to be fast when you are using oversized carburettors. Kowalski was caught with two oversized carburettors at scrutineering in Västervik today for the meeting between Västervik and Indianerna. The carburettors were confiscated. He was allowed to check in two other carburettors and was allowed to participate in the meeting accordingly to the rules. https://speedwayfans.se/indianforare-ertappad-med-for-stora-forgasare-i-vastervik/

I wouldn’t be surprised to see some current tracks go Nora in 2024 - plenty of clues around as to who they might be

A huge factor is that one size doesn't fit all. Talk of clubs like Poole, Oxford and Glasgow being incentivised to move up? what incentive, lose the preferred race night of current supporters, lose the ability to turn a reasonable profit at a level that is providing entertainment. A huge amount of teams in the UK are running at least one level above where they can survive/afford and invariably these teams are then tracking weaker sides, losing matches and sliding slowly towards folding altogether. Barry and co on IOW are not geniuses but they know what their audience responds to and how to operate within their budget, of course the Nora approach won't be for all but thats the point, with so many individual business 'people' the rules and operating model will never reflect fairness across the board. Plenty of sports have seen boom and bust over the years maybe its simply Speedways inevitable turn?

With so many ideas and suggestions on this thread plus many constructive and valid opinions on what might or might not work, the fundamental problem is that no one at club level be they owners, promoters or the fat controllers are reading what is being said, can be bothered to respond and with each club having its own agenda while loosely following the remit of the few whose answer to any dissident is to threaten them expulsion, change is not going to happen. If you are on the end of a threat of suspension and fines with a fairly large bond held by those who have you by the wotsits, how many would go against the grain. It will take a break away group to either join Nora or start their own association before anything will change. The problems have been mounting for too many years, club closures being an example where for many reasons they have gone by the wayside but what happened to all the riders who not so long ago grace so many tracks up and down the land.? Why is the sport so short of riders? Why do meetings get called off based on a weather forecast which might predict a slight chance of rain? Why have the authorities done nothing to control costs so that you are left with rider’s demands keep going up at the same time as sponsorship and attendances fall? Away attendances tend to be a thing of the past unless it is the play offs and the lack of away support can be in part to the geographical spread of teams and the cost of travelling to meetings plus with most tracks operating mid week, it is hardly conducive to a family day out. Possibly speedway could learn from other motor sports when it comes to entertainment, promotion and the day that they that they run a meeting (ideally Thursday through to Sunday and no you will not attract many top names but they currently pick which meetings they are going to appear in so what does it matter). The meeting ought to be an event not just 15 contrived races with riders who will ride for any team who wants to pay them. People want more for the money and this is one of the few sports which gives less and less. Alas most on here can only watch from the sidelines as the sport slowly disappears into oblivion largely due to a few burying their collective heads in the sand and continuing to be in total denial as to how bad it has become in this country. As much as they may aspire to follow in the foot steps of Poland in reality that will never achieve what the Poles have today, so cut your cloth accordingly and get back to grass roots entertainment. However, no one is listening.

Surely you put Worrall at 3 around Leicester

I have attend BV four times this year.. First meeting v Sheffield, PCMM, and the visits of Emil and Artem... Not sure how many other meetings there has been, but just by me not purchasing any tickets for them, it should have triggered the club to make contact and at least inform me of what is taking place in the near future... My email is known to them when I buy the tickets,, so they will know when I have attended, and when I havent... Two meetings missed and that should be pounced on, eg 10% off the next etc.. I have also never received any "feedback request" as to the experience of attending, which is a very basic mechanic in the entertainment industry.. When you are fighting for every customer through the door, then seek feedback from regulars, but, more importantly, seek feedback from those who attend less regularly... Much easier to get these people to visit more often than get newbiies to attend because they actually purchase your product and know who you are!! I remember reading on another thread someone saying that if the person who was complaining had an issue with the promoter of their team then they should go and speak with them... A typical arse about face way symptomatic of what pervades.. The owners of the tracks should actively seek feedback, they should also review closely all social media pertaining to their club and sport as this provides unsolicited feedback which is "gold" for any business wanting to improve.. The sport seems to do nothing along the lines of putting together a "think tank" to find out how best to progress it, instead they meet up within their own echo chamber, which usually seems to result in very much of the "same old, same old", which clearly isn't fit for purpose.. So much could be done as a collective.. But so little seems to be...

I work for a local council and have dealings with the Planning team and I concur with the above If anything, I'd say 'several years' is possibly a little optimistic.

Having worked for BCP Council (which is now under a new administration) for over 16 years, I have some understanding of how the forward-planning for major schemes works. BCP have inherited from the previous administration a 'Local Plan' for the 'regeneration of Poole Town Centre', which currently does NOT mention Poole Stadium at all - except for an earlier suggestion about building on the part of Wimborne Road which backs onto the Stadium Lorry Park. Also there is no developer proposal lodged with the Council's Planning department, quite apart from no agreed sale of the whole Stadium site!! Such an agreement and proposal would be subject to a huge public consultation for which there would be considerable objections IMO even if all those objections were to be overcome and any stadium development for housing were to proceed, it would take a minimum of several years to reach fruition.

It does take much figuring out who starts all the nonsense.IMO

Should win easily starting 5hrs before the others.

Free ticket giveaways on their own are not worth doing... Free ticket giveaways, to a targeted market, with communication details, and an ongoing dialogue, can work.. One offs don't work.. Maybe getting them to come four or five times would? As has been said, these people are not attending now, so you are not losing out... Modern technology can give you a database of all your customers (with most tracks sadly not needing too many GB's or Bandwidth to collate this info).. Imagine having names, addresses, emails, mobile numbers, birthdays, kids birthdays etc of your customers, so you can keep in constant communication.? Imagine knowing who attends, when they attend, and how often, so you can make them offers and provide loyalty discounts on admission and merchandise? Then imagine how much more succesfult your business would be knowing all this information... BSN constantly contact me with what they are offering... I never get an email from Belle Vue... Literally several million quid will be spent as a collective this season by all the teams in the leagues... Much of which given to riders seldom local people will have ever heard of... With hardly a jot spent on collective targeted marketing to these very same potential customers... And ultimately all done to acheive?

Then you could argue why should new customers get cheaper entry than current customers? Without the current customer you don’t have a product to sell at all. Much like sky etc give new customers a really good deal to get them to sign up but if you’ve been a loyal customer for years then you can’t get the same deal not exactly fair is it? Too interested in getting new customers instead of looking after the ones who you’ve already got. Had a similar experience at Newcastle few years ago they had deals on wowcher or somewhere I think it was tickets for £10 maybe me, my uncle and dad took advantage of this and got cheaper tickets for one week we got in and Joan English was upset because we had used said tickets, the three of us had been going since it reopened in 97 and never missed a meeting used to buy merchandise the whole lot but because we got in cheaper one week she didn’t like it. Wouldn’t like to think how much we actually put into the club through 20+ years of going though.

Sheffield too

If you actually follow international economics, you would see that Poland is due to overtake the UK in the next few years. And in response to your comment, Poland isn't suffering as much of a financial crisis as the UK. Housing prices are reasonable, inflation is low, interest rates are low etc etc the list goes on. Therefore, more disposable income available. Here, people have to make a choice - eat, bills etc - or go to speedway. Theres only one winner. All I'm saying is if entrance fees are lower, at least you're making an effort and showing initiative to try and get more fans in. Take Lynn for example, you pay £22 entrance, you're then obliged to pay £2 if you want to sit and another £3 if you wish for a programme. £27 before you've even considered a drink or something to eat... that doesn't scream value for money to me. You're effectively paying £2 a race... Which to me does look steep.

For me, the stumbling block to getting more fans through the gate (which is the only way clubs will survive is the entrance fee). £22 to watch 15 minutes of actual "racing" just doesn't offer value for money for the paying customer. I will continue to use Poland as a comparison, which I understand the cost of living is currently lower. £10-£15 is a much better value for proposition for the paying customer and yes I'm aware sponsors front up a lot £, but would the sponsors do that if the clubs didn't get fans bums on seats? I don't understand why clubs can't trial it for 1 meeting, reducing the entrance fee to see if it attracts more crowd through the gate. Take King's Lynn Vs Ipswich coming up in August, that will be Lynn's biggest gate of the year, but if a ticket cost £15 for example imagine how many more fans might be enticed. The same for any derby match so to speak If the trial doesn't work at least you've chose a meeting where you're already expecting your highest gate and haven't really lost out compared to other meetings where you have your lowest crowds...

Given the level of rider often used, ie 2nd and 3rd Div in Poland.. Friday's are the one "weekend" night that doesnt have any clashes given only the top league ride on Friday's in Poland.. Arranging meetings on Sat/Sun would be even more of a logistical nightmare...

That may be the only way the BSPL / SCB review their attitude to the Nora league, as long as the clubs let them get away with "bullying" them, they'll continue to do it!

100%

There is a lot of truth in your last paragraph. I've had this conversation with my mate, and if one of us doesn't go, the other probably won't unless we know there is going to be another of our dwindling group going. Little niggles, like tractor racing, not being able to hear the tannoy after being fobbed off for literally years , consistently making the track inconsistent for the first few heats, seeing the same away team 2 weeks on the trot, getting thrashed home and away,all these and more are sucking the fun out of going,to the point where I am starting to pick snd choose and I've been going to speedway since the early 70's.

It has stopped raining again and does look brighter.

Does that not depend on whether you gave consent to be contacted for these reasons? They have your email address but I think GDPR laws say that they can only use this for the purpose it was provided, not any extra reasons unless you give explicit consent. Of course, if they are not even asking for that consent at registration then they are missing an opportunity, as you suggest.

The best thing promoters could do is set up a gazebo in town & city centres every weekend during the season & conduct a survey. Have just 2 surveys available: Have you ever heard of Motorcycle Speedway? Do you no longer attend Motorcycle Speedway? The sport does not need to hear from those attending weekly, but those who don't. Giving away freebies could work for a very short time but because the products broken it's unsustainable. The promoters desperately need to get it through their heads why people just ain't interested. It'll be the only way they'll listen. Promoters need to actually do some work for a change.

From the official Twitter feed " We can confirm that Dan Thompson’s 28-day period with the club has come to an end. We would like to thank Dan for his efforts throughout his short spell at Perry Barr - and we hope to be in a position to issue supporters a team update in the next 48 hours."

Was the breeze only on bend 2 and the back straight as well as the sun

That might encourage them to make more effort to get the fixture on at times .There has alway been a few dodgy call offs because the riders know they will still get a pay night when it is rescheduled.No rescheduled match means no money.