Halifaxtiger

No question about who closed Coventry Stadium, and it wasn't Mick Horton. However Avtar Sandhu cannot, in anyway, be blamed for the truly appalling decision to charge a riders partner for entry to a presentation night, an act that is almost guaranteed to backfire. I agree with Woz, though. Harris' actions in boycotting do him absolutely no credit either.

I don't think you're cynical at all, just fed up with being taken for granted. Believe me, you're anything but alone. It just shows how a small act of customer care can make such a huge difference.

Definitely part time My low point was when Lakeside got a 3 point reduction in Paul Hurry's average. I can very much see your point, but that team was largely forced upon Redcar by circumstances. The Hurry average reduction was an appalling example of the arbitrary, vicious and uncontrolled corruption at the heart of our sport, motivated by jealousy, spite and self interest. I was absolutely delighted that Lakeside (and Plymouth) won nothing and that worthy teams like Belle Vue, Eastbourne and Mildenhall took the silverware.

I think you're right. Lights going out in the middle of a race causing a fatality or serious injury with evidence that similar failures have happened in the past would be extremely serious.

I doubt if there are many who haven't considered that. I did 74 meetings at 23 tracks last season and, on occasion, I did.

Other riders as well.

I was impressed with Campton last season. Increased his average by about a point and turned in one or two startling performances, particularly one at Sheffield. Proctor, Williamson, Campton, Bewley & Bickley and see what's left.

As well as Phil Rising's response, hidden away amongst the letters in this weeks Star is an excellent reply from Bert Harkins regarding the WSRA/BSPA agreement on entry for ex riders.

I was disappointed with them both. True, Proctor's average was up but he was nothing like the rider of a few seasons ago. Jorgensen was down. I don't think that an expectation that both would be around or over the 8 point mark would have been unreasonable at the start of the season but they never got near it. Williamson and Campton were the big improvers, with Williamson starting to cut it in the no 4 race jacket at the end of the season. I don't blame the promotion for a wait and we'll see attitude. Gates for the last third of the season were disastrous despite a decent team and some excellent racing, and Laura simply must have as much information as possible to hand before she makes a final decision.

A very fine piece indeed. Lets have some more of your 'points of view', Phil.

Precisely, but not just with their marketing. Thing is what they have done is neither rocket science nor costly. Its simply attracting people in the first place and giving them a good time so they come back. Little wonder they have been nominated for WSRA Community Club of the year and I'll be surprised if they don't win. Aside from the fact that there has always been a gulf between riders - I can recall Alan Mogridge in races with Dave Jessup and Bruce Penhall - you are spot on I must admit I thought that was daft. Use a points limit and maybe a salary cap but build how you want. Because maybe he had the right ideas that could be repeated now ? I certainly believe - along with others - that the promotion of the Super 7 events was better than anything I have seen since. And therein lies the real point about those who advocate the strengthening of teams and attracting top riders. It is, without a doubt, a massive financial risk and its very easy to propose such a strategy on the pages of this forum with other people's money, because one thing is certain : those who suggest it won't put a single penny of their own in.

Belle Vue's biggest gate of the season - quite easily double the normal one - was against Wolverhampton in the league. Have a guess how much it was to go in that night ? Having said that, there is absolutely no guarantee that keeping that price every week would mean that the same crowd turned up. You only have to have been to Lakeside this season to see what happens when a team drops two divisions (particularly when there is a top flight club reasonably close to hand). However, it maybe that NL racing is sustainable whereas anything else is not. I think the point is that whatever you propose (and I still don't know what your proposals were or are) there are those who will be critical, right or wrong. Doubling up has been around for decades but the scale of it has got so ridiculously out of hand that even true diehard supporters - my mate Tigerite, as passionate a fan of his club as anyone, is a good example - have had enough. There is a club in speedway which has increased its gates four fold on the previous promotion and, aside from one meeting, increased attendances on every single occasion in 2017 when compared with 2016 despite the fact that it finished bottom of its league. According to its promoter, it broke even this year. It remains my opinion (and I am anything but alone) that that is the case because of the huge amount of effort it puts into attracting new fans and then ensuring that it gives them what they want and treats each one as a highly valued customer.

Can't see that happening

The problem with that is that it allows a promotion to make no effort whatsoever but hide behind the words that 'if it wasn't for us you wouldn't have speedway'. They can then basically serve up rubbish and, if the track closes down, blame the fans who don't go. That cuts no ice with me. There simply must be a duty on those that run tracks - in the same way as every business - to ensure that the product and the atmosphere is as good as it can be.

Then for my benefit - and in particular Jonathan's, because surely he has right of redress - I would ask that you do so again. It says everything that your view has already attracted adverse comment. Very fair point . If speedway fans cared only about the standard or riders, no-one would attend NL speedway. Yet they do, and in decent numbers. Wasn't it the case that when Birmingham dropped from EL to NL they attracted bigger attendances ? Doubling up is the single most important issue that needs addressing. Of my acquaintances across the country, even some of the most passionate have had enough of it and see it as a reason to walk away.

I am wondering what the difference between an 'opinionated response' and 'criticism' is. Probably not much. I think you are right that a forum is for comment, but the problem is that the overwhelming majority of posts simply say what speedway does not want or need without actually saying what it does and that highlights the BSPA's problem. How can they devise something realistic going forward to suit the paying speedway when all they are faced with are opinions that say that any proposals are rubbish ? How can speedway fans say they are being ignored when they don't actually come up with something that is workable ?

Its very easy to come on here and criticise a viewpoint regarding the future of speedway without actually stating what you would do to turn it around. Reading the contents of this thread that is precisely what most - if not all - have done. I don't agree with some of Jonathan's points but at least he has had the character to put something forward as a starting point.

And therein lies one of speedway's worst failings. Many still believe they are doing us a favour rather than the other way around (or at least it is mutual). That simply has to change. Absolutely Sometimes I think the sport is run entirely for their benefit (and I think they think so too). They have to get real. Speedway is not and, aside from the top boys, never has been a full time occupation. I don't like to keep banging on about Isle of Wight but they really have set a standard. A huge amount of effort goes into promoting the club, attracting sponsors and seeking revenue streams outside the ordinary. Then when people actually go, even more effort is put into creating exactly the right sort of experience and atmosphere on race nights because it isn't just about the racing. The attitude of the promotion is - for speedway - a truly remarkable one : they listen and respond without hostility or aggression. This has attracted credit from almost every person that attends (try and find an adverse comment anywhere) including from the likes of Bob C & Arnie G, two respected, long term and well travelled speedway fans and gates - based upon the previous promotion - are up spectacularly. This season, they broke even with a team that is likely to finish bottom of the NL. The promotion are not fools nor do they regard speedway as a plaything. Good money will not be chucked after bad, unreasonable demands are refused and the business has to pay for itself. So what we have is a promotion that puts everything into attracting and retaining fans and giving the best night out possible but at the same time remains entirely financially responsible. If that's not a blueprint for other clubs, I really don't know what is and if they can do it, why can't everyone else ?

Apparently Peter Collins wants 100 people to get in for free. That is at least a potential loss to Belle Vue of £1,700 per meeting or as much as £35,000 season. And that's just one track !! You are right that letting someone who doesn't go in for nothing won't cost a club a penny and I very much approve of such a policy as a means of attracting new fans (quite simply, in my experience it works to the degree needed). But you simply can't do that indefinitely for the same person - be that to fans or most ex riders - because you are giving your product away for nothing and gaining nothing from it. Letting Peter Collins or Chris Morton in free is one thing and I doubt if anyone would object in the slightest. Letting someone who rode 6 meetings for the Aces in is very much another, and in today's climate could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for that most priceless of commodities : a paying fan. I do believe that it is for individual clubs to determine their own entry policy, be that free or paying. Wrong example, maybe, but merely making the point that a club legend would almost certainly get in without paying.

Thanks Phil - as I said, I haven't read the article but it was implied in comments that that was the case. I suspect they'd let Bobby Charlton in for nothing, yes. We aren't just talking ex riders in Collins' case. We are talking about a rider that rode his entire career for one team and became World Champion whilst there, I don't know a single person that objects to the fact that Dougie Wyer gets in free at Sheffield, almost certainly because of the number of years that he rode there and his star status.

That's a little harsh, although your description - 'discount offer'- is bang on. There is a fine line here between who gets free entry and who doesn't and it seems to me that the WSRA are trying to come to some sort of compromise that satisfies all parties. After all, with some exceptions - Peter Collins definitely being one - you can't let every ex rider in for nothing.

I think it is bizarre, insulting and ridiculous that a rider of Peter Collins stature at Belle Vue (there is only Chris Morton that would match his record) is required to bring a paying adult with him to get in for nothing. On the other hand, he has no right whatsoever to dictate to a club that a condition of him being there is that a huge number of others also get in free. It is for each individual club to decide who receives free entry and who does not.

I'd be surprised if the Colts lost money given the gates they get..

I was about to say that there is no doubt that the track itself is one of the best shaped in British Speedway and I have, on occasion (and unfortunately years ago), seen some top quality racing there. I actually think its a lot simpler than that and would (yet again) point to Isle Of Wight as an example. Its just a matter of doing your best to attract and retain paying customers, and the first step is to treat them as someone who is doing you a favour (by giving you money) rather than the other way around.

The reason people don't go to Stoke Speedway is crap racing, dreadful tracks, an awful, rundown stadium, poor 'Dad's Army' teams and, in particular, a surly, hostile - even abusive - promotion. People have walked away in their dozens for that last reason alone. Why on earth should people pay for or support something like that ? If Stoke does close, then the blame for that will lie entirely with those that run it - not with the BSPA and not with those that stay away. In the last years of the previous promotion at Isle of Wight, gates were between 75 & 100 per week. This season, they were between 300 & 600. According to promoter Barry Bishop, they broke even in 2017. One of the main reasons for that was the way they treat the people at the turnstiles every week - quite simply, as someone they want to return and they have attracted almost universal credit and praise for it. This week, they were rightly nominated for the WSRA community club of the year award. Quite a contrast with Stoke, isn't it ?