topsoil

I honestly don't think speedway needs to re-invent itself, the core product, four riders, four laps is fine. All that needs to happen in my opinion is for promoters to start promoting the sport to gain new fans and regain lost ones. Then when the fans have come, they need to be entertained. Ensure meetings are run efficiently, give the winner of heat 1 enough time to do a lap of honour, then straight on with the 2 minutes foe heat 2. Only after every 3 or 4 heats have a track grading interval, even that shouldn't take any longer than 5 minutes. Scrap the rider replacement rule. This will eradicate the need for two races in succession. Riders take their scheduled rides unless injured. Then they are replaced by track reserves. If this means going to six man teams then fine. Extend meetings and develop young riders for the future by insisting every team have a junior team. Race against other local teams to save on travelling. A junior meeting after every league match. Provide some sort of entertainment for fans during the grading intervals. Many different forms this can come in and doesn't need to be expensive. Promoters would do worse than to follow the excellent work done by Glasgow this season, promoting the team and keeping fans happy during the meetings. They are getting big crowds in now and reaping the benefits.

Darts can fill out arenas. Poker is on Sky TV. Speedway has noise, speed, danger, incredible bravery, no brakes. And yet the sport is heading south. Criminally under-promoted and the consequence of shooting itself in the foot too many times.

First things first, excellent news and my Saturday nights are sorted for 2016. I hope the promotion, fans and riders (they need to get involved too) make a big effort next year to really promote the sport and get the club back on a healthy footing and bring in new / lapsed fans. As for riders, no point in guessing until the AGM sets the points limit / make up of teams. Here's my verdict on riders for what it's worth:- Ben Barker: if the club can afford him I'd have him back. Probably on a false average and would be interesting to see what he could achieve given an injury-free run. Kevin Doolan: have him back in a heartbeat. Gave a captain's performance all through 2015. TJ: again I'd have him back. At times he was a hero this year, but not a Berwick asset, so who knows. Anders Mellgren: from the short time he was with Berwick you saw flashes of what he could do. Probably one of Berwick's best gaters (not much contest there) and again could be on a false average. Coty: If rules allow, I'd like to see him at reserve next year. Will improve with decent equipment and now he's seeing everywhere for the second time. Liam: I always like to see local riders in the team. Again, let's see what he can do now he's back from injury. Others: Theo Pijper? Either of the Worralls? all seem to go round Berwick. But we're back, that's the main thing. March 2016 just got that little bit closer!

I sent a few e-mails with suggestions to the club last season on entertainment during races. In this day and age it's vital to keep the crowd entertained as attention spans have shortened and fans get bored far easier. It doesn't have to cost much either, Glasgow have kids chasing the mascot in running races. Berwick Rangers do a scheme where every week they get a different school to "sponsor" a match, the kids from that school get free admission. I would like to see the speedway adopt that idea. Swells crowd numbers and you still get 20-30 kids needing fed and watered so still make money that way.

Question is, how many promoters will see the bigger picture and how many will look after their own interests? I always get the impression that as long as their own track is doing okay promoters don't give a great deal about helping other tracks out. As regards advertising and promotion, the sport needs to win back the fans it has lost and I also think bring in new fans. Even with the fans it has lost, most clubs were losing money. New fans, new sponsors, more support wouldn't go amiss.

If you follow any professional sports teams on twitter, you will see that they absolutely bombard their followers with posts. Something speedway clubs lag a long way behind in. I honestly don't think you would see a drop off in the number of children or accompanying adults if you charged £1 rather than free. It's still a huge reduction on normal prices.

Craig Cook is on one of those runs right now

Certainly hope it does. It's only been a couple of weeks since the last meeting of the season and already I'm missing the Saturday night craic.

Like it or not the playoffs are here to stay. The big crowds at both legs of the final and in years gone by prove that the playoffs are a financial success and capture the imagination of the supporters. Even the riders seem to lift the intensity levels. I do know that rugby league (super league) have a trophy for finishing top of the league (the something shield) would that be an option to reward the team finishing top of the league after the regular season? Name it after a prominent speedway character? The Neil Street Shield for example? Or perhaps treat it like American Football where teams who finish the season with the best records get home field advantage and do away with two legged semi-finals and final? Finally, I know it probably couldn't be done at this time of year because of other bookings, but I would lap up a Cardiff weekend for the playoff teams.

With the three riders in question it had better be a decent sized van!

Does it make a difference? One tour Edinburgh Friday, Berwick Saturday, Newcastle Sunday, the next tour Redcar Thursday, Glasgow Friday, Workington Saturday for example.

I can see the argument from the Edinburgh perspective, they maybe wouldn't want competition from a rival so close to them, but I can't see how other promotions could have a say when other tracks not close to them ride. Was this down to rider availability?

Anybody young like this could do worse than to take a look at Tai Woffinden. He had a spell where he did daft things. I don't know who was the catalyst behind his focus and attitude towards the sport, but look at the dividends. Get yourself an experienced mentor like Peter Adams? Of course these riders have a long way to go, how far can they go, who knows? But don't put any pressure on these boys, let them progress at their own pace, hopefully they will get good support and advice. But I have been so impressed with Tai over the past three seasons. A perfect example for any young rider to follow. P.S. was very impressed with Jack Parkinson-Blackburn at Berwick for the under 19 championship. Never seen the other riders in the flesh yet.

I'm sure somebody a lot wiser about these things than me could come up with a lot more ideas like the one I mentioned. I am just copying what I have heard / seen other sports clubs doing. That's why I would like to see a marketing position filled. Again, if you shopped around, for example in Berwick's case, used a small, local firm, or a young enthusiast looking to break into the business (copying a suggestion from Speedway Star) you could get them relatively cheap.

I certainly agree with you on one point, that the sport in general and in the Berwick area needs far better marketing, but I don't think it need cost a lot. I'm no expert in this field, but here's an example. Radio advertising is expensive, but what if you were to run a competition in conjunction with the radio station. Perhaps give away a pair of tickets each day for a week. The DJ asks a question each day, people ring in with the answer. Effectively you are getting air time for the cost of a pair of tickets. A hell of a lot cheaper than an actual advert. A lot of money can be saved by bartering as well.

Haha, was waiting for that figure to be lazily trotted out. That money was to buy the land (a shrewd investment as land prices never go down) and to re-develop the stadium and install floodlights (which will last a long time). Nothing to do with the money spent on promoting, meeting presentation and providing entertainment, which, as stated in the Speedway Star a couple of weeks ago, is already reaping dividends as they are reaching break even point.

Or maybe it needs more accountant type views, because as things stand, too many clubs are spending over their income. You either find a way to bring in more income, or cut your costs to what you can afford. And unless clubs are willing to go out and promote the sport, I find it difficult to see how they are going to generate sufficient income to cover the costs. The sport as a whole needs to look at ways of cutting costs. Find ways to reduce mechanical costs, find ways to use local riders to cut down on travel costs, then that money saved can be spent promoting the sport at club and national level to attract sponsors and fans. The current promotion may not entertain the National League as a potential option, but anybody taking it over might. It would be an easier starting point, if costs are reduced, then admission prices could be reduced as well. Would that attract new fans? Personally I hope that Berwick stays at the same level if they run next year, but I would understand totally any new promotion wishing to take a backward step in the short term, to build the club up again on a secure footing going forward.

You never know, this could be the template for clubs going forward. Use young, local riders where possible, save expensive flights and travel expenses and the like, use the money saved to promote and advertise meetings and providing entertainment during intervals etc. and putting the sport on a better footing to go forward.

Cut and paste and forward to every promoter in the country. You never know, it might just catch on. Glasgow have shown this season that the sport can thrive, if marketed and promoted properly. And it doesn't need to cost a fortune, before you get the 'but Glasgow have money to burn' argument. Give fans entertainment and they will return.

I still think a speedway club could be a good investment if the club and the sport is promoted correctly. Let's face it, the sport isn't promoted and it suffers as a consequence. Glasgow have shown this season that if you promote well and provide entertainment, you will reap the dividends. In Berwick's case, they are fortunate in a way that there aren't many alternative sporting distractions in the town. Berwick Rangers crowds are probably less than the speedway. The opportunity is there for somebody who wants to invest and work hard at it.

Forgive my ignorance, but won't Edinburgh have an objection to Glasgow racing on a Friday night?

If it means speedway continues at Berwick, I don't care which league they ride in. Would prefer it if they stayed in the Premier, but if National League is the affordable option, then I'm all for it. Like I've said before, the sport needs more young local riders getting involved. This could be the window.

I don't think the sport needs bankrolled, it needs promoted. I've thought for a long time the most important post in a club these days is a commercial manager, to attract sponsorship, both for riders and teams, corporate nights, which bring in money and going out and attracting new fans. The promotion needs to start on a league wide basis (a league sponsor would help) and then be topped up by the individual clubs.

If it helps in the short term then I'm fine with six man teams, but I would rather see a concerted attempt at attracting more young riders into the sport and phasing out the doubling up situation as a) any time a doubling up rider is injured it affects two teams and how many guests are employed due to fixture clashes.

Genuine question, does anybody know the reason(s) behind Edinburgh continually losing money? Do they pay excessive wages? Excessive rent? Are they struggling for sponsorship? Crowd levels down? Mixture of all? You would think that a successful team would attract sponsorship and a good following.