mikebv

Only anecdotal evidence from my own eyes, (as attendance numbers are never publicised are they?)... But, I attend the odd PO Qualifier now and again, probably once a season, and you can see a tangible drop off each year I have been to the NSS, (over the past five in particular).. The Grandstand used to be over circa two thirds full, (1300 or so), and the back straight about 500 to 600.. Now the Grandstand is around, I would say 1000, with around 300 to maybe 400 on the back straight.. The back straight can be spread out so it can disguise a drop off somewhat, however the Grandstand, particularly from bend four to just before the tapes, really shouts out how many no longer attend...

Just read the full press release.... They are "scratching their heads" as to why crowds are down.... Really? FFS!!!! They also are confused as to why so few have taken up the 10,000 tickets they are giving away, as only 300 have been requested... I would suggest they give every fan 5 each and see if they can get their kids and grandkids, and their mates kids and grandkids to go... Didn't Glasgow do something similar successfully? Whenever I did "giveaways" when opening new stores, the expected redemption, based on historical data, was as low as 11%, ie you give out 10,000 vouchers, therefore 1100 would be redeemed... The other thing of course is how you look after those who attend for the first time.. We always ensured an investment in colleague numbers to ensure the experience of our first time visitors was good, and we got their name, address and contact details... Just giving something away doesn't mean any loyalty will be forthcoming... You have to target that...

"Needed to be done" Phil, and well over a decade ago... I was on the Aces website earlier and did I read it correctly that all kids 0 - 17 get charged £11 to sit in the Grandstand?.. And free for U12's but £9 for 12 - 17 year olds to stand on the back straight? If so, absolutely crackers, and no wonder crowds are not great... The very demographic that brings adults in with them are the absolute key market that needs to be targeted, and, instead a parent has to pay £11 for their kid to sit next to them!!! All kids still at primary school age, attending with an adult should be free, with parents encouraged to bring as many friends of their kids as they can bring.. Kids say 12 to 17, in for a fiver.. Hundreds of seats are empty each meeting in F and G so just fill them with kids in for nothing, and even do reduced prices for adults to bring them.. The empty seats take zero money, and don't pay to drink or eat.... Back to Sheffield, didnt they do a press release pre season saying how well all was going when they were trying to find a buyer?.. Anyhow, I am sure all those who have led the sport to its current situation, will be the perfect ones to sort it...!!

Whàt an amazing concept.... I wonder if they could get someone from NASA involved to work out such a system..?? No idea why it just doesn't happen now... Clubs who race on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, sign riders who they know will, at some stàge of the season, miss their fixtures due to clashes elsewhere, injuries and sickness, and will then just use Guests, or RR And trying to plan in when eveyone is there in a sport so injury impacted is pretty much impossible anyway... Therefore, just plan in the meetings, say every fortnight, and put out two teams of riders using either RR or Guests if not all 14 who should be there can make it.. As, basically, that's whàt ends up happening now after weeks of no meetings anyway...

The No1 phrase most used and heard... "Who have we got Guesting for us tonight?.

2020 was a good season to take Speedway seriously in the UK.......

Somewhere in an AGM 10 years ago... "No need for these NDL meetings".... "We can simply fill team places by just letting all the riders have two team places, and it also means neither team have to foot the total bill for the rider, so we can use riders we couldn't ordinarily afford".. "That's a brilliant idea, let's do it!".... "Speedway's future is going to be great!"... Fast Forward to 2026... "Has anyone noticed the ages of loads of these riders who double up?'"... "Who the hell is going to replace them as they retire over the next few years?"... "We need every track to run one NDL level meeting a season so they can then be replaced".... "That's a brilliant idea, let's do it".... "Speedway's future is going to be great!!"..

197 in the top two leagues last year... Well on track to eclipse that this year with one less team.. The Speedway Star included some analysis a few weeks ago, and, I think, it was circa 40% of the Guests used were not for injuries but fixture clashes and illnesses... I think most believe that the framework is basically set up to give enthusiastic promoters, who love being involved in Speedway, a chance to run a track, with a large part of their plan being to generate as many opportunities for riders to ride, so they can justify their large equipment outlay, and earn a decent salary for six months work...

100%... Even more so when you consider Ipswich have won just one top tier title in almost thirty years... Several of their fans on here have often made, almost smug, comments on how poor the crowd levels at other tracks are, and boasted that Ipswich have consistently had good crowds, regardless of success or not, all down to their loyal fanbase.. That one title seems to have increased expectations far in excess of their traditional position in the sport, which, has been one of doing "OK" most seasons, with some "yo-yo ing" between the top two tiers as and when the team struggled or the crowds dropped... Given the cards dealt to Coleman I would suggest it worth putting some perspective to this season, and just be glad "someone" decided to buy the place, as it didn't look like too many were coming forwards to do so.. I hope his endeavors to move Speedway forward reach fruition, as that will also positively impact the Witches, and their fanbase continues to support him in his plans for the club...

Is this a copy and paste post from the last ten years???

How so? Poole ride on Wednesday's, so no clash with the Premiership, with Denmark the only other league running that night... So, if riders are in Denmark, just use guests for any missing riders like the majority of all meetings do...

Nonsense... My all time favourite rider was PC... And he was (quite probably) the best rider in the world from 76 to 78.. An incredible talent... Woffy won THREE world titles... No maybes, no might have beens, no wudda, cudda, shudda... THREE world titles...

You can't change what a majority dont want changing....

Hoi, Woid an Anzum!!!

Eight teams, maybe, due to rider numbers, only five riders per team like Denmark, and make it "Elite" level.. Running on "best nights" for the tracks.. Home and Away once, top four into play offs.. No guests, given there are only 40 riders needed so plenty of "subs" to use from outside these 40... Sell this to TV... Each team also then runs a "second team" in a lower standard league which is ran, like now, with DU's and Guests galore, again, on nights which are the best for the tracks.. Make it five rider teams again, so 75 riders needed, no superstars given they will be doing the top tier in the UK, Poland and the GP's, (and maybe more leagues if Poland allow)... Linking up with Poland could be the key to making it happen as they could provide plenty of young riders to learn their craft over here as well as in Poland... The next five years in particular are fundamentally key as to how the sport survives, or not, in the UK given the ageing demographic of the "key" riders who currently take up two places.. Young/New rider development has to go (pardon the pun), "full throttle" over the next few years, with every club needing to provide regular NDL (and below), level opportunities to ride over the season.. Each club having to hold just one meeting each season, as now, is ridiculous given the demand (of the level required), will outstrip supply massively over the next few years... It really is time for that radical overhaul, which will bring some short term pain, but is so desperately needed... One league for the "professional promoters" and one league for the "hobbyists", which the "pro promoters" can also use as a development conveyer belt for their No1 team...

A fantastic rider, who had a stellar career... I am sure whatever he does next will be a success at given his incredible drive, resilience, dedication and desire... Maybe the BSP could get him involved in promoting the sport in the UK?.. He is still the one rider many outside of Speedway in the UK will have heard of and could recognise.. And is still young enough to connect with a younger demographic... The greatest British rider ever?... I think his three World Titles cements that accolade.... Good luck to him...

"ThrottleJockeyWay"... (But not at Ipswich)...

They know the World Cup won't impact both the meetings taking place, and those Scottish fans buying the stream.....

A "Presentation Tsar", Mick.... I like it!!!

The GP's in Manchester must have had circa 3,000 Aces followers there on both nights... They get less than half that for a UK domestic play off qualifier, simply down to a lack of interest in the league competition.. This shows that there is still a decent demand for the sport out there if done properly, and the events have actually something tangible worth winning, which brings interest... As a "team sport", as you say, it does appear to have a restricted shefl life in its current guise (in the UK)... You can't see too many of the current 30 and 40 something's holding down two HL positions in both leagues in five years, or so.... And that truly will leave a huge hole to fill and a huge problem for "team Speedway" (in the UK)..

Richard Coleman seems to have pretty much the same thoughts on the sport as many of us on here... However, the challenge I would suggest will be that the clear and obvious issues facing the sport are, in the main, all self inflicted, and delivered by their own design and often done to "fix" the problems that previous decisions have created, (and this ironically then often compounds the initial problem!).... The challenge he faces is that the promoters must all know what is needed for the sport to move forwards, (as it is all pretty clear and obvious), however, the very fact they know this, yet have never shown one iota of enthusiasm in changing anything, shows that "moving the sport forwards" is simply not on the agenda for many... In short.. Many are quite happy with their lot, with few actually running their tracks to make profits, but, instead, it gives them an affordable hobby to enjoy.. "Moving the sport forwards" will mean unpicking so much of what has been done, and also bring greater scrutiny and accountability, neither of which too many promoters will be pushing for I would think, hence "moving it forwards" hasn't been focused on for, at least, a couple of decades.. There are many promoters like Buster who, year in, year out, put their hands into deep pockets and shell out several hundred thousands to their riders, to keep the sport running in the UK... That is the sum of their ambitions...

Contrived nonsense... Simply set up to provide as many riders as is possible to earn a living. With well meaning, Speedway loving, happy to fund affordable losses, promoters, all colluding together that the sport has some relevance... Who wins?... Who cares? ..

And neither of the top two leagues have any relevance or resonance... Change that, and it would definitely be worth watching and investing emotionally, and financially in.. Sweden on a Tuesday and Poland on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, delivering jeopardy, consequence, and great racing, each week, (plus the GP's) is more than enough for me.. Watching UK Speedway "just going through the motions" hardly inspires you to subscribe..

I do agree 100%, but.... Promotion and Relegation will be a pipe dream unfortunately due to so few riders willing to ride over here, and the many second tier crowds not bringing in the income to pay riders to ride exclusively for them, meaning DU'ing will remain forever... For me, some major prize for winning the top league is the thing that would generate interest... Sadly, pretty much since the Sky money disappeared, and a nationally recognised company, (Skybet), sponsored the league, winning any of the leagues has had little rewards... The last decade, in particular, unfortunately has rendered any league largely irrelevant given the lack of publicity, the crowd numbers reducing, and the farcical operating model which is now set in stone as fundamentally the only way they can keep running their tracks... The inescapable feeling is that the tracks are now just open so riders can earn a living, and promoters can rub shoulders with them, enjoying their hobby... Nothing more, nothing less..

Up to THIRD in the league!!!!!!!!!! It looks like them or Ipswich for the last play off place!!!