mikebv

Great piece from Tony McDonald this week in response to Matt Ford's comments the week before... Tony's views would be shared by the majority in here I would think... Also, Ben Findon mentions the timing of the fixture list and how it missed the Speedway Star deadline to be published last week.. He goes on to say how much the Speedway Star and Tracks need each other... The sport in the UK certainly does benefit from having such a professionally presented production covering it...

Planning to do a weekend away this season (Friday/Saturday), and watch a Plymouth meeting... Wouldn't have bothered on a Tuesday/Wednesday...

Doubling Up is cost effective for both leagues as they both can share the wages of the rider.. The top league certainly couldn't afford to pay third HL's and Second Strings what they earn collectively from their two jobs, given the GP riders will be high earners... And, if no doubling up, the second tier could only maybe afford one of these riders each in their teams, (rather than 3 which some have), resulting in them having to fill the bottom end of their teams with several NDL level riders... What started out as a laudable development tool has been allowed to become a farce.... Driven by the usual lack of any mid or long term plan to develop enough riders to compete (especially), in the 2nd tier...

I don't think anyone sees them as "saviours of speedway".. They are just another company coming into the sport... Hopefully, at Ipswich, they can ensure the season runs smoothly and crowds hold up for them... And at GP level, they just deliver the GP's... Those who have gone before haven't set the bar too high so anything "average" will suffice.... And, if they cannot deliver that, then, given the sports following, hardly anyone will notice anyway...

100%. Cannot blame them... And it will be the most die hard fans that get impacted the most too... These fans are truly the life blood of the sport given the low numbers of regulars at most tracks, and many of them will plan their whole summer around their Speedway fixtures, eg. booking holidays, and planning other leisure pursuits... Your very best customers, and you are not treating them well... Not a great idea...

I am sure the UK Speedway Marketing Director, and the young team of innovators and influencers who work for him/her, are working on the launch even whilst we discuss it...

Maybe Northampton could launch with a GB v Aus Test Match?

Who are the Northampton promoters? Is it a competition that they are running?

At least they didn't charge for Eleven....

Who knew that this could work?

This isn't an officlal poster... If it was, it would have also said... "And Bring a Friend!"..

At least Arthur And Del understood how to sell their products to the public...... There is a new Speedway track opening this year... I believe.... Or so I have read and heard.... Obviously it might be just a rumour... But, it might not... But, then again, it might be...

Running on a Saturday and not a Tuesday is a major improvement..... Plenty of young kids (and obviously those who pay for them), now in attendance that wouldn't be there on a Tuesday... When they are there you can engage them so they pester their parents and guardians to return... Difficult to do that when they are at home getting ready for school/nursery on Wednesday morning... I presume Stox don't run on normal Mondays and Thursdays for a reason...? Around a quarter of a million people live in and around Northampton so a pretty big target market for a completely new venture to try and attract... Getting around "1 in 200" (0.5%), or so, to attend regularly will be the aim I would imagine, with visitors from surrounding tracks, and ex tracks, an hour or so away being some added extra income to chase.... Surprised tbough at the secrecy to be honest given, ordinarily in business, you would want "the world to know" who you are, what you are doing, and when you will be open.. Difficult to build hype when no one knows about you... (Just like can be said for the sport in general isn't it?)... Best of Luck to All involved..

I suppose so much of that will depend on how well the owners promote it... Maybe they are excellent at marketing and presenting, and the "match day experience" persuades many to becomes regulars.... Let's be honest, the bar is set pretty low when it comes to that so maybe they can be a stand out performer?... The sport needs a success story, so let's hope Northampton can be it... It may also encourage others to follow suit if what they deliver is successful....

Not many meetings to fit in so they could start sometime in May... Only initially doing Away meetings will mean a fair few quid in reserves is required with no money coming in though...

At last three, and probably more, riders get to "Double Up"... The key reason for two leagues...

Good idea.... If that doesn't pack 'em in, I really don't know what will...

Absolutely.... Then add in a less than authentic operating model which means that so important emotional attachment to "Your Team" becomes a tenuous one at best, (you almost have to collude along with a promoter that a UK Speedway meeting has relevance given the lack of any major tangible rewards), and you do have some serious obstacles to overcome... A big challenge, but hopefully those involved have the skill set to deliver a successful venture..

Yer buy 10, Yer get none free!!!

I would imagine £26 will be there or thereabouts for the top tier this season... A hard sell if so.... Maybe some strong promotion will take place across the country if no TV deal to fall back on?

Birmingham, with Cradley, Coventry and Wolverhampton, (and even Stoke), within reasonable commutable distance, certainly would back up that opinion... Getting a new track should be something to celebrate, but you do feel that there is a certain amount of desperation with this venture, with allowing riders to double up (as we know how important that is), being the main reason for another top tier team... Let's hope whoever takes over can truly promote a high octane, adrenaline fuelled, exciting and dangerous sport, which brings in plenty of fans who then become regulars... If they can, then maybe it can become a template for others to do the same...?

It will be tough sell, just as the rest of the teams find... Particularly in areas with plenty of other established sports... The days of attending several professional sports in the local town are long gone for many given modern livings stretch on disposable income... In the mid 90's I could go to Old Trafford, Kirky Lane, and watch Wigan Warriors, several times a month out of my salary, and still pay a mortgage and "live".... Not a chance of visiting United, The Aces and The Warriors nowadays, several times a month, and that is without a mortgage to pay... One promoter once told me that you lose half of an opening night crowd the next meeting, (novelty factor brings in plenty of other fans), and then half that again over the season... Let's hope, if still true, they get five or six thousand to that first meeting... The standard of racing will be a key factor I would think, and, I presume, they will be racing on a Thursday due to the Stox meetings at weekends will require plenty of track maintenance? Will that mean only the Aces run on a Monday? Best of Luck to whoever takes over...

At the rate they are going, Manchester City will be found guilty before the fixtures are out...

Such rules are usually suggested by someone who has lined up a rider who would benefit fhe most by its inception... The promoter convinces their peers that it is good for the sport and then pulls the rabbit from the hat.. Der Derrrrrrrrr....

There must be a few riders retiring if the sixth team doesn't manifest itself.....