mikebv

It must be "quite difficult" to spend your disposable income on something you don't even know exists though.... Even though it actually does exist in your own town or city..!! Maybe fixing that situation could help a fair few tracks?...

Cough... Bonus Point Kings... Cough...

The promoters have the sport they want. . Some do it to bring in income to pay their way in life.. Most do it as an affordable hobby, and maybe a bit of an ego trip... Therefore. Any comments on here, or on the various social media pages, will make not one jot of a difference as to how they decide to run the sport... Sadly, we are where we are, simply due to that fact... If they could run the sport "properly" then they would have done so many moons ago, hence the "same old/same old" has been the only plan for a long, long time,, (as it is the best they can deliver), even though it clearly isn't fit for purpose, as the current issues it has led to obviously demonstrate... Their money, therefore, their way, and that is fair.. However, the sport will never grow unless they radically change their operating model, which is simply regressing the sport, almost year after year..

Disposable income as a percentage of earnings was far higher, 30 years and more, ago.. Lots of "mod cons" today eat away at what used to be available for "going out".. And, let's be honest, a sport with only 14 teams doesn't resonate too highly when it comes to where you may want to spend any "entertainment pound" you have spare... Four meetings, per one months salary's disposable income, is too much for many... Maybe fortnightly would be the sweet spot ..?

Car park flooded?

Only if they win the league... And get a big crowd for the 2nd leg of the final...

I have heard that Two "Triple Packs" of Tesco Assorted Biscuits have been ordered online for the meeting.. MOTWYW.....

Or Slough....

A definite top five one....?

If he was a self employed plumber, or sparky, would he not be allowed to still be a self employed plumber, or sparky, when he came out of prison? Being a self employed Speedway rider was his job when he went inside so not sure why he wouldn't be allowed fo try and get another job doing Speedway...? As long as someone wants to give him some work, obviously... I have taken on many "Ex Cons" down the years, who had served their "debt to society", (one of whom went inside for manslaughter and stayed with my company for over 20 years till retirement), with some going on to Managerial positions... Some found themselves back inside within 18 months, however, that was their choice to not take advantage of the opportunity given to them..

You would think their viewing demographic would be not too dissimilar to UK Speedways... Plenty of funeral planning adverts, Will planning, SAGA holidays, "Aches and Pains" improving devices, Cruises, Coach Holidays etc... Fairly well off retirees, with a decent amount of disposable income... The perfect Speedway crowd dynamic, with, no doubt, many of those viewing being those who say "Speedway? Is that still going? I used to go to Speedway"...

And you can add in a lack of TV money which may also reduce sponsors money as there will be less media coverage of their name... I have seen that C5 covered The Worlds Strongest Man competition over Xmas... They don't seen to have a huge sporting portfolio so maybe they could be interested in doing an hours worth of highlights using, for a fee, the streaming coversge from tracks, and BSN footage? A relatively cheap show to produce, and gets some mainstream "free to air" coverage, rather than being behind a pay wall...

It is comparing a a WTCQ and two GP's though... To hold a GP can cost the organiser well over £100k which is paid to the rights holders.. And then flights and hotels for FIM people and riders... At circa 7000 capacity you will need to charge some big numbers to make any money after that considerable outlay... It will be interesting to see if after last years "novelty" of being the first GP at the NSS, whether demand will be the same this year...

It must be like Brewster's Millions...

Once bitten, twice shy?

Saw him fall off and his bike do a "Buck-a-Roo" at Hyde Rd, well before cut outs were used... Every time one of the track staff went to it when it looked stopped, it sprung into life and went bouncing around the centre green, with the track staff running in all directions... RIP Cliff..

Especially ones who haven't even got a team to support currently....

The "Superstars" riding over here didn't stop UK rider development... Nor did they implement "Guestfest after Guestfest" as an operating policy... Nor did they let "Doubling Up" evolve into a fundamental key part of the same operating policy .. The promoters chose to ignore UK rider development and instead brought over reserve/second string journeymen from overseas in great numbers. They could have had the "Superstars" and still had a joined up development programme for UK riders..

And fans too.... It needs lots of "new faces" in the stadiums.... Even if only to replace the "old faces" who no longer go....

No! No! No!.... A cheap jibe..... As was explained at the time... It was the track shapes that were so different that meant he could ride over there, and not here.. Which meant he could turn a bike in Poland, but not on the tiny Costa Mesa type circuits we have over here...

They were... But, the Aces crowds dropped quite considerably leading up to the GP meetings given the majority of fans at the GP's were Aces supporters... Paying out circa £200 meant a fair few gave domestic speedway a miss for quite a few meetings...

For me the "big drop" started when the GP's meant weekend matches still got planned in even though ”star men" would clearly be missing... Meaning Guestfests became the norm, and not the exception... Good news for the clubs though as they didn't have the highest earners to pay, but bad news for the fans... Then Poland kicked in and meetings got arranged when the riders could be there, rather than when the fans could be there, or, even more Guesfests took place knowing riders wouldn't be there.... Add in dozens of third rate journeymen foreigners taking the places of fourth rate UK lads (who could have developed into third rate riders and maybe even more), and you delivered an ever dwindling offer to an ever dwindling fan base.... It was quite telling to read in a recent Speedway Star about the signing of Zach Cook for Poole, and how his Polish contract will impact his appearances... His Promoter said that they would do their best to work around his Polish commitments when Poole are away riding at a weekend track, however, "some clashes will be inevitable", but "the most important thing is he will be available for every Poole home meeting"... So, I presume, a guest will come in when he cannot be there, or RR is used.. Some things never change in UK Speedway it seems...

As was always going to be the ultimate outcome from around two decades ago... Short term decision making , after short term decision making, after short term decision making... Years of.... No Leadership, No Strategy, No Vision, and No Growth Plan.... A perfect scenario to deliver precisely what we have today... No surprises though, as what we have today has been called out as the only outcome possible, on here, for years.... You can only presume therefore, that the Promoters didn't see the obvious only outcome of their year on year actions..? Which, given they are the ones trying to sort out the current self inflicted situation, doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?

"The Northampton Nomads" could be the sixth team... With, (and here is the best bit, hence the name).. They never ride in Northampton, therefore no start up costs... They ride "home meetings" at the other five tracks by just renting the track off the owner... Eg. They could ride against BV, at "home", on one of the Monday's the Aces are not riding, or even use a Thursday... More revenue for existing promoters/landlords in rent, no start up costs for the "Nomads" promoters, and more meetings for the fans with the "Away fans" attending in numbers at their own track, to watch their own team, ride, but "away"... Just put together seven unattached riders... In fact you could put several "Nomad" teams together, as long as, like Northampton, it uses alliteration, (as that is important).. Eg The Newport Nomads? The Nottingham Nomads? Or? Maybe the Rochdale Rideaways? Or. The Romford Rideaways? Places that once had Speedway tracks could now have their own team again.. You could have a ten team league in no time riding at the five tracks... Think of the opportunities... OK then.... Arm Wrestling with Chas n Dave...? Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank? Monkey Tennis?!!!!

I think being taken seriously isn't a measure that those who run the sport ever chase.. In the recent past we have had a plan to swap guests after the first leg of the top league play off final, meaning they ride for both teams, (eventually called off in the days leading up to the final)... Last season a seven team league couldn't get completed on time so the play offs took place using a cut off date, only for the league to be completed, with the result rendering the play off semis being "wrong" when aligned to the rules of them... And who can forget the play offs being changed for "commercial reasons" with the qualification positions being rode roughshod over, even after a full season of matches being completed with paying customers attending the qualifiers, "in good faith"... Div Two last year saw three guests in a PO Semi and this is a sport that allows teams to swap and change divisions on a "whim" to suit their own agenda, rather than being down to any actual attainment level, or size of club... And there will be a myriad of other examples where those in charge have made decisions which suggest it isn't taken too seriously... To be honest though, I get why being "taken seriously" isn't something high on the agenda given the lack of rewards for being successful, and, given the sport is now pretty much down to the "die hards", (who show that "Any Speedway" served up is good enough for them), regardless of the credibility of the actual offering.. Therefore, you can see why promoters run the sport the way they do.. Many now attend with their priority being watching the entertainment on offer, and also to see a variety of teams turning up, unfortunately, "small leagues" take away one of the "few pulls" to keep them interested..