mikebv

Or their managers mention it to them..?

How ironic... Wolves riders getting passed on the inside coming out of turn two.....

Just like signing the No1 averaged rider in the league.... Effectively you get access to every other rider as and when you need them... No1 rider gets injured? Or you agree to a fixture knowing he is away on FIM duty that night? No problem just choose the best rider that rides each track the best from every team apart from the one you are racing against (even UK speedway wouldn't allow you to use a rider from that nights opponents).... The saying "you couldn't make this up could you?" certainly doesn't fit for Speedway in the UK... They make it up pretty regularly...

You do feel for the likes of Rob Grant and the Masons as an example.. People who come into the sport and, with the rules as they are, spend a lot of their time working with one hand tied behind their back until they have 'served their time'... They also get criticised quickly when things go wrong/they make mistakes, due to the lack of respect or understanding for promoters in general, which has been built up by the fans due to the actions of the umbrella promoting organisation over the years.. Those with bright ideas should be given the opportunity to bring those ideas in.. Let's be honest, they couldn't really do any worse than those who have let the sport drift to what it is today in the UK could they? The die hard, hardcore fan base is what now exists at most tracks so you woulndt lose them by trying something different, therefore it's a perfect time to try something new.. Just a shame they didnt try anything new when they had a year out in which to plan it..

Or they will put up a dart board in one of the kitchens where the pits used to be..... Box ticked.....

For me it should be a 'no brainer'... Something like this doesnt need 'professional quality' production as its more about the "back story". ie the characters under the helmets, the fans on the terraces, the managers thoughts etc, etc.. The emotional reaction of the riders, managers and fans to races or whole meetings victory and defeat is what you should be aspiring to show more of. Just 10,000 views would, most likely, be predominantly from around the local area and getting just 1% of those to come to their local track would deliver circa another couple of grand per night.. You can stand in supermarket foyers handing flyers out all you want.. Getting a following on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram etc is worth a huge amount more.. Plenty of "characters" in the sport that should be given the platform to get themselves noticed locally in particular and that would undoubtedly gain interest in the club... From kids at 16 just starting out with dreams of stardom, to elder 40 somethings who have travelled the globe successfully racing, Speedway has a broad demographic of rider so should show it off.. 20 minute vignettes would be perfect for the modern day audience who simply like to record everything and fast forward it to the "good bits"...

It's almost as if it's all a bit contrived and ill thought out..... Meaning it is open to manipulation and abuse.. So it ticks all the boxes of the operating model then.....

I believe several tracks have just invested in some pigeons.. Your tickets will be delivered attached to their legs in a little tube...

Is your real name Jonah?? No offence mate, but stay away from the NSS will you?...

Some truly top class racing tonight.. Great to watch meaningful team speedway with something truly tangible on the result... Is it the money on offer? Is it the amount of and the passion level of the fans? Or is the fact that winning a title in Polish Speedway has some real resonance, kudos and publicity..? Probably all of the above I suppose.. If only eh?

Great race.... Lidsey getting attacked from all angles,.. He rode a great race.....

And right on cue.... Great race with Emil and Swidnicki for thiird... Looks a fair prospect...

Good meeting so far... Upset on the cards? If Lindgren joins in there might be...

Pity they seem to keep using one of Baldrick's cunning plans...

Barry and Chris... i have a very simple outlook on "feedback" based on decades of being in the retail business, and it's this... If you ever get criticised by anyone who has a track record of success in your field, then listen to them and respect their opinion... If they don't have a record of success in your field then their opinion of you is utterly worthless...

And you still have missing riders on fixed race nights who are allowed fo give meetings a miss to race in Poland the night after, so what is really the purpose of them..? And plenty of guest riders already this year so you might as well just have a free for all and race when you feel your best crowds will come, select teams v select teams.. Won't be any different than any other year in that regard, but at least now they could use 'Covid' as an excuse..

I would suggest the "no refund" policy is definitely one that is hurting some tracks... Some I notice are doing full refunds so maybe all should just come out and say that full refunds will be given if the match doesnt take place, rather than "use your ticket for another match"... Away fans in particular may not be able to get to a restaging and it seems daft (and no doubt worrying), to have tickets available when capacity is so reduced and not do everything you can to get whatever the maximum is, into the stadium.. Any barriers to getting customers to give you their money are never a good thing..

Any information on why phones couldn't have been used to book tickets? Or were they? Surely people are able to ring up, use their card to buy, and either have them sent to their home, or the barcode sent to their phone? Or even pick them up on the night..? There is a though a myth that 50 somethings dont use computers. Most of us are extremely computer and internet savvy.. Especially when the wife suddenly walks in to the room..

Recently I have been watching far more on YouTube than ordinary TV and have come across lots of Sunday League and Non League teams filming themselves and putting out 20 to 30 min shows featuring their games.. SE Dons in London (Grass roots Sunday League), have built up a huge following (and therefore money), on YouTube, with literally hundreds of thousands of followers.. The basic premise is around five to ten mins of players and club officials arriving and a quick discussion with them about the game, how they have been etc, and a quick talk with some of the fans watching, then they show the managers team talk before the highlights of the first half.. Managers half time talk again then the highlights of the second half, with the managers post match team talk to finish.. All done in circa 25 mins with no longer than five mins tops on any actual segment.. SE Dons actually now have players included in mainstream TV on Soccer AM such is there 'fame' and do exhibition fund raising matches around the country.. They have also had over 3000 people watching them in a final.. They sell their merchandise at the same time (10,000 shirts sold!), and have several companies advertising with them, and do product endorsements. (Energy drinks etc).. And they are not alone as many other clubs do the same but maybe to not that level yet, but you can clearly see they are working on it.. Therefore. What is stopping Speedway clubs doing the same? Most 'yoofs' dont watch a full programme of anything these days so highlights and showing the characters of the individuals appeals to them, and the cameras that are used are certainly not SKY level but comfortably deliver in HD what is required. (Some coverage is even done by phone).. I was suggested it by the algorithm that is used on sites like YouTube due to me watching lots of football at grass roots and pro level on there.. A Speedway club would, you would think, get included within the 'motorsport' algorithm which could suggest watching to F1, MotoGP, MX and Superbike followers etc.. The coverage is making 'celebrities' out of these grass root playing lads in a key demographic, (my lad knows all their names and capabilities), so why can't Speedway try and do the same? Advertising on Facebook or Twitter to those who already know about you wont stimulate any extra interest.. There are literally millions out there using platforms like YouTube daily so surely clubs should try and get themselves noticed on it..? Cherry pick the best races to show, hopefully have a touch of controversy to cover, and get the personalities of the lads out there.. We live in a world of "bite size" information which is used to attract a public with an ever diminishing attention span given so much is 'out there' to watch.. A huge untapped market for Speedway clubs, especially with algorithms including local town names.. The more who watch you, the higher you appear on the suggested names using the predicted text, which can only generate some curious interest from those 'local people' watching who maybe dont know about you, or even prick interest from those who do know about you or even used to go...

Great idea... Contact him and tell him that you will pay the large fine that comes with the rule breaking when he does it.... And then also purchase the defunct promotion rights off him at his asking price...

Ask them to ride for free... Then see how many 'ride for our entertainment'..... Every current and ex rider I have ever spoken with talk about a) the money, b) the adrenaline rush, and c, (some not all) the (ahem) 'fringe benefits' of being a Speedway rider.. (more a 70's and 80's thing I think)..

You would need five man teams and it maybe could work? Four riders over three points and one lower than a three point rider.. Grade the four A to D and use an overall mean team average of all of the riders, so one side can't hoover up the best rider in each grade.. Race every team home and away = 34 matches. Split the 18 teams into two Conferences based on geography and ride home and away against all teams in your Conference... Meaning another 16 matches in total... 50 matches per rider, not including play offs, where the top four from each Conference can go into home and away play offs to determine the two 'Conference Champs', who then go forward to the Grand Final.. Meaning 56 meetings per rider if reaching the final.. 72 riders needed over 3 points and 18 needed below 3... Not checked how many there are this year who would fulfill that criteria but maybe workable..?

Indeed, it is a mystery... Agatha Christieesque....

But winning the league gets you half a page coverage in a local newspaper, (just below the the local darts and crib league results), and maybe a nice buffet with the mayor of the town.... Couldn't let that go.....

Now THAT would pack 'em in.....