mikebv

I do that in my Tesco. .

It is a bit like chalk and cheese discussing a multi billion pound backed sport like Football and what Speedway has, and as a regular in the 80's and early 90's many football grounds were dreadful.. Sadly it took tragedies such as Heysel, Hillsborough and Bradford to move forward the stadia in football, as "all seater" became the norm, and a pre requisite to gain entry into certain levels.. To do this many clubs received large grants to help make the changes. And then Pay TV companies started paying in billions which encouraged many more to invest for the future by upgrading their stadiums.. What Speedway could do though, given all their restrictions, is to improve the "look" of the stadiums similar to how the football clubs have done with empty stadiums during Covid.. Not a space in front of a camera has been missed to advertise, and Speedway, particularly when on TV, has lots of empty spaces which these "seat covers" could be used to display sponsors names and next match details etc.. Covering empty terracing, either seated or standing, with some branded advertising for the club for example, would add colour, improve the professional look of the place and improve "brand image" massively to the person watching at home.. I always think the NSS is perfect both down the back straight and the grandstand to move fans into sections (making it look fuller straight away) and giving "blocks" over to advertising covering the seats, and sections of the back straight.. There is loads of TV coverage of these areas in every single race which could also earn the track a few quid in extra revenue by allowing sponsors or even just local businesses to rent it for the night.. Like a lot of things, it doesnt always need much money throwing at something to make it look better and more appealing..

About 1 in 3000 people (at most), in the UK attend domestic Speedway each week nationally.. Imagine if they could get just 2 in every 3000? 100% increase in gates and revenue.. The Aces get around 1200 with the conurbation of Gtr Manchester having 2.5 million living within it, with the extremeties of it being around 45 mins away by car.. The attendance figures for domestic Speedway are pitiful really when you consider that the 'local track' is invariably the only one for miles and miles, and has a complete monopoly in that area, with no other teams competing for a fan's following like for example football has with lots of cities having more than one team.. Maybe one day the sport will wake up and properly invest in a true national, joined up, collective, marketing campaign, rather than many clubs doing their own thing on a pretty basic level locally.. 100's of Thousands of pounds are spent on paying 'employees' when hardly anyone knows your business even exists, and minimal seems to be invested in changing that lack of awareness.. A very strange business plan..

Adequately socially distanced I hope? It can be a bit tight for space in some houses, especially terraced...

A pity... Life is far too short to keep holding grudges..

Next season might just need a bit of flexibility when it comes to putting teams together, and maybe even some rider control if all teams are not competitive. One thing for sure is that co-operation of all will be vital and some sacrifices will need to be made for the greater good.. Unprecedented times re Covid 19, and then Brexit on top of that, must mean some 'less than perfect' decisions being made.. However, as this is Speedway, it will hardly be the first time such decision making has happened would it??? It may need virtually every rider doubling up or one big league, however, the priority of whatever they do needs to being getting enough rides for the riders to make it pay.. After the season just gone, the danger is a good few of the riders may call it quits and move onto other things (eg Ellis Perks).. Given Poland's restrictions (and I would suggest they are deadly serious given Doyle and Holder have dropped Sweden), added to the unknown of Brexit, and a whole season just missed, maybe a year of 'make do and mend' is on the cards with a vision to regroup and do something a bit more structured the year after? Next year, I would suggest is a 'free hit' for Promoters given the fans will be desperate to get back to the tracks, so maybe less riders per team, with mainly British lads of Premier to National League level in every team, could be affordable to Promoters whilst giving the lads plenty of racing to earn money? Those fans who will stay away because the points level is much lower than usual will be very few and far between I would think given the lack of racing over the past 8 months, so the Promoters should use this "goodwill" to set up next year to ensure all tracks ride and all can make it through the season... In any fashion required...

And all done to try and win competitions that, by the very contrived nature the sport is ran, are rendered pretty much worthless.. Imagine changing clubs' fixture lists during the season because there won't be enough 'guest riders' available, and expecting anyone to actually take the sport seriously?

Far too many wasted years of decline too late, but surely now the right thing to do...

When/if Poland become an also ran nation at the very top level then domestic interest will start to wain.. Just like happened to the UK, and then Denmark at different times, when they started to drop down the rankings after a long period of dominance.. Sweden too, domestically enjoyed their biggest crowds when Tony R and the rest were winning World Champs individually, and collectively winning WTC's.. Poland though will know this and will ensure by keeping protected places in their domestic line ups for Poles that they can help ensure they don't make the mistakes the UK in particular made all those years ago by allowing the UK riders to become the minority over here in many teams.. It doesn't matter how many times Leszno (or any team) win the title over there, succesful Polish riders and teams at international level drives all the TV coverage, sponsorship and follow on domestic interest from the fans.. They will have seen how "not to do it" and I am sure not make the same mistakes...

So sports that take place in winter get money? (We will gloss over Rugby League and Lawn Tennis, and the fact that some of the sports are indoor so could take place at anytime, and horse racing is all year round).. And the sports that got the money can now bring fans in over the winter and make, err money? Whilst the 'summer sports' who couldnt bring fans in, didn't get any money (apart from Rugby and Horse racing and Lawn Tennis obviously).. OK Bojo, makes sense.. Like so much you do...

An obvious opportunity that should have been taken the year it became clear Poland was THE priority for the very best riders.. Instead we have had well over a decade, of moving around fixtures and guestfests to accommodate and replace, by far, the most expensive riders, who, if they knocked on the doors of the houses on the streets adjacent to the tracks, no one would recognise.. Covid 19 has given those who run it an ideal opportunity for a 100% needed complete reset.... Fans desperate for any Speedway will turn up next year in strong numbers I would say, regardless of team strengths.. Will this opportunity be taken? We already know the answer don't we?...

I get there has been dialogue Phil and that the BSPL reps attended meetings with other 'Elite' sports.. However, that would then make it even more strange that it has obviously come as a 'shock' to the BSPL that they didn't get offered any cash.. You would think that any organisation that had kept their foot on the gas by keeping in constant touch with the relevant Govt departments would have been kept well informed of how things would develop.. Rather than having to put out a hasty press release questioning why no money, and one that shows that they clearly have no knowledge of any potential further developments that may be in the pipeline.. Lobbyists can truly be worth their weight in gold if you employ the right ones as they keep bringing pressure to bear and keep their 'employers' names in the frame.. I wonder if Speedway has employed any where maybe others definitely have? It takes a lot of behind the scenes influencing to get Govt ministries to do what you would like them to and takes some proper planning and execution, (and often hard cash to get the right people to do it)...

Why is it not recognised? Because only about 20,000 out of a population of 70 million attend a meeting each week? (0.0029% of the UK populace, meaning approx 1 in 3500 people) Because they have no joined up, money invested collective National marketing, but instead lots of tracks do their own thing at a very basic low level which gain (if any) only minimal cut through.. ? Because it is seen as noisy, smelly and environmentally unfriendly? Because very few tracks have a "Community Champion" who go out into their local community hubs and give tangible support to local charities, foodbanks and hospitals etc. Thus demonstrating (and getting recognised), that they are an integral force for good in their locality.? Not having a World Class National team who regularly win competitions and not having clubs full of UK riders, some of whom would hopefully be 'local' to inspire others to take up the sport? Not having many blue chip company sponsorships that the public recognise and therefore link to the sport? I presume (and hope), Speedway, given it's been represented at other meetings, has simply been overlooked (or maybe it's simply the summer/winter nonsense that has been quoted), and they will receive some funding however, even if a genuine mistake, when some of the sports mentioned gets in front of you, it should be food for thought how the Sport markets itself and "sells" itself...

I believe there is another 'pot of money that Speedway can, (with other similar ranked sports) apply for, and that one Minister was overheard today saying that he did admire that "Young Tie Woffingham chappie", so all isnt lost.. I also have heard that some of the best Parliamentary Lobbyists are on the case pushing Speedways cause, and indeed have already got the sport up to the third highest ranking on the new list.. Just behind Kabbadi and Ten Pin Bowling...

Sky once gave the sport tens of millions and you only have to look at the sport in the UK today to see just how well that was used....

And Super League finishes next Friday, and starts again in March...

Rugby League and Rugby Union are "summer" sports... As is Lawn Tennis.. They all got funding.... I also presume most of the indoors sports also carry on during the summer and not exclusively get played in winter? And horse racing is all year round... I would think it's more down to Speedways almost zero profile that has seen them "overlooked" (maybe not intentionally),and/or could be down to much better, organised lobbying getting carried out by other sports, to ensure they remained in the forefront of the Government thoughts..?

I heard that but it doesn't make much sense does it? Lots of the sports are summer eg Rugby League or indoors, eg Ice Hockey... It was also mentioned that it is a loan rather than a hand out... (?)

They should have got going last season when the Level 7 non league football teams got the go ahead.. 600 fans max wouldnt have been far off a usual crowd for many teams and more than usual for some.. Maybe could have charged a few quid more as well given the circumstances..? Many fans would have supported that increase given the situation I would have thought, just to see some 'live' Speedway.

Is that correct? Surely Speedway ranks alongside a few of those that have got money off the Government.? Be interesting to find out why if they are not part of the handout..

Speedway not an "Elite" sport then?

I think last season could prove be the best, and most important, Dan has had so far in his career.. This is a 'kid' who has pretty much beaten all his peer group non stop from being under 16, with a good many 'scalps' of riders much older.. All of a sudden last season in Poland saw him riding loads of last places which would have been a huge shock to his system I would imagine... As would Dan finding out the actual level of "Polish Speed" you need your bikes to have to be competitive over there (and therefore also on the 'World Stage').. Wroclaw obviously see something in him to give him another go and hopefully next season he starts the way he finished the last.. Maybe in a few years time he will look back on last season as the one that truly opened his eyes to what is needed to be globally successful, and will be reaping the benefits of learning from it and will have raised his game on the back of it to the level needed...

And shouldn't have entered into it if he only had "loaned" equipment (if that was the case as I havent seen any confirmation saying as much).. It's very intense in Poland, it means something financially to the teams and emotionally to a good proportion of the communities they serve.. Not to mention the brand awareness of the national companies that sponsor many of the teams and the TV rating requirements that justify the large outlay these TV companies make to generate the return on advertising.. It is 100% full on, no hiding places, no easier nights to make a few quid by guesting, no "there's always another match tomorrow somewhere".. Darcy Ward was verbally abused by ZG fans when he signed for them such is the rivalry over there, and it was only after a fair few strong performances that the ZG fans came on board and accepted him.. Night and Day to over here, and very much akin to our Football leagues rather than the Speedway Leagues which dont carry any of the same pressure to win due to the lack of publicity, financial reward and status they have.. But if it comes good, what a career a young lad could have.. And there is only one way to find out..

Several riders have been mentioned as examples of riders who failed to get a 'fair crack of the whip', at a young age in Poland, however those mentioned have hardly gone on to have, (no disrespect) 'stellar global careers' have they? So maybe those who ran the teams they rode for in Poland didn't see enough to warrant their relationship to continue and ultimately got proved correct..? Robert Lambert is for me the obvious example of a lad who benefited enormously from riding competitive meetings abroad when he wasn't allowed to do the same over here, and more than held his own. And beating those at the time who he will race against many times over the next few years at such a tender age must have been a huge confidence boost to take forward.. Best wishes to you and your lad and maybe his level will hit a ceiling that he can't go above, or maybe his level will smash ceiling after ceiling and he goes on to the very top.. At least you and he won't ever wonder what might have been if only you had taken him out of his comfort zone, just like the lads with Polish contracts will find about themselves next year.. Hope it all goes well for him...

Spot on... As I've said the Russians took the same route and now more are joining each year (some even with Polish blood coursing through their veins seemingly) Beating the same riders week in week out wont give you any sense of where you are globally versus your age group peers (who will be your rivals potentially for years to come), and wont improve you as a rider.. Riding in Poland will do both, or at least make it clear you are not at the required level yet, (or maybe even never).. Give these lads the safety net of plenty of rides over here and cover them with guests if needed when Poland calls (it's not as if you can devalue the UK Leagues too much anyway by doing so such is their already contrived operating model), and when they are overseas it gives other lads a chance to take their place over here... Many have been the "next great white hope" who at 18/19 become heat leaders in the top leagues, riding around small home technical tracks, who then go on to pretty much nothing on the World stage.. Let's see if 'something different' works and hope that the days of ten or so genuine World Class riders once again return wearing the GB colours.. Not one single club team out there winning any league will grow the sport nationally in this country one iota, therefore let's put the eggs in the basket of the national team and see if that will.. It worked in the 70's for Speedway and it worked for both Rugby Union and Cricket when they finally realised that a successful national team is the only way to attract more national coverage, more domestic fans off the back of it, and probably most importantly, more sponsors..