mikebv

"Going back to it's roots, as a development league"... That was the plan wasn't it?

100% agree, but for me the size of the prize is the carrot for the fans to come and watch.. Promoters literally fork out millions collectively to achieve the grand result of "sod all", running (without credibility) supposed professional sporting competitions.. What a complete waste of a truly incredible, huge investment... Even more so when you consider the small following it has.. So use some of that huge outlay to hype up the sport, generate some publicity and hopefully, see some forward movement for the sport as a whole in the UK off the back of it.. Carrying on doing the same is ludicrous given all the evidence of the past 20 years or so shows 100% that it doesnt work..

On the Newcastle thread it mentions a turnover of circa £350k for the club.. No disrespect intended, but that is an 'average team with an average following'... Therefore, using them as an 'average' it would mean the 18 teams in 2019 had around a £6.3M income collectively... If that is the case then how the hell is the sport living hand to mouth every year and promoters get quoted as saying "survival is an achievement"? And the income doesn't include the NDL standalone clubs at the time.. I have mentioned on another thread that the sport needs a "big event" with a big prize pot to get some publicity for it and then clubs can promote their own business on the back of each of them having qualifying rounds, with a huge finals night which has a huge prize fund.. I suggested that 18 clubs take £10k out of their 'payroll budget' to make an £180k prize fund for an individual event.... If they are taking in circa ££6.3M collectively I would suggest it should be more like £20k each and make the prize pot £360k...!!! Any reduction in salary to the riders would be more than made up I would suggest given they would each have several qualifying rounds in front of (hopefully) good crowds who had been attracted to the event by its overall prize fund... And of course, for 16 of them a bumper pay night on finals night.. (Or even spread some of the £360k over two semis as well).. Promoters are obviously spending a huge amount individually and collectively to achieve precisely nothing in the development of the sport, (I say spending because it certainly isn't investing)... And a "British Masters" (call it what you will), wouldn't cost any more than they are currently paying out (it just redistributes a percentage of their current outllay but for a hell of lot more publicity I would say)... Surely it's time for them to get together and see how futile it is to keep racing to the bottom with the current operating model and business plan? Forking out literally millions to achieve "nothing" seems absolutely nonsensical doesn't it? Maybe therefore it is time to do something different that may help themselves prosper in the short and longer term? Each track promoting an event with an overall £360k prize fund, with all 'their riders and nine others' at each event, must be easier to "sell" to local and national media, possible sponsors and lapsed non regular attendees, surely? And then you promote "very hard" your own clubs season during the event itself....

In the GP's, Berntzon will be like a raffle winner who wins a place in a sporting event as a "guest player".....

And no World F1 Stox Final for the AFA this year... That must make a fair old dent in the coffers given how many attend it...

A sensible decision by Buster I would suggest.., A bit of 'Polish weather forecasting' is most opportune given the reduced fan numbers.. Not sure if anyone thought Poland was being 'professional'... More 'opportunistic' for me....

Thank goodness the nights are long and bright in Sweden at this time of the year....

Buster owns KL though doesn't he? Meaning he may get less watching there than he gets at Peterborough but still make more money than he would at Peterborough where he pays rent and wont get any anciliary income... We have seen a few times how successful seasons can actually help close tracks down due to the increase in outlay not being covered by an increase in crowds, so maybe having two succesful clubs could be a step too far?

And fair play to him if that it what he is doing... A sensible business plan for me.. No one will really bother who wins a league of six teams (or let's he honest, any amount of teams), so makes strong sense to keep both clubs financially solvent.. There may end up being more fans at Peteborough than Lynn, but with less to pay out and getting money from concessions, car park etc, it could still be more profitable...? And with Speedway down to the "die hards" (who have proven by still regularly attending that they will accept whatever is provided), then why not run both business's this way? Makes clear sense if that is what he is doing..

Ipswich should put in a protest against the BSPL for allowing them to select an ineligible team... 3 point deduction for the other 5 clubs in the Premiership..

Showing his internet shopping list now..

Becoming a bit one line... Need to get some grip lower down. .. They will all end up chasing the high line if they dont...

And by the time your lease is up at Cowley you may have been given voting rights at the AGM...

Mentioned before. I used to attend the Colts for a tenner with my 16 yr old lad who got in for free.. For that I got to watch the best "young lads" and the best "vastly experienced" old heads.. And crowds must have been circa 600 to 700 or so given the guesstimate based on a grandstand of 1700 or thereabouts.. Still.. "All" the promoters agreed to this..

Which is why so many are double headers.. If you as the business owner havent got faith in your own product then dont expect your customers to..

Indeed they are.. As is shown in Manchester where the greyhound track is being taken apart to build houses on... "Can't build houses on that land as there is a covenant on it that it must be used for sport"... Money talks....

To be fair, if they havent tested it themselves to see how easy it is (or not), I would suggest it is not a great plan.. Your business is basically at the mercy of how simple this process is so you would make 100% sure it is fit for purpose and accessible to everyone without any need to second guess.. When several potential customers have already said they are struggling to use it (and been lost), then you need to "influence" the process (and very quickly)...

Yes... They said "Is that still going?"...

Spot on.. 18 teams will collectively pay out several hundred thousands of pounds to riders per season yet hardly make a ripple in the awareness of the people right on their doorsteps... If every top two division club reduced their payroll by £10k this season (which over so many matches wouldn't be a huge amount per meeting divided by 14 riders)... It would allow a "British Masters" or some such competition name to take place over several rounds with a £180,000 prize pot... In fact 11 tracks could get a round with the other seven nominated for the four quarters, the two semis and the final itself.. Taking place at the seven best tracks for entertainment/capacity... £10,000 divided by seven riders is a reduction of £1429 per rider over a season (less than £100 a night for a full fixture list) and if they rode in say six 'well attended' qualifiers each then you would hope they would get much more than that back.. With those reaching the quarters to the final earning even more... Surely this size of event would generate far more publicity than the sport currently gets, both locally and nationally? And as Falcon1983 recommends, you promote your "team" on the back of meeting you are promoting... With the savvy ones doing special offers, collecting emails, mobile numbers etc... Currently they are literally paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds for what appears zero return... So use some of this money to improve things...

And even if the rules are detrimental to some clubs, and ultimately also therefore to the sport, then we must ensure we follow them... British Speedway....

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.....