mikebv

For too long the Sport has had 'The Survival Of The Weakest' as it's mantra... Charles Darwin had a theory about how that would never work if you want to evolve and grow, and get bigger and stronger..... British Speedway obviously had a theory that his theory was bollox..... This year a rider has had a season ending injury which effected the 'Flagship Competition' when riding for his 'other team' in the Lower League.. This year a team qualified for the play offs by using a No1 from one of their play off rivals to oust their nearest competitor, because their No1 was riding in the Lower League for a team he joined just a few weeks earlier.. This year several fixtures were pulled without consultation because so many teams racing on the same night would mean not enough guests would be available... Just think about that one for a moment... Basically, it means guests are now a fundamental key priority in the operating model. No longer an occasional 'necessary evil' as they may have been regarded as in the past... UK Speedway obviously now admits it cannot do without them and builds it's whole operating model around their use. Putting their need well above the impact to fans who may have made plans to attend the initial fixture dates.. So, is it. Not enough riders? Or too many teams? Either one or the other has to give.. The Sport will never get that (so vital to its success), Mainstream Media coverage if it keeps running itself in the same nonsense manner. As the MM will never take it seriously, and sponsors, of the size required, will never want to be associated with it... Change has to come for the greater good, sad for those who may lose their teams, but currently British Speedway is on a clear race to the bottom... A race all may end up 'winning' collectively in a 'dead heat'...

So, the two leagues are too close in class?... Well, considering they invariably use the same bloody riders I have to say I am not too shocked..... Next week, a Speedway Promoter will put in his programme notes that bears do actually defecate in the woods..

Is it going to be yet more 'deck chair shuffling on The Titanic' again? Deep down we all know it will be.... The time to be radical has almost passed... Doing the same thing time and time again and each time expecting a different outcome was considered a sign of insanity according to Einstein.. Seldom wrong was he?

What has changed so dramatically THJ? Disposable income... Nowadays we have mobile bills not just for ourselves but our children, nowadays we pay out big money for cable/satellite TV, nowadays we pay out more big money for access to the Internet, and nowadays we pay fortunes on utility bills, public transport costs and fuel for private travel, insurance on housing and vehicles, higher rental charges, and obviously ever increasing mortgage values on ever increasing house prices... All the while that has been taking place, Speedway has obviously seen some of the same costs rising, so it's answer was to reduce the quality of the product on offer but brought in umpteen inflation busting price rises on the back of it.. Team Speedway (in the UK), has no way back from here I would suggest...

To be fair to those who criticise, the current lot have presided over the worst attendance levels British Speedway has known for probably its lifetime.. With undoubtedly much of the reason for this being down to their designed, and voted for, ever changing operating models... In a Sport that is in so many major conurbations around the Country, it is amazing so few people actually know about it, never mind have the opportunity to decide to attend it... Most tracks have a virtual monopoly of their potential local fan base to a radius of tens of miles yet very few of the locals will visit.. Thats down to simply poor pro active customer marketing, non existent brand advertising, and a product either not deemed fit for purpose, or the outlay you make to purchase it is regarded as in no way shape or form to many, value for money... Useless? Probably not.... Not very good at what they do due to not having the relevant skills required to ever be successful both individually and collectively? More nearer the mark I would suggest... Fair play to them for putting their money in, but deep down, even they must surely see what they come up with each year will NEVER facilitate the Sport (in the UK) to deliver anywhere near it's full potential..? If it's more of the 'same old, same old' then all historical evidence tells us that this will only deliver more of the 'same old, same old' crowds.... Or, as is more likely, even lower crowd numbers....

If they could get one to drop out the top League could run as a four team tournament... Same four teams constantly riding one home match per week, providing that continuity of fixture list that so many want... Would only need 16 riders too so lots of replacements available so no need for Guests, adding much needed credibility to the Sport... Or maybe to spice it up a bit they could have one complete Guest Team per week replacing one of the regulars on a adhoc non conjoined, randomly unplanned basis? It needs to be made clear though that no Guest Teams would be allowed to gain entry to the end of season playoff, regardless of performance. As only the four official Premiership teams will be allowed to try and qualify for the four places available... Bring back the Green Helmet cover to add a bit of colour as well.. Also. Possibly any team six points behind at any stage of the meeting, to any other team at all, could also then have that team (or team's) riders that they are six behind, blindfolded....? Circa £30 to get in, the increase being down to the fact that you will now get 16 races each meeting, so more than at present, and that only blindfolds officially made by respected ex riders may be endorsed to be used, and this costs money.... Oh, and due to the Polish, Swedish and Danish Leagues race nights, to avoid clashes, all matches will be ran at 1.00am on a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday and Friday morning, so the lads can, the very minute after Heat 16 is completed, drive directly to whichever the nearest airport is that gets them out to Sweden/Denmark and Poland as early as possible.. Thus saving on costly overnight hotel bills.. Add in a few K Tels Hits of the Seventies CD's, a centre green presenter who has had experience in hospital radio and an evening full of birthday dedications to fans who have been "coming for 60 years and whose favourite rider of all time is Bjorn Knutsson" and quite frankly we are on to a winner... Could be a great year for British Speedway 2019... Edit : Monkey Tennis in the interval? No? Ok but no ideas a bad idea...

Wow... Not too much of an optimistic outlook for what crowds you expect to generate is it?

So is the total capacity around just 3000? The Grandstand is just under 1800.. Thought I read it was 5,000 when they opened not including that West Terrace that got removed? Didnt they get 7,000 for the SWC Final with an extra 2000 seating on the third and fourth turns..? 3,000 seems a little low...

Hi LW.. A bit factual and a bit guesstimate, as you say, Omerta is the word to describe Speedway attendances.. Last year the average quoted by the CEO was circa 1400... This year it's visually and tangibly less than that due to FRN... DG said crowds were around 1800 on average the first year, up considerably from the old place.. But sadly not enough.. BH's brought in 2500 - 3000 according to DG at Kirky Lane and this year when I went the circa 1800 Grand stand was around 2/3rds full with around 500-600 ish in the south stand.. Not been much this year due to Mon and Wed race nights but looking at photos on FB, and listening to a mate of mine who goes, the Grandstand is approx 1/2 full each week with 300-400 in the South Stand.. Not bad for such a Mickey Mouse ran Sport to be fair.. Imagine how many would go if it could be ran like a proper Team Sport? On nights that the majority of the population of Manchester can actually get there.?

Where is SCB? E block... 37C...

Why was Tai wearing Union Jack Kevlars? Isn't he an Aussie?... I was lucky enough to see PC at his best... But have to say overall, gating and passing combined, this lad is the best Brit I have ever seen... Well done Tai....

Go on Kelvin!!!

Get in there!! Smarzlik made some daft decisions in the semi and final.. Gate four after a track grade? And never let your main rival have a gate inside you in a final... Strange..

Could BV use Vaculik given he rode for Leicester? Or is he too badly injured as well anyway?

The biggest priority for the Sport is a joined up collective marketing plan... Similar to the way the NFL and other USA team sports market themselves.. ie "The Sport is greater than any individual team"... Shared investment from all teams, delivers shared returns on all aspects of the Business Model... Of course to make this work, and be successful, then the Sport would need to attract enough National Media recognition to attract Sponsors and Fans.. Of course to get that it would then first and foremost need to have a credible Operating Model that doesn't open itself up to National ridicule by the increased scrutiny such National coverage would bring... And of course to do that it would need an independent figurehead who has no vested interest in any team whatsoever, so decisions made can never be held up as biased due to the individual making the decision also potentially benefitting from it, (as is the case now).. In a Sport that has clubs not bothering which random group of riders they send to away meetings time and time again, I would suggest that a collective will to work together for the common good is a million miles away... Now where did I leave that 'wallpaper paste table' and box of flyers, I am off to market my Speedway Team in the foyer of my local Tesco... It'll bring in thousands I tell yer, thousands!!

Crowd will be around 1800 - 2000 I would think.. Not bad considering the Aces get around I would suggest 1200 - 1400 on average.. And considering its live on TV too... And on a Monday... Crowds were around 1800 on average in the first year riding on a Friday and Saturday so getting that many three years later given the generic ongoing decline of the sport won't be too bad I reckon.. Bank Holidays at the old place used to get circa 2500, and at best at the NSS this year they were around 2000, so all in all a similar amount on Monday would be a reasonable return..

That both you and I could surmise that straight away probably says a lot about how this Sport is ran... Amazing how 'key' riders always seem to only miss away meetings too isn't it? It could look almost as if Promoters don't even support each other but only look after their own self interest..... Truly an operating model that seems to be delivering stunning results...

The crowds that Speedway gets are actually "quite good" in my opinion considering... a) The way it runs itself delivers nothing but 'Mickey Mouse' Competitions devoid of any credibility or kudos.. b) The Sport has zero national collective marketing meaning just a tiny, tiny proportion of the population know of its existence, and therefore by definition, the local club based practically on their doorstep... c) It's lack of an all round 'full night out' entertainment package to enhance just 15 mins of what can often be 'basic' action for a circa £20 admission cost that reflects more the payroll costs rather than what's actually on offer.. and d) The fact it is ran so many times around the Country on the worst nights of the week in which to attract its best attendances. Imagine the potential crowds if it could sort just those four things out? I would suggest triple digit growth in some places given the tiny low average crowd base so many would be coming from... Ironically, given how badly the Sport has been ran for the past 15 years or so, that abject performance actually now provides a huge opportunity for growth, especially given how much correcting those clearly obvious fundamental issues would benefit it.... When you've reached 'rock bottom', as in some places it appears to have, the only way is up, so what an opportunity now exists for growth! Have the Promoters got the vision or talent to see that huge opportunity and grab it though? I know my thoughts...

I've lost count of which 'five year plan' is currently running as there seems to have been so many over the past five years... One thing is for sure though. There is no doubt that this AGM will be the most important in the Sports history.. In fact. Very much the same as last years was.. And the one before that.... And indeed the one the year before that year etc etc etc ad infinitum.. Another thing for sure is that this year they need to come up with an operating model that has credibility, integrity, and is both cost effective and fit for purpose.. In fact. Very much like they needed to do last year.. And the one before that... And indeed the one the year before that year etc etc etc ad infinitum..

Then keep the shape of the track something like the NSS but just make it bigger to fit around the bigger pitch.. My point was more about any threat of damage to the surface should anyone put up complaints..

And that is the fundamental issue... Crowds for such a tiny Sport that considering that it has virtually zero marketing on any decent scale, are in most places 'OK'... The costs are the problem... All historical evidence suggests that crowds won't grow (and will decline further) hence costs need to come down.. Not likely to happen though..

Why is it disappointing though HT? Speedway is just a tiny minority Sport in the UK.. I think we as fans need to adjust our expectations of what crowd levels the sport should get.. The Sport is on a level (at best) with Ice Hockey in the UK and maybe even smaller than that considering they managed to get 7000 at the play off final at a neutral venue. (Speedway couldn't do that I am sure)... And the downward trend in crowd levels historically each year would suggest in five years or so a half full grandstand would be seen as a positive thing as circa 100 or so 'regulars' seem to drop off annually... Considering hardly anyone virtually on their doorstep could name who the club is and what it does, never mind name or recognise any of the riders who ride for them, the crowds are not that bad... (For Speedway)...

Spot on... If you spent two days in Piccadilly Gardens in City Centre Manchester and asked 500 random people a day 'who are the Belle Vue Aces?"... I would be amazed if out of one thousand men, women and children asked, 100 could give a correct answer... And possibly the more realistic answer is that no more than 50 out of the 1000 could.. In reality 1500 or so isn't too bad for such a poorly generically recognised Sport...

I think the obsession on here of 'what the crowd looks like' has had its day.. A very small minority sport gets crowds in keeping with its status in the national sporting grand scheme of things.. If the Aces get say 1500 it won't look anywhere near full but given the sports following and standing, it certainly is a reasonable crowd.... Probably not self financing but that is more down to the unrealistic, probably unsustainable, fixed costs that the sport has..

And the NSS shows that a great race track can be built around an artificial grass rugby and football pitch... With no impact to the surface of the centre green... So no one can use that as a reason for not allowing Speedway in any new stadium that lays a 3/4G pitch..