mikebv

In the main, I don't there is a huge amount of conjecture on what the majority of fans want... "A league ran and organised with integrity and credibilty, with meetings taking place on the same nights regularly and consistently, with an off track entertainment package to augment the on track action, with all teams' riders being available every time a match is scheduled not 'somewhere else', and an admission fee that is actually reflective of the sports standing and the actual value for money entertainment level on show, rather than a random inflation busting number generated to help fend off spiralling out of control rider salary costs due to their financial outlay around the globe"... Would I suggest be a good starting point for promoters to address...? And not too difficult to deliver I would say if the promoters were mindful to achieve it..

The NL for me is probably the best ran League, unfortunately beholding to its bigger brothers who decimate it throughout the season by taking riders as their needs must... Admission prices are about right, minimal amount of guests, teams of similar standards due to a less disparate difference between the 14 riders on show who are, in the main, semi pro if not even amateur... Similar to how the second tier was ran years ago, young often local British lads dreaming of stardom mixed with old experienced heads earning a few extra quid alongside their day jobs, whilst others in the team (often the journeymen) used it as a paid hobby, they covered costs and even if they didnt quite do that it was worth it as they loved what they did.. Keep enjoying the NL, a good competitive League and probably Team Speedways true level from an economic perspective in this country...

I seem to remember it also agitated the crowd which led to plenty of loud "comments" directed at the individuals concerned It certainly built up the tension and anticipation of the race and probably most important the atmosphere... When a rider like Mauger 'got away with one' he would be booed again as he came to the tapes in his next ride, and if he broke the tapes (which he sometimes did) it was the biggest cheer of the night... Makes Panto villians out of the riders which is no bad thing when you are trying to deliver excitement and atmosphere... And, as we saw, the best riders generally won anyway because simply they were better than the rest regardless of gating first or not.... Lest face it, this year we are going to see two point riders up against GP stars so why not allow them the one chance they have of getting a flyer? It will at least make the race more interesting.. Refs could make it clear that they will put the tapes up regardless of whether riders are 'moving back' after trying to anticipate a start, so those who gamble know the risk... Anything that can bring some fan participation and engagement, as well as the 'tribal' atmosphere you would expect in a team event of a professional sport cannot be a bad thing surely? Obviously there would have to be a part of the programme devoted to instructions to fans not to shout anything 'nasty' to the riders who try anticipating the start as.... A. There may be kids who hear it and it will warp their fragile minds, and.. B. All riders only ride for our entertainment obviously so don't deserve any adverse comments.. In fact we could call the track fence the 'respect barrier' going forward, like we have in kids football for parents to stand behind?.... Thats the 'elf and safety' covered, damn you Brussels.....😉

Spot on, but.... Santa Pod don't pay salaries twice a week to seven people from one meetings income... Speedway does, it cannot afford to do it, but it ignores that small fact and still does it anyway... Speedways business model is totally wrong with regards to it being a team sport in Britain, ie too much paid out and not enough coming in, no credibility in the competition's that are ran, no integrity in its rule making and administration etc. etc.. Basic economic reality is that it doesn't work but very little is done to change it, no radical ideas or plans.. The frustration is that the Sport can be great to watch, (mostly at GP and SEC level), it's sadly the capability in bringing that level of 'greatness' to the masses that is lacking.. Watch a great GP from the comfort of your armchair, cans chilling nicely in the fridge, take away curry leaflet sat next to the TV remote, ready to ring up during an interval in the racing to arrive at the optimum time when your lager is chilled to perfection, and you will have a 'great night'.... Decide that you will attend a local meeting that week inspired by what you have seen and hearing that two of the riders you have watched will be there... Attend the track, baulk a wee bit and raise an eyebrow at the admission cost, (almost double what you paid for your lager and curry) stand there in the cold with no one within five metres of you, desperately trying to hear a muffled announcement over the tannoy, hear enough of it to realise that the two GP riders you watched on Saturday night are actually 'somewhere else' so the teams have 'borrowed' riders from elsewhere. Between races instead of expert punditry to pass the five to ten minutes, you get to watch tractors going round and round and round, whilst listening to a muffled Brotherhood of Man belting out their 1976 hit Save your Kisses for Me followed by some Jethro Tull.. Two and a half hours later you have seen fifteen minutes of action, some good but most not so, watching some riders wobble around at the back a full straight behind the leader, your fingers and feet have gone numb, you have tasted coffee like you have never tasted before (but at least it kept your hands warm for a while) and you go home thinking.. "Is that really the same sport? Think I will stick to the TV in future"... Speedway (in this country) will, for me, evolve into 'stand alone' events, similar to other motor sports, all day events with different ages, ability levels and even disciplines, (flat track, sidecars, quads etc all at the same event) and have to dispense with twenty odd meetings a week raced on random nights, just to fit fixtures in, crammed with any level of rider just to make up 'select teams'.. Still can be a great sport to watch when done right, so there is always hope it can rise again. If a pub game like darts can attract huge audiences to the venue and to watch on TV, and make household names out of its competitors, then Speedway must have a chance if it can organise enough meaningful, well marketed, professionally presented and promoted meetings surely? Less may actually be more going forward...

You cannot run any professional team sport successfully, and hope to get a great following, when the crowd themselves have very little 'emotional' attachment to the teams involved, or even the outcome of any event that they take part in... The way teams are put together in British Speedway delivers exactly the situation it currently finds itself in... No surprises as, quite simply, it couldn't be any other way....

For me, the decline started when ITV no longer showed Speedway nationally on a Saturday. The sport getting beamed into literally tens of millions of homes regularly must have had a positive knock on effect for crowd numbers.. PC, Mauger, Olsen and Penhall were 'Box Office' and even non speedway fans had heard of them (and recognised them).. Having one of them at your stadium was a definite head start in generating a crowd... At the same time the national team became second (or even third/fourth rate) which was double the problem as no one wants to watch a consistently losing national team. The Danes took over which was never going to move the sport forward in this country.. The rest fell into place as teams started to fill themselves with overseas riders of dubious ability levels alienating fans who had an affinity with the British ones they often replaced.. The nonsense rules havent helped down the years in anyway of course and have done much to erode away virtually all the credibility and integrity in the relevant Championships which means hardly any kudos is acheived by winning the title. Not a great way to kick start your business when your ultimate aim is so diluted and sadly, irrelevant...

5-6000? I thought maybe 2-3k at the very best. It's Speedway... The whole operating model would need to change more akin to MX, Superbikes etc with 'Club' meetings and 'Nationals' running side by side using the disparate levels of riders to ascertain which competition they ride in... Contracts would need to change with greyhound tracks and landlords but Stock Cars only rent the same venues and facilities four or five times a year so it is possible.. Once a month, and every BH, each a stand alone event in its own right and marketed as such, run on a Sunday afternoon, properly promoted and a full afternoon of entertainment from kids racing through to seniors.. Charge £20 to get in, 3k crowd would give you £60k, add some sponsorship and you would have a good prize/expenses/appearance money fund.. Team Speedway sadly in Britain due to its ridiculous operating model is clearly reaching its inevitable conclusion so the Sport needs to reinvent itself over here... Amateur/Semi Pro is for me the way forward to maybe start its comeback. Remember approx only 0.05% of the population attend it regularly so to many, if properly marketed, it would be 'brand new' as a large proportion don't even know what Speedway is.. It might lose some of the tiny 0.05% 'die hards' who simply would not want to watch the 'lower standard' on principle but it would be more about tapping into the 99%+ who don't attend now... Save Team Speedway? Won't happen as too far gone and not enough commitment or radicalism to change.. Save 'British' Speedway'? Still a great product when done well so just needs the right operating model to make it a success..

If 'individuals' were the 'only' Speedway it could/may start to prosper again? Bottom line is team Speedway, in this country, using its current operating model, is fast running out of time... (And fans)...

As a team sport in its current 'not fit for purpose' guise I would 100% agree... However, individual meetings properly marketed and promoted at say monthly intervals may generate an audience at certain tracks and keep the sport going? Similar to the way Stock Cars do it... Team Speedway is definitely a busted flush given all the nonsense and farce around its integrity and credibility (in this country), so maybe it is time to cut its losses and follow all the other other motor sports and go 'individual only'...? Maybe you could build up a following again and then move it into some kind of team structure at a later date if finance allows? A modern looking re-launch with all previous balls ups avoided...!? Oh to dream...😲😂

I dont think anyone really does anymore... Most go now I would say for the racing only and blank out all the nonsense which goes with the sport (in Britain).... No-one really (apart from possibly the promoters) regard it as a 'proper professional team sport' anymore, because, as we know, it isnt one... Hence the sport is down to mainly those eternally loyal '40-70 year old die hards' clinging on to the ever diminshing hope of a better future for their sport. People who, God Bless Them, are willing to put up with 'any old guff' to get their weekly Speedway fix... Losing Cov would be another body blow, akin to losing Dudley Wood, Plough Lane and Hyde Rd given its stature in the sport.. Here's hoping for some good news post Xmas. Be a shame to lose another 'iconic' track... And something British Speedway in it parlous state could surely ill afford.... Best wishes to Cov. Lets hope the joint NL team happens...

Hope not.... It will be my money she has used!!!😁

Didnt.... Told them though that it was 'The juniors', not the lads you see on the TV hence the price... Told them that for a tenner you couldn't go wrong.... One of them suggested his lad would want to go so I took him along, he said he enjoyed it.... Asked him did he want to go again a couple of weeks later as me and my lad were planning to go ... He didnt.. And didn't attend any other meetings, I got bored of asking him after about three times.. Plenty of people know Speedway exists (many hundreds of thousands used to go didn't they?) Unfortunately not many want to watch it nowadays... Even at a ten pound entry level.... Sad but reality...

Could 'we' draw 'us' in the Cup?😁

The colts I would suggest could actually make some profits! £10 for an adult and a teenager up to age 18 was great value for money. (not £15)... In the comfy seats too!! Crowds of about 500 which wasn't too shabby.. To sit in the same seating at a BV EL meeting, would have been £33 quid for me and the son and heir... Nowhere near the same value for money sadly... Admittedly you would get to see Danny King, Rohan Tungate and Paddy Hougarrd ride most weeks for 'various teams'. The lesser spotted Max Fricke however would have been a rarer sighting...😁 But at least on a par with Dan Bewleys appearances pre his injury..😁

Be like most EL meetings of the past few years then!!😁

Admire your optimism but 3k a match? For Speedway? I would suggest no chance. It might initially improve crowds having new owners as the publicity of nearly closing will no doubt tempt some people to attend again, however that will be a short term thing.. Plenty of people in Manchester know about Speedway, many see it on Sky regularly, and loads of Mancunians are aware of the Belle Vue Aces... They just won't pay circa £20 to watch it 'live', Thats the catch.. I have three mates who watch the sport on TV occasionally, often mentioning to me the match they watched as they know of my interest, and can appreciate the talents of the riders, (and even know who Tai Woffinden is as they have seen him on 'mainstream TV!) but when I ask if they fancy going and tell them it's around £30 for them and their teenage lad their answer to a man is "you having a laugh?".. Perfect target market, no chance of them attending. 1200 - 1500 a week of the usual 'die hards' I would say will be the reality and should be the income budgeted for...

It's only Speedway 'multi person'.... Hardly anyone will really care who wins the league or who gets relegated anyway, so you honestly don't wind anyone up or annoy them by decrying their teams... Teams will always ride in the league THEY feel best suited to so being bottom won't necessarily mean you take the drop if other teams feel dropping down would be better for them... You could actually see a twelve to sixteen strong 'top league' next year anyway built around a slightly weaker 'Somerset' strength, so this season for many teams will be about 'survival' rather than 'success'.... Still, have fun flitting from thread to thread....

I think most teams will have a 'ffs' given the level of both leagues..😁

Think you are correct, a fair summary.. They obviously know 'moving up' won't give them 500 more through the gate each week (maybe even no increase at all some weeks?) so have cut their cloth accordingly.. Winning their home meetings will be their primary objective and, in such a watered down League this team should deliver that more often than not.. No point bankrupting the club in trying to win an irrelevant competition. Much better to still be in a strong (or at least manageable) financial position by the end of the season.. I would almost suggest that this Somerset team could be a 'blue print' for all PL teams the season after this one?

Great post tmc.... The ultimate irony for me is how promoters seem to work night and day finding a way to try and out do each other, be it manipulating rules to suit their own end, through to gazumping other promoters re riders by 'turning their heads' to greater riches... All in the name of winning a League Title that barely anyone even in their local area will give a toss about actually winning, as hardly anyone will actually know the sport (never mind the League) exists!! All that energy put into writing rules, re-writing rules, re-re writing rules and eventually "in the interests of Speedway" completely ignoring the rules!! All to p1ss off an ever dwindling disillusioned fan base even further.. Maybe putting as much energy into re-starting from scratch, learning from all the self inflicted mistakes and re-launching the sport when 'fit for purpose' would be a better idea..? That though would mean some real radical planning not just a 'make do and mend' mashed together 'variation on a theme' plan that surfaces year after year and fundamentally changes nothing.. We as fans can face the fact that Speedway in this country has exactly the mainstream profile and fanbase success it deserves the way it is delivered, promoted and administered.. Amazingly I actually still think many promoters feel that they are involved in running a 'proper, professional sport', on a par with other pro sports, and one where 'winning the title' actually still has some kudos.. Truly laughable if it wasn't so tragic..

Team speedway has a relatively short shelf life I would suggest... (In Britain anyway) For a team sport to generate interest you needs it's supporters to have passion for both the sport itself, but in particular 'their team'. But how can you engender 'emotional loyalty' to your local teams riders when they change so often?. Some weeks you may have one rider out of the seven you should have representing you. And six from your competitors!? Quite ridiculous and from a team sport perspective totally at odds with a team event in regards to its integrity and credibility. Transfer the lack of single meeting integrity into the league title itself and truly why attend something all season that has no credibility even if you win it?... Not much of a starting point with which to sell the sport is it? As we will see next season. Most teams in the PL will have 70% or so of 'their riders' performing in the lower leagues too, meaning 'guests galore' and 'select teams' trying desperately to attract crowds on 'off nights' to fit in the logistical nightmare of completing the league season... (Good luck in achieving that). (For once)!! Too many teams, and not enough riders of the required quality leaves team speedway in Britain as a lame duck and add in a customer base demographic of virtually only white males, middle to upper middle aged, (in a country with huge diversity) and you have a base that by 'natural causes' is withering and dying (both metaphorically and sadly physically) as each year goes by... And as these people no longer frequent the terraces the shortfall in money has to be made up by those who still do in inflation busting price increases, thus driving more people away from an economical perspective too... Ultimately team speedway is too far gone for me to save itself. Maybe becoming like stock cars or Moto x is the answer? ie run maybe one 'big' individual a month at each venue with good sponsorship and prize money and align it with a season long British Championship that delivers great sponsorship and great prize money? A basket case of a sport is team speedway in Britain. A hopeless case sadly for me... However the sport when done well is still fantastic to watch so who knows? Get some credibility, get some integrity, get four riders of relatively equal ability in each race, have no guests, ride on nights that generate the biggest crowds for your club, deliver a full evening of on track and off track entertainment that brings in a diverse fan base and meets a 21st Century crowds expectations, and sort out a cost structure that allows an absolute PL max £15 admission, and Speedway in Britain may have a chance as a team sport... More chance of knitting fog than delivering that list I would say, sadly...

To be fair, as a 'Business Plan' I can see the merits of the concession being almost on par with the usual entrance fee.. Let's be honest, OAP's make up a high proportion of the crowd so you need to maximise your income.. As I drift ever nearer 'concession age' (and presuming team speedway is still running in this country when I get there) then ANY reduction would seem a bonus I would suggest rather than an 'entitlement'... Wouldn't surprise me to see other tracks doing the same..

Ones with cup holders to put the Thermos lid/cup in? Good call... Add a nice tartan blanket for your knees and plastic 'gola' bag for your corned beef and beetroot sandwiches (tinned CB obviously not that Fresh stuff) to hang off the back, and you are away.. Put say ten in a row and it could very quickly become Speedways equivalent of the 'Exec Box'... However, Maybe they could run a 'Buy a Cushion' campaign? Similar to the BV 'Buy a Brick' one? £50 and you get your own cushion with your name on it and arse cheeks moulded in for 'extra comfort'... Also similar to BV, £500 would get you a 'Cushion for Life' meaning you would be able to keep your cushion in the same place every season 'forever'.. Oh hang on... Maybe not...

If you didnt know what speedway was, and found a copy of the SS in some random doctors waiting room, you would find it a very professional looking and informative magazine, and would never believe how the image you glean of the sport from the pages within would belie the actuality of how it is ran.... It does the sport more than justice in my opinion and speedway in this country is lucky to have such a well delivered publication showcasing its product..

And don't get me started on Wagon Wheels.... (or have my hands got bigger?)...😁