Hawk127

That’s being very generous. It has many similarities to the way the country is currently being run and both are shambles. Government wants more taxes, promoters want higher entrance fees, riders want more for less, benefit claimants want more for doing nothing and in both cases those in charge are ostracising the very same tax payers/punters who feed them by increasing the costs for the few simply to placate the rest.

Agree with the ‘live’ sentiment but that is becoming increasingly more costly and those with limited disposal income will forsake that and frankly with the way some meetings are drawn out, I would suspect many would rather be at home than standing on a chilly terrace in stadiums with poor facilities, expensive food and drink plus toilets that are some of the worse you can find and you can have all that for an entry fee of £20+. That’s probably why some people no longer attend because the supporter is a secondary inconvenience to the people who run the sport. Just look at the way they have conducted themselves in the close season.

You are getting the rest for just over £5.60 a meeting so to pay a bit more for the play offs is still not a bad deal. The only possible downside is that more may stay at home rather than pay for fuel, entry fee, programme and possibly parking and if that adds up on average to £30 it is a no brainer to those on limited income. Many would forsake attending live if it is saving them over £20 assuming it is just one person attending. If it is a couple or family the saving is even greater.

That does seem good value for 48 meetings and being able to spread the cost will encourage a few more punters. Well done to BSN

Given the woke ideas of today more likely to be Adrian Street. If you needed someone who could dodge everything and still come out a winner, Les Kellett fits the bill but both are probably off the radar for the BSPL. More likely Steve Logan aka as Harry Redknapp.

Could that add a new dimension to doubling up?

Sadly that is not true. The guy in the photo has a great future and is appearing in Stars in their Eyes where tonight audience, “ I want to be Harry Redknapp”. That should raise the bar.

Perhaps they are using Chatgpt or whatever the AI generator for nonsense is.

Surely they would not shaft one of the best broadcasters of Speedway since Sky. Having said that most of those that run the sport are unscrupulous individuals and frankly nothing is credible any longer and they would shaft anyone. Those in charge never learn and have not got an ounce of sense between them. Cannot even have the balls to publish a fixture list and in failing to do so screw every club who have declare the intention to run. Those in charge are a shower of sh….

Those in charge of the sport have created their own self inflicted nadir. It is not just about Ipswich or Mayfield (assuming they are officially the new owners of the Witches) it is collectively where the sport goes from here. Club owners/promoters are treating loyal supporters with such contempt, riders think the punters owe them a living and the up and coming talent is squeezed out by the double uppers who selfishly could not care one iota about the pipe stream of potential talent that is trying to break into the sport. Promoters, management and double uppers are the ruinous tribe who are bringing the sport to its knees and for it to survive a radical shake up is needed. Ipswich have ignited an issue but in reality the sport is on its knees and things need to change.

Free exit before the end of a painfully boring meeting or no charge for sugar with a hot drink unless it is soup. Alternatively, how about a second half with NDL riders to give both punters and riders some optimism that the sport has a future.

Take your point. If they start charging it is not going to go down well. I would rather watch Mildenhall if that charge is introduced. I use to avoid speedway meetings when the tendency was for six man teams with that guy using the pseudonym of R/R. Now they want to charge you to park, an exorbitant amount to get through the gate for which you get just fifteen minutes of entertainment, a programme that no longer fits the board bought twenty years ago and the current cost of a cup of tea use to buy you three pints of Watneys Red Barrel or two and a half pints of Double Diamond back in the early seventies. What is the world coming to, I need to get me coat and get back on the trolley bus to New Cross.

The trouble with any pricing policy is that you are competing for a dwindling pot of disposal income. If a family of four have for example Sky and one of the other streaming services it could feasibly be costing circa £100 per month, then if the children have mobile phones that is another potential £80 to £100 per month for all four and then the children have other activities which have associated costs and then you can see with general household expenditure and a mortgage etc, not a lot left to spend on going out. That is where you look at value for money and you then hit the argument of x amount for tickets for fifteen minutes of entertainment and compare that to say banger racing or stock cars where you get several hours of racing. Not an easy problem to solve but punters will probably look at value for money and speedway does not cut it if you are trying to attract a new generation of supporters at a price point that makes it an attractive option with everything else that is trying to attract your hard earned pound.

Spedeworth do not own Ipswich, they lease the stadium and provide a sub lease to Ipswich Speedway. The bangers and stocks get good support and for some of the bigger meetings the numbers on the terraces are something that every speedway club would die for. Speed weekend is packed and the bonfire bonanza is a huge draw. Bank holidays get super crowds. Yes you are right it is a win win for those that run meetings. At Ipswich, you pay to park in addition to the entry price. Parking at speedway is free.

It is a shame that Eastbourne is not available having just watched a video of a recent banger meeting at Arlington. I am sure you have many detractors from the idea that a former track could run temporarily if the funds are guaranteed and the covenant is good even if it is for one year while someone develops Northampton. Money speaks volumes if the right figure is on the table and it could be that Swindon, Newcastle and even Wolverhampton could be an option as along as it is temporary. I am sure that more contributors on this forum could come up with other options. Even Iwade or Kent could be thrown into the mix as a short term solution. I just feel that in the case of Northampton a fool and their money will be soon parted if they dive in to the league at this late stage in the preparation for the new season.