Ray Stadia

I imagine companies sponsor things for different reasons, such as:- sympathy towards the cause/sport, tax relief, name awareness/name exposure. I would have thought shareholders would have a say, especially major shareholders, such as pension funds and investment companies.

Sorry to be right, but right is not spelt rite, in this country! But do agree with most of your points.

I am nearing the end of reading Len Silver's book and what a good read it is, in my opinion, but he says he had to get out of Hackney because he was losing money with crowds of 1,800, when he gave up his promotion. Now that was in 1983, which to my mind was still a fairly 'golden era'. I was surprised, but in fairness, he does say that the owners of the stadium then, Brent Walker, were screwing him on rent etc.

I understand why they wouldn't want Speedway now, but may have had a different view all those years ago, when both had good crowds. Agree it has no chance now.

It is a pity that when Speedway had it's heyday and when Football and Speedway were the popular sports, the 2 sports didn't work together and use the same stadium. I know a few did, have and still do, but most joined up with Greyhound tracks, which I can understand why, due to the shape of the stadium, but Speedway jumped into bed with, perhaps, the wrong bedfellow. All too late now though.

I take it you mean you wanted to get home due to poor racing and badly prepared track, not the stadium facilities Sidney?

To be honest Rob, although some forum members suggest Speedway has moved on from the past, the truth is, it hasn't. The most spectacular changes to Speedway is the engine is laid down, the riders now wear Kevlar suits and not leather suits and the suits are team co-ordinated. Air fences, oh and the helmet covers don't ping off anymore. Speedway's biggest problem is not enough people are watching it and too many tracks are wobbly and their future is on a knife edge. At the end of the day and has been mentioned by many, what we want to see is 4 guys, doing 4 laps, racing each other on a machine that resembles and sounds like a Speedway bike. And leaves a nice smell in the air! The problem with the 'Speedway Industry' is the cost is too high for the promoters, the riders and I think the fans too. I still believe you can see 4 blokes going round a track, providing entertainment and enjoying their racing, at a reduced cost. How? Strictly regulate pay. Promoters, so I have been told, on this forum, insist riders have at least 2 machines, well that should be outlawed and a rider should be allowed to run one good machine. If he wants more in his workshop, up to him, but he turns up with one only. The track, ideally, has a track spare for breakdowns or if not possible, team members lend their bikes on breakdowns, crashes etc. And a sensible reserve back-up. Additionally, try and encourage team members to travel together to reduce the travel cost.

You are missing the point Vince, I mentioned van versus trailer as 'a' possible way to reduce costs, not by any stretch the 'only' way and if riders substitute a van for a car or need a van for their other income earning activities, yes, I can see a van is sensible. But if the van sits on the drive when not used for racing and the rider runs around in a car most of the time, the van is an expensive luxury. And yes, I am aware that vans nowadays are comfortable etc, but not practical for everyday use, in my opinion. But you just want to pick holes in one part of an earlier comment I made, when the big picture is IOW hanging on by it's fingertips and perhaps others and why? because promoters can't afford to run and why? because the promoters biggest expense is the riders. Reduce riders costs, promoter reduces the amount he has to pay and the big benefit, tracks might stay open!

Speedway, surely, is semi professional for many anyway. If Speedway could be made cheaper for everyone, promoters, riders and fans, it could perhaps save the closure of tracks like IOW.

I do love forum members, like you, who berate members ideas, but are not capable of coming up with alternative suggestions. I still remind you that many amateur motorcycle racers still use cars and trailers to haul themselves around. I can see it's not as fashionable as turning up in a sign-painted van though. Speedway's issues, sadly, go beyond 'do I use a trailer or a van'.

If you feel the sport of Speedway is in good shape, fine. All I am really suggesting, is if the sport is to survive, not only on IOW, but tracks on the mainland, costs need to come down. How you reduce the costs, is up to the sport as a whole, but from someone outside looking in, you either raise the cost of admission or you reduce the cost for the promoter and rider. It is not only me saying costs are too high, there are many others on this forum. It has been said on this thread that riders have been paid 'over the top' to ride for IOW. With a fan base of 120, that is never going to square! If promoters say 'well, you can't get them to ride unless we pay them £x'. Then Speedway must be the only motorcycle sport who does that. The NL or certainly the spirit of the NL is a training league an amateur league. If you started out on Moto X, Trials or Grass Track you wouldn't get paid, you pay for everything and do it for the love of the sport. Why should the amateur end of Speedway be different?

What ev! Good for you, but I do think, overall, Speedway's troubles are due to riders, promoters and ultimately, fans, costs.

If you are sponsoring a rider, that is great!, well done! What point are you making? Let's assume you are sponsoring a rider that owns a car. If you provide a trailer and a bike, you have reduced your outgoings!

Do they? So all Speedway riders have a profession, outside of Speedway, that needs an unwritten van? What world are you in? Obviously the same one as the (retired) Mr T! Get real guys!

Ooooh! Sorry you are offended! Poor poppet! All I am trying to do is illustrate past and present Speedway costs and trying to see a way forward. If I am totally out of the 'ball park', fine. I would still 'suggest' a fancy up to date, sign painted, fairly big engined diesel van to be more costly than a modest car towing a trailer!

Good post Mr T! Too much bucks fizz?

Exactly George!

I hear what you say Vince, but if a rider is a family man, is he really transporting the family around in the 'Transit'? Although, I suppose the wife would have a car of her own. So are we saying that if riders turned up with one bike, the fans would disappear? I find that unlikely, personally. Also, you just have a system of team members lending their bike to others. And perhaps a track spare, which I know adds cost for the promoter, but if riders are saving on their own kit, the riders can ride for less. As for clean and shiny equipment, not really that difficult and if you only have one bike, even less difficult. Speedway needs to 'cut it's cloth accordingly', otherwise it will gradually fade away. I truly hope it doesn't.

I know you are well connected to Speedway, 'behind the scenes', Mr T, but what do you think Speedway should be doing in 'the present'? If you do respond, could I respectfully ask that it doesn't centre around the rules, for whilst there are some odd rules, I personally believe any changes to improve the amount of people interested in the sport, needs to be beyond the rules of Speedway. And of course, it needs to be affordable for the promoters.

Perhaps the NL needs to get back to something similar to how it started, when it was the Conference League and was a training/nursery league. I am reading Len Silver's book at the moment, probably a third of the way through and you realise Speedway was always run on a shoestring, with promoters either making a bit or losing a lot, but what is apparent, so far in the book, is the riders costs were a lot lower. Most riders had only one bike to fork out for and maintain and also, they arrived at the track with a trailer behind a car or a simple bike bracket, no fancy transporter. It wasn't so long ago that the Speedway riders choice of transport was a Citroen estate car. Speedway is trying to live beyond it's means and it is not necessary.

Regarding the above, larger crowds, more tracks, weekly speedway will only come if Speedway becomes more popular. Promotions making money, in even the 'so called' good years, I am not sure many promoters ever did make money. Close-fought test matches, surely that is down to the strength of the touring team, pitched against Great Britain? Not necessarily a sign of the times. Better racing, slick tracks have been blamed and slated for years now. Appreciation of Speedway, I think people who love the sport, only want the best for it, whatever the team. Affordable Speedway. I personally think this is key to all the other items mentioned. Costs need to be reduced for everybody, riders, promoters and fans. If that could be 'got right', I feel Speedway could grow. In the past, I do think Speedway was more affordable for the riders, promoters and fans. Riders of the past, a lot of years ago now, I know, had just one bike. If you have 2 bikes, the cost must be enormous nowadays. Add in special transport vehicles and not a bracket on the back of the car or a bike trailer and the cost is massive. Fuel prices have greatly increased for both riders and fans.

Tsunami and Gustix seem to know exactly what you are saying, but with respect, what are you saying? Are you saying that if IoW get the AF all will be good? But, from what has been said the club attracts 120 fans and let's hope they are paying fans! Is the circle squared?

Has anyone seen Mike Hunt?

To get back on track, excuse the pun! If I donate a sum of money and the IoW don't go ahead, do I get my donation back?

How about, hand leaflets to the holidaymakers as they step off the ferry. Or if they have their cars, somehow have an advertising board so they can see as they drive away, IoW has a Speedway track. I would imagine, many holidaymakers don't bring their cars over, so how easy is it for them to get to the track? Does the promotion try and offer transport or at least, make it easy for the holidaymakers to know how to get to the track? Not sure if it is allowed these days, but what about a car or van going up and down the seafront, with a loudhailer and posters on the side of the vehicle, similar to what Circuses do, to promote the track!