There are a multitude of reasons but one of the major factors is imo there are no Stars any more. In days gone by many would go to a meeting because a Star name was riding, and each team had at least one. It is a long time since we have anything like that situation.
Can there be anymore of a bizarre situation than when the mafia ( possibly the dynamic duo) are being roundly condemned by fans , press and riders but they still sit tight with two fingers up to their critics.
The BSPA itself in its present form was created so promoters were in control of the sport and could perpetuate their narrow self interest It is naïve to think it will ever be any different. They resent anything or anybody not part of the clique and drive out those that they perceive as a threat or threaten the status quo.
Chapman stated last year that Rathbone had sold British Speedway down the river when in fact the BS PA have been doing it for years
There never has been much passing in Speedway even going back to fourties and fifties. Now and again a rider comes on the scene who had that ability but they were/are few and far between. Peter Collins and Chris Harris come to mind
Brian retired early as he I believe lost a bit of interest as he also had by that time a car business which was doing well. Although he subsequently rode for Southampton he was later to claim that his interest began to wane when Wembley closed.
I remember the late Tony Clarke interviewed during a meeting at Wembley saying he had only just built the bike that afternoon . It was the norm to take off the front wheel and have the rest of the bike sticking out of the boot . During his brief time at Wembley Steve Bast did not have his own equipment and rode the track spare supplied by the supporters club.