yellowandblack

Has this one been rained off yet?

In my opinion absolutely anything that let's me read about my media-ignored, publicly shunned and culturally forgotten favourite sport has to be good. Internet coverage of speedway is not much more superior. Ok it's more immediate but I like a bit of both. Internet news speedway sites are no less bland... and although there is some critical discussion on this forum you would have to admit that it sometimes feels that most of the main contributions are from trolls and ppl who perhaps actually deep down don't like speedway. Sorry I'm not a regular contributor, a regular reader but I'm not on the inside. Only saying. It's an 'outsider's' observation and I am probably wrong. To say speedway star was better in the 70s or 80s etc is fair enough but it was always warm and sunny in them days too and you could leave your back door open Speedway star is a glorious institution, it has never looked better and the writing is informative and interesting. Thank you Phillip This is totally unbiased by the fact that my dream job would naturally be to work on producing Speedway Star - why would any other fan think differently?

In my opinion absolutely anything that let's me read about my media-ignored, publicly shunned and culturally forgotten favourite sport has to be good. Internet coverage of speedway is not much more superior. Ok it's more immediate but I like a bit of both. Internet news speedway sites are no less bland... and although there is some critical discussion on this forum you would have to admit that it sometimes feels that most of the main contributions are from trolls and ppl who perhaps actually deep down don't like speedway. Sorry I'm not a regular contributor, a regular reader but I'm not on the inside. Only saying. It's an 'outsider's' observation and I am probably wrong. To say speedway star was better in the 70s or 80s etc is fair enough but it was always warm and sunny in them days too and you could leave your back door open Speedway star is a glorious institution, it has never looked better and the writing is informative and interesting. Thank you Phillip This is totally unbiased by the fact that my dream job would naturally be to work on producing Speedway Star - why would any other fan think differently?

these little boys are only just out off the playground. Embarrassing, depressing and pathetic. Massive bans until they all grow up.

Whatever anyone thinks about Darcy Ward as a person (e.g. 'scumbag waster' - see above) he is a very gifted and very exciting rider. We all know he is not the best gater so has had to get a lot of his points from audacious, brave and often breath-taking passing moves. At a time when speedway is haemorrhaging fans rapidly do we really need to lose individuals who can sell the sport by their immensely watchable talent? Once I'd got over the sheer idiocy of his behaviour and stopped calling him an idiot and a loser I was genuinely disappointed yesterday that we wasn't riding. In pure financial terms can the sport really afford to slap hefty bans on one of the biggest crowd-pleasers? (similar characters like Botham, McEnroe, Suarez, Maradona ....come to mind)

Gave it a second chance and watched Eurosport's one hour highlights programme this morning...made it seem not too bad at all. Thank god for Troy Batchelor though

Choice was 1) watch SGP 2) drive down to Eastbourne v Half-Bees we are being taken apart but I wish I'd done the second option

Right that's it. Commentary is going off.

shocking commentary on heat 2 .... there are four laps Jack

The inability of the commentators to string together a sentence of correct information was so distracting that is almost dampened my excitement of being able to watch live speedway on a Tuesday night on my TV AND the opportunity to kick out my lazy kids from the front room and their endless repeats of Friends. It wasn't too long (heat 4 and after a lot of groaning and swearing) before I realised that I have never wished for a commentator at a live meeting because I can see for myself what is going on. So I turned the sound down. Unfortunately I can't then hear the bikes. It would be great to have a red button type thing to get rid of the 'orrible voices

I did that, made it seem more like I was there! Thanks Manchesterpaul for the racecards

As I was writing my last post (not actually moderated yet of course) one of my daughters added that she doesn't see that Grand Prix speedway (which comes across so well) is anything like league speedway which doesn't really.. even though she has experienced the former only on the telly and the latter live!!! .it could be the power of TV editing but the crowds do tend to look more excited. even though the racing isn't always any more exciting. ok My daughters are a tiny sample of 2 but it does show that maybe some more focussed market research is needed on the current 'brand personality' of speedway and perhaps what aspects of that brand identity are not resonating with people - it can't just be about money.. A lot has been done to improve the image of speedway on the web, the GP etc but some things are still not quite right...best to do some research rather than speculate endlessly.... .

OK you don't want my opinion. I would go if there were only 2 other people in the stadium and the music was Hungarian marching tunes. I have been taking my teenage daughters for the last three years and they have been to a number of tracks. Just asked them Coventry - Like: the grandstand. The ability to see into the pits. The announcer when he is interviewing a rider or just giving the score. The chance to observe a unique social subculture (weird one that - their words not mine). Second half midland development league races. filling in the programme Don't like: most of the cheesey announcer's comments and attempts to be funny, the messiness and general scruffiness of the stadium (there seems to be a lot of cr*p lying around - especially on the greyhound track), the hushed crowd voices most of the time. Cheesey parade both before and after the match) Leicester Like - the nice tidy stadium (seems to be a theme here - do young people see the decepit nature of the stadia and not get all nostalgic?, you know it's a possibility) Don't like - never get to see the riders when not racing because you can't see the pits (another theme developing here) Peterborough Like: the grandstand, better presenter but still seems like he is from another age Don't like: a bit open on the far side. All the grass seems like a country fayre. Prefer an enclosed stadium. Really bored at the 4tt when there wasn't a race for an hour I will take them along on Sunday to Cov and get them to assess in situ To Summarise They want tidy enclosed stadium To be able to watch what the riders do between races To have less cheesey comments midst the informative stuff Quick meetings but also second half racing wouldn't help change to the music - it's not hugely important no problem with the start girls at cov

Happens that I am in Berlin end of week before SWC Final. Really excited to find out I can get over to Bydgoszcz quite easily on the Saturday so am hoping GB get to the final (can't do the playoffs). Few questions if anyone can help... a) where in the stadium am I most likely to be amongst Brit support? Is there an area we try and cluster in or does it matter? should I just say 'to hell with it' and pretend to be Polish? c) is it acceptable to be Aussie for the day in the event we don't get beyond Norfolk? ta

It is Ivan Mauger of course...first love and all that (actually it was Les Rumsey to be honest). But before we go there, despite the avatar and user name, I am not one to wallow in nostalgia. IMO speedway has never been much more exciting, colourful, intriguing and enjoyable as it is now...and, in common with everyone else here, it's a shame more people don't take the plunge and come along.

After years of being a lurking guest I suddenly started feeling guilty about what is plainly eavesdropping. Just in time to defend Speedway Star. It's an excellent publication..the cornier the better. Love all the clutter on the front page def. preferable to the single pictures on the seventies issues. It's speedway!! it fills the gaps between meetings and in the post season...gotta love it!