waytogo28

How right you are. And once the numbers that make it viable ( or sponsors do not prop it up enough ) I saw the late May stockcar event from the AFA on Premier sports ( as a filler to their speedway coverage! ) and there were definitely as many or more people on the terraces as for a well attended speedway match. So, if the track is now more suited for, cars then making it more suitable for bikes is unlikely to happen. Priorities may make it mean that the speedway will not survive ( in it's present top league form at least ). Doing "an Eastbourne" and switching to the National League may be our destiny. Or no speedway at all. There seems little point for the BSPA to be part of finding set nights for UK speedway if there are very low ( non viable ) attendances to support it.

It is not a matter of "balls" as what is offered on here is feedback to the promotion ( or Buster as the owner ). Yes sometimes people are very forceful with their feedback but that is how Buster is himself. Any business that is losing customers should refrain from the idea that "if you don't like what is on offer, you know where the door is". Feedback from existing customers is given because they care or are at least interested enough to offer up their opinion. ignore it ay your peril. But if you "know" you are always right then feedback is not very important is it.

We all make risk assessments in our lives every day ( consciously or unconsciously ). Some get it wrong and pay for it with an injury or worse. Our own decisions became a problem for the wider world if there is an insurance claim or a formal H&S issue. We have an extraordinary amount of "choice" about how we live our lives and sometimes we choose wrongly. Unless it affects others or breaks a law that is how life is.

We are struggling now at King's Lynn with what is seen as a "very poor " track for racing and passing ( or the possibility of passing ). The shape of it has not changed for more than 10 years when it has lauded as a very good track. Bikes have become faster - is that part of the problem? Or they get out of control more easily? The track surface has supposedly changed to being better for stock cars. What is certain is that the speedway fans are now very disappointed ( myself included ) with what gets served up as speedway ( but hardly racing ) week after week. So is it the shape, the track surface or the fact that modern bikes need something different to race on fairly?

Hawk127 wrote " BT sport offer s lifeline but virtually empty stadium for a league meeting is going to do nothing to enhance the viewing figures and improve the numbers at tracks. A gamble yes but for every TV meeting perhaps the promoters should charge £5 per adult and £1 for anyone under 16" Why has this not already been discussed - pre-season by the BSPA? Wasn't it? The problem could be very clearly seen last season at several tracks. DO IT NOW! it may be a 'gamble" but seeing almost no-one bothering to watch in the stadium in a definite turn off. Why would someone be tempted to go to their local track? This is as vital a part of marketing as anything else.

If you are a fan of tractors and what they can REALLY do in such situations it must be quite engaging and the motorbike racing an interruption. Add in the other heavy machinery - the one that dumps the shale at the starting area is fascinating, especially as it slams down the shale. I call it Tonka Paradise.

My ratings - Holder C- , Rose C+ , Porsing D, Batchelor B, Lambert B+, Huckenbeck B, Bailey D Allit C- , Lyon C- The Track Curator E Without Lambert who is the only one who has done much at all from the back. the Stars would have lost even more fans. Others either have been unable to pass due to the track or their ability. They have rarely looked like seriously threatening the opposition in front of them ( in the way that Bjerre - to my amazement - did inside and out of Lambert last night ). Losing at home is not the problem for me but the manner of the defeat is! That is what it seems to me too! Are we even in the queue for the riders that are available and whose averages might fit? Let's have something more than platitudes on the Stars website.

At KL the necessary, simple cost free changes which fans have requested over the last two or three years have not been put in place - e.g. a long drawn out match in midweek ( unnecessarily so ) following the 10 mins late starting - even without a sun delay last night. The cash cow no longer milks well at all, as you can see from the plentiful and ever growing gaps on the terracing. Why do we never hear from Rob Lyon about anything significant? Since he became the Promoter he has been invisible to all intents and purposes. I cannot stay for the after match inquest- what was said last night? My "prayers" went unanswered re last bight! It's a failing business - as is UK speedway - it could take some simple steps to improve itself and please it's customers but feedback falls on deaf ears. It WILL close for speedway racing unless the promotion make some effort. so that the paying customer understands better their efforts. Sad but very likely to come true.

Oh Please Let it Be So! Cannot somebody on here with influence ensure that the powers that be at the AFA ( race director? ) seriously considers this, as I bet that a majority of fans like the idea. Something needs to be done because if you take a prospective fan that is one of the first things they ask. I hope you are right that the KL promotion DO read these comments. And NO 26 min. track grades ever please ( if that timing was correct )

Not Natalie nor Scott - the bloke who hasn't ridden a speedway bike at the highest level. He is knowledgeable about speedway even if he is not liked by all fans. We all see things differently and so polarised views emerge on every topic.

Now I get it! Thank you. I can see that a Saturday sun is a very different prospect to a Wednesday sun. That must be the big problem for modern riders on modern high speed machines, whereas those riding in the last century were on mopeds.

To me it was at least as good as the Sky coverage. At the British Final and for the GPs. I have long been a fan of Pearson and Tatum, they are not perfect but provide a good balance of the knowledgeable entertainer and the expert who has ridden at the highest level. I was surprised that the BT coverage started in mid June but it is very full from now until the end of the season. I sincerely hope that they maintain their coverage for next season and in the future. There are no other options and if fans do believe that broadcast TV is good for the sport, we should welcome them with open arms.

And when will they apply from? End of June?, end of July? or 2018 season.

Much more exciting talent to watch - Barker that is. Especially around Saddlebow Rd.

I think that one idea would be for the Home team to all be off 15 metres throughout and then see what kind of track they manage to prepare and which riders with the right attitude they choose to sign. It could be much more entertaining OR will it prove that Gate and Win is what speedway is all about?

8.12 the racing will begin ( perhaps after having raced Heat 1 at 7.45 in order to show willing which is a bit pointless ). A very tight meeting with the Stars winning narrowly - perhaps by 6. Lambert R. will not be testing a bike and will be eager to score more than 4. Honours just about even between the opposing heat leaders ( unless the Aces come with the same trapping gloves on as previously ) IF we get a track suitable for "having a go" on it could be an entertaining meeting. If it's not VFM racing then I worry for the crowd levels for the rest of the season.

Swindon a possibility yes, but will we see it in 2018 OR 2019 AND how long will it survive in the middle of a new housing estate?

Is it really "impossible to make it pay" riding in one league now? Or are riders being greedy? Almost everybody in both leagues is looking for another team in the other league! And unless both leagues are only riding on one fixed night in 2018 - a different one of course - next season will see more fans walking away.

Aroundtheboards said " Don't give me rules are rules either, they are bent when it suits !!! :nono:" - certainly they are regularly bent when people need to be admitted late to the stadium and they are bent when the sun breaks are needed and they are bent when more track prep '' is required. In this instance the away team went on to win but fairness is all to often ignored ( or even the need for fairness).

As CookieIpswich says - and there are many other good ideas in his post - This is something I have suggested to the KL promotion before Buster became Chairman and to the BSPA since - Although we cannot expect Sky or BT quality broadcast the level that Premier Sports takes from Swedish League speedway currently is more than acceptable. A two camera operation. Technology makes this very viable. CI is also correct in his comment "It's time the BSPA got their S%^T together and started to think out of the box as the sport will not continue past where we are now" SPOT On. The current year on year decline of the sport needs better, braver attempts to halt that decline. BPLTV - British Premier League TV Alongside any deal with BT Sport, BSPA need to launch their own online streaming channel where you register and pay £6.99 per month to have access or pay a one-off fee for selected meetings at £12 Alongside the LIVE offerings from the selected television partner, BPLTV can provide an additional stream of 4 meetings per month minimum, host a weekly chat show/review of the sport, plus clubs can work with their own marketing/media people to regularly upload content with interviews, behind the scenes news for subscribers to watch, the more content the more likely you are to get subscribers. Have all filmed meetings available on a Digital Download 7 days after the meeting for people to download and keep on their Hard Drives for £5

The NEXT step that the Lynn promotion take is a vital one if they are to hold the confidence of the fans in terms of falling attendances. You can't go on as you are with "hope in your heart" that positive changes will be made. IS it on Monday that the averages change and come into effect OR is it 7 days later? Why haven't the BSPA made all this clear?

You cannot be wrong for having an opinion GRW123 - certainly not. Those in the wrong are the ones who cannot merely disagree ( and give their reasons why ) but have to become offensive and suggest that a poster is 'stupid" or even worse. I agree with all that you said. There was so much dismay at the home performance on Weds where the Stars riders failed the challenge V Wolves. Yes a much better team of opponents to tackle but much less Oomph on track. Was that the track itself? The important thing is to put on a good "fighting" show at home and when you lose it needs to look as if you were seriously having a real go. It is what you offer the supporters at home which determines the size of the crowd. Excellent away win but next Weds V BV and the style of victory ( or defeat ) will also be vital.

What a terrific, very readable review of the meeting THANK YOU EnglishRoundabout. For those not able to be there it was perceptive, balanced and insightful.

Well! I got that very wrong. I thought they would struggle to get 36 points - and they did. But that was by heat 11. Oops. Cue Celebratory Fireworks. Well Done the Stars . But and there is a but, it highlights why there was so much dismay at the home performance on Weds where the Stars riders failed the challenge V Wolves. Yes a much better team of opponents to tackle but much less oomph on track. Was that the track itself? The important thing is to put on a good "fighting" show at home and when you lose it needs to look as if you were seriously having a real go. It is what you offer the supporters at home which determines the size of the crowd. Excellent away win but next Weds V BV and the style of victory ( or defeat ) will also be vital.

No one is predicting a score I see. I predict that the Stars will do well to reach 36 and they could get less with that team. My fingers are crossed that they will do better of course, as a fan of the Stars.