waytogo28

The interesting thing is that "guest" supporters no longer turn up regularly. Another 10% of the terraces will fade away in 2019 because of the Emperor's New Clothes policy of the BSPA. Clearly many clubs can survive financially on 500 - 1000 crowds.

Indeed, that is sadly the case.

Sadly this most welcome suggestion - crisper run meetings being made the norm - does not seem to interest those who run speedway meetings (referee/clerk of the course/promoters) it is one of the most put forward suggestions AND the most ignored. The longer a meeting takes to run and the longer the delay between races means new supporters ( and the die-hards ) question the Value For Money aspect of the night out. How much exciting on-track action did we get for the money? Those who run speedway believe that we should be satisfied with 2 or 3 exciting races, that is good enough. Hence the leakage of existing supporters and the disinterest of the majority of newcomers, as to returning again ( never mind again and again ),

Ludicrous is the only word I can come up with that fits the situation. Or maybe " That's speedway UK style"?

They are just getting it over with.

It seems that 500 is now a large crowd in UK speedway. All part of the Emperors New Clothes syndrome of evaluating the health of UK racing. And therefore it must be adequate for the promoter's financial needs? If that is at the Vice Chairman's track then I can report that IMO at King's Lynn their average crowd is hovering around the 1,000 mark. Which must also be thought of as sufficient?

The professional promoters have proved what they can really do for the sport of speedway in the UK over the last - let's say 20 years ( this century ) and we can all see the results for ourselves. So yes, let's leave it to them to continue their work. After all, we ( the terrace supporters ) have little choice anyway.

The SCB/BSPA are taking their time to get a statement out.

It seems to me that the BSPA, collectively, have given up on "marketing" or "promoting" other than putting things up on social media. They seem to believe that 50% of people on Facebook are eager to get to a match. And leave it to fate.

Please do keep to your word and let us have "no more from you" unless of course it's sensible comment about real things happening at speedway matches or about how speedway is organised. Show us that you have learnt from the past two seasons and your ups and downs at speedway during them. As you claim to enjoy speedway so much, why not relax and enjoy it.

The two doubleheaders at King's Lynn this year ( both against the same weak opponents ) turned me off so much that I did not go again. No interest in such a thing whatsoever and from what I was told a goodly number of others thought and acted the same as well.

I regret I had not been made aware of their listing. We are always to eager to destroy our heritage.

That sounds perfect because you always get bigger crowds for playoff matches. Simplest way to double the average crowd. 6 teams and every match is a playoff & nail-bitingly exciting. A lot fewer matches but higher crowds! Shorter season, say three months June July August gives plenty of time for rain-offs.

How can One Big League result in a much higher outlay than the Championship currently costs to run? One "top " star per team ( if that is possible with the number of "top" stars about! ) I can only see One Big league as about the same as being at Championship level. If you take out Doyle, Lambert, Fricke, Cook and don't use them unless they ride for a reasonable amount then you have no other World Class riders ( Kurtz & J Holder are of course Up & Coming. Nicholls and Harris are no longer where they were ( except in their odd best moments ). UK speedway for at least five years - while it TRIES to rebuild and attract new fans - does not need world class riders. All riders are heroes for racing but are worth only what the sport can afford in terms of paying customers. If sponsors will meet the additional financial needs of "top" riders, that is market factors coming in to play. If we go for more of the same ( of the last ten years ) further decline in terms of average crowds is the only outcome.

We have been told of the broad sweep of his off-track problems that seem to be affecting him so often on-track. It's personal stuff hitting him so hard it appears.

I think that is a very likely possibility as some promoters don't think much of the BT deal.

Something else I can only agree with 100% Unless someone bought out Buster no change is possible at the AFA. Regardless of who else is Team manager or Co-promoter they have no real say in what goes. A tragedy really because Buster did a great job of building up the KL stadium, in fact, I salute him but sadly now he is a despot and I really can't see fans returning in any number to watch the Stars at home while it is run by him. Nor to UK speedway while the Chapman / Godfrey control continues. they have no idea on what is required to attract new fans. And it's not rocket science.

Says it all for me. Thank You Mr Webb.

Spot on! Until the dwindling crowd levels do finally make it unsustainable and UK speedway is extinguished in the form we have known it until now. Onwards & Downwards seems the BSPA motto.

Quite how you would fund this list of riders I do not understand? They would hugely improve the league - yes. But the money is not there to pay them what they would likely demand to ride in the UK. Unless we can double the average crowd level across the UK ( at least ). ten or twenty Big Pocket Sponsors?

Pity, it's not so easy to remove Buster as it would be to oust Allit and "full of promise" Brundle. Need a decent sized Lottery win and that would be a waste of the money in buying the stadium unless you could creatively bring it into better multi-use post-UK speedway.

The most important thing is - not how long but Hooray! & Huge Thanks that it has kept going.

Decisions made by Mr Godfrey and/or Mr Chapman should not be confused with whims.

I am sure this has already happened! In speedway, anything goes and anything is possible. I am confident that the 'we'll lend you our No. 7 for the rest of the match' has been heard before.

No-one who want to change anything in UK speedway will be invited to the AGM, you can sure of that. It seems to be moving towards "more of the same" for 2019. That will be sure to pull in the missings thousands if the marketing remains the same as it was in 2018.