waytogo28

Couldn't agree more but I suspect that taht might involve more common sense than we usually see from the BSPA ( pricewise ) as they prefer, it seems 500 - 800 people at £18 than, possibly double that at £10 - 12 . At more than a £1 a heat and with the certainty ( in my experience ) of only 4 - 5 heats incolving real racing after turn two, lap one it has become poor VFM.

I am one of those and agree about the price structure certainly no more than £10, but I would pay that to watch many more meetings than I bothered to attend in the last three previous full seasons. I would rather utilise the time at home that is consumed pointlessly, for me, in the stadium. And my food and drink is of a vastly superior quality if I require it! Stream on! Why should speedway not gain many more new and returning fans via this method, there is ceertainly very little "crowd atmoshphere" in the only stadium that I can easily attend, so I would not be missing out on that!

And if what is delivered for the price is "top flight" of course, if you pay £12.95 and get the Plymouth experience or interrupted connectivity then numbers will fall away very, very soon. Step up to the plate please and give VFM which is what has bedevilled live in the stadium domestic speeday over the last few years. Remember that those "top flight" clubs still sell grotty food at far above VFM prices, so the attitude on streaming needs to be set at a pretty good level to sustain the interest of paying customers ( in good enough numbers ).

That is speedway, the sport that barely bothers to ever consider it's fans. Why change a losing situation?

That is my take on it and over the last few years at King's Lynn` I saw precioud little regular good qualityu racing but went to see the Stars of Tomorrow on March 8th - excellent racing with riders eager to give it their all. Points money only in pro speedway will go a long way to ensure that riders ALL want to give it a go. I love Robert Lambert but if he gated every time that would soon lose it's appeal!

Not his reputation as a real racer on track. The other stuff did of course affedt him but "they "were out to nail him and he stepped out of line and gave "them" a prtfect target to shoot down. Still my Best Ever ( after Ove Fundin ).

Is it on BT?

What channel is Premier Sport?

You hit the nail on the head there! The sport has been run by unfit "custodians" of the sport in the UK for all of this century. Muddleheaded and clueless. I am very sad to say. Is that right, speedway bikes have no brakes, it does sound rather dangerous - although very few spectators have been killed over the years ( even at High Beech ). Riders have sadly been kiled over the years, but usaully down to poor safety fences and equipment etc.

The real "elephant in the rooom" must surely be that it would be more fun to burn your money in an old oil drum or maybe just have a giant firework display than throw it all away in setting up speedway racing at these iconic venues ( which I greatly enjoyed at, in the past ). No-one can make speedway pay any more without the bulk of the income to run it coming from major sponsors. Speedway has had it's day in the UK I feel.

They are indeed mostly in one of the very vulnerable groups but I ( as one of them ) know that a huge proportion of them could and likely will take and pay for streaming match services. I have been urging for it for three years at least. Bring it on - but please BSPA in an effective reasonable quality manner. And not just as a way out of Covid 19 problems. I would happily take a seaon from the NSS ( at a reasonable cost ). But I am never going to travel there now.

Very similar to my own long, winding down of interest and I will go to one or two matches locally when on track action begins once more. I just want to see if it re-ignites my passion once again - so I will give it a couple of chances. I cannot see the same old, same old lighting my fires again , for the reasons above mostly ( and sadly ). They could and should be doing more during this hiatus and Rob Godfrey has promised that the BSPA are not sitting on their backsides. I pray they are not!

Should we really be encouraging them? We have had riders throwing races and matches before. Match fixing is bad enough with doctoring tracks to suit home riders.

I am 72 very shortly and have three conditions said to add firther complications to a Covid 19 infection. Diabetes, high blood pressure and PMR. I am not in the Very High Risk group ( shielded ) but sadly very much in the High Risk category.

In a nutshell. And sadly we have no promoters prepared to collectively co-operate in that "refreshing of the UK sport ". Are they more frightened of losing the existing remnants of a great, well supported sport - than of working on How To change what the sport offers new supporters and how it is perceived in the outside world? That seems to be the case to me.

I have to agree with you on that for sure. It is not a well kept secret, waiting to be unearthed and become overun with new supporters. You are also correct that for years it had a splendid platform that the promoters failed to build on. Many wasted opportunities were there. My love affiar wth it and the passion I for it had is coming to a close now - not becasue of my age but becuase it has become less and less "exciting " on track. No longer worthy of the title of "speedway racing". Just four blokes invariably following each other around in a circle. Yes, you can see it "all before your very eyes" - but there is so little of interest to see.

That represnts a well reasoned argument for keeping things the same in UK speedway as it jas for the last 20 years. The problem is that fewer and fewer people bother to buy into it every season and it will soon vanish up it's own exhaust pipe. Not quite the same for Everton or Manchester United as their share of the TV billions, keeps them afloat regardless of the music they play or the pies they sell.

Sadly I feel that is so. I am honestly fearful that there is more danger for those in the high risk groups ( which includes me ) in this next new phase. I see it already as many people have dropped their concern about social distancing in the park where I walk every day. Runners decide to stop next to you, puffing and wheezing after a strenuous burst of exercise, hopefully they are not infected and carrying the virus. Some people do not think about their actions at all.

When I joined the Forum i chose the pen name Waytogo28 becasue I do not believe we will reach that Centenary. I still think it is unlikely because of blinkered thinking by people who just will not listen to feedack and who label all who offer it, as keyboard warriors of the negative kind. I have no hope that it will struggle on much longer, if nothing changes.

You are right, I think that this would be the best we can hope for. But there are distinct possibilities that could mean we cannot run unti lthe summer of 2021 OR when a vaccine is widely available.

I imagine the BSPA will announce it on September 1st.

Oh Yes, How fortunate we are - who still love speedway racing in the UK - to have a person leading the sport who is so multi faceted and equipped with a wide variety of much needed skills.

With Rob Godfrey at the helm, I feel that UK speedway will offer more of the same old, same old, in the same slowly rusting manner until professional extinction looms and it keels over and dies. Even though he has got off his backside ( he claims ) and will bring us many new delights. I will believe that if I live to see it.

And today's poll adds to the idea that a very large minority ( 40% ) are fearful of going out from even a phased easing of lockdown. The majotity of these were in the Vulnerable Elderly category. I too can't see UK speedway operating in a meanigful way this year. And for those tracks that might fancy a dabble, if permitted, could see average numbers down by 50% or more.

This is what lies at the heart of the problem. The BSPA's increasing reluctance to see feedback as anything other than "doom and gloom" criticism. Of a group of five of us who got together six years ago to put forward a long list of constuctive ideas ( which were published in the Spedway Star at the time ) received not even an acknowledgement of our positive contribution - never mind a Thank You. All five are no longer regualr attenders to matches. That is perhaps the not so funny part of it. They walked away like many others.