waytogo28

His face fits - for the moment.

And just think of how much poor old Chapman will lose if another 100+ decide to walk away because meetings drag on and and fail to ignite excitement.

And for me. I see very little change over the winter or indications of better things in how KLS is run ( compared the past two or three years ) Yes we have the new anthem to be roared out loyally on Weds and the health / get fit camps but I see little other evidence of positive change. A long way to go in my book. But looking at a half full glass perhaps on arrival at the AFA we will be very surprised ( after the sun break or is it too early in the year for that? ) by the changes. Let's hope so.

Could it be, after all the failed attempts to find it's location, that the Magic Money Tree has been found? I too can't see how this grand plan is going to come off. It all sounds great but seems to have little or no substance. Fingers crossed that the Great Britain Speedway Team is not only noticed more than it had been under it's other illegal moniker but that it manages some results which improve it's support. Are Test Matches with other countries really going to appear in the UK? In the crowded world speedway fixture list of today?

I do think that is is the central part of the lack of public support in the UK. The product needs a lot of change and improvement before new fans are likely to embrace it and support it with their cash. It is not going to happen though, because those who currently control it believe they are selling something terrific and worth 5,000+ people turning up for a match. Emperor's New Clothes syndrome. 75% of speedway races are boring after the first lap 2nd bend. It is things like standardised bikes with handicap racing that might, just might , bring in new fans. But it is not speedway "as we know it" and so it will not happen. You have to look at why stock cars / banger racing pulls in so many more people around the country. It represents chaos and mayhem and the unexpected / unbelievable things happening and "going wrong". Speedway offers three riders chasing after the race leader with , in most cases, nothing happening. Only the die hard purists understand and appreciate the techniques involved. Newbies in the UK do not and are therefore hardly likely to join the tribal fan base with any passion.

It is certainly what has almost killed my interest in watching speedway live. Most of the mega thousands of fans in the good old days have now passed away or are getting too unwell health wise to attend. This century has seen an enormous decline in interest which seems irreversible unless you introduce gimmicks.

I think "sex sells" or rather sex appeal sells but in these gender fluid times perhaps we need attractive humans at the start line who do not have a label of M / F? now that being LGBTQ etc is all the rage and being straight ( which is still overwhelmingly popular ) is not a hot topic or is being driven underground. In 20 or 30 years time will people be outing themselves as straight? Umbrella people may be the way forward and we guess or decide their possible gender ourselves? TIC.

Let's not continue talking about Michael as if he were dead. His riding career has been long over but the man happily remains with us. He has said that if he could do it all over again, he would change very little.

So the more powerful bikes have brought little to the 21st century sport of speedway? Only to mean that meetings can't be run as they used to be - often in poorish conditions, but still to decent sized crowd. Now that the crowd is on average 750 -1,000 no one can afford to let that drop by 30% - 50%. But speedway remains an outdoors "summer" sport and there has been no improvement in things like track covers ( except here and there ). One more bad summer it seems, could scupper speedway completely. What a pity we had not gone with ( or kept ) lower performance sealed engines. Is it too late for something like that? It could well come back to something like that in a few years. A different sport in some ways but one that the crowd base could afford.

Much better to get one or two of the Radio 4 Gardening panel to give their perspective on the quality of the gardening going on at the gate. It is essential to ensure that speedway is not too interesting. And Yes! it's about time that an onscreen warning was added saying that " the contents of the can or bottle in the riders hand cannot be guaranteed to be as the label indicates".

What you get to see on the track nowadays is - for whatever reason - not exciting or thrilling enough to not only bring everyone back to watch regularly nor replace those who retire to the couch or now have a season ticket to the great circuit in the sky. So something is wrong somewhere, but no one can put their finger on it can they? Is it the lack of quality racing and passing ? Was there better racing 15 - 20 years ago? Whilst, of course, theories abound they are polarised and inconclusive. For whatever reason speedway no longer tickles the fancy of the wider public. Riders demand whatever, but the general public don't like what the riders offer or what they give on track after they get what they have demanded.

My best early memory of the phenomenon that was Michael Lee was at Brandon when he easily passed and then chopped up Nigel Boocock ( then a formidable foe especially at Brandon and virtually unbeatable around there ). Michael was the best natural rider I have ever seen and the best English rider, never to have won multiple world speedway titles. A privilege to have seen him ride at his peak.

Thankfully the ability of the BSPA to accurately aim, each time they shoot themselves in the foot ( as with ANY charges for children attending speedway matches ) means that some damage limitation takes place. Finding a new generation of fans ( having lost at least one or two generations ) is said to be vital IF speedway is have any chance of a "comeback" attendance wise. Children should mean anyone 16 and under and students with proof £5 .

Is it "fake news" - as so often it is via Facebook? Until we hear it from the horse's mouth ( or backside ) via an official communique from the BSPA ( IF we ever do ) we just don't know ( as is so often the case ). Will the horse tell us please? Or is the info commercially sensitive? Being on TV gives the sport the chance of a boost. Is being on TV used well as a marketing opportunity by the BSPA?

The most worrying thing for me is that the new Stars song indicates very backward thinking and yet it is inspired by someone who has been brought in with new ideas and supposed very up to date thinking. I know that retro things can sometimes work but I agree that it's got zero chance of catching on ( even in the bar after a victory! ) How many newbies do the promotion believe will be attracted by such an 'anthem"?

That is the constant fear! More of the same old, same old, ways of doing things. I could not imagine that Buster would bring in someone who really thought "out of the box". This is out of a very old box, someone came across in their attic. Do we need to get ready for more "wind offs, shale offs, might possibly rain - snow or fog offs"? Or Holder-itis offs? Feels like it.

Controversial it may be but a goodly number of those who have walked away have done so for that reason - the racing is a poor standard compared to even 15 - 20 years ago ( never mind 40 years ago ). And that is not a view through my rose tinted glasses. First away ( or out of the second bend ) and the vast majority of races are over. Newbies are not into the subtleties of speedway and are not likely to be impressed by what is now "speedway chasing". I am close to walking away for that and other reasons and will certainly pick my matches this season.

The TV deal will have been delayed because of that atrocious weather over five days of last week. And very likely the BSPA are holding back the announcement to coincide with the start of the season to create / raise the excitement level.

They are all heroes for their racing exploits but few are worthy of the tag "star" which is overused, as is the word legend ( of riders currently racing ).

It will really need to be a cast iron contract because I can see the BSPA quickly not agreeing with how things are being done by the holder of the franchise. You can't sell or lease off the rights and then expect to have much control over the product.

It was brilliant idea because attendances could easily ( they thought ) match those at PL and CL football matches ( if everyone knew about it ). It was just the promoting of the name change where the idea fell down and the crowds didn't materialise.

The BSPA re-branded the whole sport only two years ago ( SGB PL & CL ) - they just forgot to tell the outside world, who haven't yet noticed.

Poor examples that are unlikely to tempt many potential new fans. 70% of them re-inforce the "first away wins" perception of the sport.

And now those 4 men have joined by a young woman who I hope will score some points and get enough experience to fulfil her dreams ( and be joined by more like her). Good luck to you Steph Whitlock.

I think that it is the promoter / team manager believing that they are building up the excitement of the "crowd". There is not interest in getting on with it because there is no pressure by hordes of new fans. Imagine if in football there was 5 minute ( or longer ) delay in taking a penalty.