HGould

No surprise really that 2 Clubs pretty much forced out of the NDL for 2019 due to reduced points limit then (and since) are struggling now e.g Brummies and Eastbourne. Both did very well in a proper 3rd Tier NDL 2015 - 2017, the problem was that League became too fat, big enough for likes of Kent; Eastbourne, Brummies, Mildenhall and a few others to get good crowds and level of support but to try to outdo each other financially in 2017 and 2018, but too big to sustain Stoke, Buxton etc. The demise of Stoke and Buxton killed the spirit of what the NDL was all about. I know Brummies could not make NDL work in 2019 as crowds were losing interest in the 2018 level product and the 2019 would have been more watered down still.

I'm very hopeful of a win on the night. I'm hoping that the track has been very well watered in days before and that the expected dry night materialises I'm very worried about football pulling some away, especially Baggies fans. After the "make or break" 2 weeks ago and the hastily arranged "local derby" last week (when I'd say crowds were around 800 mark) this is the bread and butter core supporter type of match. We've been lucky too that last couple of away matches have been rained off so coffers should have been replenished. How much though and how big the crowd is tonight may be a wake up call again. Hard choice for Masons if crowds are below what they need as they've surely thrown last dice, and have more away fixtures on horizon ? 1 at home and 4 away rest of the month. Fingers and toes crossed.

A shame to see Brummies, Newcastle and now Eastbourne struggling like this. I don't doubt there are others in very similar situations. Hoping for a decent Crowd at Brummies tonight but it seems "week to week" there too at the moment. Two decent Crowds but what happens after next poor one? We all thought when restrictions eased Crowds would rise, may be the opposite as more things for people to do and spend their money on, especially in Tourist areas. I know football is going to be an issue for Clubs like Brummies now as season has started and a few more have to chose 90 minutes or 15 heats!.

There have been plenty of statements about what access Club has to Track or doesn't have. It wouldn't be first time that they have not had full access until 2pm on match day. They have tried to flood it then and it's gone wrong in the past. I've heard (only third hand) that they cannot enter Stadium to water the day before. That would explain the ongoing problems they have if its correct. The water bowser did go round but didn't seem to be much/any water coming from it in Home Straight and after a few races it's probably more dangerous to water than not. I drove home with an air of inevitability sad to say. Good crowd last week but this weeks was only due to Leicester fans of which may be 200?. I also saw a smattering of Edinburgh fans around. If you take those number off probably back down to 500-600. If you take ST holders off that, it's back to square 1. Hopefully we can get another week at least but Berwick are not the draw that Leicester are and the Track will need to be better much better or any profit from this week / last week will be blown away quickly.

I agree Col. Having ventured down during the break into the Sahara, if it wasn't for Lions contingent on 1st Bend would be lower than last week. Fear for how many newcomers will come back. Poor spectacle from what you can see.

Could have excused it last week with rain around but somethings gone seriously wrong with track watering this week. Not as if it's been blazing hot either. Disappointing and getting dangerous

Nice to see another healthy crowd.. Similar to last weeks I'd estimate

So you attack Poole, Birmingham and others. Clearly don't give a fig about the sport do we? People in glasshouses should not throw stones as the saying goes, you must live in a crystal palace. Let's look at Kent shall we? Stop / Start to the season, changed Fixtures, cancelled fixtures, then let spectators in to a match that clearly has no chance of starting with a damning referees report from a senior referee. Go polish your glass

I'll take week by week. It's far better than make or break last week when most had written us off. Let's get being the Promotion rather than constant sniping.

No one knew whether the Fixture on Saturday would take place any way because Brummies made no announcement until yesterday about riding one match at a time. Who knows what discussion went on between the clubs? Hope Brummies get a good turn out on Wednesday again.

you'll be reassured to know that despite speedway being off and not able to watch Brummies tonight at Eastbourne I am down in Sussex visiting relatives as planned; and it is raining the proverbial cats and dogs and stair-rods.... A proper English summer day rain rain and more rain..time for a day of relaxation..

should have called in Mystic Meg.

is that a quid for every variant of UB 40 there is now, those Campbell Brothers and the UB clans Good point though, plenty of people now doing things they haven't done in 18 months and Speedway on a damp night wouldn't top the list; too easy to say "lets wait until its sunny and warm". It seems no one is denying the weather round Arlington was bad last week, nor that the forecast for this week is the same. We, least of all us Brummie fans; even know yet what the future holds or whether we'd have raced on Saturday. More time for the Masons to make a decision over the weekend , Eastie may have lost money they can't afford to lose anyway with weather and GP; and that's about as conspiratorial as it needs to be.

Hopefully good for both.

I hope we get something out of Brummies before the weekend as silence can become deafening and worrying. Fingers crossed and for Newcastle too.

First of all credit to them; I had purchased tickets online with family to go down to see Brummies and I got an email to say the meeting was off, with options to transfer ticket or use at the restaging or request a Refund and I got a Refund within 10 minutes of asking for one as I'm unlikely to be able to make the rearranged Fixture if indeed Brummies are still running which we all hope they are. That doesn't suggest any of the immediate problems at Eastie similar to that Brummies and Diamonds have made very public. Looking at their remaining Fixtures it seems they avoid any more GP clashes and seem to have deliberately avoided them from the original GP schedule most of the season by riding on Sundays. I think the point made is that when GP dates can be changed very quick from the original schedule, as they have last year and this year, there is little they can do at short notice especially when the weather looks so grim. Aren't UK League Fixtures agreed in February, probably based on the original Speedway GP draft that has been shreaded and changed massively. The argument as to whether they have made the decision too soon or not has been discussed on other threads but at least they have stuck their mast in the ground and explained it which is refreshing in some ways. As someone elsewhere pointed out they will have saved a considerable sum by making an early decision too. Maybe the 2 Promotions agreed this too in order to give Brummies Management a few extra days to consider their future, we won't know until Brummies make a formal statement after calling Wednesday "make or break" and with Lee Kilby involved with both Clubs that may be another factor Hopefully Brummies and Newcastle will get through this and all other Clubs

Poole; Kent ; Newcastle; Wolverhampton to name but 4 have previously called off Fixtures covering a few weeks for well explained economic and crowd related reasons. Same if not more impact on the League system.

Maybe they've saved costs like Food and Staff and Programmes. Matches have been called 2 days before for a variety of reasons. What would you rather a Club do, call it off an hour before or once everyone has paid to get in. There are close links with Lee Kilby and Brummies, he was there last night and great to see him maybe Eastie have done Brummies a favour and given them a few days more to decide what they want to do? Don't the Masons live near Eastbourne.?

It must be an impossible choice. Risk losing more money they can't afford to or pull the plug, probably get fined and almost certainly meaning no more Speedway at the venue for the future if ever. The BSPL are sitting on a lot of money according to their last Accounts wouldn't an immediate payment to all Clubs be more helpful. Godfrey and Bates were quick enough to trumpet Government help, with the exception of the 2 Scottish Clubs (under separate Governance) does anyone know of any Club that actually got a penny? The sum of £500k was mentioned, why wasn't that just split between 17 English Clubs as a Grant for the Sport as a whole rather than just a few Clubs. It would be interesting to see a CL table with all Newcastle and Brummies Results expunged, that might waken Godfrey out of his slumber. I was told last night by an ex Brummies rider from the 70's and 80's still involved; that all Tyres are now stored at Scunthorpe, Clubs have to go and collect them and pay Godfrey for them and if they can't collect them they are charged transport costs. What has the Sport become? Sad truth may be that once one Club actually jumps a number of others may quickly follow and the domino effect starts.

I did automatically think it might be linked to the Brummies future, as we all wait for some news. When reading though its a very detailed explanation and not Brummies related at all I have been there for a meeting v Somerset in 2019 on the trust of their weather expert which proved very accurate so have to take the early decision at face value and the reasons. It does give Brummies another meeting at home as our next Fixture so a backhanded favour there for us hopefully.

It was on one hand great to see people you don't normally see there and may be a few hundred from other Clubs. The flip side is that sadly their attendance wont be regular, they came out to support the Club and the Sport which is fantastic, but we need several hundred more every week not for one week. No official news yet I believe, we wait with hope.

Biggest of season. Maybe 800 bit more. Opinions on survival split 50 50 Fingers crossed

I would have guessed our average in 2019 at around 700 to 800, suffered from a weak team initially but built up in summer holidays. Best few May have been closer to 900 to 1000. Kids scheme boosted in holidays. Footy season starts next week and that won't help at all as lots not been in a footy ground for 16 months so that'll be a novelty for many.

who knows ? if average has been 400 ish what's going to be enough to make it worthwhile for Masons to carry on. 800 - 900? hopefully not a last hurrah, but if they make a profit tonight does it mean they will make a profit next week and the week after? I'm going hoping for the best but honestly expecting the worst.

not been this season plenty of past experience of the bumps and hollows though and the holes..