H20

We go on about promotion but it's time the riders the ones who are the only ones to make anything from speedway that without there buy in to change there will simply be no speedway. That day is coming much faster then ever before under the current situation the sport is in. Workington have a great arena to watch speedway but there is no promotion of the sport they just rely on fans just turning up and watching 15 heats. No parade of any note, riders after a heat simply right back in the pits no victory lap. Could be so much better. Crowds been poor but they stick to 3pm on a Saturday start time !! Wonder why not other club in speedway runat that time and Day ? Rant over and I like speedway and go to every meeting when not at work.

Excellent post I touched on it previously about riders pay and I do not want to blame the riders one bit as we all would take whatever we can get from our job. But speedway acting like it's the big professional sport is the problem here the sport simply can not afford to continue going forward paying out wages to riders without getting that finance in from supporters and sponsorship. Teams like Glasgow are fortunate to have wealthy owners i just wish there was more wealthy people throughout the sport. Like I said reserves turning up with kit that costs an absolute fortune no wonder they demand a contract which covers that. We all want the sport we love to continue but it's in its worst state ever currently you can see on tv the size of crowds everywhere and how some of the Premiership teams are running is a mystery with crowds like that. Even Belle Vue that must be an expensive team two top GP riders and there crowds recently are not paying them bills.

I don't think most fans realise just how much the riders earn nowadays it's very good money. I've always watched the Comets but used to enjoy it more when there was a meeting every week so it was much more expensive to watch then but you knew you had a meeting every week. The way the fixtures are now you have no idea if there at home or not you have to check. I miss quite a few Saturday meetings now if I'm at work due to the 3pm start I've never liked or understood that decision to ride on a Saturday afternoon. At the start and end of the season they are up against football then during summer so many events are on a Saturday plus people working. Workington apparently helped out stepping up to CL but I think another year or two at NL could have been better to build white it was cheaper to attend.

Good points in that reply. I remember when Workington first came back to the sport and it was only the top heat leaders that had two bikes and even half of them never used the 2nd bike it was just there. 2nd string riders and definitely reserves had one bike each. Most riders had another full time job. Fast forward to now and every rider has 2 bikes and not many work during the season which then makes there income from speedway there sole income so needs to be at a level to pay for tuning cover spares and a van. I'm not knocking any rider for getting out of the sport what they can financial wise. What I am saying is it's clear the sport as a whole is not viable going forward at this level. There is not enough money coming into the sport through sponsorship and gate money to cover the costs of the stadiums and riders. Meaning in the not to distant future the sport at this level and costs will simply not be there, no clubs for riders to ride for. Speedway jumped ahead of motocross and most other motorcycle sports in the pay structure for riders but it's going to bankrupt itself as a sport because promoters have pushed rules to help there own ambitions not the sport as a whole to the point we have a handful of clubs who are sort of financially viable the rest loose money every year.

Workingtons page on here has certainly brought in some good legal experts in the last 24hrs. Let's wait to hear whats gone on instead of just guessing. The one thing I do agree with is the crowd levels, the speedway at Northside is brilliant and has the best views of any track in this country but why fans have not returned since it re-started is a mystery really. I understoood some fans staying away from the NDL league if not waanting to watch that standard even though I thought it was very good. Cost has to be a big factor espesially anyone wanting to attend with kids even worse if you have teenagers as that is an expensive hit. A fixture list that is simply crazy with all the gaps start stop start stop and that's without adding in the inevitable rain off's. I think that the start time is a big factor to low crowds because anyone working on a Saturday afternoon simply can not attend meetings and I know a few in that predicament, add in people doing things with there family on a Saturday plus other sporting events it's a big challenge to get a crowd on a Saturday afternoon.

Really the way the Workington riders are riding ?

Boughen dropped by Glasgow today, would be a good rider to get to Workington

Because Workington certainly need some experience and someone that might be a heat leader as we only have one !!!!

MPT to Edinburgh that's a decent signing bit of experience

Embarrassing themselves simple as that

Totally agree, can not just do a one off meeting at 6pm need a good run, I just think there are lots of people who work Saturdays who will not be able to attend a afternoon meeting.

What is the Comets fans view on here of the currant start time because I'm sure the promotion have never asked, if they have I've missed it. Riding on a Saturday afternoon is not bringing in the fan numbers that used to go to Derwent park on a Saturday night, I realise they do not have floodlights but even a 6pm start time would not require any floodlights. It is much easier to attend on a Saturday evening I think most events are a Saturday Weddings, local events, football and people actually at work who can not attend. I'd certainly look at it because this set up deserves more there watching espesially since we have lost speedway once before we do not want that happening again.

Speedway is dying especially in the championship, the crowds are poor. Scunthorpe crowd on Friday against Workington can not have been any more than 400 and even the crowd at Workington on Saturday was not what it should have been with lovely weather but I think tha't down to Workington running on a Saturday afternoon. Workington are forced to ride on a Saturday afternoon really as the Friday teams have that blocked off and Sundays goes up against the rugby team in Workington so that a no go. They do not have floodlights but I certainly think they should look at a 6pm start as they would not need floodlights and could give people the chance to attend who work Saturdays or familys that have things on during the day. The football has finished for Workington Reds but they have been getting crows over 1000 this past season and they had a poor year on the pitch they ended up averaging 760 for the season. You look at crowds on the TV at other tracks and you do think how are they making this pay. Speedway needs to do something as the fixtures are so spread out fans find other things to do, Workington don't ride for two weeks now would have been longer if they had not put the Edinburgh meting on 24th May.

The Comets fans just need to stick with the team espesially at this early stage of the season. They have built an unbelivable speedway stadium at Northside that deserves to have more fans watching. The team seem low on confidance with gating the number ine issue. Where are all the fans from the Derwent Park days ? This set up is miles better than Derwent Park but the crowds are no where near what they should be. Is it the start time for racing ? Speedway at Derwent PArk was always at 7pm now I realise Northside do not have any floodlights but do they need any if say they started at 6pm ? This could be something to try see if more fans attend who don't in the afternoon's.

Batchelor has a history of this type of meeting, if he does not fancy it his effort is zero. That's the rider I thought Workington had signed last season but fair play he did really well last season but that tonight is unacceptable from a number 1 and captain. Very poor performance from the Comets but with this team there could be more of this to come this season away from Northside.