Deano

So as speedway is a cash sport with 1950's type entrance tickets, they can police this how? In Poland to buy tickets you need to show ID. SO I can see them policing it. Not here though lol.

The current scenario in speedway terms, could be that there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians, so a decision and agreement is very difficult to reach. Having too many chiefs generally means end up with a donkey every time you go to buy a horse. Your idea, could be the answer.

It is a poor country still. People are probably worse off there than they are here.

If you do get to see some of Devon, I'd recommend Salcombe, a beautiful natural harbour with pubs serving fantastic ale. The Victoria Inn in Salcombe is a particular favourite of ours. It's also not far from Plymouth, although I'm not sure of their racing night. EDIT: Doesn't look like they are racing when you are here: http://www.plymouthdevils.co/---results.html

Yes, I was in the group with you trees. Watched the GP in the pub on the saturday night, then watched a league match on the television in the pub after the match on sunday. The whole town is geared up for speedway.

There are a lot of reasons why old fans no longer go. I'd like to throw one into the mix.. Teams closing due to lost stadia. When this happens thousands get lost to the sport, speedways lack of investment in it's own facilities historically has sent many supporters away to find new hobbies. Hang onto the fans you have as recruiting new ones is very very hard.

Thanks for sharing. I can't answer your question, but I was mesmerised by the whole film. Great clips of old cars in what appeared such a happy peaceful time.

For me, keep it simple. All riders that are registered to ride in the UK, have their contracts owned by the BSPA by default. Teams then agree deals with riders as they do now. No team gets first refusal, priority, nor to they have to get permission from any other team to talk. Teams only inform BSPA when they want to speak to a rider. No loaning fee's, no money changing hands to purchase riders... just money paid out to riders in wages/points money etc.

I think the only way this could be sold to riders is: 1) You will be paid less. 2) But your outgoings will be less. 3) The net effect on income earned could be zero to positive.

I think the BSPA did this in 1992 or 1993. Many riders retired, but it kept the sport going healthily-ish through troubled times.

The asset system just moves money around speedway clubs. It doesn't actually generate anything for the sport, only the taxman benefits I guess? If that's the case, the money pot for assets actually gets less and needs rejuvinating by promoters or sponsors every so often. So why bother at all with it? It appears to be just another self depreciating prophecy like everything in speedway.

Then Birmingham close.. killed by it's own fan base. we don't deserve speedway by the sounds of it. It isn't Tony Moles's fault this new rule has "appeared", but it seems our very own fans want to hit him in the pocket.

Getting into speedway isn't expensive. Any Tom Dick or Harry could buy a second hand runner and go and slide it at a track. It is a very accessible sport. Try doing that with your Ducati at Brand Hatch? The issue isn't riders taking everything out of the sport, most I guess pump it back in buying equipment, not just the bike. I can't see riders letting a promoter/track own the engines. Purely because riders wanting to be in control of their own equipment. Unsure of the answer, but just telling riders to get on with it, isn't going to get standard equipment accepted. Speedway needs to be priced at a level where any Tom, Dick and Harry (this includes promoters as well as riders), can earn a living from it. Machinery is a very small part of the whole package unfortunately.

I haven't read the article so I don't know whether he is in support or against. What I generally find in life is there a more people who will come up with reasons not to do something than agree and go with change. This is where I believe weak leadership comes to the surface and the status quo remains, which will eventually see the end of speedway.

I think a basic engine designed to see the whole season through, would be a good base to work from. Not sure how these engines would cope with changing from big wide line tracks to tight corner tracks, but I guess everyone would be on the same level footing anyway.

Do you not know how much a complete bike with race ready engine costs? Do top riders not have ten plus bikes race prepared across Europe? A large proportion of costs are taken by the rider which come from the promoter (subsidised by sponsorship) via falling gate receipts. So all will benefit.

amazing story, thanks for sharing.

Ahh I see, apologies. Well I guess they did sell it to a property developer.. who would only buy it to raze it to the ground.

Dave they are bulldozing Hall Green in 2018. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/crying-shame-hall-green-stadium-10936461

Just read the GRA have sold Hall Green Dog stadium in Birmingham to developers. So it appears the GRA are definately winding up.

interesting idea, but when has a council ever pulled in a profit. My guess they'd still manage to make a hefty loss even with really good odds. ha ha.

" How do we attract younger audience".... Basically, it's too late in my opinion. Too many opportunities in recent years to change the sport and propel it forward have gone unchallenged. Until promoters sign up to a single business idea, stick to it and sell it to it's audience. An idea that images the kind of changes that happened back in the late sixties. Changes that make it attractive to 6 years olds. Speedway = "Meccano".... it needs to be like "Lego".

Pretty certain they couldn't get away with tax fiddling anyway. All tickets are numbered and turnstiles have a clickometer count type thingy. I'm sure all numbers would have to tie up to check for any cashier fiddling too.

Good point, can't answer your question though. Also we need to add, Is speedway for a rider also the same cost as it was back then? Cars and travel was more expensive in the 60's than it is now. So was having a bike on the back of an estate really cheaper, than having a van full of tools which doubles up as a mobile workshop? In real terms? In a fans forum, Leigh Adams was asked, why he didn't go into the more lucrative moto GP series due to him having a natural riding ability. His answer was anyone can buy a cheap speedway bike and race it cheaply. It's such an easy sport to get into. Where as Moto GP needs cash cash and more cash..... So speedway wins hands down in terms of getting kids on board racing.

I agree, and so will every other hard core fan that pays to go week in week out. But, what about the ones who aren't interested. The reason I put the suggestions, was based on the twenty20 cricket. Cricket to a none fan is slow, boring and followed by old men, speedway to a none fan is first out the gate, a cold night and followed by plebs in bright coats. To make cricket fast and interesting they invented twenty20, a white ball that you can't spin, batsman can therefore hit regular sixes, with a winner over twenty overs.. or 3 hours (I think). Worcester now sells out!!! So how can speedway re-invent itself and create a sell out atmosphere... to make sure every race has over-taking, is close, competitive and puts hairs on the back of your neck? Four blokes, four laps ain't going to do it....