bigeddiechek

Some tasty looking teams getting posted up. Out of them all, I'd love to see TJ back. He was brilliant last year. Hopefully Doolan back for another year as an outstanding Captain.

I think you are being a bit naive there.

No, I was just joining the discussion. I thought it was unfair to expect formal representation, however, since they financially supported the club then it was not an unreasonable assumption. I stand corrected, as the man in orthopaedic shoes once said.

Just a point of interest since the absence of promoters at the even has been brought up. I always thought the organisation was to support riders, and to help fans travel to away meetings. Based on that understanding, I wouldn't have expected the promotion to feel obliged to attend: at least in a formal capacity. With reference to the other club (not sports as I have no idea how any other clubs or sports work with this), we raise funds 100% for the club, not the players. Neither way is right or wrong, I'm merely making an observation which pertains to the discussion. Thank you Taffy. That makes it different, if they do financially support the club, then one would expect a representative in a formal capacity. Good to hear that they have done that through such testing times

Forgive me if I have misunderstood anything here, but was there not a statement from the supporters' club early last seasons that their aim was to support riders? I could be wrong. The only reason I am asking is another sports supporters club that I am a member of explicitly passes all funds directly to the club. Maybe there is some confusion with either their communication, or their title?

Unbelievable!

Nah.

Somebody trying very hard on here, not getting any bites Somehow I think they might need bigger knives in the season to come

Heard Pepe is a nailed on certainty.

So there's no point to this forum then? Nothing wrong with us sharing a wish list. We're not building the team on here! Incidentally, I'd have Doolan back in a flash, and Alden is also worth considering.

Right whose first one everyone's team sheet? I was very worried that I would never be able to ask that question again!

Great news for the Bandits. Fortunately my earlier predictions were wrong! Shows what I know... http://berwickbandits.co/

That's exactly what I meant

Definitely the latter for me

Don't worry, it's just my close season madness setting in already I think it also depends on the observer's point of view Jim, you shouldn't worry too much about things you don't understand

At least my references were actually from Einstein not some random website. The two sites are incorrect. It was better than that Paulco, I think it would take more than Einstein to sort the sport out. Mind you, the new Glasgow promotion seem to have come up with a lot of answers this year

Sorry chaps, but I don't think you'll find any actual sources for Einstein saying that. Perhaps you are referring to one of these? "It seems that the human mind has first to construct forms independently before we can find them in things. Kepler’s marvelous achievement is a particularly fine example of the truth that knowledge cannot spring from experience alone but only from the comparison of the inventions of the intellect with observed fact." Einstein, Albert. Ideas And Opinions (p. 266) or "Pure logical thinking cannot yield us any knowledge of the empirical world; all knowledge of reality starts from experience and ends in it." Einstein, Albert. Ideas And Opinions (p. 271) Is this a speedway forum? =D

That's not exactly what Einstein said...

I agree, those in charge of British speedway really need to make some fundamental changes, advertising is not the answer. All the stuff we talked about at the last meeting, but how much of it will happen? We'll not be holding out breaths!

It's absolutely essential to have a good social media presence. What I am saying is not to expect it to work any great miracles. With regard to sport its role is really to communicate with existing fans. The kids go free is an example of very cheap promotion of the sport. Squeezing a few quid out of a sector of the fans who have no income makes no business sense whatsoever. Not only does it encourage the next generation of fans, it also puts out a very clear and explicit message that it is a family friendly sport. Charging kids £1 and making a few hundred quid out of it will make no difference when the club runs at a loss of £40k p.a. It might even put families off coming, and then you can quickly move into further losses. Again, bigger picture. There still seems to be a denial on here about what the club requires. Either a buyout, or additional partners, who have the means and willingness to share the financial burden. Plus, more hands on help.

There's a misconception that Social Media (and the websites) are some form of marketing magic wand. Social media has a conversion rate of around 1%, and that is only in the most effective categories, i.e. online shopping. With respect to the kids go free. That £1 per head is surely a very cost-effective way of promotion? It is to (hopefully) build the next generation of supporters, plus free is so much more effective than for a quid, or £1. What the £1 would raise would really be peanuts. As Screm and barncooseboy say, get talking and bringing friends along has to be really important if we want the sport to survive and grow. I also think the suggestions of taking a stall on Saturdays is a very good one. Maybe if there were someone to have a bit of time and willingness to to that, then it would happen? I'm only basing that on the communication from the club that it is not just financial support the club requires.

Something Berwick do well, kids go free with paying adult. Best promotion of its kind in the PL.

I completely agree. Advertising needs a huge budget to start to even have a small impact. Bring a friend is really the best option. I get shot down on here for even mentioning that!