bigeddiechek

Agree with you guys, I'm missing it already, and I guess we do have to remain optimistic Screm. If it does, I hope everyone gets fully behind the club this time.

I get what you are saying, my point is that it is just not as straightforward as that. A decent marketeer, with a decent budget, would make a big difference to a lot of speedway clubs. I guess that is where investment is needed, rather than cost cutting?

But, it needs to be part of a coherent overall campaign. Isolated ideas very rarely achieve anything, one-off advertising is particularly ineffective. I've seen a campaign run solely in one large national publication and returned one sale; there were no supporting campaigns to back it up. It does take a lot of cash and time to constantly put a brand/product into the minds of prospective customers. There is no easy route with marketing, unfortunately.

Great news for The Diamonds

Outright buyer, or additional partner(s). Or close down and recoup some cash (polyfoam fence, bonds, etc.). NL not an option. There was a further suggestion that some people to share a bit of the workload would help too. I know some people who haven't the financial means have come forward with regard to this, which is encouraging. I don't know about the possibility of supporters' club helping with finance? That's about the only other suggestion I can come up with. I still think it is highly unlikely that we will run next season

Once you get past the simplistic accountant type view of cutting costs (which invariably sinks businesses, bean counters should always stick to counting beans!), it becomes apparent that NL would not necessarily pull the same crowds. In fact, it would be a dangerous assumption to make. In terms of rider costs, other folk involved at the coal face tell me the rider costs - in reality- don't provide that much of a saving. Here we have some armchair experts thinking they know better, when we have been told very explicitly what is required to keep the club afloat. Spittal Bandit is the only one on here to have a go at addressing the situation.

And what evidence do you have for that?

Nice to see Mr Peat is keeping you up to speed!

Fixed costs is the most likely reason. I would still say Spittal Bandit is the only person to put forward a credible suggestion.

I agree the sport needs a sea-change. We shouldn't hold our breath, I guess. I'm not convinced on the NL option. A large part of the costs will be fixed. So, it is conceivable that running NL would still produce a loss. Personally, I wouldn't bankroll a club just to keep it alive in the NL. It would need to be providing a profitable base to grow towards a sustainable return to the PL at some point. One thing since the announcement is very clear. Fans are stuck in their ways. One exception is Spittal Bandit who came up with a very plausible and well-thought-out idea. Here's hoping that he gets the support of his fellow fans as - at the moment - it appears to be the only credible response.

I hadn't though of that permutation. I guess that could be the case. Better than nothing right enough.

It was made rather clear that if there were no buyer, that NL was not one of the options. I'm not sure whether or not some folk are in a state of denial with the situation.

I think the current have made it very clear what is required to keep speedway alive. Have they not?

They are likely the same as most tracks. It is a sport that needs bankrolling. That is why the support of the fans is so important. Don't back it, it becomes a thankless task and the funding is pulled. It's really rather simple.

I'd just like to say a big thank you to everyone involved with Berwick Speedway. It's been a tough year, frustrating, but still enjoyable. Here's hoping we run next year, and get a bit better luck!

Sadly, just being realistic. It turned into a real poisoned chalice this year.

Or what could have been the future

Nah.

If we are running next year, one thing is for sure, I'll be eternally grateful to whoever it might be that keeps speedway alive in Berwick. I'm not very hopeful that anyone has come forward yet, though

Sigh.

Very odd behaviour, now, I could comment on the irony of Taffy's post, but I think it would go straight over his head!

It's just a bit of banter a la Cookie's tweets.

The very top riders don't make mistakes in finals. That's what separates the men from the boys.

I'd have him in my team. As long as he didn't greet about the track every 5 seconds. Looks like he has done the same about Sheffield yesterday. He can keep blaming tracks for not taking his talent to the next level.