bigeddiechek

Sorry, I misread your post, you said "never win nowt".

Erm, the PL Fours?

I doubt that, but Jan Jaros would be on a good average IMHO.

Why the daft icons?

Jan Jaros a possibility?

Exciting! http://www.berwickbandits.co/index.php/latest-news/273-fans-forum-this-friday-including-the-full-2013-line-up

Ashworth does it for me as a number 1 too, would love to have him back for another year.

It also mentions discounts for other Berwick meetings. If you take into account the slashed prices as a starting point, then £160 for a season of sport is a really good deal. For example, at last year's prices, 14 meetings would have cost £203, so a season of speedway is at least £43 cheaper than last year. I think it is a decent offer, alongside the big reduction in admission. A half-decent team is all we need, then we have no excuse for not getting out and supporting our club. Although it looks as if Seb and Kozza are out of the equation, be great to see Ricky back, and I'm intrigued with this Argentinian: he could be a revelation.

There's an intelligence test where even though the letters are jumbled-up, intelligent people can deduce the intended meaning. Just a general comment, not aimed at any individual

Whilst I am disappointed too, what you say makes real sense. I could make us more commercially viable, and free some resource for a good replacement. The disappointment is on hold as there is plenty time for an equally exciting replacement.

Tripe?

Wow, that is some offer on season tickets! Looks like I might just be buying my first ever sporting season ticket

Great news on the ticket fronts, the book of tickets is also a great idea. Fans turn to respond to this and get there in numbers. If we do, I'm sure we'll be rewarded with a strong team and ever improving entertainment.

What a great post Halifaxtiger

That's the best case I've heard for it yet. It still doesn't change the newcomers' views that it is a joke (the ones that came with me, anyway). However, as WJM pointed out, there is the away goal counting double in football. I'll use these two points to explain it in the future, regardless of whether or not I like it. Good debate and discussion!

I think joker is particularly apposite. I'll agree to disagree on that one. Having a work around to the weather is a big one, keeping race night consistent. Indoor stadia is the only possible - yet impossible - answer. After such a hard year, I would have expected more from the BSPA, though.

My point is that, no matter how promptly it is reported, that uncertainty is there. I'm sure many people will go for the entertainment option that they know for certain is going to be on, rather than something that is at the mercy of the weather. We have to get as close as possible to guaranteeing meetings go ahead. Otherwise, people can't say "x" night is speedway night, and mark it off in the diary. I'm sure this inconsistency due to the weather is a big problem. Sorry, but I can't tow the speedway party line on this one. Everyone I know - apart from yourself, it would appear - thinks it is ridiculous. There are better options than this to keep meetings close.

But surely they are individual club details? You surely can't mean have all clubs under one homogeneous brand? Promotion and customer relations are certainly, at the tactical level, individual club responsibilities. Uncertainty over a meeting is being on or not due to the weather needs to be addressed, as people often plan to go to the speedway in place of another event, only to have the speedway rained-off. They are then left with nothing to do. This is a big challenge to the sport, and only something that can be taken on collectively. Either by use of technology, a change in attitude, or a mixture of both. The tactical rule has been really embarrassing as I have had to explain a few times this season. No newcomer takes the sport seriously when exposed to that. I'm sorry, but a lack of vision throughout the sport is going to kill it.

Fair enough, but what happens if the weather isn't good? Surely there had to be some sort of contingency planning for the weather? It was an opportunity to put something forward. Of course, it's not to say there hasn't. I have to say at a time when fans are clearly feeling disenfranchised, it is a missed opportunity to connect with them. You know I'm not one to be negative, but I'm not sure that they have done enough here. I hope I'm wrong.

I might have to disagree with you on this one. At the very least the tactical rule had to be dropped. It's the one thing that was noticed by the friends that I took along this year. It seriously undermines the sport. If this season has been as bad as publicised - and I've no reason to doubt that - then there are big changes required to the sport in general. Time will be the test though...

BSPA have really pulled out all the stops this time The sport needs some major changes, doesn't look like they are going to happen.

So our track isn't so bad then?

Who decided?

I wasn't talking about costs. Peter told me the crowd levels in 2005. He couldn't believe that he had put together a winning team, great racers, yet the crowds kept dropping. Or at least that is what he said to me. You just need to look at the DVD to see how quiet it was. I'm just saying that we might be a bit blind to what is actually required to get people through the gate. Teal made some very good suggestions about getting younger folk through the gate, ones I wouldn't have thought about (not saying much, mind). I think the suggestions of various promotions aimed at various groups is a good idea and far more likely to succeed than the run-of-the-mill track and winning arguments.

I'm not saying I disagree, but why did crowds drop so low when these things were right during the 2005 season?