cityrebel

It looks like another long established speedway track is going to be consigned to the history books. It's a shame Northside can't be upgraded to allow the club to continue at NL level.

Len runs Kent like it's still the 1980's, speedway every week. You have to applaud him for that. The crowd numbers prove it's what people want.

I was a Wimbledon fan, but have always supported my local venues, Hackney included!

Very interesting. I'm suprised anyone has been allowed access to the site.

I would never commit to a season ticket at any track. I'd be quids out not attending the Micky mouse meetings and being faced with long journeys in dodgy weather. I'd rather pay a bit extra on the night and choose when i want to go.

It's friday, the sun is shining but there is no meeting at Lakeside tonight. It's on days like this the reality hits home. Another of my local venues have gone, unlikely to return. Enjoy your track if you still have one, because you never know what's around the corner.

Sounds like a master plan for 2020. Bluster will probably own the whole league by then, so it won't need to be voted on.

I've attended a few big grasstrack meetings recently, and encountered many of the problems that hinder speedway. Late starts, extended tractor breaks and paramedics being delayed en route. Maybe it's just a motorsport thing.

Like you say, speedway is far too expensive a sport from top to bottom. Too costly for the riders and the fans alike, but all the time Poland call the shots, i can't see the riders using standardised equipment over here. It would have to be enforced world wide for it to work.

Too right, that's one thing I'm looking forward to at Eastie. Some closer competitive meetings!

Speedway is a sport run by old fogies for the benefit of old fogies. It's a well known fact that a lot of the older generation have more disposable income than a lot of the youngsters, so they are more likely to pay whatever the promoters want. Both of my kids are ex fans, but wouldn't attend now even if it was free entry. Kids of today want to be associated with popular things, not something that no ones heard of.

Like my pal 'ruckeroo' posted earlier. Len's preparing himself for some hefty pay outs, at home and away this coming season.

If i was leicester, id invest in a fleet of mobility buggies. Pretty soon they will need them. I've been a speedway fan for over 50 years, so I'll be joining you soon, up against that wall. Take aim and fire!

I said the same thing at Leicester on saturday. Calling it a morgue would have been an understatement. Most of the meetings i go to are full of pensioners and a few of their grandchildren, that are too young to know better. It's the teenagers and young adults that promoters should be targeting, not the Derby and Joan club.

I don't give a monkeys about the kevlars. I know i paid £16 at Leicester last night to watch the likes of Harris, Nicholls, Lawson & King. Only £1 more than Lennie will be charging this season.

Nail on the head.

The public view it as old hat and poor value for money. Can anyone change that perception, i doubt it. When you've got an experienced promoter like Len Silver charging £15 for NL racing, must mean the lunatics have finally taken over the asylum.

A decent meeting last night with some good racing on a sometimes tricky track. There was an excellent crowd for a challenge match, so a lot to be pleased with for the Lions management.

That's why i worry for the likes of Eastbourne and Birmingham that have moved up. The fans they need to balance their books don't exist anymore. There is no new blood coming into the sport and there is nothing that can be done to change that.

Len used to charge top dollar at the Wick when Hackney had a poor team, so it's nothing new. These days you need to hang on to your fan base, not drive them away.

I've got Ron's 1962 World Final race jacket in my collection I've also got Briggo's from 1959. Two wimbledon legends for sure.

Is Len going to guarantee we get to watch 15 heats every week for our 15 quid, somehow i don't think so.

It's only a pound more at some Championship clubs. Len has truly lost his marbles. The sport is heading one way, into oblivion.

The problem is, a lot of people are keeping their money tightly in their pockets, me included. It's going to be hard work promoting speedway this season in these times of austerity.

I wasn't there yesterday, geographical reasons rather than the weather. If you look at some of the previous ben fund line ups, it seems obvious that the 'top' riders have been giving this meeting a miss for years. You might get the odd one turn up, but most can't be bothered. The riders could have a lot to gain and should be supporting such a worthy cause.