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I posted this on 1st Sept last year in a thread called Jason Doyle. It was my last post on this forum, such has been my rate of decline in interest in the sport, but my tune hasn't. I am sure the problems of Rye House are more complex that race night alone, but the whole marketing strategy of the BSPA is ill thought out. It is a sad day for the sport, again.

I am sadly not surprised. I rarely tweet, but did so on 20th Nov 2017 - highly praised on Twitter and here, especially by international speedway hangers on - that it wasn't good for British Speedway. Once a 7 day sport, week in, week out during March to October, the cost of losing that hurts clubs. As other sports move towards a 7 day model too. Speedway got there first. Look at a track like Coventry, all bar the first Saturday of the month. Speedway. Easy to plan, easy to arrange. Attendances and profile of the sport is now higher in Scotland than the West Midlands. The second tier is far more attractive to fans and promoters. International Riders should not dictate race nights, fans should. The small, irregular top flight will cease to exist. I was an Elite League snob, but the strengths of each division has closed tremendously, aided by the poorly thought double upping and continued absence of top riders. Time to accept where the footfall is, and is not, of fans.

It needs to be recognised that International Speedway riders are - especially if British based - limited companies, and do not share the same goals as the companies (British Speedway tracks) with which their services are supplied. Their wages do not drop if attendances go down because of an absurd race day. The goals are so mis aligned right now that riders who have done VERY well this season out of British Speedway are willing to publicly belittle the sport. Whilst they have complete freedom of speech, if British Speedway goes part time status, it will hardly be in the interests of, say, Rory Schlein Racing Limited (just an example, I know he is no longer international speedway, but has been very quick on twitter to cut the sport down this year). It appears that International riders expect British Speedway to act as a filler for the international speedway week, on the quiet, off nights. However, the working week is the same throughout Europe. Quiet nights will reduce the attendances here, and even additional income such as bar takings will drop. It will not achieve the goals of the promotional company at the tracks - profitable and healthy attendances. If it was Leicester on Saturday, Poole on Wednesday, Wolves on a Monday, or Ipswich on a Thursday and Edinburgh on a Friday.....you know that if you are in the area, during March to October, there will be a fixture to go to. Get a fixture list that will make the riders limited companies work hard - none of this mid summer breaks for 3 weeks, and use them to promote the sport. They need to share the same goals.

Fixed race nights only serve one purpose. "Global" superstar riders. But do they really put more people on the gate?? If Doyle was appearing at Edinburgh or Glasgow, could I get friends who have been once a year to go and see him win by half a lap? No. Monday and Thursdays are all fine and well, if you are self employed or retired, or a Polish or Swedish speedway fan. It is no good if you work 9-6 all days or have a young family. I have followed the sport for nearly 40 years and this will be the first season with less than double figure meeting attendances and I have to be honest, I don´t miss it as much as I thought I would. If you have a home meeting every other week, and then throw in a rain off or two, people will find better things to do. Fixed nights on Monday or Thursdays may make riders unaffordable. I would much rather see 4 riders competing closely, and socialising with fans post meeting or doing local promotion activity - at whatever level, than a big shot, tweeting from the airport, off to go and earn another quick buck. As other sports look to "stretch their playing week", be it Rugby League on Thurs to Sunday, Rugby Union from Fri to Sun, or Football all 7 days.....it amuses me that a sport was there before all of them in being a 7 day sport. You could take in a couple of tracks a week from the Midlands if you wanted, and there is nothing like an intensity of a consecutive night Cup Final (Glasgow, Edinburgh), or a 2 fixture Easter Monday (Cradley, Coventry). The sport will lose something special, but it has lost a lot over the years. I wonder how much of the crowd drops are due to fans "doubling up" at multiple tracks during the summer months, and now, not. As anyone in marketing will tell you, it costs a lot more to get a "new" fan than to retain your existing one. I was first on the forum in 06-07, when I called for an independent BSPA. The Sport has since struggled through decision making with no real back up or research. Matt Ford once called for less meetings similar to Poland, and then during the winter, called for more! I believe Speedway should have the intensity of a 7 day sport, low gate prices and lots of racing.....similar to say, NBA. It would probably be directly employed riders only, but if you also got them doing promotional work, it can suceed. If that means losing the last couple of GP riders, then so what? British Speedway needs to prioritise it´s needs over that of the GP or Monster Energy. If BSPA were a promotional and marketing body, they would ask, "What do fans want", not "What do riders want to fit into Swedish and Polish schedules".

I don't see a quick return to Brandon under current ownership and unlikely that BSPA would push it either. Chapman acquired a lease for a Speedway Stadium, doubled the tenants and moved it on. Leicester won't want to lose income either. I was always suspicious of Horton's intentions but the plans during last season for a new track seemed odd. The plans were amateurish and seemed more like a pitch to local Councils to get free land. If Horton had a new stadium and land on a plate, it increases his assets far quicker than having to actually promote the sport and get fans in. Brandon wasn't going anywhere, it was needless. The Coventry Bees brand is tarnished beyond finding a decent sponsor in its current state.

I think it is easy to blame the fans for not supporting this promotion - I am not just citing you but others have blamed the fans in "use-it-or-lose-it" posts. Other clubs and their support WILL be worried about the demise of Coventry and the fans make an easy target, as the EL moves into another winter of turmoil. However, it is little to do with the fans. The EL - have tried to model their business to suit the Grand Prix and foreign leagues. Cut fixtures, cut competitions, de facto squad use. Has it worked? No. We have an irregular fixture list. It takes too much arranging to make fixtures - and there are not enough of them. It doesn't work for the fans, and it doesn't work for riders - the majority of them are busy working out conversion rates to PL double up / appealing for guest bookings / or asking why they aren't reserves. The complaints are not just coming from promotions under pressure either. The cut in fixtures was a mistake, I am relieved to see Matt Ford complaining about this recently. The move away from regular race nights was a mistake, again, I heard the Lakeside promotion preferring the Saturday night in an interview at the stadium earlier this year. I also think the top flight does need multiple trophies too to keep an interest for more clubs ("Double winners", "The treble" are things that can no longer be achieved). Steve Shovlar and others mention Glasgow as coming up. I would hope they would shake things up if they did. The track is improving, but his assumption that they will go to an off-night and support 3 weeks with no fixtures, would surprise me. Their marketing is an example to other clubs, but imagine not having something on a billboard that wasn't "Speedway every xxx" - "sometimes a Tuesday, then a week on Friday, and a Sunday". It doesn't work. The travelling support would also be greatly depleted on an off-night - and the lighting would need improvements. The promotion of Glasgow does give me hope that Speedway has a future, which brings me onto the final issue. The Horton promotion hasn't worked. The uncertainty, the lack of team changes, even the communication regarding the stadium and the latest farce. The sport isn't promoted. Of course, fans are supporting the club, however, the promotion makes it very difficult for fans to show support. I lost £170 on flights to attend on Friday, and they lose income as a result. EL speedway needs regular fixtures, on regular nights, throughout the season from March to October across multiple competitions. It needs riders willing to promote locally and not fly off to the next earnings, and promote for the good of the sport (not in pubs at £25/head). It needs a simple rule book for newcomers to understand, including teams changes. Promoters also need to promote! IF it all means that we lose a few GP stars for the good of the sport, so be it. The size of the prize is in attracting new support; it hasn't hindered Glasgow by not having them. If it means Coventry going to the PL, then so be it too. There is so much double-upping going on plus some reserves from the NL, you wouldn't actually notice.

I think the focus should be on Tai Woffinden and his reasons. Comparing to others such as Nicholls, Richardson, Wigg, Cox, Holder, and so on, just muddies the water. Facts are: He is skipping a British Final that if - as he claims "i done more in the last 3 years then any other rider" - will lower the crowd, and hard British Speedway. Reason given: Burn out. Riders have all sorts of reasons but to claim this is stupid. Furthermore, he tweets about how difficult it is to get a strong 16 or 32 etc. So hardly a burn out threat then. From a competitive point of view, perhaps he should remember when he was up and coming, he wanted to race against the best - now British youngsters don't get that? This is their wild card at a GP, it is their opportunity..... His arrogance is boundless, and it is a shame he hasn't been kept more grounded. Comments that it will give others a chance are crass and disrepectful to GB team mates and competition. Claims that he does so much for the sport.....people on here use his charity raising efforts. Whilst thoroughly commendable, it should not be used as a tool to promote a sport or oneself. Billions are raised for charity in the UK, and by many unsung heroes. He is a big talent but only in the GP or on the continent. How many "new" people to the sport are aware of him or attracted by him over the last 3 years in the UK? Very few, as they cannot see him and even some Speedway fans don't follow him as they cannot access his scores abroad or ignore GPs in favour of the grass roots of the sport - the grass roots that helped him flourish. The GPs have become stale and on minor TV channels. Getting in newspapers with declining circulations or constantly tweeting Keith Lemon to try and get onto his TV show is no biggie. I would say the Glasgow owners have attracted more people to the sport over the last three years than Woffinden. And they have been featured in the Herald and Scottish Sun lately too! Ben Barker no less. If he wants to help the sport, perhaps make appearances at Plymouth or Glasgow (like Bomber did at the PL final, and last week), or Edinburgh (Nicholls and Cook). He is the World Champion and wasting a fine opportunity to bound with fans and promote the sport outwith the ever decreasing circle of GP followers.

On the pricing structure, going to a single tier pricing system is a step backwards in my opinion. I am an "Elite League snob", in that I do prefer top tier racing to the Premier League. Although with the weakening of the leagues, the gap reduces season by season. Having attended the Premier League Grand Final between Glasgow v Edinburgh - both legs - you couldn't help but be impressed by a multi-tier and multi-day pricing structure. You could get your tickets on your phone. If you bought on the Monday, it was cheaper than the Thursday or Friday and so on. There was none of this paying at the gate and then getting by ticket ripped by a second line of defence (very needless) at Coventry. I am guessing that the line of thought is that old people will come to Brandon anyway, regardless of the product - something full paying adults have had to support for years with price increases. I would want a multi-tier system creating not single tier system. The benefit is more people will buy in the week (getting to the bank quicker), less cash on site, fewer people will make that call on the day regarding the weather, and guess what......buying tickets online is the NORM for under 30s, you are getting into their lifestyles. I am not a pensioner. This isn't for the kids for the future, this current regime cannot even say where the team will be racing in the future.

I do not understand the upside of Sandhu building the new stadium. If we base it on the fact that Ashfield required £1.6m investment, Sandhu would have to spend what - £2m to build from scratch, plus land etc.? Given the drop off in meetings over the last 20 years - add in stock cars - he won't make more than 5% per year. It is not as if the land or stadium will appreciate in value. He would be better off either investing in a high roller fund with a mainstream bank, or investing in residential property. And to a certain extent, this is what he has done by selling the site, so his intentions are not that of speculation. The onus should be on the current promotion to provide the solution. It will add value to their asset. Ground sharing will reduce their up front investment and keep their asset around the current value. It is the least-risk option for them, but hardly ideal for Coventry Speedway. It is a typical speedway mess, seen up and down the country for the last 20/30 years. It is not new. The stadium is run down, but this is due to neglect. Do I blame people for not investing? Not really. Why would you invest in a sport run by the BSPA. Outsiders come in with fresh ideas, but are soon curtailed. The sport lacks any kind of promotion, particularly in social media. So it is difficult to increase any income streams to justify upfront investment for Sandhu, Horton or anyone else and certainly no bank will provide cash to a sport that struggles to come up with a 5 year plan.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/11414978.Speedway_Grand_Prix__Ward_ruled_out_of_Latvian_Grand_Prix_after_failing_alcohol_test/?ref=var_0 Middleditch told the Daily Echo: "There are mitigating circumstances for Darcy which will come out over the next few days."

If the Fans show enough demand, and Riders say they want to ride in it....I cannot see a problem. It is right that with spiralling costs, more fixtures are on offer. I am perplexed by the need to compare it to the English FA. If I set up a game at the local park, create a couple of select sides and charge for entry....I am under no obligation to have the match sanctioned by the FA. I am well aware of this being done in Scotland with Chick Young assembling a crowd of ex Old Firm players (and River City actors!) - paid for appearances - and taking on multinational companies at local Junior pitches. If riders want to take their bikes to a track, have a meeting, perhaps call it "Speedbikes", then it would be perfectly legit. Naturally, the promoter could be in trouble with his licence. The riders are also taking a risk BUT If they created new tracks (or re-built old tracks) - not licenced by SCB, then not only would it be good for the sport, it would show the SCB/BSPA churlish nature. If there was real money behind it, you would get riders and do a winter series in temporary venues such as large warehousing. Riders might even choose to go to an alternative series and tell the BSPA to go to hell.....they don't owe the BSPA or SCB anything. They have been poor custodians of the sport. Again, interesting to see Leslie/Shovlar making comparisons to the English FA, but it stops there as far as I am concerned. English FA have built St Georges Park......what have BSPA/SCB done for British riders, other than escalate an influx of non-EU riders. Anything that increases the earnings of Speedway riders without unnecessary money going to "licencing" or giving cuts to middle men like Go Speed is good with me.

Any news of when tickets will be available for Gorzow? Thanks http://www.speedwaygp.com/event/speedwaygp-2012-gorzow

Great decision to put him in. Deserves it, and should get a full year next year hopefully.

Of the British side, this was completely as I expected. There was a minor fantasy they could have got 2nd, but it was only because the joker - probably rightly so - was done early. Sweden and Australia were going through all day long, and there are no prizes for guessing that. Well done to Barker and Harris. The rest, hmmmm. Coventry fans have been getting in a flap this season with his form as if he is world class. Sadly he has been found wanting in SGP Qualification and SWC. He'll remain a robust EL heat leader, of the Simon Stead variety. Steady has come close to SGPs. Kennett has always been very poor on Polish tracks. Will turn 25 this year, and there are not many seasons to turn it up. Woffinden. What is going on? Going backwards, and getting lots of falls. I would suggest that if he had not turned British, he would not be in the Australian side? I am pleased for Troy Batchelor once again, feel he is very underrated and overshadowed. I'd have Crump, Holder, Ward, Batchelor, Schlein, Watt, Sullivan ahead of Woffinden. Was it the personal toll of last year and sudden promotion to SGPs? Have injuries knocked his confidence? Has turning British meant he could take it easier for events? Certainly well behind his peers in World Speedway age group. Would be an absolute travesty if Woffinden gets a GP Wild Card next season. If there is a British one, it will go to Harris. Whilst not a British Champion, and has had a few dodgy meetings this season which he attributed to back room turmoil, he has shown that he can mix it with the best this week. I agree with Sam Ermolenko about equipment, all Brits - Nicholls - included, should take a long hard look at what they want to invest. Sick of hearing them complain that they haven't found a set up for new silencers, or their motors are too slow. Harris has made changed, albeit I am almost as uninspired by Mark Courtney as I am Sean Wilson. Perhaps for the SWC next season, BSPA will get them all nicely tuned engines from one guy - maybe bring someone into the British Set Up - with engine tuning experience. Middleditch and Morris lack inspiration or experience at the top level. I would like to see a team management of a international class rider (Louis or Loram) to look after the riders and their approach with a world class engine tuner / manager to get the best out of the equipment, maybe even keep Middleditch as cheer leader, team bonder. Problem is it costs money. Finally, with Bridger, Barker and Kennett at war if you believe the Daily Echo, perhaps it is time to remind them that they have worked together, VERY WELL, and gained the ultimate prize in British Speedway - League Championship - at Poole. Perhaps Rosco can create team harmony where Middleditch cannot. Or maybe he kept Bridger away from press and twitter.

Erm, I was talking about this year. I watched a few heats last night, and it was match races between two riders. Switched it off for final 7 heats. Don't get me wrong, match racing can be good. I used to like the Golden Helmet Same will happen on Thursday. I could see Russians challenging Brits for 3rd. If you think the race off on Thursday will provide the best speedway in the history of the sport then you need to watch more speedway.