Phil Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 What are the crowds like at Mildenhall and Wimbledon and are there ready to move up? (lets leave the discussion of the size of the league for a different day) Are there any other clubs in the conference league which could move up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
born_2b_mad Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 Although the crowds have been steadily rising at Plough Lane this season, the argument is that the levels will only comfortably cover racing at Conference Level. To move up to Premier would be a gamble, with the vast increase in riders wages, because at the moment with riders on £5 per point, the turnstile covers this. Then of course there is the rent, which is undoubtedly the highest in Speedway. Then again you could say that the Club is surviving on its own supporters at the moment, because the only time visiting supporters will come in numbers is when the likes of Mildenhall and erm, well Mildenhall are in opposition. With the move up to Premier we would be getting around 25% more supporters from the visiting team. Do we stay where we are and survive in comfort, or do we move up and fall by the wayside as we did in 1991. Tricky one, thank god I'm not the one to make the decision!! But ultimately I would love to see my team back up with the Elite, not neccessarily in the Elite ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidC Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 Hmmm, an interesting one as ever from Phil. Last year Mildenhall made a profit in the CL, no mean feat when you look at our payroll! As with most clubs perhaps, I'm sure we could stay above water in the PL with the crowds we get for the BIG matches - Rye House, Peterborough, Wimbledon, but as for on crowds on fixtures against likes of Newport, Wolves, Carmarthen, I'm not too sure. Almost impossible to tell until Mr Mole lets me sees his figures! There's a lot to say on if we went up we could have derbies against Kings Lynn, possibly Ipswich, Rye & Arena to attract big crowds. There's no doubt our following has also grown due to winning matches regularly - would this subside if we were just a run of the mill PL team? It's a poser but in my opinion Dingle was always right - we should stay where we are financially secure. We closed in 92 'cause of poor crowds, they weren't the greatest in the late 80s either - it's better for regular speedway in the CL than to risk financial ruin for a step up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lioness Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 Basically it seems to be the same arguement for the step up from CL to PL as it does from PL to EL. Financial survival is a necessity.....its good to see teams being realistic about that in all 3 leagues. Once we all realise it we can look at ways of working together to ensure a future for all three leagues and speedway as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted May 6, 2003 Report Share Posted May 6, 2003 The Conferance league has expanded so much since its birth, I'm pretty sure other clubs would run teams if their stadiums/councillors allowed. It wouldn't surpise me if in another five years if speedway continues to grow at its current rate that there will be as many teams in the conferance as in the Premier. Speedway thrives on variety, look at the success of the premier league. Lets hope stability comes before gamble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted May 6, 2003 Report Share Posted May 6, 2003 I enjoy conference racing and like seeing the youngsters come on.I remember in the late nineties 98? when there were five or six teams in there which were Newport,Buxton,Mildenhall,St Austell,Boston I think,now look at it!.Great. Robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted July 21, 2003 Report Share Posted July 21, 2003 Basically it seems to be the same arguement for the step up from CL to PL as it does from PL to EL. Financial survival is a necessity.....its good to see teams being realistic about that in all 3 leagues. Once we all realise it we can look at ways of working together to ensure a future for all three leagues and speedway as a whole. I'm with you 100% on that Lioness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JY2003 Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 I would love to see Wimbledon in the Premier League and have the likes of Carl Stonehewer come down and either ride for us or against us!Would be fantastic!Hehe! ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Andrew- Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 I think, as long as Mildenhall got a crowd of about 800, and with "Moneybags Mole, they would be able to survive. Mole is loaded, and as long as they got a respectable crowd figure and could build a team, then Mildenhall would have no worries IMO. No offence to Wimbledon, but when I seen the Plough Lane track on SKY I think if they move up to the PL it would need a bit of work done on it because riders had to shut-off a lot by the looks of it. If the crowds are big enough, and the promotion can afford it, then (again) why not move up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireblade Posted August 17, 2003 Report Share Posted August 17, 2003 If Wimbledon pay riders like Wayne Barrett £25 a point, no wonder they can't afford to move up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Man Posted August 18, 2003 Report Share Posted August 18, 2003 Why this Obsession to move up, far better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. If you like the riders you have now,enjoy them because moving up would probably mean a new set of riders. That goes for all teams, it needs a lot of hard thinking, its a big step and could be financial suicide. There's only one thing after that..... CLOSURE..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin palmer Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Just makes you wonder if the future for Speedway in this country , at least at Club level, is similar to Conference, IE: basically enthusiasts, with expenses being covered.....not a thrilling thought, but with so few clubs from the EL or the PL actually making money, it does make me a little worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
born_2b_mad Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 If Wimbledon pay riders like Wayne Barrett £25 a point, no wonder they can't afford to move up. Yes, of course we do!! :roll: :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Better to have Wimbledon in the Conference League than no Wimbledon at all. Let's just take our time on this one, eh and let the crowds build round the success of the Dons in the Conference arena? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Man Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Better to have Wimbledon in the Conference League than no Wimbledon at all. Let's just take our time on this one, eh and let the crowds build round the success of the Dons in the Conference arena? Well said Norbold!!!!!, I think that statment is good sense for most clubs, I don't think Somerset are as well off as they used to be, its a very big step..., I think let the Conference League gradually progress into a true third division ......... OR.... Second division and Premier first division. Since 1998 Conference has built up by umpteen teams, Elite have put on none...You can see where the growth is in Speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 my views are its time for a split.... Conference level is a great way for teams to be formed/re formed, and a great place to start on the speedway ladder for both Riders and teams. but i feel that the CL is being held back from being a true "third division" by the "second" teams. with that i have no gripe against second teams, some of which have produced some quality riders for there PL/EL subsideries. so to my proposal... split the CL into two...."Stand alone" clubs and "second teams" with the introduction of Weymouth, Norwich, and Possibly Leicester and Scunthorpe and maybe even Sittingbourne, along with Wimbledon, Buxton, Mildenhall, Boston and Carmathen would produce a league of 10 teams, which could fulfill there fixtures by riding each other twice home and away like in the EL, leaving Armadale, Swindon, Wolves, Sheffield, Rye House, Trelawny, Stoke, Oxford, and Newcastle to contest the Conference Trophy, and throw them all into the KOCup together. that would give space within the system, for the likes of Reading, Kings Lynn, etc who all have expressed a wish to enter the CL/CT next term, and the ability for the clubs to have a CL season, and also bring on youngsters. any thoughts then on a step up to a higher league would be easier for the "stand alone" clubs promotions to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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