In Years To Come

[wildcat wizard]

The future in speedway is kids thats right kids they all know about football but what do they know about speedway answer nothing.

 

kids go free at every track, promoted at school level is the answer.

 

soon they will be adults and follow speedway for years as paying customers.

[Mylor]

......soon they will be adults and follow speedway for years as paying customers. 

Sorry to put a dampner on this ww but I think you'll find there are more ex-speedway fans than current ones. I stopped going when I took on a mortgage and got married in the '70s and only returned a few years ago. Unfortunately that revival was effectively cut short by the closure of Trelawny. I pay my Sky subscriptions but expect my meagre contribution to be used effectively for the future of the sport, not to line promoter's and rider's pockets.

 

If the sport doesn't take full advantage of this god-given opportunity and doesn't improve and grow I and a goodly number of West Country fans will be lost to the sport permanently.

[Kevin Meynell]

So how does everyone think the speedway would go in Britain in years to come. More teams? less teams?

 

The odds would be on less teams. Even if the sport manages to turn itself around, there will increasing environmental and land use pressures on the venues.

 

I feel the sport at an elite level will eventually come to a crisis where it will no longer be possible to sustain the running costs. That may be the catalyst for a new beginning, with new leagues with a lower cost basis being set-up outside the current framework, or the sport simply disappearing at anything but an amateur level.

 

In all honesty, I think the sport needs a strong visionary commissioner-type figure, who has the support of a handful of promoters that share a similar vision. If that happens, there's no reason why speedway could not return to being the 2nd or 3rd sport in the country, but not with most of the current lot.

 

I would like to think that few more teams start up and also more countries start get involved as lower countries like Croatia, Ukraine etc start to bring up more talented riders.

 

They simply don't have the speedway infrastructure to bring through more than a handful of riders. Croatia has one track, Ukraine only has two or three, and neither stage more than a handful of meetings each season. Speedway is declining in most parts of the world, and eventually potential riders will concentrate on other motorsports if they can't get regular rides.

[AndyM]

As part of their review, the promoters - or the sort of representative with the requisite qualities - have to take a long, hard look at what the viable number of profitable speedway tracks is likely to be in a few years time. Encouraging as many as possible to enter and join EL now is all very well, but if costs are continuing to rise it's not going to help them when the same clubs start to die off...as they very well might.

 

Kev - any idea what sort of person we're talking about? Can't think of anybody within speedway, myself. Also, I think Chief Executive might be a better title than Commissioner - implies accountability and authority. Not much point having a visionary Commissioner if their recommendations are simply going to be ignored by the metaphorically blind!

[Kevin Meynell]

Any idea what sort of person we're talking about? Can't think of anybody within speedway, myself.

 

I can think of one former promoter who perhaps could do the job, but it probably needs to be an external figure who sees potential in the sport. Even then, they would need to have a good grasp of the sporting and commercial aspects of running a successful sport.

 

IMO, the best supremo in recent times was the late-Pete Rozelle who ran the NFL for much of its existence. I'm not particularly interested in American football, but he did a lot to turn what was essentially a college game into a marketable sport watched around the world. More importantly, he understood the importance of balanced competition, and was instrumental in equal revenue sharing and the principle of allowing weaker teams to strengthen.

 

Also, I think Chief Executive might be a better title than Commissioner - implies accountability and authority.

 

To me, the term Commissioner implies more power with respect to sporting aspects, but it might just be a difference of nomenclature. A good Commissioner or CEO really needs to be his own man (or woman) and not be too swayed by what the track owners want (which will invariably be different things). Of course, he or she would ultimately need to command support amongst the promoters, but that should come with an improvement in the sport's fortunes. If that doesn't happen, then they're not doing their job properly and should rightly be sacked.

 

The only way for any sport to be run properly, is for club owners to have their say once a year, but leaving the day-to-day decision-making to a Commissioner (or perhaps Commission) which has no links to any club. Of course, the fact the BSPA hasn't implemented this yet, is one of the fundamental reasons why the sport is such a shambles today.

[sandman]

well written Kevin..i personally think nfl football is tedious to watch in person, i wouldnt walk across the street to watch a game.. but it is a sport that evolved through television.. it can be watchable on the tube because of the way it is presented..speedway needs to realise the opportunity it has due to sky and do everything in its power to make the races the absolute best they can..time is indeed short, this chance once gone will more than likely never come again..keep the well thought out posts coming..

[AndyM]

Whether or not you find football tedious, it provides a lot more for the paying customer than your average speedway match. You can see some matches with 15 minutes of entertainment in little more than an hour and a half. OK for my mother, who would use the time to catch up with her backlog of newspapers to read, but many new fans would walk away shaking their heads and saying "is that it?" Time for promoters to make better use of the interval between races, other than the occasional cheerleaders and bad interviews?

 

As for the senior figure we need to provide effective vision, I reckon we'd be much better off choosing someone from outside speedway to provide genuine management competencies and perspective from other sports - something of a Bernie Ecclestone without the ripping off. Even a retired PLC chairman, someone well-versed in planning and taking vital decisions. We have to be realistic and say that speedway is in the state it's in because we don't have those skills already.

[Kevin Meynell]

As for the senior figure we need to provide effective vision, I reckon we'd be much better off choosing someone from outside speedway to provide genuine management competencies and perspective from other sports

 

Certainly, but it would need to be someone with an interest in speedway, and one who also understands that professional sports need to be run somewhat differently to real-world business (i.e. that tracks should not commercially compete with one another, and that weaker teams must be able to compete on somewhat equal terms with the strongest).

 

The problem is, what successful businessman in their right mind would want to get involved with a financial disaster like speedway? Even if I had the time and money to throw away, there's no way I'd put it into the sport whilst most of the current promoters are involved.

[Kevin Meynell]

Time for promoters to make better use of the interval between races, other than the occasional cheerleaders and bad interviews?

 

That could be solved by running the heats one-after-another with no delay. It would obviously mean more heats would need to be run, but that's better than contrived gap filling.

 

I recently went to the US National Championship at Costa Mesa, and there they run a swift programme. The meeting went on for nearly 3 hours, but because the racing was almost non-stop (except for a short break to grade the track every 4 heats), the time went quickly.

[AndyM]

Certainly, but it would need to be someone with an interest in speedway, and one who also understands that professional sports need to be run somewhat differently to real-world business (i.e. that tracks should not commercially compete with one another, and that weaker teams must be able to compete on somewhat equal terms with the strongest).

 

The problem is, what successful businessman in their right mind would want to get involved with a financial disaster like speedway? Even if I had the time and money to throw away, there's no way I'd put it into the sport whilst most of the current promoters are involved.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A challenge to stave off the boredom of their NEDs! I did hint that someone with sporting experience was desirable, but the management competencies are more vital. Ensuring there are no ulterior motives is the principle reason why I suggested a retired businessman.

[sandman]

Whether or not you find football tedious, it provides a lot more for the paying customer than your average speedway match.  You can see some matches with 15 minutes of entertainment in little more than an hour and a half.  OK for my mother, who would use the time to catch up with her backlog of newspapers to read, but many new fans would walk away shaking their heads and saying "is that it?"  Time for promoters to make better use of the interval between races, other than the occasional cheerleaders and bad interviews?

 

As for the senior figure we need to provide effective vision, I reckon we'd be much better off choosing someone from outside speedway to provide genuine management competencies and perspective from other sports - something of a Bernie Ecclestone without the ripping off.  Even a retired PLC chairman, someone well-versed in planning and taking vital decisions.  We have to be realistic and say that speedway is in the state it's in because we don't have those skills already.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

american football is a total ripoff, viewed in person, spend your large admission, throw in an expensive stop at the consession stand and sit so far away you watch it on a little television sittin in yer lap..whilst fending off a nose bleed.. throw in all the time outs and farting around between plays just to see someone run a few yards every 5 minutes isnt my idea of a good time.. my point was, it is much better watched from the comfort of a chair in yer house, and the reason is, they have bent over backwards to take a boring sport and make it palatable for the general public by working with television rather than just going along with their good fortune for the time being. speedway is a far superior sport..no comparison..

[Kevin Meynell]

speedway is a far superior sport..no comparison.

 

Indeed, but I think speedway and American football have a lot in common. They both have inherent delays and lots of faffing around between short periods of action. As you say though, American football has managed to turn itself into a widely watched sport (even outside the US), whereas speedway has gone in the opposite direction.

[sandman]

it is quite sacreligious concerning the content of my remarks about football, especially at the salty dog.. football is a complete team sport, with only a few positions where the player can shine as an individual, such as quarterback, tight end and wide receivers. speedway is similar, except there is so much more opportunity for the individual to shine.. and i am at a loss why the riders dont capitalise on that.. they come from so many different countries, and live a lifestyle most can only dream about, although more like gypsies with little money. it can be all turned around, all of them deserve more pay and recognition.. Simon Wigg was the last of the really great individualists, instantly recognisable anywhere around the world..a really interesting person.. I just want to see everyone take advantage of this great opportunity called television to promote themselves and the sport..that is where the answer lays.. gotta go, stinker showed up in the parkin lot peein on some tyres..

[spiderweb]

Just a question from ozz do they race sidecars at teams meetings if not why not?

[AndyM]

american football is a total ripoff, viewed in person, spend your large admission, throw in an expensive stop at the consession stand and sit so far away you watch it on a little television sittin in yer lap..whilst fending off a nose bleed.. throw in all the time outs and farting around between plays just to see someone run a few yards every 5 minutes isnt my idea of a good time.. my point was, it is much better watched from the comfort of a chair in yer house, and the reason is, they have bent over backwards to take a boring sport and make it palatable for the general public by working with television rather than just going along with their good fortune for the time being. speedway is a far superior sport..no comparison..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that were the case, speedway would be getting 70,000 attendances and football scraping together 1,500 for a top fixture. We've got to stop kidding ourselves that this is a top class product we run that will appeal to the masses. It's got to be a massive leap in entertainment value if we expect speedway to win kudos and become a sexy sport to watch. I say that more in sorrow than in anger - for all the quality racing enjoyed by afficianados, the sport will die out sooner or later at league level if it isn't improved radically.

[Kevin Meynell]

We've got to stop kidding ourselves that this is a top class product we run that will appeal to the masses.

 

I think the point is though, that the NFL and the NBA proves you can make a success out of the most boring sports. Speedway is an inherent exciting sport, but has been badly let down by the people running it over the years.

[AndyM]

Very true! Highlights my point about the expertise up there at Rugby, or rather the lack of it...

[sandman]

I think the point is though, that the NFL and the NBA proves you can make a success out of the most boring sports. Speedway is an inherent exciting sport, but has been badly let down by the people running it over the years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree completely..

[enotian]

Very true!  Highlights my point about the expertise up there at Rugby, or rather the lack of it...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Part of the trouble seems to be that speedway doesn't know what it's target market is.

 

We keep hearing family sport and yes the atmosphere at most matches is acceptable to attract families even if the facilities often aren't. It certainly costs less to take a family to speedway than top level football but not other minority sports such as ice hokey or basketball, which have the advantage on facilities in general.

 

In general there is plenty of competition for your family pound, sporting or otherwise.

 

What about marketing the sport towards people already interested in motorsports. Sure speedway is at a disadvantage in that you can't really go out and buy the equipment or a "road version" for everyday use like say a superbike or world rally car but in it's favour:-

 

It's far more exciting at its best than all other motorsports which seem long drawn out affairs to me.

 

That also means it's more TV friendly with natural breaks meaning none of the action is missed.

 

Spectator friendly. If you go to see a rally you only see one car pass at a time or if you go to Donnington you only see the action at the part of the track you are at. With speedway you can see the lot.

 

Far more chance of winner being decided late in the meeting. I find with other motorsports it's usually done and dusted well before the finish bar the odd fall/mechanical problem.

 

Geographically representative. They have teams in other motorsports who are roughly based at a set location but they certainly aren't marketed as representing this country or that region.

 

Spectator facilities aren't that great at many of the motorsport events. Motorsports fans are used to roughing it i.e standing on a hill in Wales in the snow.

 

Speedway is cheaper. Sure you get a full days "entertainment" at other motorsports but mostly that's filler with the main attraction lasting about the same time as a speedway match.

 

But most importantly speedway runs midweek every week. I can't think of another motorsport that does, certainly on a regular basis.

 

Most of the big motorsports championships have huge followings so the interest is there but the opportunity to attend on a regular basis isn't.

 

It just seems to me that speedway has never been marketed (perhaps full stop) as a motorsport to a market who are essentially starved of regular accesible action.

 

And it's an international market aswell. Asian and Central Europe even South America seem to attract large crowds albeit once or twice a season. Speedway just seems content to pander to Poland Scandanavia and Britain.

 

There's a huge market of motorsport fans out there but to my mind those who run speedway have done nothing to attract them.

[AndyM]

Entonian, you're evidently a person after my own heart. Speedway doesn't take marketing seriously. That's a point I've made repeatedly over the years, to which answers have never been forthcoming from the people that count. Real marketing expertise to segment and target the right potential audience for speedway could make a huge difference to how effectively new punters are attracted and sustained. And the beauty is, it doesn't need to cost a lot of money - but does need some time, thought and effort. A few of us proposed to do something very similar for Belle Vue but were rejected by the (then) promotion.

 

However, in terms of the design and implementation of a marketing campaign, I think it's been all too passive for far too long. Time the sport was a lot more proactive and started a guerilla marketing campaign - the sort Nike, Coca Cola and other corporates are noted for, but which could be launched at any level in any locality by any organisation with a mind to blitz the competition. And our competition is any alternative form of leisure activity. What sort of energy for a fight do we have?