Wembley Hopes

[speedyguy]

The September 20 edition of Motorsport News says that the organisers of the Race of Champions want to talk to the new Wembley Stadium owners about staging the big car racing event there in 2007. This is because their present three year agreement with the Stade de France in Paris ends after this December.

 

And the report further quotes a Wembley spokesman as saying they are keen to stage all sorts of events in the Stadium.

 

I wonder, havve the Grand Prix organisers seen this report and are they also going to see about a possible speedway use for the stadium?

 

And how about the Grand Prix moving to Paris in the Stade de France? These are both great venues for a Grand Prix - better I feel than some of the outposts used in Eastern Europe.

 

There's a wonderful MN cover photo of how the Stade de France looks when set up for the Race of Champions. I can 'almost taste' speedway going on there!

[AndyM]

Great locations, but can speedway afford them and fill them?

[ulrichsfans]

i say keep gp at cardiff brilliant stadium and atmostphere

[Shaledodger]

i say keep gp at cardiff brilliant stadium and atmostphere

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Mmmmm..........................pity about the track.

 

Give me the East European outposts every time!

[cwf]

I think BSI have Cardiff signed and sealed for a number of years to come. It suits both parties and is now an established event in the calendar for the city.

 

I dont think Wembley would be too interested in hosting speedway yet. It's too "minority" for them. Having said that it would be great to think that one day speedway will be a big enough attraction to have GPs at both Cardiff and Wembley

[Ironside]

I think wales is too insignificant a town to host a Grand Prix and it should be staged at the home of Speedway, no not Sheilfield park... Wembley

[Subedei]

The new Wembley is owned by Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Football Association. And it's difficult to imagine that WNSL won't find itself embroiled in an almighty wrangle with Multiplex over the costs of building the stadium. Multiplex are losing money left, right and centre at Wembley and they'll try and recoup some of their losses probably via the courts.

[AndyM]

So while they have always tried to create a dedicated football stadium, they might have no choice but to embrace sports like speedway to make the stadium pay and to fund the ongoing legal action? Interesting theory! Let's see what happens.

[Diesel]

I think wales is too insignificant a town

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Since when has Wales been a town?

 

And its not like Wales is a COUNTRY that can't host international sporting events. We've got the Ryder Cup in 4 years and Wales Rally GB every year.

 

Wembley wouldn't provide anywhere near the day out that Cardiff does as its in a god awful location!

[speedyguy]

So while they have always tried to create a dedicated football stadium, they might have no choice but to embrace sports like speedway to make the stadium pay and to fund the ongoing legal action?  Interesting theory!  Let's see what happens. 

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Motoring News September 20 makes it clear they (Wembley Stadium) would consider options to stage other events.

 

The possibility of a major car event surely makes it likely that speedway could also be an option.

[star ghost]

Is Wembley ever going to be ready for football, let alone anything else?

[tone deaf]

I'm quite happy with Cardiff thanks. Wembley would be a lot nearer for me but the world doesn't revolve around London. London can't even sustain a speedway team.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

London can't even sustain a speedway team.

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And Cardiff does..??!!

I've lost count of the number of times there's been a thread on this subject and everyone comes along and rubbishes the idea of Speedway returning to Wembley.

 

The boost to the sport of Speedway being staged at Wembley would be immeasurable. To turn down such an opportunity is to set the clock ticking for the countdown of the end of the sport in this country.

 

I feel sorry for those starting up Speedway in Birmingham (as the country's Second City) if they're to receive the same sort of hugely negative response there always is when Speedway in London is attempted. Hackney 1996, Wimbledon 2002-'05: just nothing but criticism and zero support from the Speedway world and authorities.

 

London CAN sustain Speedway (and for the future of the sport it MUST); but it won't happen if the Speedway world itself is so determined to ensure all attempts are sabotaged..

[speedyguy]

And Cardiff does..??!!

I've lost count of the number of times there's been a thread on this subject and everyone comes along and rubbishes the idea of Speedway returning to Wembley.

 

The boost to the sport of Speedway being staged at Wembley would be immeasurable. To turn down such an opportunity is to set the clock ticking for the countdown of the end of the sport in this country.

 

I feel sorry for those starting up Speedway in Birmingham (as the country's Second City) if they're to receive the same sort of hugely negative response there always is when Speedway in London is attempted.  Hackney 1996, Wimbledon 2002-'05: just nothing but criticism and zero support from the Speedway world and authorities.

 

London CAN sustain Speedway (and for the future of the sport it MUST); but it won't happen if the Speedway world itself is so determined to ensure all attempts are sabotaged..

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That such a prestige car event as the Race of Champions is being talked of for Wembley is something speedway would be foolish to ignore. It shows that speedway could also move in there.

 

I agree with all your comments on both Birmingham and speedway in London. Wembley is known world-wide - cannot same the same for some of the other venues where the Speedway Grand Prix takes place.

 

Speedway so far has not scorned the idea of also sounding out Wembley - probably because it has not yet EVEN considered the possibility. Let's hope it is not leaden-footed over the chance - and also that the GP organisers also consider the Stade de France in Paris. That's easy travelling from this country these days.

[south coast robin]

Seems a shame there are no clubs in the Capital now .

 

It dominated speedway in the 40s / 50s..teams such as Wembley , New Cross , Wimbledon ,West Ham , Harringay ( so my Old Man told me ) .

 

Remember as a nipper in the 60s watching New Cross , Wimbledon , West Ham , and Hackney , then there was Wembley , and White City , in the 70s .

 

I think Cardiff is an excellent Grand Prix venue , long may it continue .

[SuzieQ]

I actually think that we may have a GP round in London in 2008!

 

After all they are planning to hold the first GP of the year at Cardiff to mark the 100th (I think that is correct) so I would not be at all surprised to find that a round is planned for later in the calendar at Wembley!

[spook]

The major plus for the fans if a GP was held at Wembley is that hotel prices will not suddenly double or triple like they do in Cardiff......every hotel will be a mere tube journey away and trains will be able to be caught to the rest of the country.

 

Of course holding a GP at Wembley would not necessarily be at the cost of the Cardiff GP as Poland and Sweden have been able to sustain two GP's for a number of years..........and there is an argument that such a historic venue (both stadia and City) would attract significantly more fans.

[Ron Butler]

I think BSI have Cardiff signed and sealed for a number of years to come. It suits both parties and is now an established event in the calendar for the city.

 

I dont think Wembley would be too interested in hosting speedway yet. It's too "minority" for them. Having said that it would be great to think that one day speedway will  be a big enough attraction to have GPs at both Cardiff and Wembley

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World Championship Final. Empire Stadium, Wembley. 1949

 

Winner: Tommy Price [England & Wembley Lions]

Second: Jack Parker [England & Belle Vue Aces]

Third: Louis Lawson [England & Belle Vue Aces]

 

This is the only time in the history of the sport that, to my knowledge, the World Championship Final rostrum has been tenanted by three men from the same country. I think it's also the only time when two riders from the same English club have stood side by side on the plinth.

 

Those three men were not only from England - they were all members of the England international team.

 

It was reported in both the speedway and national press of the time that the Empire Stadium was filled to its 90,000 capacity.

 

I wish you could all have been there to share that wonderful day with me.

 

Ron

[Jeff.]

World Championship Final.  Empire Stadium, Wembley.  1949

 

Winner:  Tommy Price [England & Wembley Lions]

Second:  Jack Parker  [England & Belle Vue Aces]

Third:      Louis Lawson [England & Belle Vue Aces]

 

This is the only time in the history of the sport that, to my knowledge,  the World Championship Final rostrum has been tenanted by three men from the same country.  I think it's also the only time when two riders from the same English club have stood side by side on the plinth.

 

Those three men were not only from England - they were all members of the England international team.

 

It was reported in both the speedway and national press of the time that the Empire Stadium was filled to its 90,000 capacity.

 

I wish you could all have been there to share that wonderful day with me.

 

Ron

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It happened in 1988 as well Ron, Gundersen Nielsen and Pederesen. Gundersen and Pedersen From Cradley. The Speedway and National presss often reported 90000 crowds for speedway at Wembley but in actual fact it only happened 4 times, although I think 1949 could have been 1 of the 4. Even in 1981 the crowd was only 70 odd thousand although 92000 is the usually quoted figure

[cwf]

On a purely practical point. Is Wembley designed so that the pitch can be removed easily to accommodate other sports/events?. The Cardiff pitch is laid on pallets which can be easily shipped in and out making the Millennium stadium very flexible in the events it can stage.

I dont think the Wembley owners would be too keen on having tonnes of shale dumped on some temporary platform over their beloved turf.