My Thoughts On The Future

[speedway-simon]

I Personally think that the way forward is for speedway to advertise its self better alote of people my age 20,s dont have a clue what it is it needs to be locally advertised like using local tv stations , billboards , & local radio i think you would get alote more people to the races i see from being a fan myself i think that speedway is a family sport & i think tv would do wonders & tv & radio do great adds certainly think it would be worth a shot.

[barrow boy]

I Personally think that the way forward is for speedway to advertise its self better alote of people my age 20,s dont have a clue what it is it needs to be locally advertised like using local tv stations , billboards , & local radio i think you would get alote more people to the races i see from being a fan myself i think that speedway is a family sport & i think tv would do wonders & tv & radio do great adds certainly think it would be worth a shot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry that your post has received no replies and as such I would like to give you at least one because I too was in a similar position once and I know how it feels. Non speedway diehards do not take the sport seriously enough for advertising to make any difference. Lakeside proved what could be done by providing free admission recently. They were still trying to get in long after the meeting had started. Obviously this was a one off but if you think about it 3000 admissions @ say £5 each would rake in £15K plus programme sales, track shop sales and refreshment sales could quite easily rake in another £5K. As it is at present 500 @ £15 each is only £7.5K coming in. A bigger crowd attracts more media attention and the sport has a better profile. The thing to do then is to take out things like Guest Riders and any other Mickey Mouse rules and you might be on to something and proper advertising might then work.

[popey81]

I totally agree with you. Most of the people who i talk to have never been or heard of Speedway, it baffles measwell because i can here the bikes from my house when im not at the track so i dont understand why people havent been curious and gone down. We have nothing to advertise our speedway round here which saddens me because i love the atmosphere of a packed stadium and brilliant racing! The thing is Advertising costs money and some Promotors are not willing to pay that price.

 

I think if football teams can get 20,000 week in week out then speedway can push higher numbers than what there getting, like you said its a family sport and most familys dont know ehat to do together most nights so going to speedway is a great idea.

[barrow boy]

I see that another thread has started on the best way forward in Speedway General Discussions advocating an 8 team Elite League comprising of teams built to a 45 point limit standard and to be run on Wednesdays and Thursdays only. Good idea in principle. Might prevent one sided matches, might not, but if such a venture can be run seriously without Guest riders and Tactical Rides etc it could be worth trying.

[25yearfan]

8 team League won't work much better than what we've got now cause its too small, therefore fans would soon get obored of the lack of variety.

 

I agree that guest riders doesn't seem quite right - a bit like a Liverpool player guesting for Manchester United!

But in speedway the teams don't operate squad systems, the ampount of speedway riders about is low, riders of the required level are rarely sittign on the sidelines and injuries do occur quite often especially now with riders riding all over Europe in the different Leagues.

 

I'm afraid that guest riders are a necessary evil of our sport. Its would be no good say Coventry replacing an injured heat leader with a local 2nd halfer whos signed on for the Bees just to eradicate guest riders. It would be far better Coventry getting a guest who is of a similar level to their injured heat leader in order to have a competitive meeting.

 

But I do agree that more advertising would help matters no end!

[speedyguy]

In the good 'old days' no guests, no repooling at the end of each season, no points limits.

 

Teams went on being built from season-to-season. Real magic when a star was out and an a second string moved up, as did a reserve, then a second-halfer had a chance at reserve.

 

Speedway was then a real team sport. Those days will never return. Was that scheme of things better? I know what I think. The clubs then functioned in their team building in much the same way as football clubs operate these days.

 

That built great teams like Wembley, Belle Vue, Wimbledon - and the sport flourished. It all took place years ago, when I was a lad. In many ways, the magic has gone from the sport. It will never return.

 

Those who did not experience the concept of the 1940s and 1950s cannot appreciate what damage has been done to a great sport because of the constant 'fiddling about and bright ideas' of the past 35 years.

[MattK]

I agree with the OP that speedway at the moment is very confused as to which team to bat for.

 

On one side it is marketing itself as a family friendly sport, but on the other hand it's booking guest appearances of "babes" and attracting sponsorship from the likes of Zoo and PartyPoker.

[Kevin Meynell]

Those who did not experience the concept of the 1940s and 1950s cannot appreciate what damage has been done to a great sport because of  the constant 'fiddling about and bright ideas' of the past 35 years.

 

To be fair, the 'fiddling about and bright ideas' came about because the previous laissez-faire situation ended-up being unsustainable and the sport nearly went under. You could equally say that rider control and other innovations led to another 'golden era' during the late-1960s and early-1970s.

 

The clubs then functioned in their team building in much the same way as football clubs operate these days.

 

I would hesitate to use football as an example of how to run a sport well. Most football clubs only survive through continued injections of finance from wealthy benefactors. It just about works in football because there are enough mugs following football who are prepared to throw their money away, but speedway has nothing like the patronage of that sport.

 

More to the point, a financial free-for-all has resulting in 3 or 4 teams dominating, with the rest making-up the numbers. Football might draw the crowds for now, but it's becoming a tedious spectacle.

[Kevin Meynell]

but on the other hand it's booking guest appearances of "babes" and attracting sponsorship from the likes of Zoo and PartyPoker.

 

Why is that not 'family oriented'?

 

To be honest, I also much prefer the more tasteful 'tapes tarts' to the completely superficial 'Page 3 model' types that promoters used to book in the past.

Edited July 23, 2007 by Kevin Meynell

[Grachan]

We get all this talk about speedway being a "family sport" but, personally, it's not somewhere I like to take my kids too often. There's too much bad language and aggressive shouting on the terraces for me to consider it my idea of a family sport.

 

I agree on the page 3 types too. All a bit silly really. Much prefer proper start girls connected with the club like the ones at Swindon and Poole. They look a lot better and less cheap.

 

And as for the adverts for the "Super7even" with a couple of shots of girls in their underwear. What the hell was all that about?

 

I think one reason Swindon get pretty good crowds is because of the excellent coverage in the local paper. Back page headlines and colour photos for every match.

[cheetahsrback]

my views on promoting the sport.....

 

do a bit of free promoting like going into schools and that and not just the one closest to the stadium go all round the county get the youth involved go to youth centres etc, in schools you have football demos etc, obv you can't get a speedway demo but some one like greg hancock in a school would do wonders.

 

i never knew what speedway was until i went then had a 2 year absence went back got to know some riders and haven't looked back, it's good seeing people on the track or on tele thinking i was talking to them x days ago or saying i know them.

 

also introduce things like a family ticket take money off for 2 adults and 2 children, and loads of promotions after all this country loves bargains.

[MattK]

I agree on the page 3 types too. All a bit silly really. Much prefer proper start girls connected with the club like the ones at Swindon and Poole. They look a lot better and less cheap.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Albeit with the name of the local lap dancing club plastered all over them

[Grachan]

Albeit with the name of the local lap dancing club plastered all over them

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Good lord! You're right. I never realised that before. Another one in the eye for the so called "family sport" image then.

[Trackman]

Poor Grachan, ya can't win...

Regards.

PS.

Infield Sliding!... Should we have "Club members" teaming up? ....

[sllimnitram]

There needs to be more promotion outside of areas as i travel an hour every week to watch Poole. Im also only 40mins from somerset and hour n half from swindon. If it was advertised here more people would go. ive taken many friends who have never herd of it and they love it when they go. i also find that when i talk to people about 40 and over, that they used to go to speedway but stopped and havnt been in year. Why did they stop going? and lets get them to go again. Prices could be too high from some though.

[olethefod]

I have to say that more sense has been talked on the future of speedway on this thread than any of the others I have read, as they say 'Its bums on seats' that pay the bills! The £5 a head idea is whats needed, to fill the stadiums again, cram em in cheap, I know someone in Kiddy that went to football for years to watch his local southern league team, as the crowds grew he thought it would be good idea to have an advertisement auding at the stadium, this led to ball sponsorship, boot sponsorship and so on, had he not been there then he wouldn't have thrown his cash at the harriers.

 

Budweiser league basket ball was big in the UK around ten years ago, £12 for a family ticket and the same sort of player spectator relationship we have with the riders, 10,000 turned up at the NIA to Bulletts v Sharks the atmosphere was amazing, so they moved to the NEC bunged up the price to £10 and £5 to get in, crowds dissapeared like English summers and so did the bulletts, SKY dropped the league like a hot potato closely followed by Budweiser, the play offs at Wembley attracted 10,000 crowds every year not one day but two. The lesson this teaches is keep it affordable and accesible, the car park at the NEC was £8 on top of the entrance and the NEC is a thirty mile round trip from the old venue in the city.

 

What about £20 family tickets at speedway?

 

Why not race on Sunday afternoon or saturday night? When dad used to come home from pit at 2pm, we could get to speedway by 7pm for a pie and a pint, to get to speedway for seven now, dad has to leave the office two hours early, fight his way home, pick up the family and fight his way through traffic to the stadium, when he gets to the stadium theres no where to park if the gate is more than 1,000 and has to walk his family through some scarey places in the dark to reach the stadium, when we get there we have to queue for half an hour as only one turnstile is open and miss the first three heats, in football they delay the kickoff if people are trying to get in (SKY have to suffer the consequences) in Speedway the people people outside have to hope they set sky plus if the meets on as no one inside really cares if they miss half the meeting.

[Deano4265]

I have to say that more sense has been talked on the future of speedway on this thread than any of the others I have read, as they say 'Its bums on seats' that pay the bills! The £5 a head idea is whats needed, to fill the stadiums again, cram em in cheap, I know someone in Kiddy that went to football for years to watch his local southern league team, as the crowds grew he thought it would be good idea to have an advertisement auding at the stadium, this led to ball sponsorship, boot sponsorship and so on, had he not been there then he wouldn't have thrown his cash at the harriers.

 

Budweiser league basket ball was big in the UK around ten years ago, £12 for a family ticket and the same sort of player spectator relationship we have with the riders, 10,000 turned up at the NIA to Bulletts v Sharks the atmosphere was amazing, so they moved to the NEC bunged up the price to £10 and £5 to get in, crowds dissapeared like English summers and so did the bulletts, SKY dropped the league like a hot potato closely followed by Budweiser, the play offs at Wembley attracted 10,000 crowds every year not one day but two. The lesson this teaches is keep it affordable and accesible, the car park at the NEC was £8 on top of the entrance and the NEC is a thirty mile round trip from the old venue in the city.

 

What about £20 family tickets at speedway?

 

Why not race on Sunday afternoon or saturday night? When dad used to come home from pit at 2pm, we could get to speedway by 7pm for a pie and a pint, to get to speedway for seven now, dad has to leave the office two hours early, fight his way home, pick up the family and fight his way through traffic to the stadium, when he gets to the stadium theres no where to park if the gate is more than 1,000 and has to walk his family through some scarey places in the dark to reach the stadium, when we get there we have to queue for half an hour as only one turnstile is open and miss the first three heats, in football they delay the kickoff if people are trying to get in (SKY have to suffer the consequences) in Speedway the people people outside have to hope they set sky plus if the meets on as no one inside really cares if they miss half the meeting.

How many more clubs have to close for financial reasons before they realise that if the prices were dropped and families etc were encourage to go along they might survive - @ Rye it costs me £13 for me and £3 each for my 2 daughters and nephew, £2 per programe that isnt even worth 50p, fish chips from the local chippy as its cheaper and 100% better than they serve up @ Rye plus diesel to get to and from the track. Some away tracks are even more of a rip off Reading and Birmingham £5 per child. I'd like to see a promoter with balls and go £5 a head for everyone including a race card. I live in Hatfield about 12 miles from Rye House, there has never been any advertising in our local papers, posters in or around Hatfield, WGC, Potters Bar, St. Albans, Watford, Hemel, Harpenden, Luton, most have large shopping malls where a stand could be put up with riders taking it in turns to show of their gear. Why do promoters constantly advertise in Speedway star etc, speedway supporters already know what's on. We are now a multi cultural society yet our tracks see very little of the Polish fraternity, and we all know how big it is in Poland. The sport also needs a big revamp and the removal of the points limit.

[Snyper1010]

I agree on all that has been said so far. I got to the Scotwaste Arena (Armadale) every friday. I live about 25-30 miles away so thers fuel costs right away. All because Edinbugh City Council are too ignorant to take the sport seriously. Then its £13.50 an adults £5 for kids 12-16 anyone under 12 with a paying adult is allowed in free. But then you have £2 a program (who actually reads that rubbish?) you have about a fiver at the snack van. Then your pints, raffles, fuel fund. Also missed out the £1 for the car park (all adds up ) Prices need dropped to get more people into the stadiums and they need to stay low to keep them there.

 

Also on the rules side. Have you ever saw a newbie to the sport being told ALL the rules? watch there face drop and turn white.

There is no need in all the rules we have, atleast the bikes are simple an engine and a seat why cant the rules follow that method? Lose the TR its a stupid rule and can ruin a teams night and season if it proves vital on enough occasions. Lose the Points rule, so money will talk atleast we will see some proper competition rather than 2 top riders and 5 duds following behind. speedway has the foundations to be one of the top sport with its riders/fans access. As many of you will know by now i have been lucky to get alot of help from one of the pros to get my own gear going, but no one outside the sport would believe that we follow a sport so great that you can have a pro at your house helping you fix your own bike.

[olethefod]

I agree on all that has been said so far. I got to the Scotwaste Arena (Armadale) every friday. I live about 25-30 miles away so thers fuel costs right away. All because Edinbugh City Council are too ignorant to take the sport seriously. Then its £13.50 an adults £5 for kids 12-16 anyone under 12 with a paying adult is allowed in free. But then you have £2 a program (who actually reads that rubbish?) you have about a fiver at the snack van. Then your pints, raffles, fuel fund. Also missed out the £1 for the car park (all adds up ) Prices need dropped to get more people into the stadiums and they need to stay low to keep them there.

 

Also on the rules side. Have you ever saw a newbie to the sport being told ALL the rules? watch there face drop and turn white.

There is no need in all the rules we have, atleast the bikes are simple an engine and a seat why cant the rules follow that method? Lose the TR its a stupid rule and can ruin a teams night and season if it proves vital on enough occasions. Lose the Points rule, so money will talk atleast we will see some proper competition rather than 2 top riders and 5 duds following behind. speedway has the foundations to be one of the top sport with its riders/fans access. As many of you will know by now i have been lucky to get alot of help from one of the pros to get my own gear going, but no one outside the sport would believe that we follow a sport so great that you can have a pro at your house helping you fix your own bike.

 

At last we seem to have thread that has a common theme, with the exception of someone raising the start girls attire!

 

We have a number of simple concepts that we need addressing to ensure safety for our sport:

 

1) Take a serious look at pricing and match it too surroundings and customer base.

 

2) Stop driving away the Worlds greatest talent.

 

3) Asses if weekend racing is viable due to working practices now in place (We work far longer hours now than in the 40's, 50's and 60's, even though less productive, how productive can answering emails all day be?)

 

4) If you own a contract, you own the rider and he wears your colours, if you don't want him, sell him to someone offering the best deal.

 

5) A Cup system drawing teams from all three leagues like the FA Cup, not home and away, one leg only unless drawn.

 

6) Advertise everywhere and get our hands on a big name sponsor that everyone knows.

 

As I sit here looking at my Wolves line up from the early 70's with Ole Olsen, Hans Neilsen, Finn Thomsen, George Hunter, etc.........I think they were great days, but they ain't coming back so lets drop this 'In the old days' and start to look forward.

 

 

 

[Snyper1010]

At last we seem to have thread that has a common theme, with the exception of someone raising the start girls attire!

 

We have a number of simple concepts that we need addressing to ensure safety for our sport:

 

1) Take a serious look at pricing and match it too surroundings and customer base.

 

2) Stop driving away the Worlds greatest talent.

 

3) Asses if weekend racing is viable due to working practices now in place (We work far longer hours now than in the 40's, 50's and 60's, even though less productive, how productive can answering emails all day be?)

 

4) If you own a contract, you own the rider and he wears your colours, if you don't want him, sell him to someone offering the best deal.

 

5) A Cup system drawing teams from all three leagues like the FA Cup, not home and away, one leg only unless drawn.

 

6) Advertise everywhere and get our hands on a big name sponsor that everyone knows.

 

As I sit here looking at my Wolves line up from the early 70's with Ole Olsen, Hans Neilsen, Finn Thomsen, George Hunter, etc.........I think they were great days, but they ain't coming back so lets drop this 'In the old days' and start to look forward.

 

 

I think we need plenty of explosives to get rid of the BSPA before speedway will ever move forward