Gelsenkirchen Off !

[THE Wolverine]

Exactly.

 

 

 

Ignoramus.

 

 

R Sole

 

 

 

 

[colincooke]

Flight £136, Hotel £50, Car Hire £52, Ticket £25, Changing to an earlier return flight £55 admin charge – arriving at the stadium and discovering a complete disaster, priceless!

 

Three of us flew out yesterday (Friday) from Heathrow and were scheduled to return mid afternoon on Sunday.

 

Arrived at the stadium on Saturday morning to purchase tickets at around 10.30am. Everything seemed very quiet compared to 2007 when even early in the day there was a real buzz about the stadium.

 

Still, the weather was absolutely glorious, the temperature gauge on the hire car read 19 degrees and it was most certainly t-shirt weather. Brilliant!

 

At the ticket booth we found one window was open, there was no queue so we walked up and purchased our tickets – no problem at all.

 

We were informed by the lady behind the ticketing window that meeting programmes were currently not available. Apparently this was because there had been a major printing error and subsequently the programmes were ALL being printed again. This seemed very strange, but hey mistakes happen and we thought we'd purchase a programme later in the day.

 

Still things around the arena were eerily quiet, we walked the whole stadium and saw no more than fifty people, by now it's about 11am. Still early I know, but the place was just dead. We peered through the gates into the stadium and everything looked fine, the roof was open and even though the shale looked a touch darker than usual there was no reason to be concerned.

 

We headed back to the hotel for some lunch and then planned to return to the stadium about three. Still the weather was beautiful.

 

About 1.30ish we received a text from a friend saying that the meeting had been postponed. We thought this was a joke and laughed it off between us, the weather was glorious why would the meeting be off?

 

Just out of curiosity we checked the speedwayworld.tv website on our mobile phones. Jaws collectively dropped when we read the official statement.

 

We jumped in the car, drove to the stadium and parked up. The first thing that became apparent was the poor level of communication coming from the organisers. In the space of an hour, the trikes that were obviously scheduled to take the riders on parade showed up. Then, the Audi cars that were clearly intended for the presentation laps showed up. The Girl Band who were meant to be performing even arrived!!

 

Spectators were arriving still expecting to see a meeting. There was no signs telling fans the meeting was off, there were no handouts. We walked to the ticket booth to get a refund on our tickets and the whole place was locked up, the shutters were pulled down.

 

 

The fans were treated with utter contempt and the organisers acted weakly by fleeing the stadium and leaving sheer chaos in their wake.

 

I understand if the track was dangerous then the riders can't race, I perfectly appreciate that but the organisers have a duty to ensure a surface is prepared that is acceptable.

 

We paid £55 to change our flight to get home early, so in that sense we were fortunate to get away. I feel sorry for those who have stayed tonight, they must feel completely and utterly deflated.

 

All in all it cost us around £320 each so a grand total of £960. That's a fair chunk of money for a completely wasted journey.

So what you're saying is that when you went to the stadium nobody gave any indication that there was a problem & allowed you to purchase your tickets even though it was at that stage obvious there was.

Utterly dispicable.

[CaptainMarvel]

Just to follow on from my post yesterday;

 

last night in Dortmund (10 mins) from Vetlins arena Germany played Russia in front of about a 76000 sell out crowd in a world cup qualifier, this was also shown on national TV! any one wonder why no tickets had been purchased and the crowd was going to be so small

 

and to read more of the statement today saying the shale got wet on the barge from Denmark - well every barge that has gone up the river has a cover on it!

[spanner47]

Cant believe sky didn't insist on an interview with bellamy or olsen, surely the paying public and the tv companies, deserve a full explanation as to what exactly went wrong, and why it was <apparently> impossible to sort out. But all we got was a short statement from bellamy. We felt last year was a waste of £150 as the racing was so crap, but at least we saw some and had a fun weekend. But on the bright side for those who can afford it, what a weekend next weekend, G.P. on a decent track on the saturday, and the 2nd leg of the polish final just down the road on the sunday.

[bellevueace]

Th GP sucks never been a fan of it.

[Blazeaway]

Th GP sucks never been a fan of it.

 

 

Well thought out and intelligent input.

[MARK246]

Th GP sucks never been a fan of it.

 

IMO no one's a "fan" but it's the product thats available.

 

There are enough threads on this forum to prove the one day final was more appealing to the average punter, but it will never return.

 

Next season this forum will be full of posts about which GP they are going to and all this will be forgotten.

[Blazeaway]

IMO no one's a "fan" but it's the product thats available.

 

There are enough threads on this forum to prove the one day final was more appealing to the average punter, but it will never return.

 

Next season this forum will be full of posts about which GP they are going to and all this will be forgotten.

 

 

I disagree, I think most fans have embraced the GP's it's only the dinosaurs that just won't let the one day final go.

[Trees]

Oh dear, I keep telling people they shouldn't support IMG! Nah I genuinely feel gutted for those fans who have chucked money away attempting to attend this meeting, apart from a day or so in sunny Germany I guess ...............

 

Funny thing is though all the ribbing the BSPA get for their supposed unprofessionalism and this meeting was organised by the ultra professional promoters IMG and they have balllllllllllllllsed up BIG TIME!

[MARK246]

I disagree, I think most fans have embraced the GP's it's only the dinosaurs that just won't let the one day final go.

 

 

Most fans go to the GP's because, it's the only chance they have to see top riders racing each other, unless they travel to Sweden or Poland to watch the league racing.

 

A monopoly is one way to sell a product but it isn't the best way.

[Blazeaway]

Most fans go to the GP's because, it's the only chance they have to see top riders racing each other, unless they travel to Sweden or Poland to watch the league racing.

 

A monopoly is one way to sell a product but it isn't the best way.

 

 

So why limit those fans to one meeting a year?

 

 

[Phillip Addison]

Just to follow on from my post yesterday;

 

last night in Dortmund (10 mins) from Vetlins arena Germany played Russia in front of about a 76000 sell out crowd in a world cup qualifier, this was also shown on national TV! any one wonder why no tickets had been purchased and the crowd was going to be so small

 

and to read more of the statement today saying the shale got wet on the barge from Denmark - well every barge that has gone up the river has a cover on it!

 

This is a good point. They honestly couldn't organise a p*** up in a brewery. Disgusting, shameful, and despicable to take the money off the fans when they obviously knew it wasnt goint to be on. I dont blame the stadium staff [ and i follow Borussia Dortmund - Hate Schalke 04 ] BUT i do blame the organisers . We need to know WHO'S fault it is, BSI, Ole Olsen, whoever and heads SHOULD roll for this . But as in most cases when things go pear shaped the rats have scarpered and they will be getting their stories straight, so they are all singing fronm the same hymn sheet and we will move on to the next shambles. The GP series can go t**s up for all i care now. As long as ive still hopefully got league racing to watch in 5 years time i will be happy, but the way its going with more fans getting fed up and harder times around the corner it is worrying.

[MARK246]

So why limit those fans to one meeting a year?

 

 

I don't disagree with that statement at all, but by cancelling yesterday's meeting and transfering it to Poland, how many of the fans will be able to get there.

 

What the BSI/IMG ? group have done, is stuck their finger up to the fans who went to Germany, they're confident of a profitable crowd in Poland, the rest will forget by March, who cares.

 

Next year then 11GP's in Poland and one in Oz.thats ok, it's better than one meeting everyone can budget for.

 

These people forget where their money comes from.

[2ndbendbeerhut]

We have heard what it has cost the public, but what about the riders costs? Will BSI refund their costs and help with next weeks logistics?

 

Karl

[MRY]

This is a good point. They honestly couldn't organise a p*** up in a brewery. Disgusting, shameful, and despicable to take the money off the fans when they obviously knew it wasnt goint to be on. I dont blame the stadium staff [ and i follow Borussia Dortmund - Hate Schalke 04 ] BUT i do blame the organisers . We need to know WHO'S fault it is, BSI, Ole Olsen, whoever and heads SHOULD roll for this . But as in most cases when things go pear shaped the rats have scarpered and they will be getting their stories straight, so they are all singing fronm the same hymn sheet and we will move on to the next shambles. The GP series can go t**s up for all i care now. As long as ive still hopefully got league racing to watch in 5 years time i will be happy, but the way its going with more fans getting fed up and harder times around the corner it is worrying.

 

I don't blame the stadium staff for the track, but what a more misererable, unhelpful bunch of people I have yet to meet. From Friday morning when we were trying to find the paddock to pick up passes and kept getting referred to a locked gate on what turned out to be the wrong side of the stadium, despite explaining the situation as best as we could (albeit in English). To later in the day, trying to get to practice when we found ourselves on the wrong level and couldn't get anyone who would either tell us how to get downstairs or open a door into the seating area where we knew there were steps down to the pit area. This became even more frustrating as we could hear what turned out to be the only on-track motorcycle action of the whole weekend taking place. It got even more farcical later, when having walked out of the stadium and completed a circuit of the venue to get down to the tunnel entrance which was below us, we sat in the one of the stands with of bunch of other folks awaiting practice and were then told the area was closed, we had to leave (no explanation, just 'It's Closed'. We were directed to the standing section where there was a Press area (we're not Press), but were refused acess at first and told to stand on the outside of the airfence in the middle of turn 1/2. There were several germans in the same area who politely explained to this football steward that this wasn't the best idea both on safety grounds, and also for the fact that you couldn't actually see anything unless you were about 7ft tall, but this didn't seem to make any difference - we were still told to leave. Those of us with kids managed to put them onto some leftover tv packing cases to watch before eventually someone from BSI, followed by a posse of rider WaG's and children managed to finally get the jobsworths to see sense and start/finish grandstand was opened up........... shame we just watched tractors going around the track but on the big screen there was some good shots of Jason Crump's young son doing some spectacular micro-scooter riding!

 

On Saturday there was an amazing chap who was stood at the top of the steps that led from the track, up past the Press Room and then up into the main stadium entrance. He was suited, and had a very elaborate bandage on his hand which I hope was covering an injury that gives him incredible pain. I think the stadium was running a competition for the most unhelpful member of staff, and this guy must have been a clear winner. I was there with my 7 year old son, who, due to the delayed (rescheduled) practice was desperate for a drink, and as there were no trackside facilites we were trying to get higher up to find a vending machine or kiosk. However, he stood on the stairs shouting 'Stop, No', to anyone who dared go near him with just a mere Paddock Pass - despite the fact that all we were tring to do was get into a 'public' area and find at least a tap! I even showed my seat tickets to show I'd paid real money to be there but it was still no use.

 

I'll send a message to the Arena management just for fun, as I've no intention of ever setting foot in the place again.

 

So my 2 days consisted of a 900 mile round-trip, a hotel bill, a tunnel bill, and about 2.5 tanks of fuel; to hear 3 laps of track action, watch some tractors, and be shouted at by some of the most useless people I've ever met. I'll then have to go to work tomorrow and explain to colleagues that I've attended an indoor event, that got cancelled because the track was waterlogged. Brilliant! Interestingly, I get an e-mail about 1 hour after the event was called-off advising me how to get a refund on the ticket - now that must have taken some slick organisation and sharp communication. If only the person organising that could have been around on Thursday to ensure that something was brought in to dry the material before it was laid!

 

What happens if it rains in Poland next week?

Edited October 12, 2008 by MRY

[GREDON]

Thank goodness I did not. Do not know whether we shall ever hear the truth about this cancellation, but think there is a hidden agenda somewhere. My understanding is that the shale came from Denmark by barge last year and was stored somewhere in Germany. It either got wet in storage of after it was delivered to the stadium. The authorities must have known soon after laying the track there were going to be problems, proved when the practice was cancelled. So at the latest they knew on Friday the meeting was in doubt. There is no way they could organise at a moments notice a meeting in Poland, this must have been set up earlier in the week after consultation with Bydgoszcz and the riders.

It really stinks and whilst it will not happen I hope the Polish fans boycott the meeting.

It is time speeday was run b y someone who knows what they are doing. BSI proved they cannot do it, look at Reading and IMG are no better.

[Matt Davis]

No amount of moaning will mean Ole steps down as race director - As with most scandals in Speedway, nothing really happens, the authorities wait till everyone stops moaning and then the dust settles, it all gets brushed under the carpet and everyone keeps their jobs

[Trees]

We have heard what it has cost the public, but what about the riders costs? Will BSI refund their costs and help with next weeks logistics?

There's more chance of them holding IMG to ransom for compensation than the poor fans!?

[ianmartin]

I disagree, I think most fans have embraced the GP's it's only the dinosaurs that just won't let the one day final go.

 

Sorry - I don't see myself as a Dinosaur. If the 'one off' World Final applied today - I would bet that there would be MORE people there than at the British 'Grand' Prix.

I remember the days of Mauger, Briggs, Moore and yes even Olsen (a FAR superior Rider than he is a Track Curator) - TRUE World Champions. They had raced all the Qualifying Rounds against great, good, mediocre and some bad Riders to win it. They had EARNED the right to be called World Champion. Much easier if you race the same 16 people, with a couple of Wild Cards thrown in. You know who is going to ride where on the Track, you don't come up against the odd novice who might knock you off (accidentally) and cost you your place in the next Round. You can pretty well predict what all of your fifteen other oponents are going to do.

 

YES - ALL IN ALL - GIVE ME THE OLD DAYS - TO HELL WITH IT - I AM A DINOSAUR AND PROUD TO BE SO!!

 

I am reminded of a Quote at this point:

 

"THE PAST IS ANOTHER COUNTRY - THEY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THERE." Thank heavens they did - they gave us SPEEDWAY - not the farce it is turning in to today.

 

[bluejam]

Just watching an interview with Greg Hancock at Polish meeting this afternoon.He's thinks the Gelsenkirchen fiasco a joke too!!