Witches

[dabbsjoe]

Poole were the only team to make money. Coventry had a poor season until the very end.

 

Apparently Wolves made money as well.

 

Was mentioned in the Mercury on Sunday this past weekend that only Poole and Wolves were the clubs to make money.

 

we've heard that Lakeside were very close to breaking even this year had it not been for a few rain offs.

 

Peter Adams said at the Radio WM forum that teams in the Elite League made an average loss of 70k this year. With 2 teams making a profit and 1 almost breaking even seems some teams lost a lot lot more than 70k

Edited November 18, 2010 by Joe1986

[philfromcov]

Acctually Manchester United do make lots of money,over 100 Million last season but the debt the Glaziers brought with them wiped that and more out.

man utd are £700 million in debt, your turnover does not cover the outgoings, so if the banks wanted there money back today there would be no more man utd!

 

the brand keeps them going, but in real terms they are no better off than torquay!

[foreverblue]

If only all clubs were located in an area where there are so many millionaires nearby then perhape they could all 'make money' - I realise that someone at the club still has to bring them on baord but when you have so many to choose from then it must make securing sponsorship slightly easier. Unfrtunately we don't have a Sandbanks in Suffolk...

I don't think anyone in sandbanks supports Poole speedway,not even Harry Redknapp!!

 

Our main sponsor is an insurance company and they are everywhere,even Ipswich.

Edited November 18, 2010 by foreverblue

[Bryn]

I don't think anyone in sandbanks supports Poole speedway,not even Harry Redknapp!!

 

Is he the bloke who lives next door to Steve S?

[jennywren]

I don't think anyone in sandbanks supports Poole speedway,not even Harry Redknapp!!

 

Our main sponsor is an insurance company and they are everywhere,even Ipswich.

I doubt if your main sponsor is alone in sponsoring the team and as their headquarters is located here: Castle Cover, Merck House, Seldown Lane, Poole BH15 1TW I'm guessing your club had a slightly better chance of securing their backing than say Berwick:

[25yearfan]

Yea thats why the crowds are about 4 or 5 times more than the Pl ,why do you want to get closer to a league that fans are not watching ...what crazy thinking .

 

The current EL is unsustainable. Anyone that say otherwise is living on cloud cuckoo land. The poor state of the EL is fully epitomised at Ipswich more than other tracks because they aren't being bankrolled like other clubs are!

 

A situation similar to 1995/96, with riders shared around this time, needs to happen and the top flight drops its costs and stop worrying about the GP.

 

Quite simply as others have said if Ipswich agree to go in next years EL just to make the numbers up, without fresh investment then this would be much worse than dropping down to a level more sustainable!

[25yearfan]

If they want to keep people coming through the turnstiles they had better not.

 

I like good speedway. The elite league is already poor in comparison to top flight speedway abroad and fans will not be interested in an even lower level of racing. Speedway is expensive and for that price people expect quality.

 

Absolute myth from those who think the EL is the be all and end all!

 

One of the most enjoyable meetings I went to at Ipswich last season was the meeting V's the American touring team. This meeting was mainly NL level and it was more interesting than many of the borefests we saw at Foxhall in the EL last season. Thank god for Scotty Nicholls or many meeting would of been very painfull!

 

For me in my area where Ipswich, King's Lynn and till their mid season closure Mildenhall operate I think and I'm sure many others do, that Mildenhall more often than not offerd the best value racing even though its the lowest level!

 

In my proposed restructuring the top flight would be enlarged to 16 teams and would be at a level inbetween the current EL and PL. The change in levels I suspect in practise wouldn't be that different to the current EL except that more of the Brits who are in the current PL would be in the League. The likes of Chris Harris and any other top names would have places in a newly structured top flight.

 

During the golden era of the British League from 1965 to the early 80's the League was bigger, had more Brits but the standard was probably lower than the current EL yet it also had more of the top stars!

 

If what Peter Adams said is true then things have to change otherwise the EL will continue to struggle and rely on the likes of Sandhu, Rick Frost, Stuart Douglas and others to continue being interested and bankrolling their clubs.

 

Like I said I respect totally what the Louis' have done for Ipswich speedway, indeed they are two of the biggest legends the clubs have had but in the current era their finances and charismas are old hat and unless the Leagues get restructured then they have to sell Ipswich speedway to someone who can bankroll the high costs of the EL!

[foreverblue]

I doubt if your main sponsor is alone in sponsoring the team and as their headquarters is located here: Castle Cover, Merck House, Seldown Lane, Poole BH15 1TW I'm guessing your club had a slightly better chance of securing their backing than say Berwick:

Castle cover isn't the only insurance company in the country is it.

[orion]

The current EL is unsustainable. Anyone that say otherwise is living on cloud cuckoo land. The poor state of the EL is fully epitomised at Ipswich more than other tracks because they aren't being bankrolled like other clubs are!

 

A situation similar to 1995/96, with riders shared around this time, needs to happen and the top flight drops its costs and stop worrying about the GP.

 

Quite simply as others have said if Ipswich agree to go in next years EL just to make the numbers up, without fresh investment then this would be much worse than dropping down to a level more sustainable!

 

 

The El is not unsustainable at all ..not sure why but you some unknown reason to tend forget that many Pl are losing money as well as some of the El clubs ...if you think the Pl is doing well then your the one in cloud cuckoo land .

 

Speedway is doing poor all round and it's about time you try to get your head round ithat rather than blameing one league .

[mickthemuppet]

which sport does make money?

 

certainly no football teams, they are all massivley in debt.

 

the issue i suppose with all sport someone has to dig into there own pockets, sad but true.

 

What about boxing. Last weekend,s fight between Audley Harrison and David Haye generated £8.5 million. That's the way to promote sport.

[25yearfan]

The El is not unsustainable at all ..not sure why but you some unknown reason to tend forget that many Pl are losing money as well as some of the El clubs ...if you think the Pl is doing well then your the one in cloud cuckoo land .

 

Speedway is doing poor all round and it's about time you try to get your head round ithat rather than blameing one league .

 

The PL is more sustainable than the EL. I bet if we access to the accounts for the clubs that competed in the 2010 EL and PL I bet the PL would of lost far less than the EL although like you say the PL has its problems!

 

This is why King's Lynn, Sheffield and possibly others that we all know if we're being honest are bona fide top flight clubs won't go up.

 

I take it your a Coventry fan?

 

Take Sandhu away and Coventry would more than likely be in a similar situation to Ipswich!

 

In Ipswichs case, I would rather they were in a top flight but unless either the Leagues gets restructured and/or new investors come in they will better of in the PL!

[orion]

The PL is more sustainable than the EL. I bet if we access to the accounts for the clubs that competed in the 2010 EL and PL I bet the PL would of lost far less than the EL although like you say the PL has its problems!

 

This is why King's Lynn, Sheffield and possibly others that we all know if we're being honest are bona fide top flight clubs won't go up.

 

I take it your a Coventry fan?

 

Take Sandhu away and Coventry would more than likely be in a similar situation to Ipswich!

 

In Ipswichs case, I would rather they were in a top flight but unless either the Leagues gets restructured and/or new investors come in they will better of in the PL!

 

 

I think when it comes to sustainable it depends what club it is ....For Poole it's better to be in El and Glasgow are better off in the Pl it's each to there own .

 

Ipswich are Imo a sustainable El club but not under The Louis .

Edited November 18, 2010 by orion

[Druid]

I think when it comes to sustainable it depends what club it is ....For Poole it's better to be in El and Glasgow are better off in the Pl it's each to there own .

 

Ipswich are Imo a sustainable El club but not under The Louis .

 

Agreed

Edited November 18, 2010 by Prawn

[superguest]

I think when it comes to sustainable it depends what club it is ....For Poole it's better to be in El and Glasgow are better off in the Pl it's each to there own .

 

Ipswich are Imo a sustainable El club but not under The Louis .

 

The point is though, Ipswich is being run by the Louis' who have no financial backing from outside of the sport like 95% of the EL. Whilst Chris Louis is the promoter, they are better off in the PL racing weekly fixtures with variety at a lower cost. They might or might win anything, but the club would at least be able to run. The team wouldn't cost them much. I hope that Ipswich stay up, I think BV are in a worst situation regarding assests and facilities, so if Ipswich do get the nod to drop down, what will stop Belle vue?

[Hebbs]

The El is not unsustainable at all ..not sure why but you some unknown reason to tend forget that many Pl are losing money as well as some of the El clubs ...if you think the Pl is doing well then your the one in cloud cuckoo land .

 

Speedway is doing poor all round and it's about time you try to get your head round ithat rather than blameing one league .

 

Personally I think the EL is unsustainable in its present form, otherwise we would not be having this very discussion time in and time out. If it were then we would be discussing the number of teams that wanted to join and how we could fit them into the league instead of the number of clubs that want to leave.

 

From a purely business point of view and forgetting entertainment, number of teams, costs, entrance fees etc., the main problem is the lack of control that you have over how and when you sell your product to your market. The GP’s, other FIM events, and the number of riders that compete in overseas leagues restrict your ability as a promoter to sell your product at a time that suits your customers. The GP’s & World Cup have taken the prime summer weekends, the Polish league takes away Sundays and therefore in most cases Saturdays. For a lot of tracks this is prime time. I cannot imagine another business that would give its prime sites or trading times to anyone else without a huge fight. The EL has capitulated and is reaping the consequences. If they cannot compete against this then they must find another way. No GP riders, and no riders whose first commitment is to an overseas club. Speaking personally, and as an Eastbourne supporter (traditionally a weekend track), if that means PL speedway then fair enough, it’s better than what we get now.

[Eduds1]

Personally I think the EL is unsustainable in its present form, otherwise we would not be having this very discussion time in and time out. If it were then we would be discussing the number of teams that wanted to join and how we could fit them into the league instead of the number of clubs that want to leave.

 

From a purely business point of view and forgetting entertainment, number of teams, costs, entrance fees etc., the main problem is the lack of control that you have over how and when you sell your product to your market. The GP’s, other FIM events, and the number of riders that compete in overseas leagues restrict your ability as a promoter to sell your product at a time that suits your customers. The GP’s & World Cup have taken the prime summer weekends, the Polish league takes away Sundays and therefore in most cases Saturdays. For a lot of tracks this is prime time. I cannot imagine another business that would give its prime sites or trading times to anyone else without a huge fight. The EL has capitulated and is reaping the consequences. If they cannot compete against this then they must find another way. No GP riders, and no riders whose first commitment is to an overseas club. Speaking personally, and as an Eastbourne supporter (traditionally a weekend track), if that means PL speedway then fair enough, it’s better than what we get now.

Fair play mate best post on here for ages.

The only way forward is to use riders who are prepared to put British speedway first.

 

Any rider who usually rides in this country then decides to put other leagues first should be banned for a number of years because as soon as there star wains or they are'nt paid on time they will soon come crawling back to the league that nurtured them but then became an inconvenience to them. Andersen and Nicholls soon realised the error of there ways and Richardson did'nt get out of the gate.

[hyderd]

which sport does make money?

 

certainly no football teams,

 

 

Acctually Manchester United do make lots of money,over 100 Million last season but the debt the Glaziers brought with them wiped that and more out.

 

 

man utd are £700 million in debt, your turnover does not cover the outgoings, so if the banks wanted there money back today there would be no more man utd!

 

the brand keeps them going, but in real terms they are no better off than torquay!

 

Utd made an Operating profit of £100,000,000 last season and that shows that some sports ie football teams (as in your post)can and do make money, only a stupid debt by some American has put Utd from a very wealthy to a heavily debited club

[eastern wolf]

Absolute myth from those who think the EL is the be all and end all!

 

One of the most enjoyable meetings I went to at Ipswich last season was the meeting V's the American touring team. This meeting was mainly NL level and it was more interesting than many of the borefests we saw at Foxhall in the EL last season. Thank god for Scotty Nicholls or many meeting would of been very painfull!

 

For me in my area where Ipswich, King's Lynn and till their mid season closure Mildenhall operate I think and I'm sure many others do, that Mildenhall more often than not offerd the best value racing even though its the lowest level!

 

In my proposed restructuring the top flight would be enlarged to 16 teams and would be at a level inbetween the current EL and PL. The change in levels I suspect in practise wouldn't be that different to the current EL except that more of the Brits who are in the current PL would be in the League. The likes of Chris Harris and any other top names would have places in a newly structured top flight.

 

During the golden era of the British League from 1965 to the early 80's the League was bigger, had more Brits but the standard was probably lower than the current EL yet it also had more of the top stars!

 

If what Peter Adams said is true then things have to change otherwise the EL will continue to struggle and rely on the likes of Sandhu, Rick Frost, Stuart Douglas and others to continue being interested and bankrolling their clubs.

 

Like I said I respect totally what the Louis' have done for Ipswich speedway, indeed they are two of the biggest legends the clubs have had but in the current era their finances and charismas are old hat and unless the Leagues get restructured then they have to sell Ipswich speedway to someone who can bankroll the high costs of the EL!

 

 

I doubt whether any of the current PL promoters would even have the ambition to take this step. The ones that could afford to move up seem happy to remain permanent big fish in the lower level and the rest get such poor crowds that they're unlikey to welcome any extra expense.

[25yearfan]

I'm afraid such a sweeping move is necessary!

 

Yes posters are right in saying that Ipswich could be viable in the current EL with rich owners and not the Louis'. But then its likely they'd just be like most of the other EL clubs in being a massive loss making venture being propped up by a ruch sugerdaddy. The crowds that Peterborough get at times make me cringe and their not the only ones. What will they do if Rick Frost says enoughs enough and gets out?

 

No this culture of clubs losing money hand over fist has got to be reversed but that won't happen if the League stays the same or drops to 8 teams which then it would get worse. Crowds are at an all time low and a big reason for that is way the EL is run - it isn't value for money and not not supporter friendly.

Edited November 18, 2010 by 25yearfan

[Siggytastic]

Utd made an Operating profit of £100,000,000 last season and that shows that some sports ie football teams (as in your post)can and do make money, only a stupid debt by some American has put Utd from a very wealthy to a heavily debited club

 

Was that bought about by selling their biggest asset?