Flawless

[Kester]

i was at speedway? I never reaslised. Couple of passes when a rider hit a bump or hole and that was about it. More like a parade of bikes. Rubbish meeting. Cardiff being found out. Overpriced falling crowds I go to speedway for racing not the rubbish on show.

 

i was at speedway? I never reaslised. Couple of passes when a rider hit a bump or hole and that was about it. More like a parade of bikes. Rubbish meeting. Cardiff being found out. Overpriced falling crowds I go to speedway for racing not the rubbish on show.40000? Nowhere near 40000.

 

Did you prefer it before then? Because up to 3 years ago, when they got decent shale in, the track constantly broke up and most of the passing came from hitting ruts or holes.

 

You talk as if because you paid a sum of money you have a right to excellent racing. You don't, it's sport. The outcome is variable. There are good, bad and indifferent sporting events always, it doesn't matter if it's on the largest or smallest stage. Of course speedway is unusual in that it can do something, produce a good quality track, to help good racing to take place. But it doesn't guarantee it, we've all seen poor meetings on a track that was fine. Last night the racing wasn't stellar, but it most certainly wasn't 'rubbish'.

[DukesGreg]

Am I the only person who couldn't give a monkey's offload about who performs before a speedway meeting?

 

The brass band was alright, would rather listen to them than that awful whining Stacey Solomon creature that they trawled out the other year. Though I'm not sure whether that's a good think.. pipe and slippers appear to be closer than what I think, for me.

 

The speedway is the main thing.

 

 

As with that.. I am also a little confused. Cardiff stick a temporary track into an arena for one night of racing a year, and I see there much better racing there than some of the follow-my-leader garbage processions (on permanent tracks) that the Matt Ford league show on Sky on a Monday....

 

Of course there was 38k there. It probably holds almost double that.. and was approximately just over half empty.

 

I'm no Stephen Hawking, but the maths on that one look quite simple to me.

 

 

The place was half full.

[SCB]

Of course there was 38k there. It probably holds almost double that.. and was approximately just over half empty.

 

I'm no Stephen Hawking, but the maths on that one look quite simple to me.

 

 

The place was half full.

The speedway capacity is 63k. Half of that is 31k, not the 38 being quoted. I thought the crowd was massively down but also people have realised pay for the £29/33 tickets up the top too rather than the £50+ tickets on the lower tiers do BSI would have made less because of that.

[iris123]

The speedway capacity is 63k. Half of that is 31k, not the 38 being quoted. I thought the crowd was massively down but also people have realised pay for the £29/33 tickets up the top too rather than the £50+ tickets on the lower tiers do BSI would have made less because of that.

In fairness,he did say he was no Stephen Hawkins,so we can excuse him if the simple maths was wrong

[DukesGreg]

I did say it was OVER half empty.

[PHILIPRISING]

PASSING, in my opinion, isn't the b-all and end-all of great speedway. What is your barometer of good racing? A heat where one rider passes another and then pulls away to win by 50 yards? Or close, wheel-to-wheel action where riders constantly jostle for position? The latter in my view.

 

Jason Crump told the VIP Methanol club audience before the meeting that tracks at Cardiff and Copenhagen are now the best they race in ALL year. And, he added, you can include Gothenburg this year. Why? Because the riders trust them, know that they can race flat out without fear of hitting a big rut and being thrown off course and into another rider. Incidentally, Jason's crash on Saturday had nothing to do with the track.

 

Chris Holder, who rode brilliantly and was exciting to watch even while ahead, said afterwards that the track was "awesome." Fifteen of the best riders in the world strutting their stuff on a decent track inside a fantastic stadium still works for me.

 

There were certainly far less Poles there this year, hardly surprising given that they were due to have only Gollob there and even his star is beginning to wane. At least Poland have Janowski, the two Pawlicki brothers, Dudek and Zmarzlik on the fringes.n

 

From where I was standing the noise was still deafening but better performances from British riders would undoubtedly raise the decibel levels.

 

With regards to pre-meeting entertainment: when John Postlethwaite first took the GP to the Millennium Stadium he felt it necessary to have something going on while people were arriving at their seats and waiting for the speedway to start. A little aperitif but not a full blown hors d'oeuvre. And at no extra charge.

 

Over the years the philosophy has remained the same, although for a while some quite high profile performers were booked until the fees demanded grew out of proportion. But they are really just time fillers and perform a function while the fans are coming in.

[DukesGreg]

All joking aside regarding the attendance... I was wondering how many people would attend it the prices were dropped?

 

To say.. £25 per adult, £12.50 per child.. everywhere.

 

I ask, because the main problem this event is facing now is mercenary hotel chains upping their price tariffs when this event is on.

 

I drove 460 miles, in a day trip, to attend. The hotels are just too expensive.

 

 

Great venue, and if the prices were slashed, would more people attend? Anyway?

 

 

Just wondering.

[DSC67]

But what you consider half decent, half the crowd consider crap and vice-versa. To get something half decent would cost money so you'd pay more for your ticket. It's just not viable. The pre meeting entertainment is something cheap to fill a gap.

 

A lot of people must like Flawless though as they won a public vote of the British public. So it may not be your cup of tea but it is many others.

does that mean that next years pre meeting entertainment will be a dancing dog ?

[george.m]

does that mean that next years pre meeting entertainment will be a dancing dog ?

 

Nope.

Just checked and Madonna is doing a concert in Chicago that night.

[A ORLOV]

Nobody yet has said what Flawless is(never heard of them) and were they any good, or are they like the rest of the X factor winners, ie rubbish.

[keef]

Nobody yet has said what Flawless is(never heard of them) and were they any good, or are they like the rest of the X factor winners, ie rubbish.

 

They were ok as dance troupe's go I s'pose. Easy money for 10 minutes work. Thought the Welsh Male Voice Choir singing Delilah, and the accompanying brass band doing "I Predict a Riot" were better. Should have the Magoos from the fanzone playing in the stadium.

All joking aside regarding the attendance... I was wondering how many people would attend it the prices were dropped?

 

To say.. £25 per adult, £12.50 per child.. everywhere.

 

I ask, because the main problem this event is facing now is mercenary hotel chains upping their price tariffs when this event is on.

 

I drove 460 miles, in a day trip, to attend. The hotels are just too expensive.

 

 

Great venue, and if the prices were slashed, would more people attend? Anyway?

 

 

Just wondering.

 

Think 29 quid for the cheap seats in the gods is about right, unless you're stuck behind a screen as we were last year. The screen at the far end gives a lot of info, such as re-runs/incidents, and a couple of thousand would have missed that. perhaps it was just the date that affected the attendance, we'll find out next year.

Edited August 26, 2012 by new cross robin

[Gemini]

does that mean that next years pre meeting entertainment will be a dancing dog ?

 

Hey I can probably provide that as I've got nearly a year to train her. Free entrance, a programme and a Bonio for Lucy is all I will ask for.

[n4kedgardener]

Attendance down about 9000 on last year,time to cut the number of price categories to 3 or 4 at the most, top price max of £60 for trackside, £40 for 1st tier & £25 the gods. I'd love to see the place full.

Also why are all the presentations made to the home straight when that is the least populated.

Racing was,I thought of a good standard, particularly the 2 semi's.

[bellevueace]

Flawless were utter bobbins.

[packerman]

I ask, because the main problem this event is facing now is mercenary hotel chains upping their price tariffs when this event is on.

 

I drove 460 miles, in a day trip, to attend. The hotels are just too expensive.

 

Just wondering.

 

I think that with 2 major sporting events taking place in Cardiff with the cricket finals just up the road that would force up hotel prices. Just need to get the M4 to operate properly so you can get out of Wales swiftly!

[Jacques]

Nobody yet has said what Flawless is(never heard of them) and were they any good, or are they like the rest of the X factor winners, ie rubbish.

 

They certainly weren't flawless, they were utter Sh!te...

[A ORLOV]

You liked them then Jacques. It just proves that S.Cowell has no taste as he thought they were great.

[Red Panda]

What about next year having The Magoos who played in the fanzone for the pre meeting entertainment.............I thought they were brilliant...........

 

RP

[SCB]

What about next year having The Magoos who played in the fanzone for the pre meeting entertainment.............I thought they were brilliant...........

 

RP

The reality is, those who stay in the pub will be staying in the pub whoever/whatever is there. Those who get in early for whatever reason will continue to do so. You're never going to please everyone, after all, most of us can't agree on the speedway!