Berwick Survival.

[seanmuffe]

Just a few figures to bandy around, when attracting new blood tom speedway.

 

1. By 2015, 60% of Berwicks population will be over 50, this figure also applies to the Eastern Scottish Borders.

2. Only 11% of the population are below the age of 20 yrs.

 

A falling youth population, coupled with a growing retirement location, does not leave great scope for attracting significant numbers of younger fans. The predominance of remaining youths are in low paid generally low quality jobs, ( eg super market jobs), students that are here at the weekend have little spare cash, most of it expended on tuition fees. At a guess I would say the vast majority of fans are in the older age groups, so what ever is suggested to attract the fewer and fewer youngsters to the sport will need to be damned good.

 

The music presentation at present, even for an old dinasaur like myself is out of date and out moded, but are we their to listen to music, however something a little more rebel rousing would be an improvement. Centre green presentation is out dated and lack lustered, the centre green announcer during Peter Waits era was Alan Gladstone, who in my humble opinion was massively better than we get at present, so the idea of a young Dj, perhaps from one of the night clubs is a good idea. Generally a bit more raz a mataz in the introduction, some start tarts, warm up laps to get the crowd in the mood (personally don't like them, but others do). Perhaps invite the local bike clubs to bring out the riders in the larger events or cup matches.

 

For me some strippers or pole dancers on the centre green.

 

........sure they don't need an ACU license !!

 

Which kind of sums Dick on the 'centre green' up, by wanting him replaced by a bloke who's been dead for 10 years!

 

Got to hope Berwick announce their intention to run in 2013, otherwise all the great hype concerning the Ben Fund Bonanza will all be a bit of a waste of time.

 

.........shouldn't criticise you because you put it correctly..........me i would have inserted t h & e into the statement...........give us a t..........alright i'm a forum fanny!!!!

[The White Knight]

Berwick is a lovely town. Great racing track, great pr from owners, best burgers ever! I love my trips to Berwick. How about tie ups with local B and B s to encourage more visiting speedway fans!

 

I think if you can just get the product out there the Berwick experience sells itself. Very family friendly. My only gripe and annoyance dick Barrie. But honestly think the Andersons are great! Butchers in north Berwick is magic!

 

Crikey1874 - you forgot about the PIES. :shock: The one's from the Shed at the back of the Pits are to die for - if you want a true culinary experience - treat yourself to one of those PIES.

 

Only one thing better than a PIE at Berwick and that is - TWO of them.

 

Go on - give it a go - you know you want to.

 

[Bandit59]

Not much time left now to declare if we intend to run or not and all these posts will have been in vain ANY NEWS?????????

[screm]

Not much time left now to declare if we intend to run or not and all these posts will have been in vain ANY NEWS?????????

 

Berwick have already given intention to run next season at the last BSPA meeting,that is dependent on finding a main team sponsor.

[Goldmember06]

Maybe some of the posters on here should get behind the club instead of constantly moaning and bitching about everything that goes on and that because every lap of every race of every meeting isn't a titanic battle. If you really think its that bad go and speak to the promotion about it because they will be just as concerned about it as you. I really do wonder if some of these posters are true fans, sometimes I think there moans and groans will do more harm than good.

[The White Knight]

Berwick have already given intention to run next season at the last BSPA meeting,that is dependent on finding a main team sponsor.

 

Have they found one of those yet screm?

[screm]

Have they found one of those yet screm?

 

No news yet so Im guessing the search goes on,Im still positive that we will be in the PL come March next season.

 

Mind you,no Berwick means more trips to Brough Park,and Im loaded with whisky just now.

 

Did you ever have a go at that bottle.

[The White Knight]

No news yet so Im guessing the search goes on,Im still positive that we will be in the PL come March next season.

 

Mind you,no Berwick means more trips to Brough Park,and Im loaded with whisky just now.

 

Did you ever have a go at that bottle.

 

Not yet my friend - I am still busy emptying a bottle of' Bunnahabhain'. Still a little way to go yet.

 

Slainté screm.

 

Ian

[msc1874]

 

 

I think it was perhaps light hearted fun!

Maybe need to chill out a bit? Or perhaps go back into bed and try getting out the otherwise

 

 

 

***otherside***

 

I can't stand on here when someone puts forward an opinion and is called a 'fanny' for it. I am all for debate, but I can't stand some of the name calling on here!

 

 

Crikey1874 - you forgot about the PIES. :shock: The one's from the Shed at the back of the Pits are to die for - if you want a true culinary experience - treat yourself to one of those PIES.

 

Only one thing better than a PIE at Berwick and that is - TWO of them.

 

Go on - give it a go - you know you want to.

 

 

I am a regular at Andersons shop their pies are magic. Steak pies best honestly I have ever had! Amazing!

 

Berwick is a great set up. Northern teams all need each other!

[Bandit59]

I can't stand on here when someone puts forward an opinion and is called a 'fanny' for it. I am all for debate, but I can't stand some of the name calling on here!

 

I am a regular at Andersons shop their pies are magic. Steak pies best honestly I have ever had! Amazing!

 

Berwick is a great set up. Northern teams all need each other!

Next time your in the shop try a chicken curry you will not be dissappointed

[Fromafar]

Maybe some of the posters on here should get behind the club instead of constantly moaning and bitching about everything that goes on and that because every lap of every race of every meeting isn't a titanic battle. If you really think its that bad go and speak to the promotion about it because they will be just as concerned about it as you. I really do wonder if some of these posters are true fans, sometimes I think there moans and groans will do more harm than good.

People post genuine concerns regarding the Club but you are saying unless they are all positve they shoudn't bother surely. if is is a constructive comment whether it be critisism or otherwise it should be welcome, not everybody wants to speak to the Promotion.Every Poster on this forum has different opinions on various matters and that is how it should be.

[Teal]

Maybe some of the posters on here should get behind the club instead of constantly moaning and bitching about everything that goes on and that because every lap of every race of every meeting isn't a titanic battle. If you really think its that bad go and speak to the promotion about it because they will be just as concerned about it as you. I really do wonder if some of these posters are true fans, sometimes I think there moans and groans will do more harm than good.

 

Sorry for expressing views on a forum! A public forum I add! I have no reason to speak to the promotion, namely because I doubt anything would be done about it! And secondly because I wouldn't know how to go about contacting them to speak to them? I think if they were at all interested in fans views they would of produced some sort of way for fans to air their views in a productive sense!!!!!

[Goldmember06]

 

People post genuine concerns regarding the Club but you are saying unless they are all positve they shoudn't bother surely. if is is a constructive comment whether it be critisism or otherwise it should be welcome, not everybody wants to speak to the Promotion.Every Poster on this forum has different opinions on various matters and that is how it should be.

The majority of it is just moaning though, there are maybe 3/4 posters that post in a constructive manner whether it be negative or not. The rest just come on and give it 'the tracks crap' 'dick Barrie is annoying' 'it was gate and go' its bloody tiresome it's the same people ALL the time! Yes have an opinion, yes debate but for christ sake do it a constructive way and the reason I said speak to the promotion was don't you think that throughout the season they will feel the same as all of us. For example I spoke to John after the home defeat by Edinburgh and he was absolutely gutted about it. The promotion were fans before becoming promoters and want to see close racing every week and all the other ingredients that make speedway such a brilliant night out.

[msc1874]

 

 

Sorry for expressing views on a forum! A public forum I add! I have no reason to speak to the promotion, namely because I doubt anything would be done about it! And secondly because I wouldn't know how to go about contacting them to speak to them? I think if they were at all interested in fans views they would of produced some sort of way for fans to air their views in a productive sense!!!!!

 

A forum is a debate, not everyone is going to agree but surely every fan is entitled to an opinion. Not everyone is going to agree but hey that's life. I think all the northern clubs have had to make changes, listen to their fans and make changes.

[Robinh88]

Two problems Berwick have, the team and the track

 

Berwick now have a great set up probably as gooder set up as anywhere. For any neutral who comes to Shielfield looking for a methanol fix, Berwick is a good first location I'd say.

 

It's also about keeping your weekly customers content, content enough so that they are excited to come back because if they dont what will they miss? Not a lot on track sadly. I had a look back to the 2008 season where we finished 5th/6th place with a team of Rymel, Makovsky, Magosi, Franchetti, Aarnio, Clews and Scud. All 7 riders were capable scorers at least at home. But seriously, there is nothing outstanding about that team yet they still had a decent domestic season.

 

We've got the riders there to really suceed, which is where it matters. The track okay its not the best in the world but its liable to at least one pulsationg meeting per year. There's also the two big meetings which will show Berwick in a great light. Much to be positive about we've got to start maximising what we have. People in this day and age don't want to hear about survival they want to back something that is thriving. Now at the start of the season when we were beating piss-poor outfits like Glasgow and Edinburgh everything was all rosey and the birds were singing.

 

Crowds went down because the team and the racing was not up to scratch. If we can sort those two things out next year we could have a much better season with healthier crowds.

 

Cheers

[bigeddiechek]

Two problems Berwick have, the team and the track

 

Berwick now have a great set up probably as gooder set up as anywhere. For any neutral who comes to Shielfield looking for a methanol fix, Berwick is a good first location I'd say.

 

It's also about keeping your weekly customers content, content enough so that they are excited to come back because if they dont what will they miss? Not a lot on track sadly. I had a look back to the 2008 season where we finished 5th/6th place with a team of Rymel, Makovsky, Magosi, Franchetti, Aarnio, Clews and Scud. All 7 riders were capable scorers at least at home. But seriously, there is nothing outstanding about that team yet they still had a decent domestic season.

 

We've got the riders there to really suceed, which is where it matters. The track okay its not the best in the world but its liable to at least one pulsationg meeting per year. There's also the two big meetings which will show Berwick in a great light. Much to be positive about we've got to start maximising what we have. People in this day and age don't want to hear about survival they want to back something that is thriving. Now at the start of the season when we were beating piss-poor outfits like Glasgow and Edinburgh everything was all rosey and the birds were singing.

 

Crowds went down because the team and the racing was not up to scratch. If we can sort those two things out next year we could have a much better season with healthier crowds.

 

Cheers

What and unusual, and contradictory post.

 

I think Goldmember is correct, there is a lot of moaning that is always the same, but never with any solutions.

The Borders folk are markedly good at that, and it is a large contributor to the area being so poor. We are excellent at complaining amongst ourselves, but far too scared to actually talk to the bosses.

 

There are plenty of contact details on both the club website and in the programme,.

To say that fans haven't been listened to is the past, I'm sorry but that is just incredulous:

• We have had the number one we wanted signed,
  
• With reference to the above, ambition has been shown,
  
• Which resulted in our first major trophy for 10 years,
  
• The stadium has been tidied up,
  
• The catering has been vastly improved,
  
• The track has been vastly improved from the Peter Waite era (remember the adverse camber that put everyone through the fence on the 2nd bend?),
  
• Family deals have been made available,
  
• Admission prices reduced,
  
• Meetings speeded up (apart from the hold up with bad accidents),
  
• Popular riders have been retained as the core of recent teams (again injuries had had an impact),
  
• New assets have been brought in,
  
• Safety has been improved,
  
• Bar has been opened.
  

Now, if you can list what you would like to see in a similar way, that would be helpful.

 

I asked Teal for suggestions, and the one given have been excellent. I would be that some of them are acted upon too.

 

Come on, show us that you have an ounce of intellect and provide solutions rather than low level moaning.

[wjm]

A major part of my enjoyment on a Saturday night (aye when I go emilali) is that it’s a laugh, you do sometimes wonder how much people do to create their own enjoyment.

 

Atmosphere doesn’t have to be created by the centre green presenter alone, it can be created on the terraces, this isn’t aimed at any promotion or particular track… just a general observation. If anything it is aimed at the fans.

 

This is something that might not be welcomed by a lot of speedway fans of the older generation but if Speedway is to move on…. It could do worse than trying to embrace the “ultras” attitude that clubs like Rangers and Celtic have latched onto on the back of mainly German football.

 

One of the few things Speedway has in common with Football is that, it isn’t great 100% of the time. You aren’t going to turn up at every speedway meeting every week and see 15 great races, irrespective of the track, it just doesn’t happen, it’s the same with football you wont see a great 90 minutes every week.

 

A lot of football fans have taken their entertainment into their own hands by creating a show on the terraces (Berwick Speedways away fans are outstanding at doing this and probably the closest thing to an “ultra” sort of support you will see in the UK).

 

The same thing has been done in Poland, obviously there is a difference when you see 10,000 plus in a stadium a natural atmosphere will create, but speedway terraces in general have nothing going for them at times, little atmosphere other than people smacking a programme board or spinning around some clicker than no one outside a speedway stadium has used for 30 years.

 

If you could get some sort of “singing/drinking” section and locate it somewhere in the stadium (possibly back straight for example) it might do more to create more of a spectical at a meeting, It might look fun? People might look like they are enjoying themselves, and maybe other people might want to join in, even none speedway fans who just fancy a laugh and a pint?

 

Others may be irked by drunken yobs , but does that have to be a bad thing? You could move, if you are a neutral it might stir a bit more emotion to want to see they shower of loud mouths get beat?

 

 

You only have to look at the thread where “best away fans” was covered to see that Berwick fans were well liked, partly because they put in the effort to make a meeting.

 

Even at an enjoyable meeting a Speedway terrace can be a dull place to be, plenty of times when I am sure everyone has just been unable to get into a meeting, it’s because there can be a real lack of buzz at times.

 

Even as someone that stands on the 3^rd bend…..this might not be popular, but might be worth experimenting with allowing viewing from only the main stand or back straight to get more people in a closer area?

 

This isn’t just a Berwick thing, but I would agree that speedway needs to modernise its self with music choice etc.

 

This is a touch balance though, as was covered on the Edinburgh thread, a lot of Speedway fans are from an older age group and still need to be accommodated.

 

FWIW even though they might not post on this forum there will be plenty who wouldn’t see a guy like Dick Barrie punted and want to see modernisation etc.

Edited November 16, 2012 by wjm

[bigeddiechek]

I have to say that what makes a meeting less enjoyable for me is when one or more of the regulars that I stand with can't make it.

Most of all I look forward to the banter with them.

 

Something that is really worrying is a youngster I know has started getting into comments about the track, which has obviously rubbed-off on them.

 

Imagine them going back to their mates and saying, the track was crap.

Imagine someone talking about a football pitch, "pitch was really good tonight". They'd be ridiculed no end.

 

This obsession with muck is really quite embarrassing.

 

Plenty of good riders can ride crap tracks.

[wjm]

“the track” in general seems to have escalated its self over the last few years, everywhere in the country, in current testing financial times its really become a source of frustration for a lot of people, if people are parting with their hard earned they want to be entertained, and entertained close to 100% of the time (as I say, I don’t think that’s ever been the case with any sport) and when people aren’t its a lot easier to be knee jerk, and creates this chain reaction which really seems to have come to a head with forums in particular (across the board).

 

If you have a season ticket for a football club, watch a speedway side regularly, watch a sport like F1, it’s very rare that you will see close racing, close games and great goals week in week out.

 

Across the course of the season, sometimes, you wont see great racing, that’s just how it is.

 

Speedway seem to be a great revisionism sport, everything used to be better, all the time, every week, it used to be packed out, the 4tt Qualifiers saved speedway, the old tactical rules were better etc.

 

The reality is, it wasn’t like that, I see the Berwick supporters club are inducting Moggo into the hall of fame (rightly so and great stuff from the supporters club).

 

Now, this isnt to do Moggo a disservice he was an absolute entertainer, but…..not every race he was involved in was elbow to elbow for 4 laps, a lot of the times, he was miles out in front or couldn’t pass, simply due to the guy in front of him being that bit better, faster or picking a better line.

 

But, in your mind’s eye, he was always involved in a race every single time, that’s how it is (same thing will happen with Complin in 10 years time).

 

You don’t remember crap races, because they aren’t worth remembering, but the truth is, that everyone that posts on here has sit through 1,000s of them at every track in the country, but it’s worth the 10 poor races, for the 1 or 2 good/great ones that you will remember in time, or the good meetings, that’s just sport in general.

 

FWIW, this is neither a fix to anything or a dig at anyone its just how I see things.

 

Speedway as a sport, its still the same thing as it was 20,30 years ago, its still 4 guys going around a track. You still get good races, you still get bad ones, you have good seasons, you have bad ones etc.

 

Watching DVDs, or grainy videos on You Tube will make you remember things fondly, partly because what is being shown is the better races, people rarely stick crap races on You Tube.

 

My own opinion is that the sport hasn’t changed much, the basic of it is still the same the way it pans across a season, the way it ebbs and flows, highs and lows etc.

 

Time is more often than not kind to the past.

 

It’s the “Customer Service” side of things that Speedway need to improve on as this is something that has modernised, as I said earlier I do feel this is something that Berwick have adapted to well….but like everything you can always improve, and it does seem as though a lot of clubs are willing to take ideas on board.

Edited November 16, 2012 by wjm

[Halifaxtiger]

 

Something that is really worrying is a youngster I know has started getting into comments about the track, which has obviously rubbed-off on them.

 

Imagine them going back to their mates and saying, the track was crap.

Imagine someone talking about a football pitch, "pitch was really good tonight". They'd be ridiculed no end.

 

This obsession with muck is really quite embarrassing.

 

Plenty of good riders can ride crap tracks.

 

I have heard many comments over the years where football managers have blamed their teams performance on the poor state of a pitch and I would say that the condition of a football pitch (while relevant) is nowhere near as important to football as the condition of a track is to speedway.

 

Many are questioning the value for money that speedway offers - ie whether you get sufficient entertainment for your money, and that's all about good racing. Crap tracks mean crap racing.

 

Having an obsession about ensuring that everything is done to ensure that track surfaces are the best that they can be for spectators is not just understandable, its essential.