Papryk Ash Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Given the wealth of speedway experience amongst forum members, we are looking for some opinions. We have been asked by a UK club this season, to find ways to make speedway more exciting for both existing young fans and potential new comers. Obviously we could not do anything that may alienate existing older fans, but there must be things we could do to make kids say "great, speedway tonight" instead of "do we have to go?" It seems that contact with the riders is a massive draw for fans young and old. Does anyone have any ideas? We are particularly struggling with the 11-16 age group, but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Since youngsters tend to get rebelious I believe they need stimuli that engage them without them knowing that they are being engaged. This is exactly what we are trying to achieve here in Poland with the card game I wrote about in another thread. Simply speaking, the idea must come from the kids - or at least they need to have this impression. Not only does the game meet this criteria, but it is also contagious. You need one kid who enjoys it and he or she will gladly share the interest with others. What's more, since playing is fun in itself, those who do it don't even have to be speedway fans. They may start with the game and later ask friends what is this thing. I have this story from one board game convention where we were presenting MCS using cards with actual riders. One kid (about 13-14) spend a few hours at our table playing the game. Finally, having completed another match he said: "You invented a great sport, but tell me: where are you taking all these names from (funnily enough, he asked this question while looking at the card with Gollob)". So, as you can see, the guy had no idea that he was playing an existing sport, though I guess that after this convention he did find out what speedway is. Therefore, I think that voluntary fun is the way to go when trying to make speedway exciting to the young ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrss Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 why isnt their any leaflets or posters about speedway any where. i went to stoke and buxton last year and didnt see speedway advertised anywhere. i am 26 miles from kings lynn and have never seen a stars poster or leaflet in our t i c .nor in the nearby towns and villages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Know Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Speedway is an extreme sport. Kids like extreme sports. So market it as such. I dont think speedway is an extreme sport nowadays. Lets bring back some of the old ways, allow tape touching,bit of aggro at the start and gamesmanship. Speedway is a non contact sport now, lets give a little bit more room for a bit of bumping and such and maybe the odd fight like at cardiff. My veiw is Speedway is a working mans sport but the working man has moved up the ladder now,the sport is in some ways beneth them and always been classed as the poor mans bike sport, pikey to prhase a word. All the factorys and industrys where a large porpotion of fans came from have gone. Get modern music playing by younger dj and involve the kids. Who wants to here tina turner, william tell and the likes played by a 50 year old bloke. All the things wrong are plain to see but most cost money to put right in the short term. No one in speedway has a long term plan or wish to invest.Look at the bsi,they are worried about the lack of new and younger followers as their product is getting less attractive, but they also dont invest there own money and want everything for free, ie transponders and the like. What hope does the UK have. It is now going to be very hard or impossile to turn speedway around as the boat has left the dock and that was in 1990, were now in 2013.Every bussness has to change with the times and bring new things out all the time to keep customers. Speedway hasnt and is now learning a very hard lesson. I really hope it stays around but cant really see it,bit like the old corner shop, was very good but gone now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 I dont think speedway is an extreme sport nowadays. Lets bring back some of the old ways, allow tape touching,bit of aggro at the start and gamesmanship. Speedway is a non contact sport now, lets give a little bit more room for a bit of bumping and such and maybe the odd fight like at cardiff. My veiw is Speedway is a working mans sport but the working man has moved up the ladder now,the sport is in some ways beneth them and always been classed as the poor mans bike sport, pikey to prhase a word. All the factorys and industrys where a large porpotion of fans came from have gone. Get modern music playing by younger dj and involve the kids. Who wants to here tina turner, william tell and the likes played by a 50 year old bloke. All the things wrong are plain to see but most cost money to put right in the short term. No one in speedway has a long term plan or wish to invest.Look at the bsi,they are worried about the lack of new and younger followers as their product is getting less attractive, but they also dont invest there own money and want everything for free, ie transponders and the like. What hope does the UK have. It is now going to be very hard or impossile to turn speedway around as the boat has left the dock and that was in 1990, were now in 2013.Every bussness has to change with the times and bring new things out all the time to keep customers. Speedway hasnt and is now learning a very hard lesson. I really hope it stays around but cant really see it,bit like the old corner shop, was very good but gone now. What you have is an ageing audience, your suggestions might drive them away but wouldn't guarantee that younger persons would turn up in numbers. There is evidence in all the major participating countries, that Speedway is in decline, so it isn't just the promoters here, I think it is inevitable that the sport will downsize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 I dont think speedway is an extreme sport nowadays. So you think it's a game of football then, racing on a boarded circuit, on 500cc highly tuned motorbikes, inches from one another, with little or no protection if something goes wrong then ................ hmmmmmmmmm, you're a hard man to please obviously!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 To get the younger people to go you need the parents to take them. At cov they're having bands playing in the understand bar before the meetings to get the 18+ going as part of a night out. If they had free admission to the meeting for under 16 then possibly some of the 18+ age group would take an under 16 with them. They also need to do a 'give it a try' promotion. Didn't Chris Louis used to have a 2-seater speedway bike that he took people round the track on? Kids could pay a fiver (or their parents could pay) for a couple of laps on the back of it. Sure most of them would love a go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Potter 2 Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) Standardise bikes so it is down to skill & not who can afford to pay the supposed best tuners. Let younger fans have a guided tour of the pits before the meeting with someone explaining about the bikes. Edited March 12, 2013 by Mad Potter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 The electronic age has captured the minds of young folk, speedway and many other sports are not on their radar. There is nothing you can do to change this im afraid, its a different generation now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrss Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 if everyone is as negative as blupanther all clubs might as well give up now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 if everyone is as negative as blupanther all clubs might as well give up now Sadly though, the way things are going, blupanther will be proved right. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 I find it interesting that the 'music' played at speedway is often brought up in these discussions, with the fact that old tunes are often played being highlighted as a problem. I would suggest its not the music being played per se that is the issue, but simply how it is presented. If one casts a glance at Darts, you will see many walk on songs that send the crowd into raptures that when played at a speedway meeting are considered ancient old boring music. The difference? The way it's presented. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Kings Lynn have dabbled with "ride out/winner" songs for years, at the moment we aren't using them, personally I like them One thing that used to happen at speedway is the terrace lighting used to go off when the racing started so everyone concentrated completely on the racing, of course the lighting encircled the track and proved to be a danger unfortunately but standing in the darkness certainly added to the spectacle of the races. We'll never get that back Just shared a Workington Speedway poster on Facebook, hope everyone gets to see this, loads of effort put in, loads of extra entertainment, I'm impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Just shared a Workington Speedway poster on Facebook, hope everyone gets to see this, loads of effort put in, loads of extra entertainment, I'm impressed This should be happening every week for every meeting. Clubs should have official club groups with events set up for each meeting. They should then make a poster that the fans can share with all those who share the poster each week out into a draw 10-12 hours before the meeting for free entry. Kids use facebook, they'll share anything if there even the remotest chance of something for free (and most of the time it's crap "share this iPod photo.... for iPods that are not real!) and if you can get photos of speedway riders all over facebook the kids may just be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwaysliders Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 I never understood why we dont take bits and pieces from costa mesa about running a meeting,they think out of the box for the fans in the us,with all manner of things to keep the crowd entertained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.m Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 if everyone is as negative as blupanther all clubs might as well give up now Is he being negative, or making an observation? I'd suggest the latter. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Is he being negative, or making an observation? I'd suggest the latter. Correct george... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 This should be happening every week for every meeting. Clubs should have official club groups with events set up for each meeting. They should then make a poster that the fans can share with all those who share the poster each week out into a draw 10-12 hours before the meeting for free entry. Kids use facebook, they'll share anything if there even the remotest chance of something for free (and most of the time it's crap "share this iPod photo.... for iPods that are not real!) and if you can get photos of speedway riders all over facebook the kids may just be interested. Good call SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) I remember someone sometime ago said bring in the "Rider in Black". completely unidentifyable rider in black gear, helmet and bike, (like a stig figure). Have the current home rider with the highest score to get challenged at some point during the meeting. Most the anoraks will probably guess who it is, but something the kids may enjoy. It would need to be a Chris Holder or Darcy ward quality for Elite League, but could work for one season. Edited March 12, 2013 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 I remember someone sometime ago said bring in the "Rider in Black". completely unidentifyable rider in black gear, helmet and bike, (like a stig figure). Have the current home rider with the highest score to get challenged at some point during the meeting. Most the anoraks will probably guess who it is, but something the kids may enjoy. It would need to be a Chris Holder or Darcy ward quality for Elite League, but could work for one season. That would be good. A Prize (Cash) for the first Rider to beat the 'Black Knight'. It would be great for kids - just the sort of thing that would appeal to them. Home and visiting Heat Leaders could all have a go. Races to be run before the Meeting x 2. During the Interval x 2. After the last Race in the Match x 2. I'm sure there will be some reason it CAN'T be done - but I still think it is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LagutaRacingFan Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Speedway can't compete with Football or the cinema sadly. Especially considering young people are strapped for cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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