michaelcroucher Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 I got into speedway when my dad took me to a speedway match over 30 yrs. ago, and i was hooked. Now with the power of the internet and Speedway on TV i show my nephew what speedway is about. He is 3 nearly 4. He keeps going on about speedway to my sister and how he wants to go but the thing is most speedway matches are at night even at the weekend. So due to where speedway is to us and most tracks are quite far it’s too late for him to see a speedway match. SO the question is speedway a family sport? I don’t think it is as they don’t think about a start time for young families. If they run a meeting on a Sunday at 5pm i think more people would go as the meeting would not finish too late for a Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 The traditional start time for many, if not most, clubs over the years is/was 19:30. In the past crowds were many times larger than they are currently. I don't see a change to 17:00 on a Sunday as viable. I disagree with defining 'family sport' as the time it starts or where the track is in relation to your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 We ran at 1500hrs on a Sunday afternoon at Sunderland for a while. Actually it was quite good then - it worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Midday on Good Fridays etc makes for poor tracks and racing imo. I see Lakeside are now promoting their meetings as 'The Original Extreme Sport' - it would be interesting to hear from Hammers fans if there is any difference to crowd numbers??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelcroucher Posted April 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 The traditional start time for many, if not most, clubs over the years is/was 19:30. In the past crowds were many times larger than they are currently. I don't see a change to 17:00 on a Sunday as viable. I disagree with defining 'family sport' as the time it starts or where the track is in relation to your home. The thing is if i have to travel a 2 hour journey to see speedway which i normaly do and the match starts at 5pm it would be finish by 7pm which means i can have my nephew home by 9pm but with a start at 7pm he wouldnt get hiome till 10.30 - 11pm which is to late. The thing is it hasnt even got to be a EL meeting it could be lower league racing that is lower. I see that Kent has a meeting on bank hoilday monday which i am taking him to which he will love and the staduim will get money from me but if it started later then i couldnt take him. ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 So it's not a family sport unless the start time suits you? My brother and I would sleep on the back seat of the car on the way home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelcroucher Posted April 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Im sure im not the only one that things if speedway starts a little bit earlier then more familes would turn up, i agree that childern can sleep on the way home but not everybody likes doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Leslie Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Im sure im not the only one that things if speedway starts a little bit earlier then more familes would turn up, i agree that childern can sleep on the way home but not everybody likes doing that. How would an earlier time help more families turn up? It's OK having an early start on a Sunday, (but most Sunday meetings are afternoon anyway), but a midweek track can't start at 5.00pm as most people are in work until 5pm. 7.30pm is a sensible start time. (in fact football tends to start midweek kick-offs at 7.45pm or 8.00pm and they still get a crowd) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Speedway should give up on the family sport tag anyway. anything that markets itself as a family sport just isn't, 12 year old Johnny doesn't want to be seen dead with mum, dad, granny and granddad, how uncool is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Speedway should give up on the family sport tag anyway. anything that markets itself as a family sport just isn't, 12 year old Johnny doesn't want to be seen dead with mum, dad, granny and granddad, how uncool is that? I'm off for my Blanket, Flask, Sandwiches and Fold up Chair. :rofl: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 I'm off for my Blanket, Flask, Sandwiches and Fold up Chair. :rofl: Surprised you don't take your slippers with yeh WK, ? without US old folk going wouldn't speedway be in the mire.? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Surprised you don't take your slippers with yeh WK, ? without US old folk going wouldn't speedway be in the mire.? It certainly would sidney - it certainly would. :approve: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophykid Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 It should definitely be family friendly in terms of admission costs. However, this family sport tag is embarrassing and unconvincing. Can speedway not be publicised like other two wheeled sport? Fast, exciting, noisy, dangerous, controversial etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Another factor is that many people prefer Speedway under floodlights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Another factor is that many people prefer Speedway under floodlights. I would just prefer to have a Track in Sunderland - it wouldn't matter to me if it was under floodlights or not. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 12 year old Johnny Don't think I would risk using that, chuck it away and buy some more 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedibee Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 Midday on Good Fridays etc makes for poor tracks and racing imo. I see Lakeside are now promoting their meetings as 'The Original Extreme Sport' - it would be interesting to hear from Hammers fans if there is any difference to crowd numbers??! I have recently seen Horse racing advertised as an extreme sport , that made me laugh , but not as much as the one advertising cricket as an extreme sport . Well having thought about it Cricket is extremely boring !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 (edited) I have recently seen Horse racing advertised as an extreme sport , that made me laugh , but not as much as the one advertising cricket as an extreme sport . Well having thought about it Cricket is extremely boring !! That is your opinion. :rolleyes: Edited April 17, 2013 by The White Knight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I think the tag 'family sport' is meant to be used in the context that it is suitable for all family members to see and not in relation to convenience in regard to the time when a meeting starts or finishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Dave Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 We are really lucky that the Rebels race on a Friday as it means I can take my soon to be 6 Grandson as its not a school night. Added bonus the track is just 15 minutes from home, happy day's! Another factor is that many people prefer Speedway under floodlights. Have to agree with this.... Watching the National pairs last week it simply got better as it got dark, true of most meetings of course but with such a large crowd (for us) the atmosphere also felt better under lights..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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