What Outsiders Think.....

[LagutaRacingFan]

Speedway needs a black world champion... Step up Antonio Lindback.

[ch958]

I don't know why in the age of smartphones and the World Wide Web speedway doesn't have an effective CRM. We seem to have no knowledge of who our fans are both nationally and at club level.

Data can be amassed in many ways be it an online competition or even someone with a clip board going round the fans on race night asking if they could update their system to allow them to send offers and updates.

I think I'm right in saying there is no benefit to signing up to any of the official club websites.

 

With this information you could target promotions to achieve their desired effect. When clubs offer bring a friend promotions or reduced admission deals these are more often than not used by the current fan base but if you had peoples identities and required proof then your promotions can be a lot more tailored and elaborate.

It is not however just a case of amassing data it's what is done with it and that's limited only by the imagination.

Tracks could share information when trying to attract away support maybe by reduced admission. My take on that is 100 paying £10 is better than 12 paying &16. Home fans might take umbrage that the guy in front gets in cheaper but if he wants it sign up and visit their track at a reduced cost next time.

Meet the riders.

View from the centre green.

Have a meal.

Be given souvenirs.

Watch from the box.

The list goes on.

We all know there is a massive amount of ex supporters out there and if we can lure them back and keep them coming five or ten times a year with effective electronic marketing then that would go a long way in getting us back up to where we should be.

 

 

i have made this point myself - you go to screwfix and they want your name and adress for the invoice - next thing you are bombarded with info

 

we need to appoint a company to do this on a national level - exchange £5 tickets for your address, email, mobile and market to those people

 

oh and one more thing.... it can't be a load of rubbish when they do get there! Guests, jokers, delays, processions, etc

Edited June 8, 2013 by ch958

[ouch]

True. If you get the data on ex supporters then ask them why they don't come anymore, analyse the feedback and make changes accordingly.

[DukesGreg]

Speedway needs a black world champion... Step up Antonio Lindback.

 

 

Bit racist that, isn't it??? :D

[LagutaRacingFan]

Bit racist that, isn't it??? :D

 

No, Speedway would get a lot of press if a black person won the event as there are a lack of black riders.

Edited June 8, 2013 by Jepsen Jensen Fan Club

[RobMcCaffery]

I once discussed speedway coverage with a National newspaper journalist - at a football match. His summary of speedway and why he felt there was a lack of interest by the National Press was something on the lines of "that's a sport where lots of European riders turn out for different clubs every night of the week! It's rather circus-like in how it comes across when compared to other mainstream sports - so many gimmicks involved." Not my words!

 

Perhaps the most telling comment in this thread. Not a surprise and can we really challenge him?

[Guest]

Speedway needs a black world champion... Step up Antonio Lindback.

Bit racist that, isn't it??? :D

No, Speedway would get a lot of press if a black person won the event as there are a lack of black riders.

 

It may create some Press coverage at the time if such a thing happened but overall I don't think such a success would eventually influence the National Presss' attitude to the sport. There is a lack of black speedway riders but that's probably because their sporting influences are not apart from a few intances drawn towards motor sport. (Yes - I have heard of Lewis Hamilton).

In the USA, where there are far more black people there no black speedway riders, while other American motor sports also seem to lack black competitors, whereas in sport's demanding tremendous sporting strengths and reflexes they are a dominant factor.

In any case. on the assumption that a successful black winner of the World Speedway Championship would generate National Press interest, so far as this country is concerned he would have to be a black British victor rather than a black Swedish winner.

Can the sport in this country wait that long for this to happen? Not as I look figuratively at the sand in my speedway hour glass!

[MattK]

i have made this point myself - you go to screwfix and they want your name and adress for the invoice - next thing you are bombarded with info

 

we need to appoint a company to do this on a national level - exchange £5 tickets for your address, email, mobile and market to those people

 

oh and one more thing.... it can't be a load of rubbish when they do get there! Guests, jokers, delays, processions, etc

 

Swindon did this and they even used to send out a weekly email newsletter. It stopped a couple of seasons ago.

[Mixy230]

In my job I travel round and meet many many people and as I am into "Motorsports" Speedway, short oval racing, rallycross pretty much anything with wheels. So It often crops up in conversation.

1, Most places I go they know somebody who has competed in short oval racing (Hot rod, stock car, banger, autograss etc) and have occasionally been.

2. Most places I go they used to know somebody that was into Speedway, nearly always passed tense!

3. Sometimes I come across an "Ex Speedway fan" Why Ex? No club anymore, To expensive, It got boring, Toilets bad, Food bad all the normal stuff.

 

In my opinion

Speedway tracks are to thin on the ground (And getting rarer by the year)

Speedway tracks are like stepping back in time

Not enough races in to long a time? 15 races in how many hours?

To many silly rules?

To expensive for 15 mins of racing?

No atmosphere

 

And believe me I will go and watch anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

BUT!!!! If you go to Coventry for an F1 Stock Car meeting it is heaving with people!!!!!!!!!

Guess what? If you go on the F1 Stock Car forum they still moan about similar things (The track condition, Late finishes, Wasted time, Price, Format, Toilets, Food)

 

Perhaps more people like the Stock Car meeting product on offer? and Speedway may not capture peoples imagination any more?!

 

M

Edited June 9, 2013 by Mixy230

[The White Knight]

In my job I travel round and meet many many people and as I am into "Motorsports" Speedway, short oval racing, rallycross pretty much anything with wheels. So It often crops up in conversation.

1, Most places I go they know somebody who has competed in short oval racing (Hot rod, stock car, banger, autograss etc) and have occasionally been.

2. Most places I go they used to know somebody that was into Speedway, nearly always passed tense!

3. Sometimes I come across an "Ex Speedway fan" Why Ex? No club anymore, To expensive, It got boring, Toilets bad, Food bad all the normal stuff.

 

In my opinion

Speedway tracks are to thin on the ground (And getting rarer by the year)

Speedway tracks are like stepping back in time

Not enough races in to long a time? 15 races in how many hours?

To many silly rules?

To expensive for 15 mins of racing?

No atmosphere

 

And believe me I will go and watch anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

BUT!!!! If you go to Coventry for an F1 Stock Car meeting it is heaving with people!!!!!!!!!

Guess what? If you go on the F1 Stock Car forum they still moan about similar things (The track condition, Late finishes, Wasted time, Price, Format, Toilets, Food)

 

Perhaps more people like the Stock Car meeting product on offer? and Speedway may not capture peoples imagination any more?!

 

M

 

Sadly you may be right Mixy230 - I don't like the picture you are painting but it does resonate with me. :sad:

 

.................................. and yet Speedway is B****Y GREAT!!!

[manchesterpaul]

BUT!!!! If you go to Coventry for an F1 Stock Car meeting it is heaving with people!!!!!!!!!

 

That sort of statement keeps cropping up and it keeps needing to be pointed out that if, in this example, Coventry held stock car meetings every week of the season they would not get that crowd every week.

 

Have Coventry speedway club (and other tracks) stage only two or three meetings a season and watch their average attendance soar.

[SCB]

In my job I travel round and meet many many people and as I am into "Motorsports" Speedway, short oval racing, rallycross pretty much anything with wheels. So It often crops up in conversation.

1, Most places I go they know somebody who has competed in short oval racing (Hot rod, stock car, banger, autograss etc) and have occasionally been.

2. Most places I go they used to know somebody that was into Speedway, nearly always passed tense!

3. Sometimes I come across an "Ex Speedway fan" Why Ex? No club anymore, To expensive, It got boring, Toilets bad, Food bad all the normal stuff.

 

In my opinion

Speedway tracks are to thin on the ground (And getting rarer by the year)

Speedway tracks are like stepping back in time

Not enough races in to long a time? 15 races in how many hours?

To many silly rules?

To expensive for 15 mins of racing?

No atmosphere

 

And believe me I will go and watch anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

BUT!!!! If you go to Coventry for an F1 Stock Car meeting it is heaving with people!!!!!!!!!

Guess what? If you go on the F1 Stock Car forum they still moan about similar things (The track condition, Late finishes, Wasted time, Price, Format, Toilets, Food)

 

Perhaps more people like the Stock Car meeting product on offer? and Speedway may not capture peoples imagination any more?!

 

M

On the stocks points. a couple of years ago after the Gears and Tears Tv show on the BBC when my parents were visiting me in the midlands we decided to go to Birmingham Wheels to watch some stock cars one night. The first thing we found was getting info online was akin to to stealing the crown jewels. But when we got there, we enjoyed what we saw and my mum didn't have a bad night out either but thanks to the Gears and Tears TV programme we had some affinity to some of the competitors.

 

We went home and had a look on a few stock car forums and couldn't believe the moans, we'd had a good night out at a reasonable price. But weirdly, we've never been back! Yet these people moaning on the internet go every day/week/month (delete as applicable). I'm not sure what this proves other than people like to moan.

 

Over the years I've managed to convince a few people I work with to watch speedway on the tele, and for all my moaning on here I'll always bang on about how great the sport is to non-fans (because for all my moaning the basics of the sport are brilliant) but I have never manged to convince anyone to attend a speedway meeting. They're just not interested, even if a few of them two take a passing interest on the speedway on the tele. In fact one friend was quite concerned there were no GPs on Sky this year and was quite pleased when I told him they were on Eurosport - no interest at all in attending though.

[Mixy230]

SCB, and I don't like Birmingham Wheels! rarely go, (Maybe its where it is and a pain to get to on a Sat afternoon)

 

That sort of statement keeps cropping up and it keeps needing to be pointed out that if, in this example, Coventry held stock car meetings every week of the season they would not get that crowd every week.

 

Have Coventry speedway club (and other tracks) stage only two or three meetings a season and watch their average attendance soar.

 

Manchester Paul, What I was trying to get at and as I am sure you know, people do go to 1940,50,60s stadiums with dodgy toilets and overpriced rubbish food !

With a big crowd comes big atmosphere, big noise, big energy (That makes no difference to the races but does to the experience)

You could have the worlds best Speedway racers riding in an empty Stadium and if you were stood ALONE ON THE TERRACE THE EXCITEMENT WOULD BE LACKING SO WOULD THE EXPERIENCE.

[manchesterpaul]

SCB, and I don't like Birmingham Wheels! rarely go, (Maybe its where it is and a pain to get to on a Sat afternoon)

 

Manchester Paul, What I was trying to get at and as I am sure you know, people do go to 1940,50,60s stadiums with dodgy toilets and overpriced rubbish food !

With a big crowd comes big atmosphere, big noise, big energy (That makes no difference to the races but does to the experience)

You could have the worlds best Speedway racers riding in an empty Stadium and if you were stood ALONE ON THE TERRACE THE EXCITEMENT WOULD BE LACKING SO WOULD THE EXPERIENCE.

 

I didn't actually realize that was your point, having said that i was quickly whisking through posts.

 

Myself personally i'd go along to watch speedway in an open field in the middle of nowhere and have to wear wellington boots to wade through the 'car park' mud......ooops! have i just described many UK tracks? lol......however you honestly really can't underestimate the vast numbers of people who will not go, or never go again, in view of the spartan facilities at a lot of (non) stadiums.

 

People are simply used to much better these days when it comes to comfort. Obviously there are exceptions in some sports but on the whole the majority of the mass general public just don't do 'roughing it' anymore when seeking their entertainment and splashing out the dosh.

[SCB]

Myself personally i'd go along to watch speedway in an open field in the middle of nowhere and have to wear wellington boots to wade through the 'car park' mud......ooops! have i just described many UK tracks? lol......however you honestly really can't underestimate the vast numbers of people who will not go, or never go again, in view of the spartan facilities at a lot of (non) stadiums.

I think people forget this. Us fans will watch anywhere as long as the tracks good but most people it's about a night out, it's the whole package. Racing, presentation, the car park, the toilets etc. The human mind is a weird thing, if you turn up to a field and are charged £1 to park in it and then have to avoid sheep rubbish and puddles already you're hating the experience and it's going to take something very good to make you change your mind, first impressions and all that. Ask my sister why she doesn't go to speedway and she'll tell you it's the toilets and I dont know what the ladies are like at most tracks but the gents are rarely anything near clean but as I bloke I'm not that bothered but I think women do care a bit more. It's all about first impressions, again. So you get there, park in a field full of rubbish, you've riped the exhaust off your car, you go for a piss in a toilet block that has a puddle of piss all over the floor and then get charged £5 for luke warm tea and a piece of polystyrene in a bun and you're already longing to go home. Then the cheesy announcer start talking crap in between the promoters latest purchase, "hits of the 70s".

 

I really don't think the 15 heats of 4 riders doing 4 laps is the issue. I don't think rules make a blind bit of different to the floating supporter or the first timer, the Tr is not a joke, guests are not a farce and people don't know that the guy at number 1 was there last week riding for someone else, in fact they don't have a bloody clue who is at number 1 just that he's very good and winning his races and passing lots of people, "he's very good you know". Go for a meal in a restaurant, the food can be great but if the music in the background is grunge at a high volume and the waiter asks you, "what the f*&* you having today?" and then it takes an hour to bring out the starter are you going back? Ultimately you have gone out for a meal, the food was good but you're not going to go back are you?

[Irk Deflector]

My point is that speedway needs someone to actually 'promote' the sport and new converts will be found.

It would help is those in charge ensured that tracks were properly prepared and conducive to racing.

Speedway is one of the most exciting motor sports it just needs everyone on board commited to promoting a good product.

 

Instead we have a bunch of self centred vindictive imbiciles who are too stupid to see that what they do is driving their own hardcore away.

 

It does not really matter what 'outsiders' think when those who love the sport are being driven away by the cretins who are supposed to be in charge.

 

Speedway may not be a dead sport yet but it's doing it's level best to get there here in the UK.

Spot on!

 

I think it's fair to say what's left of the hardcore are too embarrassed to promote by word of mouth - no wonder Speedway is on it's knees!

[Mixy230]

Was the one of the other threads, " Does Speedway need a Barry Hearn type" ?

 

What could they promote? The speed? The danger? No brakes? Wheel to Wheel Warriors? International Superstars? Yes maybe! Even probably!

When people go once to watch after all the hype advertising etc etc. What would they think??????????????

Pro's = Speed, excitement, colour, noise, close racing, all the stuff we know can happen sometimes!!!!!!!!!!

Cons = 2 hours + for 15 mins of racing? dated music? dodgy sound system/compare? dodgy food? dodgy toilets? dodgy parking? complicated rules? More complaints about tracks than not!

 

We know and love Speedway already!!!!!!!!

 

What will new people realy think of it??????? (Be honest)

Now we know why the crowds are down or seem non existent at some TV meetings.

 

I watched some of the World Pairs meeting on tv (Racing was zzzzzzzzz, But I was in awe of the Stadium, pits, stands wow)

Edited June 10, 2013 by Mixy230

[Grand Central]

I think people forget this. Us fans will watch anywhere as long as the tracks good but most people it's about a night out, it's the whole package. Racing, presentation, the car park, the toilets etc. The human mind is a weird thing, if you turn up to a field and are charged £1 to park in it and then have to avoid sheep rubbish and puddles already you're hating the experience and it's going to take something very good to make you change your mind, first impressions and all that. Ask my sister why she doesn't go to speedway and she'll tell you it's the toilets and I dont know what the ladies are like at most tracks but the gents are rarely anything near clean but as I bloke I'm not that bothered but I think women do care a bit more. It's all about first impressions, again. So you get there, park in a field full of rubbish, you've riped the exhaust off your car, you go for a piss in a toilet block that has a puddle of piss all over the floor and then get charged £5 for luke warm tea and a piece of polystyrene in a bun and you're already longing to go home. Then the cheesy announcer start talking crap in between the promoters latest purchase, "hits of the 70s".

 

I really don't think the 15 heats of 4 riders doing 4 laps is the issue. I don't think rules make a blind bit of different to the floating supporter or the first timer, the Tr is not a joke, guests are not a farce and people don't know that the guy at number 1 was there last week riding for someone else, in fact they don't have a bloody clue who is at number 1 just that he's very good and winning his races and passing lots of people, "he's very good you know". Go for a meal in a restaurant, the food can be great but if the music in the background is grunge at a high volume and the waiter asks you, "what the f*&* you having today?" and then it takes an hour to bring out the starter are you going back? Ultimately you have gone out for a meal, the food was good but you're not going to go back are you?

 

You are absolutely right in what you say in the last couple of posts you have made.

 

I am always very suspicious of people who can instantly give you a list of the things that could be changed that would 'Oh, so easily' change Speedway's fortunes. Or the people who just shout 'promoters should promote'.

There are no easy explanations at all and certainly no easy fixes.

 

You have highlighted two very important paradoxes.

You enjoyed the Stock Cars ... but haven't gone back. The regulars moaned but they return just as often.

Your Sister hated the bad toilets ... but if every track had a conveniences on a par with The Savoy Hotel, I bet she still would not become a superfan.

 

 

No matter how convinced some of us seem to be about their 'solution' I don't think anything will change much.

Some of us love it. Other people will remain oblivious to Speedway's charms.

[Guest]

 

No matter how convinced some of us seem to be about their 'solution' I don't think anything will change much.

 

 

And, sadly, continue to slowly die - season on season.

[pvm]

Myself personally i'd go along to watch speedway in an open field in the middle of nowhere and have to wear wellington boots to wade through the 'car park' mud......ooops! have i just described many UK tracks? lol......however you honestly really can't underestimate the vast numbers of people who will not go, or never go again, in view of the spartan facilities at a lot of (non) stadiums.

 

People are simply used to much better these days when it comes to comfort. Obviously there are exceptions in some sports but on the whole the majority of the mass general public just don't do 'roughing it' anymore when seeking their entertainment and splashing out the dosh.

I went to Cleveland park from 1972 till it closed at the of 1996, so I understand just how much difference the facilities or lack of, can make. Before the stand burnt down the crowd level were quite good week on week leading upto 1985, after the stand burnt (and not replaced) (

) the crowd levels went down significantly. The racing was just the same, the team was just the same, it was just the facilities that changed. I would guess that in the last few months of the season crowds dropped by 600-800. Now if not having decent facilities could make that much difference back in 1985, what chance has the sport with the facilities offered in 2013.