£10 Sport?

[Grand Central]

It doesn't matter whether its a £10, £20 or £50 sport, what really matters is whether people perceive it as being value for money. If people think they are getting good value for the admission fee then they will come again, and that's true of any form of entertainment. Promoters often seem to miss the fundamental point that yes its a sport but ultimately they are in the entertainment industry and as such need to entertain people. Unless you're an absolute speedway-obsessed anorak of the Sid & Doris Bonkers variety then watching 15 processional heats is just not entertaining, and that is what is being served up quite frequently at many tracks.

You don't have to look any further than the Cardiff GP to see that VFM is the key - people will happily pay much more for a ticket for what is, after all, just another speedway meeting, because they believe that overall they are getting good value for their money and being entertained.

 

That is only true to a point.

Cardiff is just once a year.

League Speedway three or four times a month is a totally different matter.

 

We are 'happy' to be pay over the odds for a one-off meeting that is far from being 'just another speedway meeting' like you say

.

Whilst we do want value for money very few people would pay £29 for a stonking, all value-packed speedway meeting at their local track twenty-odd times a year.

No matter how wonderful a night they had.

 

My point remains the same all along.

The product I get in British Speedway 'feels' to me to be worth £10.

I cannot see anyone currently promoting improving on that 'feeling', quite the reverse.

 

It would just seem sensible that as many costs that can be cut, are cut so that the price I am charged is somewhere in the ball park of the value.

Not, as it is at the moment, six or seven pounds more costly that it feels to be worth.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Grand Central

[Vince]

I can understand the logic of the perceived value of Speedway being around the £10 mark. However I am not sure that cutting costs drastically will save the sport either unless it is at the cost of a large number of current clubs. My worry is that just cutting wages will not see riders reducing what they spend on equipment as there will always be a few who can afford it and being racers the rest will try to keep up. More and more riders will be lost to the sport as there will be cheaper and less difficult ways to race a bike if you are paying to do it. There are already decent riders walking away from the sport because they can't afford it anymore. The only way I can see drastic cost cutting being effective is to bring in very strict rules on equipment, then that makes current stuff obsolete overnight and the legal gear will immediately start increasing in price so even that would be very difficult for riders. Difficult to see a way out so my guess is the sport will just stumble along 'as is' with periods of popularity now and again. Or it will become like most sports with a very few professionals riding at World Championship level and everybody else paying to ride on a Sunday, that will be the end of tracks anywhere near housing though.

[Ommer Mon]

Really good post don't know about 6 man teams? but the rest spot on.

Thanks Sidney. Have to admit the six man team was a bit of an 'on the hoof' comment based on the thought that there may not be enough Brits to cover for the foreigners that we lose. After all we currently need double up and treble up riders to make up the teams.I really do feel the need for a big change in the Winter with less international commuters, an amalgamation of the three leagues into two and a lowering of costs and admission prices. Its a bit like going back to 1964/5 when the National and Provincial Leagues came together only this time we would have the fall back of a lower League for those who can't compete at the higher level.It's good to see the differing suggestions and with the future of the sport at stake let's hope someone picks up on them.

[Ommer Mon]

Just watching the Kings Lynn / Swindon match and with race wins for Richie Worrall, Ashley Birks and Nick Morris I think it proves the point I made earlier that the kids in the national league are capable of producing good entertaining racing and some of them really aren't that short of being capable of competing at the top level. Entertainment is the name of the game you can get that without all the commuting foreigners and machinery / tuning costs. Times are tough and Promoters need to look at cutting costs for riders and fans alike.

[SCB]

Watching the Sky meeting tonight my sister (whos is 23ish) asked me, "Why do speedway teams always play old music?" When 23 year olds think your music is too old you need to modernise it so you can get a few of them in!

 

I did wonder if she'd be reading my posts on here LOL

[Mr Ore]

Watching the Sky meeting tonight my sister (whos is 23ish) asked me, "Why do speedway teams always play old music?" When 23 year olds think your music is too old you need to modernise it so you can get a few of them in!

 

I did wonder if she'd be reading my posts on here LOL

Seems the presenters are as tight as the fans and won't pay the going rate for a current CD!!! One was heard to say that if HMV had more CDs from talentless British bands and charged only a fiver, more people would buy them. You don't need top bands with their fancy floor shows and state of the art instruments. If everyone played the comb and toilet paper the costs of buying an instrument would be much reduced and real talent would come to the fore. Savings could be passed to the fans. Every musician would have the same number of teeth in the comb and clubs could use one brand of toilet paper ensuring costs are kept to a minimum. Could call it the Izal League.

 

You can keep your Bruce Springsteen rubbish what British speedway fans want is cheap rubbish. You would have to make rules though to ensure that richer musicians don't cheat by using a kazoo.

 

In the meantime 250,000 fans who lost out on buying Rhiannon tickets at £250 a go were told they couldn't use this as an argument that she is a top performer as we are not allowed to compare different genres to disprove the tight arsed ones who prefer to listen to the old wino playing the jaw's harp outside the HSBC cash point in Gornal. At least that's free.

 

Sheffield Stars cycle speedway team seem to have no problems in playing the latest downloads at their matches. They also play current or real power tracks from the past at foreign speedway matches so why can't we have more up to date stuff at British speedway tracks? Maybe however the music actually reflects the British fans who don't deserve more. Young people however want sexy not cheap. Don't reduce costs make the sport sexy. Ironically though music is relatively cheap in any case but when you get a majority of fans tapping their feet to Perry Como you know you are in trouble. Still it was good to see the BSF band on Britain's got Talent the other week with their remix of Clive Dunn's classic, Grandad.

 

Anyway your sister seems quite a girl SCB. Do you reckon she fancies coming over to mine? We could watch some speedway DVDs and listen to my Mrs Mills collection. Well I am a British speedway fan.

[cityrebel]

Watching the Sky meeting tonight my sister (whos is 23ish) asked me, "Why do speedway teams always play old music?" When 23 year olds think your music is too old you need to modernise it so you can get a few of them in!

 

I did wonder if she'd be reading my posts on here LOL

at rye house last saturday they played showaddywaddy's greatest hits throughout the whole meeting!. that stuff was in the charts when i was in my teens and it gave me a headache just listening to it!. someone really needs to get a grip on what music is played at some of these tracks.

[Vincent Blachshadow]

at rye house last saturday they played showaddywaddy's greatest hits throughout the whole meeting!. that stuff was in the charts when i was in my teens and it gave me a headache just listening to it!. someone really needs to get a grip on what music is played at some of these tracks.

 

But has having to listen to Showaddywaddy put you off going to any more speedway?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Vincent Blackshadow

[cityrebel]

 

 

But has having to listen to Showaddywaddy put you off going to any more speedway?

no, i've been going to speedway far too long to change my ways, but it's not going to help bring in the next generation of fans is it!.

[ch958]

Seems the presenters are as tight as the fans and won't pay the going rate for a current CD!!! One was heard to say that if HMV had more CDs from talentless British bands and charged only a fiver, more people would buy them. You don't need top bands with their fancy floor shows and state of the art instruments. If everyone played the comb and toilet paper the costs of buying an instrument would be much reduced and real talent would come to the fore. Savings could be passed to the fans. Every musician would have the same number of teeth in the comb and clubs could use one brand of toilet paper ensuring costs are kept to a minimum. Could call it the Izal League.

 

You can keep your Bruce Springsteen rubbish what British speedway fans want is cheap rubbish. You would have to make rules though to ensure that richer musicians don't cheat by using a kazoo.

 

In the meantime 250,000 fans who lost out on buying Rhiannon tickets at £250 a go were told they couldn't use this as an argument that she is a top performer as we are not allowed to compare different genres to disprove the tight arsed ones who prefer to listen to the old wino playing the jaw's harp outside the HSBC cash point in Gornal. At least that's free.

 

Sheffield Stars cycle speedway team seem to have no problems in playing the latest downloads at their matches. They also play current or real power tracks from the past at foreign speedway matches so why can't we have more up to date stuff at British speedway tracks? Maybe however the music actually reflects the British fans who don't deserve more. Young people however want sexy not cheap. Don't reduce costs make the sport sexy. Ironically though music is relatively cheap in any case but when you get a majority of fans tapping their feet to Perry Como you know you are in trouble. Still it was good to see the BSF band on Britain's got Talent the other week with their remix of Clive Dunn's classic, Grandad.

 

Anyway your sister seems quite a girl SCB. Do you reckon she fancies coming over to mine? We could watch some speedway DVDs and listen to my Mrs Mills collection. Well I am a British speedway fan.

 

 

yes all very funny but Springsteen comes round every few years - its a special event - speedway is weekly and not always much fun therefore you pay god knows what for gig tickets because THE MARKET WILL STAND IT

the market will not stand 15,16,17 quid for a speedway match every week

its dead easy for people to make funny/smart comments but not so easy to come up with answers

[Grand Central]

But has having to listen to Showaddywaddy put you off going to any more speedway?

 

That must be it.

Some sadistic promoters have instituted a new tolerance test for their supporters.

'Just how much bad music can you stand before you are put off coming entirely?'

 

As Cityrebels limit has not yet been reached.,

Any ideas on Uncle Len's next bit of torture?

[cityrebel]

 

 

That must be it.

Some sadistic promoters have instituted a new tolerance test for their supporters.

'Just how much bad music can you stand before you are put off coming entirely?'

 

As Cityrebels limit has not yet been reached.,

Any ideas on Uncle Len's next bit of torture?

i've heard that uncle len has dug out his alvin stardust LP's in time for saturdays somerset match.

[Guest]

i've heard that uncle len has dug out his alvin stardust LP's in time for saturdays somerset match.

 

The music played at speedway is basically just there as a background between races and official comments over the loudspeaker system. So long as it's not very noisy it doesn't matter what's being payed because spectators are not directly listening to it - they carry on with talking to each other, buying food and drink, and other activities. No one pays to enter a stadium for any spiort just to listen to the music. Or do they?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Guest

[Grand Central]

No one pays to enter a stadium for any sport just to listen to the music.

 

You are quite correct.

No one here has ever suggested such a thing.

 

But some sports pay a lot of attention to the music.

To enhance the experience.

 

Speedway does not.

That's all.

[topaz325]

You are quite correct.

No one here has ever suggested such a thing.

 

But some sports pay a lot of attention to the music.

To enhance the experience.

 

Speedway does not.

That's all.

 

Agree, the promoters need to present a VFM package and the music is just a small part of that, the £10.00 Sport idea sounds good but is it attainable in 2013 with the costs of rent and all the other costs the promoters have to cope with never mind the riders wages.

I do not have a SAVE Speedway answer but cutting down the amount of "foreigners" riding in GB might help.

[RobMcCaffery]

Seems the presenters are as tight as the fans and won't pay the going rate for a current CD!!! One was heard to say that if HMV had more CDs from talentless British bands and charged only a fiver, more people would buy them. You don't need top bands with their fancy floor shows and state of the art instruments. If everyone played the comb and toilet paper the costs of buying an instrument would be much reduced and real talent would come to the fore. Savings could be passed to the fans. Every musician would have the same number of teeth in the comb and clubs could use one brand of toilet paper ensuring costs are kept to a minimum. Could call it the Izal League.

 

 

 

This analogy is fundamentally flawed. When we pay to watch a musician perform we want to see those performers who entertain us the most. This can be a superstar in an arena or, sometimes, just a band in the local pub. For one we'll pay £50-£100, for the other maybe a fiver. I enjoy both, and if anything the £5 band can often be better value for money. I remember paying £50 for a diabolical performance by one 'superstar' at the NEC.

 

When I go to see a musician I go to see him perform, not to compete with others though. I can enjoy his performance without comparing it to others on the same stage.

 

In speedway we can appreciate a rider's performance on a bike and many of us do pay happily to watch a rider tackle a track to the best of his ability and bring the best out of his machine even if he's half a lap in front.. Some of us want to watch racing, however.

 

Musicians perform in a creative environment, speedway riders in a competitive one.

 

I can enjoy a competitive race between riders who aren't the best riders, who don't get the most out of their equipment far more easily than I can watch lowly-talented musicians since the environments are totally different.

 

I went through a couple of years of unemployment and the last thing I could afford was to go and see Bruce Springsteen. I had to live within my means and occasionally watch the band in my local pub. Perhaps it's time for speedway to do the same?

 

Of course we can just plough on as we are and simply ridicule those who are trying to suggest an alternative to financial disaster.

 

Perhaps it's best if we do just carry on until the reality strikes and we have no choice except to rebuild with sane outgoings, after all time has moved on, we can't turn back the clock and we must search for other other lame platitudes?

 

Perhaps the easiest thing is to buy a large incinerator and ask promoters to cut out the middle-man and throw their money in directly?

Edited June 27, 2013 by rmc

[MattK]

The music played at speedway is basically just there as a background between races and official comments over the loudspeaker system. So log as it's not very noisy it doesn't matter what's being payed because spectators are not directly listening to it - they carry on with talking to each other, buying food and drink, and other activities. No one pays to enter a stadium for any spiort just to listen to the music. Or do they?

 

If this is the attitude of the people who play the music, then that's half the problem.

 

Music can and should be used to build up the atmosphere, not just as a filler between heats.

[RobMcCaffery]

If this is the attitude of the people who play the music, then that's half the problem.

 

Music can and should be used to build up the atmosphere, not just as a filler between heats.

 

As someone who has tried to do this I can only agree but it is a real problem to find music that can appeal to the wide age-range of supporters.

 

I once suggested a particularly racy and powerful piece of melodic rock (NOT heavy metal) on here and got the response "We're not all head bangers". After a while you just walk away.

[jenga]

if your not a headbanger , you are dead.

[Backless]

Page after page of dragging the sport down to make it fit into some "it's a bit crap, but at least it's cheap" edict.

 

Every other sport has over recent years has at least tried to evolve and maximise value AND maximise its income through improvement. Speedway & a majority of fans more spend time languishing in 40 year old memories.

 

The reason speedway is in the state it's in is because that's where it and the majority of supporters are suited.