Speedway Star - Point Of View

[tigerowl]

What a superb and long overdue article by Philip Rising in the Star this week. The efforts of Neil Machin to keep the sport going at Sheffield for over 20 years deserve a knighthood but nowhere can the article be more applicable than at Owlerton.

In the sport generally there seems to be an obsession with rules, regulations, points limits, rolling averages (whatever they are), double tactical rules etc. whilst the fans drift away and the sport falls apart around the promoter's generally deaf ears.

At Sheffield the 'opening of the gates and hoping the fans come in' attitude seems to prevail. When I met my wife, she had lived in the heart of the city for over two years and had never heard of speedway. The only time I see any reference to the sport as I am moving around town is a picture on the back of the Sheffield Window Centre vans and a board outside the stadium when I drive past. If there is any advertising, I certainly haven't seen it.

Once inside the stadium, there is a general tired feel to the proceedings. The free programme / race card is bloody awful. There is nothing to read, no statistics, no gossip, no information on the visiting team and crucially, no information for the first time visitor as to how the sport actually works. I accept that programmes cost money to produce, but if the admission charges were reduced by a quid and a charge made for the programme, the club would at least break even and the benefits of having a programme would be massive. When Dave Beresford used to write his gossip column in the old programme and gave stories about the riders and what they got up to, you actually felt part of the club. Now, I don't feel part of anything and possibly wouldn't recognise half the riders if I bumped into them in the street. This is not how it should be,

The presentation is terrible. Reading out the rider's names in reverse order whilst they stand with their helmets on in front of the stand is not good enough. There is no build up, no information about the riders, just "at number 7 is...etc". Again, nowhere near good enough and, yes, I could do a better job,

The racing is OK but there is no second half. 15 one minute heats, no other entertainment apart from the same music every week then a bit of free practice. Not good enough.

Fans are taken for granted, expected to come back the following week and not enough is done to attract and keep new fans. I'm 44 and I think I help to bring the average age of the crowd down to about 66. Even Squall's dad looks young on the first bend!!

*Edit* I ought to add, if I was a first time visitor to Sheffield Speedway

Would I have a clue what was going on? - No

Would I feel that I had value for money? - Debatable

Would I go again? - No. I would feel part of anything. People need to feel part of a club, an affinity to the team and I wouldn't have experienced that at all.

Edited July 4, 2013 by tigerowl

[bigcatdiary]

Can only agree, excellent article and I think it should be a regular feature.

[moxey63]

Tigerowl is right in what he says... most tracks rely on the regulars and aren't interested in sprucing up an awful spectacle. The bring a friend slogan is pointless, especially when I have no friends and, even if I did, I don't attend speedway anymore.

 

Speedway leaves me cold sometimes. For example, I used to feel cringe-tastic when riders were forced to line up at the tapes and then suffer the embarrassment of a few claps and cheers during introductions. You could see in their facial expressions they would rather be anywhere else. Rider intros are ok at stadium-filled events lie GPs or World Cups, but a little of the impact goes when it's just one or two claps from your average league gate, or when the low crowd is introduced to the riders one by one.

[The White Knight]

Tigerowl is right in what he says... most tracks rely on the regulars and aren't interested in sprucing up an awful spectacle. The bring a friend slogan is pointless, especially when I have no friends and, even if I did, I don't attend speedway anymore.

 

Speedway leaves me cold sometimes. For example, I used to feel cringe-tastic when riders were forced to line up at the tapes and then suffer the embarrassment of a few claps and cheers during introductions. You could see in their facial expressions they would rather be anywhere else. Rider intros are ok at stadium-filled events lie GPs or World Cups, but a little of the impact goes when it's just one or two claps from your average league gate, or when the low crowd is introduced to the riders one by one.

 

Nice one. :rofl:

[moxey63]

At least at Belle Vue, when I used to attend, there was always something to keep me occupied between heats... I could nip off home for a brew and a kip, and still get back in time for the next race. Seriously, though, I feel speedway overall is looking tired... even SKY seem to be happy relying on whatever fans are tuning in. And as Matt mentions, you need something to read during the speedway... and watching at home is less enjoyable... now the Teletext service is gone.

[Fromafar]

What a superb and long overdue article by Philip Rising in the Star this week. The efforts of Neil Machin to keep the sport going at Sheffield for over 20 years deserve a knighthood but nowhere can the article be more applicable than at Owlerton.

In the sport generally there seems to be an obsession with rules, regulations, points limits, rolling averages (whatever they are), double tactical rules etc. whilst the fans drift away and the sport falls apart around the promoter's generally deaf ears.

At Sheffield the 'opening of the gates and hoping the fans come in' attitude seems to prevail. When I met my wife, she had lived in the heart of the city for over two years and had never heard of speedway. The only time I see any reference to the sport as I am moving around town is a picture on the back of the Sheffield Window Centre vans and a board outside the stadium when I drive past. If there is any advertising, I certainly haven't seen it.

Once inside the stadium, there is a general tired feel to the proceedings. The free programme / race card is bloody awful. There is nothing to read, no statistics, no gossip, no information on the visiting team and crucially, no information for the first time visitor as to how the sport actually works. I accept that programmes cost money to produce, but if the admission charges were reduced by a quid and a charge made for the programme, the club would at least break even and the benefits of having a programme would be massive. When Dave Beresford used to write his gossip column in the old programme and gave stories about the riders and what they got up to, you actually felt part of the club. Now, I don't feel part of anything and possibly wouldn't recognise half the riders if I bumped into them in the street. This is not how it should be,

The presentation is terrible. Reading out the rider's names in reverse order whilst they stand with their helmets on in front of the stand is not good enough. There is no build up, no information about the riders, just "at number 7 is...etc". Again, nowhere near good enough and, yes, I could do a better job,

The racing is OK but there is no second half. 15 one minute heats, no other entertainment apart from the same music every week then a bit of free practice. Not good enough.

Fans are taken for granted, expected to come back the following week and not enough is done to attract and keep new fans. I'm 44 and I think I help to bring the average age of the crowd down to about 66. Even Squall's dad looks young on the first bend!!

*Edit* I ought to add, if I was a first time visitor to Sheffield Speedway

Would I have a clue what was going on? - No

Would I feel that I had value for money? - Debatable

Would I go again? - No. I would feel part of anything. People need to feel part of a club, an affinity to the team and I wouldn't have experienced that at all.

A good article,but the average fan has recognised these shortfalls years ago IMO.restructure is certainly needed but how do you entice new fans to the sport and keep them ,the usual suspects will come with the usual it is 4 guys going round on a bike and everything is fine.geniune fans would love to come up with a solution but it is the Promoters as a collective group are the only people who can solve it.IMO.

[EC Rides Again]

I thought that the article was "statin' the bleedin' obvious" really. No concrete proposals offered in order to turn the tide.

[Fromafar]

I thought that the article was "statin' the bleedin' obvious" really. No concrete proposals offered in order to turn the tide.

What proposals could anyone offer through a magazine article that would be taken seriously .

[MattK]

What proposals could anyone offer through a magazine article that would be taken seriously .

 

What is your criteria for an idea to be taken seriously? I can't see any reason why the SS cannot put together a credible blue print which at least forms the basis of serious discussion.

[Fromafar]

 

 

What is your criteria for an idea to be taken seriously? I can't see any reason why the SS cannot put together a credible blue print which at least forms the basis of serious discussion.

like I stated in my previous Post the Promoters are the ones that have to come up with the answers.Some of the comments from certain Promoters to the Star's article early in the season prove that.We all have our own ideas but we are just the paying punters to some Promotions (not all I hasten to add).

[Grand Central]

I'm glad that Mr Rising added so much to the earlier article in the online Xtra mag as that was a liitle weak.

This had much more meat, bite and thought.

 

I thought this article was very good as a 'point of view'.

It was never meant to be any sort of 'blueprint' for the future; more a call to arms.

For those who will heed

 

It may be stating the bleedin obvious in some areas but it just seems that is needed as some of those most intimately involved in the sport cannot see these things for themselves.

Perhaps some of the more boneheaded ones will think about it a bit more just because they read it in the Star.

Quite a few promoters, of my limited acquauintance, are perversely stung by comments in the Star; more than most other forms of criticism.

Some of them are real big babies.

 

Lets hope for something positive.

It is our only hope.

 

.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Grand Central

[oldace]

It is what many have been saying for years, first just me and Moxey but as the years go on more and more saying the same on here, that doesnt take into account the ones who dont care enough to bother posting and just disappear

 

Everything you do in life has to evolve or die. Even your weekly supermarket trip. Of course essentially the groceries are the same but ASDA of 2013 is nothing like ASDA of 1983. The cinema, a visit to a modern multiplex is nothing like going to the odeon 30 years ago. The same applies to absolutely everything except speedway, the show in 2013 is exactly as it was in 1983 and it was tired then

[topaz325]

_{Yes the Sport does need to be dragged in to 2013 and spruced up at least make the show slicker with prompt start times a raceable track and godd music to add !! to the atmosphere..}

 

 

 

_{I would rather have the pie and oxo from 1983 than the burger and chips of 2013!}

 

_{Oh and some of the fans could help....some seem to be attending a funeral and do not even applaud the riders after a decent race!}

Edited July 5, 2013 by topaz325

[StevePark]

Advertising is all well and good, but costs (in the main) an awful lot of money. Something the sport hasn't got a lot of at the moment. Yes it might work, but is a hell of a gamble in the current climate (unless it's free, of course).

 

The best form of advertisment is speedway on the Tele. When Sky started to broadcast the sport, it was supposed to be the saviour of the sport, with fans queueing for miles to get into their local tracks! It didn't happen.

 

Putting something extra on at tracks, again, in the main, costs money. Again I refer you to the first paragraph.

 

Yes, the sport is dying on its a**e, but the sport deoesn't help itself by not trying to keep the fans it has already got.

 

Until the people 'in charge' actually start listening to the fans, it will continue to die, as it will lose more and more of its current fanbase and, obviously, not get the new numbers in to compensate, eventually dying altogether.

[xmas]

But the fans they (speedway) have got are old and won't be here in 20 years

 

The sport needs new fans and you can only get that through promoting it and yes that costs money and that's down to the promoters to figure out

 

why in earth they thing fans will just turn up again I don't know but if the promoters are happy with the fan base they have then bye bye speedway in the UK in 15/20 years

 

 

Advertising is all well and good, but costs (in the main) an awful lot of money. Something the sport hasn't got a lot of at the moment. Yes it might work, but is a hell of a gamble in the current climate (unless it's free, of course).

 

The best form of advertisment is speedway on the Tele. When Sky started to broadcast the sport, it was supposed to be the saviour of the sport, with fans queueing for miles to get into their local tracks! It didn't happen.

 

Putting something extra on at tracks, again, in the main, costs money. Again I refer you to the first paragraph.

 

Yes, the sport is dying on its a**e, but the sport deoesn't help itself by not trying to keep the fans it has already got.

 

Until the people 'in charge' actually start listening to the fans, it will continue to die, as it will lose more and more of its current fanbase and, obviously, not get the new numbers in to compensate, eventually dying altogether.

 

Sorry for spelling I'm sat on a train lol

[The Third Man]

We were talking about this last night and came to the conclusion that nothing has changed for the supporter in the 45 years that i have been going to speedway.

 

there has been no evolution just standing still, the opinion from promoters seems to be that people have always turned up to watch the same thing for the last 40 years why should they stop turning up now

 

well thay have stopped and no one seems to want to admit it because they would then have to think what to do about it, a thing that promoters seem unable to do

[Cockney Rebel]

So the general idea is get the current fans more engaged with your club but obviously not spend too much extra dosh. This would the hopefully lead to them telling their friends what a great nightout Speedway is. Interval attractions don't really work long time so there has to be something else that relates to the sport and the club. At Cardiff there is a fan zone where the riders sign autographs and have their photos taken with fans etc, so why can't each track have a fan zone. There could be a bike on show so you can see one close up and not just whizzing round the track. A couple of riders one home and possibly the away number one, fans could ask them question have their photo taken maybe even on the bike. This wouldn't cost any extra and would only need the co-operation of the riders. When the riders need to get ready to race and warm up the bike etc, perhaps half an hour before the start why not have junior racing before the main event, I'm not talking 16/17old National Leaguers but 10/12 year olds. The kids would then think it's possible to be speedway rider they would have spoken to and had their photos taken with their heroes and had a sit on a speedway bike. Also if each track had one of those starting gate things that have done the rounds occasionally and could compete against their heroes that would be brilliant for them, iwould have loved that when I was 10 year old and first started going to speedway. Not a lot of cost just some co-operation from the riders. Any thoughts?

[MattK]

I agree Cockney. It seems strange that clubs don't offer pre-meeting pit access, track walks, rider meet'n'greets and watching a heat from the centre green to their loyal fans - none of which cost the club a penny.

 

The only explanation I can come up with is laziness.

[salty]

Thinking back to the Speedway Star special last Autumn, when they interviewed a promoter from each club prior to the AGM, it was astounding how many were complacent about the sports future. Two who stood out as particularly content with the product were Len Silver and Dave Hoggart (who comically felt the main thing wrong was the negativity of supporters).

I felt at the time the attitude of these guardians of the sport smacked of playing the fiddle whilst smoke filled the air and it seems the 2013 season is confirming my view that the sport domestically is floating down a creek of poo without a paddle.

The chance to bring in a much needed independent body and a simplified rule book was snubbed following the winter of discontent 2 years ago and the culture of promoters who have an over-riding ethos of self interest has continued to make the sport a laughing stock.

Poole is supposedly one of the best run clubs, but how many times this season have they missed out on their Wednesday evening fixture? The promotion seem keener on hunting out loopholes in the average rules the better to track a ttle winning outfit rather than provide regular action on a decent race track.

With Sky possibly slipping over the horizon, now is the time to grasp the nettle and chuck out the bathwater. The baby of the essential thrill of 4 riders, 4 laps needs to be kept, but get back to weekly, affordable Speedway. If the GP riders can't accomodate a full season, then so be it, costs will be lower.

An independent body in charge of a simplified rulebook. Less abuse of facilities for "injured" riders and instead of the "win at all costs" mentality attributed to Neil Middleditch in last weeks Star a final realisation that the sport is only as strong as its weaker member and that working and existing together is the only way for the sport to survive professionally in the UK.

[mikebv]

look at what cricket has done this evening with its 20/20 games...

 

a joined up country wide as well as local marketing plan, some thought around a complete entertainment package, reduced adult admission, kids in for a quid, noise, colour, a public address system that works (and all scheduled participants turning up )...

 

result?

 

full houses across the country.....

 

some great ideas for no real outlay have already been mentioned, but another zero cost one for me is when a team gets a five one (or even the winner of every race) should do a lap of honour so the fans can show appreciation, too many times you have a great race and all go straight back to the pits....

 

take every opportunity to keep the fans involved and part of the experience..