Increase In Costs

[tigerowl]

I was looking through an old Speedway Star from 1975 and saw the admission prices for King's Lynn were 70p. It now costs £16 to get in at Saddlebow Road and that is about 23 times more than it cost 38 years ago.

 

There were some other prices listed in the magazines of the time and I wondered how much other speedway related stuff would cost if prices had gone up exactly in line with what the fans have to pay now.

 

New Speedway Machine - £16,000

Decent Used Speedway Machine - £8,050

Rear Tyre - £287.50

Pair of Speedway Boots - £529

Speedway Star £3.45

 

If the average wage had increased at the same rate then in would be about £69,000 per year.

 

Looking at the figures I wonder if the crowds dropping may be related to the cost of the night out?

[The Voice Of Reason]

Have to agree somewhat.

 

When you consider pricing v VFM, I find it very difficult to see where the next generation of new support is going to come from.

 

However, promote it successfully and have £10 ticket deals, and you just may notice an increase in spectator levels (as I recently witnessed at Parry Barr).

[Guest]

I was looking through an old Speedway Star from 1975 and saw the admission prices for King's Lynn were 70p. It now costs £16 to get in at Saddlebow Road and that is about 23 times more than it cost 38 years ago.

 

There were some other prices listed in the magazines of the time and I wondered how much other speedway related stuff would cost if prices had gone up exactly in line with what the fans have to pay now.

 

New Speedway Machine - £16,000

Decent Used Speedway Machine - £8,050

Rear Tyre - £287.50

Pair of Speedway Boots - £529

Speedway Star £3.45

 

If the average wage had increased at the same rate then in would be about £69,000 per year.

 

Looking at the figures I wonder if the crowds dropping may be related to the cost of the night out?

 

That's interesting. Of course it's all a far cry from my first historic meeting at New Cross in 1946: admission old money 1shilling ninepence and programme sixpence. Total two shillings and sixpence plus I think four pence old money each way on the Tram - an overall cost of three shillings two pence old money.

The inflation calculator tells me that is equal to £5.48p in modern terms - so speedway was obviously much cheaper to attend 67 years ago?

The historic link for me - I saw greats like Ron Johnson. Jack Parker and Geoff Pymar for the first time.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Guest

[michaelcroucher]

I like this topic as i have said for a long time speedway can be expensive for a night out for some poeple. Alot of people still think speedway is a cheap night out but when you look at the % on how much it has gone up they might think agian, but i think not.

 

Wish i was on the £69,000 per year wage tho.

[Humphrey Appleby]

The inflation calculator tells me that is equal to £5.48p in modern terms - so speedway was obviously much cheaper to attend 67 years ago?

 

It was cheaper in terms of the value of money, but equally people probably had less disposable income overall.

 

The fact that people are willing to pay higher prices for other sports does suggest there's generally more disposable income around now than then, but speedway has always drawn much of its support from the working classes for whom price probably is an important consideration.

 

Of course, the fact that speedway takes place in stadia than have hardly changed in 40 or 50 years, and that entertainment value has been progressively reduced pver the years, is probably also a significant factor in the decline of the sport.

[Hebbs]

Interesting topic for me because cost as the kids got older was the main reason I started to pick and choose meetings instead of go every week.

 

I just used one of those online inflation calculators and it came up with 70p in 1975 is now the same as £6.02. I know this is based on a general measure of inflation not specifically entertainment, but even so. I think £10 is about right myself to be value for money today.

[The White Knight]

I forecast ages ago that when the Government 'Cuts' finally struck home everything and everyone would suffer. Speedway is not immune from this.

 

I think that this is an excellent topic because, as has already been said, Speedway always drew it's Support from the so called 'Working Class'. The problem is that Development Costs, Laydown Engines, Bike Parts etc. have now outstripped Speedway's Target Audience. Bikes and Accessories cost so much more these days, Engine Tuners charge a small fortune to Service an Engine. In the old days - the Rider and his Mechanic sorted that out. Costs have HAD to increase disproportionately in order to keep up with the Development Costs. To my mind these are a few of the reasons why Speedway finds itself with the problems it faces today.

 

I would not presume to say what a Fair, Value for Money Price would be for a Speedway Meeting (because I don't know) but if you Price the Product too high for your 'Target Audience' you are on the road to disaster - as we are finding out.

[Humphrey Appleby]

I forecast ages ago that when the Government 'Cuts' finally struck home everything and everyone would suffer. Speedway is not immune from this.

 

Unfortunately, has been on a long slow decline regardless of the various recessions over the years. I'm amazed that any resemblance of a professional sport can be maintained on current crowd levels and the limited sponsorship the sport is able to generate, but the fundamental problem is that the sport has just not been able to control its costs and has ended-up gradually pricing itself out as cheap form of entertainment. Some of those costs have been beyond the control of the sport (e.g. VAT, stadium rental), but primarily rider wages have increasingly outstripped what they actually draw in revenue.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Humphrey Appleby

[The White Knight]

Unfortunately, has been on a long slow decline regardless of the various recessions over the years. I'm amazed that any resemblance of a professional sport can be maintained on current crowd levels and the limited sponsorship the sport is able to generate, but the fundamental problem is that the sport has just not been able to control its costs and has ended-up gradually pricing itself out as cheap form of entertainment. Some of those costs have been beyond the control of the sport (e.g. VAT, stadium rental), but primarily rider wages have increasingly outstripped what they actually draw in revenue.

 

I totally agree with this. Rider wages too have increased beyond reason. I still maintain that it is Equipment and Engine Tuners that are far too expensive - particularly for a young person trying to enter the Sport as a Rider.

 

The '4-Valve' Revolution started all of this chase for faster and faster and more powerful Engines. I believed at the time the Sport should have stuck with '2-Valve' Engines - because it didn't we are reaping the consequences now. I know that people will say that I am a dinosaur - but - the far more expensive '4-Valve' Engine has not increased the times of the Races that much - but - HAS increased the costs within the Sport out of all comparison to the so called benefits (speed) they bring.

 

Without all of the questionable Developments within Speedway the Costs could have been kept down, the Ticket Price could have been kept down and a lot more people would be coming through the Gate today.

 

Sadly - things are as they are.

[Sotonian]

I totally agree with this. Rider wages too have increased beyond reason. I still maintain that it is Equipment and Engine Tuners that are far too expensive - particularly for a young person trying to enter the Sport as a Rider.

 

The '4-Valve' Revolution started all of this chase for faster and faster and more powerful Engines. I believed at the time the Sport should have stuck with '2-Valve' Engines - because it didn't we are reaping the consequences now. I know that people will say that I am a dinosaur - but - the far more expensive '4-Valve' Engine has not increased the times of the Races that much - but - HAS increased the costs within the Sport out of all comparison to the so called benefits (speed) they bring.

 

Without all of the questionable Developments within Speedway the Costs could have been kept down, the Ticket Price could have been kept down and a lot more people would be coming through the Gate today.

 

Sadly - things are as they are.

It's a factor for sure but I don't believe things would have stood still even with 2-valve engines. Tuners would have found new ways to 'breathe on' them and who's to say they wouldn't have also become laydowns eventually.

[tigerowl]

I think the missing factor in my original post is rider wages. I think that has always been something of a mystery and there are no definite figures to hand.

[The White Knight]

It's a factor for sure but I don't believe things would have stood still even with 2-valve engines. Tuners would have found new ways to 'breathe on' them and who's to say they wouldn't have also become laydowns eventually.

 

I reckon that even a '2-Valve' Laydown would be cheaper to maintain than the current '4-Valve'. Cheaper to service too.

 

From a Rider safety point of view - this has not been mentioned so far - I think that the '2-Valves' were a LOT less dangerous to their Riders than the '4-Valve'.

 

I do NOT believe that the Development of the '4-Valve' Engine has been of any benefit to Speedway at all. On the contrary I think it is that more than anything that has put our Sport in to the parlous state that it now finds itself.

[aireyatowlerton]

Way back when, I purchased a magazine titled Speedway '70. This quoted the then pay rates for the British League as £1/6/6 (£1.325p) per start and £2 per point. Using the Bank of England inflation calculator, their approximate current values are £17.35 per start and £26.19 per point.

[SCB]

I forecast ages ago that when the Government 'Cuts' finally struck home everything and everyone would suffer. Speedway is not immune from this.

Not sure thats true. I'm doing just fine thought it all. But then I've worked hard to make sure thats the case (he says posting on the BSF while at work ) rather than just sit back and moan about it, ironically!

[The White Knight]

Not sure thats true. I'm doing just fine thought it all. But then I've worked hard to make sure thats the case (he says posting on the BSF while at work ) rather than just sit back and moan about it, ironically!

 

I like your style SCB. :)

[Long Eye]

I reckon that even a '2-Valve' Laydown would be cheaper to maintain than the current '4-Valve'. Cheaper to service too.

 

From a Rider safety point of view - this has not been mentioned so far - I think that the '2-Valves' were a LOT less dangerous to their Riders than the '4-Valve'.

 

I do NOT believe that the Development of the '4-Valve' Engine has been of any benefit to Speedway at all. On the contrary I think it is that more than anything that has put our Sport in to the parlous state that it now finds itself.

 

How do you work that out? 2 large, heavy valves are much harder to control than 4 lightweight valves and end up putting more strain on the rest of the valve gear resulting in a shorter lifespan. There are still many riders who carry out there own maintenance on engines just as in 'the good old days of JAPs' that many riders used tuners.

[The White Knight]

How do you work that out? 2 large, heavy valves are much harder to control than 4 lightweight valves and end up putting more strain on the rest of the valve gear resulting in a shorter lifespan. There are still many riders who carry out there own maintenance on engines just as in 'the good old days of JAPs' that many riders used tuners.

 

If I am wrong - then I bow to your superior knowledge.

[stevehone]

speedway riders being professional is what's pushed costs, years ago it was all about finishing work, loading your bike on a rack or in the boot of the car, then off you go ..

nowadays you have to have the van, the signwriting, the new flash kevlars, the team t-shirts and hoodies, the team caps, the website etc, and that's all before you've even ridden for a NL team!!!!

 

get back to basics people, use your money on your riding, not fekkin hoodies!!!

[ch958]

we had quite a long canter on another thread about speedway being a £10 sport and the need for someone somewhere to control costs to make this possible

 

I still firmly believe this is the way forward even at the expense of dispensing with star names but i got such a walloping from some posters i'm not going to push it!!

[The White Knight]

we had quite a long canter on another thread about speedway being a £10 sport and the need for someone somewhere to control costs to make this possible

 

I still firmly believe this is the way forward even at the expense of dispensing with star names but i got such a walloping from some posters i'm not going to push it!!

 

Why not? You were RIGHT!!!