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Eastbourne 2014


bennyr

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Today's local rag quotes Bob Dugard:

"We will not lose less than £70,000 this year. Our average crowd this season is 770. That is the lowest I can ever remember it being. We need 1,100 to break even. When you take VAT out of it you are looking at a shortfall of £4,300 per meeting."

 

Plenty of black clouds over Arlington right now.

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Today's local rag quotes Bob Dugard:

"We will not lose less than £70,000 this year. Our average crowd this season is 770. That is the lowest I can ever remember it being. We need 1,100 to break even. When you take VAT out of it you are looking at a shortfall of £4,300 per meeting."

 

Plenty of black clouds over Arlington right now.

 

Evidence (if evidence was needed) that the sport is on its knees :sad:

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Two reasons why the crowds have dropped bob. R/R for 95% of the season. And the same sh*t team every year.

i agree with you i am firstly a speedway supporter and go to a lot of meeting edin, berw. glas/ occasionaly new/c but the one thing we will not do is turn up if there is any r/r as we 3. feel it a big rip off in this day and age riders , agents can be contacted within minutes as they all have mobile phones so a replacement rider or riders can be got very quick , like i said any r/r for me i dont turn up
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In the Brighton Argus it claimed that each club will lose £100,000 if Sky don't continue sponsorship. For the love of god I can't understand why the BSPA / SCB weren't heavily touting other companies or TV networks. Simple rule of the business .. If a main sponsor looks to be stalling or not willing to communicate look elsewhere.

 

If SKY contract up in Oct after Grand Final why wait until now. If SKY refused to talk then negotiations or initial talks or feelers should of been directed to BT Sport , Eurosport or terrestrial tv already - it is now a case of a last minute deal.

 

The sport is a minority sport in terms of facilities, sponsorship and audience. The Sport needs a proper strategy and direction. Swindon and Birmingham in financial difficulties. Eastbourne lost at least 70,000 .. Something needs to be done to cut the costs. The greatest expense has to be the riders demands.

 

The Argus mentioned that the EL in whatever format it takes could consist of each clubs meeting twice home and away thus giving the fans more meetings and clubs continuity and a regular race meetings but the riders will have to look at lower demands but with extra meetings in UK have opportunity to make money with regular rides.

 

Personally nothing will change significantly until an independent Chairman oversees the sport. Too many looking after their own business rather than the good of the sport. In truth if they don't look at long term development of the speedway rather than simply being reactive and papering over the cracks the sport will die a death.

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Agree with your Sky comments Hackett and made the same points on the Sky thread! I'm not sure about an 'independent' chairman or body as I can't come up with anyone that would be truly independent AND have enough knowledge of the sport. Anyone brought in without substantial knowledge of speedway would only have to learn it from those that are already involved!!

 

For next season, no GP riders or no riders that are not based in UK has got to come in, in some form or other. GP riders don't want more meetings anyway - unless clubs share 2 riders for the number 1 position, but that won't reduce costs! -, its riders like Nicholls, Harris, Watt, Woodward et al that want more meaningful meetings with decent racing as well as most fans!!

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Agree with your Sky comments Hackett and made the same points on the Sky thread! I'm not sure about an 'independent' chairman or body as I can't come up with anyone that would be truly independent AND have enough knowledge of the sport. Anyone brought in without substantial knowledge of speedway would only have to learn it from those that are already involved!!

 

For next season, no GP riders or no riders that are not based in UK has got to come in, in some form or other. GP riders don't want more meetings anyway - unless clubs share 2 riders for the number 1 position, but that won't reduce costs! -, its riders like Nicholls, Harris, Watt, Woodward et al that want more meaningful meetings with decent racing as well as most fans!!

It's certain teams who don't want more meetings

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Agree with your Sky comments Hackett and made the same points on the Sky thread! I'm not sure about an 'independent' chairman or body as I can't come up with anyone that would be truly independent AND have enough knowledge of the sport. Anyone brought in without substantial knowledge of speedway would only have to learn it from those that are already involved!!

 

For next season, no GP riders or no riders that are not based in UK has got to come in, in some form or other. GP riders don't want more meetings anyway - unless clubs share 2 riders for the number 1 position, but that won't reduce costs! -, its riders like Nicholls, Harris, Watt, Woodward et al that want more meaningful meetings with decent racing as well as most fans!!

Wont be enough riders to go round if that comes in, and would probably contravene European employment laws...
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If the average crowd is 700 then this isn't a top tier league club, I would imagine most PL teams get more fans I am afraid. Dudley will as well and Kent too.

 

The EL can't keep cost cutting to keep Eastbourne or even my team BV in the top league, if you can't get them through the gate, then tough.

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