British Speedway Promoters Meeting

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Speedway opened in May of this year at a brand-new venue: Central Park in Kent.

We have attracted a large number of people new to the sport and these new fans have loved it and kept coming.

I can tell you how we knew they were new to the sport.. The audible gasps when an exciting pass and yes, a fall happened out there on track.

Working as I do in the 'box', several of the Refs commented that this was the first time they'd heard a crowd reaction like that to incidents for many a long year!

So the product (and yes, this was NL racing..) can still excite and enthuse and get the public paying to come through the gates for more..

[skthecat]

pre meeting photoshoot with the rider, choose one rider per week , Advertise it the previous week and give the fans a chance to have their photo taken with their favourite rider. Pit walks, Loud ( modern ) music, DJ's etc ..... get people interested !

Have done it at Leicester for at least the last 2/3 seasons pre meeting.....

[The Doctor...]

 

Doesn't that further emphasise my point that the product should not be diluted further? Who are these "plenty of people"? I have spoken to every friend I've made and every colleague I have worked with about speedway at one point or another and I don't recall a single one who had previously been to or heard of speedway. This exciting and thrilling speedway is on TV every week... but being on TV is not enough to drive attendances. Have you ever discovered a sport on TV and then converted into a regular attendee? Has a single person on this forum discovered speedway through Sky Sports? I don't think they have.

 

Sadly no.

 

I discovered speedway as a punishment for throwing a bunsen burner at my science teacher Mr Cartwright and drawing a rather offensive slogan on the blackboard (i'm from belfast and he was from dublin).

 

Thankfully it connected and i was suspended - later that same night night i went to Reading with a supposedly sensible friend of the family.

 

We beat Kings Lynn..Todd Wiltshire scored a shed load from reserve..the rest is history.

[Vince]

 

We already know enough to come to the conclusion it will be rubbish!

 

 

Why do I assume it will be shockingly poor and boring? Because it is obvious!

 

This post pretty much sums it all up:

 

 

Anybody who truly believes our speedway will be anything near entertaining or even good value next season are out of their minds. Just go on YouTube now and look at some Polish Ekstraliga or Swedish Elitseriean and then tell me you still believe our speedway will be able to hold a candle to theirs?

 

I don't care if you will attend no matter what, and I couldn't care less about "real fans" paying out hard earned money for a frankly insuperior product. The fact of the matter is there is only supposedly "real fans" left, and that's the reason why there is no money in the sport. Social Media won't give a toss about British riders, it will only respond to the best riders involved in the best action.

 

We aren't trying to attract "real fans", we are trying to attract thousands of new attendees! Speedway need's to be run like a business, not a charity. Why is this so hard for some people to understand?

 

I already know enough see that this is potentially the most positive thing to happen to the sport in decades, only potentially because unfortunately I don't have access to your crystal ball.

 

I am also obviously out of my mind because I believe that if the format is changed so that we aren't seeing reserves out against heat leaders that means we will see more heat leader vs heat leader races. Clearly I don't have the in depth knowledge of the sport that you do but I would expect that to result in closer, better racing more often. To me it doesn't matter if riders are half a second or a second a lap slower than the top guys, if they are of similar ability and can race each other I would prefer to watch them. The very best riders are fantastic to watch in full flight but I mainly watch Speedway for the racing and some of the best races I have seen have been at NL level.

[jimmy jimmy]

So as I originally posted (to which you disagreed); ill thought out, half-arsed proposals made up on the hoof. As so much appears to be attached to these changes one would imagine that the full consequences of the changes had been considered and suitable regulation drawn up before going public. It is clear that even you are awaiting the rules to be cobbled together. Elite League? More like Amateurs!

You presumably think it is the same for Sweden and Poland then as they have similar rules?

[Elephantman]

You presumably think it is the same for Sweden and Poland then as they have similar rules?

I'm not interested in what Sweden and Poland choose to do; I'm more concerned at the Elite League who will agree policy on the hoof in the hope it will get supporters on-side. Have you noticed collective amnesia on how crap the Elite League product was last year?

 

It is pathetic; this has nothing to do with helping "young Brits" there is the NL and the PL through which they should be able to progress if they have the talent and the money for suitable equipment. This is about a failed "Elite" league that is grasping at straws to get supporters on side, while at the same time deflecting scrutiny of the real issues. Look at the Birmingham debacle; this is a poorly run league; end of!

[Guest]

I'm not interested in what Sweden and Poland choose to do; I'm more concerned at the Elite League who will agree policy on the hoof in the hope it will get supporters on-side. Have you noticed collective amnesia on how crap the Elite League product was last year?

 

It is pathetic; this has nothing to do with helping "young Brits" there is the NL and the PL through which they should be able to progress if they have the talent and the money for suitable equipment. This is about a failed "Elite" league that is grasping at straws to get supporters on side, while at the same time deflecting scrutiny of the real issues. Look at the Birmingham debacle; this is a poorly run league; end of!

 

An excellent comment. Sadly, I also add that while the Elite League appears to have had its sporting day, I fear that the sport generally will continue its decline.

[eric i]

 

We already know enough to come to the conclusion it will be rubbish!

 

 

Why do I assume it will be shockingly poor and boring? Because it is obvious!

 

This post pretty much sums it all up:

 

 

Anybody who truly believes our speedway will be anything near entertaining or even good value next season are out of their minds. Just go on YouTube now and look at some Polish Ekstraliga or Swedish Elitseriean and then tell me you still believe our speedway will be able to hold a candle to theirs?

 

I don't care if you will attend no matter what, and I couldn't care less about "real fans" paying out hard earned money for a frankly insuperior product. The fact of the matter is there is only supposedly "real fans" left, and that's the reason why there is no money in the sport. Social Media won't give a toss about British riders, it will only respond to the best riders involved in the best action.

 

We aren't trying to attract "real fans", we are trying to attract thousands of new attendees! Speedway need's to be run like a business, not a charity. Why is this so hard for some people to understand?

 

I have watched a lot of Swedish speedway and I can honestly say it is no more entertaining than the British league, I can't comment on the value because I don't know how much it costs.

Edited November 27, 2013 by eric i

[Tom Turner]

 

I have watched a lot of Swedish speedway and I can honestly say it is no more entertaining than the British league, I can't comment on the value because I don't know how much it costs.

 

I have watched a fair bit of Polish speedway, but not a lot of Swedish speedway. I have thoroughly enjoyed the product on offer in Poland and personally I do not believe next years British speedway will be anywhere near as good as Polish speedway.

 

It is about £8 a meeting for an Adult in Poland.

I'm not interested in what Sweden and Poland choose to do; I'm more concerned at the Elite League who will agree policy on the hoof in the hope it will get supporters on-side. Have you noticed collective amnesia on how crap the Elite League product was last year?

 

It is pathetic; this has nothing to do with helping "young Brits" there is the NL and the PL through which they should be able to progress if they have the talent and the money for suitable equipment. This is about a failed "Elite" league that is grasping at straws to get supporters on side, while at the same time deflecting scrutiny of the real issues. Look at the Birmingham debacle; this is a poorly run league; end of!

 

Spot on Elephantman.

 

The promoters know they are in the rubbish but don't know how to pull themselves out of this nose dive. The solutions are there but they are too ignorant to explore them, instead they have diluted the product beyond any value in a last ditch attempt to retain a few of the current supporters.

 

We need to show the promoters some tough love and show them we will not stand for this. There are far better options and they need to get on them before it's too late.

[skthecat]

 

I have watched a fair bit of Polish speedway, but not a lot of Swedish speedway. I have thoroughly enjoyed the product on offer in Poland and personally I do not believe next years British speedway will be anywhere near as good as Polish speedway.

 

It is about £8 a meeting for an Adult in Poland.

 

 

Spot on Elephantman.

 

The promoters know they are in the rubbish but don't know how to pull themselves out of this nose dive. The solutions are there but they are too ignorant to explore them, instead they have diluted the product beyond any value in a last ditch attempt to retain a few of the current supporters.

 

We need to show the promoters some tough love and show them we will not stand for this. There are far better options and they need to get on them before it's too late.

This works with "off the shelf" products, sometimes, when there are millions of users..... remember "Mars Bars" "Coca Cola"

But with a minority sport (compared to say footy or rugby) I think not..

 

However, like a trees/shrubs, giving it a good old severe pruning, does mostly enable them to come back stronger/better looking/controllable. .. so although not an absolute hatchet job of "pruning the speedway tree" it might be enough to invigorate it to start the long growth back to a decent form....

Edited November 27, 2013 by Never to old

[foamfence]

I have watched a fair bit of Polish speedway, but not a lot of Swedish speedway. I have thoroughly enjoyed the product on offer in Poland and personally I do not believe next years British speedway will be anywhere near as good as Polish speedway.

 

It is about £8 a meeting for an Adult in Poland.

 

 

Spot on Elephantman.

 

The promoters know they are in the rubbish but don't know how to pull themselves out of this nose dive. The solutions are there but they are too ignorant to explore them, instead they have diluted the product beyond any value in a last ditch attempt to retain a few of the current supporters.

 

We need to show the promoters some tough love and show them we will not stand for this. There are far better options and they need to get on them before it's too late.

Seeing as you have declared that you're not going to Elite league Speedway any more and that you are going to travel to Poland to watch meetings, shouldn't you now be on the Polish forums? This really isn't anything to do with you any more, is it? I don't tell Poles or Swedes or whatever, what to do. To be honest, I'm not that interested in them, I am interested in the 2014 proposals for the Elite league, I like the idea of more fixtures, more continuity and more Brits. I wish it well and am prepared to support it and give it a fair go.

[Guest]

This works with "off the shelf" products, sometimes, when there are millions of users..... remember "Mars Bars" "Coca Cola"

But with a minority sport (compared to say footy or rugby) I think not..

 

However, like a trees/shrubs, giving it a good old severe pruning, does mostly enable them to come back stronger/better looking/controllable. .. so although not an absolute hatchet job of "pruning the speedway tree" it might be enough to invigorate it to start the long growth back to a decent form....

 

Or more likely as Pte Jock Frazer used to say in 'Dad's Army' on TV: "We be doomed - we all be doomed."

[Tom Turner]

Seeing as you have declared that you're not going to Elite league Speedway any more and that you are going to travel to Poland to watch meetings, shouldn't you now be on the Polish forums? This really isn't anything to do with you any more, is it? I don't tell Poles or Swedes or whatever, what to do. To be honest, I'm not that interested in them, I am interested in the 2014 proposals for the Elite league, I like the idea of more fixtures, more continuity and more Brits. I wish it well and am prepared to support it and give it a fair go.

 

Foamfence you are so deluded. You have no idea what you are talking about.

[foamfence]

Foamfence you are so deluded. You have no idea what you are talking about.

I've often thought that of you. Doubtless your nonsense will continue,just because you didn't get what you wanted.

[Tom Turner]

I've often thought that of you. Doubtless your nonsense will continue,just because you didn't get what you wanted.

 

How old are you? Too old to understand what I'm talking about right? You don't own a smartphone, you don't know what a tablet is and the internet is a scary and confusing world for you? Am I right?

 

The sport has fallen on it's backside because people like you are in control of it. I am an expert in marketing, it is what I do and it is how I make my living. I know exactly what I'm talking about and if more people took note the sport wouldn't be in this sorry mess. People like you won't be happy until every match is a NL match with half a dozen fans in attendance.

 

If you don't understand it you should make an effort to learn and embrace it, not resist it and become hostile towards change.

 

I don't mean to cause any offense and I would be very upset if I had thought I had hurt or upset somebody on here. I don't mind if you or every single member on this forum think otherwise, as I have said before, it will be me who has the last laugh, albeit a very hollow and sadly avoidable one. At least I can find solace in knowing I tried my hardest while there was still time to change.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Synikalle

[stratton]

I'm not interested in what Sweden and Poland choose to do; I'm more concerned at the Elite League who will agree policy on the hoof in the hope it will get supporters on-side. Have you noticed collective amnesia on how crap the Elite League product was last year?It is pathetic; this has nothing to do with helping "young Brits" there is the NL and the PL through which they should be able to progress if they have the talent and the money for suitable equipment. This is about a failed "Elite" league that is grasping at straws to get supporters on side, while at the same time deflecting scrutiny of the real issues. Look at the Birmingham debacle; this is a poorly run league; end of!

One of the best posts on this thread, i went to every meeting at the Abbey last year and i can with regret say most weeks you were lucky to see three or four decent races a night.Dragged out meetings, R/R, guests, D/uppers missing ( lack of meetings in which people got used to not going and spending there money on other things.At the end of the season i believed speedway had a chance to forget about Sky and revamp the EL again they have again shirked the real issues.What amazes me is that with the sport in the sh.. the fans have again not had any input on any of the decisions being made a big mistake in my view.Synikalle i can understand his frustration, but i hope he reconsiders his intention of not going in England again as he will miss the sport as i would if i stopped going.Fingers crossed i hope the changes work out, i will always support the sport i believe it is in your blood and for alot of people it becomes a habit which you have for life.

[foamfence]

How old are you? Too old to understand what I'm talking about right? You don't own a smartphone, you don't know what a tablet is and the internet is a scary and confusing world for you? Am I right?

 

The sport has fallen on it's backside because people like you are in control of it. I am an expert in marketing, it is what I do and it is how I make my living. I know exactly what I'm talking about and if more people took the time to listen and pay attention the sport wouldn't be in this sorry mess. People like you won't be happy until every match is a NL match with a dozen fans in attendance.

 

If you don't understand it you should make an effort to learn and embrace it, not resist it and become hostile towards change.

 

I don't mind if you think otherwise, as I have said before, it will be me who has the last laugh, albeit a very hollow and avoidable one.

Wrong on all counts! With the possible exception of the age. Why don't you concentrate on those who are more receptive to your "talents"? You encouraged others to follow you out of supporting British Speedway, is that a sample of your "marketing"? Can't get what you want so throw your toys out the pram? What you really are is a supercilious control freak. I wont waste any more time on you, I'm too busy looking forward to and planning to support what promises to be an exciting and interesting season.

[Tom Turner]

Wrong on all counts! With the possible exception of the age. Why don't you concentrate on those who are more receptive to your "talents"? You encouraged others to follow you out of supporting British Speedway, is that a sample of your "marketing"? Can't get what you want so throw your toys out the pram? What you really are is a supercilious control freak. I wont waste any more time on you, I'm too busy looking forward to and planning to support what promises to be an exciting and interesting season.

 

So I was right then. Who will replace you in a years to come? Nobody.

 

No, I didn't encourage anybody to stop supporting British Speedway, there is a distinct difference between abandoment and peaceful protest. I think you need to go back to school and sharpen up on your reading skills.

 

It's time to wake up. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and at times like these actions seem to speak far louder than words. I have wasted a million words, many hours, and money from my own pocket trying to encourage real change within speedway but they have fallen upon deaf ears, with the exception of a few who have resoundingly agreed with me (a couple of promoters and many riders).

 

I'm afraid the truth is it will not be an exciting and interesting season. Riding standards will drop immensly, tracks will fall into an even more abysmal, attendances will follow and you will be left with egg on your face and no decent speedway to watch.

 

Keep on living in your dream world

 

sport

noun

1. an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

compete

verb

1. strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others.

superior

adjective

1. higher in rank, status, or quality.

The plans offered by our promoters to dilute the sport futher are completely against the basic principles of the word "sport". Wake up.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Synikalle

[Vince]

To be fair a lot of us thought we knew it all when we were young!

[Reliant Robin]

Synikalle, genuine question from when you say that you have tried to do something before it's too late - have you offered your services and expertise in Marketing/Social Media to British Speedway or any of its Clubs?