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Peterborough Panthers 2014


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Safe financially ? Birmingham have gone, Eastbourne look like going. I know the answer. lets invest massively in bring the big names who will bleed every last penny out of the sport and keep our fingers and toes crossed that the supporters who want this are prepared to pay for it. History suggests they will not and we will lose even more tracks

 

I struggle a bit with the concept that destrengthening the league means a reduction in the quality of the racing, personally I do not see the correlation

 

Its a difficult one for promoters (gee am I defending them) but in a declining market, its a brave man who invests in a team hoping it works, Rick Frost done it and it failed, why should it work elsewhere

 

No question the sport is on a spiral and not sure anyone knows what to do.....................................apart from the people who are telling everyone else they should be spending more money of course. I agree that scrimping on shale is a problem but points limit reduction for me is not the major issue.

 

If we really think the right strategy is to drop a couple of clubs from the Elite League then I would be concerned, looks like two are going when the costs are trying to be reduced, maybe you are thinking its another two, That if course would mean that everyone could complain about lack of variety and seeing the same team too often

 

I still say get rid of the top riders as the sport cannot afford them

Mr Brown - genuine questions...

 

Do you...

 

a. Support the Panthers?

b. watch live speedway?

Edited by Flyin Panther
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Mr Brown - genuine questions...

 

Do you...

 

a. Support the Panthers?

b. watch live speedway?

 

Genuine answers

 

a) No, but not sure its relevant

B) No, but not sure its relevant. I would have had my club not been decimated by appalling owners. I would love to be able to

 

None of this stops me having an opinion I didn't think

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What I maintain is that I have doubts that a change of race night would produce the extra number through the gate that seems to be required.

Sorry, I disagree. I can't believe that anybody doesn't think that attendances on Fridays would be significantly better than Tuesdays.

 

You added the rider (clause) about whether it would be enough to achieve the attendance that "seems to be required" - but the point is that there's far more chance of that happening on Fridays.

Pboro would get crowds of over 1000 on a Friday at PL level easily, crowds on a friday last year were very good it was the other race days that let us down.

I totally agree.

i was at all these meetings and crowds looked good, were you there? didn't mr frost come out and say he needed crowds of over 2000? or 2400ish? this was due to putting a very expensive team together

exactly! Those crowds were easily 1000+

Crump just told you that Frost the bloke who knows the crowd figures say they were poor . NO offence but I have feeling he's likely to know unlike you ...The bottom line is that the crowds were poor on Fridays .

but Frost was talking from the standpoint of the prevailing finances, i.e. needing 2000 crowds

Edited by PE7Panther
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No I wasn't there but was going by what opposition fans kept saying which seems to agree with Frost but disagree with you?

 

"Frost revealed that crowds at the Showground only averaged around 800 during last season (2009) and admits that is barely half of the figure required for the club to break even (1500)."

 

"Peterborough Panthers bosses have admitted that attendance figures have fallen during the 2012 season."

 

"Panthers are nowhere near to meeting their break-even requirement of average crowds of 2,000 (2012)"

 

That's what you get for no success, signing Bjerre year on year and giving Swindon the 2012 title! There seems to be something there about lack of success increasing the break even figure exponentially so 2400 might be right although I never saw that.

 

So you think that the Tuesday production on a Friday will solve the problem? How many Fridays did MH have during his first tenure?

re. opposition fans: they're not always the best judges. I've seen many posts by people who clearly have no idea. Not only that, opposition fans often have their own agendas (a.k.a. a massive chip...). It just takes one numpty to write "Panthers crowd was about 150 last night..." and before you know it, it's taken as gospel on here :rolleyes:

 

Frost needed 2000+, whereas Horton is talking about needing about half that. I think we'd have a far better chance of getting it on Fridays.

 

I totally agree with your point about lack of success being a crucial factor in Frost's era - and especially with the point about persevering with Bjerre. That was one of RF's (many?) big mistakes.

crump 99 from 2009 to 2012 mid weeks were our race nights not fridays ( apart from 2010 9 meetings) so all your quotes by mr frost relate to mid week crowd figures

Last season crowds on a friday were very good it was the really poor mid week ones that let us down.

As for do i think the 'Tuesday production' (PL racing) would be better on a friday yes i do

GPWM

RF often made comments about attendances not being enough, but I don't recall him ever making any distinctions between the crowds we were getting midweek and the crowds for the Friday meetings. He'd just say things like "we're not getting enough people in..." etc. Well, not until he started to talk about moving to Fridays as the regular race night. Then he'd say "hopefully that will enable more fans to come...."

The only conclusion to be drawn is that he took stock of what had been happening - the stats - and decided Fridays were the better option.

In my opinion it was the introduction of the GP series that influenced the downfall of British Speedway. Don't get me wrong I'm a supporter of the GP's and always look forward to each round. The knock on effect of the televised spectacle was expected to create an influx of new supporters, a similar model to F1. Poland, Sweden, Denmark all seem to have gained support whearas British Speedway (the place to be) went downhill rapidly. Even they are now falling into decline.

 

Why? Inconsistent race nights, the loss of regular 1-7 teams and 'superstars' that no longer rely on plying their trade in the UK. The result being top riders could demand top dollar, coupled with decreasing attendances, severe lack of sponsorship, cash strapped promotions with insufficient funds to market the product - a business model doomed for failure.

 

Is it coincidence that all the other nations all have a dedicated Speedway night, Sun, Tues, Weds? We have continually tried to accomadate the desperate clubs, for the right reasons, to assist survival. Unfortunately it appears to have backfired drastically as most are now gasping their last breath.

 

The PL has it's problems but due to lesser costs, consistent race nights and in my opinion better racing it's survived better. Problem is for many, once they've had steak......

 

I originally posted my thoughts on the local forum. I would also like to add having a BSPA with so much self interest will always create a divide. We stand no chance unless all pull together for the good of the sport. Sadly I won't be holding my breath.

I found myself nodding in agreement all the way through your post.....

Edited by PE7Panther
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re. opposition fans: they're not always the best judges. I've seen many posts by people who clearly have no idea. Not only that, opposition fans often have their own agendas (a.k.a. a massive chip...). It just takes one numpty to write "Panthers crowd was about 150 last night..." and before you know it, it's taken as gospel on here :rolleyes:

 

I know, I've rarely missed up until this season although I'm losing interest but still attending. I couldn't be bothered to get into discussion with a bloke who didn't see what I saw, or most home and visiting fans (didn't really need an agenda early doors) saw come to that, as well as ignoring what Rick said on the subject.

Edited by Crump99
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