Coventry Vs Cradley 21st March 2014 - Travel Plus Trophy

[Heathen1984]

Won't be going there again this season. They knew the track was bad from the start so should never have been on but no they get enough races in so they keep our money. Joke tonight Coventry.

[Ivanobe]

It is very obvious tonight's meeting went very,very wrong.

 

The riders tonight are not to blame - the meeting being called off, is no issue to me in the slightest, and was a correct decision ultimately.

 

What is extremely dissapointing - and I am afraid not for the 1st time - is the complete lack of basic decency and courtesy to the paying public.

 

The track inevitably was going to have required some blading or work performed on it, following the potential dangerous crash in Heat 4 and similar concerns in the previous races. It had rained significantly in the hours just before the meeting, and of course the track may have required some attention, even before the 1st race occurred.

 

What beggars belief is the total lack of obvious foresight - namely the lack of preparation in getting the tractors and/or auxiliary equipment in place for such a event that was reasonably likely to occur.

 

I cannot understand that given the track required attending to, why was the basic preparation of the tractor and blades/wonder wheel not in place in advance. It seemed to be very obvious, no special skills or intelligence was required for this.

 

This lack of obvious and advance preparation meant that the fans had to wait exactly 25 minutes for that tractor to actually get on the track. I actually cannot undertstand, at all, why the tractor was not fitted with the wonder wheel and available on the centre green, or even within close proximity of the actual entrance ramp to the track before 7.30pm.

 

It seems to me as I write, that the only reason was no one had thought of it? I don't believe I have any special skills or knowledge in this matter, but isn't it just obvious and forseeable given that the rain had already happened and had affected the track at least a few hours before 7.30pm?

 

Concerning the actual track grading tonight, my understanding is that the usual track curator (and I am not sure of his name) is not employed in that capacity any more - he stopped performing that role and duties over two weeks ago - for whatever reason, I don't know or care to be honest.

 

It is my understanding that the new track curator is a non-English speaker, and that tonight there were significant communication concerns tonight with the new employee. I do not know what previous experience the new employee has had in this capacity, but clearly the lack of advanced preparation - locating the tractor, fitting it with the wheel, getting on the track - took far, far too long.

 

That aside. what is completely unacceptable is for the promotion, management and staff to let this happen tonight. It was completely avoidable. Things go wrong, and they went very wrong tonight.

 

Why would Mick Horton or Neil Watson not consider it to be a sensible move to get on to the microphone after the meeting had been called off for an interview with Peter York, and just make an apology. Or better still acknowledge to everyone in the stadium that clearly it was total shambles, and that would have gone a long way to take some bitterness out of tonight's experience for fan's - paying adults or non-paying children.

 

It is very simple to make an apology, and would have gone a long way.

 

I really would not want to be in Mick or Neils position now - I hope that they can somehow get the fans back on their side after tonight - but I feel that a line has been very much crossed tonight.

 

The Coventry and Cradley fans in the stadium - old people, young people, families with very young children - they all deserved so much more, some common decency and respect. They got nothing in return.

 

I hope that Neil and Mick read this post and take on board what I have written. I believe it to be constructive.

 

I look forward to their views on tonight, and would welcome a face to face meeting - I have left requests for either to call me at their convenience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watson and Horton hope you sleep well tonight !

Call yourselves speedway promoters - tonight's farce was anything but promoting !

After heat 4 and a crash, 10 minutes later it was announced that grading needed to take place. 25 minutes later the grading began.

Heat 4 re-run, then heat 5 and the all important heat 6 - the point of no return for the paying public (unless things have changed)

All of a sudden a conference and the supporters left sitting in the cold again like idiots for many more minutes where ultimately the meeting not surprisingly called off. The riders safety is paramount and have no problem with the decision.

Watson and Horton - you employ peter York who has a roving microphone - why not think of the supporters and let us know what's going on.

You had a Tenner from me tonight - but you ain't gonna get many more from me for a while you muppets.

Happy days

Must say however, I did have some entertainment tonight from your new 'man in the box' announcer.

If he was a Mickey take, then good on you and if he announces on Sunday for the elite riders then the crowd are in for a treat - for the cringe worthy things he comes out with.

Edited March 21, 2014 by Ivanobe

[markyb]

Do tell us more of this, please!

Sorry, was being sarcastic as he was an absolute embarrassment - pretty much summed up the whole evening I'm afraid !

[Ivanobe]

Yes I concur with that.

 

It felt as if some random person had stumbled into the announcement box, and was handed a microphone and told "Here you go, do us a favour and make the announcements tonight." I mean, it really came across as "village summer fete" style approach.

 

A very strange and surreal experience, which did give me some amusement as well.

Sorry, was being sarcastic as he was an absolute embarrassment - pretty much summed up the whole evening I'm afraid !

[G the Bee]

I agree wholeheartedly with the vast majority of the above post from Ivanobe. What happened tonight was nothing short of an absolute disgrace. Still, we know Neil Watson reads these posts and I am sure an explanation will be forthcoming.

 

I was quite vocal at the stadium in voicing my disgust at the meeting being called off, and for that I make no apology at all. Certainly I am of the opinion the meeting should never have started. However, there was no rain during the meeting itself and, as we all know, tracks tend to improve as a meeting goes on. If the track was unsafe after heat 6, it was unsafe before the meeting began.

 

The only area of disagreement I have with the above (excellent) post is that, to a point, I do also hold the riders responsible. I am sure I will get shot down in flames for this, and I await the 'the riders' safety is paramount' argument. But my reasons for stating this I'll set out below.

 

Firstly, I understand that the NL riders have less experience than other riders. However, of the 14 riders there today, for right or for wrong, 6 of them will be riding in the Elite League this year. The track was heavy. It was difficult to ride. But, as far as I'm concerned, if that had been an Elite League meeting, especially a Sky meeting, that meeting would have gone ahead. The likes of Morris, Sargeant, Nielsen etc will have to get on with it then.

 

I also appreciate the argument that some will say that the NL is a training league so allowances should be made. I actually disagree with that sentiment. The MDL is a training league. The NL is a league where the customer pays to come through the gate. It does not market itself as a training league and, when Cradley (Dudley) won the triple last year, no-one undervalued their achievement because they had 'only won the training league'. The NL markets itself as a serious league which is the third tier of the sport. This meeting itself was marketed as being part of a big opening weekend. As a result, there has to be an element of collective responsibility here. All participants, whether they are rider, referee or promoter need to remember that they are, first and foremost, in the entertainment business and have an obligation to those paying customers. Once the decision had been made to proceed with that meeting, there should have been a determination, from all parties concerned, to get through that meeting. That determination did not seem apparent tonight.

 

I think this is a general problem at all levels of the sport. They (both promoters and riders) lose sight of the fact that the product is there to entertain. One only has to look at the deserted terracing at speedway meetings week-in, week-out to prove this point. The supporters are not a by-product of the sport, they are the reason for it.

[Woz01]

One thing Horton is good at is if a mistake has been made he gives something back. Let's hope common sense prevails and fans with stubs are let in free of charge for the re-arranged fixture. Sounds like it should never have started.

[lucifer sam]

That noise is the great, late Charles Ochiltree turning in his grave.

 

Total and utter farce tonight.

 

All the best

Rob

[21st century heathen]

I've been told the track man is indeed new to this country but is not new to the track curator's role. He's previously worked at Bydgoszcz.

 

Apparently the announcer was a last minute replacement for someone how wasn't able to be there (don't know why).

 

All the ranting about getting to heat 6 needs to be knocked on the head. It's been years since it was the strict 'cut-off' point. The Coventry programme is horrendously ambiguous but I believe that is down to the club running meetings at different levels and at different admission costs. So I can't give an exact answer but the important part is that if a meeting is called off before heat 10 has been completed a future discount is available. The ambiguity being that the value of that discount depends on the admission cost and at what point the meeting was abandoned. Can someone clarify it for us please?

 

As for other comments - You're all right and more besides. It was an absolute farce. Speedway remains true to form.

 

There was very little one could glean from the heats we saw but in general the Heathens looked sharp. Greaves made a super start in heat one and won it with ease. He made a 2nd flyer in his next only (heat 5) to hit a grippy patch and bail out. Williamson made a good start to heat 2 and also took off to win easily. Phillips didn't make the best start but was all over RTD for the four laps. Perry made a rare start to heat 3 but an error meant he ended up chasing anyway. He looked very racey trying to find a way past Ollie. Clegg made his usual shocker but made up lots of ground and was challenging Dan on the last two laps. Phiilips shot out the gate in heat 4 but hit a grippy patch on turn two and had to bail out. Worrall was 2nd out the gate in this original staging. Worrall made a good gate in the re-run but Sarj made a very good 1st/2nd turn cut back to lead. Worrall charged around the outside of him and won easily. Only in heat 6 did the Storm make the best of it from the gate.

 

For Storm Ollie looked sharp and won his two races. Crang was a comfortable winner of heat 6. Nielsen and Dan both struggled badly with conditions. RTD rode sensible laps to take his points. Sarj looked fine though easily outpaced by Worrall. There wasn't enough to judge Knuckey on.

[Ivanobe]

I agree with your comments, and I do feel that the riders themselves could have been more expressive about what may have been required for the meeting to continue.

 

The principle of the league is excellent. It is a great and well thought out product, with lots of potential.

 

Regretfully, the riders have been shown tonight what their future careers may have to endure and encounter.

 

They themselves will have felt very dissapointed with how the attempt to grade the track was; I spoke to a Cradley rider during the track grading, and interestingly, they had not even been consulted at all.

 

That's not very professional is it? Why does the Clerk of the Course not consult, and get their opinions? I think they may be the best people in the stadium tonight to get a fair and considered opinion?

 

Or am I just naive?

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly with the vast majority of the above post from Ivanobe. What happened tonight was nothing short of an absolute disgrace. Still, we know Neil Watson reads these posts and I am sure an explanation will be forthcoming.

 

I was quite vocal at the stadium in voicing my disgust at the meeting being called off, and for that I make no apology at all. Certainly I am of the opinion the meeting should never have started. However, there was no rain during the meeting itself and, as we all know, tracks tend to improve as a meeting goes on. If the track was unsafe after heat 6, it was unsafe before the meeting began.

 

The only area of disagreement I have with the above (excellent) post is that, to a point, I do also hold the riders responsible. I am sure I will get shot down in flames for this, and I await the 'the riders' safety is paramount' argument. But my reasons for stating this I'll set out below.

 

Firstly, I understand that the NL riders have less experience than other riders. However, of the 14 riders there today, for right or for wrong, 6 of them will be riding in the Elite League this year. The track was heavy. It was difficult to ride. But, as far as I'm concerned, if that had been an Elite League meeting, especially a Sky meeting, that meeting would have gone ahead. The likes of Morris, Sargeant, Nielsen etc will have to get on with it then.

 

I also appreciate the argument that some will say that the NL is a training league so allowances should be made. I actually disagree with that sentiment. The MDL is a training league. The NL is a league where the customer pays to come through the gate. It does not market itself as a training league and, when Cradley (Dudley) won the triple last year, no-one undervalued their achievement because they had 'only won the training league'. The NL markets itself as a serious league which is the third tier of the sport. This meeting itself was marketed as being part of a big opening weekend. As a result, there has to be an element of collective responsibility here. All participants, whether they are rider, referee or promoter need to remember that they are, first and foremost, in the entertainment business and have an obligation to those paying customers. Once the decision had been made to proceed with that meeting, there should have been a determination, from all parties concerned, to get through that meeting. That determination did not seem apparent tonight.

 

I think this is a general problem at all levels of the sport. They (both promoters and riders) lose sight of the fact that the product is there to entertain. One only has to look at the deserted terracing at speedway meetings week-in, week-out to prove this point. The supporters are not a by-product of the sport, they are the reason for it.

[Hunty]

Not the way you want the season to start but to be frank the meeting was right to start in my opinion, Greaves flew around the track and looked at ease I was truely shocked at how fast he was going, heat two wasnt to bad but then you started to see the problems arrive with track. It just rutted up badley on the corners and the riders by heat 5-6 were going round the corners upright and when Worrall tried to race a speedway bike the way it was ment to be rode he ended up getting very dirty!

 

The problems were the way it was handled, the wait for anything to happen with a tractor was stupid...nothing happened for 10mins and then it was annouced that it was about to begin but that was 25mins later and then there was no point in grading it as it just made the track slick in the corners and really soft after churning it up.

 

Should never have got past heat 4 and if I dont get a return ticket I dont think I will ever see Brandon again because they have just taken the Micheal with how we have been treated

[Gemini]

Can't be bothered to write very much because it's all been said already. Absolute shambles in front of the biggest crowd I've ever seen for a N.L. meeting. Don't mind us fans standing around in the freezing cold not knowing what's going on for ages. Oh well...at least it's made me change my mind about going to the Leicester v Peterborough match tomorrow - I'll be stopping at home in the warm.

[markyb]

I read on the coventry bees web site that details of the 'discount to be applied' on production of their re-admission tickets for a future NL meeting will be provided in due course - in accordance with the (BSPA) regulations.

 

That means I gotta pay the "muppets" some more of my money again in order to get a concession.

 

Nah- don't think so !

 

They made a fortune last night in the track shop, endless queues at the refreshment/food areas and the 2 quid they charge for two sheets of a4 paper with a staple in the middle they call a 'programme'.

 

This promotion have taken the pis# too often over the last few years and may come to regret it.

 

If anybody wants my re-admission ticket - let me know and will willing send.

Edited March 22, 2014 by markyb

[g13webb]

This is not the first time Coventry have let the fans down with bad track preparation. That should be easy to solve, the obvious answer would be to get a new track man. The bigger problem seem the contempt of the supporters. These are a dying breed, and to be treated as they were last night was a disgrace.

 

Any ideas I may have had, about going to see the Elite Riders on Sunday has gone out of the window now.

[Woz01]

I read on the coventry bees web site that details of the 'discount to be applied' on production of their re-admission tickets for a future NL meeting will be provided in due course - in accordance with the (BSPA) regulations.

That means I gotta pay the "muppets" some more of my money again in order to get a concession.

Nah- don't think so !

They made a fortune last night in the track shop, endless queues at the refreshment/food areas and the 2 quid they charge for two sheets of a4 paper with a staple in the middle they call a 'programme'.

This promotion have taken the pis# too often over the last few years and may come to regret it.

If anybody wants my re-admission ticket - let me know and will willing send.

Discount to be applied could easily mean free admission, lets just wait and see what they decide before hanging them hey? Of course EVERYONE involved deserve criticism for the farce although I will say that they always try to get the meetings on unlike others. Sometimes it makes them look silly but id rather them try and get meetings on than not being bothered. Unfortunately it seems like the meeting shouldnt have gone ahead.

This is not the first time Coventry have let the fans down with bad track preparation. That should be easy to solve, the obvious answer would be to get a new track man. The bigger problem seem the contempt of the supporters. These are a dying breed, and to be treated as they were last night was a disgrace.

 

Any ideas I may have had, about going to see the Elite Riders on Sunday has gone out of the window now.

It wasnt the preparation that was the issue, showers in the afternoon was the problem. The time it took to decide what to do was poor though.

[Ivanobe]

 

Your post is very accurate, and I think would generally represent the common perception of any reasonable fan (or customer, because that what a fan is from the business aspect of the Storm promotion).

 

It is made worse by the trust we place when we go through the turn style; the presentation is key to the enjoyment of the customer experience. The sport itself, the riders efforts, and the excitement of a new season were, whilst completely unintentional, regretfully eradicated by a very amateur and shambolic level of communication during the unfortunate delay whilst track grading.

 

When that happened the promotion lost their customers goodwill and trust. It really is that simple.

 

But what really put the tin hat on it for me, was Peter York (a much experienced and passionate speedway aficionado, with a proven track record in understanding what speedway promotion is about from both sides of the fence), was clearly unable to get the promotion to give a simple chat/apology/explaination at the end of the meeting. I felt very sorry for Peter, he is employed as the roving interviewer, and I really do hope no one puts him at fault for his employers total lack of empathy for the fans on the night; I am sure the promotion do not intend to come across that way, but that perception is very real and will stick in the minds for all of those in attendance - and I am quite sure that the staff employed by the promotion must have felt that way as well by their employers wilful neglect of walking the walk, and talking the talk.

 

From my view, when Peter was announcing the abandonment at the end of the meeting, the fans had become clearly frustrated, and I felt it very obvious that Mick Horton looked annoyed, he appeared to gesticulate with staff members and a group of them hurriedly followed Mick into the offices. He did this whilst the interview was being made, and appeared to completely ignore the customer experience.

 

Mick / Neil - I respectfully ask you to take the opportunity before the start of the next Storm home meeting to have a free and frank explaination of what went wrong. If not, place a podcast or youtube interview on your website. And please, when you may have the opportunity to organise it, please go on to the terraces at 7pm and watch the meeting, take notes, observe what goes on within the pits area with the staff, how your customers may perceive the presentation, take on board what you do very well (there are many of these by the way) and what you do not so well (not so many of these, but when they appear they rapidly accelerate and blitz the good points).

 

Effectively I am asking you to give careful consideration to your business. There were far too many fans tonight who left the stadium bewildered by the delay and the non-communication at the end, and will have felt that to be very unprofessional.

 

I simply cannot understand why a simple interview could not have been made explaining the promotion dissapointment and regret for what may have gone wrong, etc, explained the refund policy, etc, and then move on. What makes it worse is there were a tremendous number of fans for an opening night of the season, many I am sure who will be put off for the rest of the season (including the core business of the Elite team).

 

Regarding the programme, the expectation of two pieces of A4 for a National League match was quite acceptable. However, there is a price point of acceptability - and I am not sure that I felt that £2 was a well thought out price. But we have the choice to buy or not buy.

 

Me? With hindsight of what happened in the meeting and the lack of respect afforded to the fans, many who had travelled some distance in support of Cradley, I would have preferred to pass my £2 to any of the riders directly. I think I'll actually do that via a donation that perhaps the NSSC can pass on in the future - I just hope the Storm meetings can continue to get the support the riders, home and away, deserve.

 

Unfortunately, the promotion managed to shoot themselves in the foot, if not both feet. I would have thought that the Cradley fans (in effect also Wolverhampton fans) will have gone away last night feeling cheated. No one leaving that stadium had any communication concerning a refund, a restaging, etc. To expect that a fan must go onto the official Bees website is a bit unreasonable. I wonder how many fans may have thrown their ticket away?

 

 

I read on the coventry bees web site that details of the 'discount to be applied' on production of their re-admission tickets for a future NL meeting will be provided in due course - in accordance with the regulations

That means I gotta pay the " muppets" some more of my money again in order to get a concession.

Nah- don't think so !

If anybody wants my re-admission ticket - let me know and will willing send.

Maybe the "promotion" will be generous enough to give a free programme at a future meeting instead.

After all that would be a saving of 2 quid for two sheets of a4 paper with a couple of staples in the middle !

[speedybee]

Ok, it rained, the track was a mess, the grading a shambles, and all the above is valid. That can be quickly sorted and dealt with (can it?)

 

But the thing that needs looking at most for me was the presentation and communication. Still having to endure Peter York is bad enough, even in his Cradley coloured jacket, but just who was that announcer, Gordon Camwell, who mumbled his way through an awful night's non-presentation, including getting riders' names wrong and long silences. I can't see him ever stepping up to the plate, based on this performance. The tight music selection of previous years was non existent (unless you like hearing 'If I had a hammer' over and over, start to finish)

 

Communication needs to be slick, informative, charismatic and dynamic. Last night it was almost totally lacking in all those equalities. A very disappointing start.

It is made worse by the trust we place when we go through the turn style; the presentation is key to the enjoyment of the customer experience. The sport itself, the riders efforts, and the excitement of a new season were, whilst completely unintentional, regretfully eradicated by a very amateur and shambolic level of communication during the unfortunate delay whilst track grading.

When that happened the promotion lost their customers goodwill and trust. It really is that simple.

Mick / Neil - I respectfully ask you to take the opportunity before the start of the next Storm home meeting to have a free and frank explaination of what went wrong. If not, place a podcast or youtube interview on your website. And please, when you may have the opportunity to organise it, please go on to the terraces at 7pm and watch the meeting, take notes, observe what goes on within the pits area with the staff, how your customers may perceive the presentation, take on board what you do very well (there are many of these by the way) and what you do not so well (not so many of these, but when they appear they rapidly accelerate and blitz the good points).

Effectively I am asking you to give careful consideration to your business. There were far too many fans tonight who left the stadium bewildered by the delay and the non-communication at the end, and will have felt that to be very unprofessional.

∆ this.

 

To be fair, I did see Horton in the main bar just before tapes up, but you're totally right - it's all about the customer experience and engendering goodwill. Losing trust is the worst thing for a business. I had a fourteen year experience of building a music and arts festival from 600 people to 30, 000 and in hindsight, learned a lot about the importance gaining the trust and loyalty of your core supporters, and was musing on this last night as everyone around me was wondering where the excitement and energy was, and trying to figure out what was going on...

[IainB]

I blame the fans, yes those of you that attended should know that the Coventry track becomes unrideable after even a little bit of rain, this is why I stay away if there's been any rain on it on the afternoon of a meeting, it's been the same for the last 10 or 15 years. This kind of thing usually happens at least once a season and people still go and are still surprised.

 

I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame

Edited March 22, 2014 by iainb

[twentyone]

...... the Cradley fans (in effect also Wolverhampton fans).....

 

5 years and still not appreciated that Heathens supporters have no affinity to Wolverhampton Wolves ! ( - which is no doubt reciprocated by Wolves supporters.)

 

Just compare the number of Heathens fans at away meetings, compared to followers at Wolves' away meetings, if you need proof.

[greyhoundp]

I too looked at the weather forecast, and decided to give it a miss, after all a 360 mile round trip, to see Cradley doesnt come cheap. However looking at the comments one cant help but see where Speedway is shooting itself in the foot, can anyone imagine a newcomer going to Coventry for the first time last night ?, i doubt they would be going back again anytime soon, and whats more worrying is it would take a great effort to probably get them to go to a Speedway meeting ever again. This is where almost every Speedway promoter fails not only do you have to get them through the gates, you then need to provide a watchable and entertaining product, or they wont come back again, Coventry Speedway YOU FAILED last night, not only yourselves, but the sport of Speedway in general. The sport is on its Knees and the people that run it, cant see past the end of there noses.

[Ivanobe]

Thank you iainb.

 

Your post is quite brilliant, and you are absolutely correct, the fans are to be blamed, you are spot on, even by not attending you have hit the nail on the head there.

 

I am sure modesty prevails, but you should be applauded for what you have just contributed to the discussion. Let me be the first of many fans to congratulate you on your insight, I am sure many others who have read your post will agree with your sentiments, and feel somewhat dismayed that they missed that angle.

 

I dare expect that any sensible promoter will take on board your perceptive viewpoint, and this should be the blueprint for all future outcomes concerning any rain affected meeting, presentation, and communications, and customer services related issues.

 

If only you were there, it has become a missed opportunity for the fans, the riders (I think you should extend your viewpoint to them as well, for even turning up), as I am sure you could have contributed some further valuable advice.

 

Once again, thanks. Please promoters, at least take on board ianp's view - it is a very valid point that is made.

 

I feel quite embarassed of my previous contributions on this matter in light of your post. Best regards.

 

 

 

I blame the fans, yes those of you that attended should know that the Coventry track becomes unrideable after even a little bit of rain, this is why I stay away if there's been any rain on it on the afternoon of a meeting, it's been the same for the last 10 or 15 years. This kind of thing usually happens at least once a season and people still go and are still surprised.

I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame

Edited March 22, 2014 by Ivanobe