bigeddiechek Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 No, I don't, and I agree with you on your points. The catchment area was in response to the success of Edinburgh and Newcastle. You've also got to consider any form of marketing, advertising, promotion has very well established conversion rates. So, if a club with a smaller catchment area (or footfall, if you like), attracts the same crowd as a club with a larger catchment area, then that is good. No one will argue that the sport is having to work hard to attract enough fans to keep it viable. As I've argued many times on here, it is actually the fans' responsibility to support it, if we want it to survive. Fans don't support it, then it is dead. Fans support it, then it will flourish, and they will be in a position to be more reasonably demanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilali Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 I thought Berwick had one of the biggest budgets in the league? At least thats what Phil told us..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Speedway is dying on it's arse at PL level . How many were there on Saturday night ? About 700 maybe . Comparable with the track in Scotland's biggest city 100 miles up the road . Berwick are no better or worse than most tracks in our league Speedway is dying on its arse in Britain full stop. I watched the Sky meeting on Monday to see Lee Smart have two EF's before the second bend and trail in a mile behind in his third and wondered how this really could be the top tier. Speedway crowds are dwindling for various reasons not just one thing: Laydown engines have made the bikes far too fast, coupled with the silencer changes of a few years ago means passing is at a premium and riders are lower skilled IMO as a result. With lower crowds has come continual year on year gate prices, perceived lack of value and the pricing out of many. Poor facilities for fans which entice only the diehards. Continuing effects of the recession, lack of wage increases and the spiralling cost of living, unless you live within the M25! You can buy Sky Sports and watch as much speedway and football as you like from your living room for less than the monthly cost of actually attending speedway. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screm Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Ermm, it's hugely relevant, unless you are advocating some sort of teleportation system which makes catchment area redundant? I suppose having a large catchment area gives you the chance to promote your club to more people, but the point remains if those people you are preaching to aren't listen you could have as big an area as you want. Take London, biggest catchment area of them all yet no speedway team. As others have posted speedway is dieing on its rear end right now, lets hope it gets back to where it could and should be very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodiepatchie Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 I thought Berwick had one of the biggest budgets in the league? At least thats what Phil told us.....phil Newton ???I thought Berwick had one of the biggest budgets in the league? At least thats what Phil told us..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeddiechek Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 I suppose having a large catchment area gives you the chance to promote your club to more people, but the point remains if those people you are preaching to aren't listen you could have as big an area as you want. Take London, biggest catchment area of them all yet no speedway team. As others have posted speedway is dieing on its rear end right now, lets hope it gets back to where it could and should be very soon. Yeah but wasn't the point, when I referred to catchment area. It was conversion rates. Of course it is relevant. Doesn't matter how good your promotion is if you are at capacity. The fact is, the clubs that have smaller catchment areas are likely to have to work harder to get good numbers. It's lunacy to state otherwise, so stop sidestepping the point to avoid admitting you were wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Yeah but wasn't the point, when I referred to catchment area. It was conversion rates. Of course it is relevant. Doesn't matter how good your promotion is if you are at capacity. The fact is, the clubs that have smaller catchment areas are likely to have to work harder to get good numbers. It's lunacy to state otherwise, so stop sidestepping the point to avoid admitting you were wrong. Spouting catchment area's is a load of Bullsh*t IMO.There is enough people out there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilali Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Spouting catchment area's is a load of Bullsh*t IMO.There is enough people out there . Agree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Yeah but wasn't the point, when I referred to catchment area. It was conversion rates. Of course it is relevant. Doesn't matter how good your promotion is if you are at capacity. The fact is, the clubs that have smaller catchment areas are likely to have to work harder to get good numbers. It's lunacy to state otherwise, so stop sidestepping the point to avoid admitting you were wrong. berwick get crowds on a par with newcastle I'd say or not far off.Catchment area means nothing IMO, it's the fact there's sod all else to do in Berwick on a sat night 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boobs Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) So you are agreeing that the Berwick promotion attract roughly one out of every fifteen adults in their catchment area to their speedway meetings, and Newcastle only pull in one in over a hundred of theirs? I'll stand correction if the sums are a little bit out. Maths isn't my strong suit. Edited April 17, 2014 by Boobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 So you are agreeing that the Berwick promotion attract roughly one out of every fifteen adults in their catchment area to their speedway meetings, and Newcastle only pull in one in over a hundred of theirs? I'll stand correction if the sums are a little bit out. Maths isn't my strong suit. you could be right??.... But visually the crowds don't look that much different. Wouldn't say it was necessarily the promotions doing though??... What else is there to do on a Saturday night in Berwick?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeddiechek Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Maybe that is speedway's answer, move all the teams to rural locations? Fromafar, you're completely missing the point berwick get crowds on a par with newcastle I'd say or not far off.Catchment area means nothing IMO, it's the fact there's sod all else to do in Berwick on a sat night Certainly a lot less other attractions than in the cities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.m Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 berwick get crowds on a par with newcastle I'd say or not far off. Catchment area means nothing IMO, it's the fact there's sod all else to do in Berwick on a sat night Spot on! I've often argued that the bigger catchment areas have more competing entertainment. Bet the sheep in Berwick are glad the season's underway. Just thought, any coincidence that the Berwick season starts at lambing time? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeddiechek Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 OK, fair enough, but it still doesn't make catchment area irrelevant. A retailer would not avoid city centre prime locations because of competition. They will choose it because of footfall. Maybe that will help get my point across? Assuming they can afford it, let's see who uses that to avoid discussing the point sensibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.m Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 OK, fair enough, but it still doesn't make catchment area irrelevant. A retailer would not avoid city centre prime locations because of competition. They will choose it because of footfall. Maybe that will help get my point across? Assuming they can afford it, let's see who uses that to avoid discussing the point sensibly. Comparing apples with pears there mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeddiechek Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Was intended as a comparison. We do well for a sparsely populated area. Now, I am not saying that we can't do better. I also agree that speedway has big problems attracting sustainable crowds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 So you are agreeing that the Berwick promotion attract roughly one out of every fifteen adults in their catchment area to their speedway meetings, and Newcastle only pull in one in over a hundred of theirs?I'll stand correction if the sums are a little bit out. Maths isn't my strong suit.What do you define as Berwicks catchment area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boobs Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 What do you define as Berwicks catchment area. As per post #148: Quoted populations as of 30 miles from city/town centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Maybe that is speedway's answer, move all the teams to rural locations? Fromafar, you're completely missing the point Certainly a lot less other attractions than in the cities. On this subject I am,but that's life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 As per post #148: Quoted populations as of 30 miles from city/town centre.your post #148 is misleading as the population of Berwick is given as 13,000.So the catchment as 30miles from Town centres is a lot more .You quote Edinburgh for Armadale as well as West Lothian,there is a significant amount of Population in the Borders within the range you are saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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