Phil The Ace Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 What is it? A sport, a entertainment or both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) Speedway used to be a Sport - but - the way some of the Rules/Laws of the Sport are made up these days - it is becoming something akin to the WWE. :sad: Edited May 1, 2014 by The White Knight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Clutching at straws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvm Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Fans.........Sport Promoters.....Entertainment and that's the problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screm Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 What is it? A sport, a entertainment or both? Â Its dying on its badonkadonk, that what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 agree totally with twk. used to be a serious sport, and was reflected by fan support. its no more than wwe now, the rules are probably as daft as wwe in some way. the sport has lost its way. it can be a fantastic spectacle when you get a meaningful fixture, it has the potential to be good again, but the rules are soo barmy, without going into every daft rule (people on here will know the daft rules)..if you cant attract 3,000 on a regular basis at elite level, somethings wrong. never mind school weekdays, its usually finished by 9.30, theres loads of other sports/activities in which kids are out beyond 9.30. my personal biggest gripe is not having 7 members who ride just for your club.. i think you need a team feel about the place, bit of loyalty/passion, not floating here there and everywhere. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 It's a sport that has no ambition to be up there with the most popular. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Smith Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I think people are confused by what's sport and what's not. Â Speedway today is definitely sport and a far more professional sport than it's ever been. With all the riders far more dedicated than ever before. There's so much placed on winning races, winning meetings, winning trophies. Years gone by it was definitely entertainment. Â I think there was certainly more riders from years gone by that wanted to be wheel to wheel with the opposition. Today it's about being out the gate first and not wanting anyone near them. Â It's all about opinion though, certainly no hard and fast rule to defining sport and entertainment. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 For me I believe the riders do there best to be professional sportsmen and purvey that to image to sponsers and supporters around the country, but im afraid I do not feel the same can be said about some promoters or the sports ruling bodies who seem to like to present the sport as a form of amateur entertainment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Fans want it all ways, they want entertainment (close racing) and they want to win (win the league). Some riders just want to win, some want to win but help their team mates/team too. Â I don't see too much WWE stuff going on, perhaps a deliberate slide off now and again, by the nature of speedway, WWE sh*t isn't possible. Â Of course there is a living to be made along the way for the riders, which is the same in all professional sports. Â I guess you could say that the promoter provides the entertainment (the meeting, music, mic man, etc) and the riders are the pro sportsmen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 just like to pick up on what trees just said, yes riders have to make a living, but riding for 3 teams just cant be the way to go. a mediocre darts player/poor snooker player etc earns nowhere near what the top players earn, but thats life!.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 just like to pick up on what trees just said, yes riders have to make a living, but riding for 3 teams just cant be the way to go. a mediocre darts player/poor snooker player etc earns nowhere near what the top players earn, but thats life!.. Id imagine the equipment outlay of a darts player to be somewhat less than a soeedway rider, with a much longer career possible and far less risk of severe injury Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Apart from the double points tactical (or world cup joker) what are all these rules that turn Speedway into WWE style entertainment? WWE I don't know a lot about but isn't it generally accepted that fights are staged rather than contested? Is that what you are saying about Speedway? Â No doubt at all in my mind that it's sport in every sense of the word, at it's best it's a sport that provides fantastic entertainment. Â Comparisons to darts and snooker are crazy, they have absolutely nothing in common with Speedway. Â I would very much like to see riders associated with single teams over long periods of time. However until you have a lot more British riders in the system that's not going to happen and riding for multiple teams is a necessary evil. Â I keep repeating it but given the rose tinted glasses are out again, I have been going to Speedway for about 45 years and in all that time I have never seen such highly skilled riders and close, hard racing as I do these days. Sure there were some great races and great riders in the 'old days' but I just think there are more of them now The only two things I can think of that were better in the old days are the atmosphere because of much bigger crowds and no bloody silly double points rule. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Certainly fans these days don't see the riders on the pedastals as fans used to. I mean it's hard work at Lynn to get some fans!! to even give the boys a clap on the parade! Not that I think these people don't respect and admire the riders, I guess it's more a not being blase thing! Perhaps this is where the promoters need to step up to the plate and do something different, WWE style, perhaps get each team in circle and announce them just as a team, play their signature tune and get them all to rev their bikes, oh yeah can picture it now .... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenspoon Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 What do you class Speedway as ? This was probably the major factor that has kept speedway as a relatively minor sport since the 1950s. After the second world war Speedway was booming, until the decision was made in 1950 by the powers that be to no longer class Speedway as "live sport" as a result it suffered from a crippling 60% entertainment tax, which was not lifted until 1957. Since this, Speedway has never regained the mass crowds it used to have. Obviously there have been other factors as well since then, but that was the start of the decline. I would class Speedway as motor sport, but since the advent of jokers in one of its main competitions it is difficult to take it seriously, and with the constant manipulation of the rules by clubs, it has lost its credibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickthemuppet Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Ever since Speedway first started in USA in the 1880/90's and named after the stadiums where they were raced in they were put on by a promoter to make money. He then offered prize money for the riders as a reward for riding in them. Nothing has altered. Speedway is run for the riders and the promoters to make money. Most riders could not care less who they ride for as long as they are earnling money. Most riders when interviewed on a live TV match have not got a clue what the score is. Some riders in a season must have guested for nearly all the teams in a league.besides riding in other leagues as well .All the promoters want to do is put on a good meeting preferably with the home side just winning but essentially making a profit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Speedway is something that has hurt me many times ,emptied my bank more than once ,ended more than one relationship, makes me rant at least once a week, sometimes leaves me deflated,often leaves me wondering why i bother but above all else its utterly fantastic and is well and truly part of what makes me. To me its sport entertainment and a way of life 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Certainly fans these days don't see the riders on the pedastals as fans used to. I mean it's hard work at Lynn to get some fans!! to even give the boys a clap on the parade! Not that I think these people don't respect and admire the riders, I guess it's more a not being blase thing! Perhaps this is where the promoters need to step up to the plate and do something different, WWE style, perhaps get each team in circle and announce them just as a team, play their signature tune and get them all to rev their bikes, oh yeah can picture it now .... :-) What's the point - the Riders don't even acknowledge you anyway. You might get the odd lifted hand with what seems like a big effort from one or two - but - by and large - nothing. Â I would add that I always clap when the Riders come out on Parade - but - I am thinking of stopping because I seem to be wasting my time. All I would like to see would be a wave and a smile to the Crowd in general. These days it doesn't often happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Speedway is a business in the entertainment industry - first, last and foremost. Anyone who thinks differently is barking up the wrong tree!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCB Wildcat Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Speedway is sport and entertainment. I am passionate about my football team but I'm not bothered about watching football not involving my team but I will go out of my way to watch speedway at any level any time. I know riders ride for more than one team but even at amateur level when the teams are made up on the day no rider wants to let down their team and give their all to win so I don't see that it devalues speedway as a sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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