Berwick 2015

[YAMYAMBANDIT]

Taffys later question never heard any mention of Berwick on Scotttish news come to think of it cant remember Edinburgh or Glasgow getting a mention

I said I didn't know about Scotish media, as I do not recieve it as I live in Northumberland. In general the only people that will listen to anything on the news whether it be TV or Radio, are the converted.

 

I accept the promotion in schools is a good idea.

 

I do not accept the need to attract occasional users as irrelevant, if it's only a 100, it's a 100 that would not have attended.

 

Across speedway most of the promotion is aimed at the converted, we go anyway.

 

So back to the debate, what new ideas are out there, how does the club achieve them. For someone to come up with volunteering ones time, does nothing for putting bums on seats. If you get someone to come once or return again and again is an achievment, and nothing more should be asked of them other than to pay their entrance fee and perhaps buy a programme. If someone wants to give up their time, well done but should never be a manditary requirement.

[Fromafar]

IMO holidaymakers are a viable target,the camps are full ALL summer during speedway season so to attract a few each week could make a contribution to the Club over a season .How to attract new local support a getting them to return is the main problem for a lot of clubs.

[smod]

Your newsletter reported how Berwick have been the biggest contributors to the SRBF collections for five out of the past six years.

 

How can such a small club achieve such wonderful generosity?

[Sings4Speedway]

IMO holidaymakers are a viable target,the camps are full ALL summer during speedway season so to attract a few each week could make a contribution to the Club over a season .How to attract new local support a getting them to return is the main problem for a lot of clubs.

 

I completely agree that holiday camps are a huge potential catchment area. Not just for nearby clubs but for the sport as a whole. If a family of holiday makers enjoy the speedway they would be more likely to look up local tracks closer to their own homes.

 

If all clubs did this the sport as a whole would benefit. (IMO)

[Fromafar]

I completely agree that holiday camps are a huge potential catchment area. Not just for nearby clubs but for the sport as a whole. If a family of holiday makers enjoy the speedway they would be more likely to look up local tracks closer to their own homes.

 

If all clubs did this the sport as a whole would benefit. (IMO)

Agree 100%

[YAMYAMBANDIT]

Your newsletter reported how Berwick have been the biggest contributors to the SRBF collections for five out of the past six years.

 

How can such a small club achieve such wonderful generosity?

Idiots like me

 

I completely agree that holiday camps are a huge potential catchment area. Not just for nearby clubs but for the sport as a whole. If a family of holiday makers enjoy the speedway they would be more likely to look up local tracks closer to their own homes.

 

If all clubs did this the sport as a whole would benefit. (IMO)

Someone thinking my way..

 

I rely on my regular customers, but I make a lot of money from visitors who I may never see again. May it long continue..

[bigeddiechek]

The holiday camps - although would seem a good target in principle - are not a fruitful target.

There have been initiatives before.

 

I know for a fact, but I cannot divulge further!

[Tsunami]

The holiday camps - although would seem a good target in principle - are not a fruitful target.

There have been initiatives before.

 

I know for a fact, but I cannot divulge further!

I thought they would be when we first opened up, but found the same as you. Put the little flyers in the box at Feathers Caravan site, and I can't say it brought one punter through the gates.

[YAMYAMBANDIT]

The holiday camps - although would seem a good target in principle - are not a fruitful target.

There have been initiatives before.

 

I know for a fact, but I cannot divulge further!

The holiday caravan sites are only one section of Berwicks visitor base, by bringing the arguament down to just the camps is not what we were discussing, it is the visitor in general, and that base is extremely diverse. Hotels, B&Bs, holiday cottages etc., etc..

I thought they would be when we first opened up, but found the same as you. Put the little flyers in the box at Feathers Caravan site, and I can't say it brought one punter through the gates.

Caravans are only one area of visitors, on it's own probably agree, but take the whole of tourism in to the equation, then it's a different story.

[Fromafar]

The holiday camps - although would seem a good target in principle - are not a fruitful target.

There have been initiatives before.

 

I know for a fact, but I cannot divulge further!

the locals don't seem to be a fruitful target these days.I would like to know how many fans from the Town itself make up the attendance.

[YAMYAMBANDIT]

the locals don't seem to be a fruitful target these days.I would like to know how many fans from the Town itself make up the attendance.

Because speedway is a minority sport, a fairer question would be, how many come to speedway within a 30 mile radius. The catchment area for Berwick is 33,000 people in total, but it overlaps with every town around us Alnwick, Kelso, Eyemouth.. My shops catchment is down to Alnwick over to Peebles and up to Dunbar. I have regular customers from Haddington and North Berwick, before anyone says speedway related customers, they are not.

 

I class them all as 'locals'.

Edited March 11, 2015 by TOURETTES

[DSC67]

Your newsletter reported how Berwick have been the biggest contributors to the SRBF collections for five out of the past six years.

 

How can such a small club achieve such wonderful generosity?

Perhaps it because over the last few years we've had riders who have benefited from the fund ,also the promotion which meetings to target for the collection night

Perhaps if the customers who booked long weekends where made aware of the speedway before they came to the camp it might help , are there any links on the various camps websites to the speedway or visa versa are there any links on our website to the camps and to the local B&Bs

[Shadders]

Your newsletter reported how Berwick have been the biggest contributors to the SRBF collections for five out of the past six years.

 

How can such a small club achieve such wonderful generosity?

There's bugger all else for Berwick folk to do with their spare cash Edited March 11, 2015 by Shads

[bigeddiechek]

Perhaps it because over the last few years we've had riders who have benefited from the fund ,also the promotion which meetings to target for the collection night

Perhaps if the customers who booked long weekends where made aware of the speedway before they came to the camp it might help , are there any links on the various camps websites to the speedway or visa versa are there any links on our website to the camps and to the local B&Bs

 

I really think the camps are a bit of a dead end.

People go to the camps wanting everything on-site, and the camps want all the customers to want to stay on-site.

 

Making sure there is coverage in Hotels and B&Bs could attract some more, it really depends on the reason for a visit to Berwick.

 

It will be interesting to see what interest Peterborough get from their local sports club offer.

I tried to organise it with another sporting club that I am involved with last season, and not one taker.

 

The Sky meetings have converted a few regulars that come with me, and a few occasional visitors.

There was a much bigger crowd, so that perhaps says that there are more people out there to get. The only thing I can think of is the profile of it being live on Sky.

That would say to me that speedway as a sport maybe needs to be presented to the public differently.

 

A former rider maintains that it should be sold as an extreme sport.

I think he is right, not necessarily change much on the track, but change the perception of the sport.

 

That, however, would take a LOT of resource to do.

 

Still one of the biggest problems I have is the moaning that goes on.

A few people that have come with me were really put off by that, it completely spoiled their night

[Fromafar]

I really think the camps are a bit of a dead end.

People go to the camps wanting everything on-site, and the camps want all the customers to want to stay on-site.

 

Making sure there is coverage in Hotels and B&Bs could attract some more, it really depends on the reason for a visit to Berwick.

It will be interesting to see what interest Peterborough get from their local sports club offer.

I tried to organise it with another sporting club that I am involved with last season, and not one taker.

 

The Sky meetings have converted a few regulars that come with me, and a few occasional visitors.

There was a much bigger crowd, so that perhaps says that there are more people out there to get. The only thing I can think of is the profile of it being live on Sky.

That would say to me that speedway as a sport maybe needs to be presented to the public differently.

 

A former rider maintains that it should be sold as an extreme sport.

I think he is right, not necessarily change much on the track, but change the perception of the sport.

 

That, however, would take a LOT of resource to do.

 

Still one of the biggest problems I have is the moaning that goes on.

A few people that have come with me were really put off by that, it completely spoiled their night

Since you always bring up the subject(moaning fans)perhaps the promotion could do some thing to fill in the gaps when there is ahold up waiting for Ambulance and medical treatment if riders get injured then it would take their mind of the long delays.the promotion said last year they can't afford the extra cash involved regarding have another doctor and ambulance in attendance .First time fans won't be impressed if it is sold as an Extreme Sport but you have long delay when someone gets hurt.

[crescent girl]

Since you always bring up the subject(moaning fans)perhaps the promotion could do some thing to fill in the gaps when there is ahold up waiting for Ambulance and medical treatment if riders get injured then it would take their mind of the long delays.the promotion said last year they can't afford the extra cash involved regarding have another doctor and ambulance in attendance .First time fans won't be impressed if it is sold as an Extreme Sport but you have long delay when someone gets hurt.

 

You are correct in identifying the increase in lengthy delays in this 21st century. The old attitudes of "drag him to the side, put the rest on two minutes" are gone forever!

 

This situation has been increasingly addressed by the promotion, and by last season (especially after the totally unpredictable situation of a paramedic disappearing mid-meeting on a night there wasn't another man available) the club had back-up medical cover at, I think, every meeting.

 

Even then, on the Sky night, there was a very long delay after the crash in Heat 14, despite two ambulances being in situ, a doctor and a paramedic on duty and two more ambulances arriving within a few minutes!

 

This despite every pressure (from the television aspect) for the match to continue as quickly as possible.

 

Simply put, present-day attitudes require every possible precauction being taken before and after a rider is moved from the track (no-one can insist otherwise, surely?) and despite having a 'spare' ambulance and extra medic on hand, delays will occur more and more as every year H&S restrictions demand ever-greater care and attention.

 

Berwick is not the worst example of medical demands delaying (and even bringing meetings to a premature end) is it?

[bigeddiechek]

Since you always bring up the subject(moaning fans)perhaps the promotion could do some thing to fill in the gaps when there is ahold up waiting for Ambulance and medical treatment if riders get injured then it would take their mind of the long delays.the promotion said last year they can't afford the extra cash involved regarding have another doctor and ambulance in attendance .First time fans won't be impressed if it is sold as an Extreme Sport but you have long delay when someone gets hurt.

 

I agree, and it was the one thing that newer fans find really difficult. I don't know what the answer is to that.

[Fromafar]

You are correct in identifying the increase in lengthy delays in this 21st century. The old attitudes of "drag him to the side, put the rest on two minutes" are gone forever!

 

This situation has been increasingly addressed by the promotion, and by last season (especially after the totally unpredictable situation of a paramedic disappearing mid-meeting on a night there wasn't another man available) the club had back-up medical cover at, I think, every meeting.

 

Even then, on the Sky night, there was a very long delay after the crash in Heat 14, despite two ambulances being in situ, a doctor and a paramedic on duty and two more ambulances arriving within a few minutes!

 

This despite every pressure (from the television aspect) for the match to continue as quickly as possible.

 

Simply put, present-day attitudes require every possible precauction being taken before and after a rider is moved from the track (no-one can insist otherwise, surely?) and despite having a 'spare' ambulance and extra medic on hand, delays will occur more and more as every year H&S restrictions demand ever-greater care and attention.

 

Berwick is not the worst example of medical demands delaying (and even bringing meetings to a premature end) is it?

I accept what you are saying ,but the sport really needs to address ways of reducing accidents,these days bikes are far too fast and riders are riding above their ability with all these slick tracks (due to bike. Technology).Berwick is not any worse than anywhere else,but long delays are killing the sport as it takes the excitement out of the meetings and newcomers cannot be impressed IMO .You can see fans leaving the Stadium these days when an accident happens,don't think that happened afew years ago.Like I said in a previous post the sport is in decline and these situations don't help.Speedway has always been dangerous so there has to be a reason for all the serious injuries in the sport,so things need to be addressed IMO

[bigeddiechek]

I accept what you are saying ,but the sport really needs to address ways of reducing accidents,these days bikes are far too fast and riders are riding above their ability with all these slick tracks (due to bike. Technology).Berwick is not any worse than anywhere else,but long delays are killing the sport as it takes the excitement out of the meetings and newcomers cannot be impressed IMO .You can see fans leaving the Stadium these days when an accident happens,don't think that happened afew years ago.Like I said in a previous post the sport is in decline and these situations don't help.Speedway has always been dangerous so there has to be a reason for all the serious injuries in the sport,so things need to be addressed IMO

 

I think certainly the polyfoam fence has saved a lot of potentially nasty injuries since its introduction at Berwick.

I've heard a few comments from various people that the silencers cause a lot of problems. I'm not going to try and relay as I don't fully understand it.

 

I'm not sure that the delays themselves can be stopped, so maybe when the gasp do occur something needs to be ready to drop in.

I don't know what though, nothing I can think up really excites me.

[topsoil]

On the whole, the sport could help itself by reducing the gaps between races to as little as possible, i.e. putting the two minute warning on soon after the previous race has finished. Then introduce more races to compensate for the meeting speeding up, so fans are still getting a couple of hours of entertainment. There will always be injuries and if a rider is badly hurt, you can appreciate the delay, surely anybody with sense can understand that. As long as there is constant communication to the fans, music, interviews with riders / officials / even fans, this should provide a distraction while the rider is being seen to.