Speedway Star - Can I Have My Money Back?

[smod]

For the last few years I subscribe for 6 months from the Bumper Issue.

That covers 95% of the season and I find the winter issues just fill in articles.

That might be just me.

But let me say I enjoy the Magazine and lets be fair - the ONLY Speedway one around now.

I'm maybe different, but I find the winter editions more interesting. The articles by people steeped in speedway knowledge like John Chaplin and Dick Barrie are fascinating to me and with no live speedway to go to I read the Star in greater depth than summer when I sometimes find I only scan the first few pages and cherry-pick other items because I know all the results.

[John Leslie]

I subscribed to the star for 12 years got the usual letter in post saying 4 copies left in September 2013 forgot to re-subscribe, didn't really miss it and no one from the mag bothered to chase me by email, phone or snail mail and haven't bothered to buy a copy since.

Thing is had they'd called me I would have re-subscribed for sure out of habit/loyalty alone!

Wonder how many others you've lost Phil in same way?

Happens to me every year. You get a letter saying after the next issue there's 4 copies left. By the time those 5 weeks have passed you've forgotten about it, and then instead of chasing you for renewal, they just stop sending it.

 

I always notice when it doesn't arrive for a week or two, and then have to phone up to start another subscription, but I bet a lot of people just don't bother. Seems crazy to just let customers drift away when they probably would have been willing to resubscribe.

[brianbuck]

Personally, I think the Star is still good value and look forward to receiving it every week. Obviously there are not the resourses available to engage ulta professional journalists so the magazine has to rely on receiving information from scribes based near to their local tracks and these aren't always 100% impartial, but generally speaking, the content is quite fairly balanced.

 

The Star can't be expected to be like a daily newspaper, not caring about who it upsets or offends as it will have a certain amount of reliance on the goodwill of the promoters whose businesses it could affect, but overall, I think some of the criticism on this thread has been unfair and unwarranted.

[Grand Central]

Happens to me every year. You get a letter saying after the next issue there's 4 copies left. By the time those 5 weeks have passed you've forgotten about it, and then instead of chasing you for renewal, they just stop sending it.

 

I always notice when it doesn't arrive for a week or two, and then have to phone up to start another subscription, but I bet a lot of people just don't bother. Seems crazy to just let customers drift away when they probably would have been willing to resubscribe.

.

Exactly the same thing has happened to me in the past.

Now I am a happy subscriber to the online version.

 

It was funny how they always 'remembered' to stop sending me the mag when the sub was finished.

But never managed to remind me to send them more money to keep it going.

Odd.

 

I imagine it difficult for the editorial of the mag to criticise promoters for not doing enough 'promotion'.

When failing in this regard themselves.

 

.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Grand Central

[The White Knight]

Personally, I think the Star is still good value and look forward to receiving it every week. Obviously there are not the resourses available to engage ulta professional journalists so the magazine has to rely on receiving information from scribes based near to their local tracks and these aren't always 100% impartial, but generally speaking, the content is quite fairly balanced.

 

The Star can't be expected to be like a daily newspaper, not caring about who it upsets or offends as it will have a certain amount of reliance on the goodwill of the promoters whose businesses it could affect, but overall, I think some of the criticism on this thread has been unfair and unwarranted.

I don't agree.

 

Criticism - as long as it is constructive - can do some good. I think the 'Speedway Star' is a reasonable read.It is a little expensive for what it is - but - it caters for a minor Sport and as such will not have a massive circulation. On the whole I believe it does a good job.

 

I must admit to very much preferring the Magazine in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, however, things progress (if that is what you call it) but not always for the better.

 

That is just my opinion - I realise that most will not agree with me.

[crescent girl]

I must admit to very much preferring the Magazine in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, however, things progress (if that is what you call it) but not always for the better.

 

Of course, everyone would. Because back then, you got on a Thursday and literally everything in it, news, track stories and detailed results were absolutely fresh and new to you.

 

Times change, and the Star has to do as well. I think the poster who commented on it being more enjoyable in the close season has a point. I hadn't thought about that until now, but I reckon I might do so too.

[TheReturn]

I must admit I picked one up in Sainsbury's a couple of weeks ago, and opened the front page to see what leafing story was, but I put it back down again when I saw another Hancock love-in from Pearson.

 

The magazine may have been brilliant elsewhere, but I won't pay to read his crap.

[PHILIPRISING]

I must admit I picked one up in Sainsbury's a couple of weeks ago, and opened the front page to see what leafing story was, but I put it back down again when I saw another Hancock love-in from Pearson.

 

The magazine may have been brilliant elsewhere, but I won't pay to read his crap.

YOU'RE entitled to your opinion but why resort to comments like that? What's Greg or Nigel done to rock your boat so much?

[moxey63]

If you look at the online version it's just like a lads mag with busty women every other page.

 

Would you be so kind, my friend, and direct me to this online page.

[PHILIPRISING]

 

Would you be so kind, my friend, and direct me to this online page.

go to speedwaystar.net and the link to Xtra ... free online every week. But, no, it's not about busty ladies

[Triple.H.]

Deleted

Edited October 10, 2014 by Triple.H.

[The White Knight]

 

As a statto, brought up on Bryan Seery's fantastic articles (in the Star and Ipswich programmes), I got fed up with the Star not including a better breakdown of stats in the winter team reviews - and then people kept asking why the averages were different. Including only total points & averages for everything, including Cup matches, was daft, when a stats-based sport would benefit from better analysis.

 

No idea if that has changed?

 

Would love to see the Bryan Seery stuff again - here's a real throwback: https://www.speedwayfiction.co.uk/seerysstatistics.html

Amazing to see BL II in 1972 when a certain Tiger Louis burst onto the scene - to think he didn't even start speedway until he was 28 years old!

Super read - thank you for putting this on Had Enough Too. :approve:

[Shale Searcher]

Me too, forgot to renew subscription in 2009, never got a lapsed reminder and haven't had it since..... And the irony is, I now have a Speedway, I didn't most of the years I subscribed!!!!!

[SteveLyric2]

I'm maybe different, but I find the winter editions more interesting. The articles by people steeped in speedway knowledge like John Chaplin and Dick Barrie are fascinating to me and with no live speedway to go to I read the Star in greater depth than summer when I sometimes find I only scan the first few pages and cherry-pick other items because I know all the results.

 

 

Is that the same John Chaplin that thinks the photo in 'Museum Piece' in this week's issue of the guy with Alun Rossiter is Chris Holder??

[KEITH M]

go to speedwaystar.net and the link to Xtra ... free online every week. But, no, it's not about busty ladies

If its not about busty ladies why don't the start line girls wear thick wooly jumpers and jeans??

[Tsunami]

If its not about busty ladies why don't the start line girls wear thick wooly jumpers and jeans??

Now I know you would not read it, or go to the speedway if they did.

[Blackbird]

Is that the same John Chaplin that thinks the photo in 'Museum Piece' in this week's issue of the guy with Alun Rossiter is Chris Holder??

Or a very good impersonater he says! A very poor impersonation I'd say!

[stratton]

I still think for the money it is decent value, myself i prefer the old type mag with the front cover simple one picture only.I think the GP coverage is excellent great pictures and sometimes that alone is worth 2.90 i still think it will always have a place.My only moan is the averages i wish they would have them in everyweek all leagues normal averages and those without B.Points.

[Leicester Hunter]

I'm maybe different, but I find the winter editions more interesting. The articles by people steeped in speedway knowledge like John Chaplin and Dick Barrie are fascinating to me

That's fair comment, and one I wholly endorse.

 

The four week 'mini series' a few years ago on Mike Parker was one of the best speedway related articles I have ever read. A ruthless and driven individual no doubt, but the sport as a whole owes him a great debt of gratitude when he got a whole load of like minded individuals together to form the Provincial League. That was the start of speedway's 'golden era', no doubt at all....

[The White Knight]

That's fair comment, and one I wholly endorse.

 

The four week 'mini series' a few years ago on Mike Parker was one of the best speedway related articles I have ever read. A ruthless and driven individual no doubt, but the sport as a whole owes him a great debt of gratitude when he got a whole load of like minded individuals together to form the Provincial League. That was the start of speedway's 'golden era', no doubt at all....

Maybe the Sport as a whole.

 

But certainly not Sunderland. :mad: :mad: