Halifaxtiger Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I don't think Speedway Star wants to be too upsetting to,promoters in the fear of being banned from being sold at tracks whereby I assume a good amount of sales are still raised...hence it tends to be reporting based rather than opinion based and I like to read opinions to be honest. My old gripe with the Star was that it was always a bit too Southern biased and that certain riders were very close to them and got a lot of publicity and everything whereas riders who weren't in the Star's " clique" barely got a mention....that's a long time ago so no idea if it's still the same so I can't comment on that. The Speedway Mail certainly didn't have the same quality about it but it certainly never had the same southern bias or clique of riders the Star had....having a northern based photographer in Ken Carpenter helped in that regard for sure. Having said all that you have to congratulate the Star for still being here as virtually every magazine I've liked has folded alongside many others I am sure Phil has said that subscriptions make up the overwhelming number of Star sales. Personally, I think it would be better giving objective criticism than appearing to be placid and docile in the face of some of the issues that face the sport. I am sure that there was an article about the ELRC earlier this season that pulled only a few punches; it was very good indeed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 The problem with the star is that it's trying to make a sport that is mutton look like lamb. I don't buy the star anymore because sometimes it's bad enough going to speedway, let alone read about it. I bet everybody's been to a terrible meeting and have questioned their own sanity afterwards. It's the same with football, I go to quite a few matches, but I don't buy any weekly mags. There is enough coverage of both sports on the web if I need to catch up with any news or fixtures. I do feel that the star is very good value for money compared to some of the awful speedway programmes that are published, and does well to survive with such a limited market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 56%? Yeah, right... You are dealing with an A-Grade mathematician, Philip, sir... and someone you scoffed at, when I said I'd do a better job than Bryan Seery. Explain where the other 49% goes? COVER price is £2.90 ... 56% is £1.62... leaving 44% (£1.27) which goes to the distribution company, freight and the retailer. Margin on sub sales is the same given that we discount the price and pay first class postage. Clear? I am sure Phil has said that subscriptions make up the overwhelming number of Star sales. Personally, I think it would be better giving objective criticism than appearing to be placid and docile in the face of some of the issues that face the sport. I am sure that there was an article about the ELRC earlier this season that pulled only a few punches; it was very good indeed. SUBS account for about 40 per cent of sales, wholesale around 57 per cent and the rest (now very little) track sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The H Man Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 3% from track sales as a former SS / SM salesman for the legendary Alf Weedon in the mid 80s at Reading that's sad to hear it's fallen so low. My 10p per copy sold used to earn me almost as much as my YTS cash in those days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 3% from track sales as a former SS / SM salesman for the legendary Alf Weedon in the mid 80s at Reading that's sad to hear it's fallen so low. My 10p per copy sold used to earn me almost as much as my YTS cash in those days! IN those days Reading ran every week and people got into a routine of buying a magazine. Now, with meetings so infrequent, they get out of the habit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 COVER price is £2.90 ... 56% is £1.62... leaving 44% (£1.27) which goes to the distribution company, freight and the retailer. Margin on sub sales is the same given that we discount the price and pay first class postage. Clear? SUBS account for about 40 per cent of sales, wholesale around 57 per cent and the rest (now very little) track sales. s Phil Check my figures... Was meant to be funny, not a dig at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Lee Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 I would assume a lot of background stuff is very much out of date the time the weekly magazine comes out the next week in some cases.Like has been mention the Star is only a little more expensive than a programme and I don't hear the same people moaning about it being a rip off.As it's not compulsory to buy either I don't know what all the fuss is about.Seems more of a 'jibe' at Philip Rising IMO . I wasn't aiming a jibe at anyone, I was trying to make a constructive suggestion. The info is only out of date to anyone who has read it on this forum. It's no more out of date than last week's results, which everyone will have seen on one website or another, long before SS is printed. Journalists make interesting stories out of "old" news all the time, and if well written they make a very good read. Anyway, it's dry today, back to the garden with the late, great Gerry Rafferty in my earphones. I'll follow this thread with interest. My wife was right, I should never have got involved, I can't keep up with the regular forumistas. Y'all have a nice day 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Anyway, it's dry today, back to the garden with the late, great Gerry Rafferty in my earphones. My wife was right, I should never have got involved, Like the great Gerry Rafferty song... I'd "Get It Right Next Time" and listen to what her indoors says! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruiser McHuge Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 To be fair I hardly ever buy the Star these days as I don't go to speedway and am not involved at all so really no need to buy it.. But I must admit to flicking through it in WH Smith and I think the quality of its production is good and the £2.90 price is pretty good for a magazine these days and the fact it is still there when hundreds of magazines have folded is great credit to all concerned and seeing it on prominent display each week in WH Smith is still a good advert for the sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfsbane Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) Would you be so kind, my friend, and direct me to this online page. Try the BSPA website. Plenty of t*its there. Edited October 15, 2014 by Wolfsbane 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) As I am currently going through the 1984 magazines for a bit of research, the topic of tracks banning the Star was happening 30 years ago. In one edition, the Star reported an incident at Eastbourne , in which Belle Vue's Larry Ross complained that some of the Eagles' fans had verbally abused him. The story didn't impress Eagles' promoter, Bob Dugard... and he was raging that the Star didn't do the same at Wimbledon, with reports of visiting riders also being treated similarly there. Dugard immediately reacted... by banning sales of the Star at his track! Edited October 15, 2014 by moxey63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halifaxtiger Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 To be fair I hardly ever buy the Star these days as I don't go to speedway and am not involved at all so really no need to buy it.. But I must admit to flicking through it in WH Smith and I think the quality of its production is good and the £2.90 price is pretty good for a magazine these days and the fact it is still there when hundreds of magazines have folded is great credit to all concerned and seeing it on prominent display each week in WH Smith is still a good advert for the sport. I do go (a lot) and don't often buy it. I'd agree with your comments, though. As I am currently going through the 1984 magazines for a bit of research, the topic of tracks banning the Star was happening 30 years ago. In one edition, the Star reported an incident at Eastbourne , in which Belle Vue's Larry Ross complained that some of the Eagles' fans had verbally abused him. The story didn't impress Eagles' promoter, Bob Dugard... and he was raging that the Star didn't do the same at Wimbledon, with reports of visiting riders also being treated similarly there. Dugard immediately reacted... by banning sales of the Star at his track! I think that reflects far more on the promotion than the Star.....and if there was a ban (which would hardly affect the Star's sales) it would be very good publicity for the magazine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 I wasn't aiming a jibe at anyone, I was trying to make a constructive suggestion. The info is only out of date to anyone who has read it on this forum. It's no more out of date than last week's results, which everyone will have seen on one website or another, long before SS is printed. Journalists make interesting stories out of "old" news all the time, and if well written they make a very good read. Anyway, it's dry today, back to the garden with the late, great Gerry Rafferty in my earphones. I'll follow this thread with interest. My wife was right, I should never have got involved, I can't keep up with the regular forumistas. Y'all have a nice day Spoken like a true follower of Robert E. Lee. A good ol' Southern Boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) But, as I have said many, many times, I am no longer involved with the day-to-day compilation of Speedway Star. I don't keep a dog and bark myself, so to speak. Strewth Phil!!! I've heard Clarky, Scunny and Dave F called a lot of things over the years BUT.....!! Edited October 15, 2014 by Bryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Another week , another let's bash the Speedway Star thread .There is an old saying that goes " you don't know what you've got till it's gone " 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 See the Poole v Kings Lynn thread on EL forum, where Mr Rising has divulged that the 2nd leg of the playoff final is at Poole on Monday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 See the Poole v Kings Lynn thread on EL forum, where Mr Rising has divulged that the 2nd leg of the playoff final is at Poole on Monday! SHOULD have read Poole or King's Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Even my dog - who is a keen fan at Brandon by the way so understands how speedway works - knows it's going to be Poole so not really a slip up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Shame to see the Star joined the anti Nicki brigade today on the opening pages. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I've recently found a box of old copies of Speedway Star in my parents loft, from back in the 70's and 80's. When you compare these to today's version the difference in night and day. I especially like the coverage of European leagues. I realise that because it is a weekly publication, it is impossible to keep 100% up to date. The magazine does have a twitter feed which can cope with this. Unfortunately I cannot always see the Grand Prix meetings or those on Sky, but I would far rather read about it from a trained journalist, who is neutral, rather than get the opinion of forum members, many of whom have agendas because they obviously support one club or another. I suppose if it wasn't such a good publication, then it would not have survived all these years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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