More On The Decline Of British Speedway

[moxey63]

It also portrays, I assume, the problems speedway has today... of getting people from their chairs at home, with SKY and the Internet holding hostage, whereas 30 years ago, VCRs were the cause of speedway's rocky future.

 

There is now more competition out there.

 

Then again, didn't speedway have competition in the 70s and before, like dancing, cinema, bowling, stockcars..

[Grachan]

I guess crowds have been slowly on the decline for a few years, but speedway was having a bit of a renaissance in the early 21st century.

 

There were 2 moments that were real key moments for me. Two things that were introduced, and when you went the following season there was an instant, visible drop in crowd levels.

 

One was when they introduced the Tactical Ride rule. The other was the 39.95 points limit.

 

Both of these had a drastic effect and drove away many core supporters.

[The White Knight]

I guess crowds have been slowly on the decline for a few years, but speedway was having a bit of a renaissance in the early 21st century.

 

There were 2 moments that were real key moments for me. Two things that were introduced, and when you went the following season there was an instant, visible drop in crowd levels.

 

One was when they introduced the Tactical Ride rule. The other was the 39.95 points limit.

 

Both of these had a drastic effect and drove away many core supporters.

A lot on here will disagree with you.

 

I believe that you are 100% right.

[Trees]

But the lower order riders must be pleased that the tactical ride exists cos they don't miss out on their races :-) I don't mind it at all personally.

[Grachan]

But the lower order riders must be pleased that the tactical ride exists cos they don't miss out on their races :-) I don't mind it at all personally.

I'm not saying if I like it or if I don't. It was plainly obvious to me that when it was introduced there was as immediate, noticeable drop in crowd levels.

[New Science]

A lot on here will disagree with you.

 

I believe that you are 100% right.

Will the removal of the tactical ride fix speedway ?

[Blackadder]

I have always thought that the scrapping of the aggregate bonus point was a mistake. It often kept things more interesting towards the end of meetings. Just my opinion.

[SCB]

I have always thought that the scrapping of the aggregate bonus point was a mistake. It often kept things more interesting towards the end of meetings. Just my opinion.

I disagree. The new 3,2,1,0,1,2,3,4 point scoring system while not totally easy to understand has made 90% of heat 15s mean something and was a great change. Along with play-offs it's 1 of the best changes of the last 15 years.

[highroad119]

We seem to losing too many Families to the sport. At Glasgow we used to have loads of kids waiting for Shane Parkers autograph, photos etc. Theres hardly any youngsters going to Ashfield now. If we could cut the riders overheads, wages and get families back in for say £20 then that might bring some back. I know that some people see the £16 as just too much. Somethings got to give this winter, just hope its not peoples clubs.

[The White Knight]

Will the removal of the tactical ride fix speedway ?

No - it won't - but it would help in my opinion. If the Tactical Ride was done away with - I would convince myself to return to paying to watch my Speedway. I am also against the Play Offs which, as folks know - I hate. I will NOT however, compromise on the Double Point Tactical Ride, or the Play Offs.

 

So there you go - the Promoters have a way of getting at least one person back to their local Track - there could be more of the same mind.

 

As I say, it will not fix Speedway - but if action were taken on these - and other issues were addressed - it would all help.

[daveallan81]

I disagree. The new 3,2,1,0,1,2,3,4 point scoring system while not totally easy to understand has made 90% of heat 15s mean something and was a great change. Along with play-offs it's 1 of the best changes of the last 15 years.

 

From 449 matches raced under the league points system in 2014:

 

24 matches (5.35%) failed to complete, or in some cases reach, heat 15 but had the result declared.

 

209 matches (46.55%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided.

 

216 matches (48.11%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled.

 

These figures are based on differentials of 11 or more points, meaning a 5-0 would be required in the final heat to affect the league points.

 

Based on a more likely 5-1 requirement the figures alter slightly to:

 

193 matches (42.98%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided.

 

232 matches (51.67%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled.

 

For straight-up win/lose/draw last heat deciders based on a team requiring a 5-0, there were 95 (21.16%) with 330 (73.50%) already settled. Adjusted for a 5-1, 86 (19.15%) and 339 (75.50%).

[moxey63]

The Play-Offs have served their purpose, the rich man's Knock-Out Cup Final, which it bullied out of survival.

 

I always feel a chill, no feeling or interest when the POs come around... people expect so much but it is often the biggest let-down of the entire year (like New Year) and all the months, all the admission fees people have coughed up out of their lives.

 

They have never been the fairest way of deciding the true champions - just look at Birmingham a few years ago I expect a line of people defending the POs immediately as I press the "Post" button. But, all they have done, is taken away the draw of all the matches - the league round-robin matches - that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

 

We may see bumper crowds (in today's term for bumper crowds) for the POs, but these people have probably only turned up for the occasion or have spent the past seven moths of it, choosing which matches tickle their fancies.

 

A series of qualifying matches.. that's what the Elite League programme is now.

[weatherwatcher]

I would rather have one Barry Briggs than 10 Darcy Wards.

[van wolfswinkel]

I guess crowds have been slowly on the decline for a few years, but speedway was having a bit of a renaissance in the early 21st century.

 

There were 2 moments that were real key moments for me. Two things that were introduced, and when you went the following season there was an instant, visible drop in crowd levels.

 

One was when they introduced the Tactical Ride rule. The other was the 39.95 points limit.

 

Both of these had a drastic effect and drove away many core supporters.

The crowds visibly dipped at the Abbey after Mr.Adams left.

[Leicester Hunter]

The Play-Offs have served their purpose, the rich man's Knock-Out Cup Final, which it bullied out of survival.

 

I think that's about right, and it's a shame. Speedway at Elite League level anyway, has become one dimensional in that respect, as it's now the league title or nothing these days.

 

 

I always feel a chill, no feeling or interest when the POs come around... people expect so much but it is often the biggest let-down of the entire year

 

 

I think that depends on how well your team does in the Play Offs!

 

 

We may see bumper crowds (in today's term for bumper crowds) for the POs

 

I've only attended the Play Offs once before, and that was last year's Birmingham v Wolverhampton encounter. The crowd at Monmore was excellent, and the atmosphere like a cup final, but of course Birmingham won on the night and that more or less killed that. The second leg at Perry Barr was played out in front of an average at best attendance and without a discernible atmosphere.

 

 

They have never been the fairest way of deciding the true champions

That's open to debate I suppose, but at the end of the day, them's the rules, and we all know about them before the season starts.

 

 

A series of qualifying matches.. that's what the Elite League programme is now.

Yes they are, but that's progress for you.

 

At least with the KO Cup as well, there was always something else to try to win. Maybe when the original Sky package was put together, cup matches should have been included, but we'll never know whether or not that would have helped now.

[Grachan]

The crowds visibly dipped at the Abbey after Mr.Adams left.

 

Very true, although that is more club specific.

[SCB]

 

From 449 matches raced under the league points system in 2014:

 

24 matches (5.35%) failed to complete, or in some cases reach, heat 15 but had the result declared.

 

209 matches (46.55%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided.

 

216 matches (48.11%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled.

 

These figures are based on differentials of 11 or more points, meaning a 5-0 would be required in the final heat to affect the league points.

 

Based on a more likely 5-1 requirement the figures alter slightly to:

 

193 matches (42.98%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided.

 

232 matches (51.67%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled.

 

For straight-up win/lose/draw last heat deciders based on a team requiring a 5-0, there were 95 (21.16%) with 330 (73.50%) already settled. Adjusted for a 5-1, 86 (19.15%) and 339 (75.50%).

Fair play. I'm amazed it's that high if I'm totally honest

[Humphrey Appleby]

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't he have some connection with the RAC or some link wit motor sport generally so he had some background knowledge of the sport ? I have read also that he was director of some big companies so he must have had some business

acumen as well, so overall he must have been better qualied and experiencec thnan Tony Steele and some of the other names bandied around.

 

Astonishingly, Shawcross only died about 10 years ago at the age of something like 102. A relative who moved in legal circles and knew him, reckoned his subsequent career never really lived up to the heights of the Nuremburg trials, not least because there was some concern over his political impartiality over the years. That's probably why he was writing reports for speedway.

 

Hard to imagine anyone like that getting involved in speedway these days though.

[daveallan81]

Based on 686 British & National League fixtures in 1975:

 

5 points difference: 166 last heat deciders (24.20%) against 520 (75.80%)

4 points difference: 161 (23.47%) against 525 (76.53%)

 

Adjusting the 2014 figures to discount abandoned/declared result matches:

 

5 points difference: 95 (22.35%) against 330 (77.65%)

4 points difference: 86 (20.24%) against 339 (79.76%)

 

It's practically imposible to compare the league points scored due to the different race formulas and rules. However, it is perhaps interesting to note that in 1975 matches that arrived at the final heat with 11 or less points between the teams were practically level, 344 to 342. Again adjusting for unfinished matches, 2014 produced 209 against 216.

 

2014 offers up roughly twice as many last heat deciders for league points but it must be remembered it is operating in a points window (plus/minus 10 or 11) just over twice that of 1975 (+/- 4 or 5).

 

It seems, to me at least, that the current league points system makes no discernable difference to the number of last heat deciders based on these two disparate seasons.

[packerman]

So 2000 fewer Swindon fans decided not to attend the play off final solely because the team did not finish top the league ?

It might also have something to do with the fact that there was a very good chance of it raining and the meeting either being abandoned or even postponed