Maybe I'm Old Fashioned

[customhouseregular]

If the promoters are shrewed businessman.....shouldnt they know all this stuff.....In the 60s and 70s from what i here they were more switched on and knew they were in the entertainment business

Think Ronnie Greene, Charles Ochiltree, Mike Parker etc....they all knew how to present speedway.

[kelvinht]

Nothing wrong with an interval.

 

It's just that they should have it about half way through the meeting, and just have one instead of fourteen of them.

 

Agree.....and some kind of entertainment other than tractor racing

[Woz01]

If the interval isn't for track staff etc then why don't they run some of the 2nd half's during the interval? Fans then have a choice to watch, grab a beer or go to the club shop.

[Bruiser McHuge]

If the interval isn't for track staff etc then why don't they run some of the 2nd half's during the interval? Fans then have a choice to watch, grab a beer or go to the club shop.

Because it wouldn't be an interval if racing was on and people wouldn't go and feed their face which is the only point of an interval in the first place.

[bruno]

when the world started to change sport had to change or die because we had more choices. I reckon football darts even wrestling changed (American style anyway) plus others changed and are still popular. speedway never kept up, neither did snooker and both seem to be slowly dying a slow death. speedway more than snooker no doubt.

[remembertheracers]

 

How about asking landlords to do pre-meeting offers on food and drink, to get the punters in earlier and therefore not missing too much if the interval is axed.

 

Now that is a good idea. Having lost my Racers and Oxford leaves Swindon as my only real semi-regular option. But the bar prices are sky high, almost no seating...and the meetings do drag on, and though I liked 80's music it won't attract many youngsters. And the crowds have not been good there. We have 14 intervals anyway!

[coventry1963]

Speaking of the CO at Coventry, he always said anything more than four to four and a half minutes a race (not counting accidents or injury, of course) meant someone was not doing their job. Surprise, surprise, he always had time for an interval as a result. The slowness of meetings becomes a vicious circle very easily but Ochiltree would not allow people to delay his presentation- his personality simply did not allow it.

[Dave Jones]

Speaking of the CO at Coventry, he always said anything more than four to four and a half minutes a race (not counting accidents or injury, of course) meant someone was not doing their job. Surprise, surprise, he always had time for an interval as a result. The slowness of meetings becomes a vicious circle very easily but Ochiltree would not allow people to delay his presentation- his personality simply did not allow it.

A proper speedway promoter ........sadly in very short supply these days.

[G the Bee]

A proper speedway promoter ........sadly in very short supply these days.

I agree. No-one can deny, he ran a slick, well oiled operation in terms of the timing of the meeting. But even Mr Ochiltree didn't really move with the times. I suspect if you looked at the show that the Bees were putting on in the late 80s and early 90s and compare it to the show that was being put on in the 1960s and 1970s it hadn't changed much. The presentation at Brandon was dated by the end of his time running the Bees. I remember taking a friend of mine in the early 90s, when we'd have both been about 16 and cringing as the track staff and first aiders all came marching out to the 'rumpetty tumpetty' tune which I can still recite off by heart (but never knew the name of). It was during this time that the sport began it's decline and the promoters of the time (including Mr Ochiltree) did not react quickly enough in so many ways.

 

When speedway was in its heyday, Mr Ochiltree knew how to put a show on according to what was acceptable/wanted then. He ran a tight ship according to very strict organisational ideas. But did he really move with the times? We speak about promoters such as Charles Ochiltree and John Berry almost with a sense of awe and wonder. However, the decline of the sport began during the watch of many of these 'great' promoters.

Edited March 30, 2015 by G the Bee

[The Voice Of Reason]

Uncle Len at Hackney used to at least try, now and then.

 

I remember in the mid-80's, two of his particularly memorable 'top turns'.

 

First, we had Eddie Kidd who was going to jump over some cars via a ramp. However, the ramp was apparently too wet, so that idea quickly became a non-event; despite the pre-meeting build up for weeks. Wet ramp my @rse. The Speedway riders in the pits must have been peeing themselves that such a 'celebrity dare devil' bottled it. It didn't stop them going out and risking life and limb in the good old 'Rider of the Night' event.

 

The second act was booked to great anticipation. It was a tribe of REAL Zulu Dancers, who were appearing at The Hackney Empire the following week. Most probably Uncle Len got a nice little £arner from the management of the theatre for their promotion. The only problem was it was October. It was freezing cold (isn't it always at Speedway in October). Anyway, out from the pits appear these dozen geezers, war-painted up; banging drums and shaking spears. Only one problem........They were all wearing anoraks! Remember the old zip-up type that cost about 30 Bob in Millets or the Army & Navy? You could literally see them shaking with the cold. Anyway, they get up to the starting tapes, started their routine of banging drums and singing...........and the heavens opened up! All around were cries of "They've done a f&@kin rain dance!" People were literally creasing up with tears running down their face as these poor Zulus all went running back to the pits after 2 minutes.

 

I now go to Brandon for my regular fix but gawd, the atmosphere is pretty non-existent. Given most tracks love affair with playing old numbers, I reckon we should all keep warm and entertained by doing a conga; then all onto the centre green for the Okey Kokey. Gotta be better than standing there shivering, watching a tractor go round for 20 minutes, surely? And while we're out there, I'll try and nick Peter York's radio mike, and do us all a favour!

Edited March 30, 2015 by The Voice Of Reason

[Gemini]

 

........G the Bee........The presentation at Brandon was dated by the end of his time running the Bees. I remember taking a friend of mine in the early 90s, when we'd have both been about 16 and cringing as the track staff and first aiders all came marching out to the 'rumpetty tumpetty' tune which I can still recite off by heart (but never knew the name of).

 

Imperial Echoes?

[Dave Jones]

 

I agree. No-one can deny, he ran a slick, well oiled operation in terms of the timing of the meeting. But even Mr Ochiltree didn't really move with the times. I suspect if you looked at the show that the Bees were putting on in the late 80s and early 90s and compare it to the show that was being put on in the 1960s and 1970s it hadn't changed much. The presentation at Brandon was dated by the end of his time running the Bees. I remember taking a friend of mine in the early 90s, when we'd have both been about 16 and cringing as the track staff and first aiders all came marching out to the 'rumpetty tumpetty' tune which I can still recite off by heart (but never knew the name of). It was during this time that the sport began it's decline and the promoters of the time (including Mr Ochiltree) did not react quickly enough in so many ways.

 

When speedway was in its heyday, Mr Ochiltree knew how to put a show on according to what was acceptable/wanted then. He ran a tight ship according to very strict organisational ideas. But did he really move with the times? We speak about promoters such as Charles Ochiltree and John Berry almost with a sense of awe and wonder. However, the decline of the sport began during the watch of many of these 'great' promoters.

He did run a very good show , with integrity and care. You must remember also that by the time you started attending the CO was getting on in years,and health issues meant that he was no more than a figurehead towards the end of his reign.

 

I believe that a middle aged fit & healthy C O, if he was around today, would shake up this current bunch and show them how to promote the sport.

 

But then that's just my opinion.

[G the Bee]

He did run a very good show , with integrity and care. You must remember also that by the time you started attending the CO was getting on in years,and health issues meant that he was no more than a figurehead towards the end of his reign.

 

I believe that a middle aged fit & healthy C O, if he was around today, would shake up this current bunch and show them how to promote the sport.

 

But then that's just my opinion.

 

I don't disagree with you. perhaps what we need is a modern day version of Mr Ochiltree. Someone who knows what the public of today wants and is single minded in his vision to give it to them.

 

It's a different era now. Life in general is so much more fast paced. Entertainment is instant and can be found in short, sharp bursts at the touch of a button. That's what speedway has to compete with. And, apart from at GP level, it is failing miserably.

 

My little boy is 8. He's been brought up with a father who is a huge speedway fan. I've taken him along on countless occasions... and he hates it. Why? Because he gets bored. He doesn't want to watch a tractor going round and round. He doesn't want to watch riders going backwards and forwards to the pits and back or playing games at the tapes.

 

I've watched him. He tends to watch the first couple of heats, but by heat 4 or 5 he is bored. Because in half an hour, he's seen 4 minutes of action and stood around for the rest of the time. That's when the Ipad comes out of the bag. It's either that or I have to put up with an 8 year old telling me that "he's cold, bored, cold and bored, uncomfortable..."

 

I take him to Villa park about once a month and it's a different story. Even though Villa are doing poorly this year, he sits and watches the whole game and he loves it. He watches the half-time entertainment too. Why? Because something is constantly happening.

 

In my opinion, speedway (not accounting for re-runs or accidents) could get through 20 heats by 9pm with a half seven start if the show was run properly and the riders knew what was expected of them. Get rid of the 2 minute time allowance. It should be 1 minute. It should sound the moment the last rider from the heat before has entered the pits. If a rider has two heats on the trot, tough luck. They have to re-fuel and get back to the tapes. It's up to the team manager to keep instances like this to a minimum.

 

Just imagine the difference. An hour and a half of pretty much non-stop entertainment with the heats coming thick and fast. An MC building the atmosphere. It's got to be the way forward.

 

But it'll never happen.

[Gemini]

I believe that a middle aged fit & healthy C O, if he was around today, would shake up this current bunch and show them how to promote the sport.

 

He wouldn't last with today's lot unless he toed the line and agreed with everything that goes on.

 

 

 

.....G the Bee......My little boy is 8. He's been brought up with a father who is a huge speedway fan. I've taken him along on countless occasions... and he hates it. Why? Because he gets bored. He doesn't want to watch a tractor going round and round. He doesn't want to watch riders going backwards and forwards to the pits and back or playing games at the tapes.

 

Send him round to the 4th bend next time. He can have loads of fun rolling tyres down the steps with the other lads. Who needs an iPad.

Edited March 31, 2015 by Gemini

[G the Bee]

 

He wouldn't last with today's lot unless he toed the line and agreed with everything that goes on.

 

 

 

 

Send him round to the 4th bend next time. He can have loads of fun rolling tyres down the steps with the other lads. Who needs an iPad.

 

You've met him. He is the lad that was riding the motorised scooter up and down the back straight stands during the Storm meeting last year.

[Dave Jones]

 

He wouldn't last with today's lot unless he toed the line and agreed with everything that goes on.

 

 

 

 

 

60 years at Brandon suggests he was a survivor. There were plenty of politics going on even in those days,the 1964/5 NL & PL amalgamation was pretty heavy stuff.Although I will admit I don't think the CO was ever faced with the situation of having his club closed down by some worthless toerag .

It would have been interesting to see how he'd have dealt with that situation.

[Gemini]

 

You've met him. He is the lad that was riding the motorised scooter up and down the back straight stands during the Storm meeting last year.

 

Ah yes I remember. Lucy was hiding underneath the table waiting to pounce. I don't think rolling tyres down the steps is going to appeal then. Can't beat a motorised scooter.

[Bruiser McHuge]

Wasn't Charles Ochiltree a major part in closing Leicester down when the stadium was sold for housing ?.....not sure he was totally great for speedway in that instance.

[Dave Jones]

Wasn't Charles Ochiltree a major part in closing Leicester down when the stadium was sold for housing ?.....not sure he was totally great for speedway in that instance.

Strewth, not that "old chestnut " again.

[Gemini]

Wasn't Charles Ochiltree a major part in closing Leicester down when the stadium was sold for housing ?.....not sure he was totally great for speedway in that instance.

No he wasn't. It was the directors of Midland Sports Stadiums, of which he was only one. But that still doesn't stop some Leicester fans from bearing a grudge for the last 30 years.