Help with assignment!!

[Jasper]

I have to do a case study at uni involving participation levels,trends, overseas influence and the future of the sport in Australia...I also have to come up with possible strategies to increasing awareness!! (i know..if the GP can't do it not sure what i'm going to come up with).

I was wondering if anybody could recommend any good web sites or reading.

 

many thanks.

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

I'll see what I can do for you. There isn't a lot on the net but never mind.

 

First, for history, if you can find "A History of Australian Speedway" written and published by Jim Shepherd of Frew Publications it will be a good start. It was published last year but I believe sold out fairly quickly. The publishers might be your best bet.

 

Ok, the net. It's mostly race reports or history but try these as a starting point.

 

http://www.speedwaysportz.com2.info/ has a few historical pieces in it as well as race reports

 

http://www.vintagespeedway.homestead.com/ is a historical site with heaps of stuff about all sorts of things speedway in Oz

 

http://australianspeedway.com/ is an Oz speedway forum with mostly cars but there is a bike section

 

http://www.milduramotorcycleclub.org.au/index.htm is the Mildura club site

 

http://www.ssrav.org.au/index.htm is the Speedway Sidecars Riders Association of Victoria site

 

http://www.sidewinders.com.au/ is the website of the best junior set up in Australia

 

The links on those sites should take you to a few more sites if you want to go further plus you might want to try your luck with a few of the contacts mentioned in the sites.

 

You also might want to post an entry on the Oz yahoo groups board http://groups.yahoo.com/group/australianmotorcyclespeedway/ . You have to register but it's free.

 

Moving forward the major problems as I see it

 

1. No regular tracks running in capital cities except Adelaide

2. Next to no TV coverage

3. Meetings on average only once a month at each track

4. The best Oz riders ride overseas for eight months of the year and often want a holiday when the Oz season is happening.

5. It costs a fortune to bring the best riders out from Europe if you want to run a tour.

 

One final thing, what uni are you at ? The reason I ask is that the commentator at Gosford is a lecturer (I think) at one of the Sydney universities and he might be the one that set the topic !! Good luck with the case study.

[whowasthatberntpersson]

1. No regular tracks running in capital cities except Adelaide

2. Next to no TV coverage

3. Meetings on average only once a month at each track

4. The best Oz riders ride overseas for eight months of the year and often want a holiday when the Oz season is happening.

5. It costs a fortune to bring the best riders out from Europe if you want to run a tour.

 

One final thing, what uni are you at ? The reason I ask is that the commentator at Gosford is a lecturer (I think) at one of the Sydney universities and he might be the one that set the topic !! Good luck with the case study.

I think Lunchy is talking about Glenn R? He's not a lecturer, I believe he works in IT.

 

I agree with most of the points made, one thing though, here in QLD there appears to be an hidden agenda. To be honest we have sufficient tracks in the Brisbane/Gold Coast areas to suffice. What i have noticed is the lack of riders/rider nominations. I can't quite work it out but its not uncommon to see talented riders watching the action from the bar area.

 

The three tracks, Labrador, Northgate, and Gatton do struggle with rider nominations.

 

I see the problem areas as being;

 

Politics

Cost

Noise Restrictions

Lack of junior development in certain States

Moto X

Lack of Practice facilities

Poor advertising of meetings

Lack of media coverage (including TV, Newspaper, and Radio)

 

Things that will help;

 

Simplify rules and regulations, I'm often hearing of parents getting fed up with all the politics involved,..end result the Kid is taken from speedway.

Give the beginners somewhere to practice.

Bring down the cost of equipment.. engines, tyres, etc.

Worthwhile competitions, rather than some of the crazy programming seen, sometimes the top riders hardly meet resulting in uneven races.

Advertise and make a meeting appeal to newcomers rather than the handful of die hards who will turn up rain hail or shine.

Finally make the top boys contest State and National Championships, the lack of interest in these meetings is appalling and has to have an effect in the overall scheme of things..

 

Why do i see Moto X as being a problem area?

 

Compare the two;

How easy is it to get setup in Moto X?

A kid or an adult with a Moto X bike can ride almost anytime anywhere.

Equipment is easily attainable.

Etc Etc.

So why can't we target Moto X riders? offer them an oppertunity to ride a speedway bike, who know's once they've had the thrill they may just stick with us.

 

Just my thoughts, losing the GP after one attempt was a huge lost oppertunity to raise the sports profile, likewise losing the David Tapp orgainised Masters Series.

Edited March 19, 2004 by whowasthatberntpersson

[dex01]

One more link

 

www.motorcycling.com.au - it's Motorcycling New South Wales official website.

 

Regards

Dominik

Allawah (Sydney), NSW

[Jasper]

Thanks so much for your time and help everyone, much appreciated! that gives me some great info and plenty to get my teeth into. My lecturer is Stephen Ollershaw, SL, he specialises in sports management and works for the aust athletics assoc. He let us choose our own sport but it had to be a minority sport that we believed had potential!

 

Obviously being a speedway fan that was my choice.

 

Once again thanks for your time and will try and keep you informed on my progress...

Edited March 19, 2004 by Jasper