Berwick Statement

[New Science]

With crowd levels dropping at tracks virtually all over the Country, sadly this may be the case. I would like to see Berwick continue in the PL but on current crowds that clearly isn't sustainable, and no matter how hard the promotion try the people who used to come, don't anymore and the new fans aren't covering those missing spaces. Berwick may be better off in the NL, where costs aren't as high, I think the NL next year might be a viable option for a few other clubs other than Berwick, and taking a season or two away from the PL as it is now might be no bad thing.

Can see only 2 leagues existing in Britain next year Premier and National.Give it another 5 years may be down to one

[bigeddiechek]

e-Newsletter tonight emphasises the statement, making clear it is new people, either on the board or taking over the club that are needed.

 

Also mentions Ian Rae coming back.

 

So NL definitely not an option, and cost cutting not the answer.

I thought it was very clear in the first statement anyway, but second one really puts things into sharp focus.

[screm]

Haven't read the latest news letter yet but if its PL, in its current state, or nothing, I fear we will have nothing.

[me2]

I've run my own company for almost thirty years, mostly good times, some bad and a few desperate. During bad times, the rule is to cut costs. That's a no brainer, but as any business owner knows, you don't compromise your product. Applied to Speedway, if people aren't flocking to watch Speedway now, are they going to come in droves to watch lesser riders on poorer equipment, which is what will happen if riders money is cut. Many riders will go elsewhere, or pack in Speedway altogether if they can't make ends meet. Riders don't make fortunes. I don't know any wealthy Speedway riders. Some may remember the interview with Jason Crumps wife a few years ago when she said the amount of money he'd made during his career, put against the entertainment he'd provided, the injuries he'd sustained and risks he'd taken, was laughable. Or words to that effect.

How often have we seen teams struggling for money, build a team on a lower budget? The fans complain, the team gets gubbed every week, crowds dwindle. It's a downward spiral and given that speedway is already in a tailspin, it's the last thing we need.

The riders are the product, they risk life and limb every time they take to the track for our entertainment. Whatever drives them to do it, it certainly isn't money.

Cut their money and were in a race to the bottom.

I don't have the answer to Speedways problems and I suspect no one else does either. Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close. No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

[Halifaxtiger]

I've run my own company for almost thirty years, mostly good times, some bad and a few desperate. During bad times, the rule is to cut costs. That's a no brainer, but as any business owner knows, you don't compromise your product. Applied to Speedway, if people aren't flocking to watch Speedway now, are they going to come in droves to watch lesser riders on poorer equipment, which is what will happen if riders money is cut. Many riders will go elsewhere, or pack in Speedway altogether if they can't make ends meet. Riders don't make fortunes. I don't know any wealthy Speedway riders. Some may remember the interview with Jason Crumps wife a few years ago when she said the amount of money he'd made during his career, put against the entertainment he'd provided, the injuries he'd sustained and risks he'd taken, was laughable. Or words to that effect.

How often have we seen teams struggling for money, build a team on a lower budget? The fans complain, the team gets gubbed every week, crowds dwindle. It's a downward spiral and given that speedway is already in a tailspin, it's the last thing we need.

The riders are the product, they risk life and limb every time they take to the track for our entertainment. Whatever drives them to do it, it certainly isn't money.

Cut their money and were in a race to the bottom.

I don't have the answer to Speedways problems and I suspect no one else does either. Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close. No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

 

Ask Eastbourne & Birmingham about that one.

 

Both apparently have gates that are at least equivalent of what they got in the EL and in many cases it is stated that the racing is better.

 

Dropping down a level (or, in the above cases, two levels) in speedway doesn't necessarily mean that the sport is going to die. Quite the opposite, in fact - it means that a team can exist within its means.

 

Having said that, I agree with tmc. Most riders simply have to accept that speedway isn't a full time occupation, even in the summer.

[SCB]

Haven't read the latest news letter yet but if its PL, in its current state, or nothing, I fear we will have nothing.

With Berwick and Scunny in trouble, Edinburgh not exactly in great shape and the likes of Eastbourne and Birmingham being too big for the NL, you might just see the PL restructure and become more viable.

[To The Point]

I've run my own company for almost thirty years, mostly good times, some bad and a few desperate. During bad times, the rule is to cut costs. That's a no brainer, but as any business owner knows, you don't compromise your product. Applied to Speedway, if people aren't flocking to watch Speedway now, are they going to come in droves to watch lesser riders on poorer equipment, which is what will happen if riders money is cut. Many riders will go elsewhere, or pack in Speedway altogether if they can't make ends meet. Riders don't make fortunes. I don't know any wealthy Speedway riders. Some may remember the interview with Jason Crumps wife a few years ago when she said the amount of money he'd made during his career, put against the entertainment he'd provided, the injuries he'd sustained and risks he'd taken, was laughable. Or words to that effect.

How often have we seen teams struggling for money, build a team on a lower budget? The fans complain, the team gets gubbed every week, crowds dwindle. It's a downward spiral and given that speedway is already in a tailspin, it's the last thing we need.

The riders are the product, they risk life and limb every time they take to the track for our entertainment. Whatever drives them to do it, it certainly isn't money.

Cut their money and were in a race to the bottom.

I don't have the answer to Speedways problems and I suspect no one else does either. Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close. No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

Generally agree with you, something to remember though, if your customer does not like what you provide, you end up with no customers. My own small business relies on providing what the customer wants at a fair price and with a very high standard of service, and if I were to stray from that path, I would soon be out of business. Time the speedway world stood up and listened to the paying public

[screm]

 

Ask Eastbourne & Birmingham about that one.

 

Both apparently have gates that are at least equivalent of what they got in the EL and in many cases it is stated that the racing is better.

 

Dropping down a level (or, in the above cases, two levels) in speedway doesn't necessarily mean that the sport is going to die. Quite the opposite, in fact - it means that a team can exist within its means.

 

Having said that, I agree with tmc. Most riders simply have to accept that speedway isn't a full time occupation, even in the summer.

 

I agree with you, though in the case of Berwick going NL it looks like its off the agenda. Maybe it wouldn't be financially viable, maybe it would, but it at least would keep the speedway alive, maybe until a buyer could be found.

Generally agree with you, something to remember though, if your customer does not like what you provide, you end up with no customers. My own small business relies on providing what the customer wants at a fair price and with a very high standard of service, and if I were to stray from that path, I would soon be out of business. Time the speedway world stood up and listened to the paying public

 

Heads have been in the sand to long, it seems with some of the richer think all's right with the World as long as they are ok but if things don't change Berwick`s uncertain future could become a familiar tale.

[RobMcCaffery]

I disagree over 'the product'. In any sport the product is the match, race or other form of competition. The riders/competitors are there to make that product happen but are not the product themselves, otherwise you could save a fortune in a sport like football by just selling tickets to watch the home side practice and show off their skills and not bother with the cost of opponents!

 

In most sports if a competitor is excellent it does little for the product unless there is competition. In sports like football or rugby you can watch a skilful player evade opponents and change a match. There has to be competition. Generally a 5-0 win in football is more entertaining than a 70-20 result in speedway in that while in both cases teams are winning easily in football the winning side still has to work to create its success.

 

In race-based sports while some will thrill to easy wins the lack of competition in a succession of endless easy wins will normally bore. Speedway is hugely affected by this.

 

If I watch a top rider riding superbly, using his talent to the maximum it's only really of interest unless someone is chasing him and giving him true competition.

 

Sports based on racing rely on just that - racing. Racing is not winning uncontested races half a lap ahead and unchallenged. Once riders have passed a basic level of competence in being able to control and stay on their machines they are just as equipped to give a good race as a top star - as long as they are properly matched.

 

It's about the standard of racing that's the key, not the riding. The two are far too easily confused.

 

Give me a good league match with close scores and close racing over any GP, especially those contrived events on temporary tracks.

 

I wish Berwick all the best in their efforts to survive. I have fond memories of my trips to Shielfield, including the last time Rye House won there in 1977!

 

This narrow-minded view that you can only enjoy speedway if you have the best riders has to go before the sport kills itself on a wave of self-deceit. It's racing that matters and what concerned me hugely watching the recent televised match from Shielfield was the lack of it.

 

It's a damn good speedway though with a proud history. I do so hope it survives. The sport wouldn't be the same without the Berwick Bandits.

[Fromafar]

With Berwick and Scunny in trouble, Edinburgh not exactly in great shape and the likes of Eastbourne and Birmingham being too big for the NL, you might just see the PL restructure and become more viable.

Think there are a few more PL clubs "not in great shape"

[screm]

I disagree over 'the product'. In any sport the product is the match, race or other form of competition. The riders/competitors are there to make that product happen but are not the product themselves, otherwise you could save a fortune in a sport like football by just selling tickets to watch the home side practice and show off their skills and not bother with the cost of opponents!

 

In most sports if a competitor is excellent it does little for the product unless there is competition. In sports like football or rugby you can watch a skilful player evade opponents and change a match. There has to be competition. Generally a 5-0 win in football is more entertaining than a 70-20 result in speedway in that while in both cases teams are winning easily in football the winning side still has to work to create its success.

 

In race-based sports while some will thrill to easy wins the lack of competition in a succession of endless easy wins will normally bore. Speedway is hugely affected by this.

 

If I watch a top rider riding superbly, using his talent to the maximum it's only really of interest unless someone is chasing him and giving him true competition.

 

Sports based on racing rely on just that - racing. Racing is not winning uncontested races half a lap ahead and unchallenged. Once riders have passed a basic level of competence in being able to control and stay on their machines they are just as equipped to give a good race as a top star - as long as they are properly matched.

 

It's about the standard of racing that's the key, not the riding. The two are far too easily confused.

 

Give me a good league match with close scores and close racing over any GP, especially those contrived events on temporary tracks.

 

I wish Berwick all the best in their efforts to survive. I have fond memories of my trips to Shielfield, including the last time Rye House won there in 1977!

 

This narrow-minded view that you can only enjoy speedway if you have the best riders has to go before the sport kills itself on a wave of self-deceit. It's racing that matters and what concerned me hugely watching the recent televised match from Shielfield was the lack of it.

 

It's a damn good speedway though with a proud history. I do so hope it survives. The sport wouldn't be the same without the Berwick Bandits.

 

Excellent post, though just on the SGP, it seems that BSI are looking to take speedway indoors in some cases as we have seen recently with roof covered SGP in Sweden, Denmark, Poland and of course Cardiff, that at least gives the fan an almost guaranteed meeting though thing went a bit wonky in Warsaw this year. Whether that improves the actual racing is another matter.

[Fromafar]

I've run my own company for almost thirty years, mostly good times, some bad and a few desperate. During bad times, the rule is to cut costs. That's a no brainer, but as any business owner knows, you don't compromise your product. Applied to Speedway, if people aren't flocking to watch Speedway now, are they going to come in droves to watch lesser riders on poorer equipment, which is what will happen if riders money is cut. Many riders will go elsewhere, or pack in Speedway altogether if they can't make ends meet. Riders don't make fortunes. I don't know any wealthy Speedway riders. Some may remember the interview with Jason Crumps wife a few years ago when she said the amount of money he'd made during his career, put against the entertainment he'd provided, the injuries he'd sustained and risks he'd taken, was laughable. Or words to that effect.

How often have we seen teams struggling for money, build a team on a lower budget? The fans complain, the team gets gubbed every week, crowds dwindle. It's a downward spiral and given that speedway is already in a tailspin, it's the last thing we need.

The riders are the product, they risk life and limb every time they take to the track for our entertainment. Whatever drives them to do it, it certainly isn't money.

Cut their money and were in a race to the bottom.

I don't have the answer to Speedways problems and I suspect no one else does either. Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close. No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

Cant agree with you on that one.Riders have to accept the crowds are not there to pay the money they are demanding.Imo they are earning decent money ,it is a sport, they don't have to do it if they feel it is not worth the risk.

[SCB]

Think there are a few more PL clubs "not in great shape"

And EL!

[smod]

Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close.

 

No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

 

Aye, and there's the rub (Hamlet)

[DiamondsRock]

Surely one of the problems with Speedway is that there's too much of it.

 

I've never fathomed why the EL say run the league fixtures twice, and then complain about how they incur massive losses per season.

 

Isn't the answer to half the number of fixtures (and losses), and then by reducing the supply of fixtures the demand may increase?

 

i.e. instead of everyone turning up at the end of the year for the playoffs, you then end up having good attendances for 10 weeks over the summer.

[To The Point]

I've run my own company for almost thirty years, mostly good times, some bad and a few desperate. During bad times, the rule is to cut costs. That's a no brainer, but as any business owner knows, you don't compromise your product. Applied to Speedway, if people aren't flocking to watch Speedway now, are they going to come in droves to watch lesser riders on poorer equipment, which is what will happen if riders money is cut. Many riders will go elsewhere, or pack in Speedway altogether if they can't make ends meet. Riders don't make fortunes. I don't know any wealthy Speedway riders. Some may remember the interview with Jason Crumps wife a few years ago when she said the amount of money he'd made during his career, put against the entertainment he'd provided, the injuries he'd sustained and risks he'd taken, was laughable. Or words to that effect.

How often have we seen teams struggling for money, build a team on a lower budget? The fans complain, the team gets gubbed every week, crowds dwindle. It's a downward spiral and given that speedway is already in a tailspin, it's the last thing we need.

The riders are the product, they risk life and limb every time they take to the track for our entertainment. Whatever drives them to do it, it certainly isn't money.

Cut their money and were in a race to the bottom.

I don't have the answer to Speedways problems and I suspect no one else does either. Clubs need to get closer to supporters, but not too close. No club owner who's shovelling his money into a bottomless pit is going to let supporters tell him what to do.

Heres another rub, if i didn't sell what my customers want to buy, instead supplied what I want them to buy or try and sell them what they don't want, my business is in deep DOODOO.

[coolcol]

Hope Big Jon can save the club, and fans get fuly behind lads

Edited July 29, 2015 by Dyson24

[RobMcCaffery]

Heres another rub, if i didn't sell what my customers want to buy, instead supplied what I want them to buy or try and sell them what they don't want, my business is in deep DOODOO.

If you only sell what they already know they want you will never progress. The aim of successful, developing businesses is to offer something that the public don't yet know they want but once it's offered, want it. If they find they do, then keep selling it, if not, withdraw it and try again.

 

Why do you think new products are launched and dropped constantly?

 

Excellent post, though just on the SGP, it seems that BSI are looking to take speedway indoors in some cases as we have seen recently with roof covered SGP in Sweden, Denmark, Poland and of course Cardiff, that at least gives the fan an almost guaranteed meeting though thing went a bit wonky in Warsaw this year. Whether that improves the actual racing is another matter.

Thanks. I don't doubt BSI's intentions, just their ability to supply. We often get great speedway at GPs, mainly because riders are motivated to be competitive and not just settle for a 'skid'. That makes it competitive and in turn entertaining. Sadly it doesn't happen often enough.

 

To me, speedway's a team sport, the rest is just the trimmings.

 

A famous voice constantly says 'it's about opinions'. No, it's not. It's all about the entertainment and that comes not just from winning but also racing. Sadly due to the lack of entertainment winning has become the main reason to enjoy speedway.

 

But not everyone can win, can they? The sport was strong when the racing and entertainment was there. Now it's all about the result and losing kills.

[StevePark]

I would say anyone who doesn't own their own stadium will be struggling. Doesn't leave many - Glasgow, Somerset and Rye House would be the only safe ones in my mind. Even Redcar who own their own stadium are down to the diehards, can't survive on that.

 

The fight to be the best has led to this, overspending on riders coupled with spiralling external costs are burying the clubs. The riders are demanding more money as they want the best equipment and fancy van. When was the last time anyone saw a rider come with their bike on a trailer being towed by a car? I see them at Northside when I go there but even some of these young lads have loads of equipment, how do they afford it? In football if you want the best equipment it will cost £100 for boots, if it's cricket or golf it's £500, in speedway it's £2000 for a bike minimum then kevlars, spare parts and the van to cart it round in! It's become a spending race

 

Add to Redcar - Scunthorpe and Plymouth that's 3 v 3 and don't forget the Millions of pounds that have had to be invested in Glasgow, that kind of thing happens once in a blue moon.

 

Don't think NL would be the answer. Hardly anyone is turning up to watch PL (and no additional people turned up to watch PL at £10 a shot) and the local derby would be against Buxton.

[TonyMac]

I disagree over 'the product'. In any sport the product is the match, race or other form of competition. The riders/competitors are there to make that product happen but are not the product themselves, otherwise you could save a fortune in a sport like football by just selling tickets to watch the home side practice and show off their skills and not bother with the cost of opponents!

 

In most sports if a competitor is excellent it does little for the product unless there is competition. In sports like football or rugby you can watch a skilful player evade opponents and change a match. There has to be competition. Generally a 5-0 win in football is more entertaining than a 70-20 result in speedway in that while in both cases teams are winning easily in football the winning side still has to work to create its success.

 

In race-based sports while some will thrill to easy wins the lack of competition in a succession of endless easy wins will normally bore. Speedway is hugely affected by this.

 

If I watch a top rider riding superbly, using his talent to the maximum it's only really of interest unless someone is chasing him and giving him true competition.

 

Sports based on racing rely on just that - racing. Racing is not winning uncontested races half a lap ahead and unchallenged. Once riders have passed a basic level of competence in being able to control and stay on their machines they are just as equipped to give a good race as a top star - as long as they are properly matched.

 

It's about the standard of racing that's the key, not the riding. The two are far too easily confused.

 

Give me a good league match with close scores and close racing over any GP, especially those contrived events on temporary tracks.

 

I wish Berwick all the best in their efforts to survive. I have fond memories of my trips to Shielfield, including the last time Rye House won there in 1977!

 

This narrow-minded view that you can only enjoy speedway if you have the best riders has to go before the sport kills itself on a wave of self-deceit. It's racing that matters and what concerned me hugely watching the recent televised match from Shielfield was the lack of it.

 

It's a damn good speedway though with a proud history. I do so hope it survives. The sport wouldn't be the same without the Berwick Bandits.

 

The trouble is, Rob, we now live in a culture where the majority of fans (of most sports) demand success yesterday and won't accept regular defeats, even if their team is involved in close, exciting matches. The days of coming away from Hackney thrilled by a 38-40 home defeat, with PC performing minor miracles for the opposition, are long gone. Football suffers from this more than any other sport - it amazes me how many West Ham fans actually expect us to be in the Champions League in the next two years, without a really major new investor coming in.

 

Much of it is media-driven but, in speedway's case, people's attitudes have also changed over the years. It's as if they cannot contemplate being associated with a team that is not successful - even if they are watching top quality racing. Having said that, there are unsuccessful teams beaten in meetings where passing and excitement is minimal! That must be very hard to take and is cause to question if it's worth the admission money.