Speedway Star Item

[teddy2706]

A few posts have quite rightly criticised a lack of marketing in speedway.

I follow speedway and occasionally visit grass track events during the year, but do not follow it so closely.

 

Whilst I enjoyed my evening at Scunthorpe last night, I was cross to discover that I had missed an evening of Sidecar Speedway at Brandon last night.

 

I saw no marketing for this event apart from a small piece in the Grasstrack pages SS that I read this morning (which was not helpful).

It does not appear in the results from last night on todays Speedway GB, I can ony assume that both Grasstrack and Speedway both decided that this event belonged to the other discipline?

Can I take it then that there is no appetite amongst speedway followers for sidecar speedway in the UK?

Was Brandon full of Grasstrack fans last night?

[moxey63]

Any sport or game needs simple rules, a product that winners are seen as winners, deserved winners. We remember the great teams, great individuals. For example, in a time we have now of manipulating figures during the league round-robin before the Play-Offs start, would we have witnessed the great Cradley side of 1983 and the masses of points it scored to win the title? Would many of those riders been told to ease off and just saunter into the Play-Offs, in case a new signing came along?

 

I think lot of speedway now is pretend, to put it simple. Why should I, as a long-in-the-tooth fan, feel Poole's loss at Belle Vue is a shock or great achievement for the Aces? I question if Poole were serious. In a way, isn't it similar to a pre-season football friendly, it's what comes when the real thing starts (the Play-Offs in speedway's case) that matters.

 

I know the Play-Offs are here for good, but I think they mask a detrimental impact on crowd figures for the preceding matches, the 20-odd the track has to dance its way towards the last four.

 

People may say there were meaningless league matches before the Play-Offs. That is so. But fans didn't know different, because it was a set programme of fixtures. Now, it is pointed towards that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that is like the cake for a child... but only when that kid has lived through a plate of vegetables.

 

The Play-Offs have given the other fixtures a take-or-leave feel. In the past, seasons used to be planned on your clubs final fixture. Now, as we approach September and the rush for Play-Off spaces, many don't even know whether they are about to see their club's final fixture of the year, depending on the top four cut.

[Gemini]

A few posts have quite rightly criticised a lack of marketing in speedway.

I follow speedway and occasionally visit grass track events during the year, but do not follow it so closely.

Whilst I enjoyed my evening at Scunthorpe last night, I was cross to discover that I had missed an evening of Sidecar Speedway at Brandon last night.

 

I saw no marketing for this event apart from a small piece in the Grasstrack pages SS that I read this morning (which was not helpful).

It does not appear in the results from last night on todays Speedway GB, I can ony assume that both Grasstrack and Speedway both decided that this event belonged to the other discipline?

Can I take it then that there is no appetite amongst speedway followers for sidecar speedway in the UK?

Was Brandon full of Grasstrack fans last night?

Shame you missed it but it was mentioned in the Grasstrack/Sidecar/Short track/Cycle Speedway section on the forum. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=79964 Also if you are on Facebook there were loads of adverts for it ~ I even shared it myself. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154116547983378&set=gm.385249568335210&type=1&theater

The meeting itself was really good with some excellent racing, great music (for a change at Brandon!) and a very knowledgeable announcer. Big crowd too which was good to see. £10 admission fee. What more could we ask for? Well, just one thing please - less track grading which made the meeting a long drawn out affair. Don't know about Grasstrack fans but there were a lot of Bees fans there so presumably loads from the Grasstrack world as well being as there was such a big turnout.

 

I was at West Ham when they tried sidecars and we had an on-track fatality. British tracks are not suited to sidecars, other than perhaps the biggest 2 or 3.

I don't know if Coventry is classed as one of the biggest tracks but they seemed to manage okay last night with plenty of overtaking. Pretty scary stuff though. I think I'll stick to Speedway.

 

I don't think it was the Mark Courtney but yes that was the same Peter Lloyd. Pete and I enjoyed a great nights racing but also thought the tractors took too long and caused the meeting to drag on a bit. Every rider/passenger I spoke to were totally impressed with the support from the crowd tonight so thank you and I'm sure that the organisers will listen and learn to put on a smoother presentation should we get a chance to return to Coventry later this year.

Glad you enjoyed it Fraser. I've seen a photo on Facebook now so recognise Peter as the same one who I used to see ride Speedway at Long Eaton. By the way has anyone told you that you must be absolutely crackers to be a passenger?

Edited August 8, 2015 by Gemini

[Shale Searcher]

Shame you missed it but it was mentioned in the Grasstrack/Sidecar/Short track/Cycle Speedway section on the forum. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=79964 Also if you are on Facebook there were loads of adverts for it ~ I even shared it myself. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154116547983378&set=gm.385249568335210&type=1&theater

The meeting itself was really good with some excellent racing, great music (for a change at Brandon!) and a very knowledgeable announcer. Big crowd too which was good to see. £10 admission fee. What more could we ask for? Well, just one thing please - less track grading which made the meeting a long drawn out affair. Don't know about Grasstrack fans but there were a lot of Bees fans there so presumably loads from the Grasstrack world as well being as there was such a big turnout.

 

I don't know if Coventry is classed as one of the biggest tracks but they seemed to manage okay last night with plenty of overtaking. Pretty scary stuff though. I think I'll stick to Speedway.

 

Glad you enjoyed it Fraser. I've seen a photo on Facebook now so recognise Peter as the same one who I used to see ride Speedway at Long Eaton. By the way has anyone told you that you must be absolutely crackers to be a passenger?

What happened to Nigel D'eath? Another Long Eatoner from the same era as Peter Lloyd??

[Gemini]

It would be interesting to know what he's doing these days. He would be 50 years old now.

http://grasstrackgb.co.uk/nigel-death/

[Bruiser McHuge]

Can't say I'm a big fan of sidecars and they wouldn't entice me to attend ....but in this country they do seem to be seen as a total separate entity to the bikes whereas in Australia where I've seen plenty of meetings the sidecars are seen as much a part of speedway as the solo bikes......a night at the speedway is usually sprintcars , speedcars, sidecars and solos....it's all speedway., whereas here speedway is purely the bikes...unfortunately in Australia it's not usually the sol bikes that draw the big crowds in so they need the other forms of speedway on the bill.

I don't think many UK tracks showcase the sidecars that well though, a bit too small and tight and I don't think adding them to a night on a regular basis would draw many extra fans in

[The White Knight]

 

Whether or not the relationships were hands-off or otherwise, it's surely fairly obvious that a publication is unlikely to be very critical of those bankrolling it.

 

For what it's worth, I think the Spar did generally improve as a publication in the Pinegen era, but it also became bland and uncritical at a key time when it could have had more influence than it does now. It's also unfortunate that the Speedway Mail disappeared around the same time, as whilst it production qualities were far lower, it didn't shy away from making critical comment (probably to its ultimate detriment).

You are probably right about it's ultimate detriment.

 

I used to love the 'Speedway Mail' - it wasn't afraid to speak out or criticise those in authority if it was warranted.

 

The only Newspaper I've ever read from cover to cover - it was that good. I read it every week if I remember correctly. Sometimes the newsprint came off on my hands. I didn't mind though because I was getting value for money.

 

A great Speedway Paper - sadly missed.

[waiheke1]

Any sport or game needs simple rules, a product that winners are seen as winners, deserved winners. We remember the great teams, great individuals. For example, in a time we have now of manipulating figures during the league round-robin before the Play-Offs start, would we have witnessed the great Cradley side of 1983 and the masses of points it scored to win the title? Would many of those riders been told to ease off and just saunter into the Play-Offs, in case a new signing came along?

 

The Cradley side of 83 is an interesting example. They actually didn't start the season that well, losing the premiership to the mighty Aces, and failing to make the League cup semi.

It was really only when they strengthened at reserve, by recruiting Ravn in place of Andy Reid that things clicked. From then on I can't see that they would have needed to swap anyone had play offs been in effect, they were head and shoulders above any team.

Another point to note is that Jan O, an untried teenage Dane, had to start on a 6 point assessed average .

And of course the following season, when Cradley's team were weakened by the 49(if I recall correctly, it may have been a mere 48!) point limit they engaged in early season average manipulation to enable them to fit Simon Cross back in to their line up.

So I would suggest that mid-season changes and average fixing aren't a modern phenomenon.

[salty]

Dave Cheshire was the original 7th rider in the Heathens. Injured early season but was the rider that Peter Ravn replaced.

Don't forget Wigg also started on an assessed 6.00 average. This enabled him to be reserve for the start of the season, whilst Pedersen rode at number 2.

[Bruiser McHuge]

That Cradley side was still the best I've seen.....Gundersen, King, Wigg, Phil Collins, Alan Grahame , Peter Ravn and Jan O Pedersen.....with Simon Cross stepping in when Pedersen was injured...

 

It shows its strength when you can remember every rider from a year and you didn't even support them !

 

Ravn did start the season at Belle Vue but he really stepped it up when he went to Cradley and it was the start of his career really.....I think the points limit for 84 meant they lost Wigg, Alan Grahame, Ravn and Pedersen for that season, although we know what Pedersen went on to achieve when he came back , and Alan Grahame came back as well...great team though.

[salty]

That Cradley side was still the best I've seen.....Gundersen, King, Wigg, Phil Collins, Alan Grahame , Peter Ravn and Jan O Pedersen.....with Simon Cross stepping in when Pedersen was injured...

It shows its strength when you can remember every rider from a year and you didn't even support them !

Ravn did start the season at Belle Vue but he really stepped it up when he went to Cradley and it was the start of his career really.....I think the points limit for 84 meant they lost Wigg, Alan Grahame, Ravn and Pedersen for that season, although we know what Pedersen went on to achieve when he came back , and Alan Grahame came back as well...great team though.

Alan Grahame stayed in 1984 along with Gundersen, King and Phil Collins, supplemented by Finn Jensen, Mike Wilding and Steve Collins - until Simon Cross was shoehorned into the team.

[TonyMac]

 

Whether or not the relationships were hands-off or otherwise, it's surely fairly obvious that a publication is unlikely to be very critical of those bankrolling it.

 

For what it's worth, I think the Spar did generally improve as a publication in the Pinegen era, but it also became bland and uncritical at a key time when it could have had more influence than it does now. It's also unfortunate that the Speedway Mail disappeared around the same time, as whilst it production qualities were far lower, it didn't shy away from making critical comment (probably to its ultimate detriment).

 

No Humph, I wish I could blame the Mail's demise from the early 90s on being critical of the sport's hierarchy.

 

Alas, the main factors were:

1. The closure of key tracks (especially in the south), which resulted in a large loss of track sales revenue.

2. A steady erosion of attendances in general (same result).

3. Ever-rising production costs that caused us to downgrade production quality.

4. Poor management (letting our hearts rule our heads for too long by investing in a publication that was doomed to struggle in a declining market).

[BWitcher]

 

No Humph, I wish I could blame the Mail's demise from the early 90s on being critical of the sport's hierarchy.

 

Alas, the main factors were:

1. The closure of key tracks (especially in the south), which resulted in a large loss of track sales revenue.

2. A steady erosion of attendances in general (same result).

 

 

Interesting.. yet we didn't have double uppers, fast track riders, or TR's....

[SCB]

 

Interesting.. yet we didn't have double uppers, fast track riders, or TR's....

Clearly too many guests that season!

[BWitcher]

Clearly too many guests that season!

 

Funny isn't it how one who went off in a bit of a huff over what I was saying pops up again a few days later providing evidence to prove me right.

[The White Knight]

 

Funny isn't it how one who went off in a bit of a huff over what I was saying pops up again a few days later providing evidence to prove me right.

Do you have to be so aggravating sometimes BW.

 

No need for it.

[ch958]

Do you have to be so aggravating sometimes BW.

 

No need for it.

much easier than coming up with positive suggestions though

[RobMcCaffery]

Do you have to be so aggravating sometimes BW.

 

No need for it.

He relies on phrases like "going off in a huff" or "throwing toys out of pram" because he can't realise that people aren't interested in feeding his ego, or more likely relieving his bordeom, by getting into one of his 'debates' which in fact are nothing of the sort. He just looks for everything he can dispute, picking petty holes and claiming it's intelligent debate.

 

Then when people quite naturally walk away in disgust he uses his stock phrases to try to belittle them.

 

Sometimes I feel like taking him off block and turning him inside out because I could if I could be bothered. I'm not. I prefer speedway to provoking arguments which must then be 'won'. It's sad really. Anyway, time to think of the sport and not sad figures like him. He makes no contribution to the sport or this forum.

 

Now, regarding speedway, I suspect realisation is finally beginning to dawn that the sport as it is currently constituted form is coming to the end of its life. It will live on, as it usually does but financial reality will eventually arrive. The sport in Britain has to be reconstituted as a semi-pro sport which owes nobody a living and where outgoings are kept below income.

If certain riders and name-obsessed supporters are lost then so be it, as long as the changes give us a sustainable base from which the sport can be re-grown. We have to offer a value for money night (ir afternoon) out, with a regular fixture list and credible teams. We need to find new talent and give them a sport they can afford to compete in. We need to take the appalling strain out of the sport. I've worked at a dying track and know just how much strain is created.

 

British speedway is exhausted in trying to find dates on which to race, finding the money to pay the riders, desperately finding a way to win and keep a crowd. No wonder there's no forward thinking, survival is the only consideration.

 

We need to re-shape the sport on a cheaper basis, but most of all it once more needs to be fun - for ALL.

 

But what would I know, it's the likes of BWitcher who have all the answers.......don't they?

Edited August 10, 2015 by rmc

[waiheke1]

The issue is though is that people fixate on certain red herrings( tr, guests,play offs, sky) which have nothing to do with the decline of the sport, and in fact in some cases have helped slow the decline.

The number of people on here advocating a return to what worked 50 years ago, rather than what the sport actually needs which is bringing into the 2010s.

Business is littered with failures where successful ventures ultimately failed due to sticking with what had worked in the past rather than changing to meet consumer demands.

[RobMcCaffery]

The issue is though is that people fixate on certain red herrings( tr, guests,play offs, sky) which have nothing to do with the decline of the sport, and in fact in some cases have helped slow the decline.

The number of people on here advocating a return to what worked 50 years ago, rather than what the sport actually needs which is bringing into the 2010s.

Business is littered with failures where successful ventures ultimately failed due to sticking with what had worked in the past rather than changing to meet consumer demands.

I'm advocating a return to the success of years ago, but not necessarily by the same methods. We have allowed costs to spiral and that has to be rectified. Without that there is no point in bringing the sport into the 2010s if it's breathing its last. We learn from the past without re-creating it.