Christopher Bcmma Cook Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Are there too many speedway clubs? Would it be better for the sport with say just 16/18 clubs operating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Probably even less than that, to be honest. There are simply too many people trying to make a living out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Have said for years that there are too many.At least for league speedway.It would be better imo if some "clubs" just ran maybe 4 or 6 meetings per season and not have to do a whole league season.Run once a month during the summer months and let the other clubs do a full league season.Would never be allowed even if some clubs wanted to do that though....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Jones Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Not too many clubs but too many riders with unrealistic expectations. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Have said for years that there are too many.At least for league speedway.It would be better imo if some "clubs" just ran maybe 4 or 6 meetings per season and not have to do a whole league season.Run once a month during the summer months and let the other clubs do a full league season.Would never be allowed even if some clubs wanted to do that though....... I'm not arguing against your suggestion iris123, but would people go along and support a Sport where they could only attend 5 or 6 times a year? People like continuity so I would personally doubt it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 I'm not arguing against your suggestion iris123, but would people go along and support a Sport where they could only attend 5 or 6 times a year? People like continuity so I would personally doubt it. People flock to Silverstone or Wimbledon and possibly/probably don't attend another F1 or tennis event all year.Just as examples 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Try telling someone who loses their track or finds it is only going to stage 4 or 5 meetings a season that it's "In the best interests of speedway". We need the sport in Britain to rebuild not commit suicide. What may work in the sticks of Germany won't necessarily work in the UK. As for quoting major events like Silverstone and Wimbledon, the clue's in the word 'major'. That argument is like throwing live music out of your local pub because Lady Gaga only plays in Britain four times a year..... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Don't think we'll ever get back to the halcyon days when there was well over 20 clubs in the second tier of British speedway , and there was quite a few in the top league . But something has got to change because the doubling up thing has spiralled out of control and nobody knows who's riding for who these days 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 (edited) Try telling someone who loses their track or finds it is only going to stage 4 or 5 meetings a season that it's "In the best interests of speedway". We need the sport in Britain to rebuild not commit suicide. What may work in the sticks of Germany won't necessarily work in the UK. As for quoting major events like Silverstone and Wimbledon, the clue's in the word 'major'. That argument is like throwing live music out of your local pub because Lady Gaga only plays in Britain four times a year..... Don't you get it?The sport is commiting suicide!!!!.Something needs to change and a "one size fits all" idea isn't working.Maybe if some clubs only ran a few meetings a year it might make the event a bit more special and might be able to gain more sponsorship.I used those examples as an extreme to combat the rgument that would people support something that only happens 4 - 6 times per year.The more often something is held doesn't mean people will attend.They might well just pick and choose.As for your counter argument about throwing live music out a pub,well just your usual crap.Now comeback with a better idea or throw your toys out of your pram and bleat on about how you used to commentate on some tv channel,so you must know everything there is to know about the sport and should be in charge as you have all the answers Edited August 25, 2015 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadster Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 I disagree with the idea because when clubs close down their fans tend not to go to other tracks but just stop going. That's certainly what happened to me when Wimbledon closed but another point would also be that the sport is seeing itself in a very negative light and a series of closures would only emphasise that. Other sports have problems; Athletics with drug cheats, Cricket with minimal attendances at county games and counties hugely indebted, however they don't seem as negative about their future as speedway. When we had few clubs running in the 1950s things did not go well at a time when it was easier to attract audiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickthemuppet Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 How can anybody possibly say there should be less clubs . Try telling that to supporters of Cradley Heath, Wimbledon,Reading ,Oxford etc. If there are only half the number of clubs that will not double the attendances of the clubs left. Most club that finish means 90% of their supporters do not go somewhere else, they just stop going regularly. How would the promoters and riders possibly earn a living on six home meetings a year 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewer Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 another no to this would probably come from the landlords of many a stadium as they want a certain amount of rent paid over a year, so clubs would have the same amount to pay in rent regardless of usage, 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 I disagree with the idea because when clubs close down their fans tend not to go to other tracks but just stop going. That's certainly what happened to me when Wimbledon closed but another point would also be that the sport is seeing itself in a very negative light and a series of closures would only emphasise that. Other sports have problems; Athletics with drug cheats, Cricket with minimal attendances at county games and counties hugely indebted, however they don't seem as negative about their future as speedway. When we had few clubs running in the 1950s things did not go well at a time when it was easier to attract audiences. You are right about fans not switching clubs Chadster. When West Ham closed I never gave switching to Hackney a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffdiamond Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 If weather permitted, I would like speedway to run each week, all year,,, if it only ran 5 or 6 times a season I would probably find something else to do on a Sunday,,, don't think I could do the travelling far to watch speedway elsewhere, can do say Berwick, or Redcar, but other than that I'd struggle to get elsewhere on a regular basis,,, a suppose everyone's personal circumstance's are different, but thats just mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 another no to this would probably come from the landlords of many a stadium as they want a certain amount of rent paid over a year, so clubs would have the same amount to pay in rent regardless of usage, That's actually a very good point brewer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 (edited) Nothing will change until the Elite League and Premier League sit down and work together as one sport... Not like the WBA, WBC or Rugby Union and Rugby League.. Yes, promotors are going to want the best for themselves/their club, but the two main Leagues in the UK need to be symbiotic... Elite is division 1 Premier is division 2 The national league would be a 3rd division with strict controls on team ages, proper training, and links with the Premier league, which would also be a stepping stone to the 1st division, not a den where 2nd rate foreigners and unambitious elite league riders race as a second job which can take up team places where the best of the National league riders should be aspiring to move up to..... Uniting the league's into a single entity, 1st div (best) 2nd div (2nd best) and 3rd div (for new starters) with clear upward progression routes for British speedway riders first is paramount.. The single entity would be The British Speedway Leagues. Edited August 25, 2015 by Shale Searcher 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Don't you get it?The sport is commiting suicide!!!!.Something needs to change and a "one size fits all" idea isn't working.Maybe if some clubs only ran a few meetings a year it might make the event a bit more special and might be able to gain more sponsorship.I used those examples as an extreme to combat the rgument that would people support something that only happens 4 - 6 times per year.The more often something is held doesn't mean people will attend.They might well just pick and choose.As for your counter argument about throwing live music out a pub,well just your usual crap.Now comeback with a better idea or throw your toys out of your pram and bleat on about how you used to commentate on some tv channel,so you must know everything there is to know about the sport and should be in charge as you have all the answers Just imagine the potential crowds if these clubs ran 1 meeting a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Cricket with minimal attendances at county games and counties hugely indebted, however they don't seem as negative about their future as speedway. There are two primary differences with cricket. Firstly, international cricket generates large revenues which is distributed to the grassroots of the sport, unlike speedway where the revenues from the premier event go to a private US corporation. Secondly, cricket interests rich and influential people and can therefore always leverage better sponsorships and even bailouts if necessary. Such people are barely aware of the existence of speedway, if at all. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Just imagine the potential crowds if these clubs ran 1 meeting a year Cardiff runs one meeting a year Brighton ran 1 meeting a year as did Telford etc.They were all a bit special,at first anyway.But that isn't the point.My point was to try and save some clubs from going totally out of existence,could a season of say 4,6 or so meetings help save them?I only went as extreme as 1 event to try and answer TWKs good point of would people get out of the routine.Look to Poland,Denmark and Sweden and most other countries(in fact all countries apart from the UK) and a season of 2-10 meetings seems to do the job,so why should the UK be so much different to the rest of the world?I am not even saying it is the answer for all or even most,but maybe,just maybe for a few It is quite obvious speedway is on a big downturn.We have been having the discussions on here for over a decade.We have been told that the promoters know best and it is after all their money.But what has happened in the last decade?Has the sport got its house in order and started to re-group or has it stumbled from one problem to the next?Belle Vue getting a brand new stadium is one light at the end of the tunnel,but I don't think that alone is going to save the sport from even more problems in the near future 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 WE need to get back to regular speedway nights, whether that be weekly or fortnightly, so that fans get into a routine, something that is sadly lacking amongst Elite League fans at least. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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