ColinMills Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) I agree and it should be possible, if attendances were published every week it could be an incentive for us all to help numbers creep up. Come on promotions give us some numbers to work with and we'll try to better them. would certainly help. but cant help thinking they wont want to publicise figs Edited October 17, 2015 by ColinMills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) When i first went i had rickets and only ate Hovis bread , you could get 6 pints , 20 fags , a pint of milk and still have change from a pound 1921 then That were nuthin lad...there were 43 of us living in a shoe box in middle of t'lake, we worked 25-hour shifts. Dad used to whip us with broken bottle if we were lucky. Edited October 17, 2015 by haydon hat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 What was the cost of entry ticket in,say, 1965? After a quick google £15 today equates to 16shillings in 1965 (80p) How much does it cost to watch the Rolling Stones today compared to what it cost to watch them in 1965 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Do you really believe it is a great product ? There are thousands of seasoned fans who used to go but now choose not to, not sure they would agree with you. Yes, the basic product on track is great, the way it is served up isn't in the majority and that is what drives fans away. I agree, and so will every other hard core fan that pays to go week in week out. But, what about the ones who aren't interested. The reason I put the suggestions, was based on the twenty20 cricket. Cricket to a none fan is slow, boring and followed by old men, speedway to a none fan is first out the gate, a cold night and followed by plebs in bright coats. To make cricket fast and interesting they invented twenty20, a white ball that you can't spin, batsman can therefore hit regular sixes, with a winner over twenty overs.. or 3 hours (I think). Worcester now sells out!!! So how can speedway re-invent itself and create a sell out atmosphere... to make sure every race has over-taking, is close, competitive and puts hairs on the back of your neck? Four blokes, four laps ain't going to do it.... Of course it can, a speedway race can be spectacular, people don't get bored of the racing they get bored of the drawn out meetings, poor presentation and constant delays for no real reason. Why do riders need two minutes to get ready for something that takes less than a minute? As long as there are no legitimate hold ups or riders facing back to back rides then there should be a one minutes time allowance for riders to get to tapes as soon as those in the previous heat have left the track. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Cars and travel was more expensive in the 60's than it is now. So was having a bike on the back of an estate really cheaper, than having a van full of tools which doubles up as a mobile workshop? In real terms? Another point is that vans are generally fully tax deductible as business expenses, whilst cars are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 Hi Trees! I remember corresponding with you years ago on the Oxford forum! Yes, moving to York has diminished my enthusiasm and when I rarely pick up a 'Speedway Star' I don't understand much of what I am reading...points scored, match points etc and all of the other weird changes that have apparently taken place since I last attended. It's a simple sport made very confusing by the daft rules implemented at each AGM. I always recall the late Bernard Crapper stating that he no longer understood the rule book after he withdrew from promoting at Oxford (and he used to know it inside out!) I realise the sport is desperately trying to entice new fans to the sport but in the words of John Berry 'it wasn't the fans who turned its back on speedway but that speedway turned its back on the fans!' My biggest criticism of the sport is that there is no longer any continuity and fans can no longer associate with their teams and its rider make up...a situation that existed in my time but has increased significantly over the years. Eight members of my family used to attend but gave up years ago which, I guess, is a sad reflection on where the sport is going? Aint that the truth!!! I agree and it should be possible, if attendances were published every week it could be an incentive for us all to help numbers creep up. Come on promotions give us some numbers to work with and we'll try to better them. You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Sprocket Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... If I was joking I would have posted under jokes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 Aint that the truth!!! You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... Pretty certain they couldn't get away with tax fiddling anyway. All tickets are numbered and turnstiles have a clickometer count type thingy. I'm sure all numbers would have to tie up to check for any cashier fiddling too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Sprocket Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Pretty certain they couldn't get away with tax fiddling anyway. All tickets are numbered and turnstiles have a clickometer count type thingy. I'm sure all numbers would have to tie up to check for any cashier fiddling too. Even if that was the case where are the figures the Taxman are given? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Even if that was the case where are the figures the Taxman are given?Income as a whole from each meeting 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoke Potter Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Yes, the basic product on track is great, the way it is served up isn't in the majority and that is what drives fans away. No it isn't. The fact is most races at most tracks are boring and processional. The reason is that the vast majority of tracks are too small and narrow and not conducive to passing/close racing. Fix the size of the tracks, minimum 300m, with plenty of width. Next thing, track preparation. Why does it take 5-6 races for the dirt to move and create a racing line, utter crap, prepare it properly in the first place. And if you still can't prepare it to give decent racing from heat 1 then run a 5 heat pre-meeting first. rocket science it ain't but it is for speedway promoters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Speedway has always, at least in my lifetime, been frequently processional. The core product hasn't materially improved or worsened. It's the other stuff - facilities, additional entertainment, presentation, marketing - where speedway has nt changed, and consequently has a product which is 40 years out of date. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoke Potter Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Speedway has always, at least in my lifetime, been frequently processional. The core product hasn't materially improved or worsened. Yes and the reason is because most tracks are not conducive to good racing! And they never have been, but it is even more apparent with today's bikes/engines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Skid Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 The introduction of the fast track/ sorry cheap riders, seems to correspond with the fast decline in attendance, did the powers that be really think the fans would accept it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Yes and the reason is because most tracks are not conducive to good racing! And they never have been, but it is even more apparent with today's bikes/engines. Do you not mean 'rocket ships' compared to the old days? The introduction of the fast track/ sorry cheap riders, seems to correspond with the fast decline in attendance, did the powers that be really think the fans would accept it. Those few who remain have accepted it and I suppose that is part of the problem. Had someone stood up and said 'no' to certain changes within the Sport years ago - we would not be where we are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macinter Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 In my view the life of speedway racing in its present form is limited because the product does not attract youngsters, apart from the riders. We have a sport which is rooted in the past, as most oldies are really and I should know because I am one of them. And as you get older it becomes more and more difficult to accept anything new. Things such as pop music, for instance, sounds like total crap, perhaps because most of it is anyway, but it proves a point. And I have yet to read or hear of anything which is likely to improve this situation, as even Tai winning his second world title failed to attract the majority of the UK press or TV stations. A glimmer of hope may be the introduction of the new track at Belle Vue but it is hard to comprehend how this could make a huge difference outside of Manchester. On this forum most of the conversations appear to be conducted mainly between men over sixty which is OK on the bowling green but not on the speedway track and the stark truth is that unless speedway gets a foothold with the younger generation it is not going anywhere, even with Tai striving mightily. I thing that first of all speedway should set a date when two riders racing against two riders is transformed into four riders racing against each other. Which means the end of speedway as we know it and the introduction of a new format. We can then get rid of daft gimmicks such as Jokers or tactical riders as they are sometimes called. Individual meetings, in my opinion anyway, almost always provide better racing and if speedway is going to survive every view must be taken into account. And I still believe this to be true even on top of some top class racing in the play offs. Comments appreciated, even if they are critical. We need to have a proper civilized debate about where we go from what is just about nowhere at the present. In the face of some fierce opposition the GP's have begun to transform world championship racing, it is now time for the domestic version to take along hard look at where it is going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Very interesting observations! Not sure where one goes with the younger generation however? Trying to attract them will be difficult whatever is put in place. I was taken to my first meeting by my brother. Father and Grandfather used to go and I re-introduced my dad after I caught the bug. The interest was passed down from father/mother to brother/sister (I'm sure that this scenario was the case with many fans of a certain age) but the world today is very different with all the alternative attractions now available. Younger people seem obsessed with computer games, ipods etc etc and appear no longer to enjoy things that my generation appeared to get excited about. I've worked within a museum environment for the last ten years and seen how they've had to change to attract the younger generation. I hate the term 'dumbed down' but that's exactly what they've had to do as the attention level does seem limited within a certain age group. Speedway is/was a great product but I fear that the concept now appears not to enthuse many younger people. The BSPA come up with daft rules that haven't helped and often alienates those who already regularly attend. During my days working at the museum I often met people who used to go but no longer do due to the way that the sport has been run (I'll not even attempt to list the reason why...read the late John Berry's many comments on the subject) Personally I think that speedway has totally lost its way at domestic level and I can't see a way back for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 You make some very valid points, but football seems to have crossed the age divide. Both of my kids are lapsed speedway fans, but can't get enough of premier league football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 I can only assume that because football enjoys such a high profile thru' the media and is a sport that most are able to participate (I remember kicking a stone around the play ground with jerseys used as goalposts!) that most younger people are more able to identify with it. Personally it's a sport that I can not patronise because of the vulgar amounts of money that 'circulates' within the game but I can understand how others are drawn towards it with all the merchandise readily available. As a teenager I used to ride cycle speedway on a roughly carved out track trying to emulate my heroes but can't imagine youngsters doing that today! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 The introduction of the fast track/ sorry cheap riders, seems to correspond with the fast decline in attendance, did the powers that be really think the fans would accept it. That's just rubbish. Crowd numbers have been declining for the last two decades. Part of the reason the fast track system(copying both Poland and Sweden) was to bring youngsters on, as well as cheapen the wage bill. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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