How Do We Attract A New Young Audience?

[phillipsr]

The fact Kings Lynn is considered one of the best facilities highlights whats wrong.

[Daniel Smith]

As for the finance, whether it came from Speedway, Football, Stockcar is irrelevant. The fact is Buster choose to plough it into the stadium in the hope of making it more attractive and that it will attract more people, hoping they appreciate the more Up-Market facilities.

 

(SCREAMER No 175) makes some ridiculous comments. Comparing AFA with Old Trafford are about extreme as one can get. The costs and Numbers are at each end of the scale and no one with any sense could ever contemplate a comparison. The question was originally about attracting young blood to the sport, of which I asked the question about the ability to keep those fans have. If you want to compare the AFA to comparable venues, I suggest to go to away meetings and see some of the others. You rubbish the installations as just 'Portakabins' but the improvement is noted by many if not you. The cost and application is regarded as modern and many houses are today made that way. In life you meet some people who can never be pleased. I reckon you must be one of those.

 

Finally, the bottom line of my original post about 'You reap what you sow'' does not just apply to Speedway Promoters, it applies to us all , in whatever walk of life, each is at.

 

You seem to have lost the development of the thread. It's not just kids that need attracting to speedway. It's all ages.

 

To get people through the gates expectations have to be met.

First & formost, to a newbie in this modern day the action tends to be irrelevant initially.

 

When you visit somewhere for the first time it's what you see and feel as a venue that can grab you.

 

We're similar I'm sure in that we could happily watch a meeting in a cow field p!ss against a tree if needed etc. I'm happy with the standard of the AFA, as are 1200 others that turn up week in week out.

 

Just remember what this thread is about. Attracting new punters. On that basis, the AFA still is nowhere near up to scratch.

 

These simply need to sink in with some fans & promoter's.

 

Speedway venues up and down the country will be compared to Old Trafford, Wembley, O2 Arena, Sheffield Arena etc. It's what today's expectations are if we want to deliver to crowds of 3-4-5,000+ on a weekly basis rather than 1,000 today.

[Lestrade1983]

without reading the 13 pages of comments.

 

Discount for the paying adult bringing children under the age of 16.

 

18 races

quicker turnaround in races, i.e tractor going round and round, i know it has a purpose but trying explaing the purpose to a 5 year old.

getting the tv rights over to free to air, more viewers, more advertising.

just my ideas

[steve roberts]

Wouldn't it be true to say that the sport has been on a long slow decline since the Sunday People article in the 80's?

And was that also the last time the sport got any significant, sustained mass-media coverage?

The corruption high-lighted in the Sunday People may not have been the start of the sport's decline but it's probably fair to say it hastened the demise and is an event the sport has never really managed to recover from.

Yes the Sunday People 'revelation' exposed an unsavoury aspect of the sport (however much of the other stuff they printed was plain ridiculous!) whereby points were 'bought' and 'sold'. Some fans were suspicious of some of the goings on behind the scenes (second half final points money was often divided amongst the participating competitors for example) and turned a blind eye (riders doing 'favours') it was just that the 'People' story brought it out into the open which I guess some people found damaging and a bad indictment on their chosen sport. I Always liked Ivan Mauger's quote when asked by someone what he thought of the article and he replied 'Who cares! Nobody reads your **** paper!"

 

I was made aware of points being 'bought' during an important World Championship Round in Britain in 1974 and John Berry confirmed the event in one of his books and we corresponded over same although we were not at liberty to name the riders involved.

Edited December 29, 2015 by steve roberts

[Skid Sprocket]

Yes the Sunday People 'revelation' exposed an unsavoury aspect of the sport (however much of the other stuff they printed was plain ridiculous!) whereby points were 'bought' and 'sold'. Some fans were aware of some of the goings on behind the scenes (second half final points money was often divided amongst the participating competitors for example) and turned a blind eye (riders doing 'favours') it was just that the 'People' story brought it out into the open which I guess some people found damaging and a bad indictment on their chosen sport. I Always liked Ivan Mauger's quote when asked by someone what he thought of the article and he replied 'Who cares! Nobody reads you **** paper!"

 

I was made aware of points being bought during an important World Championship Round in Britain in 1974 and John Berry confirmed the event in one of his books and we corresponded over same although we were not at liberty to name the riders involved.

I regularly read the People and have often tried to ask them why they dont give even the briefest speedway news, maybe these revelations from years ago could be the reason.

Does anyone know where these "revelations" can be read, year, date etc?

[steve roberts]

I regularly read the People and have often tried to ask them why they dont give even the briefest speedway news, maybe these revelations from years ago could be the reason.

Does anyone know where these "revelations" can be read, year, date etc?

I know the 'Wiggy/Simmo' article appeared on the Sunday when the British League Best Pairs was due to take place (Wolverhampton) towards the back end of 1984. I recall that Simon got a rousing reception from the fans that afternoon after, understandably, feeling apprehensive on what sort of reception he would get. Obviously those fans present weren't that bothered/concerned about the allegations quoted in said article!

[Grachan]

I know the 'Wiggy/Simmo' article appeared on the Sunday when the British League Best Pairs was due to take place (Wolverhampton) towards the back end of 1984. I recall that Simon got a rousing reception from the fans that afternoon after, understandably, feeling apprehensive on what sort of reception he would get. Obviously those fans present weren't that bothered/concerned about the allegations quoted in said article!

Not sure that was totally the case.

 

I was at the meeting, and Wiggy was walking the track beforehand along with Billy Sanders. Some of the crowd were shouting abuse at Simon, and Sanders came onto the greyhound track and started having a go back at them.

[steve roberts]

Not sure that was totally the case.

 

I was at the meeting, and Wiggy was walking the track beforehand along with Billy Sanders. Some of the crowd were shouting abuse at Simon, and Sanders came onto the greyhound track and started having a go back at them.

Yes I remember that...funny how certain events slip the memory! Billy was always up for having a go...as one fan apparently found out at Reading one night after constantly verbally abusing him throughout the meeting. Billy gave him a quick thump and laid him out!

Edited December 29, 2015 by steve roberts

[Stoke Potter]

Assuming the events were actually proven and investigated, what were the punishments meted out by the sports' authorities?

[steve roberts]

Assuming the events were actually proven and investigated, what were the punishments meted out by the sports' authorities?

Simon was banned from the Speedway World Individual, Pairs and Team Championships (although he was able to represent England at Test level) for the 1985 season. However he did go on to win the World Longtrack Final that year. I think Simmo's was a similar sentence and Mark Courtenay was banned from riding until, if I recall, May 1985 (?) John Louis was cleared of all allegations. It is worth reading Simmo's version of events in his book 'Simmo - The Whole Truth'..

Edited December 29, 2015 by steve roberts

[Star Lady]

Yes, I'm sure the sun breaks didn't exist in the 1970's and 1980's

 

 

Sun breaks certainly existed at Lynn in the 90s and were just as frustrating. I remember being in the office one evening when Buster burst in in somewhat of a rage (putting it mildly) because a meeting had had to be halted for the sun, not for the first time. He said if he had to buy tinted visors/goggles for all 14 riders and forcing them to use them to avoid it happening again he would. As we still have sun breaks to this day and I never saw them being used I assume tinted visors etc do not solve the problem of safe vision.

 

Screamer. altho I totally get where you are coming from regarding the facilities. To contrast Old Trafford (the home of probably the richest club in Britain) with Saddlebow Road, which is AFAIK owned by one man is a bit unfair. Especially when that one man provides better facilities than almost all the other stadia used for speedway.

 

Can't be bothered to address the topic title It's been done to death on here in the past and the promoters don't take the slightest bit of interest so why waste our efforts pointing things out to them. If they really want to know all they have to do it walk round the terracing and ask.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Star Lady

[Trees]

Why people bemoan the track prep between races annoys me so much, tell the kids and moaners that it's for rider safety and racing quality, should be good enough .....

[PHILIPRISING]

ALWAYS dangerous to compare speedway with any other sport but I found this piece by former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, writing in The Telegraph, interesting:

 

Test cricket has a problem and we have to accept it has to change to suit modern life. I am a traditionalist. I was a player suited to Test match cricket and I loved the long form of the game in the way it challenged every aspect of your technique and character.

 

But as a father of three kids would I take my children to a day of Test cricket? Probably not. A night out at the Twenty20 is where they want to go. We’ve had some cracking nights out at Yorkshire v Lancashire in the Natwest Blast. There are fours and sixes, music blaring out, big crowds with a good atmosphere and plenty of things going on behind the stands to entertain you away from the cricket. It is an occasion built around fun and having a good time.

[Grachan]

Why people bemoan the track prep between races annoys me so much, tell the kids and moaners that it's for rider safety and racing quality, should be good enough .....

That's not the point. The point is that the spectators need to be kept engaged during the breaks.

 

It's all very well being annoyed that kids and spectators might lose interest during track prep, but if people lose interest they won't come back.

[Stoke Potter]

Simon was banned from the Speedway World Individual, Pairs and Team Championships (although he was able to represent England at Test level) for the 1985 season. However he did go on to win the World Longtrack Final that year. I think Simmo's was a similar sentence and Mark Courtenay was banned from riding until, if I recall, May 1985 (?) John Louis was cleared of all allegations. It is worth reading Simmo's version of events in his book 'Simmo - The Whole Truth'..

Thanks for the info, very interesting.

[Skid Sprocket]

That's not the point. The point is that the spectators need to be kept engaged during the breaks.

 

It's all very well being annoyed that kids and spectators might lose interest during track prep, but if people lose interest they won't come back.

There is always the forgotten art of conversation to fill the gaps in a meeting, young and old might even learn something new.

[Grachan]

There is always the forgotten art of conversation to fill the gaps in a meeting, young and old might even learn something new.

 

So what you are suggesting is that there is no presentation between races and people are left to talk with each other in a where the only other sound is that of a tractor going round?

[Skid Sprocket]

So what you are suggesting is that there is no presentation between races and people are left to talk with each other in a where the only other sound is that of a tractor going round?

If you can hear the presentation between races and it keeps spectators engaged then there is no problem, you were wanting something to keep them engaged.

[Bagpuss]

You seem to have lost the development of the thread. It's not just kids that need attracting to speedway. It's all ages.

 

To get people through the gates expectations have to be met.

First & formost, to a newbie in this modern day the action tends to be irrelevant initially.

 

When you visit somewhere for the first time it's what you see and feel as a venue that can grab you.

 

We're similar I'm sure in that we could happily watch a meeting in a cow field p!ss against a tree if needed etc. I'm happy with the standard of the AFA, as are 1200 others that turn up week in week out.

 

Just remember what this thread is about. Attracting new punters. On that basis, the AFA still is nowhere near up to scratch.

 

These simply need to sink in with some fans & promoter's.

 

Speedway venues up and down the country will be compared to Old Trafford, Wembley, O2 Arena, Sheffield Arena etc. It's what today's expectations are if we want to deliver to crowds of 3-4-5,000+ on a weekly basis rather than 1,000 today.

 

I have to say I don't think there is too much wrong with the AFA as a stadium that tarmacing the large car park wouldn't fix. I think the toilets are perfectly acceptable and a world away from what was in place before Buster's renovations. I don't think covered seating is necessarily a requirement for a summer sport's venue (most cricket stadia are open aired)and I don't think you can realistically compare any Premiership football ground (a multi million pound competition) with stadia of a minority sport like speedway.

 

For me I think in terms of a venue for an outdoor night out, a speedway stadium which has a non muddy car park, clean toilets, a bar and food outlets with decent choice and reasonably prompt service and clean terraces to stand on is perfectly acceptable.

[Gemini]

There is always the forgotten art of conversation to fill the gaps in a meeting, young and old might even learn something new.

Unfortunately my dog is always asleep and wouldn't appreciate me waking her up for some inane conversation.