How Do We Attract A New Young Audience?

[MattK]

 

Because otherwise when we die out, speedway dies out.

 

What's the difference between attracting 1,000 new fans aged 15-30 and 1,000 new fans aged 40-55? I'd hazard that speedway looses far more fans due to lose of interest, cost, rules etc. than through death.

[FAST GATER]

I think we should get a young rider an Australian with British entitlement would be ok , someone with a youngish outlook towards , Tattoos, piercings and clothing . then fast track him through the national league , premier league , into team Gb and give him the British selection for the GPs. then he will become popular with the younger generation and have them flocking to British tracks to see him in action . the only worry though is that having had all he can get from British speedway and it's supporters , he will then get so big for his boots that he will want to change the whole way the sport is run to suit his schedule , and when that doesn't happen turn his back and ride in another country ,

Sadly I agree with your statement

[MattK]

Having read the Speedway Memories book about two years ago, it displayed that many were taken to their first match by an elder relative or friend.

 

I think you have hit the nail on the head here. Most of us were introduced to speedway by our Dads, not because some fancypants promoter came into our school with a bike and a rider.

[Lord Skid]

You won't attract the youngsters, the Sport is finished, just accept it, the same as milk in glass bottles, it's a thing of the past, if it hasn't got a touch screen nowadays, you've got no chance.

[FAST GATER]

Having read the Speedway Memories book about two years ago, it displayed that many were taken to their first match by an elder relative or friend. Rules and the like aren't important initially, it's the spectacle and the show that people will go away with the memory of. Huge gaps between races and music that doesn't appeal to the younger people will bring certain ridicule from young 'uns. The racing is what they are attracted to, but that is such a small part of the entire 90 minutes you are stood there. It's a long time with nothing to do. Youngsters have much more to do with their time nowadays; even we oldstagers notice the gaps between the heats more than we did in the past. Letting anyone under 16 in for nowt is a good idea, it will certainly persuade some. But you have got to be of that ilk to want to return. I mean to say, because I subscribe to SKY Sports for the speedway, I don't sit there 24-7 watching every other sport, because they are on. There has to be that interest from anyone to want go back again.

Is the constant grading of the track not at the behest of the riders because of the demands of the engines being used in modern speedway .I didn't mind grading at Ellesmere Port in the 70's as Frank Varey used to throw hand fulls of sweets to the kids happy days .IMO there is no simple answer to this problem but think that there should be an aim to attract new fans of all ages .One idea that was mooted was to build a viewing area( within the safety fence) fully glazed along the straights so that fans were as close to the action as possible .I believe riders safety ruled this out which is of paramount importance but just image being that close to the action again as we used to be .

Edited December 23, 2015 by FAST GATER

[Gemini]

Yes, I was taken by my Dad when I was 8 and 67 years later I'm still going, but some have already pointed out the thing that annoys me the most these days ~ long gaps between races. According to Peter York it's to 'get the shale back on the racing line.' Okay so where exactly is the racing line at Coventry and is there only one? The tractors just go round and round and don't touch the inside because apparently that has to be left as it is. So if the shale has moved out why can't it stay where it is so we can see exciting blasts round the outside from Chris Harris...for instance? I'm not convinced all this grading is necessary and think it's just something that's done to make the meeting last longer so we feel we've had our monies worth. It is boring watching tractors go round, I get cheesed off so I'm sure children do as well. I only go to 3 tracks nowadays Coventry, Leicester and Peterborough, plus a holiday visit to Kings Lynn and I wouldn't go back there again as there is a sun break as well as grading. Peterborough and Leicester are the worst for track grading and at Peterborough the tractor often comes out after heat 2. I just don't get it but I'm sure someone will explain why it has to be done.

 

 

 

.....FAST GATER.......One idea that was mooted was to build a viewing area( within the safety fence) fully grazed along the straights so that fans were as close to the action as possible .

 

Presumably fully grazed by a few Sheep? Lucy would like that.

 

 

 

....MattK......There are actually very few products which have universal appeal across all age ranges, so why does speedway think it is special enough to appeal to everyone? The answer is actually surprisingly simple, why doesn't speedway target itself at an older market.

 

Thank goodness SCB isn't able to post at the moment.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Gemini

[trophykid]

I think if Darts can have a radical make over that appeals to all sorts, then so can speedway. I think Speedway has a real image problem, promoting it as a family sport just gives it a fuddy duddy image that just preaches to the converted and attracts no one. When I bought along my biking mates, they're surprised by the excitement, overtaking and danger. I think it certainly could be promoted as a dangerous and exciting extreme sport, as well as being priced to suit a family budget.

[Countershaftcounter]

one only has to look at the old uns bickering on here over .25 of a point etc... the rules are far too complicated in what is inherently a very simple sport. The risk of bumping into someone like TWK would make yourt avarage teenager run a mile

[speedibee]

Speedway was a good family Sport and in some ways still thinks it is a family Sport ,

 

The lack of a young audience has been a concern for a long time,

 

At a time when many families are struggling to keep their head above water financially then perhaps Speedway should be bold and aim at young families needing a viable entertainment.

 

For me, it is simple

 

1. Keep the prices as they are now but ADD a FAMILY TICKET AT A REALISTIC PRICE .... say £ 25 for mum , dad and the kids in the EL ; £20 for the PL and £ 15 for the NL.

 

No doubt they will buy a programme and if they have kids then they will want a burger and a drink etc.

 

2. Keep the meting moving along ... when I started at Belle Vue there were 23 heats , a 10 minute interval and all within 2 hours so that the crowd could get in to the fairground by 2100 hrs

agree with the prices absolutely , it's no good keep comparing speedway to football as an excuse for trying to sell a £10 sport for £20

Edited December 23, 2015 by speedibee

[Humphrey Appleby]

It might minimally detract from programme sales – although not if the editorial content of the programme is good enough to still warrant purchasing – but this progression to the digital age is long overdue.

It doesn’t require any wi-fi connection and would appeal to those youngsters who are joined at the hip to their smartphones.

Again though, this demonstrates the thinking in the sport. Whilst I'd agree that filling in the programme used to be part of the appeal for me, it's perfectly possible in 2015 to relay results directly to an app, so no filling in is necessary. And if wifi was made available in the stadium, maybe kids would be more willing to come along if they can do whatever they do on their phones in between the indeterminable delays between heats.

[Gemini]

 

 

It might minimally detract from programme sales – although not if the editorial content of the programme is good enough to still warrant purchasing – but this progression to the digital age is long overdue.

It doesn’t require any wi-fi connection and would appeal to those youngsters who are joined at the hip to their smartphones.

 

Would that mean promoters having to give out the riding order on their website? Heaven forbid we find that out before a meeting.

[speedibee]

Back in the 80,s we had riders like Sean Wilson ,Gary Havelock, Joe Screen, Dave Norris, Dean Barker . Shane Parker , Characters both on and off the track , most of them could be found in the bars after meetings having a laugh and joke with supporters sponsors and each other.handing out stickers to kids or discussing the latest trends with teenagers , today we have mainly foreign riders , who cant get out of stadiums fast enough or dont speak english , either way you are not likely to see them either before or after their 5 minutes on track . last year Jason Doyle the only glimmer of light in a poor Leicester team ,more often than not, had opted not to ride in heat fifteen , and had left the stadium before the parade truck was loaded . Even at national league level theese days the kids get their name on the side of a van and think they are some sort of untouchable superstar , Stop fawning over MX riders as well , Mx is a sport which largely thrives on flash and money and appeals to chav mentality , in recent years NL teams have thrown team places at MX riders in the mistaken belief that that will succesfully make the transition into speedway and become great riders , well sadly having the latest £250 a pair sunglasses 6 matching bikes and a brand new winnibago with your name on the side , 10 mechanics in matching team clothing , counts for very little , in a sport where 2 days with filthy hands in the workshop , skill and talent are whatt it takes to succeed . all I have seen from the current crop of MX wizards is a few mediocre National league riders who think because of all the flash they are something ,which the results sheets say they are not .To go forward , speedway needs to step backwards ,Promoters need To start running their teams for the benefit of their supporters , and not for the benefit of the few top class riders , Sky sports , BSI , and Polish speedway ,

Again though, this demonstrates the thinking in the sport. Whilst I'd agree that filling in the programme used to be part of the appeal for me, it's perfectly possible in 2015 to relay results directly to an app, so no filling in is necessary. And if wifi was made available in the stadium, maybe kids would be more willing to come along if they can do whatever they do on their phones in between the indeterminable delays between heats.

My son is in a band , just local lads playing to a few souls , with the use of an app which is free , they can stream the gigs live so that people at home can watch on their phones or computers , although most teams could not afford a large screen they could use this app to show rider interviews between races , and show bits of action from the pits to fill the gaps necessary for track preperation .

[Fromafar]

Problem is the BSPA think every thing is fine,you will never changed their mind ,it's their ball and your not getting it.Every close season the same subjects up come up for discussion between the fans but their voices are in vain.Look at this years shambles!!

[Shale Searcher]

Yes, I was taken by my Dad when I was 8 and 67 years later I'm still going, but some have already pointed out the thing that annoys me the most these days ~ long gaps between races. According to Peter York it's to 'get the shale back on the racing line.' Okay so where exactly is the racing line at Coventry and is there only one? The tractors just go round and round and don't touch the inside because apparently that has to be left as it is. So if the shale has moved out why can't it stay where it is so we can see exciting blasts round the outside from Chris Harris...for instance? I'm not convinced all this grading is necessary and think it's just something that's done to make the meeting last longer so we feel we've had our monies worth. It is boring watching tractors go round, I get cheesed off so I'm sure children do as well. I only go to 3 tracks nowadays Coventry, Leicester and Peterborough, plus a holiday visit to Kings Lynn and I wouldn't go back there again as there is a sun break as well as grading. Peterborough and Leicester are the worst for track grading and at Peterborough the tractor often comes out after heat 2. I just don't get it but I'm sure someone will explain why it has to be done.

 

 

 

 

Presumably fully grazed by a few Sheep? Lucy would like that.

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness SCB isn't able to post at the moment.

Ok, when I started going in 69/70 I didn't really know anything about the sport, it was when I hit double figures in 73/74 I really got into the racing, and in them "good old days" grading was done after every race!!! Rakers dragging back dirt onto the inside, and tractor with grader doing 2/3 laps spreading, levelling the shale, taking off any berm that builds up 3/4 way up the bends.... Now, it's officially only done after heats 3,7 10 and 14 ish.

So there's less grading now, technically....

[moxey63]

It will be difficult to attract younger fans in sufficient numbers, so Speedway Sta and Philip Rising had better stop living the high-life! Don't worry Phil, I haven't been a regular at the speedway for a decade but still buy your mag (by the way, any chance of a history book covering domestic racing, with stats and major stories?)

 

These days it is hard to imagine anyone taking to speedway the way we did. It is a time of a "want it now" attitude, and why should you wait yonks for the next race, as even those watching at home fast forward the gaps and just watch the racing. Going to a live match must be quite a yawn when you can't skip the needless airspace between the heats.

 

As a fan for 40 years, I can never see a time I'd want to stand on the terraces for hours just to watch 15 races. And I know what the sport is all about, so why would an itchy toed youngster stand there for hours when he has a phone to prize away his attention. The attention span of people has never been so short.

Edited December 23, 2015 by moxey63

[Ghostwalker]

Regarding apps and live results, I think that 15 years into the 21st century, fans should

not have to provide live results by sending

each other text messages which is then posted by another person on a web forum.

 

Don't get me wrong, SU's texters and updaters are doing a very good job but surely BSPA should

take care of that part themselves?

 

Svemo's TA system is neither fast or perfect but usually it works.

[iris123]

Think it shows how hard it is in the situation speedway finds itself in,that even two very experienced enthusiasts like Kelvin + Phil can't really come up with a solution.I do think an awful lot is down to the stadia.If speedway was always held in modern stadiums with great sound and lighting and viewing and good covering,then I am sure it would all be a lot easier to attract people

[trophykid]

Think it shows how hard it is in the situation speedway finds itself in,that even two very experienced enthusiasts like Kelvin + Phil can't really come up with a solution.I do think an awful lot is down to the stadia.If speedway was always held in modern stadiums with great sound and lighting and viewing and good covering,then I am sure it would all be a lot easier to attract people

I'm sure that Belle Vue and Swindon can prove this, in so much as the rebuilding of football stadiums in the 90s attracted more and different types of supporters.

[iris123]

I'm sure that Belle Vue and Swindon can prove this, in so much as the rebuilding of football stadiums in the 90s attracted more and different types of supporters.

Wish them all the success in the world.Fingers crossed it starts an upturn in the sport.I remember football back in the 70s and it was largely a male dominated sport.Now women and also important ethnic minorities are to be seen in fairly large numbers.Speedway doesn't have the problem that football did in attracting women,but why is there no talk of attracting ethnic minorities as well as youngsters?

[Robert Lee]

There's nothing much new here - all these themes have been done to death many times over. However, a common thread seems to be more racing, less grading and less delays generally. So what about 6-man teams, 18 heats, no superstars? Or 5-man teams, 20 heats? Riders' wage bills could be the same or less without the globetrotters, so the promoters wouldn't incur extra cost.

 

I've heard all the arguments against dropping the "superstars, but they all come from diehard old gits like me on this forum. If you want a new audience, they don't know or need to know whether their favourite home rider is a GP contender. I know nothing about ice hockey, except that it seems to be a minority sport that's more popular than ours, and I'm guessing the spectators don't know/care whether any particular team member is an international star. And most of the team are on the pitch at the same time, so the argument that smaller teams mean you'll see the same riders in too many races doesn't hold water, either.

 

Oh, and DO AWAY WITH TACTICAL RIDES.......