Shale Searcher Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 The Bet365 experience does suggest again that Go Speed aren't that adept at setting up, or understanding the full consequences of deals. Either that or they just have to take what's on offer. I just wonder whether there is any analysis by the BSPA of the decline of attendances in 2014 and, logically if the streaming was losing them customers, the rise back in 2015. It would be interesting to know exactly how damaging it was in reality, rather than in theory. Okay, the Go Speed deals have fairly regular league matches on Sky and in the case of the earlier deals a useful sponsorship subsidy. I get concerned though that other aspects of the deal severely restrict people being able to promote the sport via social media due to Sky having such exclusivity. If something remarkable happens at a meeting there's no chance of it going 'viral' due to the restrictions. A lot of promotion online is by someone (professional or amateur) posting photos or video that get shared, and shared, and shared. It's pretty tough to do that in speedway. I think we're missing an opportunity. If one of the video companies catches some remarkable incident it should be out there, getting the sport noticed! You are correct, unfortunately, UK speedway seems to be a closed shop, or a staff shop, and only it's members and paymasters see it, and its really difficult to become a paymaster or member!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldswindonsupporter Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 One challenge for the sport is how to entice more customers through the gate. Any live sport is better at the venue rather then from the armchair as you have the atmosphere. Speedway is no different, it has the smell, the noise, ok curtailed) and the barracking of the fans etc. Speedway can't afford to loose any more paying supporters to stay at homes, rather, it needs to be promoting the live aspect and getting more people in. Witness the crowd increases when the entrance fee is set at a reasonable / realistic / affordable level. Speedway just has to cut the cloth accordingly, is it a viable professional sport in the UK, questionable in my view. Riders demands and the costs associated with riding have to reflect the income. Simple business logic. Is it time for semi professional? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Theres nothing to stop 'enthusiastic fans' at each club setting up their own 'unofficial' club stream or podcast, using periscope or any of the other applications available. Some fans at certain clubs already do this!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Theres nothing to stop 'enthusiastic fans' at each club setting up their own 'unofficial' club stream or podcast, using periscope or any of the other applications available. Some fans at certain clubs already do this!!!Isn't it generally a condition of entry to sports events that technically you aren't allowed to do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Some typically negative comments on here. Streaming is a very good idea and could be trialled on a cost basis. Obviously some fans will decide to watch on a laptop instead of going to the track. But there would be plenty watching who wouldn't have gone to the live match for 101 reasons. Who knows how many people would get interested in speedway if access to a live match via a stream was made available ? At the right price it could work. Teams in Denmark like Munkebo are trialling a streaming website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanF Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 I no longer live in the UK and would pay good money to stream meetings same day or the day after. The BSPA have no way of turning my love of the sport into cash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Isn't it generally a condition of entry to sports events that technically you aren't allowed to do that? So all clubs will search every fan and take their smart phone or tablet off them??? Yeah right!! How do you think stuff gets on You Tube? I'm not necessarily talking about streaming a whole meeting - as I do think that could be counterproductive - but selected heats or bits of great action could be posted wherever accordingly and used for great publicity. Some online newspapers have started doing this for a number of sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk127 Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 I wonder if a weekly round up programme with selective races and interviews rather than a live stream or televised match might attract some to go along to the tracks. Some have said the 'live' product on TV can put people off because of the time it takes to run a meeting and you also get to see the down side of attending with nothing going on between the races. It could be much slicker if for example the riders for the next race were ready to go on to the track as soon as the last rider from the previous race leaves the track (a bit like ice speedway). The casual armchair viewer must wonder why it takes over two hours to run 15 heats and this may put a lot of people off particularly when you take all the costs of going to a meeting. I don't think the current live coverage shows the sport in the best light and it would be interesting to know just how many viewers record the meetings a just watch the racing. I know many who do this which makes you think that the highlights might be a better option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathen chemistry Posted January 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 the future is online streaming. netflix hasnt become of the biggest online bussinesses for nothing. just think how many fans worldwide it can be accessable to.most fans know its better libe than on tv but if nothing but gaining notice to the sport and attracting new fans..those fans either too ill to attend or working away or on holiday wont miss the action Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 the future is online streaming. netflix hasnt become of the biggest online bussinesses for nothing. just think how many fans worldwide it can be accessable to.most fans know its better libe than on tv but if nothing but gaining notice to the sport and attracting new fans..those fans either too ill to attend or working away or on holiday wont miss the action Correct... Typically Speedway fails to embrace the opportunity to get itself out into the British publics awareness.. My team are almost directly in the centre of a 2.5 million conurbation. All within 40 mins travel time.. Yet they entice around just 1000 of that 2.5 million most weeks.. Given the state of the sport, I would suggest that those who attend regularly would still attend whether on streaming or not as the sport is now down to the 'die hards' following it so 'no risk' to the weekly crowd levels.. Over 60 million people in the uk. The vast, vast majority dont even know speedway exists never mind attend the sport.. There has never been so many 'cheap' ways of getting your message out to 60 million people.. Just needs someone from the sport to recognise and more importantly do something about it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedybee Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 Speedway needs to enter the 21st century and start getting this organised asap. Quite a lot of music venues do this now (i.e. http://theconvent.net from Stroud) . It really isn't going to cut crowds, if anything (and if it's done properly) it has the potential to increase them significantly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daytripper Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Speedway needs to enter the 21st century and start getting this organised asap. Quite a lot of music venues do this now (i.e. http://theconvent.net from Stroud) . It really isn't going to cut crowds, if anything (and if it's done properly) it has the potential to increase them significantly How do you know it won't cut crowds? Television broadcasts have increased in Poland and crowds have dropped. Crowds are generally lower in Sky broadcasts so why should they be higher because of some inferior betting broadcast ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurntFaceMan Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 How do you know it won't cut crowds? Television broadcasts have increased in Poland and crowds have dropped. Crowds are generally lower in Sky broadcasts so why should they be higher because of some inferior betting broadcast ? It won't cut crowds. It's horses for courses. Some people like to be beside the track, taking in the smell, the noise and the atmosphere. Some people prefer to sit at home and watch it in their pants whilst munching on a pot noodle. At the moment they aren't making any money from the arm chair fans. I'd suggest the money gained from appealing the arm chair fans would generate a fair bit more than those who'd rather not go anymore. Not to mention many people already attending would subscribe for the benefit of watching away matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedybee Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 How do you know it won't cut crowds? Television broadcasts have increased in Poland and crowds have dropped. Crowds are generally lower in Sky broadcasts so why should they be higher because of some inferior betting broadcast ? Speedway doesn't need "inferior betting broadcasts" it needs top quality pay-per-view broadcasting, with top commentary and analysis so that people really want to go and experience the real thing. I don't know for sure that it won't cut crowds but somehow the sport needs to be attracting the next generation of fans and following a policy of protection rather than imaginative broadcasting and sharing isn't going to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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