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Mike Bowden now talking about a rescue plan & quoting some interesting rider costs;

 

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Mike-Bowden-does-end-Plymouth-Devils-speedway/story-28971185-detail/story.html

The trouble with this is that memories are still raw and he isn't too well respected my many people. Any speedway is good speedway for me but, after the promise of a decent 2016 Premier League team, the thought of a drop to the NL is not attractive to many supporters

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From my distance, it looks like Mr Short should never again be allowed anywhere near the running of a speedway club given the budget gap that's suddenly yawned open here.

I think it is unwise of you to make such sweeping condemnation from, as you say, a distance.

 

Mr Short may have been the mouthpiece at this time, but I think you will find that he is far from the villain of the piece on this occasion.

 

I have to agree, though, that the timing of the announcement is strange.

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Best man to save Plymouth would be Chris Dawson (CDS & The Range) Nothing much wrong with the Plymouth team or the track..........Huge crowd potential on the doorstep.... only needs good sales & media people to sell the product.

I have been in business for many years & can see NO REASON why Plymouth could pull crowds of 2 to 3 thousand every week.

 

Next best man MIGHT be Matt Ford???? but no Mike Bowden PLEASE!

Just worth repeating!

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THE MESSAGE THAT COMES OUT OF PLYMOUTHS DEMISE IS LOUD AND CLEAR :- PROMOTE AND SUPPORT YOUR CLUB OR LOOSE IT. THIS GOES FOR PROMOTERS, MANAGEMENT , STAFF AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, US ,THE FANS. DIG DEEP AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SECURE YOUR CLUB FUTURE IN THESE TESTING AND TRYING TIMES.

Edited by Aroundtheboards
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Based on very rough hypothetical maths.

 

800 people @ £15 = £12,000

Half this for stadium costs etc = £6000

Half this to cover away meetings = £3000

Based on an average 45 points per meeting that gives £66.6 per point that could be paid out on average.

 

450 people @ £15 = £6750

Half this for stadium costs etc = 3375

Half this to cover away meetings = £1687.50

Based on an average 45 points per meeting that gives £37.5 per point that could be paid out on average.

 

The top figure shows just enough to put a PL team together but you wouldn't get first pick of riders, the bottom figures would only sustain NL and infact the admission would have to be reduced.

 

The fact is that the bubble has burst in Poland and its burst here too its just that we are not admitting it. Clubs must sign riders they can afford.

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One challenge meeting on a cold March evening was too much, please don't insult the Plymouth fans intelligence.

 

Thought it was strange that Perks "broke down" on the way to Rye House on Saturday yet George Hunter had time to get his bikes ready and down to the track in time when he wasn't meant to be riding that evening. Was Perks refusing to ride due to lack of payment?

 

Cant wait for Speedway to get a purpose built stadium so the sport can be run by professionals.

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Thought it was strange that Perks "broke down" on the way to Rye House on Saturday yet George Hunter had time to get his bikes ready and down to the track in time when he wasn't meant to be riding that evening. Was Perks refusing to ride due to lack of payment?

 

No idea about the Perks breakdown but George was there anyway. He's the Rockets #8 and would have got laps after the meeting under normal circumstances.

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One challenge meeting on a cold March evening was too much, please don't insult the Plymouth fans intelligence.

 

Thought it was strange that Perks "broke down" on the way to Rye House on Saturday yet George Hunter had time to get his bikes ready and down to the track in time when he wasn't meant to be riding that evening. Was Perks refusing to ride due to lack of payment?

 

Cant wait for Speedway to get a purpose built stadium so the sport can be run by professionals.

Ellis genuinely broke down on route for your information.

Edited by KN1
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"When we had Ben Barker in the Premier League he was taking home £1,200 for every meeting."

I can see both sides to this, but only to a certain extent. I appreciate a promotion being of the viewpoint of speculate to accumulate and the attraction of Barker to Plymouth at the time is obvious, but……it would have been known before a wheal was turned that season that Barker would (supposedly) be taking that ammount home from every meeting so if it was that big an issue…..don’t sign him, don’t sign him and don’t inflate the average price of rider across the entire league if it isn’t sustainable. More importantly don’t sign a rider and then bleat about how expensive they were after the event.

 

It is almost positioned in that article as those who I should have sympathy with are Bowden, Plymouth and promoters in general because riders are expensive, well you know what so is a trip to the moon thus I haven’t been there yet.

 

The only sympathy I have is with the fans and riders when clubs end up in the situation Plymouth are currently in, I have very little with the promotions in fact if anything they anger me. In this instance I feel for Barker as that is a total throwing under the bus for no reason.

 

Plymouth were in the Play Offs last year, won lots of meetings etc but it wasn’t worth an absolute sod to anyone if it wasn’t sustainable.

 

That’s twice in recent years clubs (Plymouth and Newport) have had great seasons and then went to the wall after it, great, good for them but they have left scorched earth behind for others to clean up and more importantly they have impacted clubs who do run sustainable business models in order to achieve their supposed “success” if it wasn’t for them that Play Off place could have went to a club that might have actually benefited from it

Edited by sparkafag
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Based on very rough hypothetical maths.

 

800 people @ £15 = £12,000

Half this for stadium costs etc = £6000

Half this to cover away meetings = £3000

Based on an average 45 points per meeting that gives £66.6 per point that could be paid out on average.

 

450 people @ £15 = £6750

Half this for stadium costs etc = 3375

Half this to cover away meetings = £1687.50

Based on an average 45 points per meeting that gives £37.5 per point that could be paid out on average.

 

The top figure shows just enough to put a PL team together but you wouldn't get first pick of riders, the bottom figures would only sustain NL and infact the admission would have to be reduced.

 

The fact is that the bubble has burst in Poland and its burst here too its just that we are not admitting it. Clubs must sign riders they can afford

You forgot VAT at 20%

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What I have never understood is why they run so often in direct competition to Somerset.

 

Friday for example it was always going to be a struggle to attract a decent crowd. Somerset had Swindon in town and Peter Kildermand. For a neutral like me on a cold March evening driving to the South West Somerset was always the first choice.

 

However if Plymouth was the Saturday it was have given me the option to stay overnight and attend both meetings. Only hardcore fans would have bothered to attend a meaningless Open meeting over seeing the Elite League stars at Somerset.

 

Too many times last year they were in direct competition with Somerset. It would be interesting to see the attendance figures from last season for when they were not.

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What I have never understood is why they run so often in direct competition to Somerset.

 

Friday for example it was always going to be a struggle to attract a decent crowd. Somerset had Swindon in town and Peter Kildermand. For a neutral like me on a cold March evening driving to the South West Somerset was always the first choice.

 

However if Plymouth was the Saturday it was have given me the option to stay overnight and attend both meetings. Only hardcore fans would have bothered to attend a meaningless Open meeting over seeing the Elite League stars at Somerset.

 

Too many times last year they were in direct competition with Somerset. It would be interesting to see the attendance figures from last season for when they were not.

Somerset speedway is 90 miles from Plymouth speedway, so I don't think they're in direct completion due to the distance. Plymouths crowds always seemed to be better on Fridays, compared to when they ran on Saturday evenings.
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Somerset speedway is 90 miles from Plymouth speedway, so I don't think they're in direct completion due to the distance. Plymouths crowds always seemed to be better on Fridays, compared to when they ran on Saturday evenings.

For the floating supporter living around the Exeter area that still works out about 45 miles for speedway in either direction, you are forcing them to directly choose between meetings which does not on the face of it seem a sensible business plan.

 

I believe when the Elite league finally goes one night there will be an initial dip in attendances as I know of plenty of fans who do multiple meetings in a week. Reduce that income and the tight margins speedway operates by will have an affect.

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A "Critical Meeting" is to be held at the Sir Joshua Reynolds public house at 7.30pm to discuss plans for the future of the Plymouth Devils.

Team manager Lee Trigger will be in attendance and hopefully at least one promoter. Supporters are urged to attend to discuss the possibilities and range of options available. BSPA have been informed of the meeting of which they will have a full report following the discussion.

Can I emphasise that this meeting is not an official PLYMOUTH DEVILS meeting but a meeting to discuss and propose effective rescue plans and viable sustainability.

Please attend if you can.

 

Sir Joshua Reynolds

The Ridgeway

Plympton

Plymouth

PL7 2AW

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