Supporters Clubs

[Trees]

If your club has a Supporters Club, what does it do that you like, what doesn't it do that you would like?

 

If your club doesn't have one but you would like it to, what would you expect from it?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies

[Star Lady]

Pretty sure you know my answers

[Trees]

We've been there and done that I know SL, any new ideas though?

[Star Lady]

Not really, think they have had their day.

Sad in many ways cos they help provide a feeling of community in a small way, something lacking at Lynn nowadays. they are also good for arranging transport to away meetings.

[Reviresco]

The way things are with speedway these days, and if the Plymouth model is a success, maybe the only way for speedway clubs to survive in the future will to become supporter backed, community funded?

 

Not a great comparison, but German football seems to be thriving on this model where, I think, 51% has to be owned by supporters. And I wouldn't expect beer and hot dogs to be delivers to me via a mini-train, or by a waiter/waitress at a speedway match.

 

So maybe supporters clubs will inherit the sport one day.

 

Clubs seem to have distanced themselves from supporters these days and that, along with the drop in crowds and the advent of social media and forums, seems to have lessened the membership, scope and impact of supporters clubs, but there should still be a place for social events, fund raisers, coaches (maybe mini-buses these days), meet-the-rider evenings, etc. Then if you can't get people to attend speedway matches, I guess it would be even more difficult to get many to supporters club functions - although most of these would be indoors and not susceptible to postponement.

[MattK]

The way things are with speedway these days, and if the Plymouth model is a success, maybe the only way for speedway clubs to survive in the future will to become supporter backed, community funded?

 

Not a great comparison, but German football seems to be thriving on this model where, I think, 51% has to be owned by supporters. And I wouldn't expect beer and hot dogs to be delivers to me via a mini-train, or by a waiter/waitress at a speedway match.

 

So maybe supporters clubs will inherit the sport one day.

 

Clubs seem to have distanced themselves from supporters these days and that, along with the drop in crowds and the advent of social media and forums, seems to have lessened the membership, scope and impact of supporters clubs, but there should still be a place for social events, fund raisers, coaches (maybe mini-buses these days), meet-the-rider evenings, etc. Then if you can't get people to attend speedway matches, I guess it would be even more difficult to get many to supporters club functions - although most of these would be indoors and not susceptible to postponement.

 

In what way are supporters involved in the new Plymouth?

 

The biggest challenge of any support run club would have to be funding the losses. I can't see many fans stumping up tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of losses on a regular basis.

[van wolfswinkel]

The way things are with speedway these days, and if the Plymouth model is a success, maybe the only way for speedway clubs to survive in the future will to become supporter backed, community funded?

 

Not a great comparison, but German football seems to be thriving on this model where, I think, 51% has to be owned by supporters. And I wouldn't expect beer and hot dogs to be delivers to me via a mini-train, or by a waiter/waitress at a speedway match.

 

So maybe supporters clubs will inherit the sport one day.

 

Clubs seem to have distanced themselves from supporters these days and that, along with the drop in crowds and the advent of social media and forums, seems to have lessened the membership, scope and impact of supporters clubs, but there should still be a place for social events, fund raisers, coaches (maybe mini-buses these days), meet-the-rider evenings, etc. Then if you can't get people to attend speedway matches, I guess it would be even more difficult to get many to supporters club functions - although most of these would be indoors and not susceptible to postponement.

With the general apathy at most clubs some would be lucky to fill a motor-cycle to away matches. Swindon Pit Crew club do make an effort with their fund-raising for riders equipment, supporters evenings with quizzes and sometimes meet-the-rider events at local pubs where about 50 turn-out. My old man used to be a member of Wembley Lions club, think it had a post-war membership of 50,000!!! You would be lucky to get half of that number attend at all 30'ish tracks in a week now. Speedway clubs need to get more involved in the local community, and connect more with the fans, with photo and autograph opportunities for the kiddies, certainly locally in this town the football and ice-hockey clubs seem to promote themselves better, and appreciate their fan-base more.

Perhaps when the Roobins get their new stadium they could have trains delivering beer and hot-dogs and topless waitresses!

Edited April 15, 2016 by Downsman

[Deano]

I actually think they are the only source you can honestly trust has the best interests of the club at heart.

 

Promoters as much as I respect their ability to fund speedway, money comes before club at the end of the day.

 

With that in mind, how many supporters clubs have helped save speedway clubs from extinction?

 

Although I think they have had their day in terms of getting supporters together for functions, they should be around in order to help and rally supporters in times of financial trouble.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Deano

[Little Nicki]

 

In what way are supporters involved in the new Plymouth?

 

The biggest challenge of any support run club would have to be funding the losses. I can't see many fans stumping up tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of losses on a regular basis.

 

Are you as boring in real life as your posts on here, your job and your avatar suggest?

[Trees]

Does it have to be all about fundraising though? Why not for the feelgood, getting kids involved, showing fans how important they are to the club kinda way?

[Deano]

I actually think the club or supporters club has to go to the kids, not the other way around.

 

We get the Aston Villa man every week at our kids school and talks football. The result is no kids go to the football, but they all want the kit, coats and bags. You can buy some tickets to select Aston villa matches through the school, every ticket sold the school gets a cut. For every adult ticket sold this way, kids go for a quid.

 

Kids want everything on a game console these days, speedway has a long way to go to catch up.

[Reviresco]

I actually think the club or supporters club has to go to the kids, not the other way around.

 

Would agree with that, and am unsure what supporters' clubs can do to get kids involved other than take them to meetings and encourage them to become supporters.

 

As you said previously, supporters are the ones with the clubs' interests most at heart and it must be up to the clubs themselves to show how important the fans are to them.

 

Do riders have fan clubs these days, or are these things of the last century and people simply follow them on Facebook and Twitter and buy their merchandise from there?

[Lord Skid]

Speedway is falling way behind, one PL Ice Hockey Supporters Club has raised over 40k this season, with an average crowd of around 1700, and who are they attracting big time, yes, the youngsters.

[Tsunami]

Can't agree that Supporters Clubs have had there day. At Newcastle we restarted the Supporters Club 3 years ago, and I was asked to chair it with willing supporters who wished to help the club in any way. So far we have raised about £8K, with £4k going to help buy the air fence.

The standard nights we have are :-

 

Race Nights(using film of actual races by GMT Media) Usually in January/Feb.

Meet the Riders(after the Practice Day night) Usually in March.

Pub Games night(usually about May) Usually a social night rather than money rising.

A big summer event like a Family Night with children's entertainers, followed by a meal and Disco), or a River Tyne Cruise on a Friday night in about Jul/Aug) Both big money raising events.

Xmas Party with all kids free, and getting selection box's with varied games played during the night.

Every attempt is made to run buses to nearby tracks, and meetings like BV Opening, PLRC and the 4's at Peterborough.

 

Every Newcastle fan is a member, with no subscriptions or entrance money, except the Xmas party which we have just taken over last year.

We also run the meeting mascot arrangements, when fans ask for the child/children to be that nights mascot/s and walkout with the team at the start of the meeting.

A stall around a picnic table is manned alongside the main stand as you enter the terraces, and is manned all night for enquires, news, bookings.

 

Funds go to whatever is needed with early season shale for the club, and last year we assisted with the purchase of the tractor blade for track preparation.

 

I retired just prior to the start of this season, but a few new members have been co-opted and the Secretary is now the Chairman.

[Trees]

You must have had a great committee to help arrange all those "do"s ........ fantastic and well done

[stevehone]

Peterborough supporters club is thriving

[B2PROMODESIGN]

supporters clubs should be a vital part of any sporting club, there main function should be the "bridge" between the owners, the riders and the supporters.

 

A good and healthy speedway supporters club should be raising around £30-£40k a season, its not rocket science and is easy to organise.

 

The problem is that some members on a supporters club need to realise what they are trying to achieve and not have their own interests at stake, get that part right and you are on your way!

[SteveLyric2]

Poole's Supporters club is the Rider Equipment Fund (REF). Its a paid-for club which uses the money from memberships and supporter events (quiz nights, raffles, forum discussions and the occasional river trip/barbeque) to give cash to each of the riders - usually £500 or so which is presented publicly during the rider parade at home meetings.

 

Hopefully this will continue strongly but as with many things - one of the challenges will be to get some 'younger blood' on the committee in time, as some of the existing team cannot go on forever!!

[van wolfswinkel]

I actually think the club or supporters club has to go to the kids, not the other way around.

 

We get the Aston Villa man every week at our kids school and talks football. The result is no kids go to the football, but they all want the kit, coats and bags. You can buy some tickets to select Aston villa matches through the school, every ticket sold the school gets a cut. For every adult ticket sold this way, kids go for a quid.

 

Kids want everything on a game console these days, speedway has a long way to go to catch up.

Cant understand any kid wanting a Villa kit at moment, should be adults for a quid. Fun and games against The Blues next year, Villa are a Premiership side shouldn't be playing in Div 2. Swindon Town and Swindon Wildcats make an effort with the young 'uns, Swindon Roobins very little effort.

Can't agree that Supporters Clubs have had there day. At Newcastle we restarted the Supporters Club 3 years ago, and I was asked to chair it with willing supporters who wished to help the club in any way. So far we have raised about £8K, with £4k going to help buy the air fence.

The standard nights we have are :-

 

Race Nights(using film of actual races by GMT Media) Usually in January/Feb.

Meet the Riders(after the Practice Day night) Usually in March.

Pub Games night(usually about May) Usually a social night rather than money rising.

A big summer event like a Family Night with children's entertainers, followed by a meal and Disco), or a River Tyne Cruise on a Friday night in about Jul/Aug) Both big money raising events.

Xmas Party with all kids free, and getting selection box's with varied games played during the night.

Every attempt is made to run buses to nearby tracks, and meetings like BV Opening, PLRC and the 4's at Peterborough.

 

Every Newcastle fan is a member, with no subscriptions or entrance money, except the Xmas party which we have just taken over last year.

We also run the meeting mascot arrangements, when fans ask for the child/children to be that nights mascot/s and walkout with the team at the start of the meeting.

A stall around a picnic table is manned alongside the main stand as you enter the terraces, and is manned all night for enquires, news, bookings.

 

Funds go to whatever is needed with early season shale for the club, and last year we assisted with the purchase of the tractor blade for track preparation.

 

I retired just prior to the start of this season, but a few new members have been co-opted and the Secretary is now the Chairman.

Every year outside the pub in Cardiff I see the Diamonds fans group having their pic taken. Some clubs do make the effort, some don't.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Downsman

[Deano]

Cant understand any kid wanting a Villa kit at moment, should be adults for a quid. Fun and games against The Blues next year, Villa are a Premiership side shouldn't be playing in Div 2. Swindon Town and Swindon Wildcats make an effort with the young 'uns, Swindon Roobins very little effort.

 

 

 

Aston villa do a lot with schools, many kids at the training ground are from the surrounding districts. Whether the club is doing well or not, it shows it is looking ahead for it's support. Birmingham City doesn't do it.. guess what, it is a smaller club. The speedway doesn't do it... it is smaller still.