Boring

[Trees]

 

Atmosphere is as huge a problem than anything else. For me proof was in the pudding i.e. World Cup meetings at King's Lynn. On the backstraight a lot of us were bouncing up and down singing songs. Now, if I try to do that at King's Lynn for a league match it will be a case of "who's that d!k". Even a bit of shouting you get told to "wind it in soon".

In general, Norfolk folk are a boring bunch and difficult to 'fire up'. This is also proven with the football at Norwich City. The dreary "on the ball city" is sung and to increase noise they get given clappers. CLAPPERS ffs. Norfolk for ya.

 

After all that, for me you are correct. What makes speedway boring?-

 

Watch a race - have a chat

Watch a race - listen to crappie music

Watch a race - stand and stare bored

Watch a race - go have a sh!+ to kill more boredom

etc etc

 

I'd like to have some Norfolk folk that feel like me and want to get a bit singy shouty as I'm quite energetic and need to be doing something all the time. No matter how crap the racing is it would still be a good night

 

 

Absolutely spot on

 

"BRING BACK GRIPPY TRACKS"

I agree with you about many of the Lynn fans, very backward in coming forward, so let's organise a shouty area, but where?

I'm a first bender, I know there are some noisy folk on the apex of the 1st/2nd bend ...

[mikebv]

I think for everyone Sidders speedway was better in years gone by for reasons that have been brought up many times.. we remember the good stuff etc..

 

However, one of the biggest factors that made it all seem so much more exciting in years gone by were the larger crowds. The bigger the crowd, the better the meeting seems. Wembley 1981 is the biggest example of that.. take that exact same meeting, run it in front of 500 people and nobody would call it a great meeting.. but the racing wouldn't have changed.

Good points...

 

As it appears ad nauseum, everyone says the meetings we remember most fondly are the ones with the big crowd in attendance and the subsequent atmosphere it brought, which ultimately made the racing seem better..

 

Yet the sport sets itself up with admission fees that by their very level will far too often, preclude the possibility of a 'big crowd' watching it...

 

As has been shown on many occasions at various tracks..

 

Let people in for free = A massive crowd attends (so it shows the support for the Sport is still out there locally and nationally)..

 

Let people in for a tenner = A much bigger crowd than normal attends (so it shows that the 'price point' is significantly important to the fans of the Sport)

 

Let people in for Circa £17 = We get what we have today (so it shows the support don't see this as a value for money price point and as the admission fee grows the crowd levels drop)..

 

A big crowd engenders atmosphere which by definition lends itself to people returning to sample 'more of the same'. Thus a 'virtuous circle' gets created...

 

A small crowd engenders zero atmosphere which by definition lends itself to people not returning to sample 'more of the same'. Thus a 'vicious circle' gets created..

 

A 'vicious circle' that Speedway has been in for the past 20 years or so...

 

Maybe though, it is happy with what it has?

 

ie fewer fans but more sponsors covering rider costs? It certainly means less focus on the need to Promote the sport as most sponsors seem to be fans themselves, with many seemingly in it just for the 'kudos' rather than having a specific product to sell locally off the back of their sponsorship, thus meaning crowd levels won't necessarily need to be part of any marketing plan for them...

 

Maybe it is just us who feel more need to attend and the Promoter's are quite content with what they have?

 

Certainly 20 years of not reversing the trend of diminishing crowds would suggest that they are...?

Edited April 20, 2016 by mikebv

[Daniel Smith]

Good points...

 

As it appears ad nauseum, everyone says the meetings we remember most fondly are the ones with the big crowd in attendance and the subsequent atmosphere it brought, which made the racing seem better..

 

Yet the sport sets itself up with admission fees that by their very level will far too often, preclude the possibility of the big crowd watching it...

 

As has been shown on many occasions at various tracks..

 

Let people in for free = A massive crowd attends (so it shows the support for the Sport is still out there locally and nationally)..

 

Let people in for a tenner = A much bigger crowd than normal attends (so it shows that the 'price point' is significantly important to the fans of the Sport)

 

Let people in for Circa £17 = We get what we have today (so it shows the support don't see this as a value for money price point and as the admission fee grows the crowd levels drop)..

 

A big crowd engenders atmosphere which by definition lends itself to people returning to sample 'more of the same'. Thus a 'virtuous circle' gets created...

 

A small crowd engenders zero atmosphere which by definition lends itself to people not returning to sample 'more of the same'. Thus a 'vicious circle' gets created..

 

A 'vicious circle' that Speedway has been in for the past 20 years or so...

 

Maybe though, it is happy with what it has?

 

ie fewer fans but more sponsors covering rider costs? It certainly means less focus on the need to Promote the sport as most sponsors seem to be fans themselves rather than have a specific product to sell locally off the back of their sponsorship....

 

Maybe it is just us who feel more need to attend?

 

 

King's Lynn's ridiculous admission fees-

 

Elite League Fixture Prices

Adults: £17.00

Military (With valid ID): £15.00

Concessions (65 Yrs +, Full Time Students, 16 & 17 Yrs & Disabled): £14.00

Juniors: £5.00

Kids Under 11: FREE

 

16-17 year olds & full time student admission pricing (to which the majority do not work at all) @£14 is pathetic imo. This is the age group that needs sucking in so going from 15yr @£5 - 16yr @£14 is a kick in the teeth

[Agrotron]

Lets face it who ever makes the gate in Speedway usually wins the race and nowadays is quite processional I watched Gp's last year and was switching them off because quite frankly I was bored Sh*tless!

[crazysue]

 

 

King's Lynn's ridiculous admission fees-

 

Elite League Fixture Prices

Adults: £17.00

Military (With valid ID): £15.00

Concessions (65 Yrs +, Full Time Students, 16 & 17 Yrs & Disabled): £14.00

Juniors: £5.00

Kids Under 11: FREE

 

16-17 year olds & full time student admission pricing (to which the majority do not work at all) @£14 is pathetic imo. This is the age group that needs sucking in so going from 15yr @£5 - 16yr @£14 is a kick in the teeth

 

It is because of the big jump in price at age 16 that 2 out of my 3 children no longer go. That sort of increase was just too unaffordable for children who were still doing GCSEs (the 2 older ones were amongst the oldest in their year group, so hit 16 pretty much as soon as they started the second year of GCSEs). James has been to a handful of meetings since and he is 23 this year, Josh has not been back since his 16th birthday and he is 20 this year. Both had been ever present before then.

[Little Nicki]

 

In general, Norfolk folk are a boring bunch and difficult to 'fire up'. This is also proven with the football at Norwich City. The dreary "on the ball city" is sung and to increase noise they get given clappers. CLAPPERS ffs. Norfolk for ya.

 

"BRING BACK GRIPPY TRACKS"

 

That's a great comment, Danny. 'On the ball City', what a song

 

And another great comment - Yes, 'Bring Back Grippy Tracks', when do you start up the petition?

 

What on earth are you talking about? You're beating around the bush with "yes, you're entitled to" and "I didn't say this" nonsense.

 

Your entire post could have been expressed in one paragraph, but you drew it out and for some reason, I kept reading, assuming that something of value would appear.

 

I won't be wasting my time with another one of your posts, so don't quote me again. It will be ignored.

 

Another great post. You picked up on Headmaster Addio being all supercilious again. Doesn't just pick on me then. He really must be my old English Teacher, Mr Pratt, I think his name was.

 

Well, I guess that takes us back to John Leslie's post #2 on the thread. Maybe you are in the wrong forum as well as the wrong sport.

 

Yes Headmaster, sorry Headmaster.

 

I agree with you about many of the Lynn fans, very backward in coming forward, so let's organise a shouty area, but where?

I'm a first bender, I know there are some noisy folk on the apex of the 1st/2nd bend ...

 

Thought you could have stopped your opening sentence at 'backward', Trees - no, only joking. Salt of the surf and turf, the good folk of the North of East Anglia. If they can't do something, Norfolkin person can. May do it s-l-o-w-l-y, but always get there in the end. Just like my missus.

 

I thought your second sentence said, 'fist bender' and thought this must be new Uri Geller trick, or that Herbie Hide had been let loose on someone. But then I re-read it. Are the noisy folk snoring, or are they cheering their hearts out. Give me an 'S', give me a 'T' - oh thanks love, I can murder a nice cuppa tea. So, it looks as if its up to you and Danny to get the party started on the apex of 1 and 2 then and I hope when I am next at the Adrian Flux, I will enjoy the atmosphere that you have created. All the best with that and maybe you can get the Supporters Club involved too. Enjoy your speedway.

[Shale Searcher]

When tracks are accidentally grippy, when it's been over watered or rained on heavily on the day, once a rider or two has been fired into the fence, or nearly straightlined going into the first corner, there's a pow wow in the pits and the grader/s take all the dirt to the airfence!!!

 

So grippy tracks are a thing of the past i'm afraid....

[Gemini]

.........Danny Smith.............

Watch a race - have a chat

Watch a race - listen to crappie music

Watch a race - stand and stare bored

Watch a race - go have a sh!+ to kill more boredom

etc etc

You've missed out Watch the tractor do umpteen laps, or perhaps that comes under 'Stand and stare bored.'

 

.......mikebv.......Let people in for a tenner = A much bigger crowd than normal attends (so it shows that the 'price point' is significantly important to the fans of the Sport)

Doesn't always work though. There was a very good deal for the recent Leicester v Swindon Sky match yet by all accounts the crowd was poor.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Gemini

[Star Lady]

 

All the best with that and maybe you can get the Supporters Club involved too.

 

 

 

 

before you post an epistle Multumesc when the promoter tells you he doesn't want a supporters club you either laugh or cry.

 

I Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

Edited April 20, 2016 by Star Lady

[Shale Searcher]

You've missed out Watch the tractor do umpteen laps, or perhaps that comes under 'Stand and stare bored.'

Doesn't always work though. There was a very good deal for the recent Leicester v Swindon Sky match yet by all accounts the crowd was poor.

It was, very poor indeed...

There were also weather forecasts that were predicting thunderstorms for 6pm in the Leicester area, they didn't materialise trackside, although it peeeeeeeeeeed it down only 6 miles from the track, that wouldn't of helped.. Again, the supporters brain tells him not to bother with all of the call offs this year..

[StevePark]

Good points...

 

Let people in for a tenner = A much bigger crowd than normal attends (so it shows that the 'price point' is significantly important to the fans of the Sport)

 

 

 

Berwick tried that for a few weeks a couple of years ago and it didn't make any difference, as there was no significant increase in the crowd.

[Daniel Smith]

 

Berwick tried that for a few weeks a couple of years ago and it didn't make any difference, as there was no significant increase in the crowd.

 

It's why King's Lynn don't reduce their admission for Sky matches as the numbers don't add up

 

If we get 800 for TV matches @£17 they'd need to find another 560 spectators on top just to break even. Not likely

[BWitcher]

 

It's why King's Lynn don't reduce their admission for Sky matches as the numbers don't add up

 

If we get 800 for TV matches @£17 they'd need to find another 560 spectators on top just to break even. Not likely

 

Which is a significant factor in why the sport is dying.

 

Every meeting shown on tv in front a paltry crowd is another nail in the coffin. It makes absolutely no difference if the racing is amazing either.

Edited April 20, 2016 by BWitcher

[Little Nicki]

 

 

 

 

before you post an epistle Multumesc when the promoter tells you he doesn't want a supporters club you either laugh or cry.

 

I Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

 

No epistle, but do I see you have appended a number of 'rofl's' for some reason, SL . More than I thought the forum allows, but then you are a Star, lady.

 

As you say, if the Promoter won't back it, but I was really alluding to the separate Thread that Theresa had started, as she appeared to be in favour of an active Supporters' Club and was inviting suggestions for ideas, etc. from the BSF.

 

Glad to hear you do - for life is quite absurd and death's the final word... Enjoy your speedway, when you go next

 

Back to the Thread topic: At it's best speedway is not boring and is the best spectacle sport can provide, imo.

[SCB]

The politics and rubbish off track are rubbish. But the actually sport of 4 riders racing for 4 laps still excites me as much today as it did as a kid.

[Daniel Smith]

 

Back to the Thread topic: At it's best speedway is not boring and is the best spectacle sport can provide, imo.

 

Don't think that's just your opinion, that would be the opinion of every Speedway fan the World over.

 

When it's good there really is nothing that comes close to being as exciting. There's just far to many bad days right now.

 

You go to a meeting see 1 exceptional race and shout "That was worth the admission alone". But really, should that be enough to justify the sport. Not for me.

 

I'm now going to miss 2 (King's Lynn) home fixtures on the trot, Coventry last week & this Thursday's Leicester visit through illness. Never missed 2 on the trot before and I actually haven't missed Speedway at all. Never in the life of me have I ever felt that before. Normally I'd be itching to get back.

[Gresham]

When tracks are accidentally grippy, when it's been over watered or rained on heavily on the day, once a rider or two has been fired into the fence, or nearly straightlined going into the first corner, there's a pow wow in the pits and the grader/s take all the dirt to the airfence!!!

 

So grippy tracks are a thing of the past i'm afraid....

With respect...lets think about that for a moment.

 

How can a sport like speedway, that thrives on passing and racing on a grippy surface, that gives various racing lines, allow that to happen?

 

The laydown engine cannot perform well on deeper grippy surfaces.

 

It's lower centre of gravity, higher revs, produces a wheel that wants to spin furiously on a slicker track. Hence why the riders struggle to race on grippier surfaces.

 

The riders prefer riding on such engines...the promotors prefer it as well, because costs are less in providing shale and track maintenance.

 

So the sport has made things easier and cheaper in one way...yet more expensive in another, because these engines have to be serviced more regularly because of the way they are tuned.

 

These types of tracks are also more susceptible to wet conditions...so Promotors lose more revenue to rain offs...and also fans get fed up with this and find other things to do.

 

In doing so...they've created a problem. Cheaper track costs, but higher expenses for wages and engine services. Plus rain offs.

 

All this has led to less entertaining racing...hence fans leaving in their droves.

 

So where does all the money have to come from to pay the riders and cover all the costs?

 

The Promotors and riders have created their own nightmare.

 

People are talking about how much it is to go and watch. Even if you let the public in for free, you may get some take you up on the offer...but after a while, they'd get used to it and find something else to do...because the chances of seeing some decent racing are becoming far more elusive.

 

People want to see entertaining racing with mistakes and overtaking, on various racing lines.

 

It is.... that simple.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Gresham

[BWitcher]

 

 

All this has led to less entertaining racing...hence fans leaving in their droves.

 

 

Yet there are many who have attended the sport for a large number of years who say otherwise.

 

Let's also not forget that the mass exodus began long before laydowns etc were introduced.

[Star Lady]

 

 

 

I'm now going to miss 2 (King's Lynn) home fixtures on the trot, Coventry last week & this Thursday's Leicester visit through illness. Never missed 2 on the trot before and I actually haven't missed Speedway at all. Never in the life of me have I ever felt that before. Normally I'd be itching to get back.

 

 

Sorry to hear you've not been well, hope you recover soon.

 

The longer you are away the less the inclination to return. Absence seems to give you far too much time to find negatives, and sadly they multiply all the time and I've seen no attempt to stop them from the BSPA. I miss going to see a "good" meeting but in all honesty when I have made the effort to get to EL meetings at Lynn, good wouldn't describe what I've seen. Like you I don't think one decent race constitutes good value.

 

My visits to Peterborough tho and an occasional NL meeting at Lynn, have kept my interest alive.

[Gresham]

 

Yet there are many who have attended the sport for a large number of years who say otherwise.

 

Let's also not forget that the mass exodus began long before laydowns etc were introduced.

With respect...'That many' are in the minority that still attend every week.

 

I will agree people started to leave before Laydowns were introduced....but what caused that? I'll tell you...Slick tracks.

 

Riders like Ole Olsen, who imo, regardless of how good a rider he was, have had too much control in producing tracks that gave less entertaining racing.

Laydowns were a knock on effect to these slick tracks, as they rode them better.

 

Fans started to leave as Speedway became less entertaining as a spectacle...and the trend has spiralled downward.

 

There are a minority of die hard fans like yourself, who obviously think it is just as good...but if you really think Speedway can survive in the same way as it is now, and run in the same vein, then with respect, I think you have your head in the sand.