Second Half Ideas.....

[heathen chemistry]

british speedway needs to attract fans we all know that ,buit what a lot of fans are miffed with is no second half, a lot of fans feel ripped off with just 15 heats and thats it --- go home

 

why not have a mini gp stle tornament fr the youngsters where the points add up all season , 250 and 500 cc catergorys?

 

 

[foamfence]

british speedway needs to attract fans we all know that ,buit what a lot of fans are miffed with is no second half, a lot of fans feel ripped off with just 15 heats and thats it --- go home

 

why not have a mini gp stle tornament fr the youngsters where the points add up all season , 250 and 500 cc catergorys?

 

 

That would be OK and might bring a future signing or two. We could sometimes have F2 races for MX and grasstrack riders who weren't currently in Speedway. A stock of such bikes could be shared between all clubs and delivered to the track when appropriate.

[Daniel Smith]

british speedway needs to attract fans we all know that ,buit what a lot of fans are miffed with is no second half, a lot of fans feel ripped off with just 15 heats and thats it --- go home

 

why not have a mini gp stle tornament fr the youngsters where the points add up all season , 250 and 500 cc catergorys?

 

 

 

Actually I think you're wrong.

 

Most fans do want to be gone when the main meeting is done.

 

This is proven by the Development League meetings that already exist where 2/3's of the crowd has disappeared.

Most fans disappear straight after the riders cross the line in heat 15, not even waiting for the event winners parade.

 

This whole 2nd half thing is just the nostalgic fuddie duddies wanting it.

Seriously, there's no interest

[steve roberts]

 

Actually I think you're wrong.

 

Most fans do want to be gone when the main meeting is done.

 

This is proven by the Development League meetings that already exist where 2/3's of the crowd has disappeared.

Most fans disappear straight after the riders cross the line in heat 15, not even waiting for the event winners parade.

 

This whole 2nd half thing is just the nostalgic fuddie duddies wanting it.

Seriously, there's no interest

...just fifteen heats of racing wouldn't get me back again personally without going thru' all the reasons I've listed elsewhere on the forum.

[stevebrum]

Actually I think you're wrong.

 

Most fans do want to be gone when the main meeting is done.

 

This is proven by the Development League meetings that already exist where 2/3's of the crowd has disappeared.

Most fans disappear straight after the riders cross the line in heat 15, not even waiting for the event winners parade.

 

This whole 2nd half thing is just the nostalgic fuddie duddies wanting it.

Seriously, there's no interest

Agree to a point.

Enough stay to watch the DL to make it worth pursuing. However like you say it's a minority.

Plenty of amateur/next generation riders desperate for track time to give those who want to watch more racing to make it worthwhile.

[iris123]

british speedway needs to attract fans we all know that ,buit what a lot of fans are miffed with is no second half, a lot of fans feel ripped off with just 15 heats and thats it --- go home

 

 

 

I very much doubt "a lot of fans are miffed"

 

Depends on what you think "a lot of fans" means,but from the for me good old days back in the 70s,what i would call "a lot of fans" disappered as soon as the main meeting was over.I'd say 60-75% of those in attendance,and back then that was "a lot" just upped and left regardless of there being a few stars in the second half or a junior meeting.As i have said before,i was one of the few who stayed to the end,but i admit i was in a minority.It just isn't going to attract fans in numbers.The main meeting is what needs to be the attraction.If that doesn't work,then nothing will

[Trees]

When we had more weekend meetings of course people would stay behind, now they race on work nights then off we go home ....

[Humphrey Appleby]

The main meeting is what needs to be the attraction.If that doesn't work,then nothing will

It's entirely a matter of promotion. If the second half is meaningless and riders don't look bothered, then of course the fans aren't going to be interested. However, if you (for example) linked second halves to something like GP qualification, or offered league bonus points for rider performances, then it might be a different story.

 

Bottom line is that 15 heats is enough for a proper evening of entertainment unless they're artificially dragged out, and generally represents poor value for money. Something needs to be done to run a swifter programme and still keep people in the stadium for a couple of hours.

 

Junior matches are all very well, but you're effectively having to pay the travel expenses of another 4-6 or even 8 riders, whereas with an old-style second half most of the participants will already be there.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[iris123]

It's entirely a matter of promotion. If the second half is meaningless and riders don't look bothered, then of course the fans aren't going to be interested. However, if you (for example) linked second halves to something like GP qualification, or offered league bonus points for rider performances, then it might be a different story.

 

Bottom line is that 15 heats is enough for a proper evening of entertainment unless they're artificially dragged out, and generally represents poor value for money. Something needs to be done to run a swifter programme and still keep people in the stadium for a couple of hours.

 

Junior matches are all very well, but you're effectively having to pay the travel expenses of another 4-6 or even 8 riders, whereas with an old-style second half most of the participants will already be there.

I know i was the one to mention the 70s,but what are you on?"Something like the GPs",what is that going to be,because it certainly ain't going to be the GPS!!!!! Fans ain't going to fall for a con job like that nowadays.The second idea seems just about one of the stupidest i have heard.Bonus points for second half performances!!! The main riders want to be off as soon as possible to the next country,not hanging around for a second half

 

 

If 15 heats equates to poor value for money then maybe it is the money that is wrong,not the number of heats?

 

As for the junior meetings.They are juniors needing and hopefully wanting track time etc.Should they really be payed at all?But even if so,the home juniors should be there any way.....

[steve roberts]

I know i was the one to mention the 70s,but what are you on?"Something like the GPs",what is that going to be,because it certainly ain't going to be the GPS!!!!! Fans ain't going to fall for a con job like that nowadays.The second idea seems just about one of the stupidest i have heard.Bonus points for second half performances!!! The main riders want to be off as soon as possible to the next country,not hanging around for a second half

 

 

If 15 heats equates to poor value for money then maybe it is the money that is wrong,not the number of heats?

 

As for the junior meetings.They are juniors needing and hopefully wanting track time etc.Should they really be payed at all?But even if so,the home juniors should be there any way.....

That's my view. How much is to attend speedway now £15/£16/£17? Not value for money in my opinion especially, as now, I would have to drive upwards of fifty miles to attend my nearest track.

 

I agree with some of what Humph says however.

[*JJ]

Junior matches are all very well, but you're effectively having to pay the travel expenses of another 4-6 or even 8 riders, whereas with an old-style second half most of the participants will already be there.

Travel expenses? I wish ...

[frigbo]

 

Actually I think you're wrong.

 

Most fans do want to be gone when the main meeting is done.

 

This is proven by the Development League meetings that already exist where 2/3's of the crowd has disappeared.

Most fans disappear straight after the riders cross the line in heat 15, not even waiting for the event winners parade.

 

This whole 2nd half thing is just the nostalgic fuddie duddies wanting it.

Seriously, there's no interest

Spot on. Hardly anyone watched the old second halves and most of the riders nowadays would be away down the road instead of riding. Edited August 6, 2016 by frigbo

[Humphrey Appleby]

The main riders want to be off as soon as possible to the next country,not hanging around for a second half

So the sport is run for the benefit of the riders, is it? If you contract riders and you expect them to ride for 20 heats, then that's what they should be committing to.

 

I wonder how most peoples' employers would react if you said you were leaving two hours early because you had another job to go to? Speedway seems to be unique in accepting this ridiculous state of affairs, and frankly where it's gone wrong down the years.

 

If 15 heats equates to poor value for money then maybe it is the money that is wrong,not the number of heats?

Well the price is certainly wrong, but there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be able to run one heat per 5 minutes, so 15 heats equates to an hour and fifteen minutes. Not enough for a evening's entertainment.

 

As for the junior meetings.They are juniors needing and hopefully wanting track time etc.

If they're a regular part of meetings, then you'd need to ensure enough junior riders turning up for every meeting, especially midweek ones. If they're unpaid then why would juniors commit to turning up to every meeting?

[iris123]

So the sport is run for the benefit of the riders, is it? If you contract riders and you expect them to ride for 20 heats, then that's what they should be committing to.

 

I wonder how most peoples' employers would react if you said you were leaving two hours early because you had another job to go to? Speedway seems to be unique in accepting this ridiculous state of affairs, and frankly where it's gone wrong down the years.

 

 

If UK speedway brings in terms that are unacceptable then the riders will just not accept them.That is what has happened down the years and that is why most of the top and even a lot of other riders don't ride there any more.Like i said, it isn't the 70s and the British leagues don't call the shots any more.The international week is planned out and we have to accomodate that,not try and ignore it

 

And as to the sport being run for the benefit of the riders,this is Martin Smolinski's rant after yesterdays meeting in Germany was called off,obviously because the conditions didn't suit some riders

 

 

Traurige Rennabsage heute in Pocking.

Wie soll das bloss weiter gehen mit unserem geliebtem Sport? Speedway war noch nie ein sauberer Sport, aber sobald ein kleiner Regenschauer kommt scheissen alle in die Hose. Der Verein macht sich so viel Mühe und ein paar Hanseln die denken wunder was sie sind aus diversen Nationen auf der anderen Seite der Welt machen den Sport kaputt. Nur gemeinsam kann der Sport am Leben bleiben. Ich bin zwar ned der Älteste aber in den good old days waren noch Männer am Startband und keine Schönwetterfahrer. Es fehlt an graue Eminenzen, Offizielle mit Eier in da Hose die sagen sooooo wirds gemacht. Nicht 20 Leute was Reden, einer!

Und wer ned mitspielt bekommt kein Geld!

Ihr Fans steht hinter uns bei jedem Wetter und dann sowas. Ich kann nur ein dickes Danke an euch alle sagen, ohne euch Fans sind wir Fahrer auch nichts, leider kapieren das zu wenig Fahrer!

[Trees]

If UK speedway brings in terms that are unacceptable then the riders will just not accept them.That is what has happened down the years and that is why most of the top and even a lot of other riders don't ride there any more.Like i said, it isn't the 70s and the British leagues don't call the shots any more.The international week is planned out and we have to accomodate that,not try and ignore it

 

And as to the sport being run for the benefit of the riders,this is Martin Smolinski's rant after yesterdays meeting in Germany was called off,obviously because the conditions didn't suit some riders

 

Can you translate plz?

[iris123]

Can you translate plz?

 

Sad abandoned meeting in Pocking today

 

How can our beautiful sport continue(like this)?Speedway was never a clean sport,but as soon as a small rain shower comes the riders sh+t their pants.The club puts so much into getting a meeting on and then a few clowns from various countries on the other side of the world make the sport kaputt.Only if we work together can the sport survive.I am not the oldest rider,but in the good old days there were real men lined up at the start gate,not good weather riders.The sport needs well respected,but hard officials that say "this is how we do things",not 20 people with opinions,just 1

You the fans are there come rain or snow and then this happens.I can only say a big thanks to you all.Without you we are nothing,the trouble is too few riders understand that

 

 

It should be remembered that the club officials at Pocking have had years of fighting against a neighbour who has tried all means to close the speedway down due to noise problems,so she say's.And Australia were riding in the meeting,so that is probably who Smoli is refering to,but Bavarians are parochial,so maybe he considers Denmark to be on the other side of the world as well!!!

Edited August 7, 2016 by iris123

[Trees]

Thanks iris123 ...... I get what Smolinski is saying but from a supporter's point of view, I want the riders to race at their best, with total commitment. So I would rather meetings be called off than go ahead, rain offs are just part of the sport, always have been, always will be. Unless they start racing on concrete!

[iris123]

I understand what you mean.On the continent,certainly in Germany, it is slightly different in that it isn't so much club based,but sport based fans.So the same fans, to say 80% ,go to most meetings in the south and likewise in the north.You'll also get a good number who travel fom other countries like Austria .It isn't so easy to just call off a meeting and rearrange it for another weekend,because often those weekends are booked by another club in the region.And like i said i think Martin was considering the years and years of problems with the local authorities and the hoops the club had to jump through just to be able to host 1 meeting and a few practice days per season.Other riders of course wouldn't be expected to know this.....

Edited August 7, 2016 by iris123

[Gresham]

Thanks iris123 ...... I get what Smolinski is saying but from a supporter's point of view, I want the riders to race at their best, with total commitment. So I would rather meetings be called off than go ahead, rain offs are just part of the sport, always have been, always will be. Unless they start racing on concrete!

Rain off's have been part of the sport, but I think it is getting out of hand now.

 

Tracks and bikes nowadays don't like anything but 'perfect' conditions. Riders can't race on the tracks when slightly wet, because the bikes are so high revving. They lose traction, just spin and lose control.

 

It's either like an ice rink or riding on marbles...they lose all traction.

 

This is where the sport needs to sort itself out.

 

We need bikes that can race on tracks that are wet....not flooded...but wet. It's part and parcel of our environment. We need to be able to race on tracks that have rain on them.

 

It, imo, is why we lose so many fans. The hardcore put up with it. But to travel like many do, and see meetings stop for some light drizzle, over time, it gets to you... and you end up not bothering to go if the weather forecast hints at any showers.

 

You then get out of the habit, and find other interests to follow.

[Humphrey Appleby]

If UK speedway brings in terms that are unacceptable then the riders will just not accept them.That is what has happened down the years and that is why most of the top and even a lot of other riders don't ride there any more.Like i said, it isn't the 70s and the British leagues don't call the shots any more.The international week is planned out and we have to accomodate that,not try and ignore it

I don't see that it has anything to do with whether the British leagues call the shots or not. Promoters should be the ones who decide what constitutes the show, how much they charge for it, and what they pay the riders. Riders are free to accept or reject the terms, but I'm sure plenty would even if you have to end-up signing more locally-based riders.

 

Getting back to the second halves, I don't see that riders would be getting away from meetings any later than they do now. It should easily be possible to run 20 heats including an interval inside 2 hours under normal circumstances, which is pretty much how long it takes to run 15 heats nowadays.

 

The question is how you'd incentivise riders to take second halves seriously, but I don't see that you couldn't in principle spread existing points monies over the main match and second half, and link the second halves into some sort of season-long competition. Plenty seem to say you can't do this and can't do that because riders wouldn't like it, but every year the number of paying spectators declines and something needs to be done to give the appearance of a better value show.