Shale Searcher Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Most of the rain is forecast to have passed through the UK by teatime, could ALL of tonight's fixtures gone ahead if track covers had have been used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Yep those Belle Vue ones are finally being put to use today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Indeed, it makes you wonder why only Belle Vue have ordered some? The thing is, Belle Vue is not protected at the moment, but their track can handle copious amounts of the wet stuff..... This weather-proofness, may deteriorate with age though as drains become clogged, and less efficient. Regular rodding and other remedial work will need to be done to the drainage system ongoing...... The covers will help as less clay will get washed out the track and down the drains..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 So a set of full track cover cost say an average of 25k track sizes differ - and the average track attendance 1500 - covers may save one or two meetings a season at each EL track now is that viable?? Also how can clubs afford covers when Leicester apparently hasn't paid there riders for 5 weeks . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 We were told they were ordered before this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABS Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 We were told they were ordered before this season. They're our magic covers - just watch them disappear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouch Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 We're the club with the least need for covers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 You lot, sometimes I wonder..... Wether or not clubs can afford them at the moment is not important. The track cover debate is years old!!!! If tracks had invested in them say 10 years ago, with money earned through say "Sky" how many more of "todays" could of been saved....? Say 2 meetings a season per club? + may not have lost fans who are/were fed up of rain offs when the weather is fine cum race time... + Skybet may still have been involved as league sponsor.. + meetings ran in poor conditions, May have gone ahead with good conditions. + money promotors paid out to riders/officials for travel expenses on rain offs It was a hypothetical question, and it wouldn't have done any harm to speedway, would it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkafag Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 (edited) I appreciate it is the kind of thing that’s oft dismissed but I do think track covers are far more advantageous to weekend tracks rather than midweek tracks. It is easily dismissed just how much work has to go into laying covers, and also the notice required for track covers to be laid. The majority of track staff who would likely be laying the covers would probably be working at the time it was required the covers were laid, as would the track curator who would have to alter the track to fit the covers and evidently volatile weather conditions. I genuinely don’t think things like meetings being rained off are needle shifters in attendance, if it is the kind of thing that has deterred fans it is an absurdly harsh stance to take IMO as the vast majority of time postponements are made in the interest of rider safety/entertainment levels. Personally I don’t think covers would have altered or adjusted things such as league sponsorship etc, I find that slightly strawmanish. If you are talking 2/3 meetings a year at tracks it seems a very minimal gain. Edited August 19, 2016 by The Mockingjay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I appreciate it is the kind of thing that’s oft dismissed but I do think track covers are far more advantageous to weekend tracks rather than midweek tracks. It is easily dismissed just how much work has to go into laying covers, and also the notice required for track covers to be laid. The majority of track staff who would likely be laying the covers would probably be working at the time it was required the covers were laid, as would the track curator who would have to alter the track to fit the covers and evidently volatile weather conditions. Track curators altering the track, in what way would they be doing that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray c Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 To late for cover's now can't see promoters affording them three day's with attendance's down at most tracks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 How much does an airfence cost and how much work is involved installing it before each meeting? £25-30 K, Most track leave them out and most tracks will now only have one blower per bend, thats all these new fences need, once put up just need pinning at the top, securely. But to take them completely down at the end of the season is a real pain, you need about 6-7 people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 To late for cover's now can't see promoters affording them three day's with attendance's down at most tracks, Attendances may be down, but apostrophes are definitely on the increase! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil The Ace Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 You won't be seeing track covers at belle vue any time soon I'm afraid. Not even next season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 You won't be seeing track covers at belle vue any time soon I'm afraid. Not even next season Thought yours were measured, cut and just being finished off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damosuzuki Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 wtf - belle vue were meant to be getting them sized and made? Given the penalty clause for the builders and the good attendences AND the succesful SWC i thought Belle Vue would be reasonably well off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I can remember John Perrin saying about ten years ago that a rain off cost him about three grand. Covers would pay for themselves in no time. Try and get sponsors to fund the covers by getting their names printed in huge letters all over them? The big problem is finding staff and time to lay them. That's where volunteers would be needed. Clubs offer them incentives like free tickets to meetings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouch Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 It think they realised they weren't needed, or at least the cost and faff wasn't warrented for the NSS. John paid stadium rental whether we rode or not and that's where the vast majority of the quoted 3K went. We do not have that problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 It think they realised they weren't needed, or at least the cost and faff wasn't warrented for the NSS. John paid stadium rental whether we rode or not and that's where the vast majority of the quoted 3K went. We do not have that problem. There's defo been posts on BSF saying they were measured up, and just nneded finishing off and delivering to the NSS.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 (edited) So a set of full track cover cost say an average of 25k track sizes differ - and the average track attendances 1500 - covers may save one or two meetings a season at each EL track now is that viable?? Also how can clubs afford covers when Leicester apparently hasn't paid there riders for 5 weeks . A Speedway conundrum... Pay circa 25k once for track covers to vastly increase the chances of regular speedway meetings taking place thus giving fans confidence to set off and attend? Or circa £100k each year for a No1 that misses several meetings adhoc during the season because he is riding 'somewhere else' and dissuades peed off fans from setting off and attending...? A conundrum indeed....!!! Edited August 20, 2016 by mikebv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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