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Melbourne 2016


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The MCG has a capacity of over 100,000, so it would be doing well to sell out. A T20 match managed to draw 80,000+ last year, and the State of Origin drew more than 91,000 despite Victoria not being a rugby playing state, so I don't think it's really the case that other sports don't sell well.

1 T20 match and State of Origin which is similar to the FA cup final in terms of prestige, does not mean that all sports sell out and the GP was failure that is all I am saying.

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The MCG has a capacity of over 100,000, so it would be doing well to sell out. A T20 match managed to draw 80,000+ last year, and the State of Origin drew more than 91,000 despite Victoria not being a rugby playing state, so I don't think it's really the case that other sports don't sell well.

The Australian Open tennis and F1 GP are also well attended in Melbourne and over 92,000 to see Liverpool play a pre season friendly.

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BEAR in I mind I wasn't there but the allotted time for the autograph session has always been the same.

 

With regard to advertising, promotion, etc ... couldn't argue with anything that has been said but this is an event promoted by the Etihad themselves and not BSI.

 

Personally I think that one has to be realistic about the attraction of any speedway event these days and outside of Warsaw and Cardiff a crowd in excess of 25,000 is hard to achieve. In such big stadiums as the Etihad and the Friends Arena in Stockholm the attendance can look pitifully small however much the TV cameras try and mask it.

 

I know all the riders love racing at these big stadiums in major cities but we should all be realistic these days about the appeal of speedway. It is waning rapidly in the UK, where virtually nothing is being done to attract a younger audience.

 

Many years ago the Sports Editor of the Daily Express told me that they would cover any event at Wembley even if it was tiddlywinks. I think there is an assumption in Melbourne, the sporting capital of Australia, that any event held at the Etihad would draw a crowd from the local public but that may not be the case.

But why don't BSI help these promoters more, they have all the artwork etc for banners for instance, they just seem to wash their hands of their competition if they aren't promoting it!
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The Australian Open tennis and F1 GP are also well attended in Melbourne and over 92,000 to see Liverpool play a pre season friendly.

Fair point but none of those are Minority sports.

But why don't BSI help these promoters more, they have all the artwork etc for banners for instance, they just seem to wash their hands of their competition if they aren't promoting it!

I do have to agree with this. Whether or not it's Etihad's event to promote, it's still ultimately BSI's product..

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But why don't BSI help these promoters more, they have all the artwork etc for banners for instance, they just seem to wash their hands of their competition if they aren't promoting it!

OF course they help them and provide the organisers with whatever they need. They had people on the ground working alongside the Etihad but the Etihad organise plenty of events and surely know what to do.

 

They had David Tapp and Jason Crump doing plenty of promotional work but, at the end of the day, the crowd might be about what can be expected.

Edited by PHILIPRISING
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I dont think it helps that the series winner has already been decided both years. If it was Round 1 I suspect it'd be a better turn out also.

Long way off but I'd put good money on the crowd pushing 30k next year if Holder and Doyle are near the top of the standings.

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OF course they help them and provide the organisers with whatever they need. They had people on the ground working alongside the Etihad but the Etihad organise plenty of events and surely know what to do.

 

They had David Tapp and Jason Crump doing plenty of promotional work but, at the end of the day, the crowd might be about what can be expected.

 

Mr Rising,

 

Can you ask BSI why they and the FIM have ignored the rules of the sport and crowned Greg Hancock World Champion? He is ineligible.

 

As Nicki Pedersen says, the rule may not be fair, but it's a rule.. and rules should be followed.

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Mr Rising,

 

Can you ask BSI why they and the FIM have ignored the rules of the sport and crowned Greg Hancock World Champion? He is ineligible.

 

As Nicki Pedersen says, the rule may not be fair, but it's a rule.. and rules should be followed.

IT is nothing to do with BSI. The FIM are the sole arbiters of this and presumably interpreted the regulations differently to you.

 

I would imagine that while you and indeed many others believe that GH allowed Chris Holder to pass him there is no definitive proof that he did. They would presumably also argue that withdrawal from the meeting (not the championship itself) did not warrant the sort of action you advocate.

 

If any riders, including Nicki Pedersen, wish to challenge that ruling there is a procedure by which they can do so but from what I have heard (many thousands of miles away admittedly) there is no stomach for such action.

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IT is nothing to do with BSI. The FIM are the sole arbiters of this and presumably interpreted the regulations differently to you.

 

I would imagine that while you and indeed many others believe that GH allowed Chris Holder to pass him there is no definitive proof that he did. They would presumably also argue that withdrawal from the meeting (not the championship itself) did not warrant the sort of action you advocate.

 

If any riders, including Nicki Pedersen, wish to challenge that ruling there is a procedure by which they can do so but from what I have heard (many thousands of miles away admittedly) there is no stomach for such action.

One one hand you accept the FIM as arbiters on whether Hancock should be crowned champion, but on the other you don't accept the referee's judgement on whether he deliberately lost heat 9. The referee was the arbiter and it was his decision; no other proof is required. Hancock is the 2016 world champion, but for many his actions have placed into question the veracity of other results at the highest level of the sport. If we can't have faith that the riders are trying to win, and if we can't be sure race results aren't being pre-arranged, why should we bother investing time and money in following speedway?
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One one hand you accept the FIM as arbiters on whether Hancock should be crowned champion, but on the other you don't accept the referee's judgement on whether he deliberately lost heat 9. The referee was the arbiter and it was his decision; no other proof is required. Hancock is the 2016 world champion, but for many his actions have placed into question the veracity of other results at the highest level of the sport. If we can't have faith that the riders are trying to win, and if we can't be sure race results aren't being pre-arranged, why should we bother investing time and money in following speedway?

Which is pretty much why so few do.

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21000 plus ain't a bad crowd when you think 45000 were at Cardiff. The UK has 40 million more peeps than Aussie. There is no league speedway in the country so would say considering Doyley wasn't riding they can be pleased with that. More there than the Sydney GP. And Melbourne is Aussie Rules mad, far outnumbers any other sport.

What were the crowds for the 2016 series?

Edited by auntie doris
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1969 Wembley Ivan Mauger ,cheated Nigel Boocock out of a bronze medal by allowing his team mate Sjosten to pass him .in just as

obvious a move as this one , back then there was little sponsorship and although many lost respect for him , the financial

consequences were zero , Hancocks case is quite different .It would only a take few Letters to monster energy pointing out that the

brand encouraged cheating and was damaging the sport and Hancock would lose a lot more than the points ..

Monster energy world class cheats

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IT is nothing to do with BSI. The FIM are the sole arbiters of this and presumably interpreted the regulations differently to you.

 

I would imagine that while you and indeed many others believe that GH allowed Chris Holder to pass him there is no definitive proof that he did. They would presumably also argue that withdrawal from the meeting (not the championship itself) did not warrant the sort of action you advocate.

 

If any riders, including Nicki Pedersen, wish to challenge that ruling there is a procedure by which they can do so but from what I have heard (many thousands of miles away admittedly) there is no stomach for such action.

 

I don't 'advocate' any sort of action.

 

Their RULES do.

 

So what you are telling us is that rules don't matter?

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They had David Tapp and Jason Crump doing plenty of promotional work but, at the end of the day, the crowd might be about what can be expected.

Except a reported 25,000 fans attended last year, so you might expect 25,000 to attend this season too.

 

If the crowds drop by another 4,000 next year, will you still be saying the same thing? Are crowds going down really something that's expected, and are the series organisers happy with that state of affairs?

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Except a reported 25,000 fans attended last year, so you might expect 25,000 to attend this season too.

 

If the crowds drop by another 4,000 next year, will you still be saying the same thing? Are crowds going down really something that's expected, and are the series organisers happy with that state of affairs?

I have a friend who lives in Melbourne . Drives past the Etihad every day to get to work , she had no idea the speedway was on last weekend
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Maybe a few less will travel from Europe next year. Why bother going all those miles at a great expense only to see a newly crowned world champions with a reputation (prior to this year) of being squeaky clean throw a race (the looking behind and very wide lines gave it away), then come up with an excuse (taking no responsibility) and throwing toys out of the pram and refusing to ride in front of a crowd who were there to see all 18 riders actually race for their points.


I used to like GH, but following non appearance at the WTC BV and then this, its all gone.

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Finally watched the meeting last night. Some great racing, very entertaining.

 

But,,,, oh dear Hancock. I've previously defended him but this season he has really soured his reputation. Pulling out of the WTC, blatantly team riding Holder home (looking for Holder the entire race), refusing to continue in the meeting but above all the cheek to lie about it. No consideration for the WTC attendees or those that travelled half way round the World has sadly changed many opinions, most certainly mine.

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I would imagine that while you and indeed many others believe that GH allowed Chris Holder to pass him there is no definitive proof that he did.

 

I was of the understanding that when the FIM jury passes an adjudication then we must take that as final word.

 

It then ceases to be just what 'you and others believe' any more.

 

In the absense of any appeal the jury have established that he did act against the FIM Sporting code.

That is the definitive word,

 

He is as guilty as a puppy sat next to a pile of poo.

And, accordingly, should have his 'nose rubbed in it'.

Edited by Grand Central
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