Skid Sprocket Posted February 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Well, except that in this day and age there are web pages (for free) and TV channels (some free) which compete for the viewers attention. If speedway was though of as potentially attracting an audience, let alone buy a newspaper, then the publishers would go for it, wouldn't they? At the end of the day, the publishers concern themselves with circulation figures and revenue. They don't see it as their "duty" to do a Social Service, or to cater for the spiritual well-being and wider sporting awareness of the British Public. It's up to speedway to offer up a product that will capture the public imagination, that will have the masses flocking to it, and which will have people glued to their TV screens, web sites and paying for newspapers, and the publishers will run rings around themselves to offer up all the coverage you would desire. But then again, this is BRITISH speedway, we're talking about. It is understandable for newspapers and commercial broadcasters to chase the ratings to attract advertisers, having said that the commercial media are always telling us that they are doing a public service. This is where our "great British institution" the BBC should come into play with fair, even, and unbiased coverage of all sport and news covering any minor sport that would otherwise never see the light of day, but what do we get; wall to wall football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 It is understandable for newspapers and commercial broadcasters to chase the ratings to attract advertisers, having said that the commercial media are always telling us that they are doing a public service. This is where our "great British institution" the BBC should come into play with fair, even, and unbiased coverage of all sport and news covering any minor sport that would otherwise never see the light of day, but what do we get; wall to wall football. Quite right - but I wouldn't hold your breath. The BBC has a certain culture. Speedway, indeed Motor Sport in general, apart from Formula One now and again, do not fit in to that culture. Therefore - they don't show Speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipeslice Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 I'm sure if some riders came out and said that they were gay then the BBC would be all over the sport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 I'm sure if some riders came out and said that they were gay then the BBC would be all over the sport? Doubt it, but if there were Asian, Pakistani, and/or Bangladeshi Speedway Riders, you'd have wall to wall Speedway, all over the BBC channels!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Doubt it, but if there were Asian, Pakistani, and/or Bangladeshi Speedway Riders, you'd have wall to wall Speedway, all over the BBC channels!! Out of 'Likes' again. You could be right about that SS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waytogo28 Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 The BBC definitely does not offer fair, even and unbiased news coverage or sports coverage. I used to believe it does but it has increasingly failed over several issues. The National Press are in the main disinterested because there are so few of us ( supporters ), few clubs & riders ( ludicrous levels of doubling up ) The rules and the way speedway is run make it barely credible and there is almost total disinterest in speedway from from fans of other sports. Sadly that is nearer the truth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk127 Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Sadly not enough money in the sport with the right recognisable household name sponsors for it to feature on the general media radar. If it were sponsored by say a Santander or Barclays (other banks and financial institutions are available ) who carry weight through advertising their own products then speedway might just get a look in. With no evidence of joined up thinking amongst all the owners/promoters of clubs when it comes to publicising the product, piece meal coverage through local radio then it will remain at the same publicity level as tiddlywinks world championship. If it is the rules and farcical make up of teams is the reason that no one takes it seriously then if you promote like the WWE, everyone knows it's fixed, but they have characters that followers relate to, the story lines are poor but it entertains and that is why they can fill arenas week in week out. Speedway needs more than a series of GP's to get noticed. It is back to grass roots, make it affordable for punter and participant and create local heroes and bring back the characters on and off the track and dump the political correctness. Alternative is to keep the sport the best well kept secret until the last aging fan leaves the stadia. Please turn the lights off as you do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronScorpion Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Quite right - but I wouldn't hold your breath. The BBC has a certain culture. Speedway, indeed Motor Sport in general, apart from Formula One now and again, do not fit in to that culture. Therefore - they don't show Speedway. The BBC has always been biased. Take a look at SPOTY & 90% of its winners. They all come from BBC aired sports. Also, the "P" should be removed & changed to "W". Personality, you're having a laugh . It is for Sports Winner Of The Year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 (edited) One would think that a sport that 'goes left' so many times in every meeting, would suit the BBC down to the ground!!! ;-) Edited February 17, 2017 by Skidder1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 One would think that a sport that 'goes left' so many times in every meeting, would suit the BBC down to the ground!!! ;-) If you think so, why not drop a nice letter over to Terry Russell @ GoSpeed International Ltd, who looks after all the media interests of British Speedway. I'm sure that you'd be able to persuade him to ditch the SkySports deal and to hook up with the BBC instead. Without speedway being in the BBC stable, you won't get any of the other BBC associated TV coverage that the SPOTY contenders get. That said, praise has to go where it's due (or where the broadcasters are desperate lol) BBC RadioWM do provide an excellent radio coverage of the West Midlands teams. And that despite the fact that in the recent past, the now-chairman of the BSPA threw them out of the Norfolk Area mid-meeting as the BBC were trying to cover the Kings Lynn v Brummies meeting. So maybe with that legacy, having Buster "Dick Dastardly" Chapman in charge of the BSPA doesn't really act as a good incentive to the BBC, does it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 One would think that a sport that 'goes left' so many times in every meeting, would suit the BBC down to the ground!!! ;-) Clever, very clever Skidder1. :rofl: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Clever, very clever Skidder1. :rofl: Agreed!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyLeith Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 I think in general most tracks are reasonably well served by their local media/newspaper outlets. The main problem seems to be the national bodies although as has been well documented here the guest/doubling up-down situation doesn't help in that respect. Also speeway's inability to promote itself outwith it's own bubble remains an obstacle as Philip Rising has already pointed out. Anyway a good discussion spoilt slightly by a couple of irrelevant contributions by the Forum's resident racist/homophobic contributors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 People outside of Speedway (Potential supporters, sponsors, writers, well anyone really) will NOT take Speedway seriously whilst players play for two, even three teams) The powers that be, really don't seem to understand this....!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) The BBC has millions of pounds in its coffers from the licence fee so they cannot argue "no money" . Of which only a miniscule amount is allocated to Local Radio, currently well under 3% of licence fee revenue, split across 39 stations. If anything WM should be charging speedway for what is currently free advertising. The sport should thank goodness they can't. It takes a lot of justification for the BBC locals to opt out of the networked 7-10 slot and it would be so easy for WM to have given in and just used the dispensation for football. Speedway doesn't know how lucky it is to have BBC WM. If you think that BBC Local Radio is awash with money you haven't a clue of how it all works. Edited February 21, 2017 by rmc 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cheese Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 People outside of Speedway (Potential supporters, sponsors, writers, well anyone really) will NOT take Speedway seriously whilst players play for two, even three teams) The powers that be, really don't seem to understand this....!! Whilst it clearly leads to problems I don't see it as an issue for people not taking the sport seriously. It doesn't happen often I admit but in cricket you can have players loaned to other counties for one format of the game whilst still playing for their county in another. The problem is obviously the fixture clashes leading to missing riders not the actual riding for more than one team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Sprocket Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Of which only a miniscule amount is allocated to Local Radio, currently well under 3% of licence fee revenue, split across 39 stations. If anything WM should be charging speedway for what is currently free advertising. The sport should thank goodness they can't. It takes a lot of justification for the BBC locals to opt out of the networked 7-10 slot and it would be so easy for WM to have given in and just used the dispensation for football. Speedway doesn't know how lucky it is to have BBC WM. If you think that BBC Local Radio is awash with money you haven't a clue of how it all works. I don't believe it has anything to do with money. If the BBC charged sports for airtime then they would make a fortune from football, there would be no need for a licence fee. It seems to be left to what interests the presenters. Our local BBC radio will send up to three reporters all over the country and Europe to follow the local football team but to get them to come to our local speedway track about a mile from the studio is an impossible task. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Sprocket Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 The BBC definitely does not offer fair, even and unbiased news coverage or sports coverage. I used to believe it does but it has increasingly failed over several issues. The National Press are in the main disinterested because there are so few of us ( supporters ), few clubs & riders ( ludicrous levels of doubling up ) The rules and the way speedway is run make it barely credible and there is almost total disinterest in speedway from from fans of other sports. Sadly that is nearer the truth. I've just read this in a speedway magazine; "For months now speedway supporters have been protesting to the BBC against their decision not to broadcast speedway results at the end of the 10 p.m.news bulletin. In acknowledgment of the hundreds of letters sent the BBC have replied to the effect that after consideration they regret not being able to accede to the requests. Not the least of the difficulties involved is that meetings take place too late in the evening to be included in the 7.25 sports summary, and present commitments do not allow a regular place to be given in the later bulletins for league results." And the magazine? Monthly Speedway World. July !949. Nothing changes!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Very little national press coverage, but good local press, radio, and tv now and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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