Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

2018 Grand Prix Venues


Recommended Posts

Teterow is obviously on the calendar because BSI needed to fulfil a certain number of GPs, and Finland wasn't working out. Get somewhere that's as cheap as possible, preferably in an area where there's some sort of pre-existing support, and don't worry too much about the location and facilities.

 

In Britain the situation hasn't arisen because there's already a good venue being used, and the Welsh government is willing to subsidise the GP. The question though, is whether second GP at a much smaller and more poorly appointed venue would add anything?

 

With Coventry out of the equation now, there's really no decent mid-sized venues capable of hosting a GP.

 

 

The Poles can't make Warsaw pay? Astonishing...

 

I also thought there was a requirement for covered stadiums if possible? Wroclaw is hardly a step forward in that direction.

I NEVER said Wroclaw would be a substitute for Warsaw and with Torun signing a new three-year deal have to think that Gorzow might be vulnerable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or is it...

 

No doubt Poland, Sweden and Denmark will all get 2 GPs again while we get need just the one, YAY!

 

or possibly

 

No doubt Poland, Sweden and Denmark will all get 2 GPs again while we get want just the one, YAY!

We don't need any, British Speedway gets nothing out of Cardiff ...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

But apart from fantastic exposure for the sport, a great day out for 40,000 fans, a fee paid to the BSPA and the sport being showcased in an professional, modern thinking way... .

 

What has the British Speedway GP ever done for us???

 

(Apologies to Monty Python)!

Edited by mikebv
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

APART from exposure, a great day out for 40,000 plus fans and a fee paid to the BSPA ...

First I've heard of a fee paid to the BSPA, how many thousands of pounds is that then?

 

Exposure ..... come watch our GP riders race on your British tracks? Watch British Speedway in stadiums akin to Cardiff?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

APART from exposure, a great day out for 40,000 plus fans and a fee paid to the BSPA ...

 

I'm sure the local FAs, Rugby Unions and Cricket Boards are highly grateful to FIFA, UEFA, World Rugby and the ICC when they bring their World Cups to their shores because they're giving everyone a great day out. I'm sure they don't expect any money in return for hosting in their territories.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CANNOT see Stockholm continuing beyond this year. Current state of Swedish speedway remains a big issue and without the pulling power of some star names - what a difference Tony R Rickardsson in his prime would make - the Friends Arena isn't viable.

 

Think you can safely add Warsaw to the list above, new stadiums in Poland including the revamped Wroclaw could come into the equation.

 

Might even be two in Denmark again.

Think they will only go back to Denmark if there is nowhere else to go or Ole Olsen can get a mates rate staging fee. The GP in Denmark seems to have found its level in a 12,500 capacity football stadium after coming down from the national stadium (40,000) capacity to Vojens (20,000) capacity. Unfortunately for BSI the only markets with any growth or stability seems to be Britain and Poland. I include Prague in that as it is full with Brits and Poles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There aren't a great deal of fresh markets they can tap into - I guess they are hoping they can make a success of the GP Challenge at Togliatti, as a Russian GP would be one of the few new alternatives open to them.

If memory serves me correctly, at one time or another, they have already tried Austria, Croatia, Finland, Italy, New Zealand and Norway, as well as the countries currently staging GPs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There aren't a great deal of fresh markets they can tap into - I guess they are hoping they can make a success of the GP Challenge at Togliatti, as a Russian GP would be one of the few new alternatives open to them.

If memory serves me correctly, at one time or another, they have already tried Austria, Croatia, Finland, Italy, New Zealand and Norway, as well as the countries currently staging GPs.

 

I'd acknowledge that speedway is a hard sell outside of 3 or 4 countries, and even within those countries these days. The sport is quite regional in its popularity, has a difficult demographic to market, and as result almost zero mainstream exposure.

 

However, the SGP just seems to burn its bridges everywhere it goes. BSI seem far more interested in collecting their staging fees wherever they can, and don't seem to make a lot of effort to promote these GPs or ensure they provide a good experience for the people who do turn up. Inappropriate or insufficiently inspected stadiums, and poor quality tracks ensure that even if people turn up out of interest once, they don't bother again.

 

The legacy of GPs outside of Britain and Poland has been an initial surge of interest in the first GP staged there, but then a decline until the GP gets dropped with ridiculous excuses being given. How many times have we had Philippe on here bigging up a new GP, only to be making excuses post-GP about the various problems experienced (lessons will be learned etc.. etc..), and finally to blame the local promoters when the GP inevitably falls off the calendar?

 

Fair enough, you can't expect every venue to work out, but it's all become a very predictable pattern. At some point you have to ask why there's seemingly little requirement for local promotion or quality control of the GPs.

Edited by Humphrey Appleby
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Surely Belle Vue has to be in consideration as a 2nd UK venue?

When MCC complete Belle Vue as promised and with the addition of temporary stands on the bottom bends, the capacity is the same as Prague and just short of a few others.

Roads, Car Parks, Facilities, Space etc all go against the NSS but the big problem is how much it would cost to put on and certainly be run at a loss

 

 

Cardiff and Warsaw are brilliant GPs run in massive stadiums and under a roof if required and the man made tracks are now very good. We should be looking at more like this and while the 89 final in Munich was terrible on top of the running track, I'm sure with the way football clubs are now we could see stadiums in Germany, Italy etc coming into the calendar in future years.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Roads, Car Parks, Facilities, Space etc all go against the NSS but the big problem is how much it would cost to put on and certainly be run at a loss

 

 

Cardiff and Warsaw are brilliant GPs run in massive stadiums and under a roof if required and the man made tracks are now very good. We should be looking at more like this and while the 89 final in Munich was terrible on top of the running track, I'm sure with the way football clubs are now we could see stadiums in Germany, Italy etc coming into the calendar in future years.

Think Warsaw and Cardiff are the only 2 long term stadium GP's . I expect this to be the last GP at Stockholm and the Aussie GP to eventually go the same way due to costs. After the Gelsenkirchen fiasco there won't be another stadium GP in Germany and in Italy the GP's were dropped because of poor crowds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy