Rising Crowds This Season?

[topsoil]

 

 

That's an impressive ratio attendance difference allthegearbutnaeidea. If this is happening nationwide and is maintained throughout the season the sport could be about to embark on one of its 'great revivals' as in the 1960s then again (?) the 1980s. In the south Rye House have been drawing good attendances.

For years fans have wondered why exact crowd numbers aren't published, but does it really matter? And even published figures are open to debate. For instance, do you include season ticket sales, even if the supporter doesn't attend that particular meeting? What about the under 16s who get in for free at the likes of Berwick, do you include those or just the paying public? Published crowd figures, like every other statistic, while handy to be used for comparison purposes, are just another cause for debate.

Rather than just crowd numbers, the sport should be concerned about core values like rider numbers (current and future), media exposure, keeping costs under control, providing entertainment, safety etc.

[ray c]

Speedway attendance's as always been a hidden mystery why ?@#

[Starman2006]

Somerset V Poole was massive, but then so it should have been.

[Guest]

Somerset V Poole was massive, but then so it should have been.

 

...and in a 'guesstimate' what could 'massive' be in total? 6,000 or about 1,500?

Speedway attendance's as always been a hidden mystery why ?@#

 

Indeed. A very good question.

[waytogo28]

Almost nothing useful can be judged at this point in the season. take good look at four consecutive matches from the start of June. That will still be only a visual judge but a more realistic one. To believe in a "great revival" is, I think, wishful thinking. The product i.e. speedway RACING with exciting passing ( at least being possible ) needs to be much more improved to hold onto existing fans as well as any new ones tempted in.

[Trevor]

I was once told, speedway crowd figures weren't announced to hide that information from the taxman.

[waiheke1]

I was once told, speedway crowd figures weren't announced to hide that information from the taxman.

maybe bsck in the day, but these days I'd be surprised if promotions are paying too much in Tax even on accurately stated revenue ...

And tbh attendance figures alone don't tell the taxman much, a 2000 attendance could include 500 kids and 1000 concessions.

[moxey63]

maybe bsck in the day, but these days I'd be surprised if promotions are paying too much in Tax even on accurately stated revenue ...

And tbh attendance figures alone don't tell the taxman much, a 2000 attendance could include 500 kids and 1000 concessions.

 

 

Perhaps it's been a sneaky way to avoid paying all that tax, purposely trying to reduce crowd figures these past four decades. I knew it!

Edited April 22, 2017 by moxey63

[Skid Sprocket]

For years fans have wondered why exact crowd numbers aren't published, but does it really matter? And even published figures are open to debate. For instance, do you include season ticket sales, even if the supporter doesn't attend that particular meeting? What about the under 16s who get in for free at the likes of Berwick, do you include those or just the paying public? Published crowd figures, like every other statistic, while handy to be used for comparison purposes, are just another cause for debate.

Rather than just crowd numbers, the sport should be concerned about core values like rider numbers (current and future), media exposure, keeping costs under control, providing entertainment, safety etc.

It matters more that they aren't published because that raises the more serious question "why aren't numbers published?" There is no reason why this can't be run alongside the other concerns mentioned.

 

Every person passing through the gate should be counted no matter what the paying status, that is the attendance figure.

[teaboy279]

But in truth how many sports actually publish attendance figures?

[iris123]

But in truth how many sports actually publish attendance figures?

Here is a list that might help

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attendance_figures_at_domestic_professional_sports_leagues

[Skid Sprocket]

This debate about publishing attendance figure has come round again for the umpteenth time.

 

Can we have a poll set up to see what members want?

 

Does anyone know how to set up a poll?

[Halifaxtiger]

Workington was up slightly but, I fear, not by enough.

[steve roberts]

This debate about publishing attendance figure has come round again for the umpteenth time.

 

Can we have a poll set up to see what members want?

 

Does anyone know how to set up a poll?

If I recall the Speedway Star used to quote the British attendance figures during a short trial basis?

[waytogo28]

So assuming that the total average for one match of all the premiership clubs is less than 20,000 and certainly ditto for the championship there may be less than 50,000 UK fans in total and that's being generous I suspect. Add in another 10,000 TV fans who never go to a match If that is the case you cannot run the sport in the way it is now ( with the outgoings it has now ) And you cannot afford many more leakages of fans. Hopefully my guesstimates are wrong but I feel that if they are, then not by much.

[teaboy279]

I ve seen photos on Facebook from stoke, and by stoke standards it looked a very healthy crowd.

[Piotr Pyszny]

So assuming that the total average for one match of all the premiership clubs is less than 20,000 and certainly ditto for the championship there may be less than 50,000 UK fans in total and that's being generous I suspect.

 

I'd agree. The British GP attendance is probably about the sum total of remaining fans.

 

I was at Redcar versus Ipswich on April 20th, as a neutral. Doubt there were 500 watching. Got talking to a woman before the meeting. She said she was the promoter's wife. Having been a regular at Cleveland Park between 1991 and 1996, when I worked on Teesside, I asked her about Redcar's crowds this season. She said the previous week's, for a cup-tie with Peterborough, had been "good" - then added it was 581. IIRC, in the club's last season, 1996, Middlesbrough Bears' attendances rarely dropped below 850.

[LagutaRacingFan]

The fact that we're going to have a Labour government in June is creating consumer confidence.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Jeremy Corbyn Fan

[Phil The Ace]

Belle vues have been good.

 

Leicester meeting Friday less so. About 1300 on Friday

[George Dodds]

I was once told, speedway crowd figures weren't announced to hide that information from the taxman.

a common allegation but I I have pointed out on a number of occasions the taxman collects VAT on the basis of detailed verified returns rather than looking at the local newspaper (or internet forum). In history only football and to a lesser extent rugby have ever published crowd figures - I've never seen detailed attendances from cricket, ice hockey etc - surely you aren't suggesting are not all conning HMRC?