Rising Crowds This Season?

[Garry1603]

I can think of two possibilities.

 

Tax reasons as has been mentioned before.

 

or

 

PR reasons - who is going to come out on a cold night to support a Sport that can only attract a few hundred people and a dog. Far better to leave folk in their ignorance and hope that they come along anyway. I am sure that if you published very low numbers - it would probably put people off.

 

 

Sadly, this is true.

[ray c]

One thing for sure Poole's​ gate is down after the meetings we have had this season there are lots of empty spaces in the grandstand alone. I would say not many more than a thousand at the most

[The White Knight]

One thing for sure Poole's​ gate is down after the meetings we have had this season there are lots of empty spaces in the grandstand alone. I would say not many more than a thousand at the most

Probably because Poole don't look like winning the League at the moment. I am sure the Gates will improve when you have a winning Team to support.

 

Holder at reserve would be good.

 

Some of us would just like a Team to support - never mind a winning one as I know from my time at Sunderland in the Sixties and Seventies.

[ray c]

Probably because Poole don't look like winning the League at the moment. I am sure the Gates will improve when you have a winning Team to support.

 

Holder at reserve would be good.

 

Some of us would just like a Team to support - never mind a winning one as I know from my time at Sunderland in the Sixties and Seventies.

I think been a trend at poole over last couple of year's

[cityrebel]

From a very good start, the crowds at the last few meetings I have attended have declined. This usually happens every season when the enthusiasm wears off.

[iris123]

From a very good start, the crowds at the last few meetings I have attended have declined. This usually happens every season when the enthusiasm wears off.

Nothing to do with the weather?I ask,because it has been pretty dismal here.Might make my first trip to Sittingbourne monday to help boost the crowd,as long as the weather looks ok

[keef robin]

Four blank Thursdays in a row for Swindon, won't keep the fans interested, especially as they are on a 5 match unbeaten run.

The weather makes a massive difference.

[Piotr Pyszny]

They used to average around 1200 in 2004/5 when I watched them, but I've heard the crowds have dropped to as low as 750/800. In the same time Swindon's have probably gone from averaging around 2000 to around 1400. Always guarantee big crowd when Poole visit. With no new stadium in sight cant see crowds increasing. Unfortunately well- supported Coventry are no more.Good to see bigger crowds in Manchester.

It seemed a few years ago line-ups weakened every year and prices increased every year.

Clubs should look at IOW, actively promoting the sport has led to good crowd increases in an area of a small population.

When I have spoken to people about speedway most are put off by the admission cost.

 

A source close to the Redcar promoter told me the crowd for the recent Peterborough cup-tie was 581. And she described that as "good". Enough said! I was at Berwick last month and I doubt the attendance topped 350. The locals told me crowds had dropped off alarmingly after a promising start because of the team's on-track failings. "Berwick people love to vote with their feet," a regular informed.

One thing for sure Poole's​ gate is down after the meetings we have had this season there are lots of empty spaces in the grandstand alone. I would say not many more than a thousand at the most

 

Can any regular supporters (I haven't been one for a decade) estimate which speedway clubs still attract 1,000-plus attendances?

Edited May 5, 2017 by Piotr Pyszny

[steve roberts]

 

A source close to the Redcar promoter told me the crowd for the recent Peterborough cup-tie was 581. And she described that as "good". Enough said! I was at Berwick last month and I doubt the attendance topped 350. The locals told me crowds had dropped off alarmingly after a promising start because of the team's on-track failings. "Berwick people love to vote with their feet," a regular informed.

 

Can any regular supporters (I haven't been one for a decade) estimate which speedway clubs still attract 1,000-plus attendances?

That's alarming if accurate. No way that present day speedway can be sustainable on those sort of attendances.

[Sidney the robin]

Probably because Poole don't look like winning the League at the moment. I am sure the Gates will improve when you have a winning Team to support.

 

Holder at reserve would be good.

 

Some of us would just like a Team to support - never mind a winning one as I know from my time at Sunderland in the Sixties and Seventies.

How strange and fickle it is to just go when you are winning? surely it is about enjoying the racing.

[steve roberts]

How strange and fickle it is to just go when you are winning? surely it is about enjoying the racing.

You and I together Sid would have been well used to seasons spent struggling...but as you correctly say it's the racing that is surely important.

 

I well remember the years when Poole were not the most attractive of visitors...and Malcolm Simmons was often their saving grace.

[Halifaxtiger]

How strange and fickle it is to just go when you are winning?

 

Huge number - possibly the majority - are like that.

 

I went to Plymouth last night. Good racing, no dust (remarkably, given how windy it was) and all done in 90 minutes.

 

On the Devils forum, most comments are about not going again.

[waytogo28]

At the heart of the matter is the quality of racing on offer - almost everywhere ( yes of course there are a handful of tracks where racing is consistenly good ) but all too often the match reports themselves talk of poor tracks where racing is made very difficult for riders to "have a real go" - which is what most fans want to see. After the winter break we all get that "Yahoo! a new season dawns - I can't wait" feeling, which sadly is more and more diluted after 3 or 4 matches, all too often. Even at the GP level the Krsko racing was dire - hardly worth watching - so if they can't get it right and it MUST be someone's fault ( overwatering on the day there it seems ) what hope is there for domestic racing? I will give it one more week, reluctantly, at KL for the match V Leicester BUT if that is equally poor entertainment I will call it a day after 60 years. Speedway can't seem to "heal itself" regardless of who runs the BSPA. What is on sale each week is not satisfying the fans any more - so change what you sell or close down! With crowds of less than 1,000 on a regular basis it is not viable as a sport.

[Halifaxtiger]

At the heart of the matter is the quality of racing on offer - almost everywhere ( yes of course there are a handful of tracks where racing is consistenly good ) but all too often the match reports themselves talk of poor tracks where racing is made very difficult for riders to "have a real go" - which is what most fans want to see. After the winter break we all get that "Yahoo! a new season dawns - I can't wait" feeling, which sadly is more and more diluted after 3 or 4 matches, all too often. Even at the GP level the Krsko racing was dire - hardly worth watching - so if they can't get it right and it MUST be someone's fault ( overwatering on the day there it seems ) what hope is there for domestic racing? I will give it one more week, reluctantly, at KL for the match V Leicester BUT if that is equally poor entertainment I will call it a day after 60 years. Speedway can't seem to "heal itself" regardless of who runs the BSPA. What is on sale each week is not satisfying the fans any more - so change what you sell or close down! With crowds of less than 1,000 on a regular basis it is not viable as a sport.

 

I'd like very much to agree with you but that isn't correct. Winning counts spectacularly for some - one or two home defeats and they are leaving in droves and the quality of the speedway really doesn't matter.

 

Berwick is one example. Apparently the racing is better than ever but a couple of home losses and big gates are now down to 350. Scunthorpe is the other. In my view, the best racing track in the country but their gates are poor, almost certainly because of their home record.

Edited May 6, 2017 by Halifaxtiger

[steve roberts]

 

I'd like very much to agree with you but that isn't correct. Winning counts spectacularly for some - one or two home defeats and they are leaving in droves and the quality of the speedway really doesn't matter.

 

Berwick is one example. Apparently the racing is better than ever but a couple of home losses and big gates are now down to 350. Scunthorpe is the other. In my view, the best racing track in the country but their gates are poor, almost certainly because of their home record.

It seems the way of everything now...that winning is the most important thing to most people.

 

Always makes me laugh when people 'adopt' football teams...it's never Hartlepool or Brentford but generally the bigger clubs where success is based upon trophies and television exposure. Jumping on the notorious 'band wagon'.

 

I recall a work experience student I had contact with adopting Blackburn Rovers based purely on that they had just won the Championship...couldn't tell me where Blackburn were geographically however when I asked him!

[Piotr Pyszny]

At the heart of the matter is the quality of racing on offer - almost everywhere ( yes of course there are a handful of tracks where racing is consistenly good ) but all too often the match reports themselves talk of poor tracks where racing is made very difficult for riders to "have a real go" - which is what most fans want to see. After the winter break we all get that "Yahoo! a new season dawns - I can't wait" feeling, which sadly is more and more diluted after 3 or 4 matches, all too often. Even at the GP level the Krsko racing was dire - hardly worth watching - so if they can't get it right and it MUST be someone's fault ( overwatering on the day there it seems ) what hope is there for domestic racing? I will give it one more week, reluctantly, at KL for the match V Leicester BUT if that is equally poor entertainment I will call it a day after 60 years. Speedway can't seem to "heal itself" regardless of who runs the BSPA. What is on sale each week is not satisfying the fans any more - so change what you sell or close down! With crowds of less than 1,000 on a regular basis it is not viable as a sport.

 

My experience of speedway, which goes back to the mid-1970s, indicates quality of racing has relatively little effect on the size of crowds. For example: between 1991 and 1996, a spell in which I worked on Teesside, I watched Boro Bears most weeks at Cleveland Park. During the last couple of seasons in particular, the racing was superb - and many meetings went to last-heat deciders. Yet the crowd, certainly in 1996, averaged only 850. The promoter told me every home match cost him a grand. It's why he pulled the plug on Cleveland Bays after their one and only meeting at Cleveland Park attracted a 'crowd' of 150. Unsustainable! The Redcar-Ipswich match I saw last month had an attendance of about 450. As you say, speedway in Britain cannot possibly have a future with crowds that small.

 

It's not all bad news, though. My wife, a solicitor from the posh part of Surrey (so, probably not what you'd term an average speedway attendee), accompanied me recently to meetings at Redcar and Berwick. And loved it! She'd never seen speedway before (we met nine years ago, a little after the point at which I decided to stop watching because I felt the sport no longer offered value for money), but described it as "exciting" and a "fun evening". Indeed, the other day she asked: "When are we going to speedway again?"

[keef robin]

A source close to the Redcar promoter told me the crowd for the recent Peterborough cup-tie was 581. And she described that as "good". Enough said! I was at Berwick last month and I doubt the attendance topped 350. The locals told me crowds had dropped off alarmingly after a promising start because of the team's on-track failings. "Berwick people love to vote with their feet," a regular informed.

 

 

Can any regular supporters (I haven't been one for a decade) estimate which speedway clubs still attract 1,000-plus attendances?

 

Swindon Zummerzet Poole Wolves Belle Vue don't know about the other 3 clubs? Wouldn't have thought many other clubs get over 1000.

With the quality of racing at OTA deserve big crowds regularly...a fantastic venue. Cov always got decent crowds. Swindon used to get 4-10000 when I went 60s/70s.

Edited May 6, 2017 by beefy keefy

[Sidney the robin]

You and I together Sid would have been well used to seasons spent struggling...but as you correctly say it's the racing that is surely important.

 

I well remember the years when Poole were not the most attractive of visitors...and Malcolm Simmons was often their saving grace.

Poole were a poor team for a number of years, and in 1982 were rock bottom with only 9 points and that was with Autrey and Davis in the side.I think that is where something has to change now ENTERTAINMENT should come before winning that is why it is a myth about bringing the GP stars back would improve the racing.Last year the NL fixture between Swindon v Coventry was one of the best meetings i saw last year so just shows you any level of racing can be entertaining.

[keef robin]

I think fans aren't interested in one-sided matches, these 60 plus v.20 plus scores. All 3 matches I've seen this year have been exciting last heat deciders.

Edited May 6, 2017 by beefy keefy

[steve roberts]

Poole were a poor team for a number of years, and in 1982 were rock bottom with only 9 points and that was with Autrey and Davis in the side.I think that is where something has to change now ENTERTAINMENT should come before winning that is why it is a myth about bringing the GP stars back would improve the racing.Last year the NL fixture between Swindon v Coventry was one of the best meetings i saw last year so just shows you any level of racing can be entertaining.

1983 was a fabulous season racing wise at Cowley before we moved up into the British League with the stars (Nielsen, Wigg etc) and the racing continued to be excellent but with good results also. I count myself lucky having enjoyed both disciplines at Oxford.