Kings Lynn 2018..

[MattK]

 

It is difficult to see where these ' More Customers' are coming from. Group 1 is an Elite fan, dwindling in numbers but diehard to the end. But they are a dying breed that will continue to disappear. Group 2, is a lost cause. The promotors had the opportunity to look after these valued fans but failed miserably. It will be very difficult to entice them back again. Which leaves us only with Group 3. For the sport to stand any chance of survival, it has to appeal to new fans. To do that, we need to put on a better show that will generate excitement and atmosphere at a cost most can afford. These new fans will not know of riders like Dolye, Holder, Woffy, so to pay top dollar for these would be of little importance. The product needs to be simple and straight forward. no stupid rules. One rider one team, someone the fans can relate with as their rider. We need to go back in time when the sport was so simple and appealing...

 

Your assessment is far too negative.

 

Group 1 - what do clubs do to reward loyalty? I don't know about KL, but at Swindon there is nothing. Clubs should be working much harder to reward their diehard fans in order to stop them drifting into group 2. Simple things such as attend five meetings and get a pit tour, attend 10 meetings and get to watch a heat from the centre green, attend 20 meetings and get a meet'n'greet with your favourite rider. All things that cost the club NOTHING, except effort. In turn, use your most loyal and diehard fans to actively promote speedway. Set up some kind of referral scheme where fans can introduce newcomers. Gamify it by having leagues tables of the fans who have introduced the most newbies. Get the fans competing against each other. There are plenty of options in this space.

 

Group 2 - firstly you need to understand why these fans have been lost. I used to be a regular at Swindon, but I've stopped going mainly because the racing is rubbish. Even the meetings I've watch on TV this year have been poor. In my opinion there are two main reasons for this. Firstly the gap in quality between riders is vast. This started with the draft, but unfortunately has got worse. Secondly, the track at Swindon is very poor. However, these are the problems, what are the solutions? Offer fans some kind of incentive to return. Discount entry, hospitality package or something along those lines. I can't remember receiving an email from Swindon in the last two years, so there is plenty of scope to try and win back these lost supporters.

 

Group 3 - I don't agree with your assessment of "I still feel that anybody, that was interested in bike racing, would take it upon themselves to locate and watch". I've spoken to several people who actively follow other types of bike racing, but have never been to speedway. This is an easy group to target. However, I think there is an even bigger untapped market among the general public. I used to work for the largest employer in Swindon. Out of 6,000 people I knew four of us who went to speedway. Yet I never once saw a single poster, leaflet let alone a staff discount or other type of promotion in any of our offices to try and attract new fans.

 

​Now, I appreciate there is a huge difference between getting people through the gates once and them returning on a regular basis, but I feel most clubs lack a strategy to address either.

[Haza]

How about making season tickets a more viable thing to buy rather than just saving one meeting how about save 4 meetings if bought before January 1st and offer £20 off as well if you live 35 miles from the stadium - I always used to buy one but with little incentive there really is no point - in fact 2017 season ticket holders paid more than if theyd paid on the gate .

[Woz01]

How about making season tickets a more viable thing to buy rather than just saving one meeting how about save 4 meetings if bought before January 1st and offer £20 off as well if you live 35 miles from the stadium - I always used to buy one but with little incentive there really is no point - in fact 2017 season ticket holders paid more than if theyd paid on the gate .

This. My football club also do a 6 or 12 match packages for those that can't attend every match, speedway could do something similar.

Edited November 2, 2017 by woz01

[waytogo28]

GRW123 ended his excellent post with " It is difficult to see where these ' More Customers' are coming from. Group 1 is an Elite fan, dwindling in numbers but diehard to the end. But they are a dying breed that will continue to disappear. Group 2, is a lost cause. The promotors had the opportunity to look after these valued fans but failed miserably. It will be very difficult to entice them back again. Which leaves us only with Group 3. For the sport to stand any chance of survival, it has to appeal to new fans. To do that, we need to put on a better show that will generate excitement and atmosphere at a cost most can afford. These new fans will not know of riders like Dolye, Holder, Woffy, so to pay top dollar for these would be of little importance. The product needs to be simple and straight forward. no stupid rules. One rider one team, someone the fans can relate with as their rider. We need to go back in time when the sport was so simple and appealing...

The comments JC posted was so constructive and necessary. I don't agree with all he wrote about averages, but the majority was spot on. Unless we can find a recipe to restructure this sport , we haven't many years left. The sooner we start planning the better."

I have just slipped from, his No1. Group ( Go every week it's on ) to No2. ( it will take a lot to get me to go back regularly ) . It's got to go back to something like - if not - as it was, for me to go back. Yes I appreciate the skills of Doyle and Iversen etc but I agree that it needs to go back to a simple and more appealing sport if it is ever going to attract some of the general public. All fans attending need to feel they are part of something and they need to go home feeling that the racing was close enough to bother to go back to next time. It does all come down to VFM. If I saw 15 good races with passing of some kind ( or the distinct possibility of it ) after the 2nd bend I would pay again.

[BWitcher]

 

It is very difficult to see past the costing of decent standard speedway. To retain anything like the standard we once had we have to attract more paying customers.

 

Paying customers can be grouped into 3 categories:-

1, Diehard Supporters who go every week.

2, Old supporters, who once use to go, but don't anymore...

3, The general public who have never been to a meeting in their life.

 

Taking Group 1, These are the main bread providers, fans who live and die the sport and go each week. They enjoy the excitement, the environment, the atmosphere. They can also remember when times were good and the crowds were far bigger than they are now. They want to hang on to what we once had, but in truth it will never be the same as it was in the past. They know all the top rides and can relate to the quality they provide. They have seen the standard of the sport drop and want to hang on to what there is left....

 

Group 2, These were once the same as group 1, but over time their support has disappeared. They have seen the standard drop, and the prices going up, and felt they have had enough. They have seen the number of races dwindle, more breaks and feel no connection with the club. The VFM aspect has all but gone.

 

Group 3, This is the open question, Can the sport appeal to the General Public. Even with the lack of promoting, I still feel that anybody, that was interested in bike racing, would take it upon themselves to locate and watch. So one has to assume most of those in this group has, at some time been to a meeting. The fact that the sport failed to retain their interest, indicates they didn't like what they saw.

 

It is difficult to see where these ' More Customers' are coming from. Group 1 is an Elite fan, dwindling in numbers but diehard to the end. But they are a dying breed that will continue to disappear. Group 2, is a lost cause. The promotors had the opportunity to look after these valued fans but failed miserably. It will be very difficult to entice them back again. Which leaves us only with Group 3. For the sport to stand any chance of survival, it has to appeal to new fans. To do that, we need to put on a better show that will generate excitement and atmosphere at a cost most can afford. These new fans will not know of riders like Dolye, Holder, Woffy, so to pay top dollar for these would be of little importance. The product needs to be simple and straight forward. no stupid rules. One rider one team, someone the fans can relate with as their rider. We need to go back in time when the sport was so simple and appealing...

 

The comments JC posted was so constructive and necessary. I don't agree with all he wrote about averages, but the majority was spot on. Unless we can find a recipe to restructure this sport , we haven't many years left. The sooner we start planning the better.

 

Your assessment is that of a guaranteed business loser. Period.

 

You' and promoters are offering absolutely nothing and your ONLY basis is "newcomers won't know the difference'. Absolute nonsense. They might not for their first meeting, if they happen to stick around they will find out within a couple of weeks.

 

You still have not grasped that your 'excellent' strategy has now been tried about fifteen times over the last 20 years or so and it has FAILED EVERY SINGLE TIME and only made the problem worse.

[Theboss]

 

Your assessment is that of a guaranteed business loser. Period.

 

You' and promoters are offering absolutely nothing and your ONLY basis is "newcomers won't know the difference'. Absolute nonsense. They might not for their first meeting, if they happen to stick around they will find out within a couple of weeks.

 

You still have not grasped that your 'excellent' strategy has now been tried about fifteen times over the last 20 years or so and it has FAILED EVERY SINGLE TIME and only made the problem worse.

Sorry but so far you have said nothing to make me not think you are the one talking 'nonsense'.

 

I believe the stars best days were in the Premier League. I can confirm we certainly had bigger crowds for what is supposedly an 'inferior product'.

 

Maybe the secret was something to do with the lower admission prices, riders passionate about their team, regular meetings and above all good promotion including theme nights in the summer weeks.

 

We had no sky money to inject over those years yet I can confirm the club went from making a loss in the Lawrence Rogers days to making a profit during the years I was there.

 

It has been done before and could be done again but paying over the odds for top riders in the belief they draw in bigger crowds is not the way to go.

[BWitcher]

Sorry but so far you have said nothing to make me not think you are the one talking 'nonsense'.

 

 

Bless. If was talking nonsense this conversation wouldn't even be taking place.

 

You were doing well in that period because you were winning things.

Edited November 2, 2017 by BWitcher

[MattK]

I believe the stars best days were in the Premier League. I can confirm we certainly had bigger crowds for what is supposedly an 'inferior product'.

 

When King's Lynn moved up to the Elite League, was there a noticeable increase in crowds? What was the %age increase in costs between the two leagues?

[B.V 72]

Sorry but so far you have said nothing to make me not think you are the one talking 'nonsense'.

 

I believe the stars best days were in the Premier League. I can confirm we certainly had bigger crowds for what is supposedly an 'inferior product'.

 

Maybe the secret was something to do with the lower admission prices, riders passionate about their team, regular meetings and above all good promotion including theme nights in the summer weeks.

 

We had no sky money to inject over those years yet I can confirm the club went from making a loss in the Lawrence Rogers days to making a profit during the years I was there.

 

It has been done before and could be done again but paying over the odds for top riders in the belief they draw in bigger crowds is not the way to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can perhaps agree that Championship(old Premier level) is the way to go with the odd exception we are nearly there all ready.But your first post on the subject was not saying that you have said get rid of any rider over a six point average that would mean that out of 56 riders in this years top league you would get rid of 32 of them and god knows how many Championship level riders this would affect as well.

There would be no riders of any quality left and I cannot see fans queuing up to pay good money to watch such poor quality speedway.

[Star Lady]

Sorry but so far you have said nothing to make me not think you are the one talking 'nonsense'.

I believe the stars best days were in the Premier League. I can confirm we certainly had bigger crowds for what is supposedly an 'inferior product'.

Maybe the secret was something to do with the lower admission prices, riders passionate about their team, regular meetings and above all good promotion including theme nights in the summer weeks.

We had no sky money to inject over those years yet I can confirm the club went from making a loss in the Lawrence Rogers days to making a profit during the years I was there.

It has been done before and could be done again but paying over the odds for top riders in the belief they draw in bigger crowds is not the way to go.

JC don't waste your breath. The fact that you have been there and done it, not to mention your other successful business dealings cuts no ice with BWitcher who appears to know it all. Maybe BWitcher should put money into a promotion if he is so sure he has the winning formula.

[BWitcher]

JC don't waste your breath. The fact that you have been there and done it, not to mention your other successful business dealings cuts no ice with BWitcher who appears to know it all. Maybe BWitcher should put money into a promotion if he is so sure he has the winning formula.

 

When did I say I had the winning formula?

 

I've told you categorically, 100%, without even a shadow of a doubt that implement the proposal he put forward of no riders above a 6.00 average from last years top flight and you will have a number of clubs close, clubs that have been traditionally very stable.

 

It won't happen anyway, even the BSPA aren't stupid enough to go with such a nonsensical idea.

[semion]

 

 

 

It won't happen anyway, even the BSPA aren't stupid enough to go with such a nonsensical idea.

BWitcher, are you a great believer in history teaching us things for the future ? If so you would agree that of course the BSPA are stupid enough to do anything.

[BWitcher]

BWitcher, are you a great believer in history teaching us things for the future ? If so you would agree that of course the BSPA are stupid enough to do anything.

 

Not even the BSPA could try this.

[semion]

Now Im not one for Blowing Smoke up peoples Jackseys. However when JC was in situ at Saddlebow the place had a certain vibe about it from the Minute you walked into the place. It was the sort of vibe that made you think it was going to be a decent nights entertainment, Even when Lynn were taking most team's to the Cleaners and racing wasn't always that. Micman Bennett, certainly added to the entertainment factor. JC's theme nights, the kids looked forward to it every week throughout the School Hols.

 

Difficult to really put your finger on what it was that made it all click, but click it did. The man behind it all was certainly JC. I didn't agree with everything the guy did ( Huggy getting a public dressing down which saw him walk out being one), but he certainly had something to offer Speedway. I would suggest Speedway at Lynn hasn't been the same since the parting of the ways with him and Buster.

 

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Edited November 2, 2017 by semion

[waytogo28]

 

When did I say I had the winning formula?

 

I've told you categorically, 100%, without even a shadow of a doubt that implement the proposal he put forward of no riders above a 6.00 average from last years top flight and you will have a number of clubs close, clubs that have been traditionally very stable.

 

It won't happen anyway, even the BSPA aren't stupid enough to go with such a nonsensical idea.

 

A number of clubs ARE going to close either before next season or at the end of next season. Most are not viable without TV money or a major sponsor coming in with a major contribution.

[Woz01]

 

A number of clubs ARE going to close either before next season or at the end of next season. Most are not viable without TV money or a major sponsor coming in with a major contribution.

Which clubs are these?

[BWitcher]

Now Im not one for Blowing Smoke up peoples Jackseys. However when JC was in situ at Saddlebow the place had a certain vibe about it from the Minute you walked into the place. It was the sort of vibe that made you think it was going to be a decent nights entertainment, Even when Lynn were taking most team's to the Cleaners and racing wasn't always that. Micman Bennett, certainly added to the entertainment factor. JC's theme nights, the kids looked forward to it every week throughout the School Hols.

 

Difficult to really put your finger on what it was that made it all click, but click it did. The man behind it all was certainly JC. I didn't agree with everything the guy did ( Huggy getting a public dressing down which saw him walk out being one), but he certainly had something to offer Speedway. I would suggest Speedway at Lynn hasn't been the same since the parting of the ways with him and Buster.

 

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

Now all of this I agree with. When JC was getting involved and promoting the Super Seven (think that was the name) as well I had high hopes. It's pretty clear things have gone downhill since.

[Theboss]

Which clubs are these?

The ones who don't have wealthy owners or multiple sponsors willing to bridge the gap between their revenue and expenditure which is set to increase this year due to multiple factors including a weakened currency and no financial reward for TV rights.

[mrss]

Why do people keep banging on about the the time that JC was at the AFA. He doesn't work there anymore so it's time to move on.

[Theboss]

 

Now all of this I agree with. When JC was getting involved and promoting the Super Seven (think that was the name) as well I had high hopes. It's pretty clear things have gone downhill since.

Thank you, that was a project I was enthused by and enjoyed every moment of it as much as the fans did. I was ahead of the GP's with the riders signings before meetings and the sexy7even grid girls, who in fact IMG asked me to supply for the next two Cardiff GPs (this eventually led to the launch of the monster girls I believe).

 

Of course the inevitable happened and some green eyed monsters decided they wanted to take it over and receive the glory for it.

Why do people keep banging on about the the time that JC was at the AFA. He doesn't work there anymore so it's time to move on.

So you don't believe the past should be used as a reference?

 

If not then how would you suggest civilization ever evolves. I have lots of examples where using the past as a reference has improved the world we live in but would I be wasting my time in pointing some of them out to you?