Rye House 2018

[westhamboy66]

1 hour ago, Dave Stummings said:

I read with interest the stadium cross track that has appeared on the centre green at Rye House. The stadium, as in Len’s day, isn’t cheap to run and as many activities need to be run to enable to keep the stadium a viable proposition. Let’s not forget when Len sold the lease to Warren Scott that also included the go-karts, which must give a fairly good rental income. Was it a mistake to perhaps remove the dog racing?

My personal view is Rye should have stayed second tier and therefore could have kept that Saturday night mantle. With more clubs in the second tier and a good crop of riders to, we could have had variety. But alas we have the boring top tier, but of course many will say Rye was brilliant last year, really?

But let’s look at the reasons why staying in the Championship didn’t happen.

When Len became involved with Central Park, Sittingbourne [Kent Kings] in 2013 it was a stone’s throw from where he lived. While he was running Rye House he would spend time sleeping in a caravan as well as being co-promoter at Kent, it was obvious he couldn’t do both.

So Len decides to sell Rye House to Warren Scott. The stadium was, let’s be honest becoming very run down and new blood was needed. So the last year of Len’s reign, at the start of the season we were told there would be improvements you would see every week at the stadium. Well that never happened, a part from the flower bed by the turnstiles.

Len leaves and Warren Scott and Steve Jenson take over. The bright lights of TV money, more exposure of the BMR brand could only be a good thing and of course the top league racing was what Scott wanted from the word go to promote team BMR. A new motorcycle outlet was being built [is it finished yet?] in place of the long bar and all would appear to be rosy!

Well that’s what a lot of people thought and still do. All these people who have said the ‘wow’ factor was at Rye House must have been referring to the Rye House pub.

The stadium was and probably still is a mess. The old wooden terracing by the start had to go, no question, but a farcical situation of putting the ref’s box back to the old box it spent many years in. Putting a temporary ref’s box for the TV match last year, exposed to the elements, the continual building work of the motorcycle dealership on the long bar and crap viewing, but two years before just to remind you we were told there would be improvements every week!

I for one have not been impressed with the promotional team at Rye. It obvious all the changes have been made track side. Looking at the video the straights of the stadium cross track seem fairly high and as for the bends well……….

Nicholls, Harris and Kasprzak will be on good deal financially which the club can probably ill afford. Can only assume Barker wanted more £ notes thats why he left?

The Lakeside fans won’t bother with Rye as they have in my opinion a very good and exciting team.

Crowds will drop considerably at Rye and especially being mid-week.  

I fear for speedway’s future at Rye. The general public seem to be the least of BMR’s concerns. Am I, along with other paying fans being taken for granted? Facilities are important for the paying public and making them feel comfortable. That I’m afraid hasn’t been the case at Rye in the last few years.

No doubt this Monday’s meeting won’t take place as the winner will probably be Mother Nature, so we will all have to wait until Saturday week to find out if it's as bad as it looks!   

    

Well written Dave and I agree with more or less all you have said

Couple of things though any TV money they were expecting seems to have gone now, but the exposure for the BMR name would still benefit but now they have sponsorship the BMR Rockets tag has gone.

As a customer I really disliked the loss of the long bar it was somewhere to go in the colder weather before and after the meeting, what is left doesn't cut it. As for the move to what is now the premiership I was against it as I like regular racing and Saturday / Sunday was always best for me. We now are in a much poorer run league with fewer meetings without one proper race night. Wednesday has little appeal given that for most people it is a work night but more so that I won't be able to take my grandsons as at five and three they simply can't stay up that late during the week. 

But for me the last nail in the coffin could well be the motor cross track. Whilst I appreciate the need for income it shouldn't be at the detriment to existing fans and if the jumps obscure my view then enough will be enough

[ouch]

About half the fixtures fall during school holidays and by adding in a couple of treat late nights you can still take kids to most fixtures. 

Edited March 30, 2018 by ouch

[miadfa8]

Notwithstanding the spectator viewing aspect of this, what about the rider's view which is far more important from a safety aspect. If a rider can't see a faller and hits them I can really see the doo-doo hitting the fan. Whoever signs off the track for racing should take this into consideration.

[KevtheRev]

I think Ex lakeside fans will still bother with Rye cos they know how bad the viewing and general stadium facilities are at Arena Essex.

As for it being a weekday rather than a Saturday, it suits me better. Going to be swings and roundabouts I suspect as it suits some but not others.

Costs are the same for entrance + programme at both venues, so not extra for Premiership racing.

So I don't think crowds will drop. If the racing and general presentation works, then I think supporters will stay, as long as the jumps don't obscure the viewing too much!

 

[Daytripper]

24 minutes ago, KevtheRev said:

I think Ex lakeside fans will still bother with Rye cos they know how bad the viewing and general stadium facilities are at Arena Essex.

As for it being a weekday rather than a Saturday, it suits me better. Going to be swings and roundabouts I suspect as it suits some but not others.

Costs are the same for entrance + programme at both venues, so not extra for Premiership racing.

So I don't think crowds will drop. If the racing and general presentation works, then I think supporters will stay, as long as the jumps don't obscure the viewing too much!

 

The Viewing and facilities at Lakeside are what they have always been but it has been the quality of the team and level of competition that have been the determining factor in respect of crowds. Actually I personally don't think the viewing at Lakeside is any worse than anywhere else, including Rye House. It depends largely where you choose to stand.

As for admission costs every member of the Rye House team except Kasprzak is likely to be on show at Lakeside at various points in the season. Kennet has already been and had an absolute howler.. Five of Lakesides riders are also riding with Premiership clubs anyway and I don't think you can seriously claim that Rye House have more than five genuine top league riders, probably no more than four now Barker has gone. So I think the argument on admission charges is a non starter. 

 

[OldRacer]

9 hours ago, miadfa8 said:

Notwithstanding the spectator viewing aspect of this, what about the rider's view which is far more important from a safety aspect. If a rider can't see a faller and hits them I can really see the doo-doo hitting the fan. Whoever signs off the track for racing should take this into consideration.

What sight line would be blocked that would cause a rider to not be able to see a faller in time to react? I understand the spectator issue, but that's a bit of a stretch.

[poppetman]

 Whatever night a team runs the main thing is to stick to it so people get in the habit. We all like routine, and would prefer to think Mon.Wed. or whatever night is speedway night and barring injury we are going to see the same team every week. Good fish and chips is the only other requirement in my book. Some form of inter race entertainment wouldn't go amiss either even if it's just a guy perhaps dressed as a rocket.He could have a rocket bike and cycle round the MX track.Might make the kids want to come back and even become long term fans.They may get in for free but their accompanying parents don't.

[Argos]

i would have thought it’s not The BSPA that Licence Tracks But the SCB, could anyone confirm this,

[startline sid]

1 hour ago, Argos said:

i would have thought it’s not The BSPA that Licence Tracks But the SCB, could anyone confirm this,

correct it is the scb - inspection was last thurs  and guess the licence was issued - no sight lines for riders are blocked BUT just had a thought a fallen rider prob now wont be able to look up and see where his partner is and wont know whether to get the race stopped.  

[KevtheRev]

12 hours ago, Daytripper said:

The Viewing and facilities at Lakeside are what they have always been but it has been the quality of the team and level of competition that have been the determining factor in respect of crowds. Actually I personally don't think the viewing at Lakeside is any worse than anywhere else, including Rye House. It depends largely where you choose to stand.

As for admission costs every member of the Rye House team

except Kasprzak is likely to be on show at Lakeside at various points in the season. Kennet has already been and had an absolute howler.. Five of Lakesides riders are also riding with Premiership clubs anyway and I don't think you can seriously claim that Rye House have more than five genuine top league riders, probably no more than four now Barker has gone. So I think the argument on admission charges is a non starter. 

 

No worse than anywhere else - really? So viewing at Lakeside is just as good as Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Poole, Glasgow?

IMHO crowd levels are maintained by the level of entertainment served, mainly by the quality of racing but also by the respect given and shown to the supporters.

There was no argument on admission just stating they are the same and that you are not paying more for Premiership.

[JmeRay]

On 30/03/2018 at 9:03 AM, startline sid said:

All I can say is well done BMR - so many problems now for speedway - any club that owns its own stadium has to now find ways of keeping a steady income no stadium  can survive only being used 16 times in a year.  The tv money is now virtually non-existent so what do stadium owners do? I was watching practice at the track last Sunday and yes I did find it a bit odd watching but I moved to somewhere where I could see properly and after a few minutes I did not really notice the new track as I could see a full lap perfectly well.  The mx track hopefully will bring in extra income and keep speedway going because I can assure everyone that speedway still runs at a loss despite the larger crowd.  In a way the mx track has already served its purpose as a new sponsor has come along because of it.  I still think we have a very  good team (perhaps other riders could have been used and everyone always knows best about who should be riding for us) - I know many avenues were explored to put a team together (it is so easy to say we should have ???? in the team etc BUT QUITE RIGHTLY many of the reasons why certain riders are not here are not made public but it does not mean that they were not considered ).

I for one will be there supporting our 7 riders as long as speedway exists at Rye - I also guess the  track inspection by the BSPA was passed on Thursday as I am sure the website was updated after it. So BRING IT ON lets hope for a good successful and very safe season for all the riders of all the clubs.

Out of interest Sid, where did you move from and to to see properly?

Edited March 31, 2018 by JmeRay

[Oafski]

Now I have the answer to the the question "Why a KTM Dealereship" , because not only can we sell you an off road bike but provide somewhere you can ride it as well. Truly inspired thinking especially as the weather would need to be really dire to cause cancellation of a meeting and I would imagine Stadium Moto X is likely to stimulate more spectator interest than Speedway.

Back in the mid to late 60s we used to go to Rye House and watch Go Kart Racing which used to finish before the Speedway started at 4pm on Sundays so got to watch both 2 and 4 wheel sport in one day and I would imagine that the management are not blind to the potential crossover today either.

Regarding the Speedway, if I find my viewing experience is not to my liking I will go to Peterborough instead, despite the distance as having visited a few times as an away supporter of Rye House I found I preferred it as a venue.

[barraider]

 You can't please everybody and everyone has there own views on mx track but im looking forward to maybe attending a mx event on a sat night

[bruno]

Off topic a bit but I've just come across some racing on you tube where old cars are pulling old caravans around a track where the object of the race seemed to be to smash anything that gets in the way to bits. Strange thing was the stadium seemed to be packed

[startline sid]

11 hours ago, JmeRay said:

Out of interest Sid, where did you move from and to to see properly?

Various  places  - top of both bends ok also in the pits stand (old temp one) the replacement stand  including refs box was not completely built but there will be good viewing from there.  As I said after watching for a while I just got used to the viewing - we had similar viewing probs when air fences were first introduced but accept them as the norm now.

[Goldhawk]

Although a work in progress my understanding is start line seating as was going onto first and second bends replaced by new seating in its place on home straight .

Edited March 31, 2018 by Goldhawk

[JmeRay]

7 hours ago, startline sid said:

Various  places  - top of both bends ok also in the pits stand (old temp one) the replacement stand  including refs box was not completely built but there will be good viewing from there.  As I said after watching for a while I just got used to the viewing - we had similar viewing probs when air fences were first introduced but accept them as the norm now.

 

7 hours ago, startline sid said:

Various  places  - top of both bends ok also in the pits stand (old temp one) the replacement stand  including refs box was not completely built but there will be good viewing from there.  As I said after watching for a while I just got used to the viewing - we had similar viewing probs when air fences were first introduced but accept them as the norm now.

Thanks Sid

[Oafski]

16 hours ago, barraider said:

 You can't please everybody and everyone has there own views on mx track but im looking forward to maybe attending a mx event on a sat night

Will Definitely give the MX a go, the last time I went to a live event it was called Scrambling, rediscovered live Grass Track last year after a 50 year gap and will be going again this year. Biggest problem I have in following all the disciplines of Motorsport that I enjoy apart from cost is my ability to drive/ride long distances, spectate at an event and drive/ride home again afterwards, on the same day.

[Gazza66]

I

Edited April 1, 2018 by Gazza66
Wrong thread

[hackneyrocket]

The dreaded weather has won again