martinmauger Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 This ^^, plus meetings dragging on for too long. At Hull in 1970's / 80's non supporters club members could travel on supporters club coaches but paid a bit more. Join the club and your next coach trip discount pretty much paid for membership so quids in. Well prob 1 quid in. We took 15 coaches to the league decider at Coventry in 1979 and 7 to the 1981 World Final at Wembley and we didn 't even have a rider to support as the late, great Ivan Mauger sadly DNQ. Signing Ivan in 1978 certainly helped with away support, mostly there was a coach to every match anyway but Ivan's arrival guarranteed at least one and more often 2 coaches. Best visiting support to Hull at that time was probably Coventry, often bringing 2 coaches for a mid-week match. Think a few away coaches ran when Hull retuned in 1995 but fans made their own way to away fixtures. I miss the camaraderie of those away trips.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 Wimbledon hardly ever run coach trips to the boulevard. The only one I can remember was on royal wedding day in 1981. My previous visit was by train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 2 hours ago, cityrebel said: Wimbledon hardly ever run coach trips to the boulevard. The only one I can remember was on royal wedding day in 1981. My previous visit was by train. I was on that coach! Only time I ever went to Hull... Midweek tracks were always difficult, although I was a regular on the coaches to the British Final. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 17 minutes ago, chunky said: I was on that coach! Only time I ever went to Hull... Midweek tracks were always difficult, although I was a regular on the coaches to the British Final. Steve Remember me squeezing that air horn Steve, when Barbara was sitting in front of you. She got the right hump with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 I went to the Boulevard for Briggo’s farewell meeting.Was nearly a disaster as my dads car broke down on the motorway and had to be towed to Worksop for repairs!!Seemed like ages,but we did make it in time and got back to London safely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alang Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 would it not be possible for the bspa, or a marketing agency appointed by them, to distribute a questionaire at every club to be completed by fans who attend meetings asking what their ideas and wishes for the future are.One league?Doubling up/down?Squads?INDEPENDENT ruling body?Surely someone could come up with something easily completed and meaningful.Would any notice be taken of the answers?Doubt it unless the promoters get the answers they want but they can't keep telling us at the start of every season that they are full of optimism following life-changing decisions at a hugely successful conference and then the exact opposite happens every time.It sums up the basic intelligence of the bspa when they can't seem to understand that by ruining the sport by taking seriously unpopular and unwanted decisions they hit their own selves financially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 2 hours ago, alang said: would it not be possible for the bspa, or a marketing agency appointed by them, to distribute a questionaire at every club to be completed by fans who attend meetings asking what their ideas and wishes for the future are.One league?Doubling up/down?Squads?INDEPENDENT ruling body?Surely someone could come up with something easily completed and meaningful.Would any notice be taken of the answers?Doubt it unless the promoters get the answers they want but they can't keep telling us at the start of every season that they are full of optimism following life-changing decisions at a hugely successful conference and then the exact opposite happens every time.It sums up the basic intelligence of the bspa when they can't seem to understand that by ruining the sport by taking seriously unpopular and unwanted decisions they hit their own selves financially. Don't think you would find anything conclusive. Most posters on here all want different things. Supposedly 81% of speedway star online wanted fixed race nights. Now about the same amount on here don't 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waytogo28 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 11 hours ago, alang said: Doubt it unless the promoters get the answers they want but they can't keep telling us at the start of every season that they are full of optimism following life-changing decisions at a hugely successful conference and then the exact opposite happens every time.It sums up the basic intelligence of the bspa when they can't seem to understand that by ruining the sport by taking seriously unpopular and unwanted decisions they hit their own selves financially. Clearly, the BSPA don't mind taking a financial hit from falling crowds almost everywhere ( and falling interest levels too ) from their poorly thought through decisions which alienate fans even further after every winter conference. Nothing, it seems can stop them in their lemming-like progress towards killing the sport in the UK - as we know it. They just won't listen - that has been achieved under Buster's rule ( or at least made worse). Eventually, they will of course say " I am taking away my ball and not going to play any more" and blaming the fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharpandroid Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 19 hours ago, moxey63 said: Like how far our heads can get in the sand before we stop breathing? There is no urgency, the sport is still alive and well, I think we are glass half full, glass half empty people me and you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 21 hours ago, sharpandroid said: Have you ever worked somewhere where the people talk continuously about it closing, eventually after several years, even tens of years the place closes. It's called a self fulfilling prophecy. This thread is a bit like that. Why don't those people find something else to do..... A lot of them have. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thornaby48 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 21 hours ago, moxey63 said: I'm not kidding myself that speedway forty years ago was perfect either - for in one 1980 fixture Bobby Schwartz of Reading and Hackney's Finn Thomsen pulled on Aces' jacket as guests in one match - despite both of their teams challenging the Manchester club for the league title! And it happened late enough in the season - mid-September - to have had an influence on the title race. Perhaps to avoid this happening there should be a cut off point , say, two thirds of the way through the season when guests cannot be used 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) On Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at 12:40 PM, sharpandroid said: Have you ever worked somewhere where the people talk continuously about it closing, eventually after several years, even tens of years the place closes. It's called a self fulfilling prophecy. This thread is a bit like that. Why don't those people find something else to do..... The self fulfilling prophecy of what we have today is clearly not down to the fans... Any failing business simply cannot blame the general public for not purchasing it's products.. For the past 20 years or so promoters of Speedway (British Speedway), have been given some fantastic constructive feedback from fans (and more importantly possibly) ex fans who still care.. 24/7 Social media has replaced the way a few fans moaned to each other at trackside, getting more and more disillusioned. Or writing the odd letter to the various magazines that do/did cover the sport airing their frustrations at what they were being served up.. As an example, on this thread 'guests' were mentioned as being in the sport for 40 years plus.. Now domestic League Speedway is shown regularly on National TV and Social Media is rife, you simply cannot get away with such nonsense if you are truly serious in trying to attract a wider audience and to entice them to a 'proper sport'.. Many fans, and ex fans, have said this for many years yet (as is their right), British Speedway Promoters have ignored such comments and continued with this policy.. It is irrefutable that the operating and business models of the past 15 to 20 years or so are not fit for purpose as year on year operating costs rise and income dwindles... And let's be honest, it 100% isn't the fans decision to run with these models... Nor is it their fault when they highlight, via their opinions, 'the bleedin' obvious'... Edited June 20, 2018 by mikebv 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 Good to read Pearson waxing lyrical in the local paper today regarding the TV match at Wolves this week. " The raw noise of the bikes ,the smell of the methanol , and it always looks better with busy terraces, and Monmore always delivers that. In fact Monmore consistently delivers some of the best action on BT sport. While Belle Vue is my favourite Monmore is right up there. All accompanied with a picture of about 12 fans on the home straight. Obviously Nigel has not been to Monmore for a while. In the real world, there is no raw noise anymore, its more of a hum, there is absolutely no smell of methanol, and the terraces are less busy now than they have been in all of the last 90 years. .And as for saying Monmore is "right up there with Belle Vue he is really having a laugh, like comparing apples with pears. Belle Vue is outstanding Monmore is average, occasionally at that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepturningleft Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 Why has the speedway 'smell' gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 4 minutes ago, keepturningleft said: Why has the speedway 'smell' gone? It's certainly disappeared, along with most of the fans ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, blupanther said: It's certainly disappeared, along with most of the fans ... Correct 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 You do get it now and again but certainly not how it used to be, I'm sure someone on here has explained why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bavarian Posted June 23, 2018 Report Share Posted June 23, 2018 It is gone because the synthetic oil that is used today has no "smell" It is sad that this "smell" has gone, it was so very typical for speedway. The clueless younger generation of speedway fans may not even know what we are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 24, 2018 Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 The British public just don't want to go to speedway anymore, it's as simple as that. There is nothing the promoters can do to stop the trend. Most clubs must be hanging on by their fingertips. At lakeside last night, yet another poor crowd turned up to watch an excellent hammers side, probably the best they have had in a few years. On a sunny Saturday evening, The fans still won't go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waytogo28 Posted June 24, 2018 Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) 12 hours ago, New Science said: Good to read Pearson waxing lyrical in the local paper today regarding the TV match at Wolves this week. " The raw noise of the bikes ,the smell of the methanol , and it always looks better with busy terraces, and Monmore always delivers that. In fact Monmore consistently delivers some of the best action on BT sport. While Belle Vue is my favourite Monmore is right up there. All accompanied with a picture of about 12 fans on the home straight. Obviously Nigel has not been to Monmore for a while. In the real world, there is no raw noise anymore, its more of a hum, there is absolutely no smell of methanol, and the terraces are less busy now than they have been in all of the last 90 years. .And as for saying Monmore is "right up there with Belle Vue he is really having a laugh, like comparing apples with pears. Belle Vue is outstanding Monmore is average, occasionally at that. The art of "spin" aka "The Emperor's New Clothes" syndrome. Hell's Bells - All is Well. Edited June 24, 2018 by waytogo28 Additional point made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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