Cardiff 2019 Saturday September 21st

[BWitcher]

8 minutes ago, BobC said:

I spend my money where its needed............BRITISH Speedway. 

I dont go to Cardiff anymore. Overpriced in every way.

I remember the time that when you bought a ticket,you got a programme included. The following year they advertised 'no price rises for tickets'.  Yet those tickets DIDNT include a programme. So the actual price did go up!  I refused to pay and have not been since.

The money I would need to spend to get there, travel, ticket,programme,food etc, I save and give out as sponsorship to a NL rider. I also go round the Country watching and have been to the majority of tracks this season. Still hoping to do more with the Play Offs etc.

I want British Speedway to gain revenue, not the Corporate moguls.

 

 

Quite clearly it isn't overpriced.

[mikebv]

3 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

That would be down to Woffinden having a poor night. Had he or indeed Lambert or Wright made the semis it would have been a different kettle of fish.

In a nutshell...

When Woffy has been in contention at other Cardiff GP's  later in the meeting the atmosphere has remained ramped up..

As we say many times, following sport needs that emotional attachment to the individual or team you follow to make that experience truly mean something.. 

An emotional attachment that sadly has been gradually eroded away in domestic UK Speedway..

 

[Ovalman]

I took someone to Cardiff, they loved it, was their first speedway meeting, but quickly lost interest when they started watching league speedway. Even though the racing wasn't any better. 40000 at Cardiff compared to 1200 at Swindon stood on a grass bank looking through a fence. It's the atmosphere and the event. The occasion.

Still think 2017 was best GP for racing. My first in 2005 was the best, was amazed by the whole event and atmosphere.

Edited September 22, 2019 by auntie doris

[jeffster]

1 hour ago, jeff said:

My experience too. £50 as the 'walk up' price is too much. Last minute decision to go with my son. Luckily(?) I bought cheaper tickets from a tout instead.

Short sighted pricing policy in my opinion that could/should deter those thinking of attending as a 'walk up' next year.

£50 ?!

I paid £19 last year, £20 last night, and £20 for next year earlier this morning, in block U15 on level 6 in the upper tiers.

That block is positioned just as the riders exit the 4th bend.

[BWitcher]

Similar to the above:

If I had the choice, as a one off, of attending a meeting with a 40,000 crowd but poor racing, over one with 1000 there but reasonable racing it would be the first one.. every single time.

It's indisputable that is the case for tens of thousands of others too despite what a few claim on here.

Cardiff is more than just one speedway meeting for many. It's a weekend jammed full of meeting up with old friends, some who they see once a year.  It's the ultimate occasion for a speedway fan, a rare time a city is taken over by the sport and long may it continue to thrive as a beacon that there is still support for speedway in the UK.

 

[Ovalman]

19 minutes ago, mikebv said:

In a nutshell...

When Woffy has been in contention at other Cardiff GP's  later in the meeting the atmosphere has remained ramped up..

As we say many times, following sport needs that emotional attachment to the individual or team you follow to make that experience truly mean something.. 

An emotional attachment that sadly has been gradually eroded away in domestic UK Speedway..

 

Watching Swindon beat Belle Vue on Thursday for their first top tier Cup win as opposed to Vue's 14 was for me better than Bomber winning 2007 GP. Fantastic atmosphere, hundreds of fans celebrating with the riders, which is rarely attained now in league speedway.

Edited September 22, 2019 by auntie doris

[topaz325]

So why do fans go to Cardiff:

Weekend away.

Social occasion , meet up with other fans , friends family.

Location of stadium, bars , hotels, restaurants all in close proximity .

Some Speedway that will definitely not be rained off.

Fan-zone.

Atmosphere in stadium.

Bad points:

Average/poor racing in general.

Cost of Hotels.

Location for some British northern based fans.

[DSC67]

3 minutes ago, topaz325 said:

So why do fans go to Cardiff:

Weekend away.

Social occasion , meet up with other fans , friends family.

Location of stadium, bars , hotels, restaurants all in close proximity .

Some Speedway that will definitely not be rained off.

Fan-zone.

Atmosphere in stadium.

Bad points:

Average/poor racing in general.

Cost of Hotels.

Location for some British northern based fans.

Can't disagree with any of that 

[Ovalman]

1 minute ago, topaz325 said:

So why do fans go to Cardiff:

Weekend away.

Social occasion , meet up with other fans , friends family.

Location of stadium, bars , hotels, restaurants all in close proximity .

Some Speedway that will definitely not be rained off.

Fan-zone.

Atmosphere in stadium.

Bad points:

Average/poor racing in general.

Cost of Hotels.

Location for some British northern based fans.

Wouldn't have thought most people stay. A big plus point is it definitely won't be rained off. Plus the opportunity to see the best 15 riders in the world. Just wished we had better riders in GB. The stadium would have been full in the 1970s!

[jeff]

23 minutes ago, jeffster said:

£50 ?!

I paid £19 last year, £20 last night, and £20 for next year earlier this morning, in block U15 on level 6 in the upper tiers.

That block is positioned just as the riders exit the 4th bend.

This was approx 13.30. Told all cheaper tickets had sold out.

I understand why they do this. I'm just saying that it's a short term policy. I wouldn't go again on the spur of the moment.

[IainB]

There's some miserable old buggers on this forum... If you don't enjoy Cardiff, you probably don't enjoy life!

I ordered my ticket a couple of weeks ago, £19, same as a league meeting in far better surroundings. I sat in my allocated seat but I could have gone pretty much anywhere in the top tier. Ok it wasn't a classic, probably down to Woffy not really being in contention and you have to wonder about Cardiff's longevity once Woffy is out of the picture with no one really on the horizon to pick up the baton.

It was a lovely day, weather wise, cheap, professionally run, great atmosphere in a stadium that offers great views of the track... Where else can you get that in the UK?

If I did have a gripe it would be the intro/parade... I couldn't really see what was going on

[AFCB Wildcat]

24 minutes ago, jeffster said:

£50 ?!

I paid £19 last year, £20 last night, and £20 for next year earlier this morning, in block U15 on level 6 in the upper tiers.

That block is positioned just as the riders exit the 4th bend.

Yes plenty of cheap tickets available in advance but due to circumstances we decided to pay on the day. The website showed the cheapest on the day at £25 which is fair enough increase for a walk up price but we got there about 2pm and was told they were sold out and the cheapest was £50 Upper tier bend 3. I couldn't let down my grandson and my daughter hadn't budgeted for that much so 4 adults and a child cost me £225. I can't help agreeing that selling the empty upper tier spaces more cheaply on the day would increase attendance. 

 

[IainB]

3 minutes ago, AFCB Wildcat said:

Yes plenty of cheap tickets available in advance but due to circumstances we decided to pay on the day. The website showed the cheapest on the day at £25 which is fair enough increase for a walk up price but we got there about 2pm and was told they were sold out and the cheapest was £50 Upper tier bend 3. I couldn't let down my grandson and my daughter hadn't budgeted for that much so 4 adults and a child cost me £225. I can't help agreeing that selling the empty upper tier spaces more cheaply on the day would increase attendance. 

 

I was in upper tier bend 3 U24, £19, purchased 2 weeks ago... Ouch!

[bluebee]

Agree racing was not great but a good atmosphere and it had the feel of a special event. Took a newbie (duaghter's partner from Amsterdam) and he commented on the first our of the gate nature of the racing. Unfortuantely, Cardiff reinforces the stereotypical view of speedway and that can't help the sport. I've been to 5 Cardiff GPs and seen this one wasn't the best but OK.

My major gripe was the traffic. We travelled down from the Midlands and the traffic around Newport and Cardiff was horrendous. With a major event on why was there no good Park and Ride set up from East Cardiff? Seems to me that the GP organisers should consider  possible alternatives and remind Cardiff of the value of 40000 hungry and thirsty speeday supporters. There are good stadia now in other UK cities that might offer a more comfortable experience.

 

Sad to say glad Zmarzlik didn't win. Poles around me were pains. If English supporters had behaved like them there would have been complaints galore.

[AFCB Wildcat]

9 minutes ago, iainb said:

I was in upper tier bend 3 U24, £19, purchased 2 weeks ago... Ouch!

We were U25 but not worth the extra lol.

Oh well lesson learned. Won't make the same mistake again. My grandson loved it so we still had a good night. It just felt like being held to ransom at the time. Thank goodness for Barclaycard lol. Best start cracking in some overtime next week!

 

[Haza]

2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

OVER 4,000 up on last year ... you could tell just sitting in the stadium that it was an increase. More Poles than ever.The upper tiers were packed. Dump Cardiff? Are you mad? What other speedway event could attract that sort of crowd. It isn't just the actual racing on the day. Having the stadium slap bang in the middle of town *unlike Warsaw for example) is a huge plus. Most people there had had a fabulous time before even entering the stadium. Terrific atmosphere. The actual racing will never match Wroclaw 2019 (was there too) but what a day ...

Thanks for your response- I didn’t go this year or last season to Cardiff after not missing a Cardiff Gp but I became bored stiff with it poor racing year after year expensive to stay overnight yes the occasion is great the atmosphere is great In the Stadium and in the city but the biggest let down was the gp itself and that’s the main reason we went to Cardiff in the first place - for me I watch on BT and from what I’ve seen the series has become stale and needs freshening up in some way - maybe too many rounds as well 

[rob tatum]

I honestly cannot believe people on this moaning about paying £50 for a ticket to to attend a gp at this incredible stadium 

I ask you have you ever attended a premier league match ,concert etc etc if yes then you will know £50 is par for attending an event of this magnitude 

Also book in advance you can get tickets for £20 which lets face it is cheap ,i pay that to attend bristol rovers and somerset rebels and although i love attending there is no comparison in stadium and atmosphere 

Ok this one wasnt a classic gp but your not going to get a wroclaw or malilla every time 

My wife and i had a wonderful day and have done for the 19 yrs we have attended for me the bomber gp will take some beating lost my voice for 2 wks after that 

Look forward to many more years 

 

[IainB]

7 minutes ago, Haza said:

from what I’ve seen the series has become stale and needs freshening up in some way - maybe too many rounds as well 

It does miss a Nicki Pedersen type character, with the exception of Tai, the rest haven't really got much about them in terms of projected personality. A mate of mine used to dip in and out of the GP's on Sky Sports a few years back... The only rider he mentioned was NP

[Haza]

1 minute ago, iainb said:

It does miss a Nicki Pedersen type character, with the exception of Tai, the rest haven't really got much about them in terms of projected personality. A mate of mine used to dip in and out of the GP's on Sky Sports a few years back... The only rider he mentioned was NP

Absolutely spot on like Nicki or not he brought something to the series that is sadly missing now - the sad career ending injury  to Darcy Ward  is another that brought something special to the series . 
I just feel the whole thing needs a shake up it is becoming boring . 

[SPD444]

2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

OVER 4,000 up on last year ... you could tell just sitting in the stadium that it was an increase. More Poles than ever.The upper tiers were packed. Dump Cardiff? Are you mad? What other speedway event could attract that sort of crowd. It isn't just the actual racing on the day. Having the stadium slap bang in the middle of town *unlike Warsaw for example) is a huge plus. Most people there had had a fabulous time before even entering the stadium. Terrific atmosphere. The actual racing will never match Wroclaw 2019 (was there too) but what a day ...

My first and last time. If you want pre event entertainment then go to one of the London NFL games, they show you how it should be done,  nothing in the stadium before other than dire light show, riders introduced in total darkness, never mind it’s all about the racing......err, what racing? Couple of overtakes and that was it. Forgot about playing the bongos, wasn’t that fun. And the joy of sitting listening to those fog horns, thank god we do not have them at Wembley. Total cost for two of us, train, tickets, hotel, food, couple of beers...£600 ish, 23 minutes racing, value for money. NO. Wish I had given money to my local club.