Lakeside Future In Serious Doubt

[marko]

There was supposed to be news on this final meeting today but nothing as yet, I’m hoping that Bob Miller can come out of retirement and be the announcer for one final time at this venue, it would be very poignant.

[matertron]

I am absolutely devastated about the close of Arena and the premature end of speedway there this season and I have only been going for 9 years. Absolutely love the place so I can only imagine how you who have been going for many more years than that are feeling. Should be a special and emotional night on the 14th and its an honor to be able to co-announce the final meeting ever, especially as I have only done it for this season and many a great voices of the raceway have come before me. 

Wonder how all of those on this forum that slag off the track week in and week out are feeling now? Hope you are all happy? Bet plenty of you will all show up next Friday calling yourself fans! 

Also, can I just say, I've seen a lot of discussion on a lot of different platforms about what the team should now be called... Simple fact of the matter is its the LAKESIDE HAMMERS and will stay that until we get a new venue and then beyond. As far as Rye House goes, I don't believe there is any intention of merging with Lakeside. Rye House will return next year, potentially in the same league (or a breakaway league as I have heard is being discussed) and race at home. Lakeside will continue to use Rye House short term (Just like Tottenham have used Wembley). Hopefully fans will engage with both teams equally and many will take the opportunity to enjoy potentially double the speedway on a weekly basis! 

As I keep saying on here Keep the faith in the management! after all they could have already bailed on the team long ago. 

[marko]

To be fair matertron some of the slagging off of the track has been completely justified in the past, this was a period though before you started to watch but mud sticks.

from the late 80s to present I have seen a variety of track forms just at Arena alone, my favourite was the track we had in the early 90s, the worst was when it was altered for FIM standard, this might have been 95 but can't recall, needless to say it didn't lend itself to racing, then we had the big Ron years where the track was flat as a pancake but so slick the only way to get around it well was with your front wheel on the white line.

[cityrebel]

6 hours ago, marko said:

To be fair matertron some of the slagging off of the track has been completely justified in the past, this was a period though before you started to watch but mud sticks.

from the late 80s to present I have seen a variety of track forms just at Arena alone, my favourite was the track we had in the early 90s, the worst was when it was altered for FIM standard, this might have been 95 but can't recall, needless to say it didn't lend itself to racing, then we had the big Ron years where the track was flat as a pancake but so slick the only way to get around it well was with your front wheel on the white line.

The problem is, Arena got a bad reputation for having a fenceless track in the 1980's, that has never gone away.

[East End Fan]

As a long standing older fan, my own criticism was never the track, it has always been the lack of comfortable viewing and his has

affected my attendances in recent years.  Unlike most, I enjoyed our year in the National League. I'll probably go to some meetings at

Rye House.  There are a few seats there, though not as many as in past years. I was told last week that Lakeside are putting out a

National league Select side very soon.  Can anybody tell me anything about it ?

[matertron]

2 minutes ago, East End Fan said:

As a long standing older fan, my own criticism was never the track, it has always been the lack of comfortable viewing and his has

affected my attendances in recent years.  Unlike most, I enjoyed our year in the National League. I'll probably go to some meetings at

Rye House.  There are a few seats there, though not as many as in past years. I was told last week that Lakeside are putting out a

National league Select side very soon.  Can anybody tell me anything about it ?

It's a Tunnel Trophy meeting vs Kent Kings, However there is no home leg only 1 match at Kent on the 17th September. Side to still be finalized but will include Ben Morley, Alfie Bowtell and Jason Edwards. 

[marko]

15 hours ago, matertron said:

I am absolutely devastated about the close of Arena and the premature end of speedway there this season and I have only been going for 9 years. Absolutely love the place so I can only imagine how you who have been going for many more years than that are feeling. Should be a special and emotional night on the 14th and its an honor to be able to co-announce the final meeting ever, especially as I have only done it for this season and many a great voices of the raceway have come before me. 

Wonder how all of those on this forum that slag off the track week in and week out are feeling now? Hope you are all happy? Bet plenty of you will all show up next Friday calling yourself fans! 

Also, can I just say, I've seen a lot of discussion on a lot of different platforms about what the team should now be called... Simple fact of the matter is its the LAKESIDE HAMMERS and will stay that until we get a new venue and then beyond. As far as Rye House goes, I don't believe there is any intention of merging with Lakeside. Rye House will return next year, potentially in the same league (or a breakaway league as I have heard is being discussed) and race at home. Lakeside will continue to use Rye House short term (Just like Tottenham have used Wembley). Hopefully fans will engage with both teams equally and many will take the opportunity to enjoy potentially double the speedway on a weekly basis! 

As I keep saying on here Keep the faith in the management! after all they could have already bailed on the team long ago. 

So as you understand it, the idea is Rye House will have a team next season and Lakeside will have a team also but sharing the one track much like how Cradley did with Wolves at Monmore Greeen?

[cityrebel]

6 minutes ago, marko said:

So as you understand it, the idea is Rye House will have a team next season and Lakeside will have a team also but sharing the one track much like how Cradley did with Wolves at Monmore Greeen?

They better have deep pockets, if they do go down that route.

[GWC]

Two teams sharing can work for continuity of racing but unlikely in the same league.

[New era Panthers]

10 minutes ago, GWC said:

Two teams sharing can work for continuity of racing but unlikely in the same league.

Too many (Cook's) spoil the broth.

[matertron]

3 hours ago, marko said:

So as you understand it, the idea is Rye House will have a team next season and Lakeside will have a team also but sharing the one track much like how Cradley did with Wolves at Monmore Greeen?

That's the impression i'm getting that both sides still want to run independently of each other next season, however I cannot say for certain what leagues that will be. And of course who knows what is going to happen during the off season. 

3 hours ago, cityrebel said:

They better have deep pockets, if they do go down that route.

It Should actually benefit both clubs financially. Rye House get a little extra income from Lakeside renting the track, Lakeside save money by significantly cheaper rent and operational costs. Only unknown is what crowd levels will be like, however if both teams run on a weekend on alternate weeks then crowds should be pretty decent as you will have fans from both clubs attending each match (hopefully). 

 

Of course if the League sticks with fixed race nights there is a chance Lakeside could make the move back into premiership with Rye taking back Saturdays in the Championship, but i think we are in for some big changes before 2019.

[cityrebel]

32 minutes ago, matertron said:

That's the impression i'm getting that both sides still want to run independently of each other next season, however I cannot say for certain what leagues that will be. And of course who knows what is going to happen during the off season. 

It Should actually benefit both clubs financially. Rye House get a little extra income from Lakeside renting the track, Lakeside save money by significantly cheaper rent and operational costs. Only unknown is what crowd levels will be like, however if both teams run on a weekend on alternate weeks then crowds should be pretty decent as you will have fans from both clubs attending each match (hopefully). 

 

Of course if the League sticks with fixed race nights there is a chance Lakeside could make the move back into premiership with Rye taking back Saturdays in the Championship, but i think we are in for some big changes before 2019.

That is assuming, the Rye House promoters get their licence back to run meetings, instead of just being landlords.

[marko]

q

6 hours ago, cityrebel said:

They better have deep pockets, if they do go down that route.

It would be a very risky decision to hope there is cross platform support between the two clubs, it could end up breaking both of them and then having nothing at all there.

When Lakeside dropped into the third division they instantly lost a load of support to those that already followed Kent in that league, the idea is you could double your fan base, in reality you end up halving it.

[barraider]

On 9/4/2018 at 6:13 PM, barraider said:

 

Imo i think only one club would work at rye house on a sat night unless there was a main sponsor to cover a nl league side aswell

Edited September 6, 2018 by barraider
Error on quote

[marko]

That’s another good point, they can’t both run Saturday nights and Friday would be even more of an issue than our current home, the combination of the M25 and A10 or M11 ? No thanks

[cityrebel]

4 minutes ago, marko said:

That’s another good point, they can’t both run Saturday nights and Friday would be even more of an issue than our current home, the combination of the M25 and A10 or M11 ? No thanks

A combination of the two clubs is the only way forward.

[Eyejay]

I can’t see it being a profitable venture to run two teams independently at the same track, especially if they were in the same league, but Beung Speedway you never know.

If that was the case, Rockets and Hammers riding as separate entities in Premiership and Championship, they could just track the same riders under the doubling up rule! 

[marko]

But even if they were in different divisions which would race when? Let’s say hyperthetically they wanted to alternate Saturdays? Would either run against a Grand Prix? There would be a Saturday lost for the Cardiff GP anyway and probably a second for the Speedway of Nations.

And personally I’m sick of doubling up, I would rather see one big league of 16-18 like the original national league system, Rye could run Saturday nights (they own the stadium so they should have the prime time slot) Lakeside could run Sunday afternoon or early evening.

[Eyejay]

Oh believe me, I hate doubling up, my comment was very much tongue in cheek  

[liam]

I can see something like the Hoddeson Hammers with a National League team aswell.