AGM is the next meeting the last chance to rectify things.?

[Sidney the robin]

Is this years AGM  the most important meeting ever are we at the stage of a s...  or bust scenario.The sport has been limping along from year to year for a long long time now can the promoters pull together and try to address the endless problems or is it a lost cause.?

[Sings4Speedway]

58 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Is this years AGM  the most important meeting ever are we at the stage of a s...  or bust scenario.The sport has been limping along from year to year for a long long time now can the promoters pull together and try to address the endless problems or is it a lost cause.?

I hope the approach isn't sit or bust. Lurching from one dramatic shake up to another is getting everyone nowhere, its about time that a 5 year plan was put together. May not be ideal from day one but with the aim of the sport being in place in the future rather than setting up for individuals benefit for the upcoming season

[Chadster]

2 years ago it was announced that the future of speedway was promotion and relegation, last year it was fixed race nights. I suspect this year it will be something else and most of us would probably agree that the league structure needs looking at, but it will be like re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic if they don't seriously address issues like;

track preparation,

slick presentation

and better organisation of fixtures. It seems ridiculous to me that after the hottest and driest summer for years that fixtures are being crammed in at the last minute and that some teams didn't complete  their fixtures before the deadline.

[topaz325]

Slick presentation has improved at Workington this season but the debacle of the fixture list is just one thing the BSPA continually get wrong.

Many small improvements in presentation and promotion that do not cost a fortune are so often over looked.

[bruno]

Chadster is spot on, nearly every meeting you go to there's seems to be no urgency to get on with it. My wife's only been to 3 meetings. 2 league and Cardiff. She said why arnt the league teams run as professional as Cardiff was run

[Spl77]

They had a 5 year plan a few years ago and I believe Chris Louis was involved when he first took over at Ipswich. I seem to rember Louis and the others putting forward ideas...... The 5 year plan was scrapped after a season. 

[Roxanne]

I think the next AGM is make or break.

[Sidney the robin]

All i will say is there is no need for a good old jolly up in Spain somewhere in England should suffice.They need to get there heads together and try to come up with some answers thinking of us the supporter and the sport as a WHOLE.British speedway  is really annoying at times they know what supporters moan about and don't like yet they do nothing about it.Two examples late starts at meetings 7.30 should mean 7.30 also meetings are not getting run slick anough dragging on and on often meaning a late finish.Fixture planning well what more can you say five weeks without a meeting yet getting to October and struggling to fulfil the fixture list.Personally i have little faith things will improve can't see it don't see anough big personalities with vision to pull things around a John Berry figure he would of been mighty handy now.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Sidney the robin

[waytogo28]

1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

Personally i have little faith things will improve just can't see it

I have no faith that things will improve or that the BSPA collectively ( those that vote ) are aware of the priorities that truly matter. Actions and changes that will halt the slide of supporters choosing to walk away AND marketing to begin to attract the new generation of UK speedway followers.

The improvement of on-track racing so that excitement is an inherent part of the show ( for show it is ) is a vital part of that. The first play off, Somerset V Poole showed that the product can be worthy of the admission and can provide close racing, passing and thrills all the way through. Get those 15 mins of racing onto a DVD into every household in the country - perhaps via a deal with a newspaper. Yes I know, it costs money and is not seen as cost-effective, but taking no positive action on bringing the essence of speedway to people who have no idea it exists is the key. We have to offer the WOW! factor - and deliver it in the local stadium. Other meetings need to be just as meaningful. Moving towards achieving that needs to be high up on the agenda.

[Sidney the robin]

41 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

I have no faith that things will improve or that the BSPA collectively ( those that vote ) are aware of the priorities that truly matter. Actions and changes that will halt the slide of supporters choosing to walk away AND marketing to begin to attract the new generation of UK speedway followers.

The improvement of on-track racing so that excitement is an inherent part of the show ( for show it is ) is a vital part of that. The first play off, Somerset V Poole showed that the product can be worthy of the admission and can provide close racing, passing and thrills all the way through. Get those 15 mins of racing onto a DVD into every household in the country - perhaps via a deal with a newspaper. Yes I know, it costs money and is not seen as cost-effective, but taking no positive action on bringing the essence of speedway to people who have no idea it exists is the key. We have to offer the WOW! factor - and deliver it in the local stadium. Other meetings need to be just as meaningful. Moving towards achieving that needs to be high up on the agenda.

You are right watching two great meeting's in the last fortnight has showed me the product is still there.What i find strange is that most of the promoters dont listen and try to give the customer what they want.Where i live there is a local shop that was took over 2 years ago if you ask the owner now that you want a pacific product he will get it in for you that is forward thinking customer service.Speedway does not deliver the basics it is falling behind and now even diehard fans who get used to the habit of not going even they are hard to entice back regularly, they pick and choose there meeting's.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Sidney the robin

[Sings4Speedway]

The nail has largely been hit on the head. Focus on the product and not the names. There si no doubt that a GP star in full flight is a fine sight to behold BUT week in week out i would rather see closely contested races with riders going to the tapes and all having a genuine shout of winning & the potential for some actual overtaking. I care not about who is involved in producing a good race as long as its a good race. The gulf in quality within teams needs to be reduced as does the gaps between teams in leagues. I like many i know want affordable entertainment simple as that. 

[Sidney the robin]

3 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

The nail has largely been hit on the head. Focus on the product and not the names. There si no doubt that a GP star in full flight is a fine sight to behold BUT week in week out i would rather see closely contested races with riders going to the tapes and all having a genuine shout of winning & the potential for some actual overtaking. I care not about who is involved in producing a good race as long as its a good race. The gulf in quality within teams needs to be reduced as does the gaps between teams in leagues. I like many i know want affordable entertainment simple as that. 

I see Coventry race at Swindon a couple of years ago in a NL challenge and  Danny Ayres was the star.He was superb he also got the crowd involved as well,playing up to them  a true entertainer.It  just shows you it does not matter who it is it could be a  Tai Woffinden or a Danny Ayres speedway at all levels at its best can  still be exciting.

[mikebv]

I've lost count of which 'five year plan' is currently running as there seems to have been so many over the past five years... 

One thing is for sure though. There is no doubt that this AGM will be the most important in the Sports history.. 

In fact. Very much the same as last years was..

And the one before that....

And indeed the one the year before that year etc etc etc ad infinitum..

Another thing for sure is that this year they need to come up with an operating model that has credibility, integrity, and is both cost effective and fit for purpose..

In fact. Very much like they needed to do last year..

And the one before that...

And indeed the one the year before that year etc etc etc ad infinitum..

 

[waytogo28]

The promoters have been in so many "last chance saloons" they seem permanently drunk and maybe that is why they cannot come up with much positive change, year after year. 

[steve roberts]

On 20 September 2018 at 4:48 AM, Sidney the robin said:

All i will say is there is no need for a good old jolly up in Spain somewhere in England should suffice.They need to get there heads together and try to come up with some answers thinking of us the supporter and the sport as a WHOLE.British speedway  is really annoying at times they know what supporters moan about and don't like yet they do nothing about it.Two examples late starts at meetings 7.30 should mean 7.30 also meetings are not getting run slick anough dragging on and on often meaning a late finish.Fixture planning well what more can you say five weeks without a meeting yet getting to October and struggling to fulfil the fixture list.Personally i have little faith things will improve can't see it don't see anough big personalities with vision to pull things around a John Berry figure he would of been mighty handy now.

...Agree entirely or even the much maligned Mike Parker who drove things forward during the early middle sixties when speedway was in the doldrums when he was the prime mover in instigating the Provincial League.

Edited September 21, 2018 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

17 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...Agree entirely or even the much maligned Mike Parker who drove things forward during the early middle sixties when speedway was in the doldrums when he was the prime mover in instigating the Provincial League.

I am not a lover of Barry Hearn a dictator i know but he gets things right 99% of the time and has kept up with the times.That sort of leadership could work Berry would of been great but it was not to be ancient history .Five names i would put forward to work TOGETHER to revamp British speedway would be Eric Boocock - Neil Vatcher- Neil Machin- Lee Kilby- Peter Adams all of them have serious qualities and what they all have in common is that they all love speedway.

[ch958]

7 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I am not a lover of Barry Hearn a dictator i know but he gets things right 99% of the time and has kept up with the times.That sort of leadership could work Berry would of been great but it was not to be ancient history .Five names i would put forward to work TOGETHER to revamp British speedway would be Eric Boocock - Neil Vatcher- Neil Machin- Lee Kilby- Peter Adams all of them have serious qualities and what they all have in common is that they all love speedway.

as long as there's no financial interest to cloud their judgement

[Sidney the robin]

1 minute ago, ch958 said:

as long as there's no financial interest to cloud their judgement

On the big issues could there be a FAIR voting system put in place.?

[MattK]

4 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

I am not a lover of Barry Hearn a dictator i know but he gets things right 99% of the time and has kept up with the times.That sort of leadership could work Berry would of been great but it was not to be ancient history .Five names i would put forward to work TOGETHER to revamp British speedway would be Eric Boocock - Neil Vatcher- Neil Machin- Lee Kilby- Peter Adams all of them have serious qualities and what they all have in common is that they all love speedway.

Four of those five are exactly the people who have presided over the slow and steady decline of British speedway. What makes you think they have the answers now?

If you want fresh thinking you need people who ideally have no connection with speedway, potentially even from outside the world of sport.

[Sidney the robin]

7 minutes ago, MattK said:

Four of those five are exactly the people who have presided over the slow and steady decline of British speedway. What makes you think they have the answers now?

If you want fresh thinking you need people who ideally have no connection with speedway, potentially even from outside the world of sport.

Total nonsense worst post ever from you Matt those five know more about speedway than you would ever hope to know.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Sidney the robin