those were the days, something to smile about.

[Star Lady]

7 minutes ago, falcace said:

...and we are back where we started. Doing anything well is not easy. The plodding on-same as last year-don't change too much-too much hard work attitude is why league speedway finds itself where it is. Scratching its head and scratching its bum. 

And until more notice is taken of those that no longer attend than the happy clappers,the downward slope will continue.

[waytogo28]

On 3/17/2019 at 11:27 AM, Star Lady said:

as I recall the races were closer

Oh Star lady you do realise that it's not PC nowadays to recall such a thing about days gone by don't you? Oddly enough I remember it in a very similar way! Bikes of a more similar level of tuning and races thus more unpredictable ( and enjoyable ). Oh Dear now it's my turn to "break the rules". I must write out 100 times " As orl moiles beter nowadaze".

[jenga]

On 3/16/2019 at 10:45 PM, Bagpuss said:

The crowd levels have a lot to do with it too....if you watch an average meeting as one of a few hundred spectators you wouldn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as being among five thousand fans watching it for example. Speedway back in the day seemed so much better due to the bigger crowds, better atmosphere and sense of occasion even though the racing itself was very similar. 

and the riders were part time and did not screw everyone around . ( apart when they blew an engine or crashed ) but the good fans chipped in and restored the balance .

[Trees]

6 hours ago, falcace said:

...and we are back where we started. Doing anything well is not easy. The plodding on-same as last year-don't change too much-too much hard work attitude is why league speedway finds itself where it is. Scratching its head and scratching its bum. 

Robin Brundle tried hard to add to the nights entertainment last year actually even if things didn't work out exactly as he would have liked. So did the Supporters Club.  Clubs are not standing still! 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Trees

[fatface]

23 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

Oh Star lady you do realise that it's not PC nowadays to recall such a thing about days gone by don't you? Oddly enough I remember it in a very similar way! Bikes of a more similar level of tuning and races thus more unpredictable ( and enjoyable ). Oh Dear now it's my turn to "break the rules". I must write out 100 times " As orl moiles beter nowadaze".

PC? I'm not sure where PC comes into it!? Think you have a default setting there that needs looking at...

I'm sure you do remember it to be better. In my own nostalgic mind, I remember the 80s to be better than today, although footage on YouTube is strong evidence that it was in fact no better than today's racing. In a way, you can argue speedway was better then,  because - relatively speaking - compared to other entertainment on offer then, speedway stacked up pretty well as live entertainment. Today in 2019, with a very similar product, it doesn't.

We have live sport and a much wider leisure options available on-line, at home or in person. Speedway operates in a tough environment competing for the wallet share of a public that has limited disposable income and unlimited options. If anyone thinks teleporting the speedway of yesteryear to today would suddenly bring the crowds flocking back, they are deluded.

[stevebrum]

23 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

Oh Star lady you do realise that it's not PC nowadays to recall such a thing about days gone by don't you? Oddly enough I remember it in a very similar way! Bikes of a more similar level of tuning and races thus more unpredictable ( and enjoyable ). Oh Dear now it's my turn to "break the rules". I must write out 100 times " As orl moiles beter nowadaze".

Blue tints worn if anyone remembers all the racing in days gone by as better and closer!

The only difference between now and then is that they raced in front of much healthier crowds. The top class riders still finished way ahead of the lesser lights. 

[Icicle]

Recently I "rediscovered" an old recording of a 70's World Final (Briggs Olsen etc). Big crowds, but  dreadful boring racing!! Lucky if more than 1 overtake the whole night....yes, felt better at the time, atmosphere & crowd plus youth reason, not the actual racing.

[Sidney the robin]

11 minutes ago, stevebrum said:

Blue tints worn if anyone remembers all the racing in days gone by as better and closer!

The only difference between now and then is that they raced in front of much healthier crowds. The top class riders still finished way ahead of the lesser lights. 

Mauger did not finish ahead of Jim Tebby in one race.!!!!

[A ORLOV]

8 minutes ago, Icicle said:

Recently I "rediscovered" an old recording of a 70's World Final (Briggs Olsen etc). Big crowds, but  dreadful boring racing!! Lucky if more than 1 overtake the whole night....yes, felt better at the time, atmosphere & crowd plus youth reason, not the actual racing.

That is how I take the GP at Cardiff, the day around the stadium meeting fans from other clubs and countries then time in a couple of good watering holes followed by the atmosphere and noise inside the stadium is often more memorable than the racing.   

[Reliant Robin]

On 3/17/2019 at 9:09 PM, falcace said:

I went to a British Basketball League match today.... Plymouth Raiders v London Lions.

It's not my favourite sport, but it was a good afternoon's entertainment. What's really striking about it compared to speedway is that not a single minute is wasted. Even when it is time-outs or the end of quarters, there are dancers, the mascot is up to something, kids competitions, lights, music..it is a full show. In short, it's light years ahead of speedway. And surprise, surprise, it is packed with families and the sort of demographic everyone on this forum would love to see at the speedway.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...and again and again. Speedway's problem is not that it isn't what it used to be. IT'S THAT IT HASN'T CHANGED ENOUGH! 

Anything from it that could potentially be transferred to a speedway meeting? Any of the gap fillers etc? Can't see cheerleaders catching on with Speedway's demographic, but could it bring a new demographic through?

[fatface]

7 hours ago, Reliant Robin said:

Anything from it that could potentially be transferred to a speedway meeting? Any of the gap fillers etc? Can't see cheerleaders catching on with Speedway's demographic, but could it bring a new demographic through?

You make a valid point (if I am reading you right?) and you are of course right, not everything is transferrable from the indoor arena to a speedway stadium.

Speedway cannot simply replicate basketball in presentation terms, but there is a lot to learn in just the use of music, light and sound effects to add some drama and spectacle to the occasion. There is no dead time at all. It's all high impact music and effective use of spotlights and bright lights to crank up the atmosphere. I think the GPs do this much better than league speedway and I recognise they have much bigger budgets, but there is a lot can be done with a whizz kid at the keyboard and some decent equipment (bought by clubs pooling resources?).

[Icicle]

The odd "entertainments" that go on in Russia- esp. the Ice  can be odd...sometimes folk songs..(old style) sometimes local (usually obviously amateur) Dance lots..I've noticed BMX bikes doing odd tricks (most of these at Togliatti) but the oddest (so far) can't remember where (a shale meeting?) was some (I assume local) bods flying their radio controlled planes around! All a bit odd. 

[tellboy]

1 hour ago, falcace said:

You make a valid point (if I am reading you right?) and you are of course right, not everything is transferrable from the indoor arena to a speedway stadium.

Speedway cannot simply replicate basketball in presentation terms, but there is a lot to learn in just the use of music, light and sound effects to add some drama and spectacle to the occasion. There is no dead time at all. It's all high impact music and effective use of spotlights and bright lights to crank up the atmosphere. I think the GPs do this much better than league speedway and I recognise they have much bigger budgets, but there is a lot can be done with a whizz kid at the keyboard and some decent equipment (bought by clubs pooling resources?).

With many meetings done during light hours,would any kind of lighting shows have any affect?

[Trees]

10 hours ago, Icicle said:

Recently I "rediscovered" an old recording of a 70's World Final (Briggs Olsen etc). Big crowds, but  dreadful boring racing!! Lucky if more than 1 overtake the whole night....yes, felt better at the time, atmosphere & crowd plus youth reason, not the actual racing.

The fans at a World Final years ago were 100% supporting their fav riders, I can remember feeling so nervous for riders I cared a damn about.  I don't remember once worrying about the quality of the racing only that my riders were winning lol.  Now, of course, we rarely have that emotional tie because the top boys don't race here.... I guess then fans are seeing the meetings differently.... 

[g13webb]

7 hours ago, Trees said:

The fans at a World Final years ago were 100% supporting their fav riders, I can remember feeling so nervous for riders I cared a damn about.  I don't remember once worrying about the quality of the racing only that my riders were winning lol.  Now, of course, we rarely have that emotional tie because the top boys don't race here.... I guess then fans are seeing the meetings differently.... 

I appreciate your views and can understand that connection, but it was a two way thing.  Riders rode for a club and belonged solely to that club, they didn't ride for a various others at the same time, so the loyalty was never in question.  This belonging feeling that existed was paramount to the connection,    the fans had with the club.  This is why the terraces were always full.   Every race meant something because the riders didn't want to let the fans down...   It was as though you were a big family.    Many nights after the meetings  we stayed on to mix with the riders in the bar. Some nights it was so full you couldn't get in the place.   But it all added to that emotional attachment.

One of the big difference is now the top  riders are free agents and ride for many clubs.   They is no belonging to any specific club or their fans, the riders act like mercenaries, milking the situation that the rules have allowed .   The powers that govern this sport  have destroyed that connection the fans valued so much.   the only attraction left is the actual racing on the track, and sadly ,  that at times is not very good...

When I relate to the good times of yesteryear , I am referring to the whole package,    the costs,  the environment,  the excitement,  the belonging, the enjoyment,  that all added to the actual racing that made it occasions you remembered...

 

[Trees]

6 minutes ago, g13webb said:

I appreciate your views and can understand that connection, but it was a two way thing.  Riders rode for a club and belonged solely to that club, they didn't ride for a various others at the same time, so the loyalty was never in question.  This belonging feeling that existed was paramount to the connection,    the fans had with the club.  This is why the terraces were always full.   Every race meant something because the riders didn't want to let the fans down...   It was as though you were a big family.    Many nights after the meetings  we stayed on to mix with the riders in the bar. Some nights it was so full you couldn't get in the place.   But it all added to that emotional attachment.

One of the big difference is now the top  riders are free agents and ride for many clubs.   They is no belonging to any specific club or their fans, the riders act like mercenaries, milking the situation that the rules have allowed .   The powers that govern this sport  have destroyed that connection the fans valued so much.   the only attraction left is the actual racing on the track, and sadly ,  that at times is not very good...

When I relate to the good times of yesteryear , I am referring to the whole package,    the costs,  the environment,  the excitement,  the belonging, the enjoyment,  that all added to the actual racing that made it occasions you remembered...

 

Years ago there was loads of money coming in to pay riders very handsomely, it was a piece of cake for promoters, the fans turned up without them doing anything much. Now speedway is so much harder to promote, to be able to afford to promote, modern day British promoters would love the crowds and consequent money that was around in the sport in the past.  But imo they are making changes, the current situation is making them think differently. And if course there are certain promoters out there who are setting a standard, giving them all ideas and a kick up the bum lol

Yes the sport has changed as travel has changed, even years ago riders went off to make more money where they could, now they have the chance to race for 4 different teams but still many riders stick to the same clubs everywhere, I'm sure we can all name some. They stay where they are happy, if at all possible and if the promoters want them to. Just look at the amount of riders who have ridden for Lynn for years, who have belonged. 

[Sidney the robin]

When i first started going to speedway as a young un  the special part for me was the visiting teams.Most of them had a top class no1 who maybe you would only see once or twice a season that made it special .Also the team's lesser light's of the sport and every team had them we could all relate to them they were one of us i miss that part of it.My team Swindon had two lesser light riders in Keen, Hitch, they both  give me alot of pleasure over the years .And i often wonder in this era they would of been replaced without a thought but not then because  they were idolised by there home fans different times.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Sidney the robin

[Baldyman]

30 minutes ago, Trees said:

Years ago there was loads of money coming in to pay riders very handsomely, it was a piece of cake for promoters, the fans turned up without them doing anything much. Now speedway is so much harder to promote, to be able to afford to promote, modern day British promoters would love the crowds and consequent money that was around in the sport in the past.  But imo they are making changes, the current situation is making them think differently. And if course there are certain promoters out there who are setting a standard, giving them all ideas and a kick up the bum lol

Yes the sport has changed as travel has changed, even years ago riders went off to make more money where they could, now they have the chance to race for 4 different teams but still many riders stick to the same clubs everywhere, I'm sure we can all name some. They stay where they are happy, if at all possible and if the promoters want them to. Just look at the amount of riders who have ridden for Lynn for years, who have belonged. 

Surely speedway is now much easier to promote with the Internet and free social media to get it out on at any time they like.  It's more like they don't bother to promote properly or use the tools properly to do so. 

[Trees]

8 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

When i first started going to speedway as a young un  the special part for me was the visiting teams.Most of them had a top class no1 who maybe you would only see once or twice a season that made it special .Also the team's lesser light's of the sport and every team had them we could all relate to them they were one of us i miss that part of it.My team Swindon had two lesser light riders in Keen, Hitch, they both  give me alot of pleasure over the years .And i often wonder in this era they would of been replaced without a thought but not then because  they were idolised by there home fans different times.

The same still applies, there are loads of lesser lights that have ridden for Lynn over the years who stayed for years. 

[Trees]

2 minutes ago, Baldyman said:

Surely speedway is now much easier to promote with the Internet and free social media to get it out on at any time they like.  It's more like they don't bother to promote properly or use the tools properly to do so. 

They can promote on social media all they like but as we all know, many people aren't interested. Just like football clubs, horse racing tracks, rugby, cricket etc etc etc are of no interest to me. But they have to keep trying.