Rob Godfrey interview in Speedway Star

[Halifaxtiger]

11 hours ago, tmc said:

No, the standard of racing in British Speedway (BL & NL) generally WAS better! It really isn't a myth. Nothing to do with atmosphere.

Please tell us where you watched speedway in the 70s & 80s?

I don't agree. I'd say that racing today is no better or worse than it has always been.

I think its fair to say that neither Sheffield nor King's Lynn are as good as they used to be, but Workington, Peterborough and Plymouth are better. Berwick remains the same, and I think there are few that would dispute that even the superlative Hyde Road is matched by the NSS.

No track today has the appalling standard of preparation of places like Nelson & Doncaster, and there is surely none that has the notorious gaters paradise reputation that Coventry had.

I saw good meetings and bad meetings then and I see them now. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by Halifaxtiger

[mikebv]

7 hours ago, gustix said:

The way the sport is losing impact year on year sadly I can envisage no long-term racing under the present form in the UK. Eventually I think team racing will cease and meetings will be rather akin to another format as used in the USA.

Team Speedway in Britain simply cannot work anymore..

Not enough riders to fill team spaces means guests and doubling up, which smashes any credibility of the competitions..

As a team sport, inevitably promoters 'want to win' , no matter the 100% lack of any kudos in winning a domestic speedway competition,  a lack of kudos driven by their very own operating model, (couldn't make it up could you?)..

Therefore, to win,  they need the best riders they can get, riders who then are expected to have good equipment, good equipment that costs them a lot of money,  a lot of money that promoters then have to pay out to the riders so they can pay for their good equipment and make a profit to live off..

And all the while bored, disillusioned and disinterested fans leave the sport each year whilst such nonsense goes on annually...

For me, the racing is as good, bad and indifferent as it ever was, however run competitions with genuine credibility and you will still attract crowds in this country..

Less meetings, ran at individual level, with entrepreneurs hiring tracks to do one off 'weekend specials' will still get decent crowds I would think...

A BSB Superbikes type offering, lots of different age and capability level events held over one or even two days..

Team Speedway, ran midweek, with two guests per team, and rider replacement being used for another two riders, as all the missing six riders need to be 'elsewhere' that evening, simply will never, ever work...

Because it can't. ..

[Sidney the robin]

12 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I don't agree. I'd say that racing today is no better or worse than it has always been.

I think its fair to say that neither Sheffield nor King's Lynn are as good as they used to be, but Workington, Peterborough and Plymouth are better. Berwick remains the same, and I think there are few that would dispute that even the superlative Hyde Road is matched by the NSS.

No track today has the appalling standard of preparation of places like Nelson & Doncaster, and there is surely none that has the notorious gaters paradise reputation that Coventry had.

I saw good meetings and bad meetings then and I see them now. 

My take on it  Tiger is  we have lost Wimbledon, Hackney, the brilliant Hyde Rd ( luckily replaced by another great track) Exeter, Halifax, Reading, Leicester , Oxford ,Coatbridge,(ect) all good tracks  in there own unique way when they were prepared.Now Swindon, Wolves,Sheffield, Kings Lynn, a few examples are nowhere near the level of yesteryear for entertainment maybe the bikes are to fast now who knows. But i dont believe the entertainment level now is better far from it not from my experience at Swindon anyway.

[Grachan]

3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

My take on it  Tiger is  we have lost Wimbledon, Hackney, the brilliant Hyde Rd ( luckily replaced by another great track) Exeter, Halifax, Reading, Leicester , Oxford ,Coatbridge,(ect) all good tracks  in there own unique way when they were prepared.Now Swindon, Wolves,Sheffield, Kings Lynn, a few examples are nowhere near the level of yesteryear for entertainment maybe the bikes are to fast now who knows. But i dont believe the entertainment level now is better far from it not from my experience at Swindon anyway.

I think tracks like Swindon, Sheffield and King's Lynn are not so well suited to the modern bikes as they were for the old ones.

I remember at Swindon you would get riders lying on the tanks long-track style down the straights and squeezing past riders, but not it seems that a lot of the time everyone just rides on the one, fastest, line.

However Grand Prix and World Cup (RIP?) racing is as good, if not better, than any racing from the past.

[Vince]

I just can't see how guest riders will ever stop new people coming through the door, unless of course they are told how terrible it is by an existing fan. It may well be a problem that costs the sport some existing fans but it's hard to see a way it can be resolved. Smaller teams will mean more riders sat on the sidelines waiting to race however they aren't going to wait forever they will retire from Speedway and race something else weekends.

In fact the use of guest riders could be treated as a positive by explaining they are necessary because of how dangerous the sport is and how often teams are hit by injury.

To me the racing is as good (and bad) as ever but the show has gone backwards if anything. They have tried to sanitise a sport that should be celebrating it's dirty, dangerous and aggressive side. People want to be entertained every minute of the evening now so something needs to be happening between races and while grading. Doesn't have to cost anything much, a local kids Trials club putting on some demos, the local cycle speedway club having some races on the back straight, local bands and so on. For those tracks that can use the centre green a cycle Speedway race between each heat is a natural fit I've always thought. I'm sure there are lots of other things people could suggest.

But most importantly make the Speedway entertaining, everybody pretends to be horrified by crashes and punch ups but the sales of the crashes and cock ups videos are always much higher than any other and a punch up always sees a good crowd not only the following week but next time that team visits too. The sport is having all it's natural spectator appeal stifled.

[The Third Man]

If the track is prepared correctly, Sheffield can be as good as it has ever been.

I think there is no difference in the standard of racing over the years, 

 

[Sidney the robin]

17 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I think tracks like Swindon, Sheffield and King's Lynn are not so well suited to the modern bikes as they were for the old ones.

I remember at Swindon you would get riders lying on the tanks long-track style down the straights and squeezing past riders, but not it seems that a lot of the time everyone just rides on the one, fastest, line.

However Grand Prix and World Cup (RIP?) racing is as good, if not better, than any racing from the past.

Swindon the second bend has ended up  being a big problem and riders getting sucked into the air fence.Also Nick Morris last season had a problem with bend four also other riders had problems there.As you said are the bikes more tempermental now? are the bikes  to quick are the straights to long at the abbey? Some of the GP stuff is very  good but there are a few mediocre meetings thrown in as well.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Sidney the robin

[PHILIPRISING]

4 hours ago, mikebv said:

Team Speedway in Britain simply cannot work anymore..

Not enough riders to fill team spaces means guests and doubling up, which smashes any credibility of the competitions..

As a team sport, inevitably promoters 'want to win' , no matter the 100% lack of any kudos in winning a domestic speedway competition,  a lack of kudos driven by their very own operating model, (couldn't make it up could you?)..

Therefore, to win,  they need the best riders they can get, riders who then are expected to have good equipment, good equipment that costs them a lot of money,  a lot of money that promoters then have to pay out to the riders so they can pay for their good equipment and make a profit to live off..

And all the while bored, disillusioned and disinterested fans leave the sport each year whilst such nonsense goes on annually...

For me, the racing is as good, bad and indifferent as it ever was, however run competitions with genuine credibility and you will still attract crowds in this country..

Less meetings, ran at individual level, with entrepreneurs hiring tracks to do one off 'weekend specials' will still get decent crowds I would think...

A BSB Superbikes type offering, lots of different age and capability level events held over one or even two days..

Team Speedway, ran midweek, with two guests per team, and rider replacement being used for another two riders, as all the missing six riders need to be 'elsewhere' that evening, simply will never, ever work...

Because it can't. ..

I DOUBT whether there is a promoter who wouldn't tell you that individual meetings are financial suicide. Team racing is the lifeblood of speedway in the UK which is why all the efforts of those in the BSPA must focus on getting that right. But, no matter what people on here might think, there isn't an easy solution that will work an overnight miracle. My own view, for what it's worth, is that regular and continuity of fixtures, overhauling the averages system and adding to the entertainment value during a meeting would at least be a start.

[Speedtiger]

2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

I DOUBT whether there is a promoter who wouldn't tell you that individual meetings are financial suicide. Team racing is the lifeblood of speedway in the UK which is why all the efforts of those in the BSPA must focus on getting that right. But, no matter what people on here might think, there isn't an easy solution that will work an overnight miracle. My own view, for what it's worth, is that regular and continuity of fixtures, overhauling the averages system and adding to the entertainment value during a meeting would at least be a start.

I totally agree, sound sense, BUT these are NOT new problems that require solutions they have been in the sport for sometime...so why would the BSPA focus on getting things right now when they should and could have dealt with the issues over the past decade or so..?

I'm not being defeatist only realistic but I'm not confident that the people running the sport have the awareness and acumen to change things...its NOT been in evidence that they can....in the main they are self serving and inwardly focused, incapable of looking to the future and understanding the problems and therefore devoid of implementing essential solutions.  The plain fact is the business of speedway is now BUST but the basics and potential of the sport of speedway are as brilliant and exciting as ever, but sadly Chapman and Godfrey are NOT. They are asleep at the wheel and the sport and fans deserve better...will they get it, looking at the state of the speedway and reading the Godfrey SS article I'm NOT holding my breath.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Speedtiger

[StevePark]

20 hours ago, tmc said:

PROMOTING - HIGHLIGHTS PACKAGE

I was encouraged to read of the BSPA's plans for a revamped website with hopes to include free-to-air matches. In the same issue I read that Poland will be airing a magazine-style show every Monday.

So it begs the question: why haven't the BSPA done a deal with Go-Speed and all the individual DVD filming companies covering the tracks to put together, say, a weekly 30-minute show showcasing the past week's highlights, complemented by interviews with promoters and riders on current topics and burning issues? Would not a sufficient number of fans not be prepared to pay a nominal 50p or £1 per week throughout the season to cover production costs? The show could be offered as a download from the BSPA site with the same show being uploaded to YouTube a week later (if it hit YT at the same time, there would obviously be no point in paying the small sub). For obvious reasons, these edited highlights would not include any from 'live' BT Sport matches. British speedway desperately needs to harness its relationship with BT Sport if it is to have any hope of attracting a national sponsor, or backers for each of the three divisions (alas, Rob did not mention this failure on the BSPA's part).

The BSPA already has the ideal experienced and knowledgeable anchor man/presenter on its pay roll in Nigel Pearson, while two or three of the best people producing DVDs could be tasked to edit the best action clips and interviews.

Reality is, though, a weekly highlights download via the BSPA site or uploaded to YouTube probably won't attract one new supporters, especially a youngster who can't take his or her eyes off their smart phone for more than a few seconds. This will sound crazy to some, but promoters' priority should be to do all they can to KEEP their existing supporter base and TRY to win back those who have been disenfranchised over the part 10 years. Forget chasing new, young fans . . . speedway just doesn't cut it with them and very probably never will again. So forget them for now and focus all energies on keeping what you have and winning back the old faithful with fresh ideas, well prepared tracks and a professionally run sport.

Only last week we at Retro Speedway were delighted to take on five new subscribers to our bi-monthly Backtrack magazine. OK, five in a matter of days is really nothing. But not in the context of where British speedway is now it isn't. They are five people who enjoyed reliving past memories but are now engaging with the sport again. Facebook is the biggest factor in this: whether you personally log on to FB or not and regardless of your personal preferences (FB, forum or Twitter), more and more of the older generation are signing up to Facebook's social media platform to 'chat' to kindred spirits - and that is where the BSPA should be looking to re-recruit former fans who might be tempted back into stadiums. This is where they will find their target audience.

 

When we (GRT Media - the late Bob Tasker) first started regularly filming at Sheffield, Neil Machin was saying that this is the way to go.  This was in around 2009 I think, so it's nothing new.  Although, IIRC, Neil was wanting it on (then Sky) TV, rather than a download type broadcast.

[GWC]

Speedway still has a foot in the door media wise with BT. It’s cheap for them and unfortunately they can dictate the price as the sport is desperate.

The promoters must become ‘joined up’ if the sport is to survive as just looking after their own businesses will put others out of business.

The sport will unfortunately continue to down size as there are not enough riders and overseas riders will be too expensive.

[waytogo28]

On 2/10/2019 at 12:07 PM, Vince said:

I believe that although there were some great riders and racing in the past overall the quality of racing is higher now.

It certainly isn't at King's Lynn where I have been so turned off by the poor quality of racing over the last three seasons ( except for Robert Lambert - the only rider to make me want to go and watch there ) that I am unlikely to attend, on other than the odd occasion in 2019. Gate and Go, all over by half way round the first lap, Riders chasing ( with little hope of or interest in catching the man in front - processional mostly ).  And I have watched at Saddlebow Rd every year since it opened ) For me the racing in recent years is not a patch on what was on offer 10 - 40 years ago.

[GWC]

59 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

It certainly isn't at King's Lynn where I have been so turned off by the poor quality of racing over the last three seasons ( except for Robert Lambert - the only rider to make me want to go and watch there ) that I am unlikely to attend, on other than the odd occasion in 2019. Gate and Go, all over by half way round the first lap, Riders chasing ( with little hope of or interest in catching the man in front - processional mostly ).  And I have watched at Saddlebow Rd every year since it opened ) For me the racing in recent years is not a patch on what was on offer 10 - 40 years ago.

Bob Humphreys never saw him overtake!

[mikebv]

6 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

I DOUBT whether there is a promoter who wouldn't tell you that individual meetings are financial suicide. Team racing is the lifeblood of speedway in the UK which is why all the efforts of those in the BSPA must focus on getting that right. But, no matter what people on here might think, there isn't an easy solution that will work an overnight miracle. My own view, for what it's worth, is that regular and continuity of fixtures, overhauling the averages system and adding to the entertainment value during a meeting would at least be a start.

Team racing might be the lifeblood Phil, but it simply doesn't work in this country..

Keep doing the same thing and the ever decreasing circle will eventually disappear..

The fans who have deserted the sport in their tens of thousands over the past 20 years are testament to team speedway 'not working'...

To run a team sport you 100% need the emotional attachment from your fans to 'their team'...

Yet (British) Speedway actually allows ringers to be brought it to replace riders virtually every week of the season somewhere...

(And the way some fans accept guests makes you think that Speedway is the only team sport that gets injuries)!

Let's face it, winning with guests gives you zero satisfaction. .

And losing against a team of guest track specialists pees you off..

Why bother therefore putting in your emotional loyalty to a team when it's often nothing more than a random collection of riders, riding for that night under whatever flag of convenience has offered them the rides..? 

And ultimately, why bother then attending such contrived, artificially put together 'league speedway'?

Who really cares who wins that particular night or indeed at the end of season given the contrived way any team gets to the play off?

And if that is your starting point, god help anyone trying to make a success of it..

Many on here now say they attend simply to watch the spectacle of four riders racing around a track, and ignore all the nonsense that surrounds such a simple concept..

And for me, the raw material product is still worth watching..

Hence I will attend the SON and Cardiff this year..

The spectacle does still have a crowd pulling value without any shadow of doubt..

Just not (in this country) built around a team concept...

(Unless of course very radical decisions are made, which given the track record of those in charge, would seem very, very unlikely)...

 

[Sidney the robin]

2 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

It certainly isn't at King's Lynn where I have been so turned off by the poor quality of racing over the last three seasons ( except for Robert Lambert - the only rider to make me want to go and watch there ) that I am unlikely to attend, on other than the odd occasion in 2019. Gate and Go, all over by half way round the first lap, Riders chasing ( with little hope of or interest in catching the man in front - processional mostly ).  And I have watched at Saddlebow Rd every year since it opened ) For me the racing in recent years is not a patch on what was on offer 10 - 40 years ago.

King's Lynn and Swindon were easily in the top 6/8 tracks in England for exciting and fair racing now both are living off past glories a real shame.

[Halifaxtiger]

9 hours ago, Grachan said:

I think tracks like Swindon, Sheffield and King's Lynn are not so well suited to the modern bikes as they were for the old ones.

I remember at Swindon you would get riders lying on the tanks long-track style down the straights and squeezing past riders, but not it seems that a lot of the time everyone just rides on the one, fastest, line.

However Grand Prix and World Cup (RIP?) racing is as good, if not better, than any racing from the past.

I'd say its more down to preparation. 

If a track like Swindon has one line, that's the fault of the curator (although he maybe under orders). 

Size and shape is crucial (that's why the NSS is as good as it is) but its not the be all and end all. 

The way I see it, if Scunthorpe can be good for racing there's no reason why Swindon - and others - can't be. 

[orion]

13 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I'd say its more down to preparation. 

If a track like Swindon has one line, that's the fault of the curator (although he maybe under orders). 

Size and shape is crucial (that's why the NSS is as good as it is) but its not the be all and end all. 

The way I see it, if Scunthorpe can be good for racing there's no reason why Swindon - and others - can't be. 

it's a tricky one ...my memories of years gone by at Swindon was that  the track was very deep to start with . These days it's risk free and very slick from the start . There can be no doubt it's been a poor track for quite a while now and not  only that quite dangerous with holes etc ..One of the reasons Nick Morris left  was because of it .

A school of thought might that the lack of money in speedway is also effecting how the tracks are being set up .

[Sidney the robin]

13 minutes ago, orion said:

it's a tricky one ...my memories of years gone by at Swindon was that  the track was very deep to start with . These days it's risk free and very slick from the start . There can be no doubt it's been a poor track for quite a while now and not  only that quite dangerous with holes etc ..One of the reasons Nick Morris left  was because of it .

A school of thought might that the lack of money in speedway is also effecting how the tracks are being set up .

I really believe even in the good old days Swindon could be slick and dusty especially afternoon meeting's.I can remember a England v USA test match being very slick my memory from the late 60s early 70s the track was good and renowned as one of the best tracks in the Country and had dirt on it.Riders like Briggs,Crump, Ashby, Adams  over the years knew you could always pass at the Abbey but i would say since Leigh's last year the demise of the quality of racing has deteriorated badly at the Abbey.I think now possibly with the set up of the bikes now  with more speed and  more unpredictable ( etc) the straights are now to long for that track?  Swindon now has become quite a technical track.

[iwright71]

11 hours ago, The Third Man said:

If the track is prepared correctly, Sheffield can be as good as it has ever been.

I think there is no difference in the standard of racing over the years, 

 

Why aren't  people turning up in their droves  like they used to then ? 

[Byker Biker]

I love this thread, 6 pages of comments, criticism and downright slagging so far. I'd rather have read 6 pages of solutions to the crisis. Posters are confirming that they have no more idea than the BSPA who at least have tried, if the BSPA had the benefit of hindsight like the rest of us they would have undoubtedly made a better fist of it.