Odsal

[Humphrey Appleby]

3 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

ANYWAY, it is academic. The FA wouldn't consider parts of their hallowed turf being disturbed and the cost of laying a track would be north of £250,000. 

Why would a track cost any more at Wembley than Cardiff?

[HenryW]

It's been fun reading about Wembley dreams on a thread about Odsal....

I'm totally confused about why some think that Wembley would automatically mean a 55k crowd. When Wembley was used, there were a bunch of tracks with good crowds around London. There are none now. Speedway is dead in the capital.

I get the dream of the "history", but the current Wembley stadium ISN'T the one that the history was at, and I'd be surprised if thousands of extra fans turned up JUST BECAUSE it was Wembley. Let's not forget that Ullevi also had a pretty good history in the sport, but didn't really capture the crowds for a GP.

Let's also not forget that the racing at the old Wembley generally wasn't anything to get too excited about. Cardiff has been called boring by a good few on this thread.
Feel free to call me crazy, but I've seen more good races from Cardiff than I have from Wembley. Most of the old World Final races from Wembley that I have seen have been, frankly, awful. There were a very small number of classics, but most of the racing was gate and go boredom...In my opinion, the World Finals at Odsal (sorry for bringing up the subject of this thread) provided FAR better racing than either Wembley or Cardiff, but Cardiff is STILL the best option for a GP in the UK for many reasons, if you ask me (especially if the Welsh are willing to chuck a bunch of cash at our sport )

 

[Tim G]

3 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

Nonsense. The FA will consider anything if the price is right, which is why umpteen concerts have been held on the pitch there, and why several are scheduled even this year.

Speedway can't/won't/doesn't want to pay the asking price. Just be honest about it...

But if you go to a concert at Wembley it’s about £80 for the cheap seats and the place is sold out.
BSI/Eurosport Events would not sell many tickets for speedway at that price and would lose a fortune so it’s a non starter.

Speedway can’t afford Wembley or any other major stadium in London.

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Tim G

[Ray Stadia]

9 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

WALES is in Great Britain ... it's the British SGP. There are many reasons including the lack of a roof (no insurance against the weather for such an expensive project) and agree that 55k is totally unrealistic these days.

With the Welsh 'banging on' about wanting to be independent and not part part of Britain, add to that, Wales is currently a non-speedway nation, it doesn't make you feel that Wales should be the natural home for speedway's blue ribbon event. I do agree, the chances now of attracting the crowd numbers witnessed in 1981, would be slender. Maybe Coventry could be resurrected for the British GP? I seem to recall, the time it was used it was a success, certainly from the racing perspective. 

[fatface]

5 hours ago, Tim G said:

But if you go to a concert at Wembley it’s about £80 for the cheap seats and the place is sold out.
BSI/Eurosport Events would not sell many tickets for speedway at that price and would lose a fortune so it’s a non starter.

Speedway can’t afford Wembley or any other major stadium in London.

 

Agree. Plus the support from the Welsh Government is a huge enabler for a GP to take place in Cardiff. That wouldn't happen in London - its not a place that EVER goes short on visitors, so there wouldn't be any state support. Personally, I love Cardiff...I can accept that sometimes the racing has not been great. But you can say that for 95% of tracks can't you? In recent years 2019's racing was poor, but I thought there was some great stuff in 2017/2018. The city centre carnival atmosphere is unique in the speedway calendar, Cardiff is pretty accessible for most via air, rail or car and it's always a city well worth visiting. 

Another gripe seems to be  hotel prices..well, if you are creative, you can still find a bargain. Though I'm not going to reveal my sources here!

I find people's desire for Wembley to be misplaced romanticism. The surrounding area of Brent is a world away from Cardiff City Centre in atmosphere and amenities. It would be another temporary track...so the same issues at Cardiff. Plus if you think accommodation in Cardiff is pricey....wait til you get to London on your over priced transport! Finally, I honestly don't think Wembley has the atmosphere of the Principality. It's a very sterile place and whatever history and magic there might have once been under the Twin Towers has long, long gone. 

I'm very open minded to change, but I think all in all, Cardiff is a good as it could ever get for the British GP. I'd be hard pressed to name another stadium or city that could deliver a comparable all round package.

Odsal? Well, I hope it comes back. There were some standout moments at the 85 and 90 finals. But it's another place that seems to get over romanticised. I found it quite cavernous and lacking in prestige. I preferred the more compact Shay for domestic speedway and for top level speedway, Odsal was a step down from the old Wembley, Cardiff or many of the overseas venues that have hosted World Championship or GP speedway.   

 

[Goldhawk]

11 hours ago, Grand Central said:

NO you stated that there was a capacity crowd at Wembley in 1970 ...

And that was complete fantasy.  ... But  because the 40 k made a lot of noise it misled you.

And 40k at Cardiff making a he'll of a lot of noise ...  That is some sort of failure.

La La land.

Get a grip it was 40 years ago . The declining numbers at Cardiff prove what it has become - a bore fest. 

[Goldhawk]

If Wembley off limits due to cost , how about West Ham ?

[Triple.H.]

1 minute ago, Goldhawk said:

If Wembley off limits due to cost , how about West Ham ?

Olympic stadium worst than Wembley for local amenities, its a fair old hike from the shopping centre where there are a few bars and restaurants, Also afterwards its a long slow walk back to the underground, all very well organised but you walk in circles so access to the stations is limited on numbers.

[OveFundinFan]

12 hours ago, Goldhawk said:

If 40k - 45K fans will go to Cardiff then 55k plus will go to Wembley, the capital of England and a Speedway Mecca that dwafts all others in Speedway history. The fans will come from home and abroad. If you have never seen a meeting there then maybe some here wouldn't appreciate it. Needs to be moved now in my view away from Cardiff which has become stale and doesn't produce decent racing . Agree SGP not likely either way in UK this year but sure it will be back in UK next year. Hope new organisers bring new and higher horizons for the sport at this level. Wembley for British SGP would be massive ! Crikey it would be the talk of World Speedway !! 

Are you serious - speedway at Wembley!  Pinch yourself and wake up!  All us older ones have beautiful dreams, but they are not reality.
Many years ago Speedway was kicked out of Wembley by football.  I don’t think they going to disturb Wembley turf anytime soon.  And actually, to be honest, not all the racing at Wembley was good, just like not all racing at Cardiff is good.  Wembley, though, had an atmosphere like no other. But some posters recently have said they been to the new Wembley for a match and the atmosphere of old is not there - it’s like a railway station, one poster said. It’s been sanitised, it’s not there anymore.

Cardiff has the magic of being in the centre of a major city, where sport is encouraged, it’s alive with everything to sustain it - hotels, shops, bars, parks, communication links, crowd capacity, weatherproofing. As much as many dislike the place.....it’s got a lot going for it that I don’t think any other place in place in Britain has at the moment, or I can see in the foreseeable future.

[The Third Man]

56 minutes ago, Goldhawk said:

Get a grip it was 40 years ago . The declining numbers at Cardiff prove what it has become - a bore fest. 

Thought the numbers at Cardiff were fairly consistent at around 40,000

[PHILIPRISING]

14 minutes ago, The Third Man said:

Thought the numbers at Cardiff were fairly consistent at around 40,000

THEY are 

[fatface]

2 hours ago, Triple.H. said:

Olympic stadium worst than Wembley for local amenities, its a fair old hike from the shopping centre where there are a few bars and restaurants, Also afterwards its a long slow walk back to the underground, all very well organised but you walk in circles so access to the stations is limited on numbers.

I do quite like the Olympic Park and Westfield. But again, it doesn't have the authentic city atmosphere. I don't think I'm alone in saying I've necked a pint in one of the surrounding Cardiff city centre pubs five mins before the first race and not missed a second of action. 

Edited May 1, 2021 by falcace

[Grand Central]

Just looking at the latest updates from the work being done at Odsal shows it could easily become an option for Speedway of some sort over the next few years. 

No way is it a Cardiff or Wembley but as a Stadium capable of holding 20,000 with a track in situ it is a no-brainer that it is only a matter of time before something does happen. 

[OveFundinFan]

Re Odsal, does the geographic area support speedway? Bradford itself could be said to be predominantly Asian population. Leeds, as far as I know has not been a speedway area, Halifax has, but what support is there now for regular speedway. It’s no good having track but no regular supporters to finance it.

[steve roberts]

23 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

Re Odsal, does the geographic area support speedway? Bradford itself could be said to be predominantly Asian population. Leeds, as far as I know has not been a speedway area, Halifax has, but what support is there now for regular speedway. It’s no good having track but no regular supporters to finance it.

...I gave up years ago when I re-located to York mentioning speedway. Very few people were aware of it!

[ch958]

1 hour ago, OveFundinFan said:

Re Odsal, does the geographic area support speedway? Bradford itself could be said to be predominantly Asian population. Leeds, as far as I know has not been a speedway area, Halifax has, but what support is there now for regular speedway. It’s no good having track but no regular supporters to finance it.

20 pc non white, not predominant

[Ray Stadia]

1 hour ago, OveFundinFan said:

Re Odsal, does the geographic area support speedway? Bradford itself could be said to be predominantly Asian population. Leeds, as far as I know has not been a speedway area, Halifax has, but what support is there now for regular speedway. It’s no good having track but no regular supporters to finance it.

I think Leeds did try running speedway many many years ago, unless it was another track calling itself 'Leeds'. Mind you, I think most of the thinking on here is the occasional use of the track, as regular use will be the stocks. It seems these days, the barriers against running speedway, go far beyond an existing shale track which is going begging.  

[foamfence]

17 minutes ago, ch958 said:

20 pc non white, not predominant

That was the 2011 census figure, still not predominant but It'll be much higher than 20% The fact is that Odsal never really attracted paying crowds for league racing. it was all but dead when it closed.

[Guest compost]

2 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

Re Odsal, does the geographic area support speedway? Bradford itself could be said to be predominantly Asian population. Leeds, as far as I know has not been a speedway area, Halifax has, but what support is there now for regular speedway. It’s no good having track but no regular supporters to finance it.

Not sure you really want the history lesson but Leeds has had 2 tracks. Post Hill only ran Speedway in 1928, Fullerton Park (near the Football Ground so I understand) ran 1928 to 1932 then re-opened for a single, final, season in 1938. In 1929 Leeds actually won the 'Northern' League and included Eric Langton in their side.

[Goldhawk]

If they recreate the track then racing would be great, has potential to be improved.