Odsal

[Wee Eck]

In my view, Cardiff succeeds for several reasons like it has a roof, it has a very large capacity, it’s in a city centre so is accessible by public transport as well as having plentiful accommodation (at an inflated price). Is there any other stadium in UK that does all of that?

[Ray Stadia]

On 4/27/2021 at 5:54 PM, Wee Eck said:

In my view, Cardiff succeeds for several reasons like it has a roof, it has a very large capacity, it’s in a city centre so is accessible by public transport as well as having plentiful accommodation (at an inflated price). Is there any other stadium in UK that does all of that?

Wouldn't Wembley be mostly covered in wet conditions?  

[Grand Central]

20 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

Wouldn't Wembley be mostly covered in wet conditions?  

No, not the track. Haven't you been or seen it ?

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Grand Central

[Ray Stadia]

15 minutes ago, Grand Central said:

No, not the track. Haven't you been or seen it ?

 

No I haven't, I was simply going by pictures. Oh well, Cardiff it remains!

[Humphrey Appleby]

1 hour ago, Ray Stadia said:

Wouldn't Wembley be mostly covered in wet conditions?  

Too big and too expensive one would imagine.

Plus it wouldn't have the Welsh Government paying for a GP to be held there. 

[Wee Eck]

4 hours ago, Ray Stadia said:

Wouldn't Wembley be mostly covered in wet conditions?  

I don’t know, tbh. But looking at Google Earth, I think most, but not all, of the spectators would stay dry, but, if you could fit one in, and if the FA permitted its use (neither of which seems likely to me) then the track would be completely uncovered. 
It surprised me that Wembley didn’t include a roof especially as it cost nearly £800m. By way of contrast, Cardif “only” cost £121m including the roof. 

[Wee Eck]

3 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

Too big and too expensive one would imagine.

Plus it wouldn't have the Welsh Government paying for a GP to be held there. 

I doubt the Welsh Government pay for the GP to be held there. They are one of the sponsors, for sure, but that’s not the same thing

[Happy Hunter]

I think at Cardiff the turf is in moveable trays and  that makes it easier to put a track down and lift it afterwards.

[Humphrey Appleby]

25 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

I doubt the Welsh Government pay for the GP to be held there. They are one of the sponsors, for sure, but that’s not the same thing

Depends how you define 'pay'.

I can't remember the exact figure, but I seem to recall that under the previous deal, the Welsh Government were paying something like GBP 160K per GP. The amount is stated in a Welsh Government response somewhere, although they're refusing to release the figures for the latest 5-year deal on the grounds on 'commercial confidentiality' even though this is public money they're spending.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-10/ATISN 13379 - internal review .pdf

This mentions the previous contract value (GBP 850K over 5 years), although note that it wasn't me who filed the FoI request! 

But think you'd have to ask whether the GP would be held there without this inducement...

Edited April 29, 2021 by Humphrey Appleby

[Wee Eck]

44 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

Depends how you define 'pay'.

I can't remember the exact figure, but I seem to recall that under the previous deal, the Welsh Government were paying something like GBP 160K per GP. The amount is stated in a Welsh Government response somewhere, although they're refusing to release the figures for the latest 5-year deal on the grounds on 'commercial confidentiality' even though this is public money they're spending.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-10/ATISN 13379 - internal review .pdf

This mentions the previous contract value (GBP 850K over 5 years), although note that it wasn't me who filed the FoI request! 

But think you'd have to ask whether the GP would be held there without this inducement...

I would define “pay” as meaning covering the costs rather than just contributing to them. You wouldn’t say that Monster pays for the GPs but, like Visit Wales, their sponsorship contributes to the costs. 

[Goldhawk]

The new SGP organisation take over next year. Would they be bold enough to try and return to the Mecca of Speedway . I think if 40 - 45k can come to Cardiff then Wembley could attract 55k - 60k, maybe more . I don't think there would be a fan in the country who wouldn't want to be there and would have huge appeal throughout the World of Speedway  !!   

[Triple.H.]

i saw someting on the TV a fair few years back where a Welsh politician said that every event, rugby,football,concert etc at Cardiff boosts the local economy by £10 million. So if the Welsh Government or tourist board were pumping £160K into holding the event, to me that makes good business sense. No doubt some of the overseas fans will also make a bit more of a holiday of it and take in some of the Welsh scenery thereby boosting the economy elsewhere in the country.

Wembley would hopefully be a great venue, the biggest problem being there's not a lot there for pre and post meeting entertainment. Though on the comcourses around the stadium there is plenty of room for pop up bars and food outlets, Could even have a couple of stages set up on opposite sides of the stadium and have a bit of live music. Of course anyone who thinks Cardiff is dear for a hotel won't be happy with London prices. An enterprising promoter would contact Chiltern Railways at the earliest opportunity and before  event announced to ask if they could alter the timetable so all trains stopped at Wembley, and put a few late trains on heading to Birmingham, to actively promote fans to travel in on the train. Sounds daft i know but when Oxford got to the JPT final a few years ago, with 6 weeks notice they had changed the timetable, laid on a few extra trains and made sure absolutely everyone was aware of the groupsave option. Hence the trains were busy and the roads around Wembley a fair bit quieter. No doubt a very good way to promote their line as a cheap and quick route into London for future days out.

[Grand Central]

5 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

I doubt the Welsh Government pay for the GP to be held there. They are one of the sponsors, for sure, but that’s not the same thing

You clearly have no idea.

[Wee Eck]

41 minutes ago, Grand Central said:

You clearly have no idea.

And yet, I do.....

[Humphrey Appleby]

4 hours ago, Goldhawk said:

The new SGP organisation take over next year. Would they be bold enough to try and return to the Mecca of Speedway . I think if 40 - 45k can come to Cardiff then Wembley could attract 55k - 60k, maybe more . I don't think there would be a fan in the country who wouldn't want to be there and would have huge appeal throughout the World of Speedway  !!   

There simply aren't 55k speedway fans in the UK anymore...

[Humphrey Appleby]

3 hours ago, Triple.H. said:

i saw someting on the TV a fair few years back where a Welsh politician said that every event, rugby,football,concert etc at Cardiff boosts the local economy by £10 million. So if the Welsh Government or tourist board were pumping £160K into holding the event, to me that makes good business sense.

That's for the Welsh Government to weigh up, but the point is that the likelihood of the British GP going anywhere else is heavily dependent on getting a similar subsidy elsewhere. Not to mention competitive rates for hiring the stadium. 

[Humphrey Appleby]

16 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

It surprised me that Wembley didn’t include a roof especially as it cost nearly £800m. By way of contrast, Cardif “only” cost £121m including the roof. 

It's too big to realistically put a roof over.

The biggest roofed stadium in the world is the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and that's officially 80,000 although it does have a way of squeezing in another 20,000 by having standing 'party decks' and basically moving the seats together into benches. Wembley is 90,000. 

The Principality Stadium is actually the second largest roofed stadium in the world. 

I think the Olympic Stadium would be a far more likely candidate for a British GP. More suitable for putting in a track, and I think has to allow a certain number of non-football events each year. It seems IMG actually bid to run the stadium in the past, so that would have been interesting if they'd been successful. 

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by Humphrey Appleby

[The Third Man]

Having been to both Cardiff and Wembley for football matches, i much prefer Cardiff for pre and post match entertainment

[iris123]

I've never been o Cardiff, for anything. Wouldn't really consider it. But Wembley.......that just has something extra for me. Possibly would consider the other option in London as well though

[Ray Stadia]

21 minutes ago, iris123 said:

I've never been o Cardiff, for anything. Wouldn't really consider it. But Wembley.......that just has something extra for me. Possibly would consider the other option in London as well though

I went to the very first GP, not been back since. It is a lovely city and stadium. The natives weren't too friendly! But I agree, a Wembley GP and I would be there in a heartbeat!