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Birmingham Brummies 2020


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Must confess I have never understood the "use it or lose it" ultimatum often quoted by fans, (and indeed some promoters), down the years...

By the very definition such utterances are used suggests that those who are "expected to go" (and therefore regarded as 'loyal fans'), are actually simply "not bothered" whether the clubs carry on or not..

Because if it did mean so much to them, they would still be attending in sufficient numbers to not require those very comments in the first place..

A demise of a club is sad, but often inevitable, as the 'tipping point' is finally reached re costs v income after several weeks of struggle, and the difference between the two finally becomes untenable to be bridged by the promoter...

And as the reasons for that demise often lies within the operating model of the sport, and is therefore self inflicted, it seems to prove that (contrary to popular belief), turkey's do seem to vote for xmas after all it would appear..

Promoters often do seem to sometimes over estimate how 'important' a Speedway club is to its followers and make the mistake of believing it means 'everything' to them similar to all other team sports..

However, by it's very operating model, the sport doesn't engender that blind loyalty, devotion and tribalism that other team sports do, therefore it simpy cannot mean the same emotionally...

Which ultimately is the 'acid test' of any team sports' sustainability and progression I would suggest..

 

Edited by mikebv
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56 minutes ago, heathen52 said:

Im sorry to see the Brummies yet again in this situation several Promoters have tried and failed to make a go of it at Perry Barr over recent years namely Patchet, Philipps and now Mason only Tony Mole aided by the Drurys and other backroom staff namely the Commercial guy whose name escapes me have made a go of it, I really dont know the answer to the Clubs current plight somehow they need to get through the current season, if they fold midseason i fear that this will be the end for Speedway in Birmingham, as i think the Landlords for one wont be very happy to have yet another Promotion fail. Is there an Investor out there that could put some money in to help promote the Sport locally, i drove through the roadworks where the old flyover used to be early this week no sign of any advertising around there where thousands not hundreds must pass weekly, AV Fc is maybe a mile or just over away WBA Fc just a little further away in the oposite direction surely something could be done there ?, something along the lines of produce a AV/WBA program/match ticket you get half price admission Iv no idea but something is better than nothing, rather than splitting the Juniors & Children under 16 and under 11 just make it kids for a quid, and how about some between race entertainment thats what kills a lot of newcomers having to wait around between races, even the pre meeting introductions could be made more interesting by placing the bikes at the starting gate and having the riders (minus Helmets) and mechanics introduced and walk past the fans as they are announced, a few boos for visiting riders never harmed anyone in fact it helps create a bit of atmosphere. I dont know just throwing a few ideas around but the bottom line is Brum need to get people through the gates for more than the odd meeting otherwise its curtains for Speedway in Birmingham.

was at redcar last friday riders on parade by the start gate everyone had there helmet on as being introduced soz lads it looks awful leave them off do a slow ride round to wave at the fans its not alot to ask .

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2 hours ago, heathen52 said:

 namely the Commercial guy whose name escapes me

Joe McLaughlin is the name you're after;)I knew Joe very well and under his commercial role at Brum  worked his conkers off to try and attract folk through the gates at PB and also raise sponsorship for Brum Speedway.He often antagonised folk with his approach and determination to get people through the door,but it still didn't work and ended up going down the gurgler under the Phillips promotion:(

What can be done this time around I don't know.Crowds at PB have never been that clever and have only been swelled by away support in the past.:neutral: 

When Jason Lyons retired(used to sponsor the fella)his parting words to myself were "it's time to get out":neutral: 

 

Edited by bluejam
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3 hours ago, TotallyHonestJohn said:

Problem is they aren't getting 500 fans through the door...

Regards
THJ

Spot on THJ:t:

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Just now, Trackerman48 said:

Think it's more like 400. 

You'd probably know better than myself;)

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44 minutes ago, JamesHarris said:

What's the traffic like around Perry Barr in the evenings? I've been there a few times recently in the day and it has been a nightmare with all the roadworks and building work going on. Surely that can't be helping?

 

I don’t find it a problem, but you need to approach from the A453. Not from the city or M6.

 

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2 hours ago, bluejam said:

Joe McLaughlin is the name you're after;)I knew Joe very well and under his commercial role at Brum  worked his conkers off to try and attract folk through the gates at PB and also raise sponsorship for Brum Speedway.He often antagonised folk with his approach ...

Don't confuse activity with productivity. Yes he worked hard but his goal was always money orientated. Sponsors were king, or rather the revenue from sponsors was king. The fans interests were further down the pecking order. An example of this was when he had the centre green advertising boards placed in such a way that you couldn't miss seeing them...at the expense of being able to see the riders going down the back straight. Remind you of something? TV stations who prioritise advertising over content? Don't forget whose idea it was to diminish the value of the things that fans held most dear, stuff like the Brummies logo, which was relegated to an afterthought on those advertising billboard racing suits.

Short term gain for long term pain. Advertisers and sponsors will only pay if they get their name exposed to the public, and by treating the paying public as second class citizens, their numbers were bound to diminish which meant that the long term viability of speedway to advertisers and sponsors would diminish.

So when the fans realised that they were paying full admission for being able to see only 75% of the racing, and it wasn't "their" team any more, but a team at the mercy of advertisers, I think  the rot set in, I'm afraid, destined to go untreated and downward spiral to get to where we are now. Fewer and fewer fans every week, getting older by the day, reducing gate receipts and also removing the fanbase from the target audience of advertisers and sponsors, causing them to pull out too, further reducing revenue...a vicious circle.

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On 7/29/2021 at 5:52 PM, geoff100 said:

was at redcar last friday riders on parade by the start gate everyone had there helmet on as being introduced soz lads it looks awful leave them off do a slow ride round to wave at the fans its not alot to ask .

As far as I'm aware riders have to wear helmets on the parade laps, But I agree, leave them off until they've been introduced.

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1 minute ago, redlead said:

As far as I'm aware riders have to wear helmets on the parade laps, But I agree, leave them off until they've been introduced.

It used to be the case that helmets had to be worn if practice starts were to be done, for a slow ride round bare heads were OK. That could have changed though.

When I was a Promoter I always insisted that the riders didn't put their helmet on until they'd been introduced.

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1 hour ago, NeilWatson said:

It used to be the case that helmets had to be worn if practice starts were to be done, for a slow ride round bare heads were OK. That could have changed though.

When I was a Promoter I always insisted that the riders didn't put their helmet on until they'd been introduced.

Helmets not worn on parade lap at Leicester. 

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On 7/29/2021 at 11:55 AM, GiveusaB said:

I've read some bo##ox on this forum....I've no doubt contributed to some as well....but to say that nobody wanted to sign Harris/Riss/Shanes/Morris/Thomas... is pi##in ludicrous ! 

All 5 riders will be snapped up if we drop out the League.....I even think that Redcar would take a punt on Paco!

Think u spoke to soon her son.. If teams are watching the only person they want to sing is Jason Edwards. All have been poor.. 

 

Spoke to some  Leicester  Fans and said every time Morris and Shanes rides you will get 4-2 or 5-1, they said Na your having me on, I said nope piss poor. And yet again they have tonight. 
 

We all knew paco will win heat 2 and then not show up.

They all better turn up Wednesday, if not will be folding 

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