Rye House 2020

[RobMcCaffery]

11 minutes ago, Ben91 said:

Friday is a traditional working day. People need to get home from work, eat and change potentially and then get to the track. If you live any further than half an hour away you’ll be pushed for time if you finish 5-6pm. Saturday is better and has worked at Rye when we were in the Premier League. 

Some of our potential fan base now could be former Lakeside/Arena Essex fans, it was a nightmare getting there when they ran on a weeknight (including Friday as it is a weeknight). Doing the journey in the opposite direction would be just as much of an issue. 

Thank you for your responses. I worked enough Fridays over the past forty years to know it's a working day ;-) Yes there are consequences for getting there but for most the evening is the start of the weekend with a day of rest to follow. 

The reason I mentioned the possibility was that it might, just might be necessary to use Fridays due to possible lack of track preparation time at weekends, assuming the practices and flat track continue. 

Friday would not be ideal but much better than a Monday or Thursday.  

Of course it's all ifs and buts for now. The key thing is to get the place back - when it's ready.

 

[RobMcCaffery]

1 hour ago, marko said:

Well I did hear some time ago a rumour that Pete Sampson and Martin Hagon wanted to run Rye House in the NL, but alas the AGM came and went and nothing was said, I hope either those two or someone else who is passionate about getting a club back will take on the challenge, for me living in Chelmsford a weekend (Saturday night) would be much better than a week night, especially Friday, traffic is just crazy and I am not even talking about the M25, the M11 and A414 is more than capable of causing enough mayhem on their own.

I would certainly support Second division racing at Rye even though Arena Essex is technically my team.

I think you'll hear of several plans, and that can only give hope that so many are interested. It's vital after BMR that it goes to the right people. Right now, I don't think the stadium is fit or safe for public meetings. Wait until Rye House Group have finished the rebuild.

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[teaboy279]

2 hours ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Thank you for your responses. I worked enough Fridays over the past forty years to know it's a working day ;-) Yes there are consequences for getting there but for most the evening is the start of the weekend with a day of rest to follow. 

The reason I mentioned the possibility was that it might, just might be necessary to use Fridays due to possible lack of track preparation time at weekends, assuming the practices and flat track continue. 

Friday would not be ideal but much better than a Monday or Thursday.  

Of course it's all ifs and buts for now. The key thing is to get the place back - when it's ready.

 

I d disagree with parts of that. Friday traffic is far worse then the rest of the week. For fans south of the tunnel just getting to lakeside was a ballache most weeks. Although for Rye House I suspect it's the best night too run. 

For me Saturdays have so many alternative choices of entertainment (including all the big international speedway dates) that speedway crowds will always suffer.

Let's be frank here though, as long as it reopens who cares what day it runs, as long as it running.

[Ray Stadia]

6 minutes ago, teaboy279 said:

I d disagree with parts of that. Friday traffic is far worse then the rest of the week. For fans south of the tunnel just getting to lakeside was a ballache most weeks. Although for Rye House I suspect it's the best night too run. 

For me Saturdays have so many alternative choices of entertainment (including all the big international speedway dates) that speedway crowds will always suffer.

Let's be frank here though, as long as it reopens who cares what day it runs, as long as it running.

Didn't they used to run on Sunday afternoons? 

[marko]

Back in the original NL days they were a Sunday afternoon track, I think it might have been something to do with lack of lighting at the time? But I certainly recall visiting Rye many years later for evening meetings on a Sunday ie 6pm

[ruckerroo]

Friday nights would paralyse any potential crowds imo

[Hawk127]

1 hour ago, Ray Stadia said:

Didn't they used to run on Sunday afternoons? 

When the Rockets moved from Rayleigh to Rye House they ran on Sunday afternoons with I think a 4.30 start albeit it might have been earlier. I travelled regular on the coach from the weir to Rye House and latterly by car when I was learning to drive. Those were the days with some real characters as riders. Fingers crossed that they can re-establish the sport at Rye and introduce what I think was the Hearts Trophy. Memory not as good as it used to be but I certainly enjoyed the early transitional days with the transfer from Rayleigh to Rye House. Not quite as good as Saturday at 8 but better then losing the name altogether. A shame they never got permission for the track at Rawreth Lane.

[Ray Stadia]

45 minutes ago, Hawk127 said:

When the Rockets moved from Rayleigh to Rye House they ran on Sunday afternoons with I think a 4.30 start albeit it might have been earlier. I travelled regular on the coach from the weir to Rye House and latterly by car when I was learning to drive. Those were the days with some real characters as riders. Fingers crossed that they can re-establish the sport at Rye and introduce what I think was the Hearts Trophy. Memory not as good as it used to be but I certainly enjoyed the early transitional days with the transfer from Rayleigh to Rye House. Not quite as good as Saturday at 8 but better then losing the name altogether. A shame they never got permission for the track at Rawreth Lane.

Trouble is, if they had moved to Rawreth Lane, they would probably have been kicked out by now, as a massive new housing estate is being built there, as we speak!  

[RobMcCaffery]

4 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

When the Rockets moved from Rayleigh to Rye House they ran on Sunday afternoons with I think a 4.30 start albeit it might have been earlier. I travelled regular on the coach from the weir to Rye House and latterly by car when I was learning to drive. Those were the days with some real characters as riders. Fingers crossed that they can re-establish the sport at Rye and introduce what I think was the Hearts Trophy. Memory not as good as it used to be but I certainly enjoyed the early transitional days with the transfer from Rayleigh to Rye House. Not quite as good as Saturday at 8 but better then losing the name altogether. A shame they never got permission for the track at Rawreth Lane.

Yes it was a 4.30 start on Sundays, half an hour later than in open licence days.  Ron Russell started with 4.30 then tried later times in a desperate attempt to build the crowds. There was no lighting , although Ron had bought a set towards the end but hadn't had the chance to install them before the closure. 

Rockets did run evening meetings occasionally during Len Silver's original period running the place, using Mondays as off-nights against fellow Sunday tracks that couldn't be accommodated on bank holidays. This worked fine in June with light lasting well past 9.30 but late July was used disastrously one year. One Rocket came out for a race with a bike lamp fitted to his forks. He was quite justified to make his protest.

Having asked about Fridays I am actually fully in favour of Saturday nights. Perhaps if our presence is sufficiently valued there won't be any flat tracks or speedway practices on speedway race days, otherwise it could be a problem? Anyway, there are bigger matters to deal with first. 

I can't agree with Hawk's comments about transition from Rayleigh to Rye House, I absolutely hated losing the Weir and it took me a very long time to adjust to Rye House. I too travelled on the coach from Rayleigh during 1974 and most of 1975. It wasn't easy.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[cityrebel]

6 hours ago, Richard Weston said:

Development in Rawreth Lane has been amazing in the last 35 years -- used to be countryside by and large and now quite built up and busy.

No different to the Weir really. The stadium was situated in quite a rural location. It's a concrete jungle now.

[Ben91]

Surely Speedway would bring more revenue than flat track or speedway practice on a Saturday afternoon do. 

I think it’s very important to do what will bring the most fans into the stadium and therefore the most revenue. By all means look to see what has happened in the past and use it as a barometer but the 70s and 80s are far too long ago to be of any significance as to what would be a successful business model in 2020. The sport is nowhere near as popular as it was then for one. 

The lesson to be learned, and heeded, is the one that killed the club most recently. Saturday is the best night to draw a crowd and don’t race any higher than the second tier. Weeknights are a turn off for many prospective fans, as is afternoon racing. 

[adz_mft]

10 hours ago, Ben91 said:

Surely Speedway would bring more revenue than flat track or speedway practice on a Saturday afternoon do. 

I think it’s very important to do what will bring the most fans into the stadium and therefore the most revenue. By all means look to see what has happened in the past and use it as a barometer but the 70s and 80s are far too long ago to be of any significance as to what would be a successful business model in 2020. The sport is nowhere near as popular as it was then for one. 

The lesson to be learned, and heeded, is the one that killed the club most recently. Saturday is the best night to draw a crowd and don’t race any higher than the second tier. Weeknights are a turn off for many prospective fans, as is afternoon racing. 

Rye has always been a Saturday track to me. Certain days work best for certain clubs and this is 1 of those situations. Countless times we've been wondering what to do on a Saturday, then checked the fixtures and drove an hour to catch a meeting. Would imagine I'm not the only 1 who's done this. I didn't catch 1 Rye meeting once they changed race nights!!

Clubs rely on a hardcore fan base and "floating" fans to survive. Mildenhall for example are in a similar situation with people wanting something to do on a Sunday afternoon and we get fans from other local tracks visiting. 

Edited January 30, 2020 by adz_mft

[waco]

Mildenhall have brilliant crowds considering they are stuck way out in the countryside and the track can be a bit rough sometimes

[Ray Stadia]

14 hours ago, Ben91 said:

Surely Speedway would bring more revenue than flat track or speedway practice on a Saturday afternoon do. 

I think it’s very important to do what will bring the most fans into the stadium and therefore the most revenue. By all means look to see what has happened in the past and use it as a barometer but the 70s and 80s are far too long ago to be of any significance as to what would be a successful business model in 2020. The sport is nowhere near as popular as it was then for one. 

The lesson to be learned, and heeded, is the one that killed the club most recently. Saturday is the best night to draw a crowd and don’t race any higher than the second tier. Weeknights are a turn off for many prospective fans, as is afternoon racing. 

Actually, I wonder if that is true. The riders pay you, not the other way round. Most tracks make a loss, running team speedway. Running as a training only track has to be less of a financial risk for the promoter, I would have thought.   

[RobMcCaffery]

2 hours ago, Ray Stadia said:

Actually, I wonder if that is true. The riders pay you, not the other way round. Most tracks make a loss, running team speedway. Running as a training only track has to be less of a financial risk for the promoter, I would have thought.   

Of course that would be Rye House Group's choice (or BMR if they're still managing the place).

You would want to think that a public speedway meeting would be the most lucrative option but as Ray points out, in one case you're paying the talent, in the other, they're paying you. Take out all the extra costs of organising a public meeting under SCB regulations and with BSPA fees to be paid and you start to realise why it's more tempting to just run private events.

I'd expect Rye House Group's choice would be for all three events to be held, including flat track, hence the suggested Friday alternative. It would not be first choice, but what if it were the only choice? Would you prefer the prospective promoters to give up?

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[RobMcCaffery]

Anyway it was part of the considerations last year by the Mead group. Who knows who will be the chosen promotion? I suspect there will be a choice and RHG will not allow other activities to get in the way of the new promotion.

It was worth getting an indication of the response to Fridays and I wasn't surprised by the outcome. There's little I can do now to help get the Rockets back except observe and try to explain. It's not a case "I know but I'm not telling" I'm just trying to calm the more extreme reactions that have been appearing online.

As before, it's a case of showing patience and let the situation resolve itself. I think there will be good news in the end. 

 

[Rayleigh]

A very interesting article in the Speedway Star implying that Mr Godfrey he may be involved directly or indirectly in bring speedway back, which is great news and we wish whom ever it is, all the best. I can almost smell the speedway bikes!!

[RobMcCaffery]

9 minutes ago, Rayleigh said:

A very interesting article in the Speedway Star implying that Mr Godfrey he may be involved directly or indirectly in bring speedway back, which is great news and we wish whom ever it is, all the best. I can almost smell the speedway bikes!!

I think it's just a case of waiting for one obstacle to be removed - in time.

 

[Rayleigh]

bring more rain

[winstoncigar]

All this uncertainty is depressing.

I might put my Inspector Morse head on and go and find out whats happening.

I'll report back next week