SGP in Argentina - 2022

[WembleyLion]

Interesting announcement in Speedway Total today!

Speedway Grand Prix on centennial in 2022
From Patagonia Speedway confirm that the Speedway Grand Prix 2022 will run in the city of neuquén - centenary in October 2022 in the framework of the celebrations for the 100 years of the city.

" we put again in knowledge of journalists, authorities, leaders, relatives and fans who will have specifically a speedway gp in Argentina for 2022 in neuquén-Centenary for October 2022 in the framework of the centenary of our city "

Source: Patagonia Speedway Facebook
#Speedway #GSP #SPEEDWAYGP @ Centennial, neuquén, Argentina

https://m.facebook.com/SpeedwayTotal/

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by WembleyLion

[PHILIPRISING]

LET'S hope it is not the final SGP of 2022... hardly the venue to crown the World Champion

[False dawn]

34 minutes ago, WembleyLion said:

.....Speedway Grand Prix 2022 will run in the city of neuquén.....

And here's me, only just got up the courage to go to  the Isle of Wight.
Wonder what TP will charge for this trip? Could take in Buenos Aires (about 700 miles away). Better start saving my pennies.

[WembleyLion]

1 hour ago, False dawn said:

And here's me, only just got up the courage to go to  the Isle of Wight.
Wonder what TP will charge for this trip? Could take in Buenos Aires (about 700 miles away). Better start saving my pennies.

I would certainly be interested.

I visited last November to watch Speedway at Carlos Casares (just under 200 miles from Buenos Aires) and really enjoyed my time there.

 

[False dawn]

37 minutes ago, WembleyLion said:

I would certainly be interested.

I visited last November to watch Speedway at Carlos Casares (just under 200 miles from Buenos Aires) and really enjoyed my time there.

I'm guessing it's about a 16 hour trip (including a stop somewhere?).

 

2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

LET'S hope it is not the final SGP of 2022... hardly the venue to crown the World Champion

Is that the stadium in question behind Coty on the FB page? No gandstand(s), not even terracing. 

[WembleyLion]

48 minutes ago, False dawn said:

I'm guessing it's about a 16 hour trip (including a stop somewhere?).

I did a 14 hour direct flight to Buenos Aires then hired a car and drove about 200 miles to Carlos Casares. 

A bit tiring but I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 

 

[Bavarian]

Castagna promised us that the SGP will be taken to new places outside of Europe. Here we go, to Patagonia in 2022 !

I only hope they will bring the SGP to Perth, now that would be a great location with a traditional speedway background ! 

  

[False dawn]

9 minutes ago, Bavarian said:

Castagna promised us that the SGP will be taken to new places outside of Europe. Here we go, to Patagonia in 2022 !

I only hope they will bring the SGP to Perth, now that would be a great location with a traditional speedway background !

There's no speedway in Perth these days (if ever?). Edinburgh ad Glasgow are close. If Scotland vote to leave the UK, I guess they'll be ringing Armando to get their own GP.

I'll get my coat 

[Bavarian]

2 hours ago, False dawn said:

There's no speedway in Perth these days (if ever?). Edinburgh ad Glasgow are close. If Scotland vote to leave the UK, I guess they'll be ringing Armando to get their own GP.

I'll get my coat 

There's no speedway in South Africa either anymore, but Castagna says they want to stage an SGP there. Likewise in Southeast Asia, which is another targeted area for an SGP.  

[False dawn]

29 minutes ago, Bavarian said:

There's no speedway in South Africa either anymore, but Castagna says they want to stage an SGP there. Likewise in Southeast Asia, which is another targeted area for an SGP.  

My comment was an attempt at humour

However, to take up your point on a more serious note. I remember going to the World Final in Poland in 1973. Although there were some good Poles riding in Britain, Poland itself could, in no way, be described as a major speedway nation. But the stadium was rammed and the media really went to town on the coverage. And look at Poland now. Arguably the no.1 speedway nation in the World.
So can we make speedway more global on the back of a greater geographical coverage? I think the answer is probably a resounding yes. Clearly the cost base has to be addressed but look at the sponsorship in snooker from the Chinese as an example. Snooker was nothing in the far east until a few top players went there to play some demonstration games. Then some Chinese youngsters picked up a cue and now the sport is massive (Ding commands an audience of 500 million when he plays in the top tournaments). 
This doesn't happen over night, but television and now the internet provide vehicles to make this a reality in less than 20 years, maybe less. A Chinese World Champion before 2030. Now there's a thought.

[OveFundinFan]

I think it has taken almost 25 years for Snooker to get where it is in China. Let’s face it, picking up a snooker cue I a lot easier to do compared to crossing a leg over a speedway bike.  Maybe I not a pioneer, but lessons from the past reflect what could happen. For example..... USA produced so many great riders, but speedway itself has never caught on in USA. So speedway in Patagonia......mmmm. It’s a NO from me.

[False dawn]

8 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

I think it has taken almost 25 years for Snooker to get where it is in China. Let’s face it, picking up a snooker cue I a lot easier to do compared to crossing a leg over a speedway bike.  Maybe I not a pioneer, but lessons from the past reflect what could happen. For example..... USA produced so many great riders, but speedway itself has never caught on in USA. So speedway in Patagonia......mmmm. It’s a NO from me.

I take your point about speedway in the states but many sports have failed to gain a foothold there, including "soccer". My theory is that they have many long standing, well supported sports already (baseball, football, hockey etc.). The US sports fan is already spoiled for choice with sports they excel at.

And it's a funny thing, but I've picked up a cue in my time as well as swinging my leg over a speedway bike. Both were easy to do. Getting started that is. Becoming proficient, let alone world class is another thing (I've never excelled at either btw). It takes money, backing and dedication. You said it's taken 25 years for snooker to get where it is in China and I spoke about 20 years. We'll not fall out over 5 years, will we? 

[PHILIPRISING]

CANNOT agree that soccer has failed to gain a foothold in the US. May lag behind the big three of NFL, NHL and baseball, but soccer is hugely popular and continuing to grow.

[alanf2]

6 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

CANNOT agree that soccer has failed to gain a foothold in the US. May lag behind the big three of NFL, NHL and baseball, but soccer is hugely popular and continuing to grow.

Soccer? I must have imagined standing in those 70,000 crowds in Atlanta for MLS games.

[False dawn]

7 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

CANNOT agree that soccer has failed to gain a foothold in the US. May lag behind the big three of NFL, NHL and baseball, but soccer is hugely popular and continuing to grow.

Thanks Philip. I think you've just proved I was right in the first place.

See. I'm only wrong when I think I'm wrong 

[RPNY]

10 teams averaged above 20k this season. the rest between 15k and 20k. 2 new Teams coming into the league next year (Austin & Miami) It gets regular coverage on big TV Networks. Soccer is going from strength to strength over here.

 

Flat Track & Motor X are shown regularly on NBC Sports (I guess a BT Sport equivalent) I find it very annoying that no one has even had a discussion with them to show the GPs over here...

Edited January 27, 2020 by RPNY

[moomin man 76]

Having looked at the photographs of the proposed venue in Patagonia, I have to applaud those organised in developing their facility from scratch.

However, the track itself may be good, but there appears to be almost no spectator facilities. The only track I have personally visited, which has such basic facilities is at Haapajarvi in Finland - in fact, the facilities at Haapajarvi were superior.

Grand prix standard it is not - another Castagna fantasy sadly...

[Humphrey Appleby]

On 1/25/2020 at 10:40 PM, PHILIPRISING said:

CANNOT agree that soccer has failed to gain a foothold in the US. May lag behind the big three of NFL, NHL and baseball, but soccer is hugely popular and continuing to grow.

For once we can agree.

Whilst it's not a exact comparison as baseball plays so many games, MLS has an average attendance of 22,000 compared with an average MLB attendance of 28,000. It also has a higher average attendance than the NBA and NHL, although they're admittedly played in smaller indoor arenas.

What's for certain, is that speedway would kill for 21,000 crowds as a 'minor sport'. 

[PHILIPRISING]

27 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

For once we can agree.

Whilst it's not a exact comparison as baseball plays so many games, MLS has an average attendance of 22,000 compared with an average MLB attendance of 28,000. It also has a higher average attendance than the NBA and NHL, although they're admittedly played in smaller indoor arenas.

What's for certain, is that speedway would kill for 21,000 crowds as a 'minor sport'. 

SADLY, right now would kill for 10 per cent of that...

[f-s-p]

Good news is that Castagna has denied it's a done deal with the Argentinians regarding staging a GP there. Still I don't understand why he went there to even check the place out...

Now there was an interview with even bigger FIM boss in the Spar, the president Viegas himself. He goes on record saying how he's gonna help with long track racing in Goa/ India this year and how Marc Margues is riding long track in Spain.

I'm a tad worried,