Will British Speedway Survive ?

[The Third Man]

What happens depend on whether the landlords can survive, if they do, speedway could be back for a few months this season and hopefully for a full season in 2021

Edited March 17, 2020 by The Third Man

[no-brakes-uk]

On 3/17/2020 at 12:23 AM, old bob at herne bay said:

 

Vans booked ? Cancel the booking .

Most riders already have their vans by this time of the year and the lease contracts signed. 

[Sidney the robin]

20 hours ago, HGould said:

The sport will survive and if it comes back with more realistic people in charge it may prove a blessing.

I don't see many Promoters or leaders anywhere in the sport though and that's the biggest concern.

Needs bright new and independent thinking.

Off the top of my head.

Pretty short short list - Rob Painter and Ian Sinderson

 

The guy at the Isle of Wight  Barry Bishop would be top of my list along with Lee Kilby of Swindon.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[MattK]

1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

The guy at the Isle of Wight  Barry Bishop would be top of my list along with Lee Kilby of Swindon.

What sort of crowds go they get at the Isle of Wight?

[Sidney the robin]

1 hour ago, MattK said:

What sort of crowds go they get at the Isle of Wight?

Nothing to do with the crowds Matt if you saw how Barry Bishop promotes and interacts with the fans and youngsters you would understand.Lee Kilby and Barry both  understand the fans are important both in my eyes would be a major plus in putting across there ideas to take the speedway in the UK forward in the longterm.

[MattK]

20 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Nothing to do with the crowds Matt if you saw how Barry Bishop promotes and interacts with the fans and youngsters you would understand.Lee Kilby and Barry both  understand the fans are important both in my eyes would be a major plus in putting across there ideas to take the speedway in the UK forward in the longterm.

So you have no evidence that their jovial approach actually adds to the bottom line? Interesting.

[greyhoundp]

3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

The guy at the Isle of Wight  Barry Bishop would be top of my list along with Lee Kilby of Swindon.

 

9 minutes ago, MattK said:

So you have no evidence that their jovial approach actually adds to the bottom line? Interesting.

Well none smiling Promoters like Colin Pratt, Cvs, Peter Adams who seem to only have supporters on sufference certainly dont encourage people to come through the gate, whereas Barry Bishop makes everyone feel welcome, thats my personal evidence

 

1 hour ago, MattK said:

What sort of crowds go they get at the Isle of Wight?

The fact that they continue to have Speedway at all is down to in a large part Barry Bishop.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

10 minutes ago, MattK said:

So you have no evidence that their jovial approach actually adds to the bottom line? Interesting.

I seem to remember that Barry Bishop had quoted increase in attendances in the region of 300%

Yes from a smaller base but commendable all the same

Whether his approach of a inclusive community feel would work in a larger more urban setting is open to debate but I would give it a better chance than many of the current efforts elsewhere 

[greyhoundp]

The Sport needs a major overall, but the BSPA have been incapable of doing that for many years now, its a leisure and entertainment industry which competes with others, and few Promoters seem to understand or accept and just continue with more or less the same old same old.

Edited March 18, 2020 by greyhoundp

[FAST GATER]

1 hour ago, MattK said:

So you have no evidence that their jovial approach actually adds to the bottom line? Interesting.

Costs nothing and certainly can't do any harm ,to me that type of approach is one of the appealing  qualities  of s/way .

[MattK]

53 minutes ago, greyhoundp said:

 

Well none smiling Promoters like Colin Pratt, Cvs, Peter Adams who seem to only have supporters on sufference certainly dont encourage people to come through the gate, whereas Barry Bishop makes everyone feel welcome, thats my personal evidence

 

The fact that they continue to have Speedway at all is down to in a large part Barry Bishop.

I'm certainly not saying the current crop of promoters do a good job, far from it and all the evidence shows that.

However, people hold Barry Bishop and Lee Kilby in high esteem seemingly without any data points to back this up.

Barry Bishop has lots of new and innovative ideas that other tracks don't. Whether these ideas turn into fee paying customers though, I don't know - hence my question.

Similarly, Lee Kilby spends a lot of time on the Swindon Speedway Facebook page. To me this is the dictionary definition of preaching to the converted. On the other hand, 6,000 people work at Nationwide in Swindon and as far as I am aware there has been absolutely no attempt to promote speedway within that company, which to me is a no brainer.

I am all for taking British speedway forwards. However, for me, the way to make it successful is to appoint people with a proven track record, rather than simply a sunny disposition.

[Speedtiger]

6 minutes ago, MattK said:

I'm certainly not saying the current crop of promoters do a good job, far from it and all the evidence shows that.

However, people hold Barry Bishop and Lee Kilby in high esteem seemingly without any data points to back this up.

Barry Bishop has lots of new and innovative ideas that other tracks don't. Whether these ideas turn into fee paying customers though, I don't know - hence my question.

Similarly, Lee Kilby spends a lot of time on the Swindon Speedway Facebook page. To me this is the dictionary definition of preaching to the converted. On the other hand, 6,000 people work at Nationwide in Swindon and as far as I am aware there has been absolutely no attempt to promote speedway within that company, which to me is a no brainer.

I am all for taking British speedway forwards. However, for me, the way to make it successful is to appoint people with a proven track record, rather than simply a sunny disposition.

Agree with most of that Matt BUT name me anyone with a “proven track record”...who would take the job...?
As you say the current bunch of clowns at the BSPA especially the Main Clown Godfrey...are completely useless and if we supporters are relying on him....then the sport is as good as dead and buried.

[mikebv]

At least no one has blamed Poole for this...

(Yet)...

[waytogo28]

Clearly when Poole drpped down into the lower level of the Championship after all those years, it has had a significant effect on the fragility of sppedway as we know it in the UK. So, Yes, much of the blame lies there. 

[woofers]

I think you’ll find Ian Jordan has reinvigorated Eastbourne, has many ideas and can see the bigger picture. The website is well worth a visit.

https://www.eastbourne-speedway.com/

Edited March 18, 2020 by woofers

[Sidney the robin]

2 hours ago, MattK said:

So you have no evidence that their jovial approach actually adds to the bottom line? Interesting.

You need to go on the Isle of Wight video links then maybe you would understand what my point is Matt.How many people would keep the IOW sustainable in this present climate not many i would say.Another point is would Mr Bishop be interested in taking a more prominent role in the future of speedway in the UK maybe not.A strange post from you Matt you odviously don't know anything about the IOW operation or Mr Bishop yet you post negativity with no real substance to your post.

[Sidney the robin]

1 hour ago, MattK said:

I'm certainly not saying the current crop of promoters do a good job, far from it and all the evidence shows that.

However, people hold Barry Bishop and Lee Kilby in high esteem seemingly without any data points to back this up.

Barry Bishop has lots of new and innovative ideas that other tracks don't. Whether these ideas turn into fee paying customers though, I don't know - hence my question.

Similarly, Lee Kilby spends a lot of time on the Swindon Speedway Facebook page. To me this is the dictionary definition of preaching to the converted. On the other hand, 6,000 people work at Nationwide in Swindon and as far as I am aware there has been absolutely no attempt to promote speedway within that company, which to me is a no brainer.

I am all for taking British speedway forwards. However, for me, the way to make it successful is to appoint people with a proven track record, rather than simply a sunny disposition.

I would have to differ with that statement Matt,  Swindon has come along way since Lee Kilby has been on board.I go to the pits before the meeting and the thing's he has set up with parents/ children is very progressive really heartwarming he is trying.He is approachable he listens and is genuinely interested in to listening to people also maybe you should ask all Brummie fans if Lee did a good job there and that he is not missed.

[MattK]

8 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

You need to go on the Isle of Wight video links then maybe you would understand what my point is Matt.How many people would keep the IOW sustainable in this present climate not many i would say.Another point is would Mr Bishop be interested in taking a more prominent role in the future of speedway in the UK maybe not.A strange post from you Matt you odviously don't know anything about the IOW operation or Mr Bishop yet you post negativity with no real substance to your post.

I understand your point perfectly. I simply ask, how much has all the steps Barry Bishop taken actually raised the gate by. Is it, for example, higher than Swindon's, who frankly do nothing to promote speedway?

I know what Barry Bishop posts on here. He clearly works very hard and has lots of new ideas. I am not for a second being negative. I am simply asking whether those ideas have equated to additional bums on seats compared to a club which doesn't do what he does.

[FAST GATER]

1 hour ago, MattK said:

I'm certainly not saying the current crop of promoters do a good job, far from it and all the evidence shows that.

However, people hold Barry Bishop and Lee Kilby in high esteem seemingly without any data points to back this up.

Barry Bishop has lots of new and innovative ideas that other tracks don't. Whether these ideas turn into fee paying customers though, I don't know - hence my question.

Similarly, Lee Kilby spends a lot of time on the Swindon Speedway Facebook page. To me this is the dictionary definition of preaching to the converted. On the other hand, 6,000 people work at Nationwide in Swindon and as far as I am aware there has been absolutely no attempt to promote speedway within that company, which to me is a no brainer.

I am all for taking British speedway forwards. However, for me, the way to make it successful is to appoint people with a proven track record, rather than simply a sunny disposition.

Anyone who is a s/way promoter in this day and age I take my hat off to , I did everyting I could to get my father into promotion in the mid 70's and he said then it was a thankless and profitless task !

[MattK]

2 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I would have to differ with that statement Matt,  Swindon has come along way since Lee Kilby has been on board.I go to the pits before the meeting and the thing's he has set up with parents/ children is very progressive really heartwarming he is trying.He is approachable he listens and is genuinely interested in to listening to people also maybe you should ask all Brummie fans if Lee did a good job there and that he is not missed.

By what measure do you think Swindon has come a long way since Lee has been on board? How much has our crowds risen by in the last two years? What new sponsors has he attracted?

As I said, there is no doubt he is very amicable and spends a lot of time engaging with fans on Facebook. For all I know, that might be the scope of his job description. However, as someone on the outside looking in all I can see is Swindon's crowd dwindling by the season while obvious marketing opportunities sit idle.