Will British Speedway Survive ?

[Theboss]

I have started a new topic in general discussions about wether this is an opportunity for the sport to be reborn.

[MattK]

19 hours ago, mikebv said:

So only 40% used to go to follow a team or go because of what quality of riders were there...

And that was 15 years ago when more "names" were riding in the UK..

It really shows for me how important an overall entertainment package must be in keeping the majority 60% happy, and also shows how misguided promoters sometimes are focusing the majority of their time, energy and money on getting their teams right (all to try and win competitions hardly anyone cares about), instead of putting all that focus and investment on getting their entertainment package right each week...

As you say, the % figures probably haven't changed much in the ensuing fifteen years, apart from obviously how many fewer people now make up that 60% than did then..

You have drawn a conclusion, without knowing how the question was asked. If people were asked for their top reason, then you cannot say only 40% are interested in teams/riders.

[mikebv]

47 minutes ago, MattK said:

You have drawn a conclusion, without knowing how the question was asked. If people were asked for their top reason, then you cannot say only 40% are interested in teams/riders.

The question mentioned that was asked in the thread was  'Why did they attend Speedway meetings?' 

I presume it was the No1 reason for your attendance requested at the time given the amount of diverse answers from the fans..

I would suggest that there are even a greater number nowadays that attend Speedway who go for 'the racing' rather than treat the league seriously and get that emotional attachment to any result. 

Getting these people to go more regularly is the key to success, as those who go because they still feel an affinity with their team will go anyway..  

The 800 to 1000 or so die hards at most top league tracks will always be there, wearing their scarves and badges and talking about the 'good old days'.

Its the floating 800 to a 1000 who go along now and again which will make a huge difference to the sports finances if they became regulars..

The sport should work together as a collective on finding out what prevents these fans of the sport going more regularly..

And then act upon it accordingly, together..

 

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

In answer to the original point, no, most likely not as it is currently known.

It will at best become an amateur sport in the UK with few faculties left open IMO. 

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

The premise that people just want to be entertained and will turn up regardless is surely blown to bits by Poole alone? 

They went from a side with Rickardson, Adams, Loram etc turning out for them and attracted crowds to make most blush.  They are now a watered down version of what they once were, and their attendances show that. All the while a track like Scunthorpe has never grown based solely on "entertainment" 

If people simply wanted to be entertained by the "love of the sport" why do so many bother spending the time effort and money going to the GP in Cardiff when they could just go to the National League Riders Championship? Surely both should attract similar sized crowds? 

"entertainment" typically goes hand in hand with the better standard of riders who generally provide a better level of entertainment. 

The lesser the quality of rider the lesser the standard of entertainment, the notion you can see a National League meeting as good as a Grand Prix meeting for instance, has never actually been a truism.

British Speedway hasn't been on a mission to find its true belonging by "removing" the top riders, it has lost it's identity in loosing them and attempted to flip the narrative to "we didn't need them anyway" which has been held like a comfort blanket by those who have watched others walk away.  

Very few people only go for "the love of the sport" recent years have cemented that - people did want to see names, the best riders on show, it is why more people went when they were on show. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Hacksaw Jim Duggan

[waytogo28]

18 hours ago, Hacksaw Jim Duggan said:

he premise that people just want to be entertained and will turn up regardless is surely blown to bits by Poole alone? 

They went from a side with Rickardson, Adams, Loram etc turning out for them and attracted crowds to make most blush.  They are now a watered down version of what they once were, and their attendances show that. All the while a track like Scunthorpe has never grown based solely on "entertainment" 

Quality of racing with riders of a similar standard is also very  important ( well to me anyway ), If Redcar, the NSS and Scunthorpe provide consistenly good racing, they should drawing in very decent crowds but they are not it seems .

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

16 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

Quality of racing with riders of a similar standard is also very  important ( well to me anyway )

To you, I appreciate it is, but to most they are looking for the riders to be of a better standard than those we are "treated" to the in the UK, people do know what good looks like and is. 

[waytogo28]

1 hour ago, Hacksaw Jim Duggan said:

To you, I appreciate it is, but to most they are looking for the riders to be of a better standard than those we are "treated" to the in the UK, people do know what good looks like and is. 

I agree and I would love to have the number  of better riders increase, but I see little or no point  in one "superstar" per team and then a gaggle of much lower riders. In the last few years there has been  a big increase in the number of riders who say halfway into lap one " well I missed the gate, so I will wait until my next chance to trap".. Perhaps  because they know they have little chance of doing better in that race?

[craigACE]

The regular fans will always be fans. I reckon the way to go is a rider just has 1 team. Of course it will bring the standard down. 

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

23 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

I agree and I would love to have the number  of better riders increase, but I see little or no point  in one "superstar" per team and then a gaggle of much lower riders. In the last few years there has been  a big increase in the number of riders who say halfway into lap one " well I missed the gate, so I will wait until my next chance to trap".. Perhaps  because they know they have little chance of doing better in that race?

 

I would like to hope not,  as that is a bit of a defeatists and losers attitude to life which won't see them go very far in the sport. That probably does reflect in the standard of racing in recent years.