BSPL AGM

[Mimmo]

Why do people always assume everyone has got a smartphone....they haven't. 

[Sings4Speedway]

18 minutes ago, Mimmo said:

Why do people always assume everyone has got a smartphone....they haven't. 

Whilst i agree with you (and always will you speedway legend) there was also a time when not everyone had a phone full stop in the same way not everyone had a computer but times evolve and life becomes tricky without. As an honest question if speedway were to disperse with the physical programme would you consider getting a smartphone of whatever level to utilise the 'e-programme' or would you just print a score sheet and keep at it the analogue way?

[Ringitsneck]

5 hours ago, winstoncigar said:

Whatever happened to all those engines? Does anybody know where all the money went?

Yes, a certain Mr. Gerhard has it in a Swiss bank account and is laughing , literally, all the way to the bank!

[mikebv]

4 hours ago, cityrebel said:

Making it affordable for families to attend, would be a start.

How much should that be?

I think £20 for two adults and as many kids as they want to bring would be around where it's reasonable...

Kids like to go around in groups so let as many in as possible under adult supervision...

Most families will be two adults and two kids so £20 to get in seems a price that may attract those looking for a night out that won't break the bank, and could appeal to parents where maybe at least one of them used to attend..

As I know all too well, that £20 will be doubled with food and drink for a family of four so the admission cost will be very important to someone with kids, and for a "night out", if you get away with forty quid or so you have done well..

The Aces for example let U12's in for free, but after the adults have already paid £36 to enter it could still mount up to an expensive night..

Two adults and two kids still at school (so up to 16 years old), for £20 would entice a few that probably wouldn't pay the circa £40 for a family ticket now...

And if they are not paying to go now, then that £20 price point won't be a loss to the club but a gain..

And if you own the food and drink establishment then it's a double gain..

Edited February 1, 2021 by mikebv

[cityrebel]

7 minutes ago, mikebv said:

How much should that be?

I think £20 for two adults and as many kids as they want to bring would be around where it's reasonable...

Kids like to go around in groups so let as many in as possible under adult supervision...

Most families will be two adults and two kids so £20 to get in seems a price that may attract those looking for a night out that won't break the bank, and could appeal to parents where maybe at least one of them used to attend..

As I know all too well, that £20 will be doubled with food and drink for a family of four so the admission cost will be very important to someone with kids, and for a "night out", if you get away with forty quid or so you have done well..

The Aces for example let U12's in for free, but after the adults have already paid £36 to enter it could still mount up to an expensive night..

Two adults and two kids still at school (so up to 16 years old), for £20 would entice a few that probably wouldn't pay the circa £40 for a family ticket now...

And if they are not paying to go now, then that £20 price point won't be a loss to the club but a gain..

And if you own the food and drink establishment then it's a double gain..

£20 seems about right. Without younger blood, the sport won't survive.

[Mimmo]

1 hour ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Whilst i agree with you (and always will you speedway legend) there was also a time when not everyone had a phone full stop in the same way not everyone had a computer but times evolve and life becomes tricky without. As an honest question if speedway were to disperse with the physical programme would you consider getting a smartphone of whatever level to utilise the 'e-programme' or would you just print a score sheet and keep at it the analogue way?

First, I hope clubs NEVER do away with a payable programme, but if they did, I'd just print a score sheet and keep it that way, with the collections of programmes that I have from down the years.  At the moment, and have done for years, printed a score sheet to fill in at the meeting, but have ALWAYS bought a programme too, to fill in the next day.  

[steve roberts]

27 minutes ago, Mimmo said:

First, I hope clubs NEVER do away with a payable programme, but if they did, I'd just print a score sheet and keep it that way, with the collections of programmes that I have from down the years.  At the moment, and have done for years, printed a score sheet to fill in at the meeting, but have ALWAYS bought a programme too, to fill in the next day.  

Wish that I hadn't sold my extensive collection of programmes. Something tangible that I could always refer to in times past.

Edited February 1, 2021 by steve roberts

[Midland Red]

Someone please outline just how this “app” would work - not an area I’m at all conversant with (I bought a mobile some 35 years ago, for emergencies as I did a lot of driving, have upgraded it over the years, into retirement, but it’s hardly ever switched on or used)

[enotian]

1 hour ago, Midland Red said:

Someone please outline just how this “app” would work - not an area I’m at all conversant with (I bought a mobile some 35 years ago, for emergencies as I did a lot of driving, have upgraded it over the years, into retirement, but it’s hardly ever switched on or used)

Do you want to know how Apps work or what a Speedway App would do?

Apps or applications are just a computer programme coded to do whatever you want them to.  To that extent a speedway App could be anything you want it to be. I've speculated that it could be linked to real time updates from the meeting referee or even on bike transponders.  Equally it could just be an electronic version of a paper scorechart. The only limits are the limits of your imagination....    and how much you want to spend developing it of course.

[Tsunami]

On 1/22/2021 at 8:11 PM, Fromtheback said:

You must be seeing something different to me, Freeman is not just behind Palin or Thompson twins. Sorry 

Obviously you haven't been watching the BYC 500cc finals in the last 2 years. Look at the result in the Scunny BYC meeting last year when those 4 riders were in the final and Freeman was in third place and just got pipped on the last corner. 

[Midland Red]

30 minutes ago, enotian said:

Do you want to know how Apps work or what a Speedway App would do?

Apps or applications are just a computer programme coded to do whatever you want them to.  To that extent a speedway App could be anything you want it to be. I've speculated that it could be linked to real time updates from the meeting referee or even on bike transponders.  Equally it could just be an electronic version of a paper scorechart. The only limits are the limits of your imagination....    and how much you want to spend developing it of course.

I had in mind that it was something to add to the experience at the track - is that correct, or am I way off?

[Tsunami]

7 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

With the greatest of respect if the programme sales are what dictates if a clubs survives or doesn't then the writing is already daubed across the wall.

ALL streams on income are important to running a speedway.

[enotian]

6 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

I had in mind that it was something to add to the experience at the track - is that correct, or am I way off?

that's the jist of it plus it's also perceived to be greener.  some might consider filling in the programme to be a bit "wanky". I still like doing it but I'm a bit "wanky".

some people don't bother with a score chart and just enjoy the racing without bothering about the score of upcoming heats.

if you like to know about who has scored what and what's still to come an App could simply provide that or be much more.  Rider stats, gate stats, heat stats, head to head stats, you could have it predict the result of upcoming heats.  As stated earlier you could even have have rider interviews live from the pits. 

if the App covered all league matches you could be sat at home getting the live scores and interviews just like the excellent speedway updates.  Maybe the App would provide post match highlights.

As I say, anything you want it to be depending on how much you have to invest. Certainly not everyones cup of tea but might it help attract a younger/wider audience? 

I'm particularly interested in fan interaction.  That's massive for TV shows like BGT, X Factor, The Jungle, Celebrity Dancing and the On Ice version (all of which I'd never watch) and would be a USP for speedway if via an App the public could interact, i.e. selecting gate positions. Unsure.

[Mimmo]

8 hours ago, enotian said:

that's the jist of it plus it's also perceived to be greener.  some might consider filling in the programme to be a bit "wanky". I still like doing it but I'm a bit "wanky".

some people don't bother with a score chart and just enjoy the racing without bothering about the score of upcoming heats.

if you like to know about who has scored what and what's still to come an App could simply provide that or be much more.  Rider stats, gate stats, heat stats, head to head stats, you could have it predict the result of upcoming heats.  As stated earlier you could even have have rider interviews live from the pits. 

if the App covered all league matches you could be sat at home getting the live scores and interviews just like the excellent speedway updates.  Maybe the App would provide post match highlights.

As I say, anything you want it to be depending on how much you have to invest. Certainly not everyones cup of tea but might it help attract a younger/wider audience? 

I'm particularly interested in fan interaction.  That's massive for TV shows like BGT, X Factor, The Jungle, Celebrity Dancing and the On Ice version (all of which I'd never watch) and would be a USP for speedway if via an App the public could interact, i.e. selecting gate positions. Unsure.

I don't think an App on a phone would attract a younger person to attend a speedway meeting if they don't already do so.  If you like speedway, you're already there, you don't need it.  If you don't like speedway, you wouldn't have it on your phone in the first place, and if you've never heard of speedway, it wouldn't be on the phone either.

I stand by the guy who sells the programmes at King's Lynn, and he sells them by the box load at £3 a time, so there is still a big demand for the printed matter, as a lot of peple like a keepsake, and hopefully that will always be the case.

I'm sorry, but modern technology is killing this world.  You've only got to look at the amount of shops that are going out of business (forgetting the pandemic) because people buy on-line, thus putting shop workers out of work.  The same goes for a lot of factories, which are maned by robots these days, and I think the council workers are already out of work looking at all the pot holes in the roads.  I really do fear for the generation that are entering this world now, because by the time they leave school, there will be no jobs out there for them, which will just lead to more and more crime.  Just my opinion.       

[mikebv]

I can't see an 'app' replacing the programme any time soon given the demographic of the fan base..

The same demographic who are by far and away the main sector who still purchase magazines and newspapers.. 

Although sales of those two kinds of publication have dropped circa 50% over the past ten years with many media companies now doing an on line version of their paper product to balance the loss of hard copy sales and hopefully attract the younger demographic who are more tech savvy..

If an 'app' is the "future" in attracting young people to watch the sport then it truly does have a problem..

Letting all kids still at school in for free, as long as supervised, and see if they like watching the sport enough to pay when they are older, would be my first move. 

Get into the nurseries and schools and give out free tickets to the kids to take home with a couple of £10 tickets for the parents/relatives to use.

Give the person in charge of the facility plenty of free tickets for their staff as a sweetener and start to build relationships with them which could include donating to fund raising, buying sports kits,  etc.etc..

Getting emotional loyalty from facilities within the local community who can influence literally thousands of young people and their guardians would deliver far more return than any 'app' could...

 

[stevehone]

if admission prices don't go down to a reasonable level then i'm concerned people will forego speedway.

so many have been furloughed or lost their jobs in the last year, i think it may be asking a bit much to still be near £20 each

[IainB]

It seems that most people on here don't have the vision of what an app could be. One should be developed and aimed at kids, not as a replacement programme for the adults. How many times have you been at a Speedway meeting and the kids (fans of tomorrow) are just disinterested in what's going on, mainly during the long gaps between races and they just charge around annoying everybody else around them. You only have to look at the success of apps like Pokemon Go and the possibilities of augmented reality. These apps can be highly addictive and what's better than having the fans of tomorrow addicted to a night at the Speedway, for whatever reason.

Obviously these things don't come cheap, so it'll probably never happen unless Poland do it and it can be translated into English.

[cityrebel]

43 minutes ago, stevehone said:

if admission prices don't go down to a reasonable level then i'm concerned people will forego speedway.

so many have been furloughed or lost their jobs in the last year, i think it may be asking a bit much to still be near £20 each

Absolutely. I'm seriously considering cutting down and it hasn't even started yet!

[Midland Red]

57 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

Eastbourne announced a few weeks ago that they would be making an evening at speedway more interactive and are looking at developing an app.

It gives the club all sorts of options in relation to the scorecard and putting out material during a match. However, they were very clear there would still be a printed programme and announcements / interviews for those who want. It doesn't have to be either/or.

People also talk about a big screen - great if you have one like King's Lynn but I suspect that was paid for on the back of stockcar money - they are expensive to instal.

App is the way forward and it is not just a young person's thing.

So, everyone’s going to stand around looking at their mobile and thinking, this speedway’s great, I’ll keep coming back over and over, and bring all my mates with me so they can stand around looking at their mobiles - they’ll need their headphones (or whatever they’re called these days) though to drown the sound of those wretched motorbikes.

This is the way forward, folks, the saviour of our great sport.

[Sings4Speedway]

41 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

Absolutely. I'm seriously considering cutting down and it hasn't even started yet!

In all honesty i wonder how many people on here can say the amount of visits to speedway has maintained / increased over the past 5 years? I used to be at various tracks often two-three times a week. That bubble has officially burst way before the pandemic but even now i know i won't get the magic bug back and will pick and choose any meetings i attend based upon the competing teams and if i can tie something else in with the trip.