Setting a budget for speedway 2021

[cityrebel]

No ones knows what impact Covid will have on speedway attendances, once it resumes. Health and finance are bound to have a big influence on peoples ability to attend. I don't envy the promoters, trying to assemble a team to run at a level, that might not be viable anymore.

[IainB]

Looking at the economic statement yesterday, just confirming what we all knew, surely the time is right for standardised equipment, it'll never happen of course so almost not worth discussing alas

[steve roberts]

36 minutes ago, iainb said:

Looking at the economic statement yesterday, just confirming what we all knew, surely the time is right for standardised equipment, it'll never happen of course so almost not worth discussing alas

I know that I'm being very simplistic with my view but it may present an opportunity for speedway to get back to some sort of basics?

[Mimmo]

I agree with Steve about going back to basics.  It's going to be extremely difficult for everyone, Promoters, Riders & Fans alike.  With so many out of work, with the situation getting worse all the time, and I'm sure that we're still quite a long way from being safe despite the vaccine, it's a very worrying time for everybody involved in our beloved sport.  

[MattK]

It's an interesting idea. The most obvious questions are, who sets the budget and at what level? Currently clubs set their own budgets based on what they think their income will be. The challenge will be predicting income levels in 2021 and then presumably setting the budget to be affordable to the smallest club.

The overarching problem for me is that this will result in dumbing down of the product, which as we've seen over the last 15 years of dumbing down, inevitably leads to a reduction in crowds. This means the following year the budgets will need to be reduced (just like the points limit is today) and inevitably, lower crowds.

[Ben91]

Landlords will still want a set level of rent which creates the knock on effect of promotions needing to charge a certain price to pay the bills. 

There are fans who won’t attend unless they’re seeing the “best” racing here (despite that stopping around 20 years ago). Those riders won’t be happy to standardise equipment to a level for the UK only because they don’t race in the UK only. While it’s a nice idea it’s something of a minefield I suspect. 

I feel we need to go semi-pro and take a hit quality wise short term to move forwards long term.

[M.D]

Most if not all riders will have set up equipment ready for 2020 and just not used it so will be a minimal set up cost for a lot of riders and most British riders

[topaz325]

Government announce hard times ahead not just this winter but tax and NI (tax might not be an issue) increases, might make some riders think twice about their future in the sport.

[cityrebel]

On 11/26/2020 at 6:01 PM, topaz325 said:

Government announce hard times ahead not just this winter but tax and NI (tax might not be an issue) increases, might make some riders think twice about their future in the sport.

A lot of fans will be thinking about their future as well. The big enforced break has impacted upon everyone. For me personally, do i want to pay big money to watch premiership football anymore, probably not. Do i want to travel long distances to watch speedway anymore, maybe occasionally. All the time i still have local tracks to attend, i will still go, but their future is not guaranteed, and nothing lasts forever.