Pieman72 Posted July 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 Going 'off piste' there is one answer avoid. Branded items generally are overpriced and taste the same apart from washing powder lol. I do find the discounters have limited lines of produce but Aldi seems to be aware of this and is extending it's range. There's a Russian discounter Mere on the horizon !! Back to speedway to be fair the VSPA are operating a cartel and like the big 4 are expensive and have a 'take it or leave it' attitude.....that's fine I'll not bother thanks. Like a Mackie D once you've took away the packaging your paying an awful lot for very little and walk out still hungry. We need to support our younger riders who've invested £1000's in equipment only for promoters to default to a foreign 'prima donna' at great expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowboy cookie returns? Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 5 hours ago, iainb said: I don't mind a bit of tractor racing if it's actually doing something like bringing the track back into a raceable condition. I've seen too many tractors doing too many laps just trying to move non-existent dirt back onto the racing line and the watering of a track in parts where the riders never ride. Didn't the BSPL put the TV contract out to tender and there were multiple offers and they decided to opt for Eurosport to attract sponsors to free to air TV. How's that one worked out? Has that brought a League sponsor? Has it brought in any European sponsorship? Has it brought in any sponsorship? In fact here we are in the height of summer where Sky Sports are having orgasms about "The 100" and our "Broadcast Partner" are showing repeats of Olympic action and there's no Speedway until the 16th of August! I think Eurosport were the only ones willing to even give a token amount for the rights. Let's not forget that the BSPA had a very lucrative TV deal with Sky for many years and did absolutely nothing with it. The result sky terminated the last deal a year early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 8 minutes ago, cowboy cookie returns? said: I think Eurosport were the only ones willing to even give a token amount for the rights. Let's not forget that the BSPA had a very lucrative TV deal with Sky for many years and did absolutely nothing with it. The result sky terminated the last deal a year early. Yes, I've not forgotten that... but I believe that BT Sport also made a bid for the rights although I'm not sure how much less it was than Eurosport... or even for that matter how much the Eurosport deal was for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieman72 Posted July 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 2 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said: I think Eurosport were the only ones willing to even give a token amount for the rights. Let's not forget that the BSPA had a very lucrative TV deal with Sky for many years and did absolutely nothing with it. The result sky terminated the last deal a year early. The VSPA did a lot sat on their backsides and watch tracks close one after another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHarris Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 Not read through all of the posts so sorry if I'm a bit late to the party here, but are admission prices extortionate? It's a hard one to answer. It's not as extortionate as say paying to watch Premier League football but it is a very expensive night out. The question you have to ask is are you getting value for your money? Sadly I think the answer to Speedway here is no! Speedway has always played to a selective typical working class audience. The demographics of that audience tend to be older people and die-hard supporters. What promoters risk doing is pricing those die-hard supporters out and then you are in trouble. Promoters have to cover insurance costs, medical cover, stadium rent, staff costs, rider wages etc, etc and also make a bit for themselves (it is a business after all). It's a very fine line but you do have to ensure that you are giving the punter a good night out for their hard earned cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 11 hours ago, iainb said: Didn't the BSPL put the TV contract out to tender and there were multiple offers and they decided to opt for Eurosport... "Multiple offers? Wow! Between who? If the competition was between Eurosport and Premier Sports, they chose the lesser of the evils. Not exactly the same as competition between BBC ITV C4 & Sky Sports, is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 42 minutes ago, uk_martin said: "Multiple offers? Wow! Between who? If the competition was between Eurosport and Premier Sports, they chose the lesser of the evils. Not exactly the same as competition between BBC ITV C4 & Sky Sports, is it? BT Sport was rumoured to be the other Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 (edited) On 7/26/2021 at 4:08 PM, topsoil said: ...Speedway could attract a similar audience by just offering cheap alcohol. Where the free admission is scoring, as far as I can see, is adults are coming along with children, knowing that it won't cost them too much. So I wouldn't call it a "failure". On 7/26/2021 at 2:33 PM, old bob at herne bay said: ..As an example T20 cricket down here in Kent - all the remaining matches have sold out ....... its £25 a ticket and £7 for 5-15 year olds. a) what's wrong with offering cheap alcohol? Pubs have been promoting student nights on just that basis for years. Ibiza holidays are promoted on the back of cheap alcohol too. Damn, that word "promoting" again. So alien to the "sport" of speedway b) £17ish for an adult at speedway and free for kids, and Birmingham are threatening closure because not enough are coming through the door at those prices. Cricket charges £25 for adults and £7 for kids and is regularly sold out, If that's not a failure for speedway, then what is? On 7/26/2021 at 12:15 PM, cityrebel said: I've always felt the admission prices are one of speedway's biggest obstacles in attracting new fans. If the product was at a similar level to Poland, it could be justified. 14 hours ago, mikebv said: Pro rata to earnings not a million miles away from the UK, so it isnt "cheap", which is what is sometimes perceived over here.. However you do obviously get the worlds best for that pro rata amount rather than what we get over here.. That fasle myth that mikebv blows out of the water so well, that Polish speedway is cheap for the fans. It may look like it to us but it isn't to the Poles. Wherever you go, entrance to speedway is about the same as 4 or 5 pints of beer down the pub, whether that's in Poland or in the UK. You get better value and more bangs for your buck in Poland though. I've seen parades of classic cars, demonstrations of other sports, parachutists, aerobatics displays overhead, and all sorts in the mini-break after heat 10, It's a simple thing. Polish speedway is not cheap, but you get great value on track with the best riders for your money and you get value added additions added to the mix to send you home happy and wanting to come back for more. And it works. Edited July 28, 2021 by uk_martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 1 hour ago, iainb said: BT Sport was rumoured to be the other Rumours eh? It was BT's to lose, and they sure made sure they lost it. As did Sky before them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monarchs2468 Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 Speedway does not have extortionate prices and it never has. In terms of your own lifestyle, earnings or priorities then YES Speedway does have extortionate prices and is bottom of the feeding barrel. It's a dying sport and it'll be gone very soon in GB unless there is a massive shift in peoples thoughts. All I read is moaning about the cost being too high, not value for money, 15 minutes of racing shouldn't cost blah blah, not enough passing, riders doubling up, guests, rider replacement, rain offs, poor track conditions, poor stadium conditions and the list is endless. Well guess what, Speedway is almost finished in the UK so enjoy it whilst you can. Everyone go as much as possible for the next few weeks as it won't be there next season.p 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, uk_martin said: a) what's wrong with offering cheap alcohol? Pubs have been promoting student nights on just that basis for years. Ibiza holidays are promoted on the back of cheap alcohol too. Damn, that word "promoting" again. So alien to the "sport" of speedway b) £17ish for an adult at speedway and free for kids, and Birmingham are threatening closure because not enough are coming through the door at those prices. Cricket charges £25 for adults and £7 for kids and is regularly sold out, If that's not a failure for speedway, then what is? That fasle myth that mikebv blows out of the water so well, that Polish speedway is cheap for the fans. It may look like it to us but it isn't to the Poles. Wherever you go, entrance to speedway is about the same as 4 or 5 pints of beer down the pub, whether that's in Poland or in the UK. You get better value and more bangs for your buck in Poland though. I've seen parades of classic cars, demonstrations of other sports, parachutists, aerobatics displays overhead, and all sorts in the mini-break after heat 10, It's a simple thing. Polish speedway is not cheap, but you get great value on track with the best riders for your money and you get value added additions added to the mix to send you home happy and wanting to come back for more. And it works. It's a difficult one to juggle. I went to two American Football "Wembley Bowls" and can't say I really enjoyed the experience. Because of the stop/start nature of the game what became more important apparently to the fans was the off pitch entertainment. The game itself became of secondary importance. I used to enjoy watching edited highlights of American Football when first broadcast on Channel 4 but when they decided to show games live I lost interest...too much padding. Edited July 29, 2021 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 11 hours ago, JamesHarris said: Not read through all of the posts so sorry if I'm a bit late to the party here, but are admission prices extortionate? It's a hard one to answer. It's not as extortionate as say paying to watch Premier League football but it is a very expensive night out. The question you have to ask is are you getting value for your money? Sadly I think the answer to Speedway here is no! Speedway has always played to a selective typical working class audience. The demographics of that audience tend to be older people and die-hard supporters. What promoters risk doing is pricing those die-hard supporters out and then you are in trouble. Promoters have to cover insurance costs, medical cover, stadium rent, staff costs, rider wages etc, etc and also make a bit for themselves (it is a business after all). It's a very fine line but you do have to ensure that you are giving the punter a good night out for their hard earned cash. I mentioned on the Poole v Leicester thread.. £27 quid for me and my 18 year old student lad last night. .. If I went with my wife the two of us would have paid £34 which I would have regarded as "too much" for what is on offer to be honest.. To stand at the NSS now it's "all open" again, two adults costs £40 which isnt value for money in my opinion, especially to watch mainly the same riders in the top division that you see in the second... That £25 to £30 price point that I paid last night for two "adults" seems around "THE' price point for any Speedway in the UK I would say... And ride on the night you can get your best crowd in... Looking at Poole's attendance last night, traditional Wednesday night racing brought them a couple of thousand or so I would suggest... From a business model perspective they race on their best night to get a crowd, presumably pay out less for 2nd Division pay scales, and can charge their fans a few quid less than they would need to, to pay 1st Div money out.... A fair few boxes ticked last night by Poole I would think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 58 minutes ago, mikebv said: I mentioned on the Poole v Leicester thread.. £27 quid for me and my 18 year old student lad last night. .. If I went with my wife the two of us would have paid £34 which I would have regarded as "too much" for what is on offer to be honest.. To stand at the NSS now it's "all open" again, two adults costs £40 which isnt value for money in my opinion, especially to watch mainly the same riders in the top division that you see in the second... That £25 to £30 price point that I paid last night for two "adults" seems around "THE' price point for any Speedway in the UK I would say... And ride on the night you can get your best crowd in... Looking at Poole's attendance last night, traditional Wednesday night racing brought them a couple of thousand or so I would suggest... From a business model perspective they race on their best night to get a crowd, presumably pay out less for 2nd Division pay scales, and can charge their fans a few quid less than they would need to, to pay 1st Div money out.... A fair few boxes ticked last night by Poole I would think... And they've managed to track 3 Premiership heat leaders into the bargain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 On 7/26/2021 at 11:42 AM, topsoil said: Isn't this a case for all sports though, other than football maybe? I know going back to my own experience, I was speedway daft when I was a teenager, Then I started to go out, alcohol and girls took over. Then you settle down and lose interest in the "chase". Then you go back to what you used to enjoy. I would bet that the only sports which attract teenagers in any amounts are one which also have alcohol nearby? Football (because it is media wall to wall), T20 cricket, darts nights out (sold as a night out rather than a purely sporting attraction). So if you want to attract teenagers, maybe you need to turn speedway meetings into a stag party atmosphere? Mine lost interest once it became unaffordable for them to attend at age 16 and whilst they were still in their last GCSE year. They couldn't pay the student price because that was for 6th formers and uni students, so had to pay adult prices. Even at the concession prices, it was too far out of reach and unaffordable to go week after week. Eldest still likes speedway, keeps up with all the news but has gone to maybe 5 meetings and two GPs since he was 16, youngest has gone to just one GP and no league meetings but still has a passing interest but middle son stopped going the week after his 16th and has absolutely no interest whatsoever....they were all massive fans at one point. None are interested in football...or any other sport come to that, speedway was their love and they would have continued going and still be contributing to the sport had the prices been more sensible for them to do so. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 I now use the www.trolley.co.uk website to "plan" my shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieman72 Posted July 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 If the Isle of Wight Warriors goes well then that may be the future. Speedway in it's current format will probably cease but something will come along to replace it. There are too many riders officials and supporters around to let it die. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sings4Speedway Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 31 minutes ago, Pieman72 said: If the Isle of Wight Warriors goes well then that may be the future. Speedway in it's current format will probably cease but something will come along to replace it. There are too many riders officials and supporters around to let it die. varied formats of racing that work best on the home circuit whilst utilising a selection of riders to give both diverse levels yet balanced teams, running on race nights that suit them within the peak operating window, with excellent presentation and value of their customers......that lot on the IOW are barmy and long may it continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadster Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 7 hours ago, Pieman72 said: If the Isle of Wight Warriors goes well then that may be the future. Speedway in it's current format will probably cease but something will come along to replace it. There are too many riders officials and supporters around to let it die. I watched a couple of You Tube videos of that meeting and there didn't seem to be many there. Of course, there might have been huge crowds just out of range of the camera, but the main stand seemed a mass of empty seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickthemuppet Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 18 hours ago, Prentice1874 said: Speedway does not have extortionate prices and it never has. In terms of your own lifestyle, earnings or priorities then YES Speedway does have extortionate prices and is bottom of the feeding barrel. It's a dying sport and it'll be gone very soon in GB unless there is a massive shift in peoples thoughts. All I read is moaning about the cost being too high, not value for money, 15 minutes of racing shouldn't cost blah blah, not enough passing, riders doubling up, guests, rider replacement, rain offs, poor track conditions, poor stadium conditions and the list is endless. Well guess what, Speedway is almost finished in the UK so enjoy it whilst you can. Everyone go as much as possible for the next few weeks as it won't be there next season.p What a load of rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waytogo28 Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, mickthemuppet said: Speedway is almost finished in the UK so enjoy it whilst you can. It's Sayonara then to UK league speedway as we know it and have been stuck in the historical rut of for 20 plus years. Fewer and fewer do want to pay for it and that is the final arbiter. No paying punters and or No sponsors means that it is not viable. We have You Tube to watch this extinct creature when we need a dose of nostalgia. That's life! Every "craze" has it's time and speedway had a very good run for it's money. Too long really because for many it had become Yawn, boring, lacked passing, thrills excitement and lost it's tag of "racing" ( in the main with 3 or 4 of the heats in a match containing any) and was for many too expensive or poor value for money. It will stagger on in some form for a while to a diminishing group of spectators. If it is really Bye Bye time, so be it. Plenty of opportunities then for re-unions. By the way I was an addict for 40 plus years but managed to wean myself off it, over the last ten years. Phew! Ooops it was Pieman who said that, sorry Mick. OOps it was in fact Prentice 1874 who said that! Edited July 29, 2021 by waytogo28 additional point made - again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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