Cardiff 2022

[Fixer2]

On 8/14/2022 at 11:06 AM, scoobydoo said:

When Woffinden was being interviewed with Ronnie O'Sullivan had to pause the picture to determine if he was wearing a dress or a top and matching shorts 

 

A poor mans Lewis Hamilton!

[oldswindonsupporter]

Just wondering how was an injured rider, Adam Ellis, passed fit to ride? Who makes the call to ride or refuse?

[The Third Man]

8 minutes ago, oldswindonsupporter said:

Just wondering how was an injured rider, Adam Ellis, passed fit to ride? Who makes the call to ride or refuse?

A qualified Doctor

[fatface]

19 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

Today, Wembley has huge areas for fan zones & concession stands. It also has a tube station with trains taking less than 10 mins to central London with 3 stop offs in-between. So lots to do and places to stay - if required. 
In the “old days”  sell out Wembley finals didn’t have anything but beer & hot dogs for those who came and went (via car, bus train) without stopovers before or after the meeting as it was seen as a day out”. 
 

I say this as someone who has lived in London and has great affection for the place.  Wembley (the area) is a sh**hole and the stadium is soulless. It's a place trading on its name and very little else. Its not even the best venue in North London, never mind the UK.

[oldswindonsupporter]

12 minutes ago, The Third Man said:

A qualified Doctor

Hmmm, time to tighten the checks made as clearly never fit to ride.

[pleasureboy60]

I've been to every Grand Prix at Cardiff since it was initially moved to Wales.

In that timeI 've seen some memorable meetings, some mediocre ones, poor ones and Saturday must go down as the worst of the lot. 

For the first time in many a year, I just wanted to get up and leave  I was that bored.

The track was terrible, the racing awful, prices scandalous. 

All in all the whole weekend for my partner and myself came close to £600.

I could have bought a season ticket for both my local football and speedway team for that amount of money

I've already made my decision not to go next year as I can't justify the cost. 

Speedway needs to take a long, hard look at itself otherwise its going to end up in the history books.

Far too many people involved in speedway are only in it to rip off the public. Well for me enough is enough. I've paid my fair share over the years to watch a sport I enjoy. 

Now that enjoyment has dried up and I will spend my money on more important things in life.

 

[Fromafar]

5 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

I took a first timer along on Saturday and he thoroughly enjoyed it and is currently waiting to buy early bird tickets for next year. As a local, the ‘sights’ of Cardiff were no big deal so his enjoyment was all about how fantastic speedway is. 
 

Yes the track was crap but as a fan without a track now, I still really enjoyed it. Let’s be honest, at least 70% of speedway races feature no passing and a strung out field. 

Probably enjoyed it because you watched your speedway at Brough Park.!!

[IainB]

17 minutes ago, pleasureboy60 said:

All in all the whole weekend for my partner and myself came close to £600.

I'm not saying you're right or wrong... but as we're talking cost, here's my breakdown:

Ticket: £22.50

Accommodation: £41.40

Fuel: £45

Food: £18.92

Total: £127.82

And I had just as crap a time as every one else lol... it could have been a classic though

Even if you doubled it (excluding fuel) how are you knocking on the door of £600? It can be done on the cheap (if you're a car owner) £165 for a couple.

Edited August 15, 2022 by iainb

[Grachan]

10 minutes ago, iainb said:

I'm not saying you're right or wrong... but as we're talking cost, here's my breakdown:

Ticket: £22.50

Accommodation: £41.40

Fuel: £45

Food: £18.92

Total: £127.82

And I had just as crap a time as every one else lol... it could have been a classic though

Even if you doubled it (excluding fuel) how are you knocking on the door of £600? It can be done on the cheap (if you're a car owner) £165 for a couple.

I'm not sure why food is included in the cost either. Even if you don't go, you're still going to eat.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

5 hours ago, markandrew23 said:

Is the date for Cardiff 2023 supposed to be announced today ? 

Don’t know but whatever day it is I’m busy that day doing something else that day 

[IainB]

5 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I'm not sure why food is included in the cost either. Even if you don't go, you're still going to eat.

Ah but I wouldn't have "treated" myself to Maccies 

[Trees]

1 hour ago, Fixer2 said:

A poor mans Lewis Hamilton!

Shock jock 

[mikebv]

For me....

The lad got the tickets (kerching) - £80

Two nights Ibis for both of us £270 with breakfast. (Very nice, yum yum)...

Spending Money £200 (we had a couple of good evenings. .)

Petrol/Taxis £100...

£570 in total for me. ..

I save money during the year by not attending many domestic meetings, and instead getting my Speedway fix on TV, often on every day/night of the week with the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Poland's 3 leagues, SEC, SON and the GP's....

Therefore. £570 is just over a tenner a week for 3 days/2 nights of "fun" in a welcoming, speedway focused for the weekend, modern city...

Not been for five years and loved every minute of it, apart from the track grading..

Oh. And the racing was a bit crap too. ...

Great to see speedway in such places, with a crowd running into tens of thousands not tens of hundreds...

Booking later for next year to hopefully see Dan defend his crown, and increase his lead in the Championship...

[BluPanther]

I watched the highlights earlier today, confirming it really was that awful. No more trips to Cardiff for me...

[Waspman]

Beginning of September it is then 2023

[IainB]

6 minutes ago, mikebv said:

For me....

The lad got the tickets (kerching) - £80

Two nights Ibis for both of us £270 with breakfast. (Very nice, yum yum)...

Spending Money £200 (we had a couple of good evenings. .)

Petrol/Taxis £100...

£570 in total for me. ..

I save money during the year by not attending many domestic meetings, and instead getting my Speedway fix on TV, often on every day/night of the week with the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Poland's 3 leagues, SEC, SON and the GP's....

Therefore. £570 is just over a tenner a week for 3 days/2 nights of "fun" in a welcoming, speedway focused for the weekend, modern city...

Not been for five years and loved every minute of it, apart from the track grading..

Oh. And the racing was a bit crap too. ...

Great to see speedway in such places, with a crowd running into tens of thousands not tens of hundreds...

Booking later for next year to hopefully see Dan defend his crown, and increase his lead in the Championship...

So that's both ends of the budget spectrum for us and I dare say we had pretty much the same experience we were looking for... a great weekend interspersed with a couple of crap Speedway meetings. I also got down to Cold Knap at Barry Island and the Cardiff Bay Barrage for a scout around.

[mikebv]

3 minutes ago, iainb said:

So that's both ends of the budget spectrum for us and I dare say we had pretty much the same experience we were looking for... a great weekend interspersed with a couple of crap Speedway meetings. I also got down to Cold Knap at Barry Island and the Cardiff Bay Barrage for a scout around.

Having a 19 year old with me meant my budget needed "stretching" somewhat.. .

On my own I would have gone for one night and comfortably spent less than £200 easy....

And still had a great time...

Might leave him at home next year...

[IainB]

36 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Having a 19 year old with me meant my budget needed "stretching" somewhat.. .

On my own I would have gone for one night and comfortably spent less than £200 easy....

And still had a great time...

Might leave him at home next year...

I suppose the point is, you pay what you think the weekend is worth... With the benefit of hindsight I should have knocked the Sunday meeting on the head and just gone home after the SGP, total cost would have been about £70, pretty much the same as a trip to the NSS on a bank holiday Monday for me... and for an SGP round with 16 of the worlds best riders that is astonishing VFM, and lets not forget the daytime bank holiday meetings at the NSS generally ain't that special.

For those not happy with the price of the weekend I think the answer to the question of cost cannot be laid at the feet of the SGP organisers.

[Wee Eck]

1 hour ago, pleasureboy60 said:

Far too many people involved in speedway are only in it to rip off the public. Well for me enough is enough. I've paid my fair share over the years to watch a sport I enjoy. 

Now that enjoyment has dried up and I will spend my money on more important things in life.

 

Who would you say are the “Far too many people involved in speedway” who are “only in it to rip off the public”!

This is the once a year Grand Prix that is staged in Britain. None of those involved in promoting the event have any tie in to British league speedway, nor, since the demise of BSI, a tie in to any other event. Unless you are referring to the FIM who are certainly not in it to rip off the public. 
I get it that you don’t believe you got value for money but let’s face it, Cardiff has never been a bargain so “value for money” is never going to happen. 
 

The track was awful this year (and has been on very many occasions) , no one is denying that, but then so have plenty other tracks over the years (including Prague, Teterow and Vojens this year) but it’s not an event I attend for the racing - it’s the atmosphere that makes it and, even without Dan’s win, it had all the usual ingredients. Dan’s win made it a special night

[IainB]

2 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

let’s face it, Cardiff has never been a bargain so “value for money” is never going to happen. 

My ticket for the weekend was £22.50... my ticket for next years event is £22.50

I'm just wondering how much you think it should be for VFM?