Kent kings are no more ??

[flipper11]

2 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

ARC do not seem to mention the ownership of

Kent on the website but do mention Birmingham, Newcastle and Nottingham in terms of dog racing. Do we have another stadium landlord who is anti speedway?

However from an impartial business perspective, it would not take a rocket scientist to work/find out that speedway is on its knees and with  the deteriorating level of support for a dying sport added to which we have seen examples of clubs experiencing financial difficulties mid season, why would any landlord entertain the idea of hiring your stadium with the chances being that you might not get the revenue you want to make it worthwhile as the speedway club folds because financially the owners of club work on wafer thin margins with a business model which is flawed and has so many risks and rarely makes financial sense. The fact is that turnstile money is nowhere near enough to keep a club afloat, hence the club relies on third parties (sponsors etc) whose financial condition the stadium owners would need to assess, be fully understood in order to give them an idea of the financial risks they are taking on with the club. Given the foregoing why let speedway or for that matter any other sport that operates a similar business model, through the door.

Len has not only a knowledgeable and wonderful servant/advocate to speedway, he is an astute businessman and if he has finally walked away, then the writing is well and truly on the wall and those in charge of the sport in this country need to act decisively to protect the remnants.

Except Kent have had excellent support all season & as mentioned before, yet again posted a profit.

Right up until a few days before Len announced his retirement he was talking about next season & told supporters at the last meeting he would see them next easter. So something happened in those few days. I suspect ARC changed their minds & wanted more rent than previously agreed based on the support Kent were getting & Len walked away. Hopefully after a year with no rent from speedway a new promoter might find ARC more accommodating.   

[RobMcCaffery]

On 11/1/2021 at 9:26 PM, old bob at herne bay said:

Not for the first time I have upset “ Rob McCaffery” and his gallant attempts to resurrect Rye House Speedway. 
I doubt anyone except “Rob McCaffery” treats my comments as anything but an opinion of a retired long time speedway supporter. 
Let’s see whether any of these meetings which you report as being positive bear fruit. 

I agree nothing ventured,  nothing gained and wish you success in getting a speedway track reinstated at Hoddesdon. 
 

No need to put my name in quotes. It's real. Unlike you I don't have to hide. 

Now, you haven't upset me. I'm quite amused by fools like you. It also stirs the blood to vent spleen at thoroughly deserving targets. You remind me of those characters who wander through London carrying signs stating "The End Is Nigh".

I have real problems to deal with in helping to keep the Rye House campaign . You don't come anywhere near so don't flatter yourself. That goes   for the other keyboard warriors. All I care about right now is playing my part in defeating those who have been seeking to destroy the Rockets. Self-appointed windbags are pretty irrelevant by comparison.

The real Rob McCaffery.  

[lbw]

Sadly no speedway venue is safe in British Speedway. Yes very negative of me but that is the truth. I always think the powers that be should do more to secure speedway at venues regardless of who owns the venue. 

It saddened me last night when I was channel hopping and landed on the greyhound channel at the same time as the 718pm race from Central Park. The fence completely gone from the speedway track only leaving a few posts. I'm sure this is the same at the end of every season but given the circumstances it just looked so sad.

I hope someone saves Kent 

[SSL84]

On 11/4/2021 at 3:47 PM, gazzac said:

Infact at this point (and hate saying it as saw him progress all those years at Eastbourne) another year at BV and Glasgow would be great for him at this point in his career. As usual points limit will probably dictate more than anything 

With the airfence plus track equipment being given to Iwade by uncle len , could it be Iwade could run NL next year?

[flipper11]

2 hours ago, Trackerman48 said:

With the airfence plus track equipment being given to Iwade by uncle len , could it be Iwade could run NL next year?

Uncle Len has retired, he gave the air fence etc to Iwade purely to help them out & not specifically to run a team from there.  BUT.  If they now have the equipment a NL team is a possibility.   

[RobMcCaffery]

22 minutes ago, flipper11 said:

Uncle Len has retired, he gave the air fence etc to Iwade purely to help them out & not specifically to run a team from there.  BUT.  If they now have the equipment a NL team is a possibility.   

From what I understand there's more to it than that. My information  could be wrong of course. Either way it's important that Kent continues to have a speedway team, one way or another. I think Iwade could operate as an NDL venue, especially if the Kings fans could tolerate the sparser facilities. I found it to be basic but with a heart of gold. At least a speedway team would be welcomed there. 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by RobMcCaffery

[SSL84]

8 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

From what I've been told there's more to it than that. It could be wrong of course. Either way it's important that Kent continues to have a speedway team, one way or another. I think Iwade could operate as an NDL venue, especially if the Kings fans could tolerate the sparser facilities. I found it to be basic but with a heart of gold. At least a speedway team would be welcomed there. 

 

Rob to be honest I think Iwade at NDL is the only option,  can't see Kent running would need a new airfence,  fence on the strait ect be too much and with the big rent rise can not as a viable option. 

[heathen52]

On 11/10/2021 at 6:16 PM, Hawk127 said:

ARC do not seem to mention the ownership of

Kent on the website but do mention Birmingham, Newcastle and Nottingham in terms of dog racing. Do we have another stadium landlord who is anti speedway?

However from an impartial business perspective, it would not take a rocket scientist to work/find out that speedway is on its knees and with  the deteriorating level of support for a dying sport added to which we have seen examples of clubs experiencing financial difficulties mid season, why would any landlord entertain the idea of hiring your stadium with the chances being that you might not get the revenue you want to make it worthwhile as the speedway club folds because financially the owners of club work on wafer thin margins with a business model which is flawed and has so many risks and rarely makes financial sense. The fact is that turnstile money is nowhere near enough to keep a club afloat, hence the club relies on third parties (sponsors etc) whose financial condition the stadium owners would need to assess, be fully understood in order to give them an idea of the financial risks they are taking on with the club. Given the foregoing why let speedway or for that matter any other sport that operates a similar business model, through the door.

Len has not only a knowledgeable and wonderful servant/advocate to speedway, he is an astute businessman and if he has finally walked away, then the writing is well and truly on the wall and those in charge of the sport in this country need to act decisively to protect the remnants.

ARC or to be more exact Rachel Corden is no friend of Speedway she is the former  owner of Nottingham Greyhound Stadium until it was sold to ARC where she was then offered and accepted a senior position within ARC management, Her husband Mark Bird is the CEO of the GBGB which is the Greyhound equivelant of the BSPL so what Corden wants she very often gets, Im told that ARC allegedly wont offer any Tenant more than a 1 year lease how true that is i dont know but iv been told that from a very reliable source. Would any of you invest in a Speedway team with no guarantee of having a racetrack after 1 season ?.

[mikebv]

5 hours ago, heathen52 said:

ARC or to be more exact Rachel Corden is no friend of Speedway she is the former  owner of Nottingham Greyhound Stadium until it was sold to ARC where she was then offered and accepted a senior position within ARC management, Her husband Mark Bird is the CEO of the GBGB which is the Greyhound equivelant of the BSPL so what Corden wants she very often gets, Im told that ARC allegedly wont offer any Tenant more than a 1 year lease how true that is i dont know but iv been told that from a very reliable source. Would any of you invest in a Speedway team with no guarantee of having a racetrack after 1 season ?.

To be fair to any of Speedways landlords, when they see the sport lose tracks/tracks change promoters due to losses made, so consistently, you can see why they may put up restrictions on any lease..

If the sport had a following that delivered circa £50k a night through the turnstiles then rent increases wouldn't be an issue, nor would a change of promoter to "save the team" be ever needed.. 

Which I would suggest would provide landlords with more confidence in the tenant...

[old bob at herne bay]

Well we can only see if Iwade do lodge an application to join the NDL in 2022. One hopes that the attitude of the BSPL will be supportive to allowing another stand alone club to run in the NDL in 2022. 
 

Good old Rob McCaffery ploughs onward with resurrecting Rye House and  I wished him success with his venture.

Despite his personal abuse, I still wish him well, although this “fool”, “self appointed windbag” and keyboard warrior is mindful that Len Silver severed his interests in Rye some years ago ….. I wonder why? 
 

 

 

[RobMcCaffery]

59 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Well we can only see if Iwade do lodge an application to join the NDL in 2022. One hopes that the attitude of the BSPL will be supportive to allowing another stand alone club to run in the NDL in 2022. 
 

Good old Rob McCaffery ploughs onward with resurrecting Rye House and  I wished him success with his venture.

Despite his personal abuse, I still wish him well, although this “fool”, “self appointed windbag” and keyboard warrior is mindful that Len Silver severed his interests in Rye some years ago ….. I wonder why? 
 

 

 

Yes, despite my personal ill-health I 'plough on' helping Steve Ribbons with what people like you described as a hopeless cause. We now are at the point of detailed negotiations with the new landlords. It does get irritating when those with no knowledge or genuine understanding of what is going on declare our efforts pointless "since speedway in the south east is dead". I think few would disagree with  your actions being described as those of a fool. 

You consider my comments to be abusive. Let me tell you quite clearly they were extremely watered-down. When you are working well outside your comfort zone to save a team you have followed for 50 years, no you don't take kindly to foolish comments like yours. I'm trying to save the track I love. What are you up to apart from trying to pass yourself off as an all-knowing authority? 

Now drop the patronising "good old" and leave me and my colleagues to get on with a very comp[ex job. I'll  ask again, do you really care for speedway or your own  sad ego?

A for Len, how can anyone know why Silver got out of Rye House? Neglected stadium needing repair beyond his resources, need to ease off the pressure and work with someone else's capital at Kent? Old age? The failing Silverski business? It's not the first time he's sold a track that others have managed to run, usually after finding the mess they'd bought. 

He is someone with an impeccable speedway record but  his judgment is not infallible,  especially in old age. It's still far greater than mine of course. All I am is a long-term supporter who was lucky enough to work with microphones not only for the Rockets but also on video and for a short  while, cable and satellite TV.

What an appalling thing I am doing to save the Rockets? Of course I deserve your fatuous critique. 

Now can I get on please? Some of us have work to do rather than sit on the sidelines trying to wreck what others are doing. 

Of course IF we fail you'll be able to  boast how clever you were........... Sad, deeply sad. I do pity you. 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by RobMcCaffery

[ch958]

to be honest OBatHB seems a bit of a stirrer, I wouldn't waste time or energy replying just devote your energies to bringing back an historic track for which we would all be grateful

[RobMcCaffery]

Now, back to the  topic. 

One of my happiest times in speedway was announcing at Iwade in the mid-2000s. Unfortunately the 350 mile return journey to Kent saw me have to withdraw. 

I lost my track (Rayleigh) aged just 16 so I am very sensitive to track closures. I do feel for the Kent fans and if the future IS at Iwade I do hope they will support the new start at a track where the financial pressure of Central Park can be forgotten. 

At least there is an alternative. 

 

[RobMcCaffery]

Just now, ch958 said:

to be honest OBatHB seems a bit of a stirrer, I wouldn't waste time or energy replying just devote your energies to bringing back an historic track for which we would all be grateful

Thanks ch958. Good to hear from a Redcar fan. I'm only advising Steve Ribbons who is the lynchpin of the campaign. 

Redcar's a shining example of how the loss of a track like Cleveland Park can be (eventually) overcome. In manyb ways it should be a blueprint for others who lose their tracks. Sadly the land values compromise similar efforts down south. 

It was good to visit the STMP and see how you had survived the ordeal. May Kent find similar success. 

 

[RobMcCaffery]

17 hours ago, mikebv said:

To be fair to any of Speedways landlords, when they see the sport lose tracks/tracks change promoters due to losses made, so consistently, you can see why they may put up restrictions on any lease..

If the sport had a following that delivered circa £50k a night through the turnstiles then rent increases wouldn't be an issue, nor would a change of promoter to "save the team" be ever needed.. 

Which I would suggest would provide landlords with more confidence in the tenant...

There is no doubt that ARC is a highly professional organisation that must see speedway as an unreliable and unwanted #extra' to buying or leasing Newcastle, Birmingham and Sittingbourne. Their main business lies in operating about 16 of the country's top horse racing tracks. They must be mystified by speedway's continuance. It's clear that even the greyhound tracks themselves are a peripheral business to them, let alone a sport where two of their tenants threatened to cease trading during the year. 

 

[*JJ]

23 hours ago, heathen52 said:

, Im told that ARC allegedly wont offer any Tenant more than a 1 year lease how true that is i dont know

True: it was offered to Birmingham 'until they get to know us'. The doubling of the rent was non-negotiable.

[SSL84]

3 minutes ago, *JJ said:

True: it was offered to Birmingham 'until they get to know us'. The doubling of the rent was non-negotiable.

I believe that the 3 tracks have had there rent doubled.  Is that the main issue with Kent? 

[RobMcCaffery]

6 hours ago, Trackerman48 said:

I believe that the 3 tracks have had there rent doubled.  Is that the main issue with Kent? 

As ever with speedway there could be more to it. I think Cearns selling up won't have gone down well. That removed any certainty. 

[old bob at herne bay]

It’s a matter of public record that Roger Cearns gave up his interests at Kent . It’s also a matter of public record that Kent speedway operated under very restrictive planning approval , despite appeals to Swale Council ( supported by me ) to relax the planning restrictions.

Ergo, a new landlord who might be looking to develop their core business ( dog racing) would be keen to curry favour with Swale council local residents and Swale councillors by dropping the speedway racing tenants. 

Sittingbourne Stadium is in need of investment to maintain it’s facilities. The backstraight stand is in need of either refurbishment or demolition. The main stand requires floor panel anti corrosion treatment or replacement .

Maybe the landlord is looking for a realistic rent to cover future maintenance costs from its tenants. 

 

 

[FromBendThree]

On 11/17/2021 at 11:48 PM, old bob at herne bay said:

It’s a matter of public record that Roger Cearns gave up his interests at Kent . It’s also a matter of public record that Kent speedway operated under very restrictive planning approval , despite appeals to Swale Council ( supported by me ) to relax the planning restrictions.

Ergo, a new landlord who might be looking to develop their core business ( dog racing) would be keen to curry favour with Swale council local residents and Swale councillors by dropping the speedway racing tenants. 

Sittingbourne Stadium is in need of investment to maintain it’s facilities. The backstraight stand is in need of either refurbishment or demolition. The main stand requires floor panel anti corrosion treatment or replacement .

Maybe the landlord is looking for a realistic rent to cover future maintenance costs from its tenants. 

 

 

Stadium can just be mothballed if it is just dog racing. Saves on refurbishment. That's probably why ARC wanted a big rent to help pay for the works which would only benefit speedway.