British Speedway statement

[fatface]

1 hour ago, Sir Sidney said:

I think it would be a good idea if some kind of survey could be carried out to see how many people that would attract on a regular basis.

For me, that would not be an attractive proposition and I doubt I would go. Solo speedway is the attraction for me but sidecars, quads and flat track would be a complete turn off. I'd also be unlikely to go for a full day. What does attract me is the sort of programme the Isle of Wight put on this year - circa 25 races over a 3 hour period, predominately speedway based - and the British Youth Championship with multiple speedway classes. 

I may of course be in the minority, and I certainly do fall into the age demographic that's viewed as a problem for the sport.  

Yes....and the point is don't survey the existing crowds...that will tell us nothing. Or worse still pander to a shrinking group with less years in front of them to watch speedway.  It's the people NOT attending speedway who are of more interest. How do we get more of them through the gate?

I think we are at the stage where promotions like the Isle of Wight should be welcomed and given free rein to experiment with new formats...and properly pilot them. Oh, and please don't be offended on your age. I think we can all recognise that any sport who's fan demographic is 60+ has a problem.

[Pieman72]

1 hour ago, Trackerman48 said:

Wolves riders are not any more expensive than a lot of British riders Wolves do not pay for flights ect.

Wolves riders get appearance money and having no British riders is detrimental to the future of the sport. If you have no programme of promoting local riders with a training school what is the future. We all know fielding a team full of foreign riders is wrong why defend it?

[Fortythirtyeight]

19 minutes ago, Pieman72 said:

Wolves riders get appearance money and having no British riders is detrimental to the future of the sport. If you have no programme of promoting local riders with a training school what is the future. We all know fielding a team full of foreign riders is wrong why defend it?

Is he defending it ?, he hasn’t even mentioned the subject.

You appear to have an issue with Wolves policy, that’s your opinion and your entitled to it.. I’ve never heard of any rider ever getting ‘ appearance money ‘ and I’m very experienced in clubs finances over the years. You may be getting confused with ‘ start money ‘ ( mainly done away with now ) or even a’ guarantee’ which is quite common with some clubs.

As for promoting local riders, your track needs to have the track time available to do it, few do . I’ve seen many a ‘ second half ‘ at Wolverhampton over the passed few years so they are definitely  trying.

Edited November 19, 2021 by Fortythirtyeight

[phillwhitewasmad]

14 minutes ago, Pieman72 said:

Wolves riders get appearance money and having no British riders is detrimental to the future of the sport. If you have no programme of promoting local riders with a training school what is the future. We all know fielding a team full of foreign riders is wrong why defend it?

Thing is your lack of knowledge is shown here agreed there is no training school however Wolverhampton constantly run competitive second half's with all British lads riding and give track time at every meeting to the British 250 champion . Unfortunately lots of teams are made up of foreign riders due to the lack of British based riders currently at premier league standard .

 

[MARK246]

8 hours ago, Speedtiger said:

I agree, CVS and the wolves TM are one of the best and have been very successful.

if more clubs operated like CVS speedway wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in now. 

Is this the same Wolves and CVS that was widely quoted as saying they wouldn't compete in a six team league. 

Yet here we are again same old same old

[Pieman72]

2 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Is he defending it ?, he hasn’t even mentioned the subject.

You appear to have an issue with Wolves policy, that’s your opinion and your entitled to it.. I’ve never heard of any rider ever getting ‘ appearance money ‘ and I’m very experienced in clubs finances over the years. You may be getting confused with ‘ start money ‘ ( mainly done away with now ) or even a’ guarantee’ which is quite common with some clubs.

As for promoting local riders, your track needs to have the track time available to do it, few do . I’ve seen many a ‘ second half ‘ at Wolverhampton over the passed few years so they are definitely  trying.

I am having a severe Anorakking on here lol. I can see why it's all going wrong....reconstructing. Speedway is in a mess and obviously your more in the 'know' than me. How many times have I heard that. So if Wolverhampton have a successful programme of Second Halves why do they fill the team with non aligned foreign riders?

[Pieman72]

2 hours ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

Thing is your lack of knowledge is shown here agreed there is no training school however Wolverhampton constantly run competitive second half's with all British lads riding and give track time at every meeting to the British 250 champion . Unfortunately lots of teams are made up of foreign riders due to the lack of British based riders currently at premier league standard .

 

What knowledgable element of Speedway do I need to brush up on? It's very expensive with dwindling attendances, financially bereft teams, a management committee that is autocratic and riders who can't be bothered.

[phillwhitewasmad]

32 minutes ago, Pieman72 said:

What knowledgable element of Speedway do I need to brush up on? It's very expensive with dwindling attendances, financially bereft teams, a management committee that is autocratic and riders who can't be bothered.

I responded to the post re Wolverhampton Lack of development which your knowledge of is poor . It's motorsport it is expensive. Unfortunately attendance is poor  but at every track we attended last year all seemed as they were if not better than before COVID, some teams will always live beyond there means just like some people live in debt . Can't comment on the committee as it would be speculation, can't think I watched a rider this season who didn't see bothered. 
 

[Sir Sidney]

5 hours ago, falcace said:

Yes....and the point is don't survey the existing crowds...that will tell us nothing. Or worse still pander to a shrinking group with less years in front of them to watch speedway.  It's the people NOT attending speedway who are of more interest. How do we get more of them through the gate?

I think we are at the stage where promotions like the Isle of Wight should be welcomed and given free rein to experiment with new formats...and properly pilot them. Oh, and please don't be offended on your age. I think we can all recognise that any sport who's fan demographic is 60+ has a problem.

I agree with that. The question is which organisation has the skills to properly conduct the research and properly interpret it - and then come up with a plan to make a difference. 

[HenryW]

11 hours ago, SlicktrackSandy said:

You have a point there , but at present they do pretty well in attracting a few really good partnerships which are crucial to the club's health.  If they were ever to move to within the Edinburgh City boundaries, for whatever reason, it is highly likely that sponsorships/partnerships would be likely to increase significantly.   It is 25 years since Monarchs were actually based in the City and a lot of things have changed since then as we are all aware.

I've definitely got a lot fatter, seen my hairline recede frighteningly far and what is left of it has gone much more grey than I would have hoped for 25 years ago 
On the speedway side, I think that the Edinburgh promotion need a lot of respect for keeping things going after Powderhall was lost, and the fans need a lot of respect for the amount of money that they have contributed to keeping the sport going.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that the Edinburgh council will ever welcome the sport back into the City boundaries, but I can keep hoping...I currently live within relatively easy walking distance of all of the venues that used to host league speedway in Edinburgh...and it's sad that the team are currently racing so far from the City.

[Fortythirtyeight]

14 hours ago, Pieman72 said:

I am having a severe Anorakking on here lol. I can see why it's all going wrong....reconstructing. Speedway is in a mess and obviously your more in the 'know' than me. How many times have I heard that. So if Wolverhampton have a successful programme of Second Halves why do they fill the team with non aligned foreign riders?

Your reading things that aren’t there, again.

I never said ‘successful’ as second halfers obviously aren’t good enough, yet, to be in a team , any team, that’s why they are second halfers and as for the make up of the Wolves team….ask CVS or Mr. Adam’s….it’s their business.

Edited November 20, 2021 by Fortythirtyeight

[customhouseregular]

When I  started supporting West Ham in 1964 I had no inkling the Hammers would be no more just a few years later. Speedway seemed to be on a secure footing and we expected the tracks we visited would always be there. Contrast that with the situation now. Today’s fans must start every season wondering whether their team would be in action the following season. Very sad and also very frustrating. I don’t really have the means to research this, but I would probably be staggered to know how many teams and tracks followed West Ham in to the history books. 

[Jonny the spud]

When the BSPA can’t even get a main league sponsor for a sport that has tv coverage you know you’re in trouble. 
 

you only have to look on here whenever trying to modernise speedway comes up, within a few pages it reverts to “eeeeh in 1958 we had Jap’s, black leathers and cinders…..and the fish & chips were served in real newspaper. 
 

When Adam first started (10 years ago next season ..jeeez) I remember suggesting on a thread, that sticking a questionaire Into a program and having a drop box at the exit is a good way of getting customer opinion. Plus if you added a draw for a free entry if they include an email address you automatically have a database that you can hit with offers / promotions etc.

Almost everyone has access to a printer, image being able to print off a poster advertising the next home match ? It could be put up in shops, cars etc. Lots of free publicity at zero cost to the club. If you have 500 people on your mailing list and even a percentage of them print it off… result. 

That’s micro managing the problem, it needs leadership. The club’s websites all look the same and press releases seem to be written by a 1950’s newsreader. Ultimately, the lead needs to come from the top. Unfortunately the top ain’t listening. 

[heathen52]

15 minutes ago, Jonny the spud said:

When the BSPA can’t even get a main league sponsor for a sport that has tv coverage you know you’re in trouble. 
 

you only have to look on here whenever trying to modernise speedway comes up, within a few pages it reverts to “eeeeh in 1958 we had Jap’s, black leathers and cinders…..and the fish & chips were served in real newspaper. 
 

When Adam first started (10 years ago next season ..jeeez) I remember suggesting on a thread, that sticking a questionaire Into a program and having a drop box at the exit is a good way of getting customer opinion. Plus if you added a draw for a free entry if they include an email address you automatically have a database that you can hit with offers / promotions etc.

Almost everyone has access to a printer, image being able to print off a poster advertising the next home match ? It could be put up in shops, cars etc. Lots of free publicity at zero cost to the club. If you have 500 people on your mailing list and even a percentage of them print it off… result. 

That’s micro managing the problem, it needs leadership. The club’s websites all look the same and press releases seem to be written by a 1950’s newsreader. Ultimately, the lead needs to come from the top. Unfortunately the top ain’t listening. 

Nope they aint listening and never seem to listen, the majority at the top seem to regard supporters as someone to be put up with rather than treated as customers, this is an attitude thats prevailed for far to long and continues to be the case, those at the top need only look to the Island near to you to see what can be done with a little effort, at least whenever Iv visited there the promoters have always made the effort to make me feel welcome, rather than someone who is there on sufference.

With regards the websites again you are right, the first thing I would do is have a different website server rather than the standard thats the norm for most Teams, PR! do they even know what it is ?.

Edited November 22, 2021 by heathen52

[ch958]

half price or free tix in return for email a/c- blast them regularly with info/ interviews, etc. Got to be worth a try. Somehow need to get to the casual/ don't go anymore folks. Of course once you get them there try to make sure its not a complete f/ up re track, ambulances, whatever

[Humphrey Appleby]

20 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

When I  started supporting West Ham in 1964 I had no inkling the Hammers would be no more just a few years later. Speedway seemed to be on a secure footing and we expected the tracks we visited would always be there. Contrast that with the situation now. Today’s fans must start every season wondering whether their team would be in action the following season. Very sad and also very frustrating. I don’t really have the means to research this, but I would probably be staggered to know how many teams and tracks followed West Ham in to the history books. 

The answer is probably nearly a hundred. I've probably even missed a few tracks from this list (permanent tracks only), but it gives an indication of how many venues have staged speedway in the British Isles (at least 111 by my count).

Some were of course very short lived or only raced a handful of open meetings, whilst other tracks were effectively replaced by another track. However, there are still quite a few on the list that staged regular racing for many years that are no longer with us...

Aldershot    Tongham
Armadale    Armadale Stadium
Ashington    Portland Park
Barrow    Holker Street
Barrow    Park Road
Belle Vue    Hyde Road
Belle Vue    Kirkmanshulme Lane
Belle Vue    National Speedway Stadium
Berwick    Shielfield Park
Berwick    Berrington Lough
Birmingham    Alexander Stadium
Birmingham    Bordesley Green
Birmingham     Perry Barr
Boston    New Hammond Beck Road
Bradford    Odsal Stadium
Bradford    Greenfield Stadium
Brafield    Brafield on the Green
Bristol    Knowle Stadium
Bristol    Eastville
Buxton    High Edge 1
Buxton    High Edge 2
California    Wokingham
Canterbury    Kingsmead
Carmarthen    United Counties Showground
Castleford    Whitewood Stadium
Coatbridge    Cliftonhill Stadium
Coventry    Brandon Stadium
Cowdenbeath    Central Park
Cradley Heath    Dudley Wood
Crayford    Crayford Stadium
Crewe    Earle Street
Doncaster    York Road
Eastbourne    Arlington
Edinburgh    Meadowbank
Edinburgh    Powerhall
Ellesmore Port    Thornton Road
Exeter    County Ground
Glasgow    Ibrox
Glasgow    Hampden Park
Glasgow    Blantyre Greyhound Stadium
Glasgow    Rutherglen
Glasgow    Ashfield Stadium
Glasgow    White City
Hackney    Waterden Road
Halifax    The Shay
Harringay    Green Lanes
Highbridge    Oak Tree Arena
Hull    The Boulevard
Hull    Craven Park
Ipswich    Foxhall Heath

Ryde   Smallbrook 
Iwade    Ferry Road
Kings Lynn    Saddlebow Road
Leicester    Blackbird Road
Leicester    Beaumont Park
Linlithgow    Heathersfield Stadium
Liverpool    Stanley Stadium
Long Eaton    Station Road
Lydd    Belgar Farm
Middlesbrough    Cleveland Park
Mildenhall    West Row
Milton Keynes    Groveway Stadium
Milton Keynes    Elfield Park
Motherwell    Milton Street
Neath    Neath Abbey
Nelson    Seedhill Stadium
New Cross    Old Kent Road Stadium
Newcastle    Brough Park
Newport    Somerton Road
Newport    Queensway Meadows
Newtongrange    Victoria Park
Norwich    Firs Stadium
Oxford    Cowley
Paisley    Love Street
Peterborough    East of England Showground
Plymouth    Pennycross Stadium
Plymouth    Plymouth Coliseum
Poole    Poole Stadium
Purfleet    Arena Essex
Rayleigh    Arterial Road
Reading    Tilehurst
Reading    Smallmead
Redcar    South Tees Motorsport Park
Ringwood    Matchams Park
Rochdale    Athletic Ground
Romford    Brooklands Stadium
Rye House    Hoddesdon
Scunthorpe    Quibell Park
Scunthorpe    Normanby Road
Scunthorpe    Ashby Ville
Sheffield    Owlerton
Shelbourne    Shelbourne Park
Sittingbourne    Central Park
Skegness    Marsh Lane
Southampton    Banister Court
St Austell    Cornish Stadium
Stoke    Sun Street
Stoke    Loomer Road
Sunderland    East Bolden
Swindon    Abbey Stadium
Trelawny    Clay Country Moto Parc
Wembley    Wembley Stadium
West Ham    Custom House
Weymouth    Radipole Lane
White City    White City Stadium
Wigan     Poolstock
Wimbledon    Plough Lane
Wolverhampton    Monmore Green
Wombwell    Station Road
Workington    Derwent Park
Yarmouth    Caister Road

Edited November 22, 2021 by Humphrey Appleby

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, Jonny the spud said:

When the BSPA can’t even get a main league sponsor for a sport that has tv coverage you know you’re in trouble. 
 

you only have to look on here whenever trying to modernise speedway comes up, within a few pages it reverts to “eeeeh in 1958 we had Jap’s, black leathers and cinders…..and the fish & chips were served in real newspaper. 
 

When Adam first started (10 years ago next season ..jeeez) I remember suggesting on a thread, that sticking a questionaire Into a program and having a drop box at the exit is a good way of getting customer opinion. Plus if you added a draw for a free entry if they include an email address you automatically have a database that you can hit with offers / promotions etc.

Almost everyone has access to a printer, image being able to print off a poster advertising the next home match ? It could be put up in shops, cars etc. Lots of free publicity at zero cost to the club. If you have 500 people on your mailing list and even a percentage of them print it off… result. 

That’s micro managing the problem, it needs leadership. The club’s websites all look the same and press releases seem to be written by a 1950’s newsreader. Ultimately, the lead needs to come from the top. Unfortunately the top ain’t listening. 

Always amazed me how so few tracks seem to have a "proper" marketing person to increase the awareness in the local areas...

If all tracks could deliver just another 500 (a ludicrously low number which shows where the sport is), a night the whole spectrum changes re paying costs and being able to then pro actively develop the sport..

And it doesn't have to be the same 500, just any 500 each week...

With those who attend now and again targeted (and incentivised) to visit more as they are the "quick wins"..

My city of Manchester has well over 2.5 MIllion people all living with 45 mins of the NSS...

Some living in the centre but most by far living in satellite towns around it...

What an opportunity for someone to work to a performance related pay scale to try and entice just a minuscule percentage of that 2.5 Million to attend..?

Give them a basic and a good percentage of any growth in income...

Let them dish out free and reduced tickets to people who they know don't go now, as 500 non attendees paying even a tenner is an extra five grand if they go an watch., and you then push some multi meeting tickets at reduced rates to try and get them into the habit of going..

Knowing names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, birthdays of individuals and their families, sending Xmas cards etc etc etc is a very, very basic marketing technique used in the entertainment sector, to keep your business in contact with (and therefore remembered by) your customers..

Helping you to reward your most loyal customers while also giving you the chance to get back those who maybe have stopped going, or get the infrequent punters to attend more often...

As for websites? Even if a track doesn't want to fork out for improvements, I am sure every track will have a college or a uni nearby that has graduates building them for masters degree passes and would jump at the chance of a 'real life' project to 'hand in' as part of their coursework..

Young, modern thinkers delivering a website to be aimed at people of a similar age and outlook..

However, as so many seem to have zero local marking, it is therefore no surprise that at national level there isn't some kind of joined up campaign to raise awareness of the sport generically, and tracks locally off the back of it..

As a collective they spend literally millions of pounds each season in costs, yet spend almost zilch in getting someone to help increase their income...

As for a sponsor.? Sadly the ridiculous operating model will prevent any major brand being associated with it, (even if the fan numbers and their demographics were different), hence Poland wouldn't use it in their leagues as fans, media, and sponsors would simply walk away..

So much could be done at a local level for so little cost and given the ridiculously low numbers needed for 'success', I am always truly amazed so little is actually done..

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by mikebv

[Pieman72]

51 minutes ago, heathen52 said:

Nope they aint listening and never seem to listen, the majority at the top seem to regard supporters as someone to be put up with rather than treated as customers, this is an attitude thats prevailed for far to long and continues to be the case, those at the top need only look to the Island near to you to see what can be done with a little effort, at least whenever Iv visited there the promoters have always made the effort to make me feel welcome, rather than someone who is there on sufference.

With regards the websites again you are right, the first thing I would do is have a different website server rather than the standard thats the norm for most Teams, PR! do they even know what it is ?.

Were not customers were commodities to be used and abused. I can't believe what I am reading on the Wolves thread are these people for real.

[iris123]

16 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

The answer is probably nearly a hundred. I've probably even missed a few tracks from this list (permanent tracks only), but it gives an indication of how many venues have staged speedway in the British Isles (at least 111 by my count).

Some were of course very short lived or only raced a handful of open meetings, whilst other tracks were effectively replaced by another track. However, there are still quite a few on the list that staged regular racing for many years that are no longer with us...

Aldershot    Tongham
Armadale    Armadale Stadium
Ashington    Portland Park
Barrow    Holker Street
Barrow    Park Road
Belle Vue    Hyde Road
Belle Vue    Kirkmanshulme Lane
Belle Vue    National Speedway Stadium
Berwick    Shielfield Park
Berwick    Berrington Lough
Birmingham    Alexander Stadium
Birmingham    Bordesley Green
Birmingham     Perry Barr
Boston    New Hammond Beck Road
Bradford    Odsal Stadium
Bradford    Greenfield Stadium
Brafield    Brafield on the Green
Bristol    Knowle Stadium
Bristol    Eastville
Buxton    High Edge 1
Buxton    High Edge 2
California    Wokingham
Canterbury    Kingsmead
Carmarthen    United Counties Showground
Castleford    Whitewood Stadium
Coatbridge    Cliftonhill Stadium
Coventry    Brandon Stadium
Cowdenbeath    Central Park
Cradley Heath    Dudley Wood
Crayford    Crayford Stadium
Crewe    Earle Street
Doncaster    York Road
Eastbourne    Arlington
Edinburgh    Meadowbank
Edinburgh    Powerhall
Ellesmore Port    Thornton Road
Exeter    County Ground
Glasgow    Ibrox
Glasgow    Hampden Park
Glasgow    Blantyre Greyhound Stadium
Glasgow    Rutherglen
Glasgow    Ashfield Stadium
Glasgow    White City
Hackney    Waterden Road
Halifax    The Shay
Harringay    Green Lanes
Highbridge    Oak Tree Arena
Hull    The Boulevard
Hull    Craven Park
Ipswich    Foxhall Heath

Ryde   Smallbrook 
Iwade    Ferry Road
Kings Lynn    Saddlebow Road
Leicester    Blackbird Road
Leicester    Beaumont Park
Linlithgow    Heathersfield Stadium
Liverpool    Stanley Stadium
Long Eaton    Station Road
Lydd    Belgar Farm
Middlesbrough    Cleveland Park
Mildenhall    West Row
Milton Keynes    Groveway Stadium
Milton Keynes    Elfield Park
Motherwell    Milton Street
Neath    Neath Abbey
Nelson    Seedhill Stadium
New Cross    Old Kent Road Stadium
Newcastle    Brough Park
Newport    Somerton Road
Newport    Queensway Meadows
Newtongrange    Victoria Park
Norwich    Firs Stadium
Oxford    Cowley
Paisley    Love Street
Peterborough    East of England Showground
Plymouth    Pennycross Stadium
Plymouth    Plymouth Coliseum
Poole    Poole Stadium
Purfleet    Arena Essex
Rayleigh    Arterial Road
Reading    Tilehurst
Reading    Smallmead
Redcar    South Tees Motorsport Park
Ringwood    Matchams Park
Rochdale    Athletic Ground
Romford    Brooklands Stadium
Rye House    Hoddesdon
Scunthorpe    Quibell Park
Scunthorpe    Normanby Road
Scunthorpe    Ashby Ville
Sheffield    Owlerton
Shelbourne    Shelbourne Park
Sittingbourne    Central Park
Skegness    Marsh Lane
Southampton    Banister Court
St Austell    Cornish Stadium
Stoke    Sun Street
Stoke    Loomer Road
Sunderland    East Bolden
Swindon    Abbey Stadium
Trelawny    Clay Country Moto Parc
Wembley    Wembley Stadium
West Ham    Custom House
Weymouth    Radipole Lane
White City    White City Stadium
Wigan     Poolstock
Wimbledon    Plough Lane
Wolverhampton    Monmore Green
Wombwell    Station Road
Workington    Derwent Park
Yarmouth    Caister Road

Just at a glance seems a few just in London missing there like Stamford Bridge, Walthamstow,Crystal Palace and Lea Bridge......

[M.D]

20 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

The answer is probably nearly a hundred. I've probably even missed a few tracks from this list (permanent tracks only), but it gives an indication of how many venues have staged speedway in the British Isles (at least 111 by my count).

Some were of course very short lived or only raced a handful of open meetings, whilst other tracks were effectively replaced by another track. However, there are still quite a few on the list that staged regular racing for many years that are no longer with us...

 

Hastings?