bluebee Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 Although I always buy a programme at meetings I rarely read them on the day of the match as I like to concentrate on the meeting and the company. I'll read them later in the week usually. But after reading Oxford's programme today i started to ponder on what poor value official programmes generally are. The articles by the various contributors s all seem to cover the same issues and state similar opinions. In the Oxford programme there was comment on Luke Killen's debut by four columnists and Aaron Summer's comeback was covered multiple times. Sure, there's a years gone by section and a biographies of the visitors but the team discussion pieces all regurgitate the same topics and points. When I buy a magazine I like to read different things - and yes it was good to read about these riders but not in every comment piece, Am I just unlucky in the teams I have supported or are there good programmes out there with varied content. I would think there might be an opportunity for a bit of humour somewhere in the pages for example, or even a bit of technical stuff for those inclined. Perhaps there could be some discussion between the contributors about what each one is going to cover before going to press. I'm not just picking on Oxford as I think the management have generally done a very good job and my criticism applies to many other programmes I've bought before. Just like to know what others think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 33 minutes ago, bluebee said: Although I always buy a programme at meetings I rarely read them on the day of the match as I like to concentrate on the meeting and the company. I'll read them later in the week usually. But after reading Oxford's programme today i started to ponder on what poor value official programmes generally are. The articles by the various contributors s all seem to cover the same issues and state similar opinions. In the Oxford programme there was comment on Luke Killen's debut by four columnists and Aaron Summer's comeback was covered multiple times. Sure, there's a years gone by section and a biographies of the visitors but the team discussion pieces all regurgitate the same topics and points. When I buy a magazine I like to read different things - and yes it was good to read about these riders but not in every comment piece, Am I just unlucky in the teams I have supported or are there good programmes out there with varied content. I would think there might be an opportunity for a bit of humour somewhere in the pages for example, or even a bit of technical stuff for those inclined. Perhaps there could be some discussion between the contributors about what each one is going to cover before going to press. I'm not just picking on Oxford as I think the management have generally done a very good job and my criticism applies to many other programmes I've bought before. Just like to know what others think. They were probably all written by the same person under different names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrickn Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 Really,you only need an A4 sheet with the scorecard on one side,and fixtures and announcements on the other,given free with your admission,or 50p to cover the printing..Everything else you should be able to find on your clubs website. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 4 minutes ago, racers and royals said: They were probably all written by the same person under different names I'm guessing Rob may have ghosted the Schroek and/or Courtney pieces, but the others all come from real contributors. I think the OP does have a point, four of the articles in the front half of the programme do cover similar ground (the exception being Rob's interview with Luke Killeen), but the back half contains no less than six original and distinctive articles, including a particularly punchy piece from Alan Bates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebee Posted June 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 (edited) Just to reiterate I'm not getting at Oxford or holding up their programme as a particularly egregious example - I fully agree about Alan Bates's article as being well worth a read. It's just that reading the whole programme brought to mind the general quality of the programmes I have read over the years at a number of clubs. They are one way of engaging with the fans and entertaining them and if they are not varied and lively it's an opportunity missed. Wednesday was a really entertaining night at a revived club that seems to me to be making a really good effort to build up a fan base. It just that reading the programme later didn't carry that feelgood factor on afterwards. And I like to buy a programme rather than just fill an A4 sheet as I feel it's part of supporting the club. Edited June 24, 2022 by bluebee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 (edited) 12 minutes ago, bluebee said: Just to reiterate I'm not getting at Oxford or holding up their programme as a particularly egregious example - I fully agree about Alan Bates's article as being well worth a read. It's just that reading the whole programme brought to mind the general quality of the programmes I have read over the years at a number of clubs. They are one way of engaging with the fans and entertaining them and if they are not varied and lively it's an opportunity missed. Wednesday was a really entertaining night at a revived club that seems to me to be making a really good effort to build up a fan base. It just that reading the programme later didn't carry that feelgood factor on afterwards. And I like to buy a programme rather than just fill an A4 sheet as I feel it's part of supporting the club. I always bought a programme when I visited a speedway...an essential part of the overall experience in my opinion. Edited June 24, 2022 by steve roberts 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 I’ve no idea what today’s league programmes are like. Back in the 60’s they were 2 sheets of A4 folded in half to make 8 sides of anA5 programme with very little content. I always bought one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray c Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 Don't by a programme these days just print one on speedway generator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted June 24, 2022 Report Share Posted June 24, 2022 3 hours ago, customhouseregular said: I’ve no idea what today’s league programmes are like. Back in the 60’s they were 2 sheets of A4 folded in half to make 8 sides of anA5 programme with very little content. I always bought one though. Content from the CO was always excellent at The Hive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 7 hours ago, Midland Red said: Content from the CO was always excellent at The Hive John Berry's comments were often controversial and always worth a read as were many others around the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 (edited) Now this maybe divisive, but... If it was down to me I'd ban programmes! They kill what little atmosphere there is at Speedway, how many times do you see somebody near you, head down as soon as the race is finished filling their programme in while the winning rider is making a (sometimes rare) lap of honour, the programme filler completely oblivious to the fact that the race winner is in front of them coming round for some glory! Sometimes you even see people filling their programmes in before a race is finished... in time to do what I really don't know, maybe to give the rider a clap and a cheer. I used to be an avid programme buyer and filler inner, never used to read the content but just had one for the race card, then as technology progressed I moved on to printing my own race card, then finally a number of years back I did away with filling in a race card altogether and now just use a combination of Speedway Updates and listening to the PA system. If I were to allow programmes to stay (for revenue reasons) I'd call them matchday magazines, keep the existing content and not provide a race card, encourage a bit of interaction with the meeting presenters... which also needs an overhaul, in my opinion the meeting presenters, and there should be more than one of them, should be discussing the meeting in between races, similar to a television broadcast and not a single presenter having a one way conversation with himself, wishing Betty a happy 103rd birthday or asking a young kid who their favourite rider is. Edited June 25, 2022 by iainb 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 Just to add a bit of balance, for many clubs especially those that rent their stadia, programme sales and advertising are a valuable and often only income source in addition to admissions and any sponsorship! Even more important if the promotion don't benefit from any food/beverage or car park income!! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS50 Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 Not bought a programme for decades. Used to get a free racecard, while Neil Machin ran Sheffield. Not prepared to pay for a programme. If promoters want more money from me, put on more matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 (edited) I've not bought a programme for at least 10 years and in the last three or four I've started using the My Speedway programme app. Now with social media and "instant news" the thought of spending a cold evening writing things down (particularly in meetings with loads of changes) doesn't appeal to me. Edited June 25, 2022 by MattB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Meldrew Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 In the last few years I have been able to complete the race result in my programme as soon as the riders have ridden around the first bend!! 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screm Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 Gave up buying a programme years ago as I found I would fill it in on the night left never touch it again. To be honest programmes are old hat now and not needed, print off a A4 sized race card on decent paper or thin cardboard and sell them for £1, job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted June 25, 2022 Report Share Posted June 25, 2022 My brother is going to Oxford speedway next week and I'm envious and have asked him to get me a programme as a souvenir so at least I have something tangible to remind me of years past at Cowley when I used to stand on the third bend chewing the fat with colleagues and fillling in my programme...all part of the night out in my opinion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted June 26, 2022 Report Share Posted June 26, 2022 (edited) 13 hours ago, Vic Meldrew said: In the last few years I have been able to complete the race result in my programme as soon as the riders have ridden around the first bend!! Why not do it before you go? Much more entertaining and then compare to what actually happens, in fact that could be a good competition on the night... winner wins a prize! Maybe the privilege of watching a race from the centre green... it's a totally different experience we're told Edited June 26, 2022 by iainb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted June 26, 2022 Report Share Posted June 26, 2022 43 minutes ago, iainb said: Why not do it before you go? Much more entertaining and then compare to what actually happens, in fact that could be a good competition on the night... winner wins a prize! Maybe the privilege of watching a race from the centre green... it's a totally different experience we're told I actually got to watch a couple of races from the centre green and personally I was disappointed as they seemed just to be riding round in circles! It's the same when I watch a DVD when the meeting was filmed from the centre green. I find that watching from the outside from a height you get a better perspective...just my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted June 26, 2022 Report Share Posted June 26, 2022 3 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I actually got to watch a couple of races from the centre green and personally I was disappointed as they seemed just to be riding round in circles! It's the same when I watch a DVD when the meeting was filmed from the centre green. I find that watching from the outside from a height you get a better perspective...just my opinion. Plus you get dizzy. It's better at larger tracks (Long Eaton 25+ years ago was my first), but I am inclined to agree. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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