Wembley

[midlandred]

Part of the “magic” of the Empire Stadium was that it produced the World Champion.

If this idea were to go ahead, it would just be one of the qualifying rounds in the GP series (OOFC).

[Humphrey Appleby]

12 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

Wembley management ditched the speedway track back in the 1980’s, so now they need extra income. Why would speedway want to go back there? 

The management then (a private company) has absolutely no connection to the management now (the FA). Quite aside from the fact that it all happened over 40 years ago and everyone involved will have moved on.

But was speedway actually kicked out of Wembley, especially as it been successfully run there for 50-odd years? I suspect the 'pitch damage' was a convenient excuse because of rising costs and falling attendances. 

Certainly nothing that couldn't have been resolved, and considering that Rugby League carried on playing there...

[iris123]

4 hours ago, midlandred said:

Part of the “magic” of the Empire Stadium was that it produced the World Champion.

If this idea were to go ahead, it would just be one of the qualifying rounds in the GP series (OOFC).

Surely it wouldn't though. Maybe that is why end of year was talked about. So it would be the climax, not just one round ?

[stevehone]

I can see the Cardiff contract ending early, maybe a lot sooner than people think, and that’s why questions are being asked of other possible venues.

discovery are throwing the money about so you never know with Wembley, but for the actual track Belle Vue would be my choice with temporary seating in like the World Cup a few years ago

Edited May 6, 2023 by stevehone

[midlandred]

2 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

The management then (a private company) has absolutely no connection to the management now (the FA). Quite aside from the fact that it all happened over 40 years ago and everyone involved will have moved on.

But was speedway actually kicked out of Wembley, especially as it been successfully run there for 50-odd years? I suspect the 'pitch damage' was a convenient excuse because of rising costs and falling attendances. 

Certainly nothing that couldn't have been resolved, and considering that Rugby League carried on playing there...

It was Ted Croker of the FA which got the speedway kicked out of the Empire Stadium

[Humphrey Appleby]

5 minutes ago, midlandred said:

It was Ted Croker of the FA which got the speedway kicked out of the Empire Stadium

The FA didn't own Wembley at the time though. 

[IainB]

6 hours ago, midlandred said:

If this idea were to go ahead, it would just be one of the qualifying rounds in the GP series (OOFC).

Qualifying for what?

[25yearfan]

The FA didn't own Wembley in 1972 when the successful Wembley Lions speedway team were told they couldn't be fitted into the stadiums schedule largely filled by football.

 

The last speedway meeting at Wembley, the 81 World Final had a crowd that wasn't far of a full house and the 84 final was due to be staged there as well.

 

A speedway meeting at Wembley would certainly attract a 40,000+ crowd at least?

[Grand Central]

21 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

The FA didn't own Wembley in 1972 when the successful Wembley Lions speedway team were told they couldn't be fitted into the stadiums schedule largely filled by football.

 

The last speedway meeting at Wembley, the 81 World Final had a crowd that wasn't far of a full house and the 84 final was due to be staged there as well.

 

A speedway meeting at Wembley would certainly attract a 40,000+ crowd at least?

And that wouldn't pay the bills.

[midlandred]

10 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

The FA didn't own Wembley at the time though. 

Correct, but the influence of Croker (the FA) was decisive 

[Chris116]

The FA had been wanting to get rid of the speedway for a few years after a BriSCA F1 Stock Car did an end over end roll across the centre leaving the football pitch looking like a ploughed field! I don't think the FA understood that speedway bikes don't do that sort of thing.

[old bob at herne bay]

Ill educated pitch at hosting speedway in “November or December” .

 I would not be there freezing to death. Roof or no roof. 
 

Think someone who knows about the sport needs to be involved. Anyone been there to measure up for a speedway circuit ? 
 

Think we are stuck with the Welsh rugby stadium for a few more years yet.

 

 

 

[fatface]

Two things about this story...

1. Peter Oakes has a nose for a story and is still highly effective at shoe horning speedway into the tabloids. Top work

2. It's absolute balderdash. 

Speedway will not be returning to Wembley. We (speedway fans) are a dying breed. It would do well to get 40,000 into Wembley. The crowds are shrinking and the average age of the crowd is rising. The numbers don't add up. Wembley gets repurposed to put on days and days of Harry Styles/Ed Sheeran/Adele type gigs and gets 80k turning up night after night. It's low risk, high return. Does anyone seriously believe they would repurpose Wembley, including laying of a track for one night of speedway? There might have been a chance when the new Wembey opened around 2007 and they were desperate to recoup money. Not anymore. The Principality is as good as it will get for speedway in the UK. 

[Goldhawk]

Wembley would draw big crowd without doubt, lets hope it happens. Done with boring Cardiff and the rip off hotel prices which are jacked up for GP weekend ! 

[IainB]

11 minutes ago, Goldhawk said:

Wembley would draw big crowd without doubt, 

... and what leads you to believe that?

[speed29]

6 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Ill educated pitch at hosting speedway in “November or December” .

 I would not be there freezing to death. Roof or no roof. 
 

Think someone who knows about the sport needs to be involved. Anyone been there to measure up for a speedway circuit ? 
 

Think we are stuck with the Welsh rugby stadium for a few more years yet.

 

 

 

ok wembley for November or December.  

[Ray Stadia]

4 hours ago, iainb said:

... and what leads you to believe that?

I think there is potential for a big crowd to attend a Wembley GP, on the following basis:

1. London is easier to get to for most people than Cardiff

2. International fans can easily fly into London. Cardiff airport, surely, has limited destinations 

3. London has more tourist appeal (in my opinion) than Cardiff

4. I have only attended Cardiff once, the first, and when I left the stadium, walking through Cardiff, some Welsh men seemed quite hostile. I was with my wife

     and felt a bit threatened, although nothing happened. Yes, that could happen in Wembley, but in my opinion, unlikely

5. Wembley stadium must carry more prestige than Cardiff's

6. I'm sure the riders would love to be able to say, they have ridden in Wembley stadium

7. With good marketing, I reckon it could at least equal 1981's gate. I won't be going to Cardiff again, but I would definitely go to Wembley!  

Edited May 7, 2023 by Ray Stadia

[steve roberts]

On 5/6/2023 at 8:47 PM, midlandred said:

It was Ted Croker of the FA which got the speedway kicked out of the Empire Stadium

In the "Good Old Days" speedway was the main sport at Wembley when I think I'm right in saying that other than the FA Cup Final and a couple of internationals Football was very much in the minority? Didn't the England national football team often play their games at other grounds?

Edited May 7, 2023 by steve roberts

[Ray Stadia]

9 hours ago, steve roberts said:

In the "Good Old Days" speedway was the main sport at Wembley when I think I'm right in saying that other than the FA Cup Final and a couple of internationals Football was very much in the minority? Didn't the England national football team often play their games at other grounds?

And Greyhound Racing! 

[geoff100]

Sir arthur elvin said many times speedway and greyhounds kept wembley open,the track was always their the pitch was laid on top with turf from good old cumbria ,everytime  the england team got beat they blamed the track saying they couldnt run down the wings!