Birmingham v Poole Championship. 19/7/23

[Steve Shovlar]

Perhaps they should try to get a young Asian lad on a bike and train him up a bit see where it could lead. 

[mikebv]

3 hours ago, lisa-colette said:

You joke but we did used to get that in the early 2000s! I remember Poole and Oxford were fighting it out to be league champions in 2001 (in those days you had to finish top for that!) and I had to get out of work before my normal 5pm finish, otherwise by the time I get there I wouldn't be able to see anything.

In those days fans as started queuing at 3pm! I miss that! 

When Mark Loram was world champion and first home meeting back the crowd was 7000! 

I went to a Poole v Swindon match whilst on holiday down there about 12 or so years ago

It was a top of the table match and over 5,000 were there that night...

Amazing how much the crowd levels have reduced in Speedway over the last decade or so..

Without too much being learned as to why it would appear...

The Fords made the right decision when they realised the glidepath of travel became downwards not upwards..

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by mikebv

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, Jonnybegood said:

Perhaps Birmingham needs to ask the BSPL to allow turbans instead of helmets to bring in a few locals to the sport ..

I always thought that the Tamil Tigers were a Sri Lankan Speedway team...

[The H Man]

Good to see so many Pirates fans making the journey to Perry Barr last night, haven't seen Steve Shov for about 15 years so good to have a chat.   The Pirates on the min-bus certainly were good voice on arrival and all seemed to make it safe and sound back from their visit to the Wetherspoon's over the road from the Stadium.

On track, clinical stuff from Poole from the off meant it was game, set and match after 3 heats.    

Mini-bus of Brum fans heading down to Wimborne Road for the return next week.  

[Pinny]

6 hours ago, auntie doris said:

I've followed the sport for 60 years sad to see the poor crowds now. The racing hasn't got worse. At the Abbey in the 70s 3000 was a low crowd, regularly 5 figure crowds, and 17000 at one meeting in 1979, they had to lock the gates. 37 meetings there that year when nearly everyone could afford to attend every week. A quid to get in.

Even in the late nineties I remember coming to Swindon with at least 500 newport fans and the crowd was huge and plenty of Swindon fans, unlike Reading the same year where the Newport fans would double the crowd. 
 

mad that all three clubs are gone.

[OGT]

20 hours ago, Deano said:

My lad and his mates went and stood with the Poole fans for a short time on bend one. They said it was a wild atmosphere. What other sport could you do that!

Rugby union.

[Deano]

8 hours ago, OGT said:

Rugby union.

Yes mostly, all except Wales v England 

[brianbuck]

There has been endless speculation on this site about the size of Birmingham's crowds. I'm not suggesting that they are in any way satisfactory, and I certainly agree that speedway in a City the size of Birmingham ought to be much better supported, but people should bear in mind that a high proportion of Birmingham's patrons do watch the racing from inside the restaurant/bar which is air conditioned on hot nights and centrally heated on cold nights as well as having over 800 comfortable seats and a superb view of the track.

Personally, I dislike watching speedway from inside, but at Perry Barr the external viewing  from the home straight is very poor due to the gr.ound being flat with no tiered terracing, and on a cold or damp night inside viewing has its consolations.

I'd like to see better attendances at Perry Barr yes - but Birmingham's crowds aren't as dire as some people imagine, and seem to be fairly similar to a number of other tracks I have been to.

[Toady]

25 minutes ago, brianbuck said:

There has been endless speculation on this site about the size of Birmingham's crowds. I'm not suggesting that they are in any way satisfactory, and I certainly agree that speedway in a City the size of Birmingham ought to be much better supported, but people should bear in mind that a high proportion of Birmingham's patrons do watch the racing from inside the restaurant/bar which is air conditioned on hot nights and centrally heated on cold nights as well as having over 800 comfortable seats and a superb view of the track.

Personally, I dislike watching speedway from inside, but at Perry Barr the external viewing  from the home straight is very poor due to the gr.ound being flat with no tiered terracing, and on a cold or damp night inside viewing has its consolations.

I'd like to see better attendances at Perry Barr yes - but Birmingham's crowds aren't as dire as some people imagine, and seem to be fairly similar to a number of other tracks I have been to.

When I visited I viewed from the grandstand as I have done before and I think it is something you would get used to also I felt the crowd level wasn’t to bad and I also think the promotion are doing great job considering all the setbacks they’ve had

Long live the Brummies.

 

 

 

[szkocjasid]

2 hours ago, brianbuck said:

There has been endless speculation on this site about the size of Birmingham's crowds. I'm not suggesting that they are in any way satisfactory, and I certainly agree that speedway in a City the size of Birmingham ought to be much better supported, but people should bear in mind that a high proportion of Birmingham's patrons do watch the racing from inside the restaurant/bar which is air conditioned on hot nights and centrally heated on cold nights as well as having over 800 comfortable seats and a superb view of the track.

There always will be speculation (at every track) as British Speedway doesn't announce attendances. Strange when most sports do, plus foreign speedway leagues as well.

[SSL84]

16 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

There always will be speculation (at every track) as British Speedway doesn't announce attendances. Strange when most sports do, plus foreign speedway leagues as well.

And you got to ask yourself why? 

[lbw]

2 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

There always will be speculation (at every track) as British Speedway doesn't announce attendances. Strange when most sports do, plus foreign speedway leagues as well.

Long Eaton speedway printed the attendance in the results section of the programme during the Tony Mole era.

[Skidder1]

1 hour ago, lbw said:

Long Eaton speedway printed the attendance in the results section of the programme during the Tony Mole era.

Yes but he could afford to pay his tax!!

[brianbuck]

Tony Mole was never shy at speaking about his attendances and I know he used to have his crowd figures printed in his programmes whilst he promoted at Long Eaton and that for some reason, other promoters didn't like this.

Most people will never realise how much Speedway owes Tony Mole. He still attends both Wolverhampton and Birmingham every week and never ever tries to interfere or try to tell anyone to do things he might have done.

He sits quietly in the bar with his family and just enjoys the racing. This quiet, modest man has been a pleasure to work with, and he has always had my total admiration and respect.

[szkocjasid]

19 hours ago, lbw said:

Long Eaton speedway printed the attendance in the results section of the programme during the Tony Mole era.

 

17 hours ago, Skidder1 said:

Yes but he could afford to pay his tax!!

But clubs don't have to announce their real attendances, just the ones they give to the tax man lol!

In all seriousness, there's only 2 reasons not to announce attendances 1) you're embarrassed by the low numbers, 2) pretending less turned up pay less VAT etc.

I remember years ago Glasgow gave a free programme away, said programme value £5 on it, while not illegal I assume that would save money compared to saying it had £2 value?