therefused Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 15 minutes ago, mikebv said: The season fizzles out for the teams that have no chance of success.. The play offs at least keep them interested as fourth could end up champions.. And many meetings mean "nothing" not because of the play offs, as, if we didn't have them, they would still mean nothing as 7th v 6th won't have any major bearing on the the league.. "Dead Rubbers" are ten a penny when a league has no play offs.. The sport has very minimal coverage so a defined conclusion with "big" crowds, makes it look like it has relevance, and, therefore, may prick up some interest.. Sheffield winning the league when not riding wouldn't do that. Nor would Sheffield winning the league with only their fans in attendance.. Tonight, hopefully, there will be 100 or so Aces fans there to add that so important missing ingredient to a domestic speedway meeting... Atmosphere... I will see the rest of them on the first bend later.... the whole season has basically been a dead rubber as the top four have been confirmed for months, might as well just start the season with the play offs in future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 57 minutes ago, Gambo said: Strange, isn't it. Back in the times when I started going to Speedway (1965) we would go to Coventry (and away tracks) to watch a Speedway meeting, because we loved the sport. Whether Coventry were fighting for the League Title or fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, we still went to see a Speedway meeting, because we loved the sport. We went to season opening (and closing) challenge matches to see a Speedway meeting because we loved the sport. Nowadays it seems that others only want to see 'meaningful' meetings. To me, all Speedway meetings are meaningful, the result is just secondary. It is a lot more expensive to attend Speedway these days, so a lot of people really have to think whether it's worth it or not 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 2 hours ago, IainB said: It is a lot more expensive to attend Speedway these days, so a lot of people really have to think whether it's worth it or not No kidding!!! I used to go to Speedway six times a week....could not possibly afford that now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShanoXtra Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 2 hours ago, IainB said: It is a lot more expensive to attend Speedway these days, so a lot of people really have to think whether it's worth it or not That’s frustrating as well, Ipswich is £23 a meeting. Average attendance maybe 1,200? = £27,600 (I know they get other income with food / sponsers etc but just focus gate tickets) so if they lowered it to £10 and got 2,800 = £28,000 it could work. do you think they dare not take the risk of getting 2,800 in the gates even though more people would come for £10? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40-38 Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 14 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said: That’s frustrating as well, Ipswich is £23 a meeting. Average attendance maybe 1,200? = £27,600 (I know they get other income with food / sponsers etc but just focus gate tickets) so if they lowered it to £10 and got 2,800 = £28,000 it could work. do you think they dare not take the risk of getting 2,800 in the gates even though more people would come for £10? Would more people really come if it was cheaper? That's what you'd have to weigh up. If they don't come you'd be stuffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShanoXtra Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 8 minutes ago, 40-38 said: Would more people really come if it was cheaper? That's what you'd have to weigh up. If they don't come you'd be stuffed. It depends on how much British speedway really wants to promote and market itself. Too many people I speak to who don’t know much about speedway don’t even know the scoring system or what colour hats means what. It needs to be reset and pushed showing the sport in a new light. In an era where people want everything instant (TikTok etc) then speedway should hold its own as it’s fast paced. Apart from when Eurosport turn up obviously 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therefused Posted October 3 Report Share Posted October 3 55 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said: That’s frustrating as well, Ipswich is £23 a meeting. Average attendance maybe 1,200? = £27,600 (I know they get other income with food / sponsers etc but just focus gate tickets) so if they lowered it to £10 and got 2,800 = £28,000 it could work. do you think they dare not take the risk of getting 2,800 in the gates even though more people would come for £10? More than doubling the attendance i wouldnt say is achievable. Knocking a £5 off it maybe would work if you encouraged people to spend money there/actually promoted the sport 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted October 4 Report Share Posted October 4 (edited) 22 hours ago, IainB said: It is a lot more expensive to attend Speedway these days, so a lot of people really have to think whether it's worth it or not I think my 2024 season is over and here is my final tally: Where Visits Cost Belle Vue 7 £270.00 Birmingham 1 £23.00 Cardiff 1 £22.95 Ipswich 2 £46.00 Leicester 14 £300.00 Oxford 3 £66.00 Sheffield 4 £92.00 32 £819.95 Even with all SoN's and Leicester reaching the pay offs this is actually 1 meeting (and £122) down on last season due to the closure of Peterborough (and Wolves) . It doesn't include at least a couple of wasted trips to King's Lynn to sit in the car park in dry conditions to find out the meetings had been cancelled and you can add in £249.98 for the total BSN pass. Meeting count wise I'm well down on the good old days where the number of meetings would probably be in the 50's or 60's, maybe more. Edited October 4 by IainB 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted Saturday at 04:08 PM Report Share Posted Saturday at 04:08 PM On 10/3/2024 at 1:41 PM, ShanoXtra said: That’s frustrating as well, Ipswich is £23 a meeting. Average attendance maybe 1,200? = £27,600 (I know they get other income with food / sponsers etc but just focus gate tickets) so if they lowered it to £10 and got 2,800 = £28,000 it could work. do you think they dare not take the risk of getting 2,800 in the gates even though more people would come for £10? Maybe all the clubs could agree to try one meeting in April and one in May. Charging £15 entry, I know many people say its a £10 sport but I feel a pound a heat would make sense. Then the clubs advertise the cheaper entry to see if it can encourage any newcomers to return at the normal price. Cheaper entry price for the two meetings could be built into ST costs. Actively contact by email, anyone who bought tickets in advance for the cheap entry meetings, with details of the next meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neila Posted Saturday at 10:24 PM Report Share Posted Saturday at 10:24 PM Can remember a lot of years ago Arena Essex ran a free admission meeting (costs paid by a sponsor) reported over 6000 turned up, but the next meeting with Norma admission, not many more than usual turned up. So it's a Gamble if you charge less will more turn up, but if a club owned/ran own food outlets etc, more money will be made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted Sunday at 07:14 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 07:14 AM On 10/1/2024 at 4:25 PM, The Dog said: Been saying this for years now, the play offs should be on the bank holiday weekend at the end of August and then run Cup competition/individuals after that weather permitting. Do you think the fans would attend the cup comp etc, that's the dilemma for promoters ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted Sunday at 07:38 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 07:38 AM free entry and collect email addresses of those who apply and keep sending info/ news/ offers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted Sunday at 07:51 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 07:51 AM 34 minutes ago, Trees said: Do you think the fans would attend the cup comp etc, that's the dilemma for promoters ..... I think we know the ahswer as it has already been done. Called the Craven and Young Shields, these competitions were notoriously poorly attended. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted Sunday at 08:21 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 08:21 AM 42 minutes ago, ch958 said: free entry and collect email addresses of those who apply and keep sending info/ news/ offers free entry and lock them in... forever! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted Sunday at 04:09 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 04:09 PM On 10/3/2024 at 2:38 PM, therefused said: More than doubling the attendance i wouldnt say is achievable. Knocking a £5 off it maybe would work if you encouraged people to spend money there/actually promoted the sport The aim surely has to be to get those who attend "now and again", to attend more regularly... They are the ones that a price reduction may inspire.. Just look at the PO Finals to see how many "locals" attended their tracks.. It shows that there is more than enough potential interest, but just not for "PO Qualifiers", at the price being charged.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionsman66 Posted Monday at 10:05 AM Report Share Posted Monday at 10:05 AM Scrap play offs . Winners of league proper are proper league winners. Its not gonna take a genius with a pencil & paper to work it out !!🤨 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted 18 hours ago Report Share Posted 18 hours ago On 9/30/2024 at 6:10 PM, TheReturn said: I have never been a fan of using play off's in speedway to decide a league winner, but I have been a lone voice on here over the years. I accept it may have worked in the past to offer some good finals, let's be honest it relies on luck as much as anything. Let the league winner be the team that finish's top of the league. Right now we are seeing 'luck' being the factor in the play offs. Luck that the weather plays nicely, and come late Sept/Oct in the UK it's not something you would put money on. Instead of the league winner being the team that have been consistent from Apr-Sept, that team could have bad luck in one match and lose the title, so the league winner to some degree relies on luck in the play-off's. Recent years we have seen play off matches full of guest riders, and riders who only sign on once their lucrative Polish leagues finish. The biggest farce of all this season, there's only seven bloody teams in the league. If we the TV deal insists on this farcical play off situation, with just seven teams let's just make it that the top two in the league contest a play off final and let that be at the first week in September when we may still have acceptable weather. You are NOT alone. I have been ranting on about this for years. My argument is on fairness. A Team can 'win the League' as you say, but because of injuries, be forced to win the League again. Look at this years Championship, Poole can put out a full strength Team whilst Oxford have to put out an injury riddled Team, where is the fairness in that? That's not to mention Ipswich. I agree with all your other points raised as well. Not a fan of the GP Series either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
szkocjasid Posted 10 hours ago Report Share Posted 10 hours ago (edited) 7 hours ago, The White Knight said: You are NOT alone. I have been ranting on about this for years. My argument is on fairness. A Team can 'win the League' as you say, but because of injuries, be forced to win the League again. Look at this years Championship, Poole can put out a full strength Team whilst Oxford have to put out an injury riddled Team, where is the fairness in that? That's not to mention Ipswich. I agree with all your other points raised as well. Not a fan of the GP Series either. The Oxford situation would be a fair point of they have topped the league and then been understrength in the play-offs. As it stands I don't feel for a team that finished 2nd in the league being weakened in the play-offs. Even if they were top I still wouldn't feel for them as they voted for the play-offs, so know there's always a risk it'll hurt your team. Anyway if I was in charge top of the league would be Champs, no need for play-offs. Feel the same about the SON, why have an extra 2 races, when there's a winner after 21 heats? Would like the GPs if they got rid of the awful scoring system / got rid off or limited the wild cards. Edited 10 hours ago by szkocjasid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted 4 hours ago Report Share Posted 4 hours ago The fans should get together and raise funds for a table toppers trophy. If enough fans cared each year they could raise enough for a monetary bonus for the club too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castrolargh Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago 2 hours ago, Trees said: The fans should get together and raise funds for a table toppers trophy. If enough fans cared each year they could raise enough for a monetary bonus for the club too. Brilliant idea Trees, I'll put in a tenner. By the way can we back date it to 2018 please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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