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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/03/2021 in all areas

  1. 6 points
    Unless UK speedway changes its operating model these call to arms will become ever more frequent. I know the rent and operating costs hurt Newcastle but its likely to be a side built at the lower end of the wage scale (throw in that not all that many points are being paid out) and its still not sustainable. Many clubs are struggling to attract 400-500 paying fans but if thats what the limit is then the whole product needs to be marketed to work with those numbers and not the hope that another 300 fans might appear out of the woodwork. If UK speedway as a whole gained 300 fans combined across every track in a season it would be a miracle. I feel for Rob Grant i really do. He's taken on some bad advice, made some brave decisions (like getting involved in the first place) and faces going from hero to villain. Sadly though a bad business is a bad business and short term cash injections are clearly shown not to be working.
  2. 5 points
    Ultimately Ian who cares who the champions are? It really doesn't matter... And that is THE No1 issue the sport faces... No2 is its Mickey Mouse operating model that allows the No1 issue to exist... Some say "we need to attract new fans" and of course the sport does, however, just getting back one half of those who "used to go" but got pissed off watching "their riders" ride for all and sundry (to the detriment of their own team), or becoming slowly disillusioned by the application of make it up on the spot nonsense rules, whilst facing inflation busting price increases to pay for rising rider wages, would be far of an easier challenge to undertake.. Running a dual league system with barely any demarcation from each other is not much short of utter madness, and can only be done to ensure enough rides for far too many professional competitors for a sport with such few followers.. The operating model simply does not work so to keep churning it out annually (with a cost saving tweak here and there), expecting it to miraculously sort things out is crackers... When teams can dip in and dip out of any league with such regularity it says everything about the level of "kudos" even the clubs recognise in their very own competitions... When they don't see any merit in winning any particular league (and could even go bust by doing so), why should the fans take it seriously?
  3. 5 points
    It won't be ONE last chance though, will it? IF the attendance is good enough THIS Wednesday, then the fans will have the same gun pointed at their heads the next Wednesday. EVERY Wednesday becomes the next "use it or lose it" Wednesday. The writing is on the wall, and sooner or later, when the fans will tire of being blackmailed into attending, that'll be it, sadly.
  4. 4 points
    You don't want 'fan involvement'... Imagine how long the AGM's would take because the 'fan owned teams' kept saying "Really? Are you mad?" to every agenda point raised by the clubs ran by sole promoters...
  5. 4 points
    I will make the effort to attend , we cannot afford to lose Newcastle.
  6. 4 points
    I always said that it was the variety of formats that kept us happy! Three or four league matches, then a cup tie. Then an individual meeting. A couple more league matches, followed by a Test Match. Then a couple more league, then a 4TT...
  7. 4 points
    My first post on here so go easy! I was at a bit of a loose end last Sunday so I suggested to the wife and bairn that we'd go along to watch the Speedway to fill in an afternoon. Probably worth mentioning that the last time I went to watch the Newcastle Diamonds would have been around 1990 and I still remember a rider called David Bargh being their best rider (he's the only one I remember). After some strange looks and a bit of persuasion the 3 of us went along. Cost £17 each for the 2 adults and £3 for my 8 year old and the £3 I paid for a programme made it a straight £40. Good value I'd say compared to other sports in our area; For example; £100 to watch Newcastle United £70 to watch Newcastle Falcons £50 to watch Newcastle Eagles £45 to watch Newcastle Thunder What we got was a cracking 2 hours of entertainment. Yes the Diamonds were pretty rubbish and Redcar won easily but my son loved it and has been badgering me ever since to take him back and even the wife admitted she enjoyed it. Drinks were also reasonably priced compared to other venues we've visited. Can't complain about what we spent for what we got in return, that's for sure. Not sure how many people were there as they didn't announce it but it looked a very healthy amount and the start was delayed to let all the spectators in.
  8. 3 points
  9. 2 points
    Is part of the problem that when speedway was booming, running the speedway was the promoter's main business. I don't recall Reg Fearman, Ian Thomas etc having other businesses, although I might be wrong. They were full time speedway promoters and their lives depended on getting people through the gate. At the same time, the vast majority of riders weren't full time. Looking at the Who's Who in Speedway from the mid 1970s, Peter Oakes would put in the riders' occupation in the profile and it was only the top riders who were full time. Now the riders are full time and need paying the money to live on and the promoters have other businesses and perhaps not the time or the incentive to get people in the stadiums. I might be miles out, but it's just a thought.
  10. 2 points
    The likes of Andersen should not be allowed to ride at No 7 allowing him to ride in the protected heat 8.He should be at No6.It should be the the young star at 7 for all teams.
  11. 2 points
    In my opinion, attracting new fans isn't going to happen with the way the sport is currently set-up. Those that run and compete in the sport, in this country, obviously believe the sport is bigger than what it actually is. For the circle to be squared for speedway, the first stage has to be reducing costs for everyone involved, including the fans. Unless that happens, and happens quickly, more tracks will close and more riders will turn away or will not enter the sport. I think the Isle of Wight's ideas could be the salvation of 4 bikes going round a shale oval track.
  12. 2 points
    So if Grant breaks even on Sunday’s double header then what ? Surely all it’s doing is ‘kicking the can down the road’?
  13. 2 points
    Bring back the 4TT qualifiers and the Golden/Silver/Bronze helmet races too. Another thing gone that has aligned with a major decline.
  14. 2 points
    A lot of the ideas being suggested on here are really akin to re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. For speedway to continue/survive on any level, it has to attract new fans, young fans at that. I honestly cannot see how this can be achieved in this country. Old duffers like me waffling on that football/cricket/rugby, bike racing etc is crap and speedway is the greatest sport on earth really need to emigrate to Poland for this opinion to be anywhere near correct. I honestly hope that by some miracle a master plan can be evolved for speedway to rebuild and bounce back better, but without youngsters coming through the turnstiles, it ain't gonna happen.
  15. 2 points
    We’ve all been scratching our heads as to why it’s took this long for team to take josh on in the premiership. I’m sure people are beginning to see why we were now.
  16. 2 points
    I'd be happy to pop down the road and watch some British riders and not breaking the bank in the process. Oh and a cheap pint and something to eat not dripping with fat.
  17. 2 points
    If Ben IS placed in the number 2 race jacket, it will be his opportunity to finally establish himself as an out and out Championship level rider. He certainly has the ability and in recent times has shown far more aggression in his riding. IMO if he keeps that aggression going he will take the No 2 position in his stride. I certainly hope so, he is a great favourite with the fans at Central Park and I am one of them.
  18. 2 points
    Ask Barry Bishop and Martin Widman to be in charge of bringing Speedway into the 21st century. They not only understand that these days you need to provide more than 15 heats of Speedway to make a night out but will listen to the ideas and thoughts of others. In fact they are so forward thinking that they were forced out of league Speedway in the UK!
  19. 1 point
    but a few newcomers were going in the opposite direction to see what all the noise and crowd was about
  20. 1 point
    Plus , the 4tt qualifiers brought in three sets of away fans to a home venue instead of just one. Always good crowds.
  21. 1 point
    That’s the ‘Bounce’ over with. Sack the Manager.
  22. 1 point
    Yeah i noticed it he did it twice something very fishy going on there i think.
  23. 1 point
    I don't particularly go along with that one. Many Number One's (based on average) rode further down the team order...the likes of Collins, Lovaas, Gundersen, Jessup, T.Jansson, Wilson, Boulger, Simmons, Lee, Crump, Sanders etc etc and would meet the opposite Number One twice. Even Mauger would ride at Number Four or even Number Two on occasions for tactical reasons. Not sure about the second half analogy either...the competition would often be quite fierce amongst team mates and Betts, Cole and Simmons, for example, always wanted to get one over resulting on one occasion Terry receiveing an injury in one second half event. I liked the Second Halves...gave an opportunity for youngsters/prospective team members gaining a team place and experience. I've said it often enough we were lucky at Cowley what with the Promotional tie up with Eastbourne and Peterborough we got the likes of Balllard, Kennet, Davis, Greer, Geer etc plying their trade before eventually makin the move into the main team. Phil Crump was reported as considering his postion in British Speedway due to the loss of the Second Halves and lost earnings. I did put the question to Martin Rogers some time back and he did give an interesting insight in an edition of "Backtrack" citing Bert Harkins as one example who loved the second halves and who also went into print citing same.
  24. 1 point
    A good watch and correct analysis. The main mitigating factor for me, (beside the above video), is no promoting of the sport in the towns and cities where it is staged, period.
  25. 1 point
    By and large, speedway fans are (in the nicest of ways) an insular bunch. They don't particularly have much interest in motorcycle racing, they just love speedway. It's a unique sport in many ways.
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