Speedway...

[The Know 221]

Speedway has always been thought of as a pikey sport, people dont like what i say but unfortunatly its true. Most fans come from the same background and i would think around 80% own a anorack or wulfsport coat. Speedway will never attract the sort of people who could move the sport forward, more so in the U.K.

[Guest Racers of Reading]

Speedway is a fantastic product if promoted right. However as long as we have the dinosaur promotions that infest this sport, it will always be a minority sport.

 

It will never seriously challenge football, and only an idiot could seriously expect otherwise, but speedway does have massive potential.

 

Some of the fans I admit don't help its appeal - far too fluffy and nice with anoraks, but having said that speedway fans are by far and away the best mannered sports fans I've ever come across.

 

Things that need improving to improve the sport:

 

Dinosaur promotions (we know who they are - I could go on all night about them at the moment!!)

Stadiums & facilities

Merchanidise

Scrap the double-point cr@p

 

....that's a few for starters!!

[Deano 1,318]

I agree that Speedway has heaps of potential, every first timer I have taken has really enjoyed it. I wonder how much a run of fifteen second prime time TV adverts would cost if each track pooled some funds.

 

But unfortunately unless you know of specific websites, an obscure teletex page, and have access to special maps that show you exactly where you can go to watch the sport. New comers haven't got a cat in hells chance of going again.

[Trees 2,814]

Most fans come from the same background and i would think around 80% own a anorack or wulfsport coat

WRONG, a Peter Storm fleece if you don't mind, 5 or 6 years old at that, still got yellow/green anorak in the wardrobe though, just can't part with it

 

My poor old crotchety husband happened to comment this afternoon about how many cycle speedways there used to be and how many youngsters progressed from cycle to motorcycle speedway, perhaps if a few new cycle speedway tracks were born more youngsters would get involved with the then natural interest in motorcycle speedway?

[crazysue 613]

I haven't met anyone yet who has the same back ground as me.....as for anoraks or wulf sport jackets...never owned any of them.

 

Flask? no way, have my personal servant to get my cups of tea!!!.

 

Deck chair, nah not me, not the same, you can't jump around on one of them and still remain uninjured.

 

Camper van? Eh? I like a bit of luxury, mines a shiny Audi A4

 

Social misfit? er.... right will keep quiet on that one.I fit in well at speedway...it's just everywhere else I don't fit

 

 

And I'm still under 40!!!!!!!

Edited January 30, 2005 by crazysue

[MrwulfAndrew 12]

Unfortunately our great sport will always be minority as speedway usually relies on something else to get a home. For example at monmore, ladbrokes own the stadium not wolverhampton speedway, although we have a very good relationhip with ladbrookes touch wood.

 

Many others are like this.....the recent trouble with oxford is an example.

 

Also something which needs to be wiped out is the view that speedway is just 'first out the tapes win' and 'just four riders going around in a circle'

 

To go forward speedway needs to be marketed more and better and decent tracks that provide entertainment need to be prepared

[Vince 9,454]

Is Speedway a minority sport? Compared to football for sure, but then just about every sport is in comparison to football. I would have thought spectator figures hold up pretty well against most other sports though. I think there are about 38 teams in the league and even if you take the average attendance at a pessimistic 500 that still gives 19000 people watching Speedway every week during the season. I know they used to get more than that at individual tracks in the old days but live sport attendances are down in just about every sport. It also has weekly television coverage and the GP's are shown on terrestrial TV. I suspect Speedway is still within the top 5 or 6 of spectator sports. My guess is that Speedway would be behind Horse racing, Rugby, Cricket, maybe Athletics and of course Football but well ahead of genuine minority sports such as Sand Yachting or Table Tennis!

That's not to say that anybody should be sitting on their laurels because we all know it could be so much better.

[sandman 0]

Unfortunately our great sport will always be minority as speedway usually relies on something else to get a home. For example at monmore, ladbrokes own the stadium not wolverhampton speedway, although we have a very good relationhip with ladbrookes touch wood.

 

Many others are like this.....the recent trouble with oxford is an example.

 

Also something which needs to be wiped out is the view that speedway is just 'first out the tapes win' and 'just four riders going around in a circle'

 

To go forward speedway needs to be marketed more and better and decent tracks that provide entertainment need to be prepared

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Totally agree.. Decent tracks, regarding catering, cleanliness, service and track preparation come to mind. Unfortunately, by all appearances, lay down speedway bikes are dangerous to ride on a heavy cushion, so it is a bit of a catch 22 situation. A rethink on the track surfaces and bike design may be in order. Standard uprights are dinosaurs relegated to the past, but on a deep track that allows passing, a different story. Personally, I think an upright pushrod engined bike, if it were allowed to run nitro for instance, would be a match for a lay down on a deep track..We must find a way to introduce more passing in the sport, slick tracks were the beginning of the demise of the sport in the later 70's..Deeper tracks,.. is the answer, among others, and the technology will have to change for the changing times just as lay down bikes evolved around slick tracks..If you look at say Nascar for instance, they are always looking at parity between drivers and trying at least to encourage passing. They do this through carb restrictor plates, spoiler heights etc. Lay downs with short stroke OHV engines were the worst thing to happen to speedway in a long time..Right alongside slick tracks.. No one in the stands can tell the difference visually of 1/4 or 1/2 sec per lap. Its the racing and passing that counts. Nascar for the year 2006 is going to go with a less aero friendly design package on the cars and make them less aerodynamic to slow em down a bit and allow more passing. I say get some professionals for the catering dept., kick up the merchandising in the quality dept., more dirt and get rid of the laydowns. Even a half an upright with a pushrod motor should do the trick..

Edited February 1, 2005 by sandman

[Trees 2,814]

Anything that will make the "racing" better gets my vote, that's where speedway needs to improve imo All fans need to come away from a meeting buzzzzzzing and wanting to tell the world what they have just witnessed!!!!!!!

[iris123 20,939]

Just back from a visit to a lovely stadium,with plenty of room, good facilities,decent catering and a 10,000+ crowd for the visit of one of the bottom clubs(fridays match is a sell-out,couldn't get tickets for that),great atmosphere and i must say professional staging and exciting match,although it didn't always maintain this throughout.The crowd was also friendly and quite like the make up of a speedway crowd must i say.The sport,Ice Hockey.Had no real tradition here until the new stadium was built a couple of years back and the franchise from Munich was bought.The guys done a tremendous amount of good work publicising the thing and kapow one of the best supported teams in Europe,averaging about 11,000+,and thats a team that is half way down the league of 14.Just goes to show if you know what you are doing....

[Hot Shoe 58]

Just back from a visit to a lovely stadium,with plenty of room, good facilities,decent catering and a 10,000+ crowd for the visit of one of the bottom clubs(fridays match is a sell-out,couldn't get tickets for that),great atmosphere and i must say professional staging and exciting match,although it didn't always maintain this throughout.The crowd was also friendly and quite like the make up of a speedway crowd must i say.The sport,Ice Hockey.Had no real tradition here until the new stadium was built a couple of years back and the franchise from Munich was bought.The guys done a tremendous amount of good work publicising the thing and kapow one of the best supported teams in Europe,averaging about  11,000+,and thats a team that is half way down the league of 14.Just goes to show if you know what you are doing....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was always a link between Speedway and Ice Hockey in the U.K. over the years wasn't there i.e. The few pages of Ice Hockey news in the Speedway Star and a lot of Speedway fans favouring Ice Hockey as THE winter sport over Football. The German sporting public really have taken to Ice Hockey but it is still struggling in the U.K. and has never really taken off (despite peaks in popularity in the 1930s, 50's and again in the late 80s and early 90s) although it has a very loyal and knowledgable following - Similar to Speedway with the dates re-arranged a bit!

[iris123 20,939]

Yeah,was always a bit puzzled by the link.Went to a few Redskins matches back in the 80's But it wasn't what i expected.It bore no resemblance to the razzamatazz the sport had in the US/Canada.Seems they have got it right here.It is one big show.The big screens help of course.They also have good merchandise and sell it in the city centre.They are soon to be getting their own show on t.v as well WAs also interested to see plenty of freebies,T-shirts shot into the crowd and one lucky fan got a Canon camera.The players are also out doing autograph signings regularly.One today and one tomorrow i noticed advertised yesterday.

Also the arena is hosting a round of the MotoX Freestyle World Cup in May.Plenty of advertising in advance being done and i reckon it will be on Eurosport.Unfortunatelly speedway doesn't seem to be able to attract much attention

[darren smith 0]

i think they need to show premier league as well sky show all the football

[Guest dunni]

2nd halfs ,if they did it like the 80s give the riders start money only,per race .and the top scores from the main meeting meet the top 2nd halfs in a grand last heat race for a bit of silver wear[trophy] 2nd halfs are a bit hit and miss at some tracks, its a bit more for the fans ?

[GxJxN 0]

u get my vote dunni as u are at the norfolk arena every week and u do not get much out of it do u really