How Do We Attract A New Young Audience?

[topsoil 2,498]

For me its the price thats keeps people away, I tried last year to help Scunny attract new or to get stay away supportes back, People at work knew i was a speedway fan and saw the posters i put up, There were many that said they remembered going to to 2 old tracks but never been to the EWR, when i told them it would probably set you back just under £20 just for 1 they said no chance, especially when most went to watch Scunny Utd.Some who had been once or twice said reduce the price then we would go, £10 was the ideal price for them.

KIds definately have to go for free,Mums and dads would probably spend lots once in on food and drink for them.If we dont get kids interested then theres no future supporters, Scunny is great regarding kids as it has the mini track and if you can fetch a pushbike they ride round that all meeting long, also a mini park near the bar.Also with them riding round the track they can pretend they are their favourite riders, just like we all probably did growing up so hopefully they can get to go on small bikes in the training schools.

Put some upto date music on, get rid of the "now thats what i call music 7" cd, give them an opportunity to be club mascots every week, not just the same one ,make them feel part of the club, make it a place they want to go to, not because mum,dad had to bring them

I can only speak for the club which I follow Berwick, they allow under 16s in for free and they get a lot of youngsters going. Two young boys live next door to me and they ride their pushbikes around doing speedway commentary. It needs more that like to secure the future for the sport. They (and especially Dick Barrie the presenter) do a great job with them as mascorts and get them totally involved. Also agree with the music, we have a running joke amongst the group I stand with how old the music is. Just please give us some upbeat music. Any era will do.

I like the idea of the mini track which youngsters can ride around on the pushbikes while it is not being used. Like you say they can ride around pretending to be the riders. And could this be the cheapest way of introducing potential future riders to the sport?

[Paul Johnson 285]

I always wondered why more"bikers" dont turn up. only ever seen about 2 bikes in the car park, i think i remember reading on here about thay cant relate to speedway as they cant emulate speedway on their bikes. we did as kids, as we would probably have watched ivan mauger etc on world of sport on a saturday, then gone out on our pushbikes popping wheelies or riding round a couple of trees trying to skid,

to be honest ive not been to many speedway tracks so not sure how their layouts are, not sure if a mini track could be put in, maybe some cinders put down to form a little track in a corner,?as mentioned before, once in the parents leave the kids cycling round all night, only returning when hungry

[baldinhio 16]

Well done to Philip Rising for instigating this thread. There are lots of interesting comments and pleasingly the ones offering suggestions for how to address this issue far outnumber the ones saying what's the point, we're doomed.

 

As I read through I found myself grouping the ideas under various headings:

 

1. Market speedway based on what makes it unique (or different)

* the spectacle of the crashes

* the hard man ability of riders to walk away from nasty crashes and continue racing / recover from broken bones within weeks

* the ability to mix with riders pre- and post-racing

* the uniqueness of the bike, ie no brakes, incredible acceleration, looks different to other bikes, etc.

* the adrenalin rush / dangerous / edgy nature

* the versatility of the race format, ie you can have individual meetings, team meetings, pairs meetings, fours meetings

* the statistics

 

2. Improve how speedway is marketed to the general public

* survey different groups, eg pre-teenagers, teenagers, 20yr olds, 30yr olds, 40yr olds, females, biker groups, etc to find out what they want / dislike and act on their feedback

* utilise posters / flyers / local media for broadcast advertising

* push match reports and announcements etc to social and traditional media

* (re)create supporters groups to help with the above plus raise awareness and encourage loyalty via word of mouth and other events

* revamp websites and enhance digital the footprint across all forms of social media

* affinity marketing via local businesses and other organisations

* travel schemes that make it easier / more cost-effective for people to get to venues

 

3. Improve what happens on race day

* allow kids access to the riders / bikes before racing for selfies, merchandise, autographs, etc.

* other pre-racing entertainment, eg face painting, live bands / entertainment, Walk The Track experiences, etc.

* improve mid-racing entertainment, eg interact with fans via social media, Centre Green viewing experiences, show replays / action / pit cams on big screens, show / announce more statistics, special effects / fireworks

* programme / scoring apps

* strict time limits between races, prohibit returning to pits for re-runs etc.

* enable fans to access other things they would otherwise be missing if they went to the speedway, eg other sporting events

 

4. Improve the venue

* better sound systems

* administer paint and running repairs to facilities

* return centre greens to grass

* replace mud with tarmac

* better food / drink on offer

* improve track covers, drainage, etc. to better combat adverse weather

 

5. Improve the product

* remove rules that make speedway harder for a non-fan to follow

* permit acts of aggression that create heroes and villains

* increase areas of discretion for team managers that can impact on meeting result

* restrict bike speed / specifications so racing is close and less costly to participate

* increase the number of races on offer / re-introduce (meaningful) second halves

* reward teams for retaining riders each year so it is easier for fans to strengthen the loyalty bond with their team

* (re)introduce novelty events, eg match races

* establish independent governance to control the administration of the sport

* handicap gates to increase likelihood of overtaking in races

 

6. Pricing

* affordable family tickets

* kids go free

* young persons' discounts

* bundle entrance with food / drink offers

* discount food / drink so it is cheaper than local pub etc

* discount for away fans

* loyalty card / reward schemes

* cheaper tickets (at start of season) to entice newcomers

* open gates / reduce admission after a certain point to entice newcomers

 

7. Learn from others

* what makes ice hockey an exciting evening

* copy the razzmatazz of darts

* how does one-day cricket keep crowds entertained between points of excitement

 

 

Philip, I don't know what you intend to do off the back of this but it would be great to see some effort made to put some of these ideas into action. Clearly some things are easier and more cost-effective to do than others, and a number will require the co-operation of promoters, stadium owners, etc. That said I hope something does become of the collective efforts of those of us that want speedway to re-emerge as an entertaining sport to be proud of.

Some excellent points. I have two teenage boys and I am afraid their interest is waning after attending various meetings over eight years. Speaking to them, your "Improve the product" section appears particularly relevant. Their list of reasons for limiting the meetings they attend are:

 

1. Racing not as interesting as when they first attended. Standard bike specification may be the answer but the riders with more money than talent will obviously object.

2. Some GP riders not appearing fully committed to racing in the UK (e.g. Zagar at Leicester last year).

3. Drawn out meetings. They suggest removing the ability to switch reserves particularly if it will result in an extended time allowance.

4. Referees pulling starts back when the tapes have not been broken. They see it as penalising a good start which in turn delays the meeting.

5. Their mates are not interested. Alas, the general lack of racing in the first few heats of GP's doesn't help encouraging newcomers.

6. Tactical rides.

7. The noise and smell have gone.

8. Expensive, albeit I pay. They argue it is fifteen minutes, not two hours of entertainment.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Some excellent points. I have two teenage boys and I am afraid their interest is waning after attending various meetings over eight years. Speaking to them, your "Improve the product" section appears particularly relevant. Their list of reasons for limiting the meetings they attend are:

 

1. Racing not as interesting as when they first attended. Standard bike specification may be the answer but the riders with more money than talent will obviously object.

2. Some GP riders not appearing fully committed to racing in the UK (e.g. Zagar at Leicester last year).

3. Drawn out meetings. They suggest removing the ability to switch reserves particularly if it will result in an extended time allowance.

4. Referees pulling starts back when the tapes have not been broken. They see it as penalising a good start which in turn delays the meeting.

5. Their mates are not interested. Alas, the general lack of racing in the first few heats of GP's doesn't help encouraging newcomers.

6. Tactical rides.

7. The noise and smell have gone.

8. Expensive, albeit I pay. They argue it is fifteen minutes, not two hours of entertainment.

A great post the point 4 about referee's pulling starts back is a great one,it really annoys me if the tapes are not broken get the race off.

[steve roberts 9,242]

Some excellent points. I have two teenage boys and I am afraid their interest is waning after attending various meetings over eight years. Speaking to them, your "Improve the product" section appears particularly relevant. Their list of reasons for limiting the meetings they attend are:

 

1. Racing not as interesting as when they first attended. Standard bike specification may be the answer but the riders with more money than talent will obviously object.

2. Some GP riders not appearing fully committed to racing in the UK (e.g. Zagar at Leicester last year).

3. Drawn out meetings. They suggest removing the ability to switch reserves particularly if it will result in an extended time allowance.

4. Referees pulling starts back when the tapes have not been broken. They see it as penalising a good start which in turn delays the meeting.

5. Their mates are not interested. Alas, the general lack of racing in the first few heats of GP's doesn't help encouraging newcomers.

6. Tactical rides.

7. The noise and smell have gone.

8. Expensive, albeit I pay. They argue it is fifteen minutes, not two hours of entertainment.

Agree with most of those observations although I always get a bit 'nervous' when discussing the amount of actual 'action' time. Okay one could argue that actual track time only amounts to about 15-16 minutes (bring back second-halves?) but, personally, I always valued the build up to a race and time spent having a discussion between racing (discussing tactical ploys etc) as part of the overall entertainment. For example, although a football match is supposed to take place over 90 minutes how much of that is taken up with time wasting and dead ball situations? Same with American Football. Four quarters of 15 minutes each but, unless a 'time out' is called, how much of that allotted time is down to play? However with Ice Hockey there are three sessions (each of 20 minutes) of play whereby the clock is stopped when the puck is deemed 'dead 'and one could therefore justifiably claim that you get your full 60 minutes of action. I'm sure that there are other examples within sport (cricket?) where the actual time spent in 'play' doesn't often reflect the full picture. In other words where do you draw the line as regards where the 'entertainment' value starts and finishes in spectator sports? Would be interested in other people's views?

Edited January 13, 2016 by steve roberts

[Paul Johnson 285]

In my eyes im paying for the night out with friends and socialising, not just to see 15mins racing.Meeting friends and saying hello to the riders in the pits beforehand, getting me meat pie and chips and my usual spot , discussing what happened week before with the regulars then back to the pits after .

Its all about what you consider enterainment or value for money and getting the most out of the night.

 

Also this era is all about competing with Macdonalds or ballpools in pubs,kids clubs where they can be either eating or doing something, no kid without some interest in a bike will sit or stand in the cold for hour and half with nothing to do.so you have to find a way to want them to go,get them involved in someway, Maybe put an old bike out for kids to climb on and have a picture taken?Peterbro riders threw sweets on the victory lap when i saw Scunny there last season.If you can make it a place they enjoy going to then more than likely they will post on social media"hey!! at so and so and enjoying myself"

[topaz325 1,853]

Treat the fans who go now with respect then try and attract new ones........

[Hackett 220]

My two children are 6 and 9 and they love the sport but then I guess there is a fair part of "peer pressure" from the parents. Currently the cost isn't an issue as at Eastbourne kids go FREE - !!!

 

They enjoy the chance to go into the pits and see the riders and look and sit on the bikes. Cameron Woodward was excellent advertisement for the sport and my daughter would draw him pictures for his pitwall. Hans Andersen was another that was good with photo opportunities with kids in the pits. The IT Eagles riders last year offered photo opportunities all the time. The moment Tai Woffinden took time to have his photo with my children at Arlington they were his fans for life ...

 

Teams need to do more. Attracting new kids has to be all about marketing , visiting schools showing them the bikes , montages of racing, overtakes crashes with music. Better merchandise - track shops are generally an embarrassment. Proper merchandise kids size shirts and not at £45+ or looking like somebody has used a job lot of cheap tshirts or caps.

 

The sport needs to be more pro-active - Get the Elite League or clubs to be allowed to put footage out on You Tube. Each club be pro-active and be allowed to put VT out there - Cleancut , Re-Run GRT Media all film meetings sure they could do some great editing to music and put it out on a clubs official You Tube page. SpeedwayGP, Greg Hancock, Tai Woffinden and SEC do a decent job - British Speedway needs to do the same ... It is not about lining an individual or a couple of peoples pockets it is about pushing the sport forward and promoting ...

 

Kids will follow the races avidly when the bikes are on track or riding to the tapes BUT if the meeting is drawn out they are easily soon bored especially if a meeting takes 2.5hrs plus with limited entertainment in between races. Add on 80 minutes travelling time to and from the stadium it can be a long afternoon or evening.

[Tsunami 10,219]

My two children are 6 and 9 and they love the sport but then I guess there is a fair part of "peer pressure" from the parents. Currently the cost isn't an issue as at Eastbourne kids go FREE - !!!

 

They enjoy the chance to go into the pits and see the riders and look and sit on the bikes. Cameron Woodward was excellent advertisement for the sport and my daughter would draw him pictures for his pitwall. Hans Andersen was another that was good with photo opportunities with kids in the pits. The IT Eagles riders last year offered photo opportunities all the time. The moment Tai Woffinden took time to have his photo with my children at Arlington they were his fans for life ...

 

Teams need to do more. Attracting new kids has to be all about marketing , visiting schools showing them the bikes , montages of racing, overtakes crashes with music. Better merchandise - track shops are generally an embarrassment. Proper merchandise kids size shirts and not at £45+ or looking like somebody has used a job lot of cheap tshirts or caps.

 

The sport needs to be more pro-active - Get the Elite League or clubs to be allowed to put footage out on You Tube. Each club be pro-active and be allowed to put VT out there - Cleancut , Re-Run GRT Media all film meetings sure they could do some great editing to music and put it out on a clubs official You Tube page. SpeedwayGP, Greg Hancock, Tai Woffinden and SEC do a decent job - British Speedway needs to do the same ... It is not about lining an individual or a couple of peoples pockets it is about pushing the sport forward and promoting ...

 

Kids will follow the races avidly when the bikes are on track or riding to the tapes BUT if the meeting is drawn out they are easily soon bored especially if a meeting takes 2.5hrs plus with limited entertainment in between races. Add on 80 minutes travelling time to and from the stadium it can be a long afternoon or evening.

Some great thoughts there Hackette, especially the references to looking after the kids. While you have got them you have to make every attempt to keep them for the future, as there is a high rate of natural wastage when they get to that certain age when they go off onto other things that teenagers enjoy.

 

The DVD companies you mention, plus Mike Bennett's company, tried many years to compile their footage on a weekly basis to try and produce a magazine type programme that possible could be broadcast every week. Unfortunately all footage is subject to the control of Go Speed who have the corporate right of all filmings in British Speedway. A workable agreement could not be concluded, so the opportunity was probably lost for ever. Mike Bennet no longer films speedway at Kings Lynn, and unfortunately the proprietor of GRT, Bob Tasker, who produced the best DVD's on behalf of Newcastle, Sheffield and Berwick, died suddenly in late November last year. To date there has been no emergence of anybody who will take up the opportunity to replace Bob.

[New Science 1,059]

A great post the point 4 about referee's pulling starts back is a great one,it really annoys me if the tapes are not broken get the race off.

Even if riders are moving at the tapes ?

[Hackett 220]

Some great thoughts there Hackette, especially the references to looking after the kids. While you have got them you have to make every attempt to keep them for the future, as there is a high rate of natural wastage when they get to that certain age when they go off onto other things that teenagers enjoy.

 

The DVD companies you mention, plus Mike Bennett's company, tried many years to compile their footage on a weekly basis to try and produce a magazine type programme that possible could be broadcast every week. Unfortunately all footage is subject to the control of Go Speed who have the corporate right of all filmings in British Speedway. A workable agreement could not be concluded, so the opportunity was probably lost for ever. Mike Bennet no longer films speedway at Kings Lynn, and unfortunately the proprietor of GRT, Bob Tasker, who produced the best DVD's on behalf of Newcastle, Sheffield and Berwick, died suddenly in late November last year. To date there has been no emergence of anybody who will take up the opportunity to replace Bob.

 

No fully understand that Go Speed and TRussell have the rights to the sport on VT unfortunately unless his pockets are lined he isn't willing to allow any footage. Cant remember which rider it was but they wanted footage of them racing to put on DVDs or presentations to wannabe sponsors and they were refused permission. #PATHETIC from Go Speed.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Hackett

[george.m 3,063]

If only Jimmy Savile was still around, he knew how to attract young audiences.

[Skid Sprocket 243]

A couple of times, without reaction, I have suggested that local schools compete to design next seasons posters during the close season. This would create interest and discussion through research for the design with complimentary tickets for competition entrants.

 

Has anything like this been tried before, any thoughts?

[Whisperer 276]

Looking at a more general level the sport needs professional marketing, but the eternal question is who can or will pay for it? I really can't see that the sport can work together on this, even if somehow the funds were to be found.

 

The sport needs external funding which it can only get from sponsorship since official funding bodies generally barely recognise it as a sport. Perhaps if the Sky money had been spent on this instead of being used to prop up unrealistic budgets at tracks the sport could have taken that vital step forward?

 

I read a lot of regional papers and it's notable how often that other sport that often shares our stadia, Stock Car Racing takes out significant, eye-catching advertising. Speedway, apparently cannot afford this, and I dare say if I were privy to the books of tracks (heaven forbid!) I'd see why they can't. It's a terribly sad situation; lack of unity, ideas and fundamentally, hard cash.

 

The sport needs hype, but modern hype, not the form that we've tried and failed with (myself included on a very minor scale). We're constantly informed of the 'great new craze to come out of the USA" and we really need this kind of marketing working for us. The sport is now obscure enough to be sold as a 'new' sport I'd suggest, but in a completely new way. We used the 'family sport' tag when football was almost crippled by hooliganism. They've cleaned up their act (or more significantly a large chunk of the media plays this down to protect its investment) and I'd suggest this approach has reached the end of its usefulness.

 

One of SCB's best moments here was to argue that the sport needed to be sold as a dangerous one - radical and almost something that your mother wouldn't approve of.

 

It needs to be seen as something edgy, almost forbidden - that to follow it is to rebel and be an individual - to make a mark.

 

Social media is vital - but not this forum which far too often does nothing at all to enhance the sport's image (cue howls of indignation form the self-serving and self-justifying 'mob' that dominates here now).

 

Going 'viral' is essential - attract attention. Despite my comments about advertising earlier I've always believed strongly in word-of-mouth. Now with social media the ability to spread the message this way, by personal recommendation. is stronger than ever.

 

Sadly for too many in authority in the sport the internet is a threat - it gives voice to malcontents and trouble-makers, as is so sadly often the case with with the BSF which really squanders its potential role as a healthy ideas generator. That's why I get so frustrated when I see this happen, it's such a waste of opportunity.

 

There are agencies that offer these services professionally. They create positive comments about the client all over the internet and especially in Facebook and similar products. They sell quantity of mentions. It's 'kick starting', and the amounts involved are quite substantial.

 

Without breaching client confidentiality I was helping to pay the bills for a major soft drink manufacturer earlier this year and the bills from the social media marketing firms were significant and revealing. Sadly they were also totally beyond the sport's current ability to pay.

 

People don't realise that comments about products or services don't always come from amateurs. Often what you read is the creation of a professional working for a client.

 

We need someone to do that for us. We need to sell the danger and risk, not just the lack of brakes, we need to sharpen our meeting running times and presentation (I've been as guilty as many others in my time). But there HAS to be racing and incident - F1 may get away without it but the marketing there is astronomical!

 

We need to make speedway attractive, exciting, but most of all entertaining. Without that you're just polishing the unmentionable....

 

All thoughts need to be on product improvement, starting with the things that don't cost too much - using the assets that we have, the riders and making them part of people's lives. We need people thinking and talking about Tai Woffinden without even necessarily knowing why.

 

Look at Guy Martin. He's all over Channel Four. I hear he's a biker. Get the point? He's being marketed professionally.

 

We need the money, but also the will. It's got to be about the action, racing, incident, controversy - make people want to see all of that and talk about it. The world turns on gossip thanks to social media. We need to be part of that conversation.

 

Hello Rob,

 

I've not read all the detail on this thread so apologies if I am repeating another's comments. I have years of experience in this sport as well as running a very, very successful business now whilst that doesn't make me Golden Borrocks it does hopefully allow me to relate some of my experiences.

 

Having exhibited at shows, events, schools, conferences, clubs, pubs, hotels and businesses with riders, bikes, videos, merchandise, free or concessionary admission - even going through the probation service and local authority to provide activity free of charge for under privileged and the naughty boys and girls - I feel confident that I can tell you all that the problem isn't attracting the newbie, it's retaining them. In my experience the one thing that has brought them back is the spills but beyond that there is nothing to hold them. I like the WiFi suggestion, it's free in all of my businesses and we give access to the neighbours to soften any inconvenience we may cause. Retention is the sport's global responsibility and many clubs have worked very hard to attract new clientele, my most recent memory will probably cite Rick Frost and Julie Mahony who invested immeasurable sums into marketing and putting Peterborough on the map yet failed to retain a viable attendance. They're not mugs and like me prove themselves with sound business principles in the commercial world.

 

The real reason I have posted on this thread is to try and open the eyes of those that cannot see. many in the past and maybe on this thread have hailed Barry Hearn as the potential saviour of this and maybe some other sports too. Barry is shrewd, very, very if not extremely shrewd and won't be insulted by the derisory offers of broadcasters who wish to be the exclusive partners in his success. It's tens of millions now for a deal with Barry, trust me.

 

Barry is effective on a model based and created by Mark McCormack the man who invented the rankings for Golf and Tennis, he was successful in gaining sponsorship from Sony an International sponsor hence the Sony Rankings. Both are into sports management in a big way, sadly Mark has passed away but his legacy lives on in the company that he founded and chaired- The International Media Group or in the land of acronym, IMG.

 

IMG have developed into a global sports management company and as many will now recognise diversified into Speedway some years ago, they are internationally the best Motor Sport marketing company and once there is realisation that they are not retaining the new customers they attract to Speedway then we can start to strip out wishful thinking from fact.

 

In recent times no other company has done more to market Speedway than IMG, it's at a level that members of the BSPA can only dream about but whilst the average club is content to put a poster in the local chippy with two free tickets neither is locking customers into the sport on a weekly basis.

 

I honestly don't know the answer but like many feel that significant changes in the Management of the sport will eventually match the needs of the customers we have, to continue to torch them will only lead to the inevitable.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Whisperer

[Joe Beevers 207]

Attract a younger new audience?

 

Best way is to stick a Playstation on the centre green.

 

Being more realistic would be handing out an iPad or tablet to every customer to fill the boredom between heats and interval etc.

 

Everything that young audiences love is technology based.

 

Perhaps get some young U.S noboby to trash talk, speak rubbish and commentate on speedway on Youtube like all young people seem to like watching.