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PHILIPRISING

How Do We Attract A New Young Audience?

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How about a season opener, where all clubs start with a challenge match with open gates and a donation bucket?

lets just see, if speedway can entice any newbies after a dose of "free" speedway..the ben fund, riders performed for free, when

the new air safety fences were introduced, the riders (I believe rode for free) at some tracks. lets see if we can actually

entice people for free, because if you cant do it for free, then lets face it, you certainly wont when charging £15.......And anybody

donating in the buckets, hand them an incentive the following week, paying adult, free kiddy. if they attend twice, they then likely

to return as a paying customer!!

A free challenge match is a great idea but I'm not sure about at the start of the season, March can be a very cruel month for weather and if you get newbies standing about in the wind and cold their not going to be keen of a return visit.

I distribute a lot of posters each year but would never deliver them in March for that reason. March is for hardened supporters, tempt the newbies with free challenge matches in late April early May and you might have them to the end of the season and beyond.

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What speedway really needs is an outsider in the mould of someone like Barry Hearn coming in to shake things up and make it more marketable. Look what has happened to darts, as an example. They've taken something that was largely seen as an old mans pub game and turned it into a vibrant experience that draws big TV audiences, fills arenas and has attracted massive sponsorship money. Ok, it all a bit "laddish" but if you want to attract the money then you need to appeal to the masses, not to Howard & Hilda sitting in their matching kagouls on folding chairs on the 2nd bend drinking tea from a flask.

 

I think I'm correct in saying that Tai Woffinden contacted Barry Hearn direct about taking on the job of promoting and modernising speedway in the UK and Barry responded that he may have been interested 20 years ago (Barry is in his late 60's now), so Tai then asked if Barry's son Eddie would be interested to which Barry replied that Eddie was probably too busy to take on another project, with Eddie now running the boxing arm of Matchroom Sport.

 

I think speedway would still be happy with the attendances that test cricket gets though.

 

The simple fact though, is that first class cricket should never have existed as a professional sport given how long it takes to play, the fact the action takes place some distance away from the spectators, and there's large gaps between the action. However, it still became very popular despite that, and even today pulls decent crowds at an international level.

 

I think both T20 and test cricket have their place (although I'm less enamoured with one day cricket which is a pig-in-a-poke to me) and for different reasons. I like passing the time of day at Lords or wherever, whereas the full-on 'experience' at the likes of the Big Bash (where I went yesterday) would hurt my head before long. Equally though, I paid less to watch some of the best players in the world in one of the best cricket stadiums in the world, than I would to watch so-called Elite League speedway in a ramshackle stadium.

 

So with respect to speedway, I don't think it's a matter of comparing test cricket to T20, but improving the value of the product and the general experience. It's also a matter of having decent marketing that properly leverages social media and the modern app world, rather than handing over the commercial rights to an old mate who doesn't know the first thing about how to exploit them properly.

 

And I don't think that you should compare Test cricket (which is international) attendances with domestic speedway, more equitable to compare County cricket attendances with domestic speedway. Not that I know the crowd levels for County cricket, but some that I have attended would be far short of a league speedway match with only the 'festival' matches being roughly equal or higher than current speedway attendances.

 

Yesterday, the BBC did a comparison of the attendances at three cricket matches that were taking place that day with the SA v England match in Durban attracting 5,000+, Aus v WI in Melbourne attracting 7,000+ and the Big Bash match at the Gabba 27,000+.

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One of the biggest problems with speedway now is identity. I mean, where does it stand in the world of sport? Is it a motorsport? Well there are motors involved, but it doesn't attract traditional motorsport fans, probably because nobody can identify with a particular manufacturer like they can in road racing, MX etc. Anyway, how many motorcycles do you see parked outside a speedway stadium? Is it an extreme sport? Well yes, it probably is. but it doesn't appeal to the Nitro Circus types in the way it should.

Maybe speedway promoters should treat themselves to a trip to a BSB round. £25-30 all day. not much more than that for the whole weekend package. Generally decent facilities, pit walks with meet the riders, paddock access, stalls, things for kids to do, all in all a sport that gears itself to keeping fans happy and entertained. Decent crowds bearing in mind that each event is heavily televised. There's a lot to be learned.

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How about a season opener, where all clubs start with a challenge match with open gates and a donation bucket?

lets just see, if speedway can entice any newbies after a dose of "free" speedway..the ben fund, riders performed for free, when

the new air safety fences were introduced, the riders (I believe rode for free) at some tracks. lets see if we can actually

entice people for free, because if you cant do it for free, then lets face it, you certainly wont when charging £15.......And anybody

donating in the buckets, hand them an incentive the following week, paying adult, free kiddy. if they attend twice, they then likely

to return as a paying customer!!

 

I've always wondered why clubs don't offer reduced (or even free) admission at the start of the season, firstly to get returning fans back into the habit and secondy to entice new fans.

 

Swindon offered a £5 entry and got probably double the crowd of a regular meeting. The problem was, the next meeting the price was back up to normal (£17) and the crowd went back down again.

 

I don't understand why clubs don't play around with the price. There must be a sweet spot between attracting lots of fans but not generating enough revenue which is where you are at £5 and charging so much it puts people off, which I believe is where we currently are at £17.

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......Colin Mills......donating in the buckets, hand them an incentive the following week, paying adult, free kiddy. if they attend twice, they then likely to return as a paying customer!!

 

Doubt it once they realize they've got to hand over £17 or £18 to watch fifteen races. Not only that but how many tracks have 3 consecutive meetings? Attend 2 and then find there isn't another for a couple of weeks. Result? Lost interest and can't be bothered.

 

 

 

.....MattK.....I've always wondered why clubs don't offer reduced (or even free) admission at the start of the season, firstly to get returning fans back into the habit and secondy to entice new fans.

 

I quite fancy that idea for Coventry's first match against Poole for the Elite Shield or whatever it's called. :lol:

Edited by Gemini

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I've always wondered why clubs don't offer reduced (or even free) admission at the start of the season, firstly to get returning fans back into the habit and secondy to entice new fans.

 

Swindon offered a £5 entry and got probably double the crowd of a regular meeting. The problem was, the next meeting the price was back up to normal (£17) and the crowd went back down again.

 

I don't understand why clubs don't play around with the price. There must be a sweet spot between attracting lots of fans but not generating enough revenue which is where you are at £5 and charging so much it puts people off, which I believe is where we currently are at £17.

Didn't Arena Essex (or Lakeside!) offer free admission some years back and it attracted a goodly attendance? However the following week the crowd level was back to normal...perhaps those attending the freebie didn't view it as good value for money when required to pay an admission price the following week?

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Didn't Arena Essex (or Lakeside!) offer free admission some years back and it attracted a goodly attendance? However the following week the crowd level was back to normal...perhaps those attending the freebie didn't view it as good value for money when required to pay an admission price the following week?

 

Anecdotally, it was suggested most of the crowd were speedway supporters from other clubs, who enjoyed a free meeting, rather than attracting lots of new local interest.

 

However, a good way of attracting people back would be a voucher for money off the next meeting and so on. These are simple marketing techniques used in almost all consumer-focussed businesses.

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Anecdotally, it was suggested most of the crowd were speedway supporters from other clubs, who enjoyed a free meeting, rather than attracting lots of new local interest.

 

I don't think that's right.

 

The 'free' meeting was televised by Sky and if other teams' supporters had wished to view the meeting, I suggest they would have done so on their televisions. If you are correct, they would have endured the jam-packed M25 and spent money on fuel etc.......not something I expect the majority of people to do when their own team isn't involved :/

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Didn't Arena Essex (or Lakeside!) offer free admission some years back and it attracted a goodly attendance? However the following week the crowd level was back to normal...perhaps those attending the freebie didn't view it as good value for money when required to pay an admission price the following week?

I don't feel there's any point trying promotional offers whilst the product is such poor value for money to start with. You might get a few interested people through the door initially, but they'll quickly be put off by the unfathomable delays and the fact they'll have to pay 18 quid for the privilege next time around. In fact, I feel it's actually worse than doing nothing because those customers are unlikely to ever come back.

 

I think speedway needs to be promoted through existing supporters and by creating online interest so people already know what to expect if and when they do finally take the plunge of going to a live speedway meeting. But ultimately it comes down to making it cheap enough that people are prepared to take a punt on a sport that's virtually unknown outside its own circle.

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speedway has many problems some are self inflicted and some are out of its control.

Riders need to realise that the people who pay their wages(promoters) can only pay what is coming in through the turnstiles, this then relates to how the sport can be more attractive to youngsters, most promoters are often chasing their tales in terms of finances and in turn cant really promote the sport.

Riders who want £100 a point, flights, van etc etc should look closely to what they are riding in front of on a race night, its not rocket science to realise that they are gradually killing the golden goose that is laying the golden eggs for them.

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I've always wondered why clubs don't offer reduced (or even free) admission at the start of the season, firstly to get returning fans back into the habit and secondy to entice new fans.

 

Swindon offered a £5 entry and got probably double the crowd of a regular meeting. The problem was, the next meeting the price was back up to normal (£17) and the crowd went back down again.

 

I don't understand why clubs don't play around with the price. There must be a sweet spot between attracting lots of fans but not generating enough revenue which is where you are at £5 and charging so much it puts people off, which I believe is where we currently are at £17.

if it was advertised nationally, every tracks local papers, every school given the info,

and a all-round national push, im sure for one week, of speedway "free" in all 4 corners of the country would be worth a go. whats to lose?...yes, regulars would benefit, but something dramatic need to be tried, and if grounds cant fill a free night, it will say loads about speedway in general..the riders

would have a part to play, as they say, "we"re all in this together"

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I guess club promoters get their "team" (including everyone involved in the club?) round the table and discuss the season ahead? Throw about ideas?

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if it was advertised nationally, every tracks local papers, every school given the info

Local papers are nearly dead and not read by the audience you want to attract. Advertising nationally would be a complete waste of money given most people will be nowhere near a track.

 

You need to create a 'buzz' through word of mouth and social media in this day-and-age. The effort will be wasted though if the product isn't improved and perceived to be poor value for money, as anyone you might attract will simply be lost forever.

Riders who want £100 a point, flights, van etc etc should look closely to what they are riding in front of on a race night, its not rocket science to realise that they are gradually killing the golden goose that is laying the golden eggs for them.

You can't blame the riders as they have a living to make, and their careers could conceivably end tomorrow one way or another.

 

The fault is the promoters paying more than the sport can afford, particularly fan promoters who're willing to do a wedge in pursuit of personal glorification.

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Local papers are nearly dead and not read by the audience you want to attract. Advertising nationally would be a complete waste of money given most people will be nowhere near a track.

 

You need to create a 'buzz' through word of mouth and social media in this day-and-age. The effort will be wasted though if the product isn't improved and perceived to be poor value for money, as anyone you might attract will simply be lost forever.

think any advertising would help, as youngsters with their mobile phones would soon spread the word..think we need a week of full houses, with sky sports promoting and filming it. this would then spread to sky sports news channel, the word would soon spread if everyone jumped on the band wagon.

it may be a gimmick, but gimmicks are what catch the eye of the public..

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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.

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