Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

Recommended Posts

 

Holder and Ward were a very unique combination that were worth going to see once or twice in a season. Sayfutinov had, for want of a better expression a novelty value but would people still be flocking to see him if he was riding every meeting every season when the novelty wore off ? I think it also has to do with a winning side. Would Poole be getting good attendances if they had Holder and Ward together inferior riders and were losing at home all the time ? By comparison I draw the comparison with Lakeside who had Andreas Jonsson last season, who is immensely popular there on a personal level, but attendances were the lowest ever under the present promotion because match after match was being lost at reserve. The home 1-5 outscored the opposition on every home meeting except one (and that was when Darcy came with Swindon ) but seven of them were lost because the EDR reserves were being hopelessly outscored.

 

I think there are a combination of reasons why people decide to go or not go to a speedway meeting and star riders is only one small part of the jigsaw puzzle. However history proves that w inning team gets better support than a losing team over the course of a season, and I think the most important thing is reasonably evenly matched sides that can win most of the time in front of their home fans.

Absolutely correct, and applies to nearly all team sports...

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm just at the bottom of the 2nd page in this thread so apologies in advance if this is sort of duplicated by someone on the pages that follow.

 

Whilst I agree that more promoters should do more of what their title implies, that can't be the answer to the problem.

No doubt Mr Hearn has done wonders for snooker and boxing, and someone else has pulled darts out of the pub, but look at what they had to deal with. A green covered table (which you can put in any big room), a large platform surrounded by rope (which you can put in any big room) and a round disc marked into 20 sections that accompanies a rubber mat, and, surprisingly, you can fit that in any big room too.

It can be pretty easy for an accomplished showman to get a room full of people excited and create an atmosphere. Alot of speedway stadia are big so you need many many more people to create an atmosphere. They are also quite run down. They also have to deal with inclement weather. Would Mr Hearns' sports be as popular if the spectators had to sit in grubby chairs, use questionable toilet facilities or stand out in the cold?

 

Mr Ecclestone appears to want to own everything if he were to promote it. Look at what happens to the racing circuits that don't come up to scratch. They have to invest heavily to update their facilities or they can't have a GP ... and then they have to pay to have that!! But nearly every circuit that Bernie visits with his circus heaves with people over a three day period and the atmosphere is amazing. And that's another thing. It's a one-off, once a year experience that people are willing to pay for. The same can possibly be said for the Arenacross. A one off treat.

 

Speedway is a weekly/forntnightly event and if there's a family involved then that doesn't come cheap. Coupled with a lack of atmosphere, dodgy facilities, cold, damp nights, a lack of entertainment on the track, long gaps between races, (though not always) and old music (and why is that when, if you have a public broadcasting license, you can play anything you want!?) you can begin to see why we have a shortage of people through the gates.

 

Personally, I still enjoy speedway. I can put up with all of the above because I know what speedway can be. When it's right, I think it's the most exciting sport there is. What we need to do is make it right for the new ones that come through the gate ... but I don't think Mr Hearn or Mr Ecclestone will have all the answers for that problem ... and I don't think either of those two will come cheap.

 

PS, I've yet to watch the youtube clip with Hearn.

Edited by nobblytriers
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

Well Nicki Pedersen was riding in the EL for several years, and crowds still declined. People might cross the road to watch these riders occasionally, but the novelty wears off if you're paying 18 quid a week. That's quite aside from not knowing whether they'll turn-up for the team, even if you did arrange the fixtures on one or two race days.

Swindon crowds dropped by about 30% when Leigh Adams pack it in and have never been the same since ...the novelty never wore off then .. the bottom line is the better the standard then more likely the crowd is going to be bigger .

 

The plan most always be to find a format that allows better riders to raise the standard and crowds .People don't cross the road to watch crap riders even if they do turn up in each week .

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Swindon crowds dropped by about 30% when Leigh Adams pack it in and have never been the same since ...the novelty never wore off then .. the bottom line is the better the standard then more likely the crowd is going to be bigger .

 

The plan most always be to find a format that allows better riders to raise the standard and crowds .People don't cross the road to watch crap riders even if they do turn up in each week .

Better riders, raise the standard!!!

That's exactly the opposite to speedways format! Lesser riders, lower the standard, lowest common denominator..

 

This I suggest over the years has done more damage than most of the other reasons given for the sports decline in the UK.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How many coloured / ethic minority supporters do you see at a meeting ?

That's a huge untapped potential audience.

 

It's the 21st century, judging by some of the comments on here what modern day corporation would want to get involved in a sport that hasn't involved in either organisation, facilities or appeal in decades. Above all Hearn is a business man, he wouldn't touch speedway with a bargepole

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Surprised speedway doesn't attract more Polish fans in the UK??!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Surprised speedway doesn't attract more Polish fans in the UK??!

I thought that, but Poland is huge, I interview hundreds of Poles in my work, most are much like British bods and haven't heard of speedway!! It's all relative, isn't it...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I met Barry a few years ago and asked him this exact question, he just laughed. Nuff said.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

All it needs is a few forward thinking promoters though, and tbh there seem to be a few at the moment. The point with boxing is that UFC (which I don't like) gave it a kick and people like Matchroom really picked up the baton, result being the promotion has been completely overhauled and boxing is having a resurgance. Then look at some of the old school promoters in boxing struggling to sell out 4k capacity venues, wheras Matchroom have been visionary and are selling 20k tickets no bother by putting on a great card and a great show.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

All it needs is a few forward thinking promoters though, and tbh there seem to be a few at the moment. The point with boxing is that UFC (which I don't like) gave it a kick and people like Matchroom really picked up the baton, result being the promotion has been completely overhauled and boxing is having a resurgance. Then look at some of the old school promoters in boxing struggling to sell out 4k capacity venues, wheras Matchroom have been visionary and are selling 20k tickets no bother by putting on a great card and a great show.

Are they putting the top boxers on this shows that sell 20 k ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Surprised speedway doesn't attract more Polish fans in the UK??!

As others have said, speedway isn't as popular in Poland as often claimed, but Poles are also working to make money not spend it.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As others have said, speedway isn't as popular in Poland as often claimed, but Poles are also working to make money not spend it.

They mostly are football supporters, lots I know are Leicester City fans.. even the name Gollob doesn't seem to strike a chord with many..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A few Polish people I work with are speedway fans but don't attend regularly at Brandon. A couple have said they may attend a bit more with 2 poles in the side but they find it expensive compared to Poland.

Edited by woz01
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In the UK now it seems across most if not all sports it's only the top top contests that are well supported (as in sold out) Outside of the top 7/8 teams in the Premiership the stadiums are not all sold out. And certainly not the lower leagues. Standard league matches in Rugby, Cricket etc generally get very poor attendances. But Top of the league clashes, Champions league, Cup finals, 20 20 games etc pretty much all sold out. No different in Speedway really. If it's 2 top teams or (more specifically) the play offs the crowds are good. That is generally the shift across all sports.

I follow boxing closer than any other sport and as mentioned earlier, it's only because Matchroom really stepped it up that it's having such a successful period right now. They pack the cards with 5/6/7 top fights, really giving value for money. Over here in the states they rarely do that and as a result the crowds arent great Unless its a Mayweather or manny pacquiao fight . Just the other week I went to a Heavyweight fight, with an American Heavyweight Champion and the crowd was 12,500 in an arena that holds over 20k. Not exactly brilliant.

What Barry Hearne (and his son Eddie) have done is gone for quality over quantity. Consequently the public are keener to go and see events when they are on. That's what Speedway needs to do. Unfortunately it's still run by an old boys club then proper, decent promoters. Trim it down to a home meeting every 2 weeks, 6 rider teams if necessary, and have a standard that meeting should be 2 hours maximum. Of course with Speedway there's many things that can alter the length of a meeting however 2 hours should be the benchmark. The Promoters cannot complain about exposure anymore. The league is on Sky, the GPs on BT Sport, there's any social media, YouTube channels, a whole plethora of ways of getting it out there to the public. However the problem is too many are in it for self gain and can't or won't see the big picture.

There are some nice Speedway Stadiums now. To mention a few, Belle Vue, Sheffield, Coventry, Leicester, Peterborough, Glasgow now looking good, there a few excuses to do better then currently are doing. However the people running it are in the dark ages.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Having read all these comments, I believe most are missing the point. The Main problem that exist with our sport is that we do not cultivate new supporters. The majority of the present fan base are those who have followed the sport for years.

 

The No1 priority for Barry Hearn, or anybody else for that matter, is to reach out to those people who have never heard or even thought about the sport.. Directing your sources to draw in the accomplished fans is one thing but the sport needs so much more........

 

There are people living in our village, only 10 miles away from Lynn, that don't know what a speedway track looks like......... But everyone knows what a football pitch is like, and where the nearest hospital is ??????

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy