Coventry 2017

[G the Bee 639]

Easiest thing in the world, with no relevant experience required, to tell someone else how to spend their money. With what would they buy Brandon Stadium. Oh, of course every promoter would be asked to chip in a large amount or borrow big bucks, to fulfil a dream for the future. Most promoters are fans trying to keep speedway open in their own backyard. If they are breaking even, or losing money, what incentive is there to go heavily into debt. The main objective is survival, without your finances taking a serious hit which will damage your standard of living, or any other business you may be involved in.

 

If you think that is self interest, partisanship and short term thinking so be it. It's not your money that we are talking about.

When you are in a pool, and potentially drowning, it's not the right time to be asked to invest in the future. Tough.

 

But there was the money, you've said so yourself. The Sky money. The money which went into the pockets of the riders. It should never have been allowed to happen, certainly not to the extent it did. But the promotions did not work together, they competed with one another. The richer clubs spent out Sky money to attract the big names, competing with each other rather than working together for the long-term benefit of the sport. I'm sure the Bees promotion were just as guilty of it as anyone.

 

How much was Brandon sold for in 2002? Wasn't it something like £1 million? How much would the repayments on a £1 million bank loan have been over 20 years? How much of the yearly pot of the Sky money would it have cost the BSPA? Now offset that against the benefits of owning Brandon, not just to keep the Bees running, but to develop as a centre of excellence for the sport. A facility which could (realistically bearing in mind its location and availability) have produced a conveyor belt of new British talent.

 

But where was the vision to do something more productive with the Sky money?

 

Where was the leader with the long-term vision?

 

Where did dishing that money out on GP stars (pretty much none of whom can be seen here anymore) get us?

 

Nowhere.

 

You were part of the BSPA, were you not? So it's not surprising you will fight their corner. But answer me this. Name me one other sport that has received Sky money and Sky exposure for the last 20 years and been in a worse position in the present than it was before the Sky money came into the sport? That is, in itself, a damning indicment of the way the BSPA have run the sport for the last 20 years.

Edited February 26, 2017 by G the Bee

[bluebee 199]

This will probably be the last straw for me. I supported the Bees as a kid, then Reading with my kids, and the Bees again with my kids when I moved back to the Midlands. There's no point just blaming Sandhu or Horton or mysterious men casting spells behind the scenes. Sandhu didn't close Reading. He didn't close Oxford. He wasn't behind Eastbourne going doen the leagues, or Ipswich. This is a sport in decline and there is no collective management trying to stve off the pressures from developers or noise complainants. There is only one question to be asked on this forum:

 

WHO WILL BE NEXT?

I am afraid it's goodbye from me and unfortunately, I fear, many others.

[robert72 845]

Time to kick the oldies off the head table of the BSPA and replace them as they are killing the sport.

 

Damian Bates seems a breath of fresh air but the sport needs more like him not the dead wood that lingers bringing our sport to its knees.

[Big Al 708]

Family feud

[robert72 845]

Family feud

it seems that was the problem

[Bolt 9]

Come on Belle Vue - do the decent thing now and sign the Brits who need work.

And some PL clubs can ditch their lowgrade foreigners for the likes of Sarjeant and Nielson

And Joe Jacobs, the list is getting longer

[Col 850]

If this is death of Coventry Speedway, I wish their fans well.

 

I loved visiting Brandon for British & Overseas finals during my youth and when Cradley didn't have a fixture home fixture on a Saturday night.

 

I came to support the Bee's long after Cradley had demised if only occasionally & via Sky's coverage.

 

Today is a sad day for British Speedway.

[Ramsbottom 10]

I have nevered supported Coventry but the parties who have allowed this to happen, and I do not know who is to be blamed, should be ashamed of themselves if they trully support British speedway.

[Jacques 3,114]

Family feud

That would explain a lot!

[Woz01 3,589]

Dont be so ridiculous, of course its the issue.

If the stadium was in a good condition we still wouldn't be at Brandon this season.

[ruckerroo 792]

Sad news of a historic club.

[pine490 15]

Of course, this may not be the end for Coventry speedway. It certainly won't be if the real fans have anything to do with it. But then, didn't we say the same thing about Reading and Oxford and the faithful there are still waiting for something to happen.

 

What another sad, sad day for British Speedway to see a club with the proud history of Coventry close their doors. Surely it wasn't beyond the wit of the BSPA collectively to prevent this from happening?

 

No doubt like many of you, I receive a lot of gentle banter from friends (mostly football fans) about my passion for a sport that claims to be professional yet seems incapable of running itself with any kind of organisation or cohesion. Sadly on days like this I have to admit that they are right.

 

David

 

https://speedwayprogrammes.wordpress.com

[Woz01 3,589]

Just been told that on Cov and Warwick radio it was said Jeff Davies and Dave Rowe are trying to get us back on track next year and have meetings planned for this to happen. These guys absolutely love the club and we should all as fans do what we can to help them achieve this.

[Forknights 16]

Absolutely gutted for all concerned.

As im retired I tend to pick and choose my meetings up and down the country, and tend to follow riders rather than clubs, but did attend Brandon 6 times last season and every meeting was worth it.

Come on boys and girls, I don't know how, but please try your hardest to keep this once high flying club going, and don't let it disappear.

 

Good Luck

[foreverblue 6,081]

This is very sad news for speedway and i can only imagine how Coventry fans are feeling right now. I put on the Belle Vue thread that maybe the powers that be could put the same effort in to helping Coventry as they have with Belle Vue. I can only hope that they can return next year as reported on the BSPA site.