Bt Sport Coverage

[MattK 3,447]

If you watch the ReRun highlights on the SGB site the quality is excellent. OK, it is from a single camera, but they seem to have got the ideal angle, just over the first bend, which gives a good view of the start, plus throughout the entire race. It obviously helps that the cameraman is a speedway fan and focuses on the action, rather than the leader.

 

The other problem with PPV for speedway is that it's a closed market. I subscribed to the McGregor/Mayweather fight, as I had no way of attending (it was in Las Vegas after all) and even if I was there I probably couldn't afford a ticket. Speedway simply doesn't have those barriers to attendance or indeed the wider potential audience.

 

With PPV at best you are gaining a few hundred away fans and at worst you are cannibalising home supporters by offering them a cheaper (and dare I say more convenient) alternative to attending in person.

[waytogo28 2,054]

yahoho wrote " Could be wrong though, interesting topic for sure and would be crazy for it not to be looked into seriously and trialed at a few tracks if there is no TV coverage."

 

Why not BSPA? Individual tracks? The BSPA keep harping on that they are now SO with it technologically. It deserves a decent trial as I believe that the number of away supporters ( or neutrals looking for a potentially good match ) would outweigh the possible "can't be bothered" locals ( who may be the wavering ones anyway ).

 

[yahoho 30]

If you watch the ReRun highlights on the SGB site the quality is excellent. OK, it is from a single camera, but they seem to have got the ideal angle, just over the first bend, which gives a good view of the start, plus throughout the entire race. It obviously helps that the cameraman is a speedway fan and focuses on the action, rather than the leader.

 

The other problem with PPV for speedway is that it's a closed market. I subscribed to the McGregor/Mayweather fight, as I had no way of attending (it was in Las Vegas after all) and even if I was there I probably couldn't afford a ticket. Speedway simply doesn't have those barriers to attendance or indeed the wider potential audience.

 

With PPV at best you are gaining a few hundred away fans and at worst you are cannibalising home supporters by offering them a cheaper (and dare I say more convenient) alternative to attending in person.

 

ReRun are indeed very impressive these days, the quality is very good and I have just checked their website as I have not paid much attention to them recently and seen that they do cover a lot of tracks - I don't know if this is something they do for all meetings or just occasional ones, but my question would be - is it feasible for them or anyone else to put out streams of this quality for all tracks, every meeting? Or would a cheaper more realistic approach need to be found, thus my mention of a single fixed camera with no commentary - effectively a webcam style.

 

I would disagree about speedway not having the same barriers as the boxing - although distance is not the same as travelling to america - travelling an hour up the road to make a 7.30 start meeting, to travel back afterwards and get to work the next day, at least once a week, is beyond the majority of supporters. Be this due to cost of tickets, fuel etc or simply the logisitcs - I would argue that speedway does indeed have those barriers. I would agree that the potential audience is not huge, which brings me back to the thought that a simple unmanned camera feed would be the way I would imagine it getting started due to low implementation costs.

 

I would put myself as a fairly stereotypical speedway supporter, or at least of the younger generation. I love to go to the speedway and support my local team where possible. I cannot afford to go every week, nor can I justify the logistics of travelling to away meetings during the week, certainly not regularly, infact I don't think I have been to an away meeting for quite a few years. However were there a way for me to watch my team racing in their away legs, I would be very happy to pay a subscription to watch them on the road, plus a few other meetings if there was a catchup service style thing, during the week. All this being said, I personally would only stay at home to watch a stream instead of going to watch my team at home, due to financial justifications, at which point I wouldn't be going to the track anyway - so surely a small amount is better than no amount. It would also help me feel more attached to my team if I were able to follow them around their away legs, something that I have not felt for a long time.

 

There are arguements for and against, but I cannot imagine that the impact to tracks due to people staying at home to watch an internet stream, would be anything like the impact caused by Sky.

 

I highly doubt this will be a massively lucrative project for anyone who takes it on (unless done by tracks individually - at which point you never know), but it could certainly be a great thing for the fans.

[A ORLOV 8,628]

 

The flip side to this is how many home fans would stay at home and watch on PPV for 3 quid, rather than pay £17 to attending in person?

 

I agree that superficially PPV sounds like a fantastic idea, but I can't get past the fact that I don't think the numbers add up.

That is easily got round by not advertising which meeting is being shown until just before the start of the meeting so those who were not going anyway could then decide to pay for it or not.

[MattK 3,447]

 

ReRun are indeed very impressive these days, the quality is very good and I have just checked their website as I have not paid much attention to them recently and seen that they do cover a lot of tracks - I don't know if this is something they do for all meetings or just occasional ones, but my question would be - is it feasible for them or anyone else to put out streams of this quality for all tracks, every meeting? Or would a cheaper more realistic approach need to be found, thus my mention of a single fixed camera with no commentary - effectively a webcam style.

 

I'd imagine the biggest technical challenge is finding a fast enough Internet connection to send the coverage to the servers which stream the content.

 

I agree in theory though, if no TV deal is forthcoming, this should at least be trialed to determine indicative numbers.

That is easily got round by not advertising which meeting is being shown until just before the start of the meeting so those who were not going anyway could then decide to pay for it or not.

 

Surely all meetings would be streamed?

[NickRushbrook 202]

It wouldn't put most fans off attending the fixture itself imo.

 

For me, speedway is the ultimate spectator sport.

The methanol, the noise and the action. There really is no substitute if you can attend.

[yahoho 30]

Surely all meetings would be streamed?

 

This would be my understanding of such a venture - 1 meeting a week clearly isnt enough to draw people in for Sky or BT.

 

This type of service would be an opportunity for either an external company or tracks themselves to invent a new platform for spectators that would appeal to the masses, without the bureaucracy and pre-defined rulesets that govern the mainstream broadcasters.

 

"By the fans, for the fans" if you were.

Edited November 27, 2017 by yahoho

[A ORLOV 8,628]

 

 

Surely all meetings would be streamed?

Not sure if all the Premier clubs video, so that would have to change then as you say you might get a reduction of home fans attending, also I am sure some would pay to see meetings from the Championship and even the NL .

[STEVEHOLS54 380]

 

This would be my understanding of such a venture - 1 meeting a week clearly isnt enough to draw people in for Sky or BT.

 

This type of service would be an opportunity for either an external company or tracks themselves to invent a new platform for spectators that would appeal to the masses, without the bureaucracy and pre-defined rulesets that govern the mainstream broadcasters.

 

"By the fans, for the fans" if you were.

Think it may be a way fwd.

 

Take myself as an example.

 

I am based nr Chelmsford - Essex but support Poole in the Prem. I took early retirement last year and spend plenty of my spare time reading up on the forum and other Speedway sites mainly because its my main sports hobby.

 

There is no way I am going to drive 3.25 to 3.75 hours every week during the season to get to all Poole matches much as I would like to. If it was 30/40 mins drive for me like Lakeside (or even up to say 1.5 hours) then it would be a no brainer.

 

For me if Poole were regularly on a PPV even if a small time delay if live TV proves a problem, I would be happy to pay for it, even if say £10 per meeting ( I would pay even more but appreciate it has to be within a number of peoples budgets). Even more attractive if the facility allowed me to also go back and review a meeting I had paid to watch so you can see again overtaking - exciting races - incidents etc.

 

Maybe even a 2 tier system so if you want to view say 24 hours later for the first time you pay a lower figure than say live. Just knocking ideas around.

 

On top of that I would be more than happy to pay to watch other teams at home be it against Poole or even other matches on a demand basis. Also would be great again if I had the choice to pay more to see live (or on a small time delay if it is better for the production companies) and less if I go on 24 hours later (or more) to watch.

 

In a perfect World I would like it to be a situation where those who have financial restrictions pay less, as I for sure would pay more if it lets a wider audience in.

 

I don't pretend to know the internal mechanics of how it would work, but I would also consider some form of subscription payment if it helps get it going.

 

Cant believe I am the only one who would like to see it. I would rather pay something to get my weekly fix of Poole (and maybe other teams) as for sure I will not be embarking on a 6/7 hour weekly commute to see my beloved Pirates even though I could afford to. It will be selective meetings to do such a commute.

 

Anyway its jut an opinion from a fan/supporter who wants to see the sport move forward with more money coming in to support it.

[waytogo28 2,054]

Think it may be a way fwd.

 

Take myself as an example.

 

I am based nr Chelmsford - Essex but support Poole in the Prem. I took early retirement last year and spend plenty of my spare time reading up on the forum and other Speedway sites mainly because its my main sports hobby.

 

There is no way I am going to drive 3.25 to 3.75 hours every week during the season to get to all Poole matches much as I would like to. If it was 30/40 mins drive for me like Lakeside (or even up to say 1.5 hours) then it would be a no brainer.

 

For me if Poole were regularly on a PPV even if a small time delay if live TV proves a problem, I would be happy to pay for it, even if say £10 per meeting ( I would pay even more but appreciate it has to be within a number of peoples budgets). Even more attractive if the facility allowed me to also go back and review a meeting I had paid to watch so you can see again overtaking - exciting races - incidents etc.

 

Maybe even a 2 tier system so if you want to view say 24 hours later for the first time you pay a lower figure than say live. Just knocking ideas around.

 

On top of that I would be more than happy to pay to watch other teams at home be it against Poole or even other matches on a demand basis. Also would be great again if I had the choice to pay more to see live (or on a small time delay if it is better for the production companies) and less if I go on 24 hours later (or more) to watch.

 

In a perfect World I would like it to be a situation where those who have financial restrictions pay less, as I for sure would pay more if it lets a wider audience in.

 

I don't pretend to know the internal mechanics of how it would work, but I would also consider some form of subscription payment if it helps get it going.

 

Cant believe I am the only one who would like to see it. I would rather pay something to get my weekly fix of Poole (and maybe other teams) as for sure I will not be embarking on a 6/7 hour weekly commute to see my beloved Pirates even though I could afford to. It will be selective meetings to do such a commute.

 

Anyway its jut an opinion from a fan/supporter who wants to see the sport move forward with more money coming in to support it.

 

Damn Good Ideas which I support and hope that the BSPA deign to consider. That is my situation exactly other than watching speedway live at King's Lynn and I have no transport and need to watch my expenditure on luxuries like speedway. When working I was three to four matches a week man based in Northampton and could reach a range of tracks easily. I am not sure I would pay £10 unless it had the review later option but between £5 and £10 for selected matches I felt were "juicy morsels" that might contain VFM worthwhile racing.

[Phil The Ace 2,860]

Russell is playing a rather dangerous game. We need the tv money or teams will not be able to afford what they have planned. Which could result in new rule changes and a lesser point limit

Edited November 27, 2017 by Phil The Ace

[waytogo28 2,054]

Russell is playing a rather dangerous game. We need the tv mo ey or teams will not be able to afford what they hsve planned. Which could result in new rule changes and a lesser point limit

 

I think that there may not be any "TV money " other than a small amount per match televised. Why would a broadcaster stump up a significant figure for a sport with such a tiny fanbase - even including the armchair fans?

[STEVEHOLS54 380]

 

I think that there may not be any "TV money " other than a small amount per match televised. Why would a broadcaster stump up a significant figure for a sport with such a tiny fanbase - even including the armchair fans?

Sadly I tend to agree.

 

I did not subscribe to BT Sport purely out of principal because I use the full SKY package incl movies & sport. I felt it an insult that what allowed SKY to charge premium rate was watered down by the loss of Champions League - MOTO GP and finally Speedway.

 

Out of pure principal I was not prepared to be held to ransom to watch the sport via BT when it was part of my Sky Sports package with Sky which is expensive per month with all the other channels such as movies etc.

 

I wonder how many other SKY Subscribers felt similar and also those who may have ben occasional visitors to Sky Speedway as it was part of their sports package. Lets be honest even for the neutral sports fan there wansnt much compulsive sports viewing on a Monday so why not look in on Speedway as it didn't cost any more.

 

Of course all the rumours flying around could be w rong as we know there wld not be anything anyway until the BSPA had agreed on fixed race nights etc. Maybe something will be negotiated/forthcoming.

 

But as they say there is no smoke without fire so maybe some heavily diluted package in in the offering. No doubt as well the BSPA may say yes to virtually any watered down deal rather than see the sport from a League perspective go into media oblivion forever lost to the Speedway public.

 

Its not only TV. You rarely see any news in National papers these days re Speedway. Not even corner snippets. If you are lucky some of the tabloids will show the results somewhere probably near the greyhound results which is another thing slowly dying on its feet.

[flagrag 704]

From what I have been told by a few sources is that BT had offered a tv deal to British Speedway subject to a few conditions being met etc £10 entry,a min amount of GP riders.

 

However some promotions over value what they think British Speedway tv rights are worth and think that they should be getting Thousands just for the rights to allow BT to broadcast the racing.

 

Then of course you have Terry & Ron Russell in the middle if BT offer just a meeting fee to the clubs or nothing but do cover the production costs how do old Tel & Ron make their money

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Sadly I tend to agree.

 

I did not subscribe to BT Sport purely out of principal because I use the full SKY package incl movies & sport. I felt it an insult that what allowed SKY to charge premium rate was watered down by the loss of Champions League - MOTO GP and finally Speedway.

 

Out of pure principal I was not prepared to be held to ransom to watch the sport via BT when it was part of my Sky Sports package with Sky which is expensive per month with all the other channels such as movies etc.

 

I wonder how many other SKY Subscribers felt similar and also those who may have ben occasional visitors to Sky Speedway as it was part of their sports package. Lets be honest even for the neutral sports fan there wansnt much compulsive sports viewing on a Monday so why not look in on Speedway as it didn't cost any more.

 

Of course all the rumours flying around could be w rong as we know there wld not be anything anyway until the BSPA had agreed on fixed race nights etc. Maybe something will be negotiated/forthcoming.

 

But as they say there is no smoke without fire so maybe some heavily diluted package in in the offering. No doubt as well the BSPA may say yes to virtually any watered down deal rather than see the sport from a League perspective go into media oblivion forever lost to the Speedway public.

 

Its not only TV. You rarely see any news in National papers these days re Speedway. Not even corner snippets. If you are lucky some of the tabloids will show the results somewhere probably near the greyhound results which is another thing slowly dying on its feet.

So because Sky rip you off you won't do business with BT out of principle? How curious. Sky dumped speedway but still rip you off so you punish BT and yourself. You're not being held to ransom. Sky overcharged so naturally competition came in. BT cover speedway because Sky dropped it, first internationally, then domestically There is a service, and that has a price. Nobody's kidnapped your gerbil. ;-)

 

(Principal has a different meaning by the way).

Edited November 27, 2017 by Rob McCaffery