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The lessons that need to be learnt by all members of BSPA are that clubs are truly on the edge of extinction ( as is the sport in the UK ) and an extraordinary AGM needs to be called before the end of the season - with all clubs having a vote on What Next.

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15 hours ago, Whisperer said:

Mike,

A new Promotion at any club does not have a say until they have attended 3 AGM's

I'm sure they can more than have a say - They just can't vote.

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On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 9:13 AM, racers and royals said:

I was thinking about Birmingham as well - Phillips and co.

Yeah we never got paid up, so I'm sure new people coming in don't clear all the debts.

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45 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

The lessons that need to be learnt by all members of BSPA are that clubs are truly on the edge of extinction ( as is the sport in the UK ) and an extraordinary AGM needs to be called before the end of the season - with all clubs having a vote on What Next.

I think they have a meeting this week if you believe what Jon Cook has said on the Lakeside website.

Will they disclose what is being discussed and any decisions reached? Doubtful apart from a short one line statement.

The article in the Speedway Star from Sheffield stating that fewer meetings had to be the way and the reasons behind it may have some merit and could be a contributory factor to the financial state of some clubs. Fewer meetings does not change the fact that the stadium landlords still want the same rent or an increase over last year. Riders costs are increasing  and the financial burden puts pressure on the cash flow and why would sponsors flock to invest in a failing sport, hence the greater reliance on increasing numbers through the gate but the opposite is happening. Did anyone do the numbers to see what crowd levels were needed to meet all the costs of fewer meetings and the contingency plan as folk find other things to do when they have so many blank race nights when previously most of the fan base had been used to a weekly fix from March to September.

Collectively the owners of clubs ought to take a step back and perhaps take on board some of the views from the most important asset critics and source of income, the customers. It just seems like they are burying their head in the sand and treating generally most with such contempt that even harden supporters are drifting away.

Most if not all on this forum want the sport to survive and thrive but it is just not happening. Those in charge need to ask the customers what is wrong but you can ignore them at your peril. 

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One of my local clubs rye house have gone. Lakeside and Eastbourne have one home meeting this month. What the hell is going on, do the promoters want to kill off what little fan base they have left. At least Len still runs regular meetings at Kent. No traffic jams tonight, please!

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I was talking to a speedway rider this morning who used to ride in the 70's and I used to sponsor him and he thinks the only way the sport can continue is on an amateur basis like it was when he first started. The riders costs are too high resulting in them needing payment for riding/points that the promotions cannot afford with current attendances.

He says riders would have to cut their cloth to suit and promoters need to be transparent about their costs and finances so that supporters trust them. Unfortunately a generation of supporters have been lost and he doesn't see a way of attracting new fans at current prices for a family with the entertainment value on offer.

We had a very interesting conversation and he talked a lot of sense not that we agreed on everything!

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2 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

Collectively the owners of clubs ought to take a step back and perhaps take on board some of the views from the most important asset critics and source of income, the customers. It just seems like they are burying their head in the sand and treating generally most with such contempt that even harden supporters are drifting away.

Most if not all on this forum want the sport to survive and thrive but it is just not happening. Those in charge need to ask the customers what is wrong but you can ignore them at your peril. 

The powers that be in UK speedway have already ignored the customers for years, that is until enough of them walked away to seriously unbalance a few clubs and destroy one. No-one on the forum does want to see speedway cease to exist but their opinions and ideas on the product continue to unheard. I hope this really is a warts and all discussion a la the Cabinet at Chequers. Because the problems of our sport are almost as serious as those of the country.

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If you charge top dollar for a crap product then people won't pay it. Wether it's in a department store, a food outlet or speedway. Joe public has had enough and is walking away. The promoters are not capable of grasping this.

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4 hours ago, TesarRacing said:

I was talking to a speedway rider this morning who used to ride in the 70's and I used to sponsor him and he thinks the only way the sport can continue is on an amateur basis like it was when he first started. The riders costs are too high resulting in them needing payment for riding/points that the promotions cannot afford with current attendances.

He says riders would have to cut their cloth to suit and promoters need to be transparent about their costs and finances so that supporters trust them. Unfortunately a generation of supporters have been lost and he doesn't see a way of attracting new fans at current prices for a family with the entertainment value on offer.

We had a very interesting conversation and he talked a lot of sense not that we agreed on everything!

And there lies the problem, BSPA don't seem to listen to ex riders.

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7 minutes ago, sugarray said:

And there lies the problem, BSPA don't seem to listen to ex riders.

Nor 'ex fans'...

Nor 'current fans'...

Nor 'current fans soon to be ex fans'....

A very strange way to run a business.,.

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3 hours ago, cityrebel said:

If you charge top dollar for a crap product then people won't pay it. Wether it's in a department store, a food outlet or speedway. Joe public has had enough and is walking away. The promoters are not capable of grasping this.

The sport is on such hard times that apparently, next time I visit King's Lynn I'm gonna be "outted" and banned because of my views on the club.

 

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5 hours ago, cityrebel said:

One of my local clubs rye house have gone. Lakeside and Eastbourne have one home meeting this month. What the hell is going on, do the promoters want to kill off what little fan base they have left. At least Len still runs regular meetings at Kent. No traffic jams tonight, please!

My best time to go to speedway is at the weekend. Right now, the only weekend tracks that are within 100 miles of me are Stoke and Coventry (at Leicester)!

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8 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

My best time to go to speedway is at the weekend. Right now, the only weekend tracks that are within 100 miles of me are Stoke and Coventry (at Leicester)!

But even when Rye ran at the weekend I thought you said you only went about 2 times in 20 years!!!!Rye can hardly run successfully based on that sort of fan base

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