How Many Of Us Are Losing Interest.?

[TheScotsman 2,483]

I think there is a difference between losing interest in the sport and losing interest in going to watch the sport.

 

I am still interested in the former and will happily partake in the BSF and speedway related Facebook threads and other online sources.

 

I have very much lost interest in the latter largely due to the shambolic state of fixture planning (1 week on / 3 weeks off seems to be a norm but it could be 3 matches on in 1 week and then 5 weeks off), but compounded by the actions of many of the managers/promotors of the venues nearest to me. (And the actions of Bustit Chapman of course.)

 

So I've gone from a season ticket holder at a venue 80 miles away 2 seasons ago, to a regular attendee (and BSF Massif original member) last season, to now being a keyboard whinger who might put in an occasional appearance if my own team is visiting or if I think there's a possibility of a close meeting on a decent track (unlikely) between teams not riddled with guests or r/rs (even more unlikely).

 

But I'll still follow the Updates heat by heat, match by match, so my interest in the sport hasn't gone.

 

Could I be tempted back to a stadium?

Yes maybe.

But an awful lot will have to change about the way the sport is run.

[foamfence 2,917]

I started going in the 1950s, I often went three times a week and would go to big meetings at Belle Vue, Wembley and Wimbledon, that carried on until Odsal last closed. These days there are no tracks near me, I have no transport and money is tight. When money wasn't 'tight' I was a sponsor and also a mechanic for a few years. So anyone younger who criticises that because I'm no longer a regular, should remember that I've probably been to more meetings than they ever will and I still care about the sport.

[moxey63 1,785]

I think there is a difference between losing interest in the sport and losing interest in going to watch the sport.

 

I am still interested in the former and will happily partake in the BSF and speedway related Facebook threads and other online sources.

 

I have very much lost interest in the latter largely due to the shambolic state of fixture planning (1 week on / 3 weeks off seems to be a norm but it could be 3 matches on in 1 week and then 5 weeks off), but compounded by the actions of many of the managers/promotors of the venues nearest to me. (And the actions of Bustit Chapman of course.)

 

So I've gone from a season ticket holder at a venue 80 miles away 2 seasons ago, to a regular attendee (and BSF Massif original member) last season, to now being a keyboard whinger who might put in an occasional appearance if my own team is visiting or if I think there's a possibility of a close meeting on a decent track (unlikely) between teams not riddled with guests or r/rs (even more unlikely).

 

But I'll still follow the Updates heat by heat, match by match, so my interest in the sport hasn't gone.

 

Could I be tempted back to a stadium?

Yes maybe.

But an awful lot will have to change about the way the sport is run.

 

Agree with that... well, much of!

[Aces51 2,778]

I sort of see both sides of the coin. During the dog track years I did sometimes use to wonder why I was still attending every match because the quality of racing was far removed from the Hyde Road days but obviously and despite the poor teams we often had, there was still enough enjoyment to keep me going.

 

However, since the move to the NSS and despite the best efforts of the BSPA to destroy the credibility of the sport by their often ridiculous decisions and inconsistent interpretation of the rules my enthusiasm for the sport is as strong as it ever was. The joy of watching close, exciting racing overcomes the politics and incompetence. It is a five hour return journey for me to get to Belle Vue but well worth the effort and the cost. I've said it before but the NSS has proved that given the right setting Speedway can be as thrilling as it ever was.

 

If only somebody sensible could take control of the BSPA.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Aces51

[RPNY 608]

To be honest I think this is just the age old generation argument. Most of us look at what went before us as being better than what it was today. Goes for pretty much any sport. "It's not like it used to be" is a much spoken about topic. I bet you can go back 10 years on this forum and see a similar thread and in another 10 years you will see another similar thread.

I bet on the whole Swindon, Belle Vue Wolves Rye House fans are enjoying their Speedway these days. Kings Lynn no so much. All comes down to how the club you support is run really.

Not to say the sport over here isnt without its problems. But as previously mentioned on here, the GPhas been outstanding this season. The UK playoffs with be epic with massive crowds. It's not all doom and gloom.

[moxey63 1,785]

To be honest I think this is just the age old generation argument. Most of us look at what went before us as being better than what it was today. Goes for pretty much any sport. "It's not like it used to be" is a much spoken about topic. I bet you can go back 10 years on this forum and see a similar thread and in another 10 years you will see another similar thread.

I bet on the whole Swindon, Belle Vue Wolves Rye House fans are enjoying their Speedway these days. Kings Lynn no so much. All comes down to how the club you support is run really.

Not to say the sport over here isnt without its problems. But as previously mentioned on here, the GPhas been outstanding this season. The UK playoffs with be epic with massive crowds. It's not all doom and gloom.

 

I think it is more to how the sport is being run, for me at least. Yes, 10 years ago we were still complaining. But since then I for one have stopped attending full stop. Where will be be in 10 years' times? It is about losing fans. The Play-Offs seem as if everything is ok, with massive crowds in speedway terms. But spread over a season, how are average gates? A few Play-Off meetings vs. a 30-odd league programme in which much of the time is foreplay. And don't forget, the season practically ends there and then, with clubs scratching the surface with filler meetings.Take Belle Vue for instance, having to fit two meetings in three days last week, just because of the cut-offs. How did that affect support - two meetings, 20-quid a throw within a few days? The GPs have been good, but that doesn't keep the bread and butter of league racing afloat here in te UK. GPs are a side-dish, like the Friday takeaway. What's happening the rest of the week is what matters.

Edited September 6, 2017 by moxey63

[waytogo28 2,054]

To be honest I think this is just the age old generation argument. Most of us look at what went before us as being better than what it was today. Goes for pretty much any sport. "It's not like it used to be" is a much spoken about topic. I bet you can go back 10 years on this forum and see a similar thread and in another 10 years you will see another similar thread.

I bet on the whole Swindon, Belle Vue Wolves Rye House fans are enjoying their Speedway these days. Kings Lynn no so much. All comes down to how the club you support is run really.

Not to say the sport over here isnt without its problems. But as previously mentioned on here, the GPhas been outstanding this season. The UK playoffs with be epic with massive crowds. It's not all doom and gloom.

 

If that were the case -that it is "just" a re-occuring generation phase speedway is going through, why are there noticeably lower crowds at many ( the majority perhaps ?) of UK tracks. There is a very small, next generation of fans and it is this failure to entice new younger fans ( 20s or 30s ) in reasonable numbers that is the real problem. Of course the play offs will attract a lot of fan fever but just like rider averages, we need to count crowds as an average over the season. The BSPA tinker with rider averages but have made little effort to pump up the crowd levels.

[RPNY 608]

I dont think the crowds are any lower then the 90s when I lost my track (Rye House) for almost 10 years. At that point I can remember people back then saying its not like the days of Olsen, Penhall, Carter etc...

British speedway needs major tweaking yes. How people watch live sport has changed yes. Is Speedway in general on a downward spiral? in my opnion absolutely not.

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,740]

I'm not losing interest in speedway in general it's just British speedway , I still love the GPs and attend some of them and I love polish extraleague ,I subscribe to polish tv just for that and have been there this season to see some but British speedway has just lost my interest , I still go to buxton occasionally but it's more to see friends and the fact that it's close to where we walk the dog than the speedway itself ,it's not the racing there is good and bad racing in all speedway it's just everything else ,rules these days are reactive rather than proactive and often stink of desperation and even the most dedicated fans are totally perplexed by some of the rules and how they are interpretated , there is no or very little vision and I feel the fans are a second thought , I know some like Berwick and the Isle of Wight and a couple of others are really trying but are being held back by speedway in general in Britain ,nobody seems to know what to do and to me it just feels like we are plodding along , I care deeply about speedway especially in Britain ,that's why I keep mooting any ideas or thoughts on here and Facebook etc , when I read Phillip risings post " it looks like doubling up is here to stay" I just felt like another kick in the balls for fans ,where is our voice ? We don't seem to matter and I think it's just wore me down ,at speedway ,riders are one side of the fence and fans are the other and that is becoming true off the track aswel but the fence seems to getting higher , its speedways job and purpose to make you want attend and for me British speedway isn't doing that

Edited September 6, 2017 by THE DEAN MACHINE

[waytogo28 2,054]

THE DEAN MACHINE wrote " when I read Phillip risings post " it looks like doubling up is here to stay" I just felt like another kick in the ball for fans ,where is our voice ? We don't seem to matter and I think it's just wore me down"

 

I can only agree that this " We don't run speedway for the sake of the fans" seemingly attitude from the BSPA and particularly from Buster as the Chairman. It's certainly worn me as a fan down to the point where I don't want to go to watch any more live in the stadium - in the UK. IF the BSPA do are about the fans then they need to find a much, much more positive way of interacting with and involving them.

[B.V 72 1,054]

 

If that were the case -that it is "just" a re-occuring generation phase speedway is going through, why are there noticeably lower crowds at many ( the majority perhaps ?) of UK tracks. There is a very small, next generation of fans and it is this failure to entice new younger fans ( 20s or 30s ) in reasonable numbers that is the real problem. Of course the play offs will attract a lot of fan fever but just like rider averages, we need to count crowds as an average over the season. The BSPA tinker with rider averages but have made little effort to pump up the crowd levels.

Just a point about the 20s age group I don't know if it was the same for others.But in the late 70s and 80s when I hit my later teens I discovered ladies and night clubs and was missing from the sport until I married and settled down its then I retuned to the sport and have attended ever since.

Could perhaps partly explain the missing numbers in this age group.

[waytogo28 2,054]

I dont think the crowds are any lower then the 90s when I lost my track (Rye House) for almost 10 years. At that point I can remember people back then saying its not like the days of Olsen, Penhall, Carter etc...

British speedway needs major tweaking yes. How people watch live sport has changed yes. Is Speedway in general on a downward spiral? in my opnion absolutely not.

 

It certainly is at King's Lynn where numbers have dropped by at least 25 or 30% in the last three years. I doubt if the average crowd exceeds 1,000 but as Buster doesn't agree with the purpose of them, we will never know. And compared to say 10 years ago there has been a huge decrease in attendances - perhaps 50%.

[RPNY 608]

 

It certainly is at King's Lynn where numbers have dropped by at least 25 or 30% in the last three years. I doubt if the average crowd exceeds 1,000 but as Buster doesn't agree with the purpose of them, we will never know. And compared to say 10 years ago there has been a huge decrease in attendances - perhaps 50%.

You could say that for numerous Football, Rugby & Cricket teams too. Im not saying there isnt a problem Im saying if ANYTHING is run badly it will struggle. On the flip side Rye have had great crowds this year. Im genuinely not trying to annoy you just showing you a different side of the argument.

[boz 316]

I might be one of an odd breed, but I still really enjoy my speedway.

 

It probably helps that my club Redcar have had their best season in years, with good racing and a much improved atmosphere around the club combined with a good increase in crowds.I try not to pay attention to the rules and politics that go on, and just enjoy 4 blokes riding around a track with no brakes.

 

Something definitely needs to be done around the consistency of meetings and riders though. We have been lucky to have a meeting pretty much every week but you see some clubs go 4/5 weeks without a meeting and people just get out of the habit of going. And guests/doubling up/missing riders needs to be sorted or minimized somehow, people want to see the same 7 riders turn up (injuries permitting).

[Fromafar 10,362]

I dont think the crowds are any lower then the 90s when I lost my track (Rye House) for almost 10 years. At that point I can remember people back then saying its not like the days of Olsen, Penhall, Carter etc...

British speedway needs major tweaking yes. How people watch live sport has changed yes. Is Speedway in general on a downward spiral? in my opnion absolutely not.

I think the crowds are lower at a significant number of tracks and how many tracks can say over a season that their crowds have increased( not many I fear) we don't get attendance figures for various reason IMO .While we have all got many gripes ,too me one of the the biggest failing is the fixture list,we need to have regular once a week meetings or people drift away.