In My View By Phil Rising

[steve roberts 9,246]

 

I agree with others, the two plumbers I know earn in excess of 80k a year. Your point about the average wage is one to highlight though and in fact it's worse because that's the average wage and not what the average person may earn. Not for your benefit because I know you know these things but e.g. If 3 people earn 100k and 17 people 13k then the average wage is 26k but the reality is most are on a lot less.

 

I've said it before, as have others but whilst there are some riders who seem to be able to continue riding at lower levels with equipment and vans similar to what the top stars use then I agree with the premise that they are 'overpaid', given the paltry income of many clubs.

Agreed...the dreaded average! It's a way that many statistics are arrived at by using the average and that can be far removed from the reality.

[waytogo28 2,054]

MANY moons ago, and before he was even FIM President, Joe Vaessen gave me a sage piece of advice and something that I have never forgotten....

 

You can keep on cutting costs to save money but sooner or later there will be nothing left to cut and you have to increase revenue.

 

The real answer to British speedway's problems is to increase revenue .., attendances, sponsorship, money raising schemes which often keep small football clubs afloat. But first and foremost the product must be right. Give the fans what they want to see, primarily regular fixtures and teams they can recognise as their own. Then work on bringing in more money by other means. It can be achieved if only those with their hands on the tiller can recognise that.

 

So, virtually all of us see it this way, why is it so difficult for the BSPA to also see it? The sport will go nowhere other than down the pan until they do. And riders need to catch on too or they will have a lot of very expensive kit sitting in the garage unused.

[topaz325 1,856]

I rode there in 99 a few times for Berwick

Sunday August the 1st 1999 8pts from 5 rides

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,741]

Sunday August the 1st 1999 8pts from 5 rides

I was also there on the 3rd may scoring 3+1 from 5 and again on 30th of august riding for Glasgow scoring 2 from 3

[Humphrey Appleby 13,955]

MANY moons ago, and before he was even FIM President, Joe Vaessen gave me a sage piece of advice and something that I have never forgotten....

 

You can keep on cutting costs to save money but sooner or later there will be nothing left to cut and you have to increase revenue.

How did he apply that to Dutch speedway?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

How did he apply that to Dutch speedway?

WHAT'S that got to do with anything?

[Humphrey Appleby 13,955]

WHAT'S that got to do with anything?

Did he practice what he preached?

 

It's a statement of the bleeding obvious that you can't cut costs forever, but it might keep you in business for a while if revenue is dropping with limited prospects for improving the situation. And British speedway is currently in that situation and has the choice between that or going out of business.

 

And I don't recall seeing Jos Vaessen at a Dutch speedway meeting ever.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Did he practice what he preached?

 

It's a statement of the bleeding obvious that you can't cut costs forever, but it might keep you in business for a while if revenue is dropping with limited prospects for improving the situation. And British speedway is currently in that situation and has the choice between that or going out of business.

 

And I don't recall seeing Jos Vaessen at a Dutch speedway meeting ever.

SO you attended every Dutch speedway meeting? He was at many, came to England with a Dutch team, and was heavily involved while also working as a senior minister (transport) in the Dutch government. Of course, he was later CCP President and then President of the whole FIM shooting match.

 

I certainly didn't agree with everything he did (two day WF for one) but he was and still is a man with speedway in his heart and we had a much more influential voice within the FIM when he was in charge. A very impressive, charming and imposing man who stood about 6ft 6ins and talked to all and sundry from a great height. It added to his persona and he was for a long time a great asset for speedway in the corridors of power.

 

As an aside, for many years while in government he was afforded a chauffeur and for much of that time it was former Holland and Wimbledon rider Rudy Muts.

[steve roberts 9,246]

SO you attended every Dutch speedway meeting? He was at many, came to England with a Dutch team, and was heavily involved while also working as a senior minister (transport) in the Dutch government. Of course, he was later CCP President and then President of the whole FIM shooting match.

 

I certainly didn't agree with everything he did (two day WF for one) but he was and still is a man with speedway in his heart and we had a much more influential voice within the FIM when he was in charge. A very impressive, charming and imposing man who stood about 6ft 6ins and talked to all and sundry from a great height. It added to his persona and he was for a long time a great asset for speedway in the corridors of power.

 

As an aside, for many years while in government he was afforded a chauffeur and for much of that time it was former Holland and Wimbledon rider Rudy Muts.

...I think I must be one of the few people who enjoyed the Two Day World Final...but then I was a Hans fan!

[Humphrey Appleby 13,955]

SO you attended every Dutch speedway meeting?

Most if not all from about 1996 to 1999, plus a few grasstracks and ice meetings.

 

But getting back to raising revenue - just how do you propose to do that in speedway? Even the highest level of the sport has struggled to increase revenue beyond a modest point, and is now seeing diminishing returns.

 

Few would disagree that British speedway doesn't help itself, but it's a hard task even for your global marketing genius friends.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Humphrey Appleby

[Trees 2,814]

Getting speedway fans to actually 'share' posts on social media would be a start, so many likes but few shares!

 

Market the riders ala Bruce Penhall?

Edited September 19, 2017 by Trees

[racers and royals 8,727]

...I think I must be one of the few people who enjoyed the Two Day World Final...but then I was a Hans fan!

I did as well- it was Amsterdam remember getting soaked leaving the stadium- Saturday night ?

[Vince 9,458]

you won't get 10kg extra weight without including the engine , the more weight the slower the bike , it will make a difference and because it does it will never happen

 

How about having a minimum stroke and a rev limiter? little point in having light flywheels on a long stroke that's not allowed to rev to death and it's really simple to check.

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,741]

 

How about having a minimum stroke and a rev limiter? little point in having light flywheels on a long stroke that's not allowed to rev to death and it's really simple to check.

easier to check weight but any suggestion that is mooted will be shot down by riders, Rev limiters only work if they are set below 11,000 revs and then they become dangerous , it's unlikely that rev limiter currently used gets hit on British tracks Edited September 19, 2017 by THE DEAN MACHINE

[Lord Skid 425]

Looks like we're still going the other way, latest must have piece of kit is the Karger digital ignition, that's going g to cost a few grand to put on all a Riders bikes.