In My View By Phil Rising

[Skidder1 7,632]

I might be imagining this but wasn't there talk at the start of the season of appointing an 'independent' Chief Executive of the BSPA??

[Red Flag 454]

I can't remember all the details so don't bother shooting me down, was it Connor Dwyer that said in a SS article recently that about 2 years ago he signed for Coventry Storm and packed up his job to concentrate on Speedway!!! Really?? Now he is still a reserve in the National League although steadily progressing, says it all I think

[ancient mariner 540]

THE DEAN MACHINE, on 08 Sept 2017 - 12:09 PM, said:

I've watched all the "back to the future " films but all that happened when I drove my van down a street at 80mph in a thunder storm was I got a speeding ticket

 

 

Shakes head, if only you'd got it up to 88mph, it would have been a different outcome !

 

Rico

 

A ban?

Edited September 8, 2017 by ancient mariner

[ruckerroo 792]

in the uk what would be top whack points money for a rider these days ?

[TonyMac 720]

If riders with an inflated view of their own value demand to be paid more that current crowd levels sensibly allow, promoters should respond by offering them an incentive based on attendances. 'You ride for X when crowd levels are less than 700, 'Y' if they are between 700 and 1,000, and your pay increases to 'Z' more if the figure exceeds 1,000.

 

It's not widely known that King's Lynn had this amicable deal with Terry Betts throughout his Saddlebow Road heyday. When Bettsy first agreed to join Lynn in 1966 (when they first became BL1 members after a year on open licence), he had the foresight and belief in his ability to put a price on his worth by riding for standard points and start money PLUS bonuses based on the Lynn attendance.

 

He might have been a flop and not benefited at all from this private arrangement with his employers. But as it turned out he literally became THE Super Star the fans and the management adored.

 

Terry was rewarded accordingly for doing more than any other KL rider to attract good (profitable) crowds for Maury Littlechild & Cyril Crane over more than a decade. In turn, they were happy to reward him for his efforts and pulling power. A win-win arrangement.

 

It's a very simple equation: promoters should only pay riders what the speedway club can afford. To pay over the odds when crowds are dwindling is a path to financial ruin.

 

It's no good a rider, including current Premiership number ones, making unreasonable demands on promoters based on how good they THINK they are, and how they need to finance a team of mechanics, three bikes, fancy vans and what have you. Truth is, for all their admirable bravery, they are only as good as the number of people who pay to watch them. Around 100,000 fans come to watch Ronaldo play at Real Madrid. How many pay to watch the best in British speedway?

 

(Oh, and Bettsy ran a successful garage business alongside his racing career as a British League No.1, England star, 2 x GB World Cup winner and World Pairs champion.)

Edited September 8, 2017 by tmc

[Stoke Potter 242]

It's an interesting point about the demands of today's riders.

I'd question if any of them have actually ridden in the era when speedway clubs were viable.

Any clubs been viable in the last 10-20 years? Poole? Anyone else..?

[The White Knight 9,039]

It's an interesting point about the demands of today's riders.

I'd question if any of them have actually ridden in the era when speedway clubs were viable.

Any clubs been viable in the last 10-20 years? Poole? Anyone else..?

A very good question that.

 

I await the answer with interest.

[f-s-p 832]

It's an interesting point about the demands of today's riders.

I'd question if any of them have actually ridden in the era when speedway clubs were viable.

Any clubs been viable in the last 10-20 years? Poole? Anyone else..?

There has to be more because there are more clubs than Poole still in the game and regurarly new "promoters" buy clubs to come in.

[The White Knight 9,039]

There has to be more because there are more clubs than Poole still in the game and regurarly new "promoters" buy clubs to come in.

Perhaps those Businessmen who do come in are prepared to stand the losses. Fund the losses from their Businesses.

[Vincent Blachshadow 2,925]

I feel that part of the reason the wishes some fans have aren’t played out is they show little sign they would bend to change, even if it was the change they wished for.

 

Not to push at a wound, but I doubt many people would alter or bend their business model in the hope they might attract fans who haven’t attended for 5 + years – I do understand why it gets to a stage where the sport might feel it’s time to cut such groups off and move in other directions.

 

I am highly sceptical of the idea the removal of Play Offs and Double Points tactical riders puts 100 + fans into stadiums every week

 

I still feel that those are just the type of people that would swell the crowds. It's far easier to get somebody that liked (possibly still likes) the sport back through the turnstyles of speedway tracks than entice somebody who, for whatever reason, hasn't bothered about it so far in their lives. An alteration they know nothing about isn't going to get somebody who previously didn't give a toss through the gate. If you can't get those that care about the sport to attend what chance do you have with those that don't care.

 

I believe most newbies are introduced to the sport by current devotees and most youngsters are offspring or grand-offspring of speedway fans.

 

The other week I visited the home of an old friend (through speedway) who hadn't been to a speedway match in this country for a few years (yet still attends meetings on trips abroad) but still has a look at this forum, because I was off to a meeting fairly close to his home the next day. Whilst I was there he lit his barbie and invited a neighbour along. We had a chat about speedway and he agreed to come with me and Mrs B the next day, as did his wife. The neighbour? Not interested, and despite what we said, he still thinks its a dirty, smelly, noisy pastime that takes place in antiquated stadia (we obviously weren't in Manchester) and he has no interest in watching four blokes on motorbikes going round an oval track and, as everybody knows, first onto the back straight invariably wins.

 

I have every confidence that the ex-attendee will be going along to a few matches next year, all being well.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Vincent Blackshadow

[steve roberts 9,242]

If riders with an inflated view of their own value demand to be paid more that current crowd levels sensibly allow, promoters should respond by offering them an incentive based on attendances. 'You ride for X when crowd levels are less than 700, 'Y' if they are between 700 and 1,000, and your pay increases to 'Z' more if the figure exceeds 1,000.

 

It's not widely known that King's Lynn had this amicable deal with Terry Betts throughout his Saddlebow Road heyday. When Bettsy first agreed to join Lynn in 1966 (when they first became BL1 members after a year on open licence), he had the foresight and belief in his ability to put a price on his worth by riding for standard points and start money PLUS bonuses based on the Lynn attendance.

 

He might have been a flop and not benefited at all from this private arrangement with his employers. But as it turned out he literally became THE Super Star the fans and the management adored.

 

Terry was rewarded accordingly for doing more than any other KL rider to attract good (profitable) crowds for Maury Littlechild & Cyril Crane over more than a decade. In turn, they were happy to reward him for his efforts and pulling power. A win-win arrangement.

 

It's a very simple equation: promoters should only pay riders what the speedway club can afford. To pay over the odds when crowds are dwindling is a path to financial ruin.

 

It's no good a rider, including current Premiership number ones, making unreasonable demands on promoters based on how good they THINK they are, and how they need to finance a team of mechanics, three bikes, fancy vans and what have you. Truth is, for all their admirable bravery, they are only as good as the number of people who pay to watch them. Around 100,000 fans come to watch Ronaldo play at Real Madrid. How many pay to watch the best in British speedway?

 

(Oh, and Bettsy ran a successful garage business alongside his racing career as a British League No.1, England star, 2 x GB World Cup winner and World Pairs champion.)

Excellent post!

[f-s-p 832]

Perhaps those Businessmen who do come in are prepared to stand the losses. Fund the losses from their Businesses.

Might be some truth in that. But maybe the people that come in, having seen the books and all, having a vision instead of your "it's just downhill and nice and negative cos actually I know jackrubbish" like people, there might still be a future if and when things actually get done?

[Fromafar 10,334]

in the uk what would be top whack points money for a rider these days ?

Dont know,but think you might get a shock if somebody did tell.

[mikebv 10,242]

If riders with an inflated view of their own value demand to be paid more that current crowd levels sensibly allow, promoters should respond by offering them an incentive based on attendances. 'You ride for X when crowd levels are less than 700, 'Y' if they are between 700 and 1,000, and your pay increases to 'Z' more if the figure exceeds 1,000.

 

It's not widely known that King's Lynn had this amicable deal with Terry Betts throughout his Saddlebow Road heyday. When Bettsy first agreed to join Lynn in 1966 (when they first became BL1 members after a year on open licence), he had the foresight and belief in his ability to put a price on his worth by riding for standard points and start money PLUS bonuses based on the Lynn attendance.

 

He might have been a flop and not benefited at all from this private arrangement with his employers. But as it turned out he literally became THE Super Star the fans and the management adored.

 

Terry was rewarded accordingly for doing more than any other KL rider to attract good (profitable) crowds for Maury Littlechild & Cyril Crane over more than a decade. In turn, they were happy to reward him for his efforts and pulling power. A win-win arrangement.

 

It's a very simple equation: promoters should only pay riders what the speedway club can afford. To pay over the odds when crowds are dwindling is a path to financial ruin.

 

It's no good a rider, including current Premiership number ones, making unreasonable demands on promoters based on how good they THINK they are, and how they need to finance a team of mechanics, three bikes, fancy vans and what have you. Truth is, for all their admirable bravery, they are only as good as the number of people who pay to watch them. Around 100,000 fans come to watch Ronaldo play at Real Madrid. How many pay to watch the best in British speedway?

 

(Oh, and Bettsy ran a successful garage business alongside his racing career as a British League No.1, England star, 2 x GB World Cup winner and World Pairs champion.)

Great post...

 

Performance Related Pay....

 

Works very well!..

 

Many Promoters often bemoan..

 

"A losing team loses fans and winning at home is key to crowd levels"..

 

Well pay your riders accordingly...

 

A win bonus and a bonus for fan base...

 

eg No1 wants say £200 a point then its agreed he gets it only if they win, his basic is £150 a point and he gets his bonus paid on victory..

 

eg2, A club I presume bases it's budget on expected income based on previous average crowd level info, therefore, if the average being used is 1000 fans then agree with the riders that if they get this figure to 1200 they then share 100 fans worth of attendance money.

 

And every 100 further increase in attendance delivered the same deal..

 

It would maybe even bond the team together as a collective which must be hard at present to do with the riders riding for so many different teams..

Edited September 9, 2017 by mikebv

[racers and royals 8,717]

Great post...

 

Performance Related Pay....

 

Works very well!..

 

Many Promoters often bemoan..

 

"A losing team loses fans and winning at home is key to crowd levels"..

 

Well pay your riders accordingly...

 

A win bonus and a bonus for fan base...

 

eg No1 wants say £200 a point then its agreed he gets it only if they win, his basic is £150 a point and he gets his bonus paid on victory..

 

eg2, A club I presume bases it's budget on expected income based on previous average crowd level info, therefore, if the average being used is 1000 fans then agree with the riders that if they get this figure to 1200 they then share 100 fans worth of attendance money.

 

And every 100 further increase in attendance delivered the same deal..

 

It would maybe even bond the team together as a collective which must be hard at present to do with the riders riding for so many different teams..

I can just imagine it- the riders pay is part dependant on a crowd of 1000 plus. 1st week "sorry boys 980" 2nd week "sorry boys 970" etc etc