Pay Rates Mystery

[Guest]

Pay rates have certainly moved on from those for the old 1954 Southern Area League. Then it was 35p a point and no start money. But the good point was a rider was guaranteed a minimum of £1.50p a meeting.

[martinmauger 584]

Prob already mentioned, but no one forces anyone else to ride speedway all riders have their reasons for doing so. Reckon it costs £100+ just to turn up with one bike and put it on the track: vehicle fuel + new rear tyre + racing fuel & oil + chain oil + tear offs / goggle lenses + cleaning of bike & riding gear + servicing (cost divided by races), etc. Multiply by no. of bikes and add more vehicle fuel for greater distance travelled. Then factor in time spent 'prepping' the bike + time spent travelling. This assuming the bike hasn't required attention beforehand i.e crash damage, parts replacing, etc. As stated it's human nature not to divulge payments and also to aquiere as much payment as possible. Won't comment on possible greedy riders, but any who make a profit from riding speedway, good luck to them.

Edited October 19, 2017 by Martin Mauger

[The Master 88 10]

Prob already mentioned, but no one forces anyone else to ride speedway all riders have their reasons for doing so. Reckon it costs £100+ just to turn up with one bike and put it on the track: vehicle fuel + new rear tyre + racing fuel & oil + chain oil + tear offs / goggle lenses + cleaning of bike & riding gear + servicing (cost divided by races), etc. Multiply by no. of bikes and add more vehicle fuel for greater distance travelled. Then factor in time spent 'prepping' the bike + time spent travelling. This assuming the bike hasn't required attention beforehand i.e crash damage, parts replacing, etc. As stated it's human nature not to divulge payments and also to aquiere as much payment as possible. Won't comment on possible greedy riders, but any who make a profit from riding speedway, good luck to them.

Tyres, Fuel and Oil, Travel expenses are all covered by club or club Sponsors Normally, But all the other Mechanics pay, Gym membership, Additional Buildings ( no top level rider works out of a Garage anymore) plus all the running costs of that,

You have also have to realise it costs about 25k plus every Feb to start rebuilding and getting ready for the next year.

[ch958 2,393]

Tyres, Fuel and Oil, Travel expenses are all covered by club or club Sponsors Normally, But all the other Mechanics pay, Gym membership, Additional Buildings ( no top level rider works out of a Garage anymore) plus all the running costs of that,

You have also have to realise it costs about 25k plus every Feb to start rebuilding and getting ready for the next year.

there's a big part of the problem there - a way has to be found to make that sum smaller - i don'tknow how - needs a person who knows about the bikes. Be interesting what percentage of income goes on kit. Somebody needs to grasp the costs nettle and grasp it hard

[The Master 88 10]

If you take a average rider riding in 2 leagues, Generally that would be 4-5 bikes plus spares, Each engine CAN cost about 1-2k to be tuned, Plus all the extras, Not many riders use stock Handlebars, grips, chains, sprockets, Clutches, Clutch plates, seats mudguards, covers all have own preference or design, so that's extra, Kevlar's / Nylons 400-800 pounds a set normally 4 sets for 2 leagues, Helmets, minimum 2, 200-800, Gloves at least 5 pairs, Goggles at least 6 pairs, plus spares, Boots 2 pairs, Steel shoe some get old ones replated buts that's down to personal preference again, most other stuff should last year in year out, Body belt, Body armour, roll necks, face masks.

Vans don't last and need to be kitted out with bike rack, shelving, wheel holders etc.

 

And don't forget Personal insurance, for you and the race team, Van insurance, 50k a year mileage, multiply drivers that's high, All the bikes need insuring these days from Theft.

Yes you build up a stock of spares, but also take into account about 50 quid on Nuts and bolts a year, rubber washers, use once throw away, tool boxes, the list is amazing and very long.

[mikebv 10,235]

Spoke about 3 years ago with a sponsor of a rider who was at the time at a good HL level in both Leagues and rode only in Britain..

 

He earned between £90 - £95k from riding...

 

"Not much left" after paying out for kit and the general everyday cost of 12 months living was the comment..

 

Outlay was approx £20 - £25k each season for total start up to buy three new bikes and equip van with spare equipment etc..

 

This was offset to a degree by selling off the bikes at the end of the Season, but obviously this doesn't bring in the same value and would often only cover the years additional running costs of fuel, tuning, insurance etc etc

 

Obviously riders as we know could take other jobs during the winter, but many don't so rely solely on Speedways income..

 

Didn't Woffy say a couple of years ago in an interview that his costs were well over £100k a year?

 

Need a fair old income to do that...

Edited October 20, 2017 by mikebv

[clambo71 136]

What is the truth about "poor old riders" - are they driving home with nowt in their pockets after a hard night's racing?

If only we knew? No-one is prepared to break the Code of Silence over even basic pay rates are they? But they can't be too bad and doubling up riders must be well off. With what I have heard as £100 a point ( no idea if start money is now paid ) at Championship level and £200 per point ( minimum ) at Premier league level.. It looks as if no doubling up rider is earning less than £250,000 gross income per season from riding speedway - plus whatever income he can glean from sponsors ( which in some cases can be very considerable ). Yes, of course Development League riders who do not get paid could do with anything in the way of sponsorship. Let's hear about pay rates from someone in the know?

What I can tell you.I know a top NL rider who scores double points home and away who has sold his van and is going to get himself a proper job. He says he does'nt earn enough to risk life and limb every week.

[Sings4Speedway 3,246]

What I can tell you.I know a top NL rider who scores double points home and away who has sold his van and is going to get himself a proper job. He says he does'nt earn enough to risk life and limb every week.

 

Nothing against this mystery rider but here lays the majority of the problem. NL riders should be looking at their earnings as subsidising a sport they enjoy whilst still holding down a full/part time job. Riders of higher divisions and with more matches to complete are fully entitled to be a full time rider but should only be looking to cover the costs of living & racing a sport they enjoy. Everyone would love the opportunity to be paid to do the thing they love most but there are far too many riders trying to make a fortune out of the sport rather than embracing the opportunity to be paid to do something they enjoy and are good at.

[iris123 20,922]

 

Nothing against this mystery rider but here lays the majority of the problem. NL riders should be looking at their earnings as subsidising a sport they enjoy whilst still holding down a full/part time job. Riders of higher divisions and with more matches to complete are fully entitled to be a full time rider but should only be looking to cover the costs of living & racing a sport they enjoy. Everyone would love the opportunity to be paid to do the thing they love most but there are far too many riders trying to make a fortune out of the sport rather than embracing the opportunity to be paid to do something they enjoy and are good at.

Exactly.Do people think club athletes or table tennis players live off earnings from their sport?These people might compete in leagues,but they are all low level leagues and not top professional ones and have to have a job to live from.Years ago riders in the second tier often had jobs to suplement their earnings.Now it seems riders in the third tier expect to be professionals living off earnings from the sport alone.Unrealistic!!!

Edited October 20, 2017 by iris123

[INCOGNITO 357]

Each rider is different and while one rider may earn more per point than another, he may not be any better off as the other rider could have sponsors that helps him out so his running costs are lower.

 

It was well speculated that Matej Zagar got a minimum of £4,000 a night at Belle Vue and didn't have to ride in heat 14 if it didn't alter the result of the meeting and he wasn't the top earner in the top league. However in Sweden he would be on somewhere double that and even more in Poland where there are riders over £1,000 a point.

 

 

So basically Rider A could get paid £1,500 for scoring 9 points and Rider B earned £1,300 but with costs, Rider A has made £500 profit and Rider B has gained £700 profit. Meanwhile Rider C will be just about making £200 a meeting profit and back to work in the morning.

[waytogo28 2,054]

Spoke about 3 years ago with a sponsor of a rider who was at the time at a good HL level in both Leagues and rode only in Britain..

 

He earned between £90 - £95k from riding...

 

"Not much left" after paying out for kit and the general everyday cost of 12 months living was the comment..

 

Outlay was approx £20 - £25k each season for total start up to buy three new bikes and equip van with spare equipment etc..

 

This was offset to a degree by selling off the bikes at the end of the Season, but obviously this doesn't bring in the same value and would often only cover the years additional running costs of fuel, tuning, insurance etc etc

 

Obviously riders as we know could take other jobs during the winter, but many don't so rely solely on Speedways income..

 

Didn't Woffy say a couple of years ago in an interview that his costs were well over £100k a year?

 

Need a fair old income to do that...

 

And that £90k was not added to by the sponsor? I thought a sponsor/s might well cover a lot of or even all of his kit?

 

I can't imagine that Woffy has much less than £500k net income per season including sponsorship income and it could easily be nearer £1,000,000. The sky is the limit for established world class riders who have "made it" in Poland.

[clambo71 136]

Nothing against this mystery rider but here lays the majority of the problem. NL riders should be looking at their earnings as subsidising a sport they enjoy whilst still holding down a full/part time job. Riders of higher divisions and with more matches to complete are fully entitled to be a full time rider but should only be looking to cover the costs of living & racing a sport they enjoy. Everyone would love the opportunity to be paid to do the thing they love most but there are far too many riders trying to make a fortune out of the sport rather than embracing the opportunity to be paid to do something they enjoy and are good at.

could not disagree more the problem is clubs insisting on riding seven days a week.

Try holding down a job and asking the boss for time off sometimes three times a week to compete from

Manchester to Plymouth to Kent and all points inbetween. I once worked with a cyclist who rode for GB

abroad and allways used his holidays to compete. Then one year two international competitions came in the

same year ,he used his holidays for the first one and asked for time off for the second,they refused and told him

if he competed he would lose his job.And that was to ride in something like the Olympic games what chance a rider in the

third tier an a minority sport like speedway.

[waco 1,026]

Most riders negotiate their own pay rate which varies considerably according to ability and regulated by promoters income which also varies from track to track ,and league they are in,,...Those on the lowest rates could not survive without sponsers and outside help..

Edited October 20, 2017 by waco

[martinmauger 584]

Riding speedway sounds like beer & skittles basically, but being a motorsport it can go wrong very quickly. One bad spill and bike can be written off, along with a month or so of earnings. Then when repaired or replaced the rider may not score as well due to resulting niggling injuries (often the worst to get over) and / or the 'new' bike may not rerform as well as the previous one. Spoke end of season to one rider (name witheld but a Premier League 2nd string) who admitted his scoring had tailed off somewhat, team doing zip so no real biggie. His only bike needed a tune / service and he had a buyer lined up who was aware of the impending service, but if he crashed or blew the bike up the sale would fall through and with it his chance to break even over the season. He was reluctant to tune his existing bike or replace it without a firm team offer for the next season. This wasn't forthcoming and so the rider sold his bike and all other speedway equipment and retired and does a more conventional job, though is still seen at tracks from time to time. Probably happens more than one might otherwise think....

[Fromafar 10,331]

There are plenty riders make a lot more money than the average 9-5 jobs person.Not bad for 10 min racing a week ,remember this is a sport they are not forced to do it for a living.