Kent 2018

[cityrebel 2,960]

NL racing is £16 at Eastbourne including prog, and £15.50 on the island. This seems to be the average price for lower tier speedway in the South East.

[East End Fan 426]

Well, Ben91, I don't know what World you live in, but where I come from I am experiencing price rises in virtually every field.

Fuel, electricity, gas, train fares, rates, etc etc.  Why should we expect Speedway to be so different ? Each stadium suffers price increases

just like households do, relentlessly upwards year on year. How do you suggest they pay their way ?  And, according to the Bank of England,

wages are now increasing faster than inflation.  If your argument was true, and price increases keep fans away, then Speedway promoters should 

only be charging what they did ,say, 10 years ago.  I can't even remember how much that was, but must have been about half what it is now.

That would mean every Speedway in big money trouble.

[flipper11 134]

£16 at Brum, £15.50 at Buxton inc prog so all NL tracks are much the same. Come on what can you buy with £1, half a bag of chips, a can of coke, 3/4 litre of petrol.   I would suggest that an increase of £1 would not put someone off going, all it would do is give someone who does not want to go an excuse.   £16 for a live event is still really good value.   As EEF says everything is going up in price so why shouldn't speedway.

[Ben91 1,743]

8 hours ago, East End Fan said:

Well, Ben91, I don't know what World you live in, but where I come from I am experiencing price rises in virtually every field.

Fuel, electricity, gas, train fares, rates, etc etc.  Why should we expect Speedway to be so different ? Each stadium suffers price increases

just like households do, relentlessly upwards year on year. How do you suggest they pay their way ?  And, according to the Bank of England,

wages are now increasing faster than inflation.  If your argument was true, and price increases keep fans away, then Speedway promoters should 

only be charging what they did ,say, 10 years ago.  I can't even remember how much that was, but must have been about half what it is now.

That would mean every Speedway in big money trouble.

I live in a bouncy castle with a hole in it. There's no inflation. 

Wages are still below inflation. They may be increasing faster than inflation is increasing currently but they are still not in line with inflation. We have no choice but to put up with that in order to run our homes, put fuel in our cars, pay our other bills etc. but going to Speedway (or any form of sport or entertainment) is an optional and often a luxury. We don't have to stump up so that stadium tenants/landlords can pay their bills, we do to pay our own. Therefore it is up to them to bring more people through the gate to pay their bills, or increase prices of course but it is a fine line and one that cannot be pushed too far before you lose more fans than you gain. 

Crowds are visibly dropping from where they were ten years ago at most tracks and prices haven't doubled, particularly in the top two leagues. But the prices increasing each year is certainly a factor in people choosing to no longer attend. 

Speedway is in big money trouble, promotions are often pleading poverty and riders are telling us they need to race for more than one team to pay the bills. That's been the case for quite some time now, I'm not sure how that's passed you by? 

Increasing prices year on year is a short term fix and soon there won't be many fans left willing to pay more than a £1 a heat which is the case in most places now. It simply isn't value for money and people aren't stupid. Promotors needs to promote now. 

[Jonnybegood 257]

Plymouth price is now £12 plus £2.50 for  a programme, last year was unsustainable at £10 plus £2.50 for a programme. Crowd levels this year is similar to last year

[Greg 123]

Well done Kent giving a local lad a chance . 

[Sings4Speedway 3,246]

KENT promoter Len Silver has fired a warning to his current septet that team changes are being considered.

The Kings were demolished 68-21 at Eastbourne on Saturday, a display 86-year-old Silver described as the worst he had seen throughout his extensive time in the sport.

He said: “In all my years as a promoter and manager, I have never suffered a performance from my riders as poor as that at Eastbourne on Saturday.

“While it is true that there were several reasons that would not have been obvious to the onlooker, it does not alter the fact that it was a sad evening of racing for which I apologised to (Eagles chairman) Martin Dugard.

“Chris (Hunt) and I have been frustrated with a wish to make some changes, but with literally no one to call on in the immediate future - although slightly longer-term, we do have a possible choice.”

 

Certainly not surprised at Uncle Len's reaction, i was very fortunate that i didn't travel down for this one and feel for every fan who turned up to see such a non event. I suspect the more established names will be safe enough and eventually forgiven a poor night but Clouting & Hampshire must be hanging on by a thread.  

[TurnTwo 317]

I watched that Andrew Palmer, not heard of him before in the SDL ( more of a spectacle than the main event ) and he looked far better than Clouting he even had Danny Ayres old Kevlar and he actually looks a bit like Danny when he started that very raw upright style. Hampshire surely has to go? Or they put Rowe at 4? I don’t think Rowe has been that potent this year as to what he was scoring last year or maybe I am expecting to much of him because of his progression last year, as well as that is Nathan Stoneman I think is what this team swings on, he can score 15 or he can score 4 all out or all on the floor true racer but unfortunately still very prone to a crash even removing those 3 can you see anyone better? What about cockle? 

[ancient mariner 540]

16 minutes ago, TurnTwo said:

I watched that Andrew Palmer, not heard of him before in the SDL ( more of a spectacle than the main event ) and he looked far better than Clouting he even had Danny Ayres old Kevlar and he actually looks a bit like Danny when he started that very raw upright style. Hampshire surely has to go? Or they put Rowe at 4? I don’t think Rowe has been that potent this year as to what he was scoring last year or maybe I am expecting to much of him because of his progression last year, as well as that is Nathan Stoneman I think is what this team swings on, he can score 15 or he can score 4 all out or all on the floor true racer but unfortunately still very prone to a crash even removing those 3 can you see anyone better? What about cockle? 

You're not that desperate surely?

[East End Fan 426]

Been a spectator at many of Silver's tracks over years and years. I have never known him to criticise his riders in any serious form. It is not

his style. So these comments about the Kings at Eastbourne must indicate a real unhappiness with his riders.  My own thoughts are that the

Kings looked good on paper at the start of the season and the inclusion of Hampshire looked like an ace move. Sadly the reverse is true and

I am surprised that he is still in the team. Mind you, I've been thinking about who could come in and I can't see anyone who is available and who

would fit.  I've got plenty of time for Stoneman who is as brave as they come and always gives it 110%, but does have too many falls for his own good.

 

[cityrebel 2,960]

Should have snapped up Bowtell before he moved to the island. What about George Hunter, or has he retired.

 

[Sings4Speedway 3,246]

Think to shake things up in the short term a change of riding order may help? Thomas at 5, switch Hampshire & Rowe but these are short term items. Im not Stonemans greatest fan as he falls too often but can score big and is a Len type of rider. The fact that Birmingham opted against Hampshire says a lot over the winter and has proved a wise decision for them however i don't see many options for Kent at the moment, Nick Laurence or Jamie Couzins who performed well in the recent SDL match may be an option for Clouting who has been thrown into the league to early and is very uncomfortable to watch on the bike.  

The fact is that Kent have neither the best heatleader trio, best engine room or best reserves in the league but hopefully one meeting aside they can continue to provide some entertainment this season but forget about any silverware.

[*JJ 510]

40 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

 The fact that Birmingham opted against Hampshire says a lot over the winter and has proved a wise decision for them

Did Birmingham really 'opted against' Hampshire, or did he decide to go to Kent himself? If he rides like he did last year, I would have him back like a shot.

[Sings4Speedway 3,246]

Hampshire or Cupitt........ that's like the choice between getting kicked in the knackers by a wellington or football boot...

[East End Fan 426]

I did not know much about Hampshire last year as I rarely go to Birmingham.  But he did score some very big scores at Kent at the end of last

year, so it was no surprise that he signed for them. Does occasionally show glimpses of brilliance, but on the whole looks unhappy on the bike.