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The continuing decline of Speedway

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25 minutes ago, DSC67 said:

Wasn't there a " robbery "  there  when the evenings takings from a meeting where stollen ? 

That happened during the night of the abandoned WCQR there in 1991, which had MIchael Lee riding in it.

 

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6 hours ago, steve roberts said:

 

Let's face it if Wrestling can be branded as a sport and featured on a Sports Channel then there's an opportunity for all sorts of activities being televised in the name of sport with the right backing and/or marketing and/or incentive.

Well I saw they were packing out arenas with people watching others play video games and now a couple of days ago whilst going through the channels I caught a bit of the Drone Champions League,where people race drones through a course set out through bouncy castle type obstacles

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4 hours ago, iris123 said:

Well I saw they were packing out arenas with people watching others play video games and now a couple of days ago whilst going through the channels I caught a bit of the Drone Champions League,where people race drones through a course set out through bouncy castle type obstacles

Far more exciting than the average UK speedway meeting and far cheaper to stage.

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You can't commit full effort to everything you do, so why should speedway riders be able to do it. They often have numerous clubs, so which one isn't getting their full whack. Is it Britain, Sweden - where I've heard they can earn 10 times more? Surely let's look at the crowds. I know this isn't the main cause, but Sweden and Poland seem to be enjoying their speedway judging by their attendances. Have we in this country been left as third choice, riders perhaps using their tired mood to race in this league and not trying as hard. It all adds up. Deep inside their minds, British fans wonder if their rider loves their club as much as their Swedish or Polish one. Then the fan begins to think... "why should I support my club?" They aren't my team, just agency boys on another paypacket. I told someone the other day about some of speedway's problems - and they laughed about the rules they allow. Never mind about fans being disillusioned - do the riders feel less energised to actually put in a full effort when a stadium is almost empty? It says a bit about where we are. You need a crowd, a bit of banter. You need tribalism, otherwise, you have no need to cheer. Riders need to marry into a one-team ethic, otherwise they can wander off and ply their trades in foreign climbs. British speedway needs to save itself. One big league, proper rules, one-club men, a sense that fans are supporting a set of lads and this set of lads wants to repay that set of fans. Simple. 

Edited by moxey63
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9 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Never mind about fans being disillusioned - do the riders feel less energised to actually put in a full effort when a stadium is almost empty?

I very much feel that way about many riders and 90% do accept that if they are not in a scoring position coming out of the 2nd bend, first lap - there is little point in fighting tigerishly for a point they are unlikely to get. In UK racing on UK tracks that looks to be very much the case from this side of the fence.

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I don't think riders loves their clubs and I also doubt that riders earn 10x more in Sweden then in England. 

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When you can sometimes have weeks without a meeting, of course riders are going to look elsewhere to earn some money. Are they supposed to sit at home with their bikes all ready waiting for British clubs to sort out the calendar?

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10 minutes ago, Jonny the spud said:

When you can sometimes have weeks without a meeting, of course riders are going to look elsewhere to earn some money. Are they supposed to sit at home with their bikes all ready waiting for British clubs to sort out the calendar?

Why are there weeks without meetings?  

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11 hours ago, moxey63 said:

That happened during the night of the abandoned WCQR there in 1991, which had MIchael Lee riding in it.

 

...same sort of thing happened during Bill Barker's reign at King's Lynn when 'apparently' the takings were stolen from his home...alegedly.

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24 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...same sort of thing happened during Bill Barker's reign at King's Lynn when 'apparently' the takings were stolen from his home...alegedly.

:t:

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1 hour ago, keepturningleft said:

One big league.

Semi-professional status.

Thursday-Sunday race nights only.

No GP riders.

 

whilst i agree in principal, what you suggest would not exclude GP riders only but anyone who rides in Poland. Which is fine by me, just pointing it out

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11 hours ago, moxey63 said:

That happened during the night of the abandoned WCQR there in 1991, which had MIchael Lee riding in it.

 

I'm pretty sure it was the British quarter final, that was abandoned due to a power cut. I remember going to the restaging on a Sunday that was won by Andy Grahame.

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On 7/7/2018 at 6:12 PM, New Science said:

Ok the London Lions who rode at Hackney. The point is still valid, people are misguided if they think there is a huge speedway fan base in London.

I have to agree, I know very few. The population has changed so much over the last 20 years, with a lot of Londoners moving out. I migrated to Surrey a couple of years ago, but I still work in London.

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2 hours ago, moxey63 said:

You can't commit full effort to everything you do, so why should speedway riders be able to do it. They often have numerous clubs, so which one isn't getting their full whack. Is it Britain, Sweden - where I've heard they can earn 10 times more? Surely let's look at the crowds. I know this isn't the main cause, but Sweden and Poland seem to be enjoying their speedway judging by their attendances. Have we in this country been left as third choice, riders perhaps using their tired mood to race in this league and not trying as hard. It all adds up. Deep inside their minds, British fans wonder if their rider loves their club as much as their Swedish or Polish one. Then the fan begins to think... "why should I support my club?" They aren't my team, just agency boys on another paypacket. I told someone the other day about some of speedway's problems - and they laughed about the rules they allow. Never mind about fans being disillusioned - do the riders feel less energised to actually put in a full effort when a stadium is almost empty? It says a bit about where we are. You need a crowd, a bit of banter. You need tribalism, otherwise, you have no need to cheer. Riders need to marry into a one-team ethic, otherwise they can wander off and ply their trades in foreign climbs. British speedway needs to save itself. One big league, proper rules, one-club men, a sense that fans are supporting a set of lads and this set of lads wants to repay that set of fans. Simple. 

I can't be having this idea that's fans can't identify with their team because they ride for other clubs. Its 2018 riders ride all over Europe for various clubs. Bartosz Zmarzlik is hero worshiped in Gorzow. Do anybody have a problem that he rides for Elit Vetlanda ? No , its just part of modern speedway. The days of top British riders like Michael Lee just riding in Britain for 1 team are gone, we need to get used to it, its not going to change.

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