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The continuing decline of Speedway

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The point that orion makes about the play offs bringing extra support and keeping the season alive is correct.

However the extra numbers through the turnstiles for the playoffs mask the major issues speedway has. Because of the way the sport is set up to run with doubling up etc those new comers come to see the event and not to support the local team as there is no longer any bond between the riders and club and the wider local community.

The extra numbers don't turn up again until the club reaches the play offs or a cup final again. 

Take Ipswich last season Foxhall was packed for the play off final v Peterborough the meeting was fantastic and the atmosphere was superb. That was my 2nd meeting of 2017  I and the old gang and several new comers made our group 21 strong. We couldn't explain to the newcomers that Nicholls had ridden for both teams in the final and that half the Ipswich team also rode for Leicester.

This season none of the 21 have returned with the exception of myself who went along on Thursday with a work colleague to see Drew Kemp make his debut. 

After Thursdays going on its quite clear that in 2018 the riders don't give a s##t about the supporters and the clubs they see it just as a pay cheque.

Add that to the shambles the BSPA have made of running the sport in the UK the out of control doubling up and guest situation. The whole thing is a recipe for disaster. 

The opinion of several on here is that the moaners and those wanting to turn the clock back have been watching speedway for 60 or 70 years and just want the old days back. Well I first went to Ipswich at the age of 11had years of following the team all over the country. 

As I said I attended twice last year and because of the farce of Thursday rain off ( cook and Schlien hold your heads in shame) have yet to see a meeting this year. I want the sport to become a proper team sport with no doubling up eventually no guests but in the mean time tight controls on guests. 

I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me. 

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17 minutes ago, Spl77 said:

The point that orion makes about the play offs bringing extra support and keeping the season alive is correct.

However the extra numbers through the turnstiles for the playoffs mask the major issues speedway has. Because of the way the sport is set up to run with doubling up etc those new comers come to see the event and not to support the local team as there is no longer any bond between the riders and club and the wider local community.

The extra numbers don't turn up again until the club reaches the play offs or a cup final again. 

Take Ipswich last season Foxhall was packed for the play off final v Peterborough the meeting was fantastic and the atmosphere was superb. That was my 2nd meeting of 2017  I and the old gang and several new comers made our group 21 strong. We couldn't explain to the newcomers that Nicholls had ridden for both teams in the final and that half the Ipswich team also rode for Leicester.

This season none of the 21 have returned with the exception of myself who went along on Thursday with a work colleague to see Drew Kemp make his debut. 

After Thursdays going on its quite clear that in 2018 the riders don't give a s##t about the supporters and the clubs they see it just as a pay cheque.

Add that to the shambles the BSPA have made of running the sport in the UK the out of control doubling up and guest situation. The whole thing is a recipe for disaster. 

The opinion of several on here is that the moaners and those wanting to turn the clock back have been watching speedway for 60 or 70 years and just want the old days back. Well I first went to Ipswich at the age of 11had years of following the team all over the country. 

As I said I attended twice last year and because of the farce of Thursday rain off ( cook and Schlien hold your heads in shame) have yet to see a meeting this year. I want the sport to become a proper team sport with no doubling up eventually no guests but in the mean time tight controls on guests. 

I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me. 

And there was me thinking it was all good at Ipswich with the promotion doing a great job and the Ipswich fans flocking in! 

Clearly your Group of mates just want to see the big meetings, that won't keep the club alive!  Bloody Ipswich haven't got to worry about doubling up, it's only Premiership clubs with those problems and guests have always been a thing in speedway, no fan would be happy to have an injured heat leader replaced with a number 8 after all etc

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Far from it the doubling up and guest fest drove us away in the end! But funny how all I wrote became I only attend big meetings and no mention of why I no loner attend week in week out...... That's speedway issue all over 

The promotion are doing a good job especially the tie up with the football club. At the end of the day they can only promote the product which in 2018 is very poor relation of circa 1989. My opinion I know

Edited by Spl77

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43 minutes ago, Spl77 said:

I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me.

Well said mate! I am sure you are right, there are many missing regularly like yourself who include the much needed next generation. I am a well turned off fan who has been watching in the previous 7 decades. That makes me an old moaner in the eyes of many who say I want the sport to turn back the clock. The only "turning back" I want is for speedway to give as much excitement on track as it used to do but the way it is run in the UK nowadays the only way is down. Down in interest by many and down in numbers paying to watch regularly as the last 10 years have shown. Av great pity as the sport could still have much to offer that " new generation " of fans. Can't see them finding out what  it's all about though.

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17 minutes ago, Spl77 said:

Far from it the doubling up and guest fest drove us away in the end! But funny how all I wrote became I only attend big meetings and no mention of why I no loner attend week in week out...... That's speedway issue all over 

The promotion are doing a good job especially the tie up with the football club. At the end of the day they can only promote the product which in 2018 is very poor relation of circa 1989. My opinion I know

You said yourself the play off mtg last year was only your second mtg of the year, first for a load of your mates did u not? So why did you all turn up then, cos it was a biggie? Were there any double uppers n guests involved in the mtg, no doubt? Did it spoil the mtg or were you just cheering on the guys in red n blue? 

Everyone loves a play off as there is so much at stake but the clubs have to reach the them via the bread and butter mtgs, no doubling up isn't ideal but something I can put out of my mind when supporting the Stars 100% cos for that 2 hours they are my team, they are giving 100% effort for the Stars! There's nothing we can do about guests, injuries are part of the game, like I say what fan would be happy for a heat leaders' races to be taken by a junior? 

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9 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

Well said mate! I am sure you are right, there are many missing regularly like yourself who include the much needed next generation. I am a well turned off fan who has been watching in the previous 7 decades. That makes me an old moaner in the eyes of many who say I want the sport to turn back the clock. The only "turning back" I want is for speedway to give as much excitement on track as it used to do but the way it is run in the UK nowadays the only way is down. Down in interest by many and down in numbers paying to watch regularly as the last 10 years have shown. Av great pity as the sport could still have much to offer that " new generation " of fans. Can't see them finding out what  it's all about though.

Handicap racing? 

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2 minutes ago, Trees said:

Handicap racing? 

Just posted in No Word from the BSPA, agreeing with you as to what is needed. handicap racing ( whether riders like it or not ) and standardised bikes. Must give the paying punters more of interest and thrills on track, if there is any hope of attracting new ones.

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33 minutes ago, Trees said:

You said yourself the play off mtg last year was only your second mtg of the year, first for a load of your mates did u not? So why did you all turn up then, cos it was a biggie? Were there any double uppers n guests involved in the mtg, no doubt? Did it spoil the mtg or were you just cheering on the guys in red n blue? 

Everyone loves a play off as there is so much at stake but the clubs have to reach the them via the bread and butter mtgs, no doubling up isn't ideal but something I can put out of my mind when supporting the Stars 100% cos for that 2 hours they are my team, they are giving 100% effort for the Stars! There's nothing we can do about guests, injuries are part of the game, like I say what fan would be happy for a heat leaders' races to be taken by a junior? 

Yep and the first was a damp nasty evening in April with about 800 others. The nothing we can do about it because it's speedway is the fundamental reason its a mess here.

No its speedway so let's have guests in Poland they have a successful product moved with the times and run professionally. 

Regarding the play off final we went for the event rather than select team A or B. 

It's great that you can over look doubling up and guest fest and the 7 in the green and yellow are your team for the night. The problem is that myself and an ever increasing number can't. 

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2 hours ago, Spl77 said:

The point that orion makes about the play offs bringing extra support and keeping the season alive is correct.

However the extra numbers through the turnstiles for the playoffs mask the major issues speedway has. Because of the way the sport is set up to run with doubling up etc those new comers come to see the event and not to support the local team as there is no longer any bond between the riders and club and the wider local community.

The extra numbers don't turn up again until the club reaches the play offs or a cup final again.

Take Ipswich last season Foxhall was packed for the play off final v Peterborough the meeting was fantastic and the atmosphere was superb. That was my 2nd meeting of 2017  I and the old gang and several new comers made our group 21 strong. We couldn't explain to the newcomers that Nicholls had ridden for both teams in the final and that half the Ipswich team also rode for Leicester.

This season none of the 21 have returned with the exception of myself who went along on Thursday with a work colleague to see Drew Kemp make his debut.

After Thursdays going on its quite clear that in 2018 the riders don't give a s##t about the supporters and the clubs they see it just as a pay cheque.

Add that to the shambles the BSPA have made of running the sport in the UK the out of control doubling up and guest situation. The whole thing is a recipe for disaster.

The opinion of several on here is that the moaners and those wanting to turn the clock back have been watching speedway for 60 or 70 years and just want the old days back. Well I first went to Ipswich at the age of 11had years of following the team all over the country.

As I said I attended twice last year and because of the farce of Thursday rain off ( cook and Schlien hold your heads in shame) have yet to see a meeting this year. I want the sport to become a proper team sport with no doubling up eventually no guests but in the mean time tight controls on guests.

I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me.

I don't think anybody really doubts that the Play-Offs apparently attract good numbers but those numbers need to be replicated during the season if speedway is to move on.

Edited by steve roberts

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13 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me.

Are you gonna sponsor a second half competition then to make it 22 heats, the promoters don't make enough money it seems to afford to pay the riders for a second half... All these old companies with bosses who supported speedway have retired/died, it's hard to find new companies to chuck their money into speedway? 

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2 minutes ago, Trees said:

Are you gonna sponsor a second half competition then to make it 22 heats, the promoters don't make enough money it seems to afford to pay the riders for a second half... All these old companies with bosses who supported speedway have retired/died, it's hard to find new companies to chuck their money into speedway?

Hi Trees...wasn't my particular observation but you have some good points.

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Just now, steve roberts said:

Hi Trees...wasn't my particular observation but you have some good points.

I know you didn't write it, it's cos I copied and pasted it from your posting, sorry. 

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Imagine how doomed the Premiership would be if there were no play offs. 

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2 hours ago, Trees said:

You said yourself the play off mtg last year was only your second mtg of the year, first for a load of your mates did u not? So why did you all turn up then, cos it was a biggie? Were there any double uppers n guests involved in the mtg, no doubt? Did it spoil the mtg or were you just cheering on the guys in red n blue? 

Everyone loves a play off as there is so much at stake but the clubs have to reach the them via the bread and butter mtgs, no doubling up isn't ideal but something I can put out of my mind when supporting the Stars 100% cos for that 2 hours they are my team, they are giving 100% effort for the Stars! There's nothing we can do about guests, injuries are part of the game, like I say what fan would be happy for a heat leaders' races to be taken by a junior

They wouldn't be taken by a junior, they'd be taken by the next highest average rider in the team. The junior would take the #7's rides and, as far as I know, isn't programmed to ride against the opposing #1.

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34 minutes ago, Trees said:

Are you gonna sponsor a second half competition then to make it 22 heats, the promoters don't make enough money it seems to afford to pay the riders for a second half... All these old companies with bosses who supported speedway have retired/died, it's hard to find new companies to chuck their money into speedway? 

Honestly no I'm not. However the time has come for the sport to become semi pro and have standard bikes in all UK racing. If the sport wasn't paying wages to full time riders to fund rocketship equipment that the sport clearly cannot afford maybe the promoter's could afford to run a proper programme of entertainment or cut the admission to reflect 15 heats thank you now go home. 

It would appear that the time has come for me to accept that the sport will get no better and will ultimately die out in the UK.

While remembering the great times I had following my team and speedway in general from the late 80s to the mid 2000s while going every now and then if i fancy a night at speedway watching the event rather than having a team to get behind. And those like trees who are happy having 7 riders committed to there team for a couple of hours a week well they can still enjoy that. 

 

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