The continuing decline of Speedway

[GWC 495]

Most promotions are clueless as to the thoughts of fans and their aspirations.

They seem terrified of spelling out the obvious - the sport is on its knees rider wise and we have a deminishing pot of money to pay for it.

 

[waytogo28 2,054]

3 minutes ago, Skid Sprocket said:

Thats more like it, positive thinking, whats to lose? I'll sign up for one.

Bloody Hell that's two of us. We only need the other 19,998 UK supporters still said to exist.

 

You're on my digital list SS.

Edited July 16, 2018 by waytogo28
additional point made

[Vincent Blachshadow 2,934]

3 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

Bloody Hell that's two of us. We only need the other 19,998 UK supporters still said to exist.

 

You're on my digital list SS.

The problem I foresee here is getting the supporters' group to agree what it is they're going to ask for.

As a for instance, I want guests for injured #1s only and didn't want set nights, Mrs B doesn't want guests at all but wanted set nights. Which one of us would you listen to and who's view would you put forward?

 

[Skid Sprocket 243]

2 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

Bloody Hell that's two of us. We only need the other 19,998 UK supporters still said to exist.

 

You're on my digital list SS.

"A journey of 20,000 miles (members) starts with a single step"

[Skid Sprocket 243]

1 minute ago, Vincent Blachshadow said:

The problem I foresee here is getting the supporters' group to agree what it is they're going to ask for.

As a for instance, I want guests for injured #1s only and didn't want set nights, Mrs B doesn't want guests at all but wanted set nights. Which one of us would you listen to and who's view would you put forward?

 

Thats the problem with differing views of members on a forum. Someone needs to take charge and sort out a list of priorities and work down the list of what supporters want (and will pay at the turnstiles for),

[Vincent Blachshadow 2,934]

11 minutes ago, Skid Sprocket said:

Thats the problem with differing views of members on a forum. Someone needs to take charge and sort out a list of priorities and work down the list of what supporters want (and will pay at the turnstiles for),

So how do you decide 'what supporters want' if several supporters have differing views on a given subject which this forum shows they clearly do?

Edited July 16, 2018 by Vincent Blachshadow

[Skid Sprocket 243]

Just now, Vincent Blachshadow said:

So how do you decide 'what supporters want' if several supporters have different views on a given subject which this forum shows they clearly do?

Maybe a poll for the top five gripes. If everyone gets behind the top one till its fixed then move down the list but that is a subject for discussion.

The powers that be are not going to trawl through forums to get popular opinions they need prioritising and putting in their face and publicising where they cant ignore public opinion.

[Hawk127 1,359]

6 minutes ago, Vincent Blachshadow said:

So how do you decide 'what supporters want' if several supporters have differing views on a given subject which this forum shows they clearly do?

Perhaps start with the three leagues and price fix the admission charge so clubs have to build a team to a budget. If they get additional sponsorship that is up to them.

Premiership £15 - Concessions - £10 - Under 16 free. Race sheet included

Championship £12 Concessions and under 16 as above

National £8 Flat rate except for under 16 who will be free.

Revert to 13 heat formula and a second half split between the top five riders and the 6,7 and nominated number 8

Allow teams to race on the night that best suits them and if they sign riders who have commitments abroad, they will not be given any facility if the overseas team has priority.

Scrap the restriction on over 8 pointers for the Premiership.

Revert to home and away twice, k o cup and Craven Shield.

introduce a British championship that runs throughout the season with every track holding one round

Unless  you get all tracks operating under a fixed set of rules when it comes to costs etc it will never work. Fans generally want a weekly fix or at the very least once a fortnight and sorting out the schedule of meetings should not be difficult if the league season runs from mid April until mid September. Clubs given two alternative dates when a meeting is postponed. If neither work they forfeit the league points. This would at least attempt to deal with the shenanigans that go on with rearranging fixtures and rider availability

Keep the rule book simple. For example If riders break the tapes or cause a stoppage which requires a race to be rerun (and depending on the cause) it should be all four back with the culprit off 20 meters. The punter pays to watch four riders in every race. Unsatisfactory start, straight back, no pit gate being opened. Mechanics restricted to the pits once a rider leaves to race.

it would not be difficult to simplify the running of the sport and introduce some scratch races  as part of the meeting like for example the fastest lap or two laps or even bring back the golden and silver helmet match races. The odd tweak might make all the difference but getting all the clubs to cut their cloth accordingly is going to be the stumbling block.

[Vincent Blachshadow 2,934]

11 minutes ago, Skid Sprocket said:

Maybe a poll for the top five gripes. If everyone gets behind the top one till its fixed then move down the list but that is a subject for discussion.

The powers that be are not going to trawl through forums to get popular opinions they need prioritising and putting in their face and publicising where they cant ignore public opinion.

But a poll will only discover what some want on a given subject, and may even be a minority view (if three or four options are given on a particular theme).

My point is really that, since the supporters can't all agree on something how do we make sure the promoters (the ones that stump up most cash, in other words) do and whatever they do won't suit everybody anyway. 

What it needs is a clearly defined way forward and set of rules decided by the promoters but an independent person or body of people to ensure they're stuck to and properly administered. And therein lies the problem - that independent person/body will need paying a salary commensurate with their position and the sport can't afford that.

[iris123 20,958]

42 minutes ago, Vincent Blachshadow said:

So how do you decide 'what supporters want' if several supporters have differing views on a given subject which this forum shows they clearly do?

Saw this problem recently at my local club.They normally run a meeting(only the one)on a Sunday and I guess they aren’t happy with the attendances.So they asked fans what day they would prefer,Saturday or Sunday.And it looked about 50-50 to me with the online answers......,.

[waytogo28 2,054]

I feel that the first matter to be dealt with is - are the BSPA open to hearing from a Supporters Group and seriously considering their merged ideas ( those a majority of "members" can agree on as being essential ). Unless we can establish a core group via the BSF and tackle this issue we cannot move forward very much. I think if a group can be set up then getting a survey along the lines of the one recently posted on here ( that was first done 20 years ago ) would be a priority. If we can recruit 1 or 2 activists ( or more ) from each club to distribute such a survey and establish a sharing of the cost ( or find a sponsor! ) that would seem to be the first steps along the way. I still have my Little Red Book but I was 19 years old when all that seemed the way forward. I am now 69.

[Fromafar 10,358]

56 minutes ago, Skid Sprocket said:

Thats the problem with differing views of members on a forum. Someone needs to take charge and sort out a list of priorities and work down the list of what supporters want (and will pay at the turnstiles for),

Starting to sound like the Promoters AGM already.

[Skid Sprocket 243]

1 minute ago, Fromafar said:

Starting to sound like the Promoters AGM already.

Except we are the paying supporters. 

[Skid Sprocket 243]

10 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

I feel that the first matter to be dealt with is - are the BSPA open to hearing from a Supporters Group and seriously considering their merged ideas ( those a majority of "members" can agree on as being essential ). Unless we can establish a core group via the BSF and tackle this issue we cannot move forward very much. I think if a group can be set up then getting a survey along the lines of the one recently posted on here ( that was first done 20 years ago ) would be a priority. If we can recruit 1 or 2 activists ( or more ) from each club to distribute such a survey and establish a sharing of the cost ( or find a sponsor! ) that would seem to be the first steps along the way. I still have my Little Red Book but I was 19 years old when all that seemed the way forward. I am now 69.

More positive thinking.  Now who has the time and skill to pull all this together?

[waytogo28 2,054]

Just now, Skid Sprocket said:

More positive thinking.  Now who has the time and skill to pull all this together?

You and me and any number of other eager volunteers. I will pay for 1,000 surveys to be printed after we get the permission of the King's Lynn promotion to distribute them at an upcoming match.