mikebv 10,276 Posted October 11, 2018 22 minutes ago, robinsgirl said: Which is what was said last year... Fans don't seem to have any leverage to make a difference. How do we get the sports management to want to 'forward' the product rather than themselves? Just keep chipping away I imagine. Fans' leverage? Stop going... You could argue that tens of thousands may have already stopped and nothing has changed....? But it's different now.. Whilst fans left in their droves, Promoters didnt listen, because quality could be cut to reduce costs, and inflation busting price rises were being accepted by those left who still attended. Attending in 'just enough' numbers.. Now, those numbers are no longer 'just enough'... Now, the quality cannot be cut much further... And now, inflation busting price rises will take the cost of entry to ridiculous levels for what is actually on show... It really is at its 'tipping point'... Fans by their attendance are endorsing what they are watching and giving Promoters the green light to keep doing more of the same.. Fans by their attendance are colluding with Promoters that the competition they are watching is a credible one.. And fans by their attendance are getting the sport their endorsement and collusion deserve so shouldn't moan about it.. Customers are a very powerful group in business. Maybe it's time for speedways customers to harness that power and use it for positive change? 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marko 956 Posted October 11, 2018 The play offs do add an extra element that there is no doubt, but it is very strange having a system whereby the top four of only a seven team league races for the top prize, based on that the team that finished 4th, technically didn't even finish in the top half of the table and that you had more teams in the end of season competition to win the league than those who failed to make it. Seven teams- should have been straight final for the top two only, to have four teams in the play offs, you really need at least nine or more clubs involved in the actual league, otherwise its get even more farcical. just my opinion of course. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfsbane 12,944 Posted October 11, 2018 8 hours ago, Sherborne Green said: Agree there are no Turbo Twins anymore but the top riders have abandoned GB. Poole beat the best of the rest. Why not accept that we have what we have. The other way round SG. GB speedway abandoned the top riders. As the sport elsewhere moved on, GB speedway stayed still or, even worse, went backwards. 4 hours ago, tyler42 said: What i find ridicules is that both leagues seem to be at the same level. Why then do we have two leagues, with nearly all the same riders bar a few. Surly now is the time to make one big league. At least it will stop the ridiculous sight of riders riding for two teams. Maybe then the sport will start to recover a little. That chestnut again. The gap between the leagues is narrowing with every passing year no doubt but gap there still is. First 30 yards tells the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted October 11, 2018 I think its great, all the Poole bashing by the usual suspects all season long and they are now crowned league champs. Uk speedway is fcuked we all know that , and theres no coming back from it. If Ford had any sense he would bow out on a high . as for what has he actually got to sell apart from a few assets and tractors, the fact he has a buisness that attracts over 1500 paying customers a week will probably be another good selling point Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted October 11, 2018 I went to both legs, and racing wise they were pretty poor meetings. The crowd at Lynn last night was excellent, which proves the play offs still have appeal with the paying public. Getting those people to turn up on a regular basis, is another matter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MARK246 243 Posted October 11, 2018 9 minutes ago, Pinny said: as for what has he actually got to sell apart from a few assets and tractors, the fact he has a buisness that attracts over 1500 paying customers a week will probably be another good selling point Are you Matt Ford's accountant or is the racing that boring at Wimbourne road you count heads every meeting. Where is the proof to back up the 1,500 "paying" customers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted October 11, 2018 1 minute ago, MARK246 said: Are you Matt Ford's accountant or is the racing that boring at Wimbourne road you count heads every meeting. Where is the proof to back up the 1,500 "paying" customers Just going on what their fans say. It clearly is a profitable buisness therefore I would imagine quite a few people, whether thats current or former promoters or newbies, would be interested. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MARK246 243 Posted October 11, 2018 Just now, Pinny said: Just going on what their fans say. It clearly is a profitable buisness therefore I would imagine quite a few people, whether thats current or former promoters or newbies, would be interested. If it was profitable and sustainably profitable why sell. Only an accountant could tell if it's a viable concern, terrace talk means nothing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted October 11, 2018 Just now, MARK246 said: If it was profitable and sustainably profitable why sell. Only an accountant could tell if it's a viable concern, terrace talk means nothing Because he has been there years and as he says, wants a new challenge. Many buisnesses that make a profit have been sold on. Are you seriously telling me that you think Poole Speedway runs at a loss? There will be a queue of people looking at taking it off Fords hands if it becomes available , same cant be said for many of the other clubs. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve0 5,517 Posted October 11, 2018 16 minutes ago, Pinny said: Because he has been there years and as he says, wants a new challenge. Many buisnesses that make a profit have been sold on. Are you seriously telling me that you think Poole Speedway runs at a loss? There will be a queue of people looking at taking it off Fords hands if it becomes available , same cant be said for many of the other clubs. Ford said last night it was available for anyone to make him an offer. In the current economic climate, there won’t be a queue of people looking to take it off his hands. Speedway as a sport in the UK is on its knees - anyone would be mad to invest in a speedway club - unless they had very deep pockets and were prepared to lose money! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrs 3,290 Posted October 11, 2018 Ford probably thinks it's time to get out whilst the business still has some value left in it. And I doubt he wants to stay around and try to help speedway in the UK recover from the mess that he has contributed to in a big way this century. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GiveusaB 1,145 Posted October 11, 2018 Not really sure about the worst team or not ? but one thing for certain imo is that the 'BEST' manager won once again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted October 11, 2018 37 minutes ago, Steve0 said: Ford said last night it was available for anyone to make him an offer. In the current economic climate, there won’t be a queue of people looking to take it off his hands. Speedway as a sport in the UK is on its knees - anyone would be mad to invest in a speedway club - unless they had very deep pockets and were prepared to lose money! I doubt any buyer would careless about the rest of the clubs in the UK, Poole Speedway with the crowds they get will be a profitable buisness. its like saying pubs are dying so I wont buy a pub thats busy all the time and has madr money annually for the last 20 years, because other pubs are dying and closing. speedway promoters do not lose as much money as they say, every year the likes of Dave Tatum at Stoke say hes lost a fortune yet still the next season Stoke are running under his promotion. It just doesnt wash with me. And the same with a number of clubs. Poole Speedway regulary attracts over a thousand paying customers a week , unless Ford asks for silly amounts of money then it would be an attractive buisness venture for someone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) Crap thread. Edited October 11, 2018 by Steve Shovlar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iainb 5,015 Posted October 11, 2018 2 hours ago, jrs said: Ford probably thinks it's time to get out whilst the business still has some value left in it. And I doubt he wants to stay around and try to help speedway in the UK recover from the mess that he has contributed to in a big way this century. I think you've hit the nail on the head here, like him or loathe the cheat, you can't deny that Fraud is a shrewd business man and he can see the writing on the wall... Peterborough, Redcar, Plymouth, Coventry all in trouble, Poole up for sale, Rye House/Lakeside closing mid season, it's only a matter of time until the current speedway setup in this country collapses, unfortunately for Fraud most of the value has disappeared out of his club, mainly down to his win at all costs approach... You reap what you sew 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites