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One thing I think we all agree on is that: British Speedway supporters do not want the product that has been on offer the last few seasons i.e. team A + guest verses team B + guest this is the biggest reason for the drop in crowd numbers.

For 2019 riders must be loyal to their U.K. team & promoters loyal to their signed riders - no team changes @ the drop of a hat, fans may then see their team as "US" not just tonight's "7 select".

Also I would bring back for 2019 13 heats & a second half, not because it's better or worse than the current 15 heats, it would just be a change!   

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1 hour ago, Ghosty said:

One thing I think we all agree on is that: British Speedway supporters do not want the product that has been on offer the last few seasons i.e. team A + guest verses team B + guest this is the biggest reason for the drop in crowd numbers.

For 2019 riders must be loyal to their U.K. team & promoters loyal to their signed riders - no team changes @ the drop of a hat, fans may then see their team as "US" not just tonight's "7 select".

Also I would bring back for 2019 13 heats & a second half, not because it's better or worse than the current 15 heats, it would just be a change!   

All sentiments are correct, however it's too far gone for me..

British Speedway is now just a conduit for riders to earn money, hence so many guest appearances are made and doubling up is rife..

And to be fair. Why spend 20k on machinery if you are only going to earn £1500 a night 30 times a season?. Especially given the inherent risks in the way that money is made.

Cannot get itself out of the hole it has put itself in so more of the same is the only way forward.

It's in that perpetual (self created) vicious circle..

ie. Not enough fans attend due to the lack of credibility of so many meetings, which then prevents clubs being able to pay riders the type of money that would allow them to ride for one team only. (Or possibly let the clubs afford to run squads)..

So Riders riding for more than one team, and guesting all over the place to earn the crust they need, leads to even less credibility, impacting even more meetings, and unsurprisingly, even less fans attending them..

Not sure without being completely radical that they can actually change this race to the bottom..

Or indeed if they even have the will never mind the capability to do it..

Edited by mikebv
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The biggest indication of the attraction, that this sport has, is that it is incapable of retaining the interest of the current die-hard supporters let alone attract new ones.   But the BSPA, ACU  don't appear to grasp this dire situation.   Governed by Promoters with personal objectives , the sport has always been the second thought.   So antiquated in their ideas and the way they address the fans is appalling.   They don't seem to grasp the importance of them fans, and it is little wonder they lose interest.  They have this secret society that you are not allowed to know the problems or the plans.   Its about time they realise we are on the same side and we all want the sport to prosper.   

While the fans  are continued to be treated like mushrooms nothing will ever change.     There's not much time left...

 

 

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It’s a double edge sword. Riders need meetings to pay for their machinery and running costs. They necessary don’t care who they ride for as long as they get paid on time.

if you have a sport where there is a shortage of riders to fulfill 3 leagues , riders will grab what they can and promoters  will be happy as they will fill their teams. 

A team has to be competitive within the points limit. It’s not about signing your assets year after year it’s about who fits the points limit. Therefore all it’s doing is leaving itself open to manipulation of the rules to gain an advantage. That’s sport. 

The paying spectator has to have a certain degree of realism that this is the state of British speedway now. And now crowds are dropping it’s time for the promoters to come clean so to speak and unite for the good of what punters they have left. 

Now this might be the pie in the sky bit. If the doubling up is dropped , the might lead to costs coming down for the riders as they will need less outlay for their machinery and travel costs. Might lead to less accidents due to rider fatigue. Which in turn leads to a more consistent septet turning out for teams. 

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5 minutes ago, rocketrod said:

It’s a double edge sword. Riders need meetings to pay for their machinery and running costs. They necessary don’t care who they ride for as long as they get paid on time.

if you have a sport where there is a shortage of riders to fulfill 3 leagues , riders will grab what they can and promoters  will be happy as they will fill their teams. 

A team has to be competitive within the points limit. It’s not about signing your assets year after year it’s about who fits the points limit. Therefore all it’s doing is leaving itself open to manipulation of the rules to gain an advantage. That’s sport. 

The paying spectator has to have a certain degree of realism that this is the state of British speedway now. And now crowds are dropping it’s time for the promoters to come clean so to speak and unite for the good of what punters they have left. 

Now this might be the pie in the sky bit. If the doubling up is dropped , the might lead to costs coming down for the riders as they will need less outlay for their machinery and travel costs. Might lead to less accidents due to rider fatigue. Which in turn leads to a more consistent septet turning out for teams. 

Too many full time riders.....

Not enough full time fans....

 

Edited by mikebv

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2 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Too many full time riders.....

Not enough full time fans....

 

Maybe the bspa will introduce a doubling up fan rule !!!

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4 minutes ago, rocketrod said:

Maybe the bspa will introduce a doubling up fan rule !!!

Or allow guest fans?

Or just simply stick to asking those who still go to "Bring a Friend"...:D

 

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everybody wants something different amongst fans and promoters. Riders want double ups, probably 1/2 2nd tier promoters want that too. 

Ill just be glad with what ever they come up with really. As long as there is a fixed race nights between leagues if there is still double ups, to limit fixture clashes to avoid the farce of 2017 happening again (if there is 2 senior leagues) . . Unless people have short memories and it’s a free for all again. Then we may as well all give up

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12 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Or allow guest fans?

Or just simply stick to asking those who still go to "Bring a Friend"...:D

 

By the law of averages then I’ll be guesting for Leicester in April. 

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47 minutes ago, rocketrod said:

Maybe the bspa will introduce a doubling up fan rule !!!

I think quite a few of the regular posters already double up and even triple up.

They're not shirking their duty to keep speedway going

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5 hours ago, Ghosty said:

One thing I think we all agree on is that: British Speedway supporters do not want the product that has been on offer the last few seasons i.e. team A + guest verses team B + guest this is the biggest reason for the drop in crowd numbers.

For 2019 riders must be loyal to their U.K. team & promoters loyal to their signed riders - no team changes @ the drop of a hat, fans may then see their team as "US" not just tonight's "7 select".

Also I would bring back for 2019 13 heats & a second half, not because it's better or worse than the current 15 heats, it would just be a change!   

Really? You want to swap 2 meaningful heats for 6 un meaningful heats that the crowd aren't bothered about, from my memory at least 50% of the crowd left after the match, then some of the top riders were not interested and often dropped out anyway followed by whoever was in the Rider of the Night  Final agreeing to split the prize money whatever the result

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8 minutes ago, topaz325 said:

Is the AGM this  weekend or next weekend?

Monday 12th - Wednesday 14th

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5 hours ago, Richard Weston said:

I think quite a few of the regular posters already double up and even triple up.

They're not shirking their duty to keep speedway going

This has been the attitude of many of the promoters for a few years now, and one of the main reasons for the demise of Speedway in GB.

 

NO fan has a DUTY to support any team or any sport........and any team or any sport that thinks they have is in dangerous waters!!!

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4 hours ago, Red Flag said:

Really? You want to swap 2 meaningful heats for 6 un meaningful heats that the crowd aren't bothered about, from my memory at least 50% of the crowd left after the match, then some of the top riders were not interested and often dropped out anyway followed by whoever was in the Rider of the Night  Final agreeing to split the prize money whatever the result

100% correct.  Not many fans were interested in second half racing 20/30 years ago and they're certainly not going to be bothered now with the majority of riders also  in a rush to leave after the league match. 

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