Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Dave Stummings

Thank you to the BSPA

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, iwright71 said:

The first port of call must be to attract supporters on the back of the core product.

First improve the core product, so that 75% of it is not so boring. Riders not making any effort if they fail to make the gate. We know how difficult it is to pass nut that does not make it OK to not bother at all. People might criticise Chris Harris but at least he makes an effort 50% or more of the time, to turn a heat into a race.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

First improve the core product, so that 75% of it is not so boring. Riders not making any effort if they fail to make the gate. We know how difficult it is to pass nut that does not make it OK to not bother at all. People might criticise Chris Harris but at least he makes an effort 50% or more of the time, to turn a heat into a race.

taking away bonus points for 3rd would help this i think

 

Plus many times on here to see a rider who actually does all he can to provide a race called a nutcase

the more nut cases the better!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
20 minutes ago, iwright71 said:

Surely this has always been the same through recent history, even when speedway was flourishing. 15 minutes of action ,nobody seems put off  going to Cardiff for 23 minutes of action. People go to watch sport for the core action not the bells and whistles in between . How many fans watch the half time entertainment at Premier League football, during the Masters snooker final interval fans could stare at an empty table, it doesn't put people off going ,they go for the main event. The first port of call must be to attract supporters on the back of the core product.

Yes, I understand that and the main point I make is speedway has many problems, the idea of one fix will do the trick is NOT the case or what I'm saying.

Specifically the fact is over the past 10-12 years or so the quality of the core product has been seriously dumbed down, whilst the entrance charges have gone up.

You can not stand still as you go backwards, people have lots of other opportunities to attract them and obtaining leisure money is very competitive market...the speedway experience needs to be 'reinvented' and 'rejuvenated'.

Before you can solve a problem you have to admit and understand the problem exist and that is clearly beyond the ability of the BSPA.

Its not rocket science...high Rider costs together with depleted attendances and the loss of TV income equals a major issue, clubs are paying far more out than they bring in...which is madness and a disaster.

The BSPA and clubs do little to enhance and promote the sport as a modern vibrant sport that it can be.

Times have moved on...just look at the terraces, the average age group are in the 50's-60's...where are the young fans, they wont put up with 15 minutes of action, they want to be involved and interact with the what's going on, before during and after the meeting.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Speedtiger said:

Yes, I understand that and the main point I make is speedway has many problems, the idea of one fix will do the trick is NOT the case or what I'm saying.

Specifically the fact is over the past 10-12 years or so the quality of the core product has been seriously dumbed down, whilst the entrance charges have gone up.

You can not stand still as you go backwards, people have lots of other opportunities to attract them and obtaining leisure money is very competitive market...the speedway experience needs to be 'reinvented' and 'rejuvenated'.

Before you can solve a problem you have to admit and understand the problem exist and that is clearly beyond the ability of the BSPA.

Its not rocket science...high Rider costs together with depleted attendances and the loss of TV income equals a major issue, clubs are paying far more out than they bring in...which is madness and a disaster.

The BSPA and clubs do little to enhance and promote the sport as a modern vibrant sport that it can be.

Times have moved on...just look at the terraces, the average age group are in the 50's-60's...where are the young fans, they wont put up with 15 minutes of action, they want to be involved and interact with the what's going on, before during and after the meeting.

 

The youngsters who go are bored by what their watching, the 50's-60's go because they always have and its more a social than anything else.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well if proof was needed the BSPA do things the hard way just look at the Championship Shield groups. Workington sadly withdrew thus leaving the Borders group with just 3 teams in it. Rather than leaving it they BSPA move Newcastle into the Borders group and as a result all three groups have been changed rather than just leaving it with the one group change.
They really do like messing with the sport for goodness knows what reason.
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

British Speedway is a ticking time bomb. Clubs are closing down, but there are no buyers out there. The difference between loss and break-even, is so large that an "ego/self indulging" person is totally not interested.

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
22 hours ago, DitchLev said:

British Speedway is a ticking time bomb. Clubs are closing down, but there are no buyers out there. The difference between loss and break-even, is so large that an "ego/self indulging" person is totally not interested.

I’m afraid the ticking time bomb went off long ago. So many clubs have gone by the wayside...and sadly more will follow.

My club can not be anywhere close to breaking even , crowds down no new sponsors...it can not go on with the way things are. My second club Belle Vue with a new £8m stadium which I go over as often as my finances allow I’m told are loosing a small fortune and according to mates I sit with say are only going because they are propped up by the council.  That can not go on for long. My mates at other clubs say it’s a only a hardcore of older fans that go. The sport has been mismanaged and tampered with for years and it’s been run into the ground by the idiots at the BSPA who are clueless. Speedway is bust and promoters only have themselves to blame. Who in their right mind would want to buy, invest or sponsor a speedway club? 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/23/2019 at 5:43 PM, PHILIPRISING said:

THERE has been a huge uplift in the use of social media by many of the tracks (especially Twitter) in the UK and to a lesser extent even the BSPA. But, as we at SS have discovered, it is probable that the vast majority of fans do not which suggest that it might not be quite so effective as one might hope.

Huge uplift in the use of social media yes, but have you noticed how every clubs accounts are pretty much the same. Same content, repeated within seconds of the other. There are many like me that follow all club accounts and it's horrendous how unimaginative social media is used. Then there's no real interaction with supporters and any slight negativity then the follower is blocked.

Whoever controls and operates the social media side of British Speedway has no concept of what is required to be attractive, not only to existing fans, but those that don't follow the sport that see people they follows retweet.

Speedway is run poorly from top to bottom, from start to finish. Social media is THE biggest marketing tool and it's being badly miss used and operated. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@PHILIPRISING with regards to Speedway Star struggling with social media, what are you referring too?

I'd say nearly 18k followers is pretty decent exposure or are you saying the number of followers doesn't reflect sales?

I'm not sure what you mean by it's not working for the Speedway Star. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
55 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

 

I'd say nearly 18k followers is pretty decent exposure or are you saying the number of followers doesn't reflect sales?

YES ...

I'm not sure what you mean by it's not working for the Speedway Star. 

SEE above

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/24/2019 at 11:06 AM, iwright71 said:

Surely this has always been the same through recent history, even when speedway was flourishing. 15 minutes of action ,nobody seems put off  going to Cardiff for 23 minutes of action. People go to watch sport for the core action not the bells and whistles in between . How many fans watch the half time entertainment at Premier League football, during the Masters snooker final interval fans could stare at an empty table, it doesn't put people off going ,they go for the main event. The first port of call must be to attract supporters on the back of the core product.

when speedway was flourishing .although  it was only 15 minutes  of racing  , it was 2 or more hours of an event , the anticiptaion of your top rider taking on theirs , the atmosphere from the minute you arrived at the stadium , banter on the terraces  , local rivalry , and of course characters , go back to the days of Sean Wilsion  Roman  Matousek , anything could happen before during or after a race .  speedway now is a clincal expeerience . get them in ,dole out the minimum in the shortest time to take their money , and hope they may come back next week , provided of course theres enough roders in the country to provide  some speedway  or they find out about it  through connections , because they sure wont be seeing any fixtures in the local paper , my guess is 90% of people on the terraces go out of habit , a habit that is broken  with a disjointed fixture list , and as In my own experience an easy one to break ,it only took  1 week and I wouldn't have bothered if I never went again  ,thats after being a regular for 55 years

 

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@PHILIPRISING Speedway Star shouldn't be disappointed by comparison with followers to sales. That will never stack up, but I'm pretty sure you'll have some buyers through social media that don't attend meeting, or not many meetings over the season.

For your information Phil, I'm one of those people. Depending on the info from the Speedway Star Twitter account I'll then purchase a copy.

With the numbers that attend meetings, Speedway Star do a remarkable job in keeping going as a weekly. Maybe, the margins may be better if the Star goes monthly and charge £5-£7 an addition. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

THANKS for your info ... nice to know that Twitter can work in our favour.

A monthly, at any price, would be unsustainable. We require revenue 52 weeks of the year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

THANKS for your info ... nice to know that Twitter can work in our favour.

A monthly, at any price, would be unsustainable. We require revenue 52 weeks of the year.

The SS is really good value and keeps me up to speed with what's going on around the clubs and riders....and I look forward to getting my copy weekly....

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy