Big decisions in November.

[Skidder1 7,636]

18 hours ago, flagrag said:

As it stands at the moment Leicester are planning on staying in the Championship and riders at that level have already been spoken to.

Sheffield will depend on the new owners and how they feel about top level racing, But the lure of a 5year tv deal may swing them as it has at Somerset. Like most clubs Glasgow have been encouraged but the owners don’t think crowds would support it in the week and logistical not perfect with Belle Vue being nearest rivals .

What is the attraction of a 5-year TV deal if it gives nothing (or very little) to the clubs in financial terms?  Yes some may argue that being on TV increases the sponsorship opportunities for the league and clubs but that has not exactly been a roaring success over the years has it?  Showing live meetings may be good for TV sports audience figures but its doing nothing for increasing paid-for attendances.

Some form of recorded filming on social media and You-tube etc would still give riders the sponsorship exposure.

[Grachan 7,362]

41 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

What is the attraction of a 5-year TV deal if it gives nothing (or very little) to the clubs in financial terms?  Yes some may argue that being on TV increases the sponsorship opportunities for the league and clubs but that has not exactly been a roaring success over the years has it?  Showing live meetings may be good for TV sports audience figures but its doing nothing for increasing paid-for attendances.

Some form of recorded filming on social media and You-tube etc would still give riders the sponsorship exposure.

The attraction is that it helps to maintain interest in the sport. I cannot understand why people think it is a bad thing to have speedway on tv. I remember the 1990s, when there was no speedway on, and it helped towards the decline.

I think a major contribution towards falling crowds has been the points limit - even more so now it is lower.

I remember Oxford in the 80s. Succesful team. Big crowds. Eventually the points limit got them. Crowds visibly dropped instsntly. It's then hard to get those lost supporters back.

So, another team takes over from Oxford. They then finish top, get nobbled by the points limit. The crowds drop.

Then another team. Then another team. And so on, until, eventually, Swindon get to win the league. Then they get get nobbled by points limit too.

Vicious circle.

The only other time I've seen an instant, visible drop in crowds was when the double points replaced tatical subs. Did those people return when the tac subs came back? Not many, I'll bet.

Anyone who thinks wesker sides is the key to the future, by the way, is clearly nuts.

[Skidder1 7,636]

1 hour ago, Grachan said:

The attraction is that it helps to maintain interest in the sport. I cannot understand why people think it is a bad thing to have speedway on tv. I remember the 1990s, when there was no speedway on, and it helped towards the decline.

I think a major contribution towards falling crowds has been the points limit - even more so now it is lower.

I remember Oxford in the 80s. Succesful team. Big crowds. Eventually the points limit got them. Crowds visibly dropped instsntly. It's then hard to get those lost supporters back.

So, another team takes over from Oxford. They then finish top, get nobbled by the points limit. The crowds drop.

Then another team. Then another team. And so on, until, eventually, Swindon get to win the league. Then they get get nobbled by points limit too.

Vicious circle.

The only other time I've seen an instant, visible drop in crowds was when the double points replaced tatical subs. Did those people return when the tac subs came back? Not many, I'll bet.

Anyone who thinks wesker sides is the key to the future, by the way, is clearly nuts.

Ididn't say it was a bad thing to have speedway on TV - I said LIVE speedway has done nothing to attract improved attendances. A highlights or magazine-type programme every week could include the best action from any track - Prem or Championship. If clubs were then allowed to show that footage on every club website and social media platforms after it had appeared on screen, thats the best of both worlds.

[wealdstone 3,454]

Unfortunately the mafia for several years have always worked on the dumbing down principal.    I appreciate that in most cases it was a case of sheer economics  but on the other hand they have used abused and ultimately forced out anybody who could afford a short term loss for a long term gain.

 

[Grachan 7,362]

21 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

Ididn't say it was a bad thing to have speedway on TV - I said LIVE speedway has done nothing to attract improved attendances. A highlights or magazine-type programme every week could include the best action from any track - Prem or Championship. If clubs were then allowed to show that footage on every club website and social media platforms after it had appeared on screen, thats the best of both worlds.

A highlights magazine would be rubbish. It would just be like the 15 minutes before the racing now starts, which nobody bothers to watch anyway and just fast forwards if they've recorded it.

Live speedway on Sky, by the way, got me back into going, so it improved attendances by at least one.

[A ORLOV 8,628]

3 hours ago, Falcon1983 said:

There is a serious lack of riders to do what needs to be done with the sport.

So if you're talking a 10/12 team top league there might be a bit of a struggle however I feel a 7 rider team structure must take shape at the top league maybe reverting to a 13 heat formula so the reserves get 3 riders and the reserves are those who double down 

And I'd do away with the championship altogether and have a regionalised conference league and if necessary have them as 5 or 6 rider teams as that division should be about bringing on talent more than success of individual clubs

Ipswich, Poole, Swindon, belle vue, wolves, Somerset, kings lynn, Peterborough, sheffield, Glasgow, leicester and kent should make up the Super 12 top division 

Cannot see Kent jumping up as they have an early curfew and start their meetings at 6.30 which is too early for many fans. 

[moxey63 1,785]

40 minutes ago, Grachan said:

A highlights magazine would be rubbish. It would just be like the 15 minutes before the racing now starts, which nobody bothers to watch anyway and just fast forwards if they've recorded it.

Live speedway on Sky, by the way, got me back into going, so it improved attendances by at least one.

I used to think that live speedway was great. But now I look back at some of the wasteful chatter between all the races, occasions it took four hours for 20-odd heats. If I were to watch speedway now, I'd like just the heats, without the studio experts. Screenpsort from the 80s was my thing.

[poole keith 911]

why would kent take the financial risk and who would loan them heat leaders to make a competitive team?

[Grachan 7,362]

34 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

I used to think that live speedway was great. But now I look back at some of the wasteful chatter between all the races, occasions it took four hours for 20-odd heats. If I were to watch speedway now, I'd like just the heats, without the studio experts. Screenpsort from the 80s was my thing.

I just don't see how it is more interesting watching a sporting event where I already know the score. I know what you mean about all the fill ins though. I normally start watching about an hour after the start and skip bits until I catch up.

[Beowulf 1,513]

6 hours ago, A ORLOV said:

Cannot see Kent jumping up as they have an early curfew and start their meetings at 6.30 which is too early for many fans. 

Well you could look at it this way, the home fans are already used to that time and attend on that basis. As for my own case, for example, I would still have to have an afternoon off to go, so the hour earlier start doesn't really make any difference. In fact it would earlier on the road back home ! I suppose the issue might be getting new home fans to come at that time.

[Trees 2,814]

13 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Is it what has driven the majority of people away though? If it was purely down to racing then Belle Vue, Scunny etc would be packed to the rafters. 

I’d suggest there are several factors ie admission cost, rule bending, poor atmosphere, poor facilities, poor marketing etc.

Imo IF the racing was better and the crowds larger because of it, nearly all the points in your second paragraph would be sorted apart from Poole bending, oops sorry I meant to type rule bending ...

[Falcon1983 557]

Replace kent with Birmingham or Eastbourne then the rest make up a new regionalised conference league.

 

Cant see the points limit increasing or being abolished, even if increased there would not be enough riders of the desired quality available for most teams would be well within the limits, and if Glasgow went top flight racing with a higher limit or no limit free for all team building they'd probably end up with a 1-7 of big hitters lol

[jenga 2,998]

Glasgow in the top league . yes please ...

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

23 hours ago, theblueboy said:

Well, I can only speak as a Swindon fan. This season has been the best racing for several years at Blunsdon. I’ve seen more passing in one meeting than in several years, which suggests that it is the type of track, which needs to be considered. I would say the best tracks for speedway, I’ve seen anyway, are all similar Peterborough, NSS, Somerset and this year Swindon. I’ve not been to Norfolk or PL tracks so can’t include them but those tracks mentioned certainly show good close racing with multiple lines to ride. 

I wasn’t aware there was a 5 year tv deal in the offing until I read flagrag’s comments. That is welcome news given the general pessimism surrounding the sport and shows to me that the sport itself is still well regarded, certainly within tv, otherwise, why commit on a long term basis. 

Go back to the 2 youngsters at reserve. 23 and under with GB only or certain qualifying criteria for non UK, team that wins league teams use their average, have a week of speedway some time in Summer holiday where its £5 entry across the board with supporters to be registered to local club to be eligible at the start of the season (or agreed cut off) but pay normal price to own club’s fixtures. Reciprocal agreements for matches between clubs e.g £30 entry, programme and travel. The deal I just had with the match at BV for the cup final was superb value. There is no way I would have gone without the deal and BV received an additional coach load of fans they wouldn’t have ordinarily seen. 

There really needs to be more collaboration between clubs and leagues for speedway to grow. The sport is struggling because there is too much self interest, at all levels, with promoters only concerned for their own club and not the sport as a whole. Promoters have to go out and sell the sport and your target audience are the children, pure and simple. It’s them that have to be engaged, not me. There is a whole generation that either don’t know about speedway, or have never been introduced. That needs to change. 

If it’s BT that is looking at the 5 year deal then there should be a caveat about going to schools or marketing the sport locally. Lee Kilby has undertaken lots of initiatives at Swindon and responds to fans quickly via social media, gets things sorted and clarified but he is a lone wolf (there may be others but they are the exception rather than the rule) and that enthusiasm needs to be seen across the sport.

I’ve enjoyed the racing again at Swindon, it’s the reason we all go and should be the primary consideration of all clubs. The rest, including marketing, sponsorship and new supporters will be easier with decent racing and we can hopefully look forward to a future for the sport.

 

 

The thirty pound iniative deal for the Belle Vue trip was a great success and like you i certainly would not of gone without it.If every club could do that it could help club's get an extra 30/50 punters in that normally  would not of gone.The speedway this year at the Abbey i have enjoyed very much and if they can get the league up to 12 teams next year could be even better.Every week i go and see that Lee Kilby is pushing for the youngsters to have a great time and hopefully some of these young uns will be the future supporters of the Robins.

Edited September 15, 2019 by Sidney the robin

[cityrebel 2,960]

1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

The thirty pound iniative deal for the Belle Vue trip was a great success and like you i certainly would not of gone without it.If every club could do that it could help club's get an extra 30/50 punters in that normally  would not of gone.The speedway this year at the Abbey i have enjoyed very much and if they can get the league up to 12 teams next year could be even better.Every week i go and see that Lee Kilby is pushing for the youngsters to have a great time and hopefully some of these young uns will be the future supporters of the Robins.

Eastbourne laid on subsidised admission for the travelling Leicester fans last night. The Lions are doing likewise today.