Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Dansdad

If you want to know what’s wrong with British speedway

Recommended Posts

1 minute ago, DC2 said:

 

In the Macari years Swindon FC used to run onto the pitch to Fanfare For The Common Man.

That’s the sort of thing you need to build the atmosphere and create a bit of excitement. Dim the lights and play that loud as the riders come onto the track, not Rockin Robin and Pom Pom girls.

 

If only the Town were as good as the Robins.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Must say i have never known anyone who stopped going because of the music. Most just got bored with it, whilst many others just pick and choose their meetings now ...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Blupanther said:

Must say i have never known anyone who stopped going because of the music. Most just got bored with it, whilst many others just pick and choose their meetings now ...

I’m sure you’re right but it’s marginal gains, lots of little things which would be really simple to put right could sway somebody the right way if they were umming and ahhing about weather to go. 

Of course the main factors are VFM, ie quality of racing, atmosphere and price.  

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

I think many  promoters are lazy and complacent. 

Many are and even worse the income from the gate is now relatively small compared to what sponsors pay in ( which really keeps most teams afloat ). Wait till more sponsors sense the lack of VFM and credibility and track closeure will hasten. Fans are a bit of a nusiance to some prompters.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

I’m sure you’re right but it’s marginal gains, lots of little things which would be really simple to put right could sway somebody the right way if they were umming and ahhing about weather to go. 

Of course the main factors are VFM, ie quality of racing, atmosphere and price.  

I agree with you on all those points, not necessarily in that order.   No 1 has to be Quality of Racing, closely followed by Atmosphere.   Price and VFM go hand in hand but are of the utmost importance .     Unfortunately the gradual decline has been ongoing for too many years and any changes now will not have any immediate response other than offer some hope of retainability..  

The Powers in charge, should have been doing this 20 yrs when the attendance figures were respectable.   There were enough numbers to work with and develop the changes that were needed.  Now the pattern has been set and the crowds all but gone,   any new implementations will be much harder to guarantee acceptance of the fans that will keep them interested.. .   Its much easier to point out what is wrong with this sport,   but so much harder to say what is right with it....   

We are still using the old trusted ideas to run our meetings knowing the feasibility study always fails.     We need to start again,  putting far more emphasise on the fans, what they want and they can afford.   The days when the riders demanding a fortune to ride  have finished.    We need to cut the cloth according to the size, that  the sport  can afford. 

For riders,  to be riding Bikes costing £7K a time, in front of paltry attendances has to be a recipe for disaster...   

This sports needs a new broome…...:wink: 

 

 

  

Edited by g13webb
Spelling correction !!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/2/2019 at 4:49 PM, Blupanther said:

What smell is that ?

Probably all the old people.

  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, g13webb said:

, in front of poultry attendances has to be a recipe for disaster..

 

 

  

Ducks or Hens??

  • Haha 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the flow of the meetings is a major thing. There's far more of 'nothing going on' than actual racing'. 

Obviously there are the usual things like crashes that can stall a meeting but there are other means to quicken up the flow of racing. 

Getting rider's on track: always be a heat ahead, i.e. at the start of the meeting after parade etc the rider's for heat 1 & 2 come out. Heat 2 rider's sit on the centre ready. When Heat 1 is complete and those riders are on there way back to the pits, the rider's for heat 3 sit in the centre etc etc.

Time allowance: The 2 mins are on automatically when the last rider from the previous heat crosses the line. Like GP's, have to be ready to race when the 2 mins clock is 0.

2 rides on the trot: If a rider has 2 heat consecutive they must ride their spare bike and be ready in the 2 mins of the previous heat finishing. If they have no spare bike, then a team mates has to be used. 

Track grading: This can only take place after heats 4, 8 and 12.

Heat 15: Rider's are nominated for Heat 15 by the team manager when Heat 13 is completed. 

These are small things but then at least the bikes are on track at all times. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


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

I think the flow of the meetings is a major thing. There's far more of 'nothing going on' than actual racing'. 

Obviously there are the usual things like crashes that can stall a meeting but there are other means to quicken up the flow of racing. 

Getting rider's on track: always be a heat ahead, i.e. at the start of the meeting after parade etc the rider's for heat 1 & 2 come out. Heat 2 rider's sit on the centre ready. When Heat 1 is complete and those riders are on there way back to the pits, the rider's for heat 3 sit in the centre etc etc.

Time allowance: The 2 mins are on automatically when the last rider from the previous heat crosses the line. Like GP's, have to be ready to race when the 2 mins clock is 0.

2 rides on the trot: If a rider has 2 heat consecutive they must ride their spare bike and be ready in the 2 mins of the previous heat finishing. If they have no spare bike, then a team mates has to be used. 

Track grading: This can only take place after heats 4, 8 and 12.

Heat 15: Rider's are nominated for Heat 15 by the team manager when Heat 13 is completed. 

These are small things but then at least the bikes are on track at all times. 

Have meetings all over and done with in an hour, nah ...... I want to hear more interviews/interaction from the mic man in the pits etc so we know what's going on, build up of races from the mic man/mascot and the music .... The problem is we have an aging crowd who stand quiet (with exceptions) .... No wonder the atmosphere is flat often!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The daft thing is, some people won't go if it's over too quickly, they don't see it as value or an evening out. I've read it before, that some won't travel an hour to watch something that's over in an hour, even though they are getting exactly the same amount of races. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
33 minutes ago, Trees said:

Have meetings all over and done with in an hour, nah ...... I want to hear more interviews/interaction from the mic man in the pits etc so we know what's going on, build up of races from the mic man/mascot and the music .... The problem is we have an aging crowd who stand quiet (with exceptions) .... No wonder the atmosphere is flat often!

Not an hour perhaps but ninety minutes is plenty long enough. An hour and three quarters absolute maximum which would be a half nine finish at Lynn. 

If there have to be longish gaps between any races then something needs to be going on to entertain people. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/15/2019 at 9:52 AM, Bagpuss said:

Not an hour perhaps but ninety minutes is plenty long enough. An hour and three quarters absolute maximum which would be a half nine finish at Lynn. 

If there have to be longish gaps between any races then something needs to be going on to entertain people. 

I'd say that is the usual these days ......

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/15/2019 at 9:52 AM, Bagpuss said:

Not an hour perhaps but ninety minutes is plenty long enough. An hour and three quarters absolute maximum which would be a half nine finish at Lynn. 

If there have to be longish gaps between any races then something needs to be going on to entertain people. 

I agree re something possibly going on in between races.What did they do in the 80's,90's because meetings use to last the same length of time if not longer.Possibly because crowds were bigger then the atmosphere was better so people didn't really bother about the time then.But now with crowds smaller they have to do something to keep them happy.

It don't bother me but it does the many i suppose.I find the time to talk to what i call my speedway buddies who i only catch up with during the speedway season.Sometimes 90 minutes is far to quick for me.

Share this post


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

I'd say that is the usual these days ......

Which bit Theresa? 

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