Will British Speedway Survive ?

[secsy1 206]

British speedway can survive and actually prosper after this despicable virus is contained.

A radical approach to ensure every single club can have top quality meetings, increased attendances with top stars riding at each track.

This would mean for this season a complete format change to all league structures for this season only.

With 7 Premier League teams, 12 Championship teams and 3 stand alone National League teams.

22 teams competing in a structured 4TT format with every team visiting each other.

This can happen with riders evenly distributed to teams regarding averages and present team signing prfrences etc.

Racing format and fixtures are easily compiled, but this is totally RADICAL, but possible.

Just imagine Nicki Pederson and Jason Crump visiting the likes of Kent, Mildenhall and Edinburgh.

Block buster fixtures and a sure draw for spectators at every track.

But wait we live in the real world and who would want something revolutionary that would actually benefit everyone in the sport?

[waytogo28 2,054]

5 hours ago, acef said:

Says who? 
At this moment, nobody knows when it will recommence.

Appreciate your input but put down it’s your opinion. That comes across like fact.

In my opinion there will be NO UK speedway until August at the earliest. If there were to be any in the second half of July we would be very blessed. 

[iris123 20,939]

Seems likely there will be no Moto GP series. The Austrian PM states he doesn't think there will be freedom of movement in Europe until a vaccine is found. And that isn't due until end of this year beginning of next I think

https://www.speedweek.com/motogp/news/157364/Carmelo-Ezpeleta-GP-Saison-vielleicht-unmoeglich.html

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

13 hours ago, secsy1 said:

British speedway can survive and actually prosper after this despicable virus is contained.

A radical approach to ensure every single club can have top quality meetings, increased attendances with top stars riding at each track.

This would mean for this season a complete format change to all league structures for this season only.

With 7 Premier League teams, 12 Championship teams and 3 stand alone National League teams.

22 teams competing in a structured 4TT format with every team visiting each other.

This can happen with riders evenly distributed to teams regarding averages and present team signing prfrences etc.

Racing format and fixtures are easily compiled, but this is totally RADICAL, but possible.

Just imagine Nicki Pederson and Jason Crump visiting the likes of Kent, Mildenhall and Edinburgh.

Block buster fixtures and a sure draw for spectators at every track.

But wait we live in the real world and who would want something revolutionary that would actually benefit everyone in the sport?

Would you rather have less meetings but see a better quality of rider secsy1 ??    or more meetings with the quality lower.

[cityrebel 2,960]

3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Would you rather have less meetings but see a better quality of rider secsy1 ??    or more meetings with the quality lower.

I think it might reach the stage Sid, that people can't afford regular meetings anymore. Two a month would be plenty in the current climate. If this means better quality, I'm all for it. As long as the fans are not priced out of attending.

[John Scrutton 180]

Is there a chance that Speedway could run behond November ?

[MattK 3,447]

5 minutes ago, John Scrutton said:

Is there a chance that Speedway could run behond November ?

There comes a point where the weather becomes prohibitive. Rain off, after rain off does nothing to enough fans out of the house.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

1 hour ago, cityrebel said:

I think it might reach the stage Sid, that people can't afford regular meetings anymore. Two a month would be plenty in the current climate. If this means better quality, I'm all for it. As long as the fans are not priced out of attending.

I cannot see the clubs being able to balance the books with all the stars back City.Someone like Woffinden would not put anough extra on the gate to cover his wages.I would rather have say 2/3 regular meetings a month with an inferior product but clubs running there club within there longterm means.Your point is great City and i would be for it IF the clubs had the SKY revenue coming in but that has long gone.

[cityrebel 2,960]

1 minute ago, Sidney the robin said:

I cannot see the clubs being able to balance the books with all the stars back City.Someone like Woffinden would not put anough extra on the gate to cover his wages.I would rather have say 2/3 regular meetings a month with an inferior product but clubs running there club within there longterm means.Your point is great City and i would be for it IF the clubs had the SKY revenue coming in but that has long gone.

Until the social distancing is lifted Sid, i can't see any sport resuming in this country. I bought a 10 match ticket at Eastbourne for this season. It seemed like a good idea at the time, especially as entitled me to a £5 discount at several southern tracks. I hope i get the opportunity to use it.

[MattK 3,447]

13 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I cannot see the clubs being able to balance the books with all the stars back City.Someone like Woffinden would not put anough extra on the gate to cover his wages.I would rather have say 2/3 regular meetings a month with an inferior product but clubs running there club within there longterm means.Your point is great City and i would be for it IF the clubs had the SKY revenue coming in but that has long gone.

What do you think is the difference in cost between the likes of Doyle, Crump, Pedersen, Iversen and Woffinden? Even if Woffinden is 30% more expensive, he'd more than pay for himself in additional bums on seats.

[Falcon1983 557]

Think Woffy would probably be more like 300% more in costs but all depends on his earnings in Poland if they are not as agreed he may want to top up his earnings 

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

1 hour ago, MattK said:

What do you think is the difference in cost between the likes of Doyle, Crump, Pedersen, Iversen and Woffinden? Even if Woffinden is 30% more expensive, he'd more than pay for himself in additional bums on seats.

Matt if Swindon  say on a good day   get a crowd of say 1,5/800 is that crowd anough to pay the likes of Woffinden the extra revenue.Also  you might have two other big earners in the meeting as well, also  you have strongly  maintained the crowds have dwindled sufficiently in the last few years yet you believe we could afford to pay the bigger earners.A way of paying for the bigger earners is that the supporters go to less meetings and spread there meetings around therefore ensuring each club  get better crowds. 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[MattK 3,447]

12 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Matt if Swindon  say on a good day   get a crowd of say 1,5/800 is that crowd anough to pay the likes of Woffinden the extra revenue.Also  you might have two other big earners in the meeting as well, also  you have strongly  maintained the crowds have dwindled sufficiently in the last few years yet you believe we could afford to pay the bigger earners.A way of paying for the bigger earners is that the supporters go to less meetings and spread there meetings around therefore ensuring each club  get better crowds. 

I think Woffinden would pay for himself in additional gate reveue. However we all know the reason he won't ride in the UK is because he doesn't like multiple race nights and that, like most top riders, two leagues and the GPs are sufficient to generate income and sponsorship.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

57 minutes ago, MattK said:

I think Woffinden would pay for himself in additional gate reveue. However we all know the reason he won't ride in the UK is because he doesn't like multiple race nights and that, like most top riders, two leagues and the GPs are sufficient to generate income and sponsorship.

 I think promoters need to know what crowds they are getting first.None of us really know , even at Swindon last year you were never really sure what the crowd would be.

[HGould 2,213]

There will surely come a point when restrictions have to be lifted as the death rate follows the infection rate in falling to early march levels.

Millions of jobs in retail / leisure and especially our own Coastal and Tourist Towns will implore that restrictions are eased otherwise we won't have a pandemic we'll have a great depression.

Many of the Events being cancelled are major ones that take a huge amount of logistical planning and expense and so have to be cancelled now to save unnecessary expense.

Speedway could resume in part one would assume within 7 days. It would take longer for foreign riders to arrive back in UK and some may decide not to bother.

The issue by then may not be "social distancing" as the Government has suggested more than once that it is willing to try "herd immunity" again in summer once NHS can cope. 

The big problem for speedway may not be lockdown, may not be social distancing, may not even be crowds of up to a few thousand, it'll be the medical cover and possible usage of A+E departments. That's a practical and ethical issue.

I am still hopeful that we may see "some speedway" in July / August, what form it takes is another matter entirely.