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HGould

Whats actually going on?

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35 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Want to expand on that a little more? Newcastle are cost cutting because they have a non attractive CL team on display, sadly despite reduced costs via double headers there still isn't that much backing for the NL side either. Surely this justifies IOW's decision to step out because they weren't able to have a say on what makes a saleable product and brings into question those who had a say on things and whether they really know what they are talking about.

Badly worded on my part, what I meant was the stupid decision to stop the IOW running independently this season is even more stupid now, although the delaying of the last covid lifting may have even caused a problem for Barry and co.

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8 minutes ago, gazzac said:

Badly worded on my part, what I meant was the stupid decision to stop the IOW running independently this season is even more stupid now, although the delaying of the last covid lifting may have even caused a problem for Barry and co.

See where you are coming from now, probably should have re-read it before getting my back up. 1000% agree though. I think Barry, Martin & co would have proved that without shackles you can still run consistently good nights of Speedway in front of happy crowds. It could even pave the way forward for all clubs, offering the chances to run formats that suit the home track and the support rather than the one size fits all approach that is currently forced upon all and is seeing tracks close year on year.

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Less than 200 tickets sold for Leicester v Mildenhall. Always a major risk running with a low points limit that people simply won't go to the stand alone NL meetings.

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8 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

Less than 200 tickets sold for Leicester v Mildenhall. Always a major risk running with a low points limit that people simply won't go to the stand alone NL meetings.

Be interesting to see the up take of the Eastbourne vs Kent local derby NL match at the weekend as Saturday looks dry after a wet Friday which makes for an ideal track, I genuinely can't go but would have, as think there will be some really good races with Knight , Abblit,  Gilkes, Kinsley and the rest, if it's a poor crowd, not much hope for the NL clubs attached to a Championship one. Not sure Easties break even point, but imagine it must be around 400/500.

Edited by gazzac
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4 minutes ago, gazzac said:

Be interesting to see the up take of the Eastbourne vs Kent local derby NL match at the weekend as Saturday looks dry after a wet Friday which makes for an ideal track, I genuinely can't go but would have, as think there will be some really good races with Knight , Abblit,  Gilkes, Kinsley and the rest, if it's a poor crowd, not much hope for the NL clubs attached to a Championship one. Not sure Easties break even point, but imagine it must be around 400/500.

As I have said before. its s matter of perception rather than reality. The Speedway will be just as good but lower points limits almost always mean lower attendances.....and the NL clubs without a Championship team don't have the opportunity to double head.

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9 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

Less than 200 tickets sold for Leicester v Mildenhall. Always a major risk running with a low points limit that people simply won't go to the stand alone NL meetings.

 

1 minute ago, gazzac said:

Be interesting to see the up take of the Eastbourne vs Kent match at the weekend as Saturday looks dry after a wet Friday which makes for an ideal track, I genuinely can't go but would have, as think there will be some really good races with Knight , Abblit,  Gilkes, Kinsley and the rest, if it's a poor crowd, not much hope for the NL clubs attached to a Championship one. Not sure Easties break even point, but imagine it must be around 400/500.

Alarming for Leicester but suffering for multiple reasons including having a good higher tier team this year along with using a lesser utilised race night doesn't help and the other team racing at the weekend. Also performances have been patchy and historically Leicester fans tend to get behind winning teams in greater numbers.

Eastbourne should be on a stronger footing with the regular race night, no CL action until next week to compete with and the local rivals being the visitors. Usually there is some second half action also which might not boost ticket sales it certainly adds to the production as a whole.

 

Maybe the most telling of all is the pricing? Eastbourne £10 Leicester £14...............

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7 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

As I have said before. its s matter of perception rather than reality. The Speedway will be just as good but lower points limits almost always mean lower attendances.....and the NL clubs without a Championship team don't have the opportunity to double head.

Think what may help also, is Eastbourne and Kent  have just come off the back of 5 really entertaining successful years of NL racing, and although a lower points limit, both have put together 2 really good teams for the points with 2 potential future top liners in Abblit and Gilkes on show. Plus as Sings has said £14 is perhaps the big turn off for Leicester as well. 

Edited by gazzac
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21 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

Less than 200 tickets sold for Leicester v Mildenhall. Always a major risk running with a low points limit that people simply won't go to the stand alone NL meetings.

Which is why so many are double headers..

If you as the business owner havent got faith in your own product then dont expect your customers to..

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10 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Which is why so many are double headers..

If you as the business owner havent got faith in your own product then dont expect your customers to..

Double headers are not popular for a lot of people. Forcing fans to pay extra for a product they might not want, is a recipe for disaster.

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26 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Which is why so many are double headers..

If you as the business owner havent got faith in your own product then dont expect your customers to..

You're right.

The method of running a weak NL team as a double header was, of course, pioneered by a certain Mr Godfrey (who was totally against low points limits when he ran a stand alone CL team).

Problem is, stand alone NL clubs don't have the advantage of a Championship meeting before hand.

Sings is also right. £14  for an NL match with a 34pt limit is just too much.

Edited by Halifaxtiger
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10 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

You're right.

The method of running a weak NL team as a double header was, of course, pioneered by a certain Mr Godfrey (who was totally against low points limits when he ran a stand alone CL team).

Problem is, stand alone NL clubs don't have the advantage of a Championship meeting before hand.

Sings is also right. £14  for an NL match with a 34pt limit is just too much.

Mentioned before. I used to attend the Colts for a tenner with my 16 yr old lad who got in for free..

For that I got to watch the best "young lads" and the best "vastly experienced" old heads..

And crowds must have been circa 600 to 700 or so given the guesstimate based on a grandstand of 1700 or thereabouts..

Still..

"All" the promoters agreed to this..:rolleyes:

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Interesting to read Len Silver's comments in the Speedway Star today. In particular the comments that the drop in points limits impacts the likes of Oxford and Bradford returning. The league should be about helping new or returning venues develop as well as developing riders.

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I've seen great double headers and awful ones, I always think you are hostage to fortune if anything untoward happens in first meeting.

Putting that aside I have some sympathy as the League was set up for a season starting in April and as it didn't start until late May (even later in case of Mildenhall) it means a lot less available dates. Presumably most NDL matches would have been standalone otherwise.

Len Silvers comments in Speedway Star i think are more a plea for a league he can take Kent back in to in 2022 rather than anything developmental. He's struggling to build a competitive Championship side and could build the typically strong NDL team.

I would expect to see Kent NDL only in 2022 if he gets his way; and possibly Newcastle a few other sides too.

Birmingham, Plymouth; Eastbourne ; Berwick;  too may be might prefer a return to NDL only?? (add in Mildenhall and IOW and hopefully Bradford and Oxford)

 

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So Martin Widman on Facebook is saying that NL riders can ride on the Island with written permission of their club which should not be unreasonably withheld. So the stumbling block has been switched from the BSPL / SCB to the NL clubs. Wonder have many NL sides will cooperate? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

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