gazzac 1,013 Posted March 8, 2021 47 minutes ago, Islander15 said: This is true. Weekends do facilitate an earlier start time in terms of work but what about those people desperate to spend time with their families that they haven’t done for months. The bigger issue though is there will be a section of supporters who are unhappy to pay £3-£4 more for a double header entry when they have no intention to watch the NL meeting. Why would you not watch it or at least some of it for £3/£4 ? A pint or 15 more heats of speedway with no extra travel costs??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,240 Posted March 8, 2021 1 hour ago, Sings4Speedway said: It does seem odd that whenever calls for the NL to be a £10 product have been shot down but running as part of a double header makes it a £3-4 product. I can only think that expenses of staging a double header are greatly lesser than two individual meetings along with lesser riders on probably lower points monies. It was mentioned in the SS by Jason Pipe that those who were making a living from riding NL would have to change that mindset.. You can only therefore think that part of the strategy of having so many 'novices' per team is simply done to keep the costs within what the clubs can afford to run their NL teams.. And £20 for 30 heats of Speedway is very good value for money I would say.. My only concern is if the whole 30 heats don't get completed, 'too regularly', would the fans then start to lose faith in the product..? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted March 8, 2021 30 minutes ago, mikebv said: It was mentioned in the SS by Jason Pipe that those who were making a living from riding NL would have to change that mindset.. You can only therefore think that part of the strategy of having so many 'novices' per team is simply done to keep the costs within what the clubs can afford to run their NL teams.. And £20 for 30 heats of Speedway is very good value for money I would say.. My only concern is if the whole 30 heats don't get completed, 'too regularly', would the fans then start to lose faith in the product..? Eastbourne is £24 plus prog for a double header. Do you consider that price is good value for money. I fear some of the 2nd matches might not go the full distance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,333 Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, mikebv said: It was mentioned in the SS by Jason Pipe that those who were making a living from riding NL would have to change that mindset.. You can only therefore think that part of the strategy of having so many 'novices' per team is simply done to keep the costs within what the clubs can afford to run their NL teams.. And £20 for 30 heats of Speedway is very good value for money I would say.. My only concern is if the whole 30 heats don't get completed, 'too regularly', would the fans then start to lose faith in the product..? Have to agree 30 heats won’t need many ‘ incidents’ not to go the distance at places like Berwick with a curfew, given that 15 of them are less experienced riders learning their trade. Fine for die-hards but might not be attractive to new supporters.Hope things go well for the Clubs running these double - headers though. Edited March 8, 2021 by Fromafar 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,240 Posted March 8, 2021 39 minutes ago, cityrebel said: Eastbourne is £24 plus prog for a double header. Do you consider that price is good value for money. I fear some of the 2nd matches might not go the full distance. Each to their own I presume... Like all prices set, the customer will determine just how much £24 is regarded as VFM.... If enough pay to at least cover costs, or even make money, then the price set is the right one... Will teams just charge on these nights for one meeting only I wonder? (If they can do so logistically)... No disrespect but I would imagine a fair few wouldn't always be interested in staying behind to watch the NL lads so may actually get put off attending if it was £24 'all or nothing, take it or leave it'... Any away Championship team fans for example may want to get back home as soon as the main meeting finishes... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Islander15 1,062 Posted March 8, 2021 1 hour ago, gazzac said: Why would you not watch it or at least some of it for £3/£4 ? A pint or 15 more heats of speedway with no extra travel costs??? It’s not my opinion, in fact I think it’s excellent value for money. But it’s been said before by fans of clubs that they’re being forced to pay extra for a meeting they have no interest in. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Islander15 1,062 Posted March 8, 2021 1 minute ago, mikebv said: Each to their own I presume... Like all prices set, the customer will determine just how much £24 is regarded as VFM.... If enough pay to at least cover costs, or even make money, then the price set is the right one... Will teams just charge on these nights for one meeting only I wonder? (If they can do so logistically)... No disrespect but I would imagine a fair few wouldn't always be interested in staying behind to watch the NL lads so may actually get put off attending if it was £24 'all or nothing, take it or leave it'... Any away Championship team fans for example may want to get back home as soon as the main meeting finishes... Exactly. £24 is a lot for speedway, let alone middle and bottom tiers. For a couple that’s nearly £50 just in entrance fees before food, petrol etc. The hard core fans won’t be bothered but it will make the take it or leave it fans think twice, or attend less regularly especially when Covid has hit lots of people’s finances. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted March 8, 2021 46 minutes ago, mikebv said: Each to their own I presume... Like all prices set, the customer will determine just how much £24 is regarded as VFM.... If enough pay to at least cover costs, or even make money, then the price set is the right one... Will teams just charge on these nights for one meeting only I wonder? (If they can do so logistically)... No disrespect but I would imagine a fair few wouldn't always be interested in staying behind to watch the NL lads so may actually get put off attending if it was £24 'all or nothing, take it or leave it'... Any away Championship team fans for example may want to get back home as soon as the main meeting finishes... Personally, i don't like double headers. They are far too long winded. Too many late night marathons at the White City have scared me for life. It was only 26 heats in those days as well! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
enotian 562 Posted March 8, 2021 1 hour ago, Islander15 said: But it’s been said before by fans of clubs that they’re being forced to pay extra for a meeting they have no interest in. It's a key point/risk. If someone charged you £3 more for your pint because they've given you a straw so it takes longer to drink you might go to another pub. I have my reservations about these double header arrangements. All for having a platform developing young riders but not sure the teams running double headers and charging extra have got the product right. Why 15 minutes of action takes 2 hours is a mystery to me so if 30 minutes takes 4 hours how can you sell that? Maybe the future for reserve teams is 5 rider teams over 10 heats. 5 before the main match and 5 after. Those interested can turn up earlier stay later those who aren't won't but no additional price either way. I'm guessing that would leave the stand alone clubs with nowhere to go but you can't imagine Mildenhall running in 2022 with 7 home fixtures anyway. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,333 Posted March 8, 2021 2 hours ago, cityrebel said: Personally, i don't like double headers. They are far too long winded. Too many late night marathons at the White City have scared me for life. It was only 26 heats in those days as well! I’ve not talked with many fans who particularly like double headers.It’s a risky strategy .IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sings4Speedway 3,246 Posted March 8, 2021 1 hour ago, enotian said: It's a key point/risk. If someone charged you £3 more for your pint because they've given you a straw so it takes longer to drink you might go to another pub. I have my reservations about these double header arrangements. All for having a platform developing young riders but not sure the teams running double headers and charging extra have got the product right. Why 15 minutes of action takes 2 hours is a mystery to me so if 30 minutes takes 4 hours how can you sell that? Maybe the future for reserve teams is 5 rider teams over 10 heats. 5 before the main match and 5 after. Those interested can turn up earlier stay later those who aren't won't but no additional price either way. I'm guessing that would leave the stand alone clubs with nowhere to go but you can't imagine Mildenhall running in 2022 with 7 home fixtures anyway. I think you have almost nailed it. I see NL reduced to 4 man 2nd halfs in the not to distant future. Possibly 8 heats format. The top brass dont like that it was a good attractive product at a better price. Still thin £20-24 double headers is better value than the PL but that may change on a cold evening.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted March 9, 2021 5 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said: I think you have almost nailed it. I see NL reduced to 4 man 2nd halfs in the not to distant future. Possibly 8 heats format. The top brass dont like that it was a good attractive product at a better price. Still thin £20-24 double headers is better value than the PL but that may change on a cold evening.. Whatever way it's dressed up, they are still charging the public an increased price for a product, the majority don't want. Delays are part of the reason crowds have declined over the years. A well run meeting, done and dusted within two hours, should be the target for all promoters. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mimmo 1,070 Posted March 10, 2021 On 3/8/2021 at 7:43 PM, Islander15 said: Exactly. £24 is a lot for speedway, let alone middle and bottom tiers. For a couple that’s nearly £50 just in entrance fees before food, petrol etc. The hard core fans won’t be bothered but it will make the take it or leave it fans think twice, or attend less regularly especially when Covid has hit lots of people’s finances. A lot have lost their jobs too, which will make their minds up for them, in addition to the reasons you've given. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,333 Posted March 10, 2021 Reading the Berwick Website +fixture list it states that Fans will be able to attend Individual fixtures on double - header nights,with a discount if you want to attend both matches.That’s a fair enough option IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crescent girl 1,905 Posted March 11, 2021 (edited) Berwick's fixture list at present offers only four double-headers (incorporating NDL matches with Belle Vue, Leicester, Kent and Eastbourne) plus two stand-alone NDL matches (Newcastle and Mildenhall) and the opening meeting of the new UK season on May 1 (against Armadale) which will be a closed-door event, streamed live around the planet! If this schedule is maintained (fixture-lists can prove pliable) having just four double-headers may retain their novelty as 'special occasions' and allow extra promotion of the matches at the appropriate time. Despite a personal preference for stand-alone matches, l readily submit to the financial advantage of running the occasional (and four, over a season, is about right) well-promoted CL/NDL double-header instead of two separate meetings. Edited March 11, 2021 by crescent girl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
