steve roberts 9,246 Posted September 6, 2021 8 hours ago, OveFundinFan said: Would it work? Two day event would mean fans staying overnight so extra costs involved and currently many do the gp without staying overnight so it would be a real additional cost. For bsb weekends, usually held away from towns/cities many would camp out on provided sites, could that work in Cardiff? I doubt there would be double go weekends once the COVID restrictions are over, so the 2nd day would be a different type of meeting. Would this be so high profile to retain interest. After all, a big part of the Cardiff experience is the fact it is a gp and world class riders. ...which is what OGT in a previous post touched upon. I personally enjoyed the Amsterdam two day esperience and made the trip more rewarding in my opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,955 Posted September 6, 2021 13 hours ago, waiheke1 said: But it was hardly considered a success, and the following year it reverted to a one-off. The racing was pretty mediocre, but I'm sure for a speedway fan it was an enjoyable couple of days, and I bet Amsterdam made for a good night after the first meeting. Ultimately, I don't really see the mileage in basically just repeating the Saturday event on a Sunday with the same riders. Other motorsports will generally have practice, qualifying and different types of race (if not different classes) on different days. Plus as others have said, you can usually camp overnight and not pay the ridiculous Cardiff hotel rates. I know it seems to work with ice racing, but I think it's telling that the Amsterdam experiment was never really repeated in speedway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
truthsayer 234 Posted September 6, 2021 Why is speedway failing? There is not enough words to say why. To me, the fundamental is that there is no amateur structure. There's no club racing, where competitors fund the sport. There are not enough competitors, and there is not enough money going into the sport. It's not a team sport. It's an individual sport. It's a bunch of enthusiasts 'promoting' a sport by committee, with the committee determining their business model. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waytogo28 2,054 Posted September 9, 2021 On 9/4/2021 at 11:49 PM, enotian said: still watch SGP if it was 16 Poles in a series ridden entirely in Poland as long as the action was good. I certainly would watch any such structure if the action was good! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 767 Posted September 11, 2021 (edited) On 9/6/2021 at 10:20 PM, truthsayer said: It's not a team sport. It's an individual sport. Speedway was invented as a team sport. that is what makes it so very special. It is only today that it is more often treated as an individual sport, which is not how it should be. The F.I.M. are on the wrong trail here trying to bring speedway in line with other motorcycle sports. The team sport aspect is and always was Speedway's biggest attraction. Without their league and their clubs in Poland the sport would never be as popular as it is, and the same goes for Britain in the pre-war and post-war years and into the 1980s. Edited September 11, 2021 by Bavarian 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ajr 14 Posted September 11, 2021 Have a listen to Keith Huewen on the speed freaks show on you tube. He makes some great comments Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grand Central 2,654 Posted September 11, 2021 7 hours ago, Bavarian said: Speedway was invented as a team sport. that is what makes it so very special. It is only today that it is more often treated as an individual sport, which is not how it should be. The F.I.M. are on the wrong trail here trying to bring speedway in line with other motorcycle sports. The team sport aspect is and always was Speedway's biggest attraction. Without their league and their clubs in Poland the sport would never be as popular as it is, and the same goes for Britain in the pre-war and post-war years and into the 1980s. Speedway was NOT invented as a team sport. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,276 Posted September 11, 2021 6 minutes ago, Grand Central said: Speedway was NOT invented as a team sport. And in many countries that Speedway exists in, still isnt... Including the birth place of the Sport where "Team Speedway" is done "now and again" at a very local level as "something a bit different" to the usual individual meetings.. Dont forget though, that because we have done something for 90 years or so, (even if it no longer seems to work), it means we must never change, and we must keep doing the same thing over, and over, again ad Infinitum... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 767 Posted September 11, 2021 Do You believe the Speedway would have lasted 90 years in this country without the creation of the leagues and team competitions, or International test matches ? That's what has made speedway so big over here in the UK, Poland and Sweden. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemini 4,894 Posted September 11, 2021 5 hours ago, Grand Central said: Speedway was NOT invented as a team sport. It may not have been invented as a team sport but that has always been the main thing that attracted me for 70years and I don't think I am the only one who has no interest at all in individual meetings. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted September 12, 2021 Personally I always enjoyed the variety that speedway offered...team, individual, pairs. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iainb 5,016 Posted September 12, 2021 14 hours ago, mikebv said: Dont forget though, that because we have done something for 90 years or so, (even if it no longer seems to work), it means we must never change, and we must keep doing the same thing over, and over, again ad Infinitum... We did change... we brought in and expanded doubling up 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dog 413 Posted September 12, 2021 If riders didn't double up tho, it wouldn't be worth their while anymore because that's what makes it pay nowadays unfortunately. Seems to be a necessary evil... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cowboy cookie returns? 747 Posted September 12, 2021 5 minutes ago, The Dog said: If riders didn't double up tho, it wouldn't be worth their while anymore because that's what makes it pay nowadays unfortunately. Seems to be a necessary evil... Doubling up is one of the major reasons in this country along with guests that is driving people away and makes it impossible to find any national sponsor. It makes the sport non credible. The sport in the uk needs to become a mix of semi pro/amateur with standard equipment in use in our leagues. It needs a major overhaul. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heathen52 384 Posted September 12, 2021 29 minutes ago, cowboy cookie returns? said: Doubling up is one of the major reasons in this country along with guests that is driving people away and makes it impossible to find any national sponsor. It makes the sport non credible. The sport in the uk needs to become a mix of semi pro/amateur with standard equipment in use in our leagues. It needs a major overhaul. I couldnt agree more, but the powers that be wont grasp the nettle until its to late, we have to step back before we can move forward again, because of the equipment costs it has to be regarded as a hobby Sport rather than where average riders can earn a living, subsidised by Promoters constantly having to put money in and supporters paying increasing admission costs for very little entertainment provided by riders with no real Team loyalty which has always been an essential part of British Speedway but the BSPL constantly overlook this aspect. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites