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Pieman72

Extortionate Admission Prices

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14 hours ago, mikebv said:

I remember going to the SON at the NSS and being given a free upgrade from standing on the first turn, (under the TV gantry showing the start and first straight action), to the seats on the 3rd and 4th turns. (The ones most in view over the next 3 hours of coverage)..

They also threw in some Union Jack's flags to wave too..

No one noticed on the TV that our original area wasnt full as it was barely shown and the whole meeting came across as colourful, vibrant, full and atmospheric with every start being done in front of "a full stadium" as a back drop..

Conversely when the Aces are on, the camera most used at the start line shows rows and rows of empty seats in a usually half to two thirds full grandstand..

I know some will be season ticket holders but surely for one night they could move them and put the 1000 or so sat in the grandstand together. Then cover up the empty seats either side with advertising covers..

Or simply leave the ST holders where they are and just do 'free upgrades" for those who have purchased standing in the south stand...

You could then put anyone left in the south stand together in the middle and again put up some big adverts to block out the spaces either side...

Plenty of shots of a "big crowd" stood together and plenty of advertising for sponsors too..

It is really the little things that dont cost any more to do that can, and often do, make all the difference..

The IOW know that shots of a full section of stadium sells their business to "maybe visitors" far better than an FB page showing a sparsely visited section..

Those in the restaurant business put all their early customers by the window for a reason, and it isnt in case there is a fire that they will get out quicker...!!

The only trouble with that is people can be a bit funny about where they watch their Speedway from, I know I am, when at the NSS I always prefer to stand in the south stand at the back in the middle, can't be doing with all that sitting down nonsense (:lol:). Whenever I go to any track I always go and watch from "my spot"

13 hours ago, JamesHarris said:

Just spent the last hour thinking how British speedway could re-attract the punters and provide value for money - sorry to waffle on...

1. Scrap doubling up once and for all. If there's not enough riders to fill both leagues then combine the two leagues into one. All we see now is the same riders racing each other all of the time just in different race jackets depending on what night of the week it is. If a football player turned out for Chelsea on Saturday and then Millwall on Wednesday it would be called a joke!

2. Bring back the aggregate bonus point. This current point system is stupid and confusing. The old bonus point gave a meeting something to race for even if a team was losing on the night and sometimes we even had a run-off. 

3. Revert to the old 13 heat format. Have a full 2nd half which includes junior league races and individual heats. How about also staging say 4 80cc races prior to the main meeting?

4. Employ a centre green announcer/ master of ceremonies that can actually entertain the crowds with a bit of humour and also one that knows what they are talking about. This was the one key area where most tracks fail. Most of them are boring dinosaurs from the 60's. Also do away with the boring rider interviews. Most of the time the riders don't want to talk and what they do say is boring and can easily cure a sleep disorder. 

5. Actually promote the sport. Local radio and other media is a great thing. Don't just open the gates and expect people to turn up. Those days are gone. 

1. I hate to rain on your parade but doubling up ain't disappearing anytime soon because the powers that be have run the sport down to such a state that it's not operable without it, not for a few years anyway until some of the kids come through to sufficient age/standard. If there's not enough riders for 2 leagues there definitely aren't going to be enough for 1. You're right though the sport has got to move away from this model.

2. Totally agree, there's too many scenarios, I can never remember whether it's 6 points, more than 6 point or less than 6 points... and Speedway the only sport where a draw is not a draw, try explaining that to a noob.

3. No, 15 heats for me all day long... AND a full second half.

4. I quite like to hear from the riders as opposed to tractor racing, happy birthday messages, presenters inanely prattling on about nothing having one sided "conversations" with the fans. There shouldn't be need really other than to give a result or the line-up to a race.

5. Agreed

15 hours ago, barrybishop said:

Hi, we do it every week... have a look on our FB pages... they go down really well. We have done "secret bike look-ins", sponsors review, staff review, meet the mascot all that kind of thing. People like them a lot and it just builds the meeting up a bit more.

We could probably do more rider and management coversations and I will take that away although we alway do rider and management interviews after every meeting.

Of course you do... I was forgetting that you're a promotion that is actually switched on to what your punters want and willing to move into the 21st century. Keep up the good work!

Edited by iainb
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2 hours ago, iainb said:

The only trouble with that is people can be a bit funny about where they watch their Speedway from, I know I am, when at the NSS I always prefer to stand in the south stand at the back in the middle, can't be doing with all that sitting down nonsense (:lol:). Whenever I go to any track I always go and watch from "my spot"

1. I hate to rain on your parade but doubling up ain't disappearing anytime soon because the powers that be have run the sport down to such a state that it's not operable without it, not for a few years anyway until some of the kids come through to sufficient age/standard. If there's not enough riders for 2 leagues there definitely aren't going to be enough for 1. You're right though the sport has got to move away from this model.

2. Totally agree, there's too many scenarios, I can never remember whether it's 6 points, more than 6 point or less than 6 points... and Speedway the only sport where a draw is not a draw, try explaining that to a noob.

3. No, 15 heats for me all day long... AND a full second half.

4. I quite like to hear from the riders as opposed to tractor racing, happy birthday messages, presenters inanely prattling on about nothing having one sided "conversations" with the fans. There shouldn't be need really other than to give a result or the line-up to a race.

5. Agreed

Of course you do... I was forgetting that you're a promotion that is actually switched on to what your punters want and willing to move into the 21st century. Keep up the good work!

Yes I would give you that one as much as I liked the old 13 heat formula but, like yourself, definately a second half of one shape or another. Those that don't wish to stay on can leave after the main event if they so wish (afteral they've already paid their admission money up front so makes no odds) but fifteen heats of racing just doesn't give value for money in my opinion.

The extra bonus point was simple and easy to comprehend and calculate...nice and simple without complicating things.

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My first post on here so go easy! 

I was at a bit of a loose end last Sunday so I suggested to the wife and bairn that we'd go along to watch the Speedway to fill in an afternoon. Probably worth mentioning that the last time I went to watch the Newcastle Diamonds would have been around 1990 and I still remember a rider called David Bargh being their best rider (he's the only one I remember). After some strange looks and a bit of persuasion the 3 of us went along. Cost £17 each for the 2 adults and £3 for my 8 year old and the £3 I paid for a programme made it a straight £40. Good value I'd say compared to other sports in our area;

For example;

£100 to watch Newcastle United

£70 to watch Newcastle Falcons

£50 to watch Newcastle Eagles 

£45 to watch Newcastle Thunder 

What we got was a cracking 2 hours of entertainment. Yes the Diamonds were pretty rubbish and Redcar won easily but my son loved it and has been badgering me ever since to take him back and even the wife admitted she enjoyed it. Drinks were also reasonably priced compared to other venues we've visited. Can't complain about what we spent for what we got in return, that's for sure.

 

Not sure how many people were there as they didn't announce it but it looked a very healthy amount and the start was delayed to let all the spectators in. 

 

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It would be very constructive for someone like Phil or an administrator to contribute to the discussion as there needs to be a conversation regarding the future of speedway. The BSPL hold all the cards so they are in the best position to make changes.

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Well Poole is better VFM these days. They used to have kids under 5 free entry, now it is kids under 11 and seeing as I have a 9 year old that saves me £6 each meeting I attend :t:

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48 minutes ago, Pieman72 said:

It would be very constructive for someone like Phil or an administrator to contribute to the discussion as there needs to be a conversation regarding the future of speedway. The BSPL hold all the cards so they are in the best position to make changes.

They do hold all the cards but by all accounts they won't listen. It's a private old boys club who live in the past. A few select of that club hold all the power and run British Speedway as their own little fiefdom supported by their minions who aspire to be top dog themselves one day. It will never change until the BSPA or whatever it's called now is ripped out root and stem. 

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Often see comments suggesting "one big league"..

It simply cannot happen...

Not enough riders of sufficient ability to make it watchable..

Not enough fans at many clubs to go into a "top tier" and pay put the level of money needed..

You could have a sixty rider 12 team top tier I would say, (just), and the rest could run at the 'old' NDL level...

An NDL level that seemed to be the only one that ran well and was cost effective..

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1 hour ago, mikebv said:

Often see comments suggesting "one big league"..

It simply cannot happen...

Not enough riders of sufficient ability to make it watchable..

The trouble is that people always throw great ideas about - that just aren't feasible.

The ONLY chance that would ever work is to go back to handicaps - and realistic handicaps at that.

The sad thing is that we have now got into such a position that there are no simple answers...

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On 7/31/2021 at 5:06 PM, chunky said:

The trouble is that people always throw great ideas about - that just aren't feasible.

The ONLY chance that would ever work is to go back to handicaps - and realistic handicaps at that.

The sad thing is that we have now got into such a position that there are no simple answers...

On the IOW we have had a hindicap (US Style meeting) for 4 years, including a 6 rider final. We have no introdued 6 handicap races, selected by team managers, for our 3TT meetings this season. So far it has work really well with plenty of passing and it gives TMs something to think about.

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Your doing a great service to speedway Barry. Everyone wants racing and lots of it keep it up !!

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On 7/29/2021 at 9:33 PM, JamesHarris said:

...Thirdly - One last chance for the people of Birmingham to show us they want speedway...

It won't be ONE last chance though, will it?  IF the attendance is good enough THIS Wednesday, then the fans will have the same gun pointed at their heads the next Wednesday. EVERY Wednesday becomes the next "use it or lose it" Wednesday. The writing is on the wall, and sooner or later, when the fans will tire of being blackmailed into attending, that'll be it, sadly.

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55 minutes ago, uk_martin said:

It won't be ONE last chance though, will it?  IF the attendance is good enough THIS Wednesday, then the fans will have the same gun pointed at their heads the next Wednesday. EVERY Wednesday becomes the next "use it or lose it" Wednesday. The writing is on the wall, and sooner or later, when the fans will tire of being blackmailed into attending, that'll be it, sadly.

To be fair to Birmingham they are doing quite a bit extra this week on top of the "gun to the head" style of promotion... 

http://www.birmingham-speedway.com/news.php?extend.3029

Not all of it my cup of tea but probably begs the question of why they haven't done this before now, that's one for another day though.

Also, while this has come up in the Extortionate Admission Prices thread, at £16.50 Birmingham must be one of the cheaper Speedway nights out in the country.

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On 7/31/2021 at 1:55 PM, Geordie78 said:

My first post on here so go easy! 

I was at a bit of a loose end last Sunday so I suggested to the wife and bairn that we'd go along to watch the Speedway to fill in an afternoon. Probably worth mentioning that the last time I went to watch the Newcastle Diamonds would have been around 1990 and I still remember a rider called David Bargh being their best rider (he's the only one I remember). After some strange looks and a bit of persuasion the 3 of us went along. Cost £17 each for the 2 adults and £3 for my 8 year old and the £3 I paid for a programme made it a straight £40. Good value I'd say compared to other sports in our area;

For example;

£100 to watch Newcastle United

£70 to watch Newcastle Falcons

£50 to watch Newcastle Eagles 

£45 to watch Newcastle Thunder 

What we got was a cracking 2 hours of entertainment. Yes the Diamonds were pretty rubbish and Redcar won easily but my son loved it and has been badgering me ever since to take him back and even the wife admitted she enjoyed it. Drinks were also reasonably priced compared to other venues we've visited. Can't complain about what we spent for what we got in return, that's for sure.

 

Not sure how many people were there as they didn't announce it but it looked a very healthy amount and the start was delayed to let all the spectators in. 

 

Brilliant post, thank you.

I went out with my family on Sunday night for an Italian. Mid range, nice place, not Michelin starred or anything. I had a starter and a pizza, £19, the same as a ticket to the speedway. No grumbles about the food at all, but I'd rather spend that money on a speedway meeting any day.

I know some people might come straight from work, but I've been going to the speedway since 1974 and never buy food or drink from the track. Now that is a waste of money.

Edited by CountArthur
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It's a long time ago yes, but when Norwich closed in 1964 I am sure it was 1s 6d for adults I was 6d as a child and the programme was 6d. Thta wa affordable and exciting good value - or came across as that to us, a working class family. We very much looked forward to going with the thousands of others.

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4 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

It's a long time ago yes, but when Norwich closed in 1964 I am sure it was 1s 6d for adults I was 6d as a child and the programme was 6d. Thta wa affordable and exciting good value - or came across as that to us, a working class family. We very much looked forward to going with the thousands of others.

and now, the fewer people go the more the price goes up. That'll work.

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