Programme content

[screm 8,050]

Gave up buying a programme years ago as I found I would fill it in on the night left never touch it again. To be honest programmes are old hat now and not needed, print off a A4 sized race card on decent paper or thin cardboard and sell them for £1, job done.

[steve roberts 9,242]

My brother is going to Oxford speedway next week and I'm envious and have asked him to get me a programme as a souvenir so at least I have something tangible to remind me of years past at Cowley when I used to stand on the third bend chewing the fat with colleagues and fillling in my programme...all part of the night out in my opinion.

[iainb 4,962]

13 hours ago, Vic Meldrew said:

In the last few years I have been able to complete the race result in my programme as soon as the riders have ridden around the first bend!!

Why not do it before you go? Much more entertaining and then compare to what actually happens, in fact that could be a good competition on the night... winner wins a prize! Maybe the privilege of watching a race from the centre green... it's a totally different experience we're told

Edited June 26, 2022 by iainb

[steve roberts 9,242]

43 minutes ago, iainb said:

Why not do it before you go? Much more entertaining and then compare to what actually happens, in fact that could be a good competition on the night... winner wins a prize! Maybe the privilege of watching a race from the centre green... it's a totally different experience we're told

I actually got to watch a couple of races from the centre green and personally I was disappointed as they seemed just to be riding round in circles! It's the same when I watch a DVD when the meeting was filmed from the centre green. I find that watching from the outside from a height you get a better perspective...just my opinion.

[arnieg 3,622]

3 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I actually got to watch a couple of races from the centre green and personally I was disappointed as they seemed just to be riding round in circles! It's the same when I watch a DVD when the meeting was filmed from the centre green. I find that watching from the outside from a height you get a better perspective...just my opinion.

Plus you get dizzy. It's better at larger tracks (Long Eaton 25+ years ago was my first), but I am inclined to agree.

[iainb 4,962]

8 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I actually got to watch a couple of races from the centre green and personally I was disappointed as they seemed just to be riding round in circles! It's the same when I watch a DVD when the meeting was filmed from the centre green. I find that watching from the outside from a height you get a better perspective...just my opinion.

It always makes me laugh when, usually the meeting presenter says it's totally different watching on the infield, as surely you're watching 50% of the race from the inside anyway even though you're on the outside... if you follow me

[MattB 177]

On 6/24/2022 at 5:35 PM, bluebee said:

Although I always buy a programme at meetings I rarely read them on the day of the match as I like to concentrate on the meeting and the company.  I'll read them later in the week usually. But after reading Oxford's programme  today i started to ponder on what poor value official programmes generally  are. The articles by the various contributors s all seem to cover the same issues and state similar opinions.  In the Oxford programme there was comment on Luke Killen's debut by four columnists and Aaron Summer's comeback was covered multiple times. Sure, there's a years gone by section and a  biographies of the visitors but the team discussion pieces all regurgitate the same topics and points. When I buy a magazine I like to read different things - and yes it was good to read about these riders but not in every comment piece, Am I just unlucky in the teams I have supported or are there good programmes out there with varied content. I would think there might be an opportunity for a bit of humour somewhere in the pages for example, or even a bit of technical stuff for those inclined. Perhaps there could be some discussion between the contributors about what each one is going to cover before going to press. I'm not just picking on Oxford as I think the management have generally done a very good job and my criticism applies to many other programmes I've bought before. Just like to know what others think.

From what I can see some clubs seem to make more of an effort with the programme than others.  Belle Vue always seem to do a very good programme and the Birmingham programme is also good.

Even though its my team, i think the Wolves programme is poor value for money and was one of the main reasons I stopped buying programmes altogether.

[IronScorpion 1,407]

Interesting this as most people that have posted, do not buy programmes or prefer an A4 sheet folded to give a score card or to print their own yet when the SS do a programme survey, the booklets get the best reviews(costing £3+) & the 8 page programmes get the worst reviews. 

[singy13 372]

Still nice to be able to find an old programme stashed away in loft etc. Like looking back through them from eras when we followed the Comets to such as Eastbourne, Canterbury, Mildenhall, Peterborough, Bradford, Quibell Park, Sunderland etc etc.....the programmes from such venues add to great nostalgia............very important.

[steve roberts 9,242]

3 hours ago, singy13 said:

Still nice to be able to find an old programme stashed away in loft etc. Like looking back through them from eras when we followed the Comets to such as Eastbourne, Canterbury, Mildenhall, Peterborough, Bradford, Quibell Park, Sunderland etc etc.....the programmes from such venues add to great nostalgia............very important.

I used to place comments in my programmes so when I went back to consult them they would evoke fond memories...better written down as one's memory diminishes with each passing year!

[Bagpuss 10,757]

Not bought a programme for years, agree with what iainb says about filling them in being a mood hoover. If I want to know rider scores during a meeting I load the updates up on my phone occasionally and have a quick glance, the meeting score is either on the scoreboard or heard over the tannoy. 

[bigcatdiary 3,164]

4 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Not bought a programme for years, agree with what iainb says about filling them in being a mood hoover. If I want to know rider scores during a meeting I load the updates up on my phone occasionally and have a quick glance, the meeting score is either on the scoreboard or heard over the tannoy. 

 I Used to buy one religiously at every match I went too but these days I use my iPad for matches and but for the fact I get a programme with my ST I wouldn’t bother, the reading material is awful and it’s the same old crap every week, some of that is down to the bspl fining anyone for content that’s controversial but it’s made programmes very bland and they are not sought after by collectors as much these days.

I have dropped out of buying GP programmes as well, it’s pretty much the same content and front cover every round and the price is utterly ridiculous with some regular sellers on eBay charging as much for postage as for the programme.

GB programmes have been £10 for years, yet the same programme a few weeks later on eBay are a third the price.

[steve roberts 9,242]

13 minutes ago, bigcatdiary said:

 I Used to buy one religiously at every match I went too but these days I use my iPad for matches and but for the fact I get a programme with my ST I wouldn’t bother, the reading material is awful and it’s the same old crap every week, some of that is down to the bspl fining anyone for content that’s controversial but it’s made programmes very bland and they are not sought after by collectors as much these days.

I have dropped out of buying GP programmes as well, it’s pretty much the same content and front cover every round and the price is utterly ridiculous with some regular sellers on eBay charging as much for postage as for the programme.

GB programmes have been £10 for years, yet the same programme a few weeks later on eBay are a third the price.

John Berry, Dave Lanning (during his tenure at Cowley) Len Silver and Bob Dugard/Danny Dunton amongst others would often be controversial in their editorials but as you point out they had to tone down their observations in case it upset the "hierarchy.".

[iainb 4,962]

34 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

John Berry, Dave Lanning (during his tenure at Cowley) Len Silver and Bob Dugard/Danny Dunton amongst others would often be controversial in their editorials but as you point out they had to tone down their observations in case it upset the "hierarchy.".

I wonder if Leicester would let me do an editorial in their programme? Or Birmingham? What about Scunny?

[Fina 78]

I do buy a programme when I go to Redcar and read some of the content when I get home, but don't fill in the racecard when I am at the track.  Same as someone else said, if I want to keep tabs on rider scores I check updates site on my mobile.

It would be interesting to know if the clubs make a profit on the programmes from the advertising.  I have been assuming they do & that's partly why I get one, if sales were too low they would probably struggle to sell the advertising space.  I suspect clubs would lose out financially if they dropped back to a basic race card print out with club news on the other side.