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Chris Brown

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Posts posted by Chris Brown

  1. Posted

    While there is a lot of talk about gambles financially, I guess the bit we do not know is what the financial incentive has been for Oxford and Birmingham to go into the top flight and prop it up. Without them it would probably be dead. I suspect there are some decent benefits for the move which may protect them slightly

  3. Posted

    54 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

    As has Cardiff for many years.  It's standard practice - an enticement to persuade people to book.

     

    So just so I understand, we are now comparing getting 1500 to 2000 people into Cowley every week to a Silverstone formula 1 and the Cardiff GP and using those as a good comparison

    Well Rob. I call that comparing apples with pears. It's just not a credible discussion. Those are mega events trying to deal with tens of thousands of people as opposed to whenever you come to the turn styles at Oxford speedway there may be 6 to 10 people in front of you

    It's simply not a credible arguement but I am absolutely certain there is nothing you will accept is wrong with Oxford

    You didn't answer that question about how many other clubs you visited this season who often no facility to pay on the day other than with a pre-book ticket on an app. I suspect I know the answer why

     

     

     

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  4. Posted

    6 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

    Hi Chris,

    The views have been listened to. Jamie asked me about programme sales, and I said occasionally some came into the stadium without cash, and then had to walk half a mile up the road to the nearest cash point to get cash for a programme. As a result, no-one will have to do that this year. Anyone wanting to buy a programme with a card this year simply needs to go upstairs to the track shop, which will also sell the programme, and which accepts both card and cash (and Apple Pay and all sorts).  As for downstairs, it'll remain cash only, because there's no way I could sell around 500 in the last hour (which happened at times last year) while faffing around with card payments.

    For those who didn't like having to pay online for every meeting, there's now the option of season tickets. Otherwise, anyone introducing or bringing back a speedway track is going to run it as a modern business, which is payment upfront online. Today's call-off has again showed the benefit of ease of transfer - this was even more obvious with the mid-meeting postponement of the Newcastle meeting last year, where everything wasn't left frantically searching for their re-admission ticket. Such antiquated policies went out out the ark - it's now 2023 and not 1983.

    As we know, no matter how progressive a promotion is, they will always be people who like to moan (and are fully entitled to have a moan, if they like), because it's not run exactly like it was in 2007.  But it's one reason I rarely come on the BSF these days, because forums are largely redundant and largely populated by people who have little interest in current day speedway.

    Speedway does not thrive by operating like it did 15 years ago. It acts like a modern, progressive business, and then like Oxford, it will attract plenty of younger support to go alongside the older die-hard supporters. The die-hards can't sustain a business alone. 

    Apologies for being a luddite Rob and being stuck decades back.

    You have addressed none of the points I raised, of course programmes should be cash, its a few quid. Without doubt a fall back of the track shop is positive so well done for that

    To argue that a rain off at 1pm justifies the ease of advance payment is nonsense because pay on the gate nobody has bought a ticket as at the point of calling off so struggling with that argument. I do understand that for the one rain off last season it was easier. I would also argue that for the one meeting I purchased in advance and then due to family illness I was unable to attend and therefore lost my £18 was a good argument for NOT having to pay in advance. Its swings and roundabouts but I had no choice but to lose my money.........unless I had paid for insurance. Just for comparison, if I purchase a ticket for Oxford United and cannot attend then OUFC will refund my ticket as long as it was before the game. Oxford Speedway do not offer that luxury

    So if you do not want to pay for each meeting in advance at the time you can for EVERY meeting in at the start of the season, OK that is a cracking response, not sure I see the link but then I am stuck in the past. Good to see you dismiss all the fans on here as not interested in modern day speedway, I am sure they are all over the moon with being dismissed as luddites with me 

    I did not see my points as a moan, I believe it was constructive and I tried to balance my point with positives and negatives but as I also said there are some who want to blow smoke and will not accept any points. I actually take your comment as somewhat offensive to suggest that a moan because its not like 2007. If that was aimed at me then yep, I am offended. Paying with a debit card is not 2007, its how the vast majority of transactions take place including at all the bars where you do not have to prepay through an app

    Having said all that, fair play to you for responding, you are the closest thing to the club who does respond. Out of interest is the club mailbox attended and do you think a response should be expected ? If not then I suggest the club do not publish it, email was of course around in 2007 but is still live today.................unless I have to put my questions in advance in an app !

    Just out of interest, you made the point that tracks would have upfront payment with no option on the gate. How many tracks did you visit last year that had no option to pay either with cash or debit card on the day. As its the way forward I am just interested to know

    Apologies for daring to say that not everything is perfect. I also do not frequent this forum any more and thank you for reminding me why

     

    • Like 8

  7. Posted

    On 3/28/2023 at 9:30 AM, Matt Davis said:

    Have you emailed the club or the stadium?

    To pick up on a couple of points

    I emailed club@oxfordspeedway.club which is the email address for General Enquiries. I mailed on 3 January and 25 January and never heard anything. The club were happy to contact me and ask for contacts for potential sponsorship though !

    I support not taking cash on the day and why would any club want to ?  What I do not understand is why a debit card cannot be used for admission, not everyone has a smart phone but pretty much everyone has a debit card. Once you enter the stadium you can only pay cash for your programme and at the bars you can only use a debit card. You do not have to pre-book your drinks the day before on an app and have to pay more for a pint if you have not pre-booked it. Debit cards are a universally convenient way of paying. I understand that paying with a debit card means some sort of readmission ticket needs to be given but that could be a receipt from the debit card. You could of course incentivise people to pay in advance through the app and reduce the charge and make it more expensive on the day to use a debit card, that would possibly encourage the use of the app. Increasing the price £2 on the day is nonsense and the reluctance of the club to offer an explanation is disappointing

    I accept that some football clubs are more expensive on the day but I do hope that speedway is not comparing itsself with football. Speedway has to work harder for its spectators than football and should not be complacement

    I am delighted to see Oxford back and there are so many things about the way the club is run that are just brilliant, the track is a transformation from the last incarnation, the stadium itself has had a real spruce up, the track equipment is at another level, the renewing of the pits on the back straight is really good but that does not mean that there are things that could be better and I guess the disappointing thing is that not responding to an email is a conscious choice, somebody should have read that and twice made the decision to ignore it and not respond. For me that is not something any body who is trying to attract people to come through the door should do whether they like the question ot not

    There are a fair few Oxford fans who knock anyone who is not constantly blowing smoke up the rear ends of the club but to grow you have to listen to your customers

    Just my view

     

      

    • Like 7

  8. Posted

    On 3/5/2023 at 7:05 PM, Toady said:

    Yes well we could debate this forever,I would suggest those of you that are unhappy contact the stadium 

    to tell them how you feel

    That is an interesting concept. I have done that on two occasions so far to ask why it an online ticket is more expensive on the day....... Never received an answer to either

    I am resigned to having to get an online ticket each time, understand and support no cash but do not understand why a debit card cannot be used. You can use it at the bars throughout the stadium

    Still cannot fathom the need to charge £2 more on the day, feels like we should be encouraging people rather than exploiting the people making a last minute decision

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 5

  9. Posted

    1 hour ago, Ghosty said:

    Come on then Oxford can you name some riders please.

    I know one local sponsor that would be keen to see Nathan Stoneman in the line-up, what would be his average & would he be good enough?

    Suggestion was on local radio that 4 riders are signed but these things get drip fed to maximise the impact 

  10. Posted · Edited by Chris Brown
    spelling

    15 hours ago, rodhiles said:

    Well haven’t posted on here since 2008 ish!! So happy to have Oxford Cheetahs back. Ignore the muppets on the Oxford mail comments we seem to have our fair share of doom and gloomers in Oxford! Seems like everyone has something to protest about these days. Roll on March and good on ya Steve

    Similar timeline for me since last posting about Oxford on here. Great to see the club back and lets hope the fans have retained their enthusiasm for the sport. That plus an opportunity to introduce new fans is hopefully a recipe for success. Good luck to Jamie in making it happen

    All the hard work from so many people has paid off

    • Like 3

  11. Posted

    Apologies if this is not the right place but I am clearing out the loft and have back copies of the Speedway Star which I am looking to get rid of

    1st copy was the one covering the 1985 Bradford World Final and I stopped collecting in October 2016. The first 20 odd years are bundled and tied in date sequence with none missing, the last few years may be a bit hit or miss

    As you can imagine its a big bundle so if anyone wants them then they are welcome to them but will need to collect from Oxford

    PM me if there is any interest 

  12. Posted

    Apologies if this is not the right place but I am clearing out the loft and have back copies of the Speedway Star which I am looking to get rid of

    1st copy was the one covering the 1985 Bradford World Final and I stopped collecting in October 2016. The first 20 odd years are bundled and tied in date sequence with none missing, the last few years may be a bit hit or miss

    As you can imagine its a big bundle so if anyone wants them then they are welcome to them but will need to collect from Oxford

    PM me if there is any interest 

  13. Posted

    Apologies if this is not the right place but I am clearing out the loft and have back copies of the Speedway Star which I am looking to get rid of

    1st copy was the one covering the 1985 Bradford World Final and I stopped collecting in October 2016. The first 20 odd years are bundled and tied in date sequence with none missing, the last few years may be a bit hit or miss

    As you can imagine its a big bundle so if anyone wants them then they are welcome to them but will need to collect from Oxford

    PM me if there is any interest 

  15. Posted

    I hope Bryns funeral today and meet up afterwards were a fitting tribute to the great man.

     

    Were there a lot of ex Hackney/Crayford people in attendnce?

     

    There were indeed some great tributes in what was a really good service. A good number of people, at a guess 100-120 and the service was a fitting send off to the old boy

    • Like 7

  16. Posted

    To be fair the train is pretty express, it only stops once between Prague and Pardubice. Problem comes at Pardubice Raliway Station as the transport to the stadium is pretty non existant. Hotels in Pardubice are pretty good though if you choose to stay

     

    One era ending moment for me yesterday was the retirement of Ales Dryml after his final ride when he went into the crowd as his home track and gave his helmet to a young fan

     

    After some of the horrendous injuries he suffered 9 years ago, I am glad to see him and Lukas now safely retired

    • Like 1

  18. Posted

    You talking about Lukas Dryml, who was fit to ride outside the UK but injured for Oxford?

    Yep but rightly or wrongly he had a Medical Certificate so no rules were broken but that was not OK in that instance. Same now isn't it ?

     

    BTW the end of that Dryml era today as Ales retired after his final race in the Czech Golden Helmet today

  19. Posted

     

     

    The rules were recently changed to allow injury replacement so teams didn't have to go into the playoffs weakened.

     

     

    Of dear there goes all the conspiracy theories. It was a genuine injury after all and Hans season is over. No cheating from Poole whatsoever leaving egg on all the Poole haters faces.

     

    Expect page after page of apologies now from the anti Poole brigade as Poole have not cheated at all but followed the rules in place.

     

    Some real irony in this one Steve.

     

    15 years ago when a rival club were operating within the rules you didn't have this same view

     

    Amazing how its different when the boot is on the other foot :)

    • Like 2

  20. Posted · Edited by Chris Brown

    Wtf has Colin Meredith got to do with the price of fish?

     

    Whatever Belle Vue do it will never be as bad as that clown who ran oxford into the ground, waggy?

     

    Call it irony, Belle Vue had to blame someone on opening night who was not there so not why not Colin this time. My point was it will not be their fault

     

    What on earth that has to do with a promotion of 12/13 years ago is beyond me. We are talking about tonight and I was not there but if you can tell me is was anything other than a balls up then I concede

  21. Posted

    Are the promotion taking responsibility this time or blaming someone elsE ?

     

    Maybe the contractors, the fans, Colin Meredith ? You cab be sure it will not be their fault

     

    And still the sport contributes to its own decline

     

    I was planning my first EL meeting since 2007 tonight but at least Coventry had the decency to call it off this morning

  23. Posted

    Very rarely post these days but what a sad state of affairs when a rider who while I believe has contributed significantly to British speedway but actually benefited hugely from the way British Speedway allowed him to develop yet again kicks his country in the teeth

     

    Frankly I could not care less whether he agrees with whatever it is he is criticising the BSPA for in his cryptic tweet but the fact is that as Britains No 1 rider he should damn well make himself available to ride for his country. As for all this maybe in 2018, well for me once he is out he stays out, why should he dictate when he does and does not ride?

     

    I said the same when Scot Nicholls threw his teddy out of the pram as well and was glad he was left out of this years WC

     

    Time that egos were popped back in the box and riders got on with riding for the country who has supported them, Tai may moan about the BSPA but when he was young and riding in just about every league over here but with no speedway anywhere else in the world he was glad of Britain. Now he is a big fish he wants the sport to dance to his tune

     

    Sorry but perspective WC or not he is not bigger than the sport

     

    Very very sad for someone who has been treated very well by British Speedway over many year

    • Like 16

  24. Posted · Edited by Chris Brown

    Even Matt looks at the bigger picture, but if other promotions do not then they cannot expect to compete.Matt runs poole speedway how he see's fit and runs it professionally. Everybody starts at 0.

    Would you tell Leicester City they can't win the league because, or would you tell Man utd you can't sign so and so because it gives the others no chance, Speedway is a club and team sport, it might do other promotions to remember that..

     

    Dangerous comparison between a sport which is on the up and up with money pouring into it at a level that the participants could only ever of dreamed of and a sport that is frankly dying on its arse

     

    But if you see speedway as a good comparison to football then fair enough. Personally I think its a dreadful comparison when you talk about the bigger picture

    • Like 1

  25. Posted

    Were killing it because Matt Ford is doing his job. How many other promoters can actually put hand on heart and say the are doing the same..

     

    He is doing his job, nobody can argue with that.

     

    I think the problem is that by doing that he is destroying the Elite League, his financial muscle is talking very loud and clear and you question whether too many other clubs will bother trying to compete because they just can't

     

    So for the good of Poole Speedway in the very short term he is doing his job, for the long term future of Poole and for the future of speedway in the UK I would seriously question it

     

    Still at the point he has nobody to compete with I guess he will get bored and then Poole may just be left in a mess as well

     

    Not sure too many people should be applauding this if you look at the bigger picture

    • Like 3
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