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Skid Sprocket

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Posts posted by Skid Sprocket

  1. Posted

    There is much discussion on the BSF on what is wrong with the way speedway is run today. I would like to see, from time to time, these opinions culminating in a vote so that, just maybe, the powers that be will see a clear picture of what a large group of speedway supporters are wanting.

    To get the ball rolling (or wheels turning) I thought an anonymous vote on whether or not to publish attendance figures.

    http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=84163&hl=

     

  3. Posted

    "Wishin and Hopin" the great song by Dusty Springfield comes to mind. Everyone wants things to improve but no one wants to do anything, at least thats how it looks from reading these pages and personal experience.

     

    From late last year and into the new year I ran a competition inviting schools and colleges to design a poster for our local club, out of the 40 invited only one entry was received. There must have been many speedway supporting parents and grandparents of students that could have encouraged the schools/colleges to take part. The one entry was of such good quality that it was put into print and announced on our club forum that copies were available but not one enquiry was received.

     

    While the BSPA deserve criticism there is a lot that the keen supporter can do to spread the word very easily to get the numbers up.

  4. Posted

    It would be great to see the numbers of the crowds based ony year.

     

     

    Not likely to happen though.

    It could happen if we all pulled together as a group and put pressure on the BSPA. I suggested a poll of members a while ago to see if there was sufficient numbers wanting to know but no one came up with a way to set up a poll.

     

    Even if we cant be told the figures I would like to know the reason why not.

  9. Posted

    For years fans have wondered why exact crowd numbers aren't published, but does it really matter? And even published figures are open to debate. For instance, do you include season ticket sales, even if the supporter doesn't attend that particular meeting? What about the under 16s who get in for free at the likes of Berwick, do you include those or just the paying public? Published crowd figures, like every other statistic, while handy to be used for comparison purposes, are just another cause for debate.

    Rather than just crowd numbers, the sport should be concerned about core values like rider numbers (current and future), media exposure, keeping costs under control, providing entertainment, safety etc.

    It matters more that they aren't published because that raises the more serious question "why aren't numbers published?" There is no reason why this can't be run alongside the other concerns mentioned.

     

    Every person passing through the gate should be counted no matter what the paying status, that is the attendance figure.

  10. Posted

    There has been a renewed interest in the speedway cartoon booklet recently and we are down to a handful of copies left.

     

    As 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Reg Smythe, the Museum of Hartlepool are having an exhibition of Reg's life and work which will naturally be dominated by Andy Capp but I have been asked to submit examples of his earlier work which includes his speedway character Skid Sprocket.

     

    This museum exhibit may trigger a new interest in the booklet and I am considering ordering more copies. If any forum members would be interested in a copy and help the SRBF could you let me know as it will help me decide whether to order more.

  11. Posted

    The fastest 5 average speed tracks in the UK that are still in operation (based on track records) are:

     

    1) Sheffield 361m - 59.1s by Ricky Ashworth on 14/10/2010 (54.70mph average speed)

    2) Belle Vue (NSS) 347m - 58.2secs by Niels Kristian Iversen on 29/7/2016 (53.39mph ave. speed)

    3) Kings Lynn 342m - 57.6secs by Nicki Pedersen on 11/9/2002 (53.17mph ave. speed)

    4) Berwick 368m - 62.2secs by Craig Cook on 15/8/2015 (52.98mph ave. speed)

    5) Workington 364m - 61.7secs by Richard Lawson on 31/5/2014 (52.83mph ave. speed)

     

    Thanks Tigerite, You have understood exactly what I was looking for when I started this thread, any more to complete the list?

  13. Posted · Edited by Skid Sprocket

    There may already be a list somewhere that I have missed but what are the fastest track speeds (not times) in each league, track length divided by track record, eg length 271 metres x4, record 52.2 seconds = 20.76 m/sec.

    Not very scientific because longer tracks should have proportionally faster speeds.

     

    Redcar = 20.76 metres/ second.

  14. Posted

    The BBC definitely does not offer fair, even and unbiased news coverage or sports coverage. I used to believe it does but it has increasingly failed over several issues. The National Press are in the main disinterested because there are so few of us ( supporters ), few clubs & riders ( ludicrous levels of doubling up ) The rules and the way speedway is run make it barely credible and there is almost total disinterest in speedway from from fans of other sports. Sadly that is nearer the truth.

     

    I've just read this in a speedway magazine;

     

    "For months now speedway supporters have been protesting to the BBC against their decision not to broadcast speedway results at the end of the 10 p.m.news bulletin.

     

    In acknowledgment of the hundreds of letters sent the BBC have replied to the effect that after consideration they regret not being able to accede to the requests.

     

    Not the least of the difficulties involved is that meetings take place too late in the evening to be included in the 7.25 sports summary, and present commitments do not allow a regular place to be given in the later bulletins for league results."

     

    And the magazine? Monthly Speedway World. July !949. Nothing changes!!!

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    Moving on from the Reg Smythe cartoons re Skid Sprocket cartoons in the 'Monthly Speedway World' I have an idea Skid Sprocket cartoons may also have been published in the weekly 'Speedway World' in the same years.

     

    I think you are right. I know that edition no.1 of the Monthly Speedway World was issued in June 1949 (of which I would like a copy or even a photocopy?) but when did the weekly Speedway World start and were Reg Smythe's cartoons in that 1st edition?

  16. Posted

    I have now obtained a copy of Monthly Speedway World, issue no. 3 dated August 1949, and Skid is featured in it. Does anyone have no. 1 June 1949 I would like to buy it if available or even a photo copy (at my expence).

     

    Copies of the cartoon booklet Smythe's Speedway World is all but sold out but I am thinking about a reprint especially if there is interest from the museum display. Would anyone be interested in a copy with all income going to the Ben fund?

  19. Posted

    Of which only a miniscule amount is allocated to Local Radio, currently well under 3% of licence fee revenue, split across 39 stations. If anything WM should be charging speedway for what is currently free advertising. The sport should thank goodness they can't. It takes a lot of justification for the BBC locals to opt out of the networked 7-10 slot and it would be so easy for WM to have given in and just used the dispensation for football.

     

    Speedway doesn't know how lucky it is to have BBC WM.

     

    If you think that BBC Local Radio is awash with money you haven't a clue of how it all works.

     

    I don't believe it has anything to do with money. If the BBC charged sports for airtime then they would make a fortune from football, there would be no need for a licence fee.

     

    It seems to be left to what interests the presenters. Our local BBC radio will send up to three reporters all over the country and Europe to follow the local football team but to get them to come to our local speedway track about a mile from the studio is an impossible task.

    • Like 2

  20. Posted

    Some 7 years before Reg Smythe created Andy Capp he created a cartoon speedway character called Skid Sprocket.

    These cartoons were published in Monthly Speedway World, the first issue was June 1949, but I'm not sure if Skid was featured in the very first copy, I have no. 11 dated April 1950 and he looks to be well established by then.

     

    I have been asked by a local museum to loan them any materiel that I have on Reg Smythe'e pre Andy Capp days and so i would like to appeal to anyone who has any info on this dated magazine to please get in touch (or any dated in the 1950's.

  24. Posted

    Well, except that in this day and age there are web pages (for free) and TV channels (some free) which compete for the viewers attention. If speedway was though of as potentially attracting an audience, let alone buy a newspaper, then the publishers would go for it, wouldn't they?

     

    At the end of the day, the publishers concern themselves with circulation figures and revenue. They don't see it as their "duty" to do a Social Service, or to cater for the spiritual well-being and wider sporting awareness of the British Public.

     

    It's up to speedway to offer up a product that will capture the public imagination, that will have the masses flocking to it, and which will have people glued to their TV screens, web sites and paying for newspapers, and the publishers will run rings around themselves to offer up all the coverage you would desire. But then again, this is BRITISH speedway, we're talking about.

     

    It is understandable for newspapers and commercial broadcasters to chase the ratings to attract advertisers, having said that the commercial media are always telling us that they are doing a public service.

     

    This is where our "great British institution" the BBC should come into play with fair, even, and unbiased coverage of all sport and news covering any minor sport that would otherwise never see the light of day, but what do we get; wall to wall football.

  25. Posted

    No politics please it's moving away from the concept of speedway surviving in a changing world. We all want the same outcome it's just how we get there.

     

    If you are referring to my comment on having a "referendum", it was a joking way of making the point that if a clear message was to come from supporters maybe the powers that be will take notice.

     

    If someone has the time and know how it must be possible to get a consensus of opinion on a list of priorities of what should be done to ensure speedways survival that the majority can agree on.

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