waytogo28

Holder almost certain to be at King's Lynn ( IF Iversen is prevented from returning due to Poland's contractual demands ) with Lambert, Batchelor, Porsing, Huckenbeck, Rose and Wilkinson ( not a very inspiring team - except for Lambert ) If that is the side declared on Friday then it will lead to a further loss from the terraces.

There is little doubt that, as others have said, things will go on in the way they always have ( even with the shiny new name tags ) and consequently all that is wrong within the sport - which has led to supporters walking away - will also continue - emptying the terraces further. The BSPA do not want to listen to the views of supporters or act on the any of their ideas, some of which have been quite good. Without a completely new approach to marketing and attracting new fans further shrinkage is almost guaranteed.

Concentrating every bit of each promotions efforts on attracting new fans is the most important thing between now and the next season. The "bring a friend" marketing technique worked a bit in 1965 and cannot do much to revive the sport at the moment. Encouraging all sports fans to take a look at speedway racing on YouTube if they have never been before, would be a great start. As would be the sale of a DVD for £1 ( or whatever the production costs currently are ) of The Best of 2016 races. This may be possible in partnership with a newspaper or broadcaster and then even may be a free giveaway. For those who have never seen speedway racing before it could bring them in for a first visit. Then it is essential that the live experience in the stadium is as crisp and exciting as possible and not a long, dreary stand in the cold! There is too much of a mentality among promoters ( seemingly ) that having had a major re-vamp and a re-branding all is well and new fans will pour in or even pop in. Outside of current speedway areas no-one noticed it! The sport will not reach it's centenary without serious attention to selling it's best points to the wider world and making sure that the "on the night" experience is worth repeating. Selling a double sided A4 racecard for a £1 would be a positive thing. This might mean a loss of some local advertising revenue but would make a night at the speedway much better value.

Seems to me that the SS is far from "frank, fearless and free" from vested interest and has included very little of fan's response to the BSPA re-vamp, which seems from what I read here, to have been pointless. No-one outside the sport will have noticed, so hordes of new, younger fans will not be clogging the turnstiles at any tracks. Every idea introduced has been tried before and failed ( or just quietly dropped when it didn't succeed ) Sticking a new name badge on will do nothing to address the basic problems of the sport. The SS should be having a fan's "referendum" at least twice a year in order to encourage true feedback from fans about what could / should be done or tried.

BV will almost certainly run but Leicester is pretty much in the hands of the Gods. With Helmsley controlling the stadium there is little likelihood of someone operating satisfactorily as a promoter. And the crowds are so low now the question is can Leicester and surrounding areas support a team to be viable on a financial basis? I just want all promoters to pay their outstanding debts, particularly to riders, before they exit the sport.

What I would like to know is - do promoters still post a financial bond to the BSPA before they operate a team? We were led to believe that this was a requirement. If so have the 2016 promotions at B.V. and Leicester lost theirs? If not why not? Out of pocket riders should at least partially be compensated from these funds.

No one outside the sport even noticed the Great Re-vamp. It was not reported outside of non speedway areas and thus the outside world knows nothing more than they did before it happened. Speedway is far too inward looking and it's only hope is to attract new, younger fans. Older generations of fans have passed away ( or are getting less active ) they will not be attracted back by a change of names! Promoters are a Big Fish in their own little sporting pond and believe that the rest of the world is listening. Perhaps because it's over in less than ten seconds that's the case in 70% of races. A majority of riders seem to accept that the positions at the end of lap one will be the result. Except for the few young guns or dyed in the wool racers are prepared to give it all in an attempt to gain a point ( or not run a last ). Are different better incentives needed? There are invariably not more than five races in a match where there is any passing or excitement. That old saying of first away wins is mostly true and will not easily attract new fans. Getting away from the start and not making a mistake makes it very difficult to be passed - that is a fact of modern speedway racing. Track preparation - too many promoters still say they do the track prep to retain the home advantage. Too many tracks are still "trick tracks" and need a technique which riders visiting once a year do not attempt to master that technique. Away teams in many cases accept their fate and ride accordingly, hoping at best to avoid a thrashing. Providing a track where the opposition can believe they have a real chance of winning is essential if you want new fans to return.

Amalgamation was probably the only option that might, just might have started to rejuvenate the sport. If marketed to the outside world properly. This time next year that is what the Big Re-vamp ( Part 2 or is that 22?) will opt for. Downward spiral, sadly.

Following the masterstroke decisions of the BSPA at the recent AGM, all of those problems undermining the stability of speedway are truly behind us! Average crowds in the SGB Premiership will mirror those in football - around 26,000 and in the very similar ( we are assured ) SGB Championship will be close to 19,000. The new pay rates will be £1,000 a point for all riders ( with the very, very best on Rooneyesque levels of £3,000 a point ) New Armani blazers ( and matching trousers ) will be ordered for all of the fiendishly clever promoters ( skirts an optional choice for some ). Luxury new viewing areas will be urgently required for the Rider's Agents. Pit's paddocks will have to be greatly enlarged to take in the soon to be, all too common motorhomes. And one or two helicopter pads as well. The sport will be awash with money ( and perhaps all toilets with disinfectant ). Well done One and All for such a clever solution. As the mist clears and Autumn 2017 draws close we will see them for what they are - purely cosmetic and very much in the way of " the Emperors new clothes". Too little too late to stop the rot in the sport.

Did those promoters whose licence has been annulled lose their financial bond? Does the financial bond still exist as a commitment to setting up in a speedway business? Why are promoters who fail badly, leaving debts etc allowed to re-enter the sport again as promoters?

What emerged from the latest BSPA conference was another stab in the dark, purely cosmetic changes that no-on outside the sport even noticed . By adding the tags of Premiership and Championship to what already exists, do promoters think that they will emulate the average attendances of football? Delusional sadly. By not listening to the opinions of fans ( as the BSPA seem determined to continue doing ) who require much crisper run meetings ( this at very little extra cost! ) more interesting content, fairer prepared tracks ( to give the away team a reasonable chance AND encourage passing ) the list of simple, cheap improvements is a long one! I prepared such a list ( with knowledgeable friends ) for my local promoter who could not even manage a one word acknowledgement ( eg "Thanks" ) and this was after requests in the programme for ideas! New fans will only be attracted if what they do come to sample is entertaining, well run and customer friendly. The BSPA need to be much more outward looking if the fan base is ever to be enlarged. Those attending now ( swiftly diminishing in numbers ) do not need to be wooed with new name tags for the sport they love. Every idea coming out of the recent conference has been tried before and has failed to convince the outside world that it is worth watching. Very much "the Emperor's new clothes". 2028 is unlikely to be a year of celebration for speedway.