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Spl77

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Posts posted by Spl77

  2. Posted

    On 11/23/2020 at 1:12 PM, Trees said:

    It's many years since British Speedway had crowds like Poland, can you remember the last 5k-10k crowd at your club?  The seventies for King's Lynn ..... 

    IMO the novelty of speedway started to wear off with our population in those years to where it is now, Poland will probs be the same as their country grows ...... the only thing that may keep the Polish people supporting their clubs longer is their obvious patriotism .......

    Ipswich had crowds in excess of 5k for the play off and Cup finals in recent seasons and I seem to remember a couple of good Friday meetings vs Lynn in the early 90s attracting crowds in access of 5k. However getting those numbers regularly mid 80s I would guess. 

    • Like 2

  3. Posted

    On 11/23/2020 at 7:44 PM, mikebv said:

    When/if Poland become an also ran nation at the very top level then domestic interest will start to wain..

    Just like happened to the UK, and then Denmark at different times, when they started to drop down the rankings after a long period of dominance.. 

    Sweden too, domestically enjoyed their biggest crowds when Tony R and the rest were winning World Champs individually, and collectively winning WTC's..

    Poland though will know this and will ensure by keeping protected places in their domestic line ups for Poles that they can help ensure they don't make the mistakes the UK in particular made all those years ago by allowing the UK riders to become the minority over here in many teams.. 

    It doesn't matter how many times Leszno (or any team) win the title over there, succesful Polish riders and teams at international level drives all the TV coverage, sponsorship and follow on domestic interest from the fans.. 

    They will have seen how "not to do it" and I am sure not make the same mistakes...

    The main difference between the UK and Poland is they have been attracting huge crowds for well over 40 to 50 years and the sport is embedded in those communities much like football is over here. 

  4. Posted

    11 hours ago, Speedtiger said:

    Apparently the money announced are ‘loans’ and maybe the sport/clubs didn’t want to take out loans or they didn’t pass the strict loan criteria. Either way still think its another kick in the teeth for speedway.

    If this money is a loan then I guess speedway is in no position to pay it back given given the financial state of the sport and lack of income both though the turnstiles and via sponsorship 

     

  5. Posted

    22 hours ago, Gunner85 said:

    you cannot blame the riders going for riding in Europe. put the blame on Poland for their selfish attitude to World Speedway.

    Certainly damage could be done to the overall standard of the Premier league.

    Blame the poles? More like blame the UK authorities who have mismanaged the sport over the past 30 years the result being the frail sport you see in the UK today. 

    • Like 9
    • Thanks 1

  6. Posted

    The sport in Poland has always been very supported and has manged to keep its self in the public eye, changing and adapting as time moves on to always stay relevant. 

    The poles are trying to protect their product and in sure that it continues to evolve. 

    The argument that if the poles monopolise the sport the GPS become nothing more than a polish championship and the world cup competition stops due to lack of competing nations probably doesn't worry them. 

    The domestic league is far more important to them than the GPS etc these are just a sideshow in comparison. 

     

    • Thanks 1

  13. Posted

    During lockdown I managed to find quite a bit of speedway from the 70s and 80s on you tube.

    As I was too young to remember those days I have been massively suprised how big the sport was. Lots of speedway on world of sport but was was suprised to find team racing was also featured I found Ipswich v Cradley heath highlights. 

    Bruce Penhall holding out for a new contract and being offered 30k a year extra, Kenny Carter on tvam. 

    The way speedway and its riders were portrayed on mainstream tv it seem like they were house hold names. 

    It's even more sad to see where this sport is today and how far it's fallen. I wonder if anyone involved in the sport looks at it now and thinks 'we f:%ked it right up' 

    • Like 2

  14. Posted

    36 minutes ago, Ringitsneck said:

    Which shouldn’t come into it as it’s a ‘ trial event ‘ and when was the last time a British Final got that sort of crowd?
    We have a National stadium and don’t use it for our biggest domestic meeting ? Crazy!

    The BSPA committee sharing out the meetings amongst themselves?

    The  attendance will be restricted to 33% of the stadium capacity. So given Foxhall has the largest capacity of any UK speedway stadium it makes perfect sense. 

    • Like 5

  16. Posted

    16 hours ago, KeirStarmerFan said:

    I think Speedway needs fewer clubs. Each region should have a super franchise team with 1 star rider. Fewer meetings spread over Friday nights, mainly in the summer.

    Birmingham Bears - Bartosz Zmarzlik

    Manchester Aces - Martin Vaculik

    Norfolk Ninjas - Robert Lambert

    Somerset Scorchers - Tai Woffinden

    Scottish Saints - Leon Madsen

    Swindon Sizzlers - Artem Laguta

    6 teams play each other once home and away, make an event of it. Have good entertainment on at half-time, each team can sign one star rider like Zmarzlik, Sayfudinov, Madsen and Vaculik. 

    Tickets are £20.

     

     

    One of the many issues with this idea is that the poles ride on a Friday.

    I think that British speedway needs to find an operating model that works for level of support that can be currently generated. So at the highest level its no more than semi pro with standard equipment that is easy and cost effective to run.

    At the same time work on improving the credibility and image of the sport is a must.

     

     

     

  19. Posted

    9 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

    The responses to this thread pretty much sum up the state of British Speedway today.

    We have one poster complaining about the spelling (or grammar) . 

    Some think everything is rosy, others think urgent action needs to be taken. Many clearly just don’t give a tuppenny damn and don’t bother to post.

    This is replicated amongst our current set of promoters. They promote the sport, and until they cooperate fully, and put their personal ambitions to one side, I cannot see organised league speedway surviving in the UK.  

    Spot on great post! It's worrying that the promoters put personal ambition above saving UK speedway. When the ambition is to win things that have little or no value and mean absolutely nothing outside of UK speedway. Very very sad times. 

    • Like 1

  20. Posted

    3 hours ago, HGould said:

    Never fails to amaze me how those who say they don't go to speedway anymore can make such sweeping and often inaccurate statements about its health. 

    It's clearly got major problems but there are green shoots with young riders, GB set up, increased crowds and community initiatives at many clubs and a few promotions that actually have new ideas and some business acumen. 

    No doubt I will be sent to the mad House but I'm more positive now than I was 3 and 5 years ago at Brummies and other clubs in CL and NDL

    I don't see how it's inaccurate? How many times do we read on here in the speedway star or elsewhere Promotion a b or c complaining about falling attendances rising costs and how they are running below their break-even figure and losing money hand over fist? 

    Just because we don't go on a regular basis or at all doesn't mean we don't stay connected via the speedway press. 

    No one can deny the empty terraces compared to 10, 20 or 30 years ago. 

    Some promotions are trying and some are loosing huge sums trying. 

    Untill there is a collective will to push forward nothing will change. 

  21. Posted

    21 hours ago, ray c said:

    last night meeting from poland full of young people and families not a dogs chance that happening in this country .i am a die hard i find it so depressing :t:

    Poland is certainly an interesting case. 

    I like many have held Poland up to be as the holy grail in what league speedway can be. 

    The interesting thing is having watched several Polish matches on TV the quality of the racing isn't as good as I thought it would be. 

    So that begs the question why is it so successful? 

    I personally think its because the people who run it have made the show slick and ensures that it is ran in a highly professional manor. 

    There for they have a product that the general public and business alike want to be involved with. The crowds generate a superb atmosphere. The combination of the atmosphere and the slick presentation makes the product cool regardless of the quality of racing. 

    I guess the UK was once in that sort of position having watched racing from the 70s and 80s on you tube it wasn't all passing and excitement far from it. 

    However you had the crowds the banter between Fans and the atmosphere that generated. 

    Unfortunately as the sport became more and more micky mouse the fans started to drift away which ment less and less atmosphere so the quality of the racing became the focus wrongly in my opinion. 

    For me I walked away because of the constant rule changes the vaslty over use of the guest rule. The double up and down rule finally saw an end to my picking and choosing meetings. Now I go once a year to catch up with friends who like me used to go. 

    As a guy in his early 40s with young kids I was and should be part of speedways future. However until they can run the sport as a professional product or run it purely as an amateur sport and charge fiver to get in away I shall stay, 

    • Like 6

  22. Posted

    No need for an enquiry. 

    Everybody on here knows the reasons why the sport is in terminal decline here in the UK. So many threads so many comments over the years on here. The star have even tried to address it. 

    Sadly the powers that be have done very little to address it. 

    I no longer worry about it speedway is very much something I have left behind unless I fancy a night at the races for social reasons. 

    I can't change it or influence the powers that be so as its out of my control I just enjoy the memories and the odd night out to the speedway once a year or so. 

    • Like 3

  24. Posted

    On 7/22/2020 at 2:38 PM, old bob at herne bay said:

    Wow......“Scunthorpe Amateur Select vs Leicester Amateur Select”

    A fixture to savour...... will it be run over two legs home and away to add to the excitement ? 

    Well Godfrey is well placed to run an amateur meeting if his press release from in front of those curtains is anything to go by 

     

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

  25. Posted

    15 hours ago, KevtheRev said:

    It is my understanding that 70% of that money went to one person! One usually very orange person!

    Regardless of where the cash went it's proof if needed that those who run speedway in the country are incompetent. Vast amounts of money wasted and not invested in the future of the sport, total failure to capitalise on the involvement of sky sports and the greater media attention that brought for a few seasons. 

    I would love to see the sport return to Brandon I have such fond memories of watching my team Ipswich at Brandon on Saturday evenings during the 90s and of course those wonderful Sunday afternoon British finals of the early mid 90s. 

    I'm sorry to say that unless this once wonderful sport changes dramatically in the next 6 months ready for 2021 then the fate of speedway in this country will mirror that of Brandon. 

    I wish you guys who are trying to save the stadium and return it to speedway use all the best but without massive change the sport will be nothing but a memory in a few years with the exception of one or two tracks staging the old open meeting and experience days. 

    • Like 2
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