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Fortythirtyeight

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Posts posted by Fortythirtyeight

  10. Posted

    6 minutes ago, mikebv said:

    Stock cars at Odsal came back in no small part to a good many "volumteers" who gave their time and their technical skills (and materials), to assist the promoter in setting up the track...

    A great many of whom were stox enthusiasts who wanted to play a part in getting an iconic stox venue back up and running...

    I am sure amongst the followers of Newcastle Speedway there will also be several "skilled" technicians who may be able to give up some time and resources to help build and power any "grass roots" venture which would at least keep the Diamonds in existence at some level..

    Buxton was a good example whereby a "very basic" Speedway delivered something for many years that was far greater than the sum of its parts, and I would be very surprised if it "cost the earth"...

    An "entry level" stadium with basic facilities, but with a (very important), decent shaped track, might be doable maybe?

    But first you need a piece of land that you can actually run speedway on with council permission and that my friend is the major stumbling block.

    • Like 2

  12. Posted

    On 9/2/2021 at 11:26 AM, Sings4Speedway said:

    Dictated pay rates, prize monies, BSPL fees, 16 rider field etc. Running the mickey mouse cup could be done with a 12 rider field, own decided rates of pay and entrance fees. Wise decision by the Mildenhall promotion given how the season is heading and lack of fixtures any that incur a loss will be left in a dangerous position.

    No pay rates involved as it’s a set prize/wage depending on where you finish in the field and the winner will be lucky to see a few hundred quid. No fee to the BSPL involved for this meeting. If you can pull 300 or more crowd you should be in profit.

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    1 hour ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

    I would like to know which riders Were forced into this

    No one said “forced “….. “told “ was the word used and told he was, even told which company he had to go to to get it. A gullible youngster believing what he was told by a promoter who gained an asset but didn’t deliver on the promises, no team place as no team was even put together as no such ‘ league ‘ appeared. 

  14. Posted

    4 hours ago, The Dog said:

    Whatever happened to the long list of moto crosers and grasstrackers that the BSPA gathered to try out speedway? Didn't they get names and emails from a bike show giving them free try outs? A few years ago now so I'm a bit sketchy on the facts... 

    Been discussed numerous times…..they never turned up .

  18. Posted

    1 hour ago, cityrebel said:

    I would expect the second tier to be a cross between the championship and the NDL. The poorer relations to move 'down'.

    Not sure who you think will want to move ‘ up ‘ when the likes of Poole only just came ‘ down ‘. Those clubs currently in the championship are there because that’s where they want to be, they won’t move ‘ up ‘ and won’t want a much weakend product although getting rid of the likes of Nicholls, Harris, Andersen , Masters,  Morris, etc is a must and will save the clubs a lot on wages.

    • Like 2

  20. Posted

    1 hour ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

    I may have done in the 80s and the 90s when clubs had assets that were worth something the riders. Today because of the crazy rules in operation those assets are now worthless. 

    Just out of interest I wonder what the valuation is of the BSPL

    As it’s just a group of individuals running a sport from a rented office with no real assets to speak of, then I would say very ,very little.

  21. Posted

    Let’s pick some of the bones out of your argument.

    Redcar struggled for a decent crowd because of Havelock, his demeanour towards the fans and his budget for the team reducing the product to a bottom of the league regulars. A new promoter came in, used the same budget but with a complete different mindset in producing excitement around the place and doubled the crowd and more. The new management trio have continued on with that trend and made it even more successful.

    Do you not think Redcar pay rent to the council for the STMP? 
    Everything inside the stadium belongs to the club , it was just a rubbish tip when the track was constructed and, unlike Brough Park, not a structure was standing so Redcar have built from scratch.

    Access to revenue streams….yes they have, through their own efforts. They only took over complete catering in 2020 .

    Sponsors….all clubs are responsible for generating their own so that’s down to the club to source.

    Watered down product …promoters choice, just like the clubs management structure, Redcar have a team that works, how many staff did Grant get rid off/ bring in to help ? His choice.

    Redcar were in the doldrums, but turned it around with positive, enthusiastic management from 2017 onwards using exactly the same budget that Havelock had. They have shown it can be done.

    Newcastle , take away the non disclosed debts they inherited, which should have been identified, have no different challenges to any other club this COVID affected year but I do understand Grant walking away from the stress of running a speedway club as even the Redcar management , who are all volunteers, are finding it very stressful in these challenging times.

    • Like 4

  22. Posted

    1 hour ago, montie said:

    agreed but that was then and this is now,i was more interested to the difference between the two clubs and the reason of one seemingly running well and one not so well

    I repeat……

     

       2 hours ago,  singy13 said: 

    It doesn't seem that long that Brian Havelock was pressing some alarm bells at that place though......

    Because of how he ran it and the budget team he put out, look how it’s been turned around , the lesson was learned on that occasion.

     

     

     

    • Like 1

  24. Posted · Edited by Fortythirtyeight

    This was written when the begging bowl that is ‘ Go Fund Me ‘ was first put out , and before the third ‘ line manager ‘ was released, it makes interesting reading, even though it was written tongue-in-cheek by the author.

     

    Does this sound like a good businessman?
    Buy a business , based in someone else’s rented property , that has struggled for years and probably has not made a profit for quite some time. Don’t do a thorough check of the ‘books’ and sack your main staff members who have good knowledge of how the business has been kept afloat all this time including the main man who is highly respected within his very specialised field.
    Then, decide to double your potential outgoings by doubling your main staff wage bill whilst only expecting the same financial income as the previous few years even though the country is an a financial crisis and add it to that the fact that you have watered down your main product to such an extent that your ‘ customers’ are telling you they won’t be visiting your establishment as you no longer provide value for money. To add further to that issue, INCREASE the price of your ‘ product ‘ to the point where most of your repeat customers cannot afford to purchase it on a regular basis.
    Then, bring in inexperienced staff to run the production line, sack two ‘ line managers ‘ in a row before they even entered the premises and then put out an appeal for cash from the very people who you wish to spend their hard earned pensions within your business as you also threaten to close the doors due to lack of support.


    I ask you ‘ Dragons ‘ , do you want to invest ???

    Whilst its sad to lose any track , and not all of this catastrophe can be fully blamed on Mr. Grant, why would any businessman in their right mind put money into speedway in the current climate ?

     

    • Like 2
    • Sad 1
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