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Nigel

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Posts posted by Nigel

  1. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    Nigel speaks some sense when it comes to the concept of selling speedway in Birmingham.

     

    When you have Poole who have been going for yonks, Wolverhampton who have been going for yonks along with Cov, then there is Birmingham where most of the city can't remember it.

     

    So perhaps those in Birmingham judge it against all other current attractions that are perhaps more with it and upto date.

     

    If speedway feels twenty years out of date, the new fans won't come back in their droves.

    Flattery ..I like it.. :D

     

    That's the problem speedway is unfashionable, not cool.. like a pair of flared trousers its outdated, the young generation will steer clear of anything that is not fashionable

     

    Modernise or die is the reality. Engage with the young generation,

     

    Im an old fart but all for modernising ..... too many Luddites about.

     

    What about putting a side together that was the best in the land .

    I dont want to go down this road its done to death on other threads but for the record Drury put the team together, every one said it would win nothing, wooden spoon they said. but by chance and unexpected form of some riders and the fantastic efforts of Phill Morris the team clicked... Phillips never rode a bike!

     

    Your points are of course reasonable but not proven by previous entrepreneurial actions I am in my late sixties and have pumped a small fortune to help riders and clubs over the years.When promoting or marketing a product or service you have to look at the market potential. There are three market conditions to consider, a declining market, a static market and a growing market and which you invest in. Clearly everyone invests in a growing market for obvious reasons and protecting your share of a static market requires careful investment but to invest in a declining market can only have one outcome. Since 2007 Speedway attendance's have been in steady decline now don't look to blame anyone individual or body it is a fact for whatever reason. That decline has been influenced by the economic trends not necessarily the BSPA or your local Promotion so in that cruel market the opportunities to succeed are very limited indeed.

     

    Now you may be disappointed that my realistic and qualified opinion isn't what you desire but harsh reality rarely is. Timing and market conditions are absolutely critical when it comes to a growth challenge, I don't wish to appear condescending Nigel but the expertise to achieve what you would like to see just isn't in British Speedway in a sufficient capacity to make a difference. Most of those who have had those skills have been dissed or driven out of the sport. Regards

    I am an old fart....

    you seem to have plenty of reasons for doing nothing, but non for doing something. You seem to suggest that declining markets cannot be halted or reversed and therefor we should not attempt to save our sport but let it slowly bleed to death.

    May I respectfully remind you that among many other things even Football was at one time a declining market as was Rugby... where are they now,

    May I also remind you Speedway was almost dead in 1959 with 7 tracks but the decline was "reversed" in the early 60s in one of the biggest booms in speedway history, again. the declining market hit speedway in 1934 and it was down to a handful of tracks but it reversed the decline with a pre war boom, pity Hitler spoilt it.. People keep writing off speedway as finished but it keeps bouncing back thanks to positive people with a can do attitude,

     

    Are you suggesting that previous entrepreneurial failures mean their can not be future successes?

     

    the harsh reality is we must modernise or die.....that is my unrealistic and unqualified opinion. ;)

     

    Although I grant you no one has arrested the decline in Marks and Spencers market.... cloths for old farts ..not appealing to the younger generation ..has a familiar ring to it dont you think?

     

    We seem to have the expertise at Cardiff... great show ,,,, the skills are out there

  2. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    The Mole, CVS and to some extent the Machin business model maintains viable speedway and more importantly sustainable speedway. All of the bright ideas brigade have blown their combined three pennies due to relative inexperience, poor advice, too much ambition too soon and again to some extent too much money to invest which has led to a higher burn rate.

     

    There can have been no greater attempt to modernise the sport and attract new customers than Nigel Wagstaff and Brian Griffin at Kings Lynn. Steve Purchase at Oxford also made brave attempts to change the status quo and no one has invested more in the sport by way of marketing and promotion than Rick Frost and Julie Mahoney. Stuart Douglas has survived his investment in Lakeside but will tell you it's been one of the toughest challenges he has ever been involved with and whilst he is a fan at heart he put experience in place partnering JC but as an entrepreneur will tell you he is mystified as to why some of the initiatives haven't worked to bring consistent improvement in crowd numbers. Lakeside at times gets fantastic TV coverage across London and the South.

     

    The reality is there isn't a magic formula, as much as I despise the untruths in this weeks comic Alan Phillips has poured a small fortune into marketing and promoting Birmingham and if ever there was a recent testimony to indicate that the opportunity to bring new punters in isn't realistic then Brum are that example. I will knock him for not being entire!y honest but one thing he got right was to try and bring new people in, the fact that he failed is a mirror of all those promotions I have mentioned and not Alan Phillips. Please just be careful what you wish for Nigel as you could face an open and shut scenario on a regular basis.

     

    I am somewhat disappointed to see a negative and down beat post against modernising speedway and I am not swayed by your arguments. Without wishing to be rude, you seem to be stuck in the past, surprising since no doubt you are much younger than me.

     

    Philips did nothing to bring in the crowds, he drove them away.... a PR disaster

     

    You think bare bones Speedway is sustainable and will survive..?

     

    but this is about the future not the past. we must move into the 21st century or die

  3. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    I believe it is a widely held view that Tony Mole will be the saviour of Birmingham Speedway. ( if he runs it) It is a view I disagree with.

    My argument is this:- Over the years Mr Mole and his bed fellow CVS, have been and still are highly influential men at the BSPA, during which time I have not witnessed any leadership, influence or direction in encouraging investment to modernise the sport, taking it into the 21st century and appealing to the younger generation. The only initiatives in the face of the downward trend in spectator numbers appears to have been based on the Mole /CVS business model, “Cost Cutting” i.e. 2013, fortnightly meetings, 2014, draft riders.

     

    Ask yourself this:- If Mr Mole is running Brum in 2015 will he.........

    a)Invest in modernising the the sport fit for the 21st century and appeal to the younger generation, and therefore more likely increase spectator numbers.............or

     

    b)More of the same old thing, “I’m sending some riders around the track please come and watch” , pull the purse strings so tight that even the moths asphyxiate, with a budget premier league team that won’t win anything, but he will still turn a profit from the ever decreasing crowd numbers until it finally closes.

     

    The Mole ‘business model’ will not in my view solve any of Speedways problems, it is the problem... focused on cost cutting instead of investment.

     

    Any business whatever it may be cannot survive without investing in the future/modernising

     

    Speedway needs a new generation of go ahead young promoters who will modernise the sport.

     

    Should Mole be running Brum in 2015 I believe we will get nothing but bare bones speedway, not so much as a flag on the centre green , certainly not 2 paramedics as at some other tracks, so you will still be twiddling your thumbs for 20 mins while the medic puts a sticking plaster on a rider’s finger. No improvement in the inadequate outside viewing. A huge screen on the back straight with all the possibilities for modern showmanship and presentation ....and possible interaction with the i-phone generation.. Absolutely no chance...

     

    I firmly believe that Brummies want speedway but not at any price, we are in the age of sophisticated computer technology, speedway has to drag itself from the 1930s and its nostalgic attitudes. A modernised show would I believe pull in the crowds at Perry Barr.

     

    And to pre-empt the obvious accusations, I have nothing personal against TM (or others) I am sure he is a decent human being of integrity. My argument is against his and others methods of conducting their Speedway operations and its impact on the health, well being and future of our beloved sport. ;)

     

    Speedway the extreme sport 0-60 in 2.5secs and no brakes, its dangerous it’s terrifying,

    it’s Awesome

  5. Posted

    This will be subject to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement with the GRA, as I understand it the reinstatement clause was removed when perpetual planning consent was granted. This would usually be replaced by a static clause of rights of the landowner. As such any modifications or improvement have to be approved in writing by the landlord and remain his property by right. It is not uncommon for a landlord to own the right to any betterment but be in a position to claim against the Tennant if the actions jeopardise the value of the property. One of the perils of commercial renting

    Thanks

  6. Posted

    If it is the case that the administrators have been bought in to liquidate the club. There is a question mark over who will own the track? I am of course aware of who owns the ground the track is laid upon but the actual materials laid to create the race track are I believe the property of Alan Phillips company Birmingham Brummies Ltd. So who will end up with the ownership of said track?

  7. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    I wish some of you would pay attention and get your facts right:

     

     

    Your post could come back to bite you...

     

    While making indirect criticisms of other posters you should be careful of your own facts,, one is assuming that what was heard on the radio were facts??

     

    I admire your sincere and obvious optimism but it might be distorting your facts..

     

    And as has been previously stated the only negotiations I am aware of are with an individual who is offering to loan the promotion £25000, I have not see any statement that an individual/s are offering to take over the Brummies............. but I do hope you are right... ;)

     

     

    Gustix. in answer to one of your posts . it does seem that some posters see Mole as some sort of speedway philanthropist I would suggest this is a mistaken view, Quite obviously he is a very hard nosed businessman who makes money from speedway and he is a multi millionaire . In my view he craftily sold Brum after the crowds peaked.

  9. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    Hence why he said it will be back in 2015 and had withdrawn his offer of 5k when he knew what the debt was

    Not so... Mole clearly said on the radio to day, he has not had any negotiations with Alan Philips to buy the Brummies , he said he had only offered 5 grand ?? for the equipment, mole has no intention of saving the present Brummies company.

     

    The whole interview with Philips ,Mole and the later one with Dury can all be heard on the link posted by the venerable Blue jam you have 7days to listen to it please every one listen before commenting ;)

     

     

    and as far as I know the offer of 5 grand?? for the equipment has not been withdrawn?

  14. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    Blaming the fans for the problems would be like Tesco blaming its customers for its drop in profits.

     

    Phillips is disliked by a large section of Brummies fans, who last November where shouting....... GO ....PLEASE GO....PLEASE .Go .....Go now.

     

    Phillips has alienated the fans causing a drop in crowd numbers IMO and they are unlikely to recover until the regime is changed IMO

     

    And the return of Phil Morris would bring a few fans back and please many.

     

     

    PR blunders and mismanagement, they messed up 2013 and now 2014..... couldn't run the proverbial P*** up in a brewery

     

     

    Lies, dammed lies and statistics (debts) ....................... ohh i feel better now! :drink:

     

    Edit......

     

    I would like to know what sort of salaries the Philips have been paying themselves, bet they aren't in arrears?

  17. Posted · Edited by Nigel

    "From to days Birmingham Mail"

     

     

    Tony Mole states that last November he was ready to takeover the club.. all the details agreed but at the last minute (24hrs before signing) Alan Philips changed his mind.

     

    Mole plainly states that had the takeover happened "Brummies would still be running.... and would be financially viable"

     

    "Alan Philips" ....................the man who killed Birmingham speedway !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........IMO

     

    So Philips claim that the finances where in place for 2014 were not true....... (Allegedly)

     

     

    One positive hope on the horizon ...Mole suggested the Brummies could be back in 2015

  18. Posted

     

    The most exciting days I remember was post-war with six sides in the National League meetwing twice at home and twice away. Good, well balanced teams and COMPETITIVE racing.

    I also remember 1959 just 7 teams left, fans bored to death with the same teams week in week out, the sport almost dead, the Provincial League saved the sport. The amalgamation of the leagues in 1965 led to the boom years of the 60s and 70s.

     

    I was at Brandon for the first British league match Cov v Cradley Heath, still have the prog, still remember Ivor Brown leading one of my all time favorites Nigel Boocock for 3 laps in the first Ht, much better racing than in the supposed good old days IMO. ;)

    • Like 1

  21. Posted

    Is this forum full of poor wretches who only come on here to slag off speedway? are their lives so mean and dismal they never have anything good to say....how sad.

     

    Did we all go to the same meeting? I was stood on bend 2 ...Track didn't look rough to me, bags of dirt on it, looked well watered and I certainly did not see much more dust that one sees at other tracks on hot days... there was some good racing, Ht 15 was a cracker... the Poles and Milik are great entertainment around their own muck heap. Ward took the piss out of Barker with his come and pass me gesticulation.... not as though it would bother him.

     

     

    If I had known the composition of the team I certainly would not have traveled down to Poole, with 2 nights B&B for 2, petrol etc, its a bit expensive to see a team that had no hope, we were beaten before the tapes rose. As soon as I walked into the Brummies pits I saw Autys face and not Nermarks, oh dear, first I knew about the team changes..........the pits were rife with rumour ...That Tony Mole was taking over the Brummies

     

    our choice of guest was probably limited as I suspect riders were worried that they would not get paid.

     

    Brummies,

     

    King was poor

     

    Barker put up more fight

     

    Auty fought all the way, never stopped trying

     

    Nico deserves some praise, he threw everything at it especially Ht 14 but it didnt work for him

     

     

    The reserves were reasonable.... but I am no fan of this new format

     

     

    With Nermark and Barty it would have been a lot closer!

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    Glad to see you are making the trip, Have you got a team to bring with you??! :shock::wink:

     

    Cheeky bugger :P

     

     

     

    Air horns are allowed - I used mine to great effect for Smoli in last years GP Quali Final. As for viewing - plenty of choices!

     

    Been to "Screw Fix" this morning and they aint got any air horns in stock... .........collection of expletives *%$£@"* ...so its either its a trip to Tamworth or Poole Parkstone branch on the way down, setting out tomorrow morning, Which part of the track do the Brummie fan/fans gather? kitten

    • Like 1
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