Belle Vue Website - Nostalgia

[Ron Butler 0]

Norman,

 

Let me, as a veteran of that era, congratulate on your concise and accurate portrayal of the situation.

 

Ron.

[Jeff. 2]

Taking the 2s 4d figure (that equates to 12p) then the entrance fee was about 2.8% of the average weekly wage (on Norbold's figures).

 

If we take today's average admission price as being £12 and the average wage as being about £450 per week, then then pertcetage jumps to around 3.7%. Not a sufficient difference, in my view, to affect attendances drastically.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In 1987 when Belle Vue raced their last season at Hyde Road admission inc programme was £3.10. Less than 20 years later we now pay £17.00, an increase of 450%.

 

That means for every £100.00 earned then you would need to be earning £550.00 today so you can see there is no parity at all cost wise.

[colin 0]

Norman,

 

Let me, as a veteran of that era, congratulate on your concise and accurate portrayal of the situation. 

 

Ron.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well said Ron.

 

Thankyou Norbold for your comments they certainly make sense.

 

Colin..

 

ps Sorry I have wandered off topic.

[colin 0]

In 1987 when Belle Vue raced their last season at Hyde Road admission inc programme was £3.10. Less than 20 years later we now pay £17.00, an increase of 450%.

 

That means for every £100.00 earned then you would need to be earning £550.00 today so you can see there is no parity at all cost wise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

From a personal point of view I seem to remember in the mid seventies that admission charges seemed more affordable to me then,(and by then I had a girlfriend/wife to pay for!) than they do now.

I also respect that costs have risen enormously for the riders over the years, several bikes to maintain etc but also the level of sponsorship (once only, it seemed, for the more famous riders) has increased both at club level and personal level. These must have forced prices up a bit.

It seems strange that we read that Man Utd can attract over 65,000 crowds, week in week out, Man City somewhat less and Belle Vue far less (but perhaps more than most).

I suppose it is just down to success.

I know it is difficult to make comparisons, but it would be nice to know where it all went wrong for Speedway and can it ever improve.

Again sorry for wandering off topic.

Colin

[Ron Butler 0]

Colin,

 

The basic subject of the thread being nostalgia, I don't feel you've wandered off-topic. Indeed broadening the horizon can often make the discussion considerably more interesting.

 

Ron.