Speedway In Wales/scotland

[Highlander 0]

I'd love to see a team start up in Aberdeen as I feel that's probably the biggest city in the UK not to have Speedway either in it or nearby.(Someone will now come in and correct me) It's certainly somewhere I feel has an untapped potential but it would have to be Premier because the Aberdonians would love nothing better than turning over Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

Since 1990 as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh being successful (league titles etc) Linlithgow also managed to do the double in the Conference league in 96 and may still have been on the go if their track wasn't sold off for development. Armadale also had a bit of success before their closure for financial reasons.

 

Scotland really does need a team in the CL but seperate from Glasgow/Edinburgh as we need somewhere independent to bring on youngsters. But will it happen? Sadly I've got to say I'm doubtful.

[arthur61 0]

It' s hard to tell whether or not speedway would take off in other parts of Wales. There were people who were interested in the prospect of habing Speedway in Swansea, but oher factors hampered that. Neath did have a team years ago and it was popular. That only went because of developers. The only place I could think of in Neath would be the Walters arena which is suppposed to be a designated motorsports area. But because of its location, I'm not too sure about that either! It all depends on whether people want to take a risk and put a lot in to it (meaning advertising etc) who knows but I would love to have more Speedway in Wales and Scotland.

[Ben91 1,743]

I think you seriously over estimate the population of Wales!  I don't think another team is viable away from Cardiff and sadly thats not possible as it's within 30 miles of Newport and Tim Stone would never agree to it.

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he can object but cannot really stop a track going ahead

[25yearfan 476]

Both Wales and Scotland could do with 1 stand alone Conference League track to assist with the development of youngsters.

 

Swansea would stand a much better chance than what Carmathen did in trying to support a CL outfit.

 

Likewise I'd of thought a team in Motherwell would be better suited to getting crowds than what a team in a field outside a provincial town (Linlithgow) did.

 

But both Scotland and Wales have had the before mentioned stand alone CL teams in the past with Carmathen Dragons in Wales and Linlithgow lightning, then Ashfield Lightning Giants and most recently the Armadale Devils. While great breeding grounds for up and coming riders financially none of them have been viable with poor crowds at them all which is why none of them are still in operation.

 

Not just Scotland and Wales but areas all over Great Britain would benefit from having CL teams in order to help British riders to 'climb up the ladder'. But the harsh reality is that most CL tracks don't make money in fact are costly exercises which is why their aren't more teams in the CL.

 

Anyway the 3 existing clubs in Scotland and Wales find it hard to attract viable crowds as it is.

 

Though I'd of thought that Cardiff could support some sort of League speedway.

 

Aberdeen certainly has the population to support a speedway track but its Northenly location (isn't it about 150-200 miles north of Glasgow I think?) means that it would be highly unpractical in a British League. Imagine Plymouth V's Aberdeen!

 

I'd like to see more teams in the British speedway League as we certainly need more teams but we have to look at how difficult and costly it is to open new tracks. Look at Birmingham for instance. They last rode in the old National League 20 years ago and have only just come back for next season and they are potentially one of the best supported tracks in the Country. Likewise before the 2006 season speedway racing hadn't been seen in the big city of Plymouth for 36 years. My team Norwich haven't had their own track since 1964 and we were one of the biggest clubs in the Country!

 

I think you'll find that Tim Stone could indeed stop a track from opening that was 30 miles or less from his Newport track. King's Lynn stopped nearby Swaffham from opening a track up 4 years ago. If an existing promotor has no problem with a nearby track reopening then their is no problem. This is what has happened with Birmingham as Wolves and Coventry have not objected.

Edited December 5, 2006 by 25yearfan

[south coast robin 0]

I'd love to see a team start up in Aberdeen as I feel that's probably the biggest city in the UK not to have Speedway either in it or nearby.(Someone will now come in and correct me)   It's certainly somewhere I feel has an untapped potential but it would have to be Premier because the Aberdonians would love nothing better than turning over Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

Since 1990 as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh being successful (league titles etc) Linlithgow also managed to do the double in the Conference league in 96 and may  still have been on the go if their track wasn't sold off for development. Armadale also had a bit of success before their closure for financial reasons.

 

Scotland really does need a team in the CL but seperate from Glasgow/Edinburgh as we need somewhere independent to bring on youngsters. But will it happen? Sadly I've got to say I'm doubtful.

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I think Aberdeen would be too isolated .

Southampton is a bigger city and there are over a million peeps within a 20-mile radius . They were one of the top teams before they folded in the early 60s.

No other speedway team in Hampshire .

The East Midlands triangle of Derby/ Leicester/ Nottingham ( over 2 million ) , does not have a team ..used to be Long Eaton , Leicester there .

West Yorkshire ... Leeds , Bradford , Halifax , over a million population .. Bradford , THE team of the early 90s , and Halifax were successful clubs once .

London .. Wimbledon , Wembley , New Cross , West Ham , Hackney , Harringay , etc ., once the hotbed of speedway 8 million people .. no team , bloody sad !!

Bristol..best supported club in speedway once , still speedwayless .

Then there is Hull , Sunderland , Liverpool , all major centres of population, over 250,000 , that maybe could support a club .

I'm sure Norwich and Cradley would attract decent crowds .

Would like to see a club in south-west Wales ..Swansea ? easier to reach from England , than Scottish highlands .

Edited December 5, 2006 by south coast robin

[Paulco 7,075]

Never mind talking about another club in Scotland or Wales as South coast robin mentions - how the hell does it seem impossible now to have a club in the nations capital . It's criminal that there isn't a thriving league club in London .

[SCB 0]

Bristol..best supported club in speedway once , still speedwayless .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Newport to Somerset is about 40 miles and Bristol airport (right o the far edge of Bristol) is 30 miles from my house, which is slightly further into Newport than Newport speedway, so you can pretty much guarentee that any track in Bristol would fall under the 30 mile rule with Newport AND Somerset.

[Ian 24]

Never mind talking about another club in Scotland or Wales as South coast robin mentions - how the hell does it seem impossible now to have a club in the nations capital . It's criminal that there isn't a thriving league club in London .

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I'll go along with that, Paulco. Maybe the gradual ruralisation of the sport is in its long-term interests, and maybe not, but that's why I am delighted to see Birmingham back with us again.

[Ian 24]

Newport to Somerset is about 40 miles and Bristol airport (right o the far edge of Bristol) is 30 miles from my house, which is slightly further into Newport than Newport speedway, so you can pretty much guarentee that any track in Bristol would fall under the 30 mile rule with Newport AND Somerset.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes, but surely the 30-mile rule only applies if the existing promoter wants it to apply?

 

Armadale and Ashfield certainly aren't 30 miles apart (it may even be less than 20) but both sets of promoters know what's good for crowd levels.

[SCB 0]

It would be suicide for Tim Stone to let anyone open up in Cardiff or Bristol. I'd say our crowd levels are so low now that it would take less than 50 people to stop attending to leave the club with major problems. With a lot of people coming to Newport from Bristol and Cardiff, how many of them would decide to go there instead? Then how many people from Newport would decide to support a more succesful team in Cardiff or Bristol rather than Newport, after all, if you're travelling 10 minutes (as I do) you may as well travel 15-20 minutes to Bristol or Cardiff!

 

I'd not allow it if I was in Tims position.

[Kevin Meynell 2]

Maybe the gradual ruralisation of the sport is in its long-term interests

 

Many, if not most of the tracks in Sweden are located in small towns, and then usually outside of them. Their Elite League still manages to get better crowds than ours.

 

It's going to be increasingly difficult to run existing tracks in urban areas, let alone start-up new ones. That said, nimbys and ecomentalists are slowly putting a stop to motor racing in the countryside as well.

[Ian 24]

Many, if not most of the tracks in Sweden are located in small towns, and then usually outside of them. Their Elite League still manages to get better crowds than ours.

 

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Sweden is precisely what I was thinking of when I posted that. I was once told that many of the tracks there are surrounded by trees. That sounds good to me, but I'm still pleased that a city like Birmingham can support at least one track.

[The Third Man 2,217]

It would be suicide for Tim Stone to let anyone open up in Cardiff or Bristol.  I'd say our crowd levels are so low now that it would take less than 50 people to stop attending to leave the club with major problems.  With a lot of people coming to Newport from Bristol and Cardiff, how many of them would decide to go there instead?  Then how many people from Newport would decide to support a more succesful team in Cardiff or Bristol rather than Newport, after all, if you're travelling 10 minutes (as I do) you may as well travel 15-20 minutes to Bristol or Cardiff!

 

I'd not allow it if I was in Tims position.

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well whats better for speedway , newport or a well supported Bristol

 

answers begining with b please

[25yearfan 476]

British speedway needs many more tracks in traditionally popular centres like Bristol as well as ensuring existing tracks keep going such as Newport.

 

During the Britol Bulldogs (yes Reading are not the Bulldogs in speedway as far as I'm concerned!) short spell back in speedway in 1977/1978 Newport shut in 77 cause Bristol has taken all their support after the 76 Wasps BL team wa transfered to Bristol while Newport dropped into the National League.

 

The BSPA would be extremely shortsighted to block a Bristol revival. Newport when it reopened in 1997 enjoyed good crowds for a few seasons but recent years have seen crowds drop alarmingly. While I respect Tim Stone for reopening Newport and keeping it going his poor PR skills are a big reason why the fans have stayed away in recent years. I feel that maybe a new fresh go ahead promotion would improve things.

 

If Bristol reopened in the near future it wouldn't be like the late 70's cause its unlikely that Bristol would take Newports team.

 

Bascically speedway needs a reborn Bristol speedway team and Newport to keep going. If both tracks were ran in the correct manner then both tracks could be sustainable while running in the same era.

[25yearfan 476]

I'm sure that a few fans who have spectated at Wolves and Coventry will revert to following the newly reopened Birmingham Brummies at Perry Bar.

 

But overall the benefits to British speedway of having a formnr giant in Birmingham back far outweighs Coventry and Wolves having to attract a few new fans to replace those who've gone to Birmingham.

 

Anyway when a track close most of the support goes with it, only a few go to other tracks to watch. My old team Norwich is a prime example of this!

 

Newport and Tim Stone have to consider whats best for the club, maybe Tim stepping aside to let someone else try and pick it up and apply better PR is needed. If this was done then Newport would stand a really good chance of not being effected to severely by a Bristol revival.