Speedway Gp In Tatters !

[Humphrey Appleby 13,986]

At first glance, that does seem strange. However - and for whatever reason (sponsorship, public support etc) - the Poles seem very capable of sustaining multiple events. Do you believe that the same would apply in the UK? Personally, I doubt it.

 

I think it's more likely that BSI want to keep Cardiff as their showcase event for various reasons.

 

Polish cities possibly also have more scope to throw public money around than UK authorities.

[chunky 6,144]

I think it's more likely that BSI want to keep Cardiff as their showcase event for various reasons.

Valid point, but I'm still not convinced about the feasibility of having more than one.

 

Polish cities possibly also have more scope to throw public money around than UK authorities.

Again, a lot could depend on outside sponsorship as well as the income that GP's can generate for local businesses.

 

Steve

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

I appreciate this is your cause célèbre and I wouldn't entirely disagree that London probably could support a track at some level if a stable home could be found. However, the fact that several potential stadiums in the Greater London area aren't chasing after speedway is surely indicative of the level of interest. In addition, the last time top flight speedway was held in London at what was in effect the old Hackney Stadium, it was a financial disaster and didn't last more than a season if memory serves correctly.

 

There clearly was a lot of interest in London in the past, but the demographics have changed hugely in the past 20-30 or so years. The sport just doesn't seem to occupy the interest of the average Londoner these days.

 

Not strictly accurate about the London Stadium (sic) - the actual stadium went bust (actually the owners into liquidation before that Speedway league season for the London Lions in '96 even began) so whatever had happened with that promotion it was going to close..

Interesting what you say about the "several potential stadiums".. Certainly would be very interested to hear where you have in mind..

[BigFatDave 258]

Did I say it was "my property" ? I do not understand your comment

At the time of opening this thread, it seemed that there were questions over rider availability for 2012, and the question of 5 wildcards had been raised

So it did seem that, at that point in time, the GP series looked as it was in tatters

If there are now 15 riders confirmed, and all venues booked, and finances in place, and Tony Millard is banned from them, then I will accept that it is not in tatters

Having not kept in touch with the progress of the thread, when I found it had gone very much off topic, I raised that point

 

Cheers

All of the above points you posit should be followed by the phrase "In my opinion". As we can see, the GP Series has never looked stronger, with Auckland added to the list. Your comment re Tony Millard is, I presume, facetious, and I will treat it as such.

This thread has been very interesting, if indeed most of it has been debated before, and mostly it has followed the time-worn path of long-running threads on the BSF with claims, counter-claims, posts verging on abusive and the odd bit of humour introduced to lighten up the proceedings - I can't see anything to complain about, unless there's a serial Grinch lurking out there..

Edited December 14, 2011 by BigFatDave

[Midland Red 2,383]

All of the above points you posit should be followed by the phrase "In my opinion". As we can see, the GP Series has never looked stronger, with Auckland added to the list. Your comment re Tony Millard is, I presume, facetious, and I will treat it as such.

This thread has been very interesting, if indeed most of it has been debated before, and mostly it has followed the time-worn path of long-running threads on the BSF with claims, counter-claims, posts verging on abusive and the odd bit of humour introduced to lighten up the proceedings - I can't see anything to complain about, unless there's a serial Grinch lurking out there..

 

Why are your comments not suffixed "in my opinion" as well, then?

[Humphrey Appleby 13,986]

Not strictly accurate about the London Stadium (sic) - the actual stadium went bust (actually the owners into liquidation before that Speedway league season for the London Lions in '96 even began) so whatever had happened with that promotion it was going to close..

 

I think though, it's generally acknowledged that the Orange Man took a bath on the London Lions.

 

Interesting what you say about the "several potential stadiums".. Certainly would be very interested to hear where you have in mind..

 

Aside from Wimbledon, there are/were various greyhound stadiums in Greater London that could potentially stage speedway are there not?

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Aside from Wimbledon, there are/were various greyhound stadiums in Greater London that could potentially stage speedway are there not?

 

Sadly not.

There are only THREE greyhound stadiums in Greater London: Plough Lane (which of course could still stage Speedway but for the owners' stance against it); the rebuilt Crayford which is too small and designed in such a way to make Speedway impossible; and my local dog track, Romford which would be my dream to introduce the sport but is totally surrounded by housing so getting planning consent would be as close to impossible as to make no difference..

Other stadia..? Hmm, well some football grounds were looked at in 2005/06 but nothing suitable found...

 

The only real option imho is the Olympics Park site... But that's another debate!!!

[stratton 1,491]

Sadly not.

There are only THREE greyhound stadiums in Greater London: Plough Lane (which of course could still stage Speedway but for the owners' stance against it); the rebuilt Crayford which is too small and designed in such a way to make Speedway impossible; and my local dog track, Romford which would be my dream to introduce the sport but is totally surrounded by housing so getting planning consent would be as close to impossible as to make no difference..

Other stadia..? Hmm, well some football grounds were looked at in 2005/06 but nothing suitable found...

 

The only real option imho is the Olympics Park site... But that's another debate!!!

Noing more about the London scene, is there ever any chance of Wimbledon the great plough lane returning Parsloes?Why was Hackney a disaster i went there loads of times[dont be late friday at eight]? never heard the full story of why it struggled financially.In the Silver days the track was good crowd reasonable i always felt the terracing seemed a bit lower and you had to look up to watch the speedway always had a good night out though.Off track a bit my son works in Bristol and hes heard off the grapevine that Bristol have had the go ahead the support of Speedway is good and that could be viable .Wimbledon,Halifax,and Bristol to comeback be great not a reality i presume.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,986]

There are only THREE greyhound stadiums in Greater London: Plough Lane (which of course could still stage Speedway but for the owners' stance against it); the rebuilt Crayford which is too small and designed in such a way to make Speedway impossible; and my local dog track, Romford which would be my dream to introduce the sport but is totally surrounded by housing so getting planning consent would be as close to impossible as to make no difference..

 

That though indicates the problem. Multi-use stadia haven't been able to pay their way in recent years, and the pressure on land is such that housing and other development becomes more attractive.

 

With respect to the London catchment area though, to me London is really four or five different regions and rarely the twain shall meet. When I lived in North London, I rarely ventured sarf of the Thames and even more rarely east of the Lea, and that seemed to be the same for most people. Rye House was easier to get to than Hackney, and certainly much easier than Wimbledon.

[ImpartialOne 160]

 

 

Oh I don't know, I think it was just a slight branch-ing off!

How con-i-fer get?

[Humphrey Appleby 13,986]

Valid point, but I'm still not convinced about the feasibility of having more than one.

 

It's difficult to think where else a GP could be held in Britain at moment. Coventry would be the only suitable speedway venue, and even that's too small. All the other largish stadia are for rectangular sports, with the exception perhaps of the likes of Crystal Palace and Don Valley who I'd guess wouldn't be too happy to have a speedway track laid over their nice running tracks.

 

Nobody seems to question the attendance figures at Cardiff though, so how do we know it's actually getting 40K paying spectators given that the FIM doesn't appear to publish these figures any more? Even when they did, the figures for a number of GPs were suspiciously rounded.

 

I admittedly haven't been to the Cardiff GP for a few years now, but the last time I did, I wouldn't have estimated the attendance at much more than 30K going on the number of sections that were filled.

[stratton 1,491]

It's difficult to think where else a GP could be held in Britain at moment. Coventry would be the only suitable speedway venue, and even that's too small. All the other largish stadia are for rectangular sports, with the exception perhaps of the likes of Crystal Palace and Don Valley who I'd guess wouldn't be too happy to have a speedway track laid over their nice running tracks.

 

Nobody seems to question the attendance figures at Cardiff though, so how do we know it's actually getting 40K paying spectators given that the FIM doesn't appear to publish these figures any more? Even when they did, the figures for a number of GPs were suspiciously rounded.

 

I admittedly haven't been to the Cardiff GP for a few years now, but the last time I did, I wouldn't have estimated the attendance at much more than 30K going on the number of sections that were filled.

If agreement could be reached would Wembley get a better crowd than Cardiff? is there only ever NOW going to be 40000 plus crowd.I believe Wembley would get a better crowd for the g.p.

[ImpartialOne 160]

Nobody seems to question the attendance figures at Cardiff though, so how do we know it's actually getting 40K paying spectators given that the FIM doesn't appear to publish these figures any more? Even when they did, the figures for a number of GPs were suspiciously rounded.

 

I admittedly haven't been to the Cardiff GP for a few years now, but the last time I did, I wouldn't have estimated the attendance at much more than 30K going on the number of sections that were filled.

 

Did you write this?:

http://www.methanolpress.com/2010/01/attendance-queries/

[Humphrey Appleby 13,986]

Did you write this?:

http://www.methanolp...ndance-queries/

 

I didn't, and I wouldn't quibble over the odd discrepancy in quoted attendance figures. However, it does raise some interesting questions as to what attendances really are, or more to the point, what the paying attendances are.

Edited December 14, 2011 by Humphrey Appleby

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

It's difficult to think where else a GP could be held in Britain at moment. Coventry would be the only suitable speedway venue, and even that's too small. All the other largish stadia are for rectangular sports, with the exception perhaps of the likes of Crystal Palace and Don Valley who I'd guess wouldn't be too happy to have a speedway track laid over their nice running tracks.

 

Nobody seems to question the attendance figures at Cardiff though, so how do we know it's actually getting 40K paying spectators given that the FIM doesn't appear to publish these figures any more? Even when they did, the figures for a number of GPs were suspiciously rounded.

 

I admittedly haven't been to the Cardiff GP for a few years now, but the last time I did, I wouldn't have estimated the attendance at much more than 30K going on the number of sections that were filled.

 

Er, but the Millenium Stadium itself is for a "rectangular sport" and no probs laying a temporary track there!!

 

As sidney says, not only could Wembley be adapted in exactly the same way as the MS it would without question attract a far bigger crowd and far more media attention...

I'd go back to my old chestnut, though (and no, 'knot' to start up the tree gags again!!), that I really don't think that an early-season, largely inconsequential SGP would warrant using Wembley... Simply not a big enough event at all...

 

Of course when it comes to tracks where Speedway could be staged rather easier because of their shape and the presence of a track then there will very soon be an eminently suitable (and rarely used at that..) venue in the capital...: the Olympic Stadium..!!

 

Noing more about the London scene, is there ever any chance of Wimbledon the great plough lane returning Parsloes?

 

I think we should remain cautiously optimistic..

 

There are spare weekday nights at Wimbledon with no events on. A track could be laid relatively easily. There's still motor sport there (Spedeworth-promoted Stocks/Bangers) - so a Speedway promoter wouldn't have to overcome planning and noise hurdles.

All it would take would be a change of owner of the stadium or of the GRA; and let's be honest in these harsh economic times surely the current speculator owners might well soon be considering giving it all up as a bad job and selling on. Or even possibly relenting on their anti-Speedway stance...

 

So it may never re-open but I still believe there's hope it could...