John Leslie 3,213 Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Amongst the discussions on this forum, we often criticise promoters for failing to promote the sport properly, and accuse them of not using modern marketing techniques like social media effectively. Tomorrow, (barring disaster), we should have Britain's 8th World Champion. The first British World Champion for 13 years....but inevitably one of the following discussion threads on here on Sunday will be bemoaning how the event has been largely ignored by the sunday papers and TV. So I'm wondering about an experiment into promoting the sport using social media. Now facebook is mainly for talking within your own circle of contacts, but Twitter makes messages available to the world, and produces a list of the most popular topics currently being discussed. The last time I know of Speedway trending on twitter was under sad circumstances when Lee Richardson was being tweeted last year....So can we get Speedway trending under happier circumstances this weekend? What I'm suggesting is that just before the TV broadcast starts tomorrow, we all join twitter and tweet using the phrase #ComeOnWuffy in any messages and get it trending. (and then hopefully a suitable message at the end of the meeting). Curious twitter users will want to know who or what a "Wuffy" is. Lots of TV programmes use these twitter hashtags these days to promote their programmes... ..Maybe we could cause a surge in interest and boost the Eurosport viewing figures (and make sky take notice)? ...Maybe we could tweet to sports journalists and newspaper editors and get them to take notice? ...Maybe we could get a patriotic celebrity or sportsman tweeting about a British World Champion? ...Jessica Ennis and Cheryl Cole talking about Speedway? Who knows, it could happen? (after all Cheryl is hardly likely to be watching X-Factor on the other side is she?) Edited September 20, 2013 by John Leslie 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Starman2006 2,355 Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Good ideas John, but i really can't get me ed round the posibillity of both Jessica and Cheryl lining up at the tapes!! Edited September 20, 2013 by Starman2006 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted September 20, 2013 I listen to 5live every day and speedway never gets a mention. Ladies Golf, some obscure snooker match in the far east al get on but here we are, 24 hours away from having a British WC and not a peep from the Beeb. The problem is the sport has no voice, or commentator in the BBC. They just don't know about it. Really, Woffy should have been interviewed live on air, and it should be in regular sports news tomorrow. But it won't be mentioned even if at 9 pm tomorrow night he wins it. Very unfair and in such circumstances it should make the sports news. But it won't. Best bet is all of us to email 5 live from now and tell them the situation. They can't ignore hundreds of emails telling them of a potential British WC, can they? Probably but worth a try. 5livesport@bbc.co.uk I have thrown them a quick email. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eric i 620 Posted September 20, 2013 People could also suggest/complain to the bbc sport website, asking for some speedway coverage this weekend... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/3701180.stm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Leslie 3,213 Posted September 20, 2013 Yep. email to 5livesport@bbc.co.uk HIt the BBC Sport website with loads of comments and tweet to @BBCsport and anyone else we can think of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KEITH M 850 Posted September 20, 2013 Woffy should have been interviewed live on air, and it should be in regular sports news tomorrow. But it won't be mentioned even if at 9 pm tomorrow night he wins it. Very unfair and in such circumstances it should make the sports news. But it won't. I agree 100% with you Steve but my reasoning for why most media and newspapers choose to ignore speedway is because of itsever changing silly rules and regulations and its behind the scenes squabbling. I have followed the sport for nearly 35 years and even in my time the only time speedway was biggish in the media was the drug cheating scandel in the 80's. The Kenny Carter tragedy and Lee Richardson's sad and tragic death. Even Gary Havelock and Mark Lorams World Championships didn't really gain that much air time and media space as they should of. So in my eyes speedway being a minority sport is not a new thing it's always been the same Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Leslie 3,213 Posted September 20, 2013 I agree 100% with you Steve but my reasoning for why most media and newspapers choose to ignore speedway is because of itsever changing silly rules and regulations and its behind the scenes squabbling. That's nonsense. If ever changing silly rules and squabbling put them off, then no one would touch Formula 1. The reason most newspapers ignore speedway is because there is no call for (or at least they believe there is no call for) any more coverage. With a young British World champion we need to start making some noise and show them that there is a call for more coverage. We're never going to compete for coverage with the major sports (we are no longer a major sport) but we should be up there way ahead of a lot of minority sports that are getting coverage. Personally I think Tai's piercings and tattoos are grotesque, but to today's youngsters they are cool and trendy. We need to make the most of a young British cool and trendy World champion. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob tatum 175 Posted September 20, 2013 I listen to 5 live every day & occasionally they do feature speedway even having the play offs on sports extra last year (is it on this year?). When mark loram won I bombarded 5 live with numerous texts & they eventually they mentioned the wonderful news. I guess they don't show much enthusiasm as they regard it as a minority sport but are happy to feature ladies footie ,rowing,snooker etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted September 20, 2013 On the "wild cards 2014" thread Phil Rising mentioned that both 5 Live and News 24 have requested interviews with Tai for Monday, if all goes well on Saturday night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) #comeonwuffy #britishspeedway Email duly sent to 5livesport WUFFY WUFFY WUFFY Edited September 20, 2013 by Trees Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel Smith 5,666 Posted September 20, 2013 Also use on twitter the hashtag #TW108 Tai reads these, let's give the guy a boost. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted September 20, 2013 People could also suggest/complain to the bbc sport website, asking for some speedway coverage this weekend... http://news.bbc.co.u...age/3701180.stm Could be a problem - I think Man U and Man City among other football teams are in action and they'll attract a far bigger crowd than the Speedway GP will. Sad but true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triple.H. 1,986 Posted September 20, 2013 Article in todays Oxford mail about Tai visiting NJF shopfitting who are one of his sponsors at their head office at Somerton near Bicester.No doubt if he becomes WC saturday night he will get a mention too also reckon Radio Oxford might give it a mention. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel Smith 5,666 Posted September 20, 2013 Interview with Woffy tonight on radio 5Live at around 9.50 tonight 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedcrazy 58 Posted September 20, 2013 On Eurosport tomorrow (Saturday), sky channel 410 & 412 at 12.45 PM there is a 'Tai Woffinden Special' . Andy Jaye speaks to Tai ahead of the last two rounds of the GP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
