Shale Searcher 1,264 Posted July 9, 2014 At Leicester in the olden days (1971 - 1983) well at least until 81, when I started as a track volunteer. The gates were thrown open after about heat 10/11 and you could walk in and watch the last heat or 2 of the match, and all the 2nd half for free!!!! Quite a few I knew at the time did that and became full time supporters...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted July 9, 2014 (edited) Promoters, let's face it, haven't got time to promote - they have proper businesses to run or jobs to do. I suspect speedway is just a carboot hobby, once a week sort of thing. We all have our own ideas but, when it all comes down to serving up, the promoters have the money involved and will play whatever tune they want on the jukebox. The market research they carry out is minimal... indeed, the Speedway Memories book by Retro Speedway is the most comprehensive bit of research the sport has ever seen, why fans no longer go, what attracted them and the age they first went (which I think is about 13). As well as trying to introduce new fans, we must also try to find an answer to why so many have stopped attending. Where I do my weekly shop, I often get online questionnaires, obviously the store wanting more info about how content I was with my shop and an opportunity to leave questions I may have or comments about service etc. Speedway, bless it, feels it doesn't need the to take such measures. It has mislaid so many of its hardcore support through the years, but has for much of that time had this "If you don't like it..." attitude. The Birmingham fiasco at the moment is also reflection of what the sport is, running on a behind-the- bar slate that just builds up and more often than not results in what we have today. Their "Promoter," bless him, has even criticised his stay-away fans for not attending instead of asking why they are staying away. There must be reasons, but sadly the men in charge of the operation have no idea how to save the life. It shows, If I read correctly, how far speedway fans trust the men that run the clubs, in that Birmingham secured just three backers from their remaining support for another one of those save our speedway campaign (because, we, the promoters... well, we've continually messed it up). But, being honest, the way speedway is right now, I wouldn't even buy a season ticket, much rather give cash knowing at least the most I can be robbed of is the next 15 heats I'm at. There are answers out there to resolve speedway's demise... I feel there are anyway. Edited July 9, 2014 by moxey63 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted July 9, 2014 You've probably hit the nail on the head, maybe if promoters either employed someone full time to run their club or did it themselves things might be different. I realise the close season is a prob to be overcome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted July 9, 2014 Promoters, let's face it, haven't got time to promote - they have proper businesses to run or jobs to do. I suspect speedway is just a carboot hobby, once a week sort of thing. Good Post Moxey63. I think your first sentence sums it up perfectly. Sad I know - but there isn't the money around these days for Promoters to run Speedway and do nothing else. They have Families too, and they must come first. I don't know what the solution is, especially during these times of austerity. That is something else beyond the control of Promoters - people nowadays are being more selective on how they spend their money. Speedway will, I think, always come a poor second up against putting food on the table. I know that I sound like an apologist for Promoters - I am not, as some will know from some of my previous Posts - but these things DO have to be considered. As I said - I wish I had an answer - but I don't. :sad: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macinter 158 Posted July 9, 2014 I think speedway has to concentrate on promoting our world champion like mad, as much as it takes to get the press and TV to take notice that we do have world champions. After the football World Cup fiasco and the cricket and rugby international teams not doing too well, plus with our cyclists and tennis players having problems and likewise with some of our best athletes, speedway needs to promote Tai like blazes. He is a natural in front of the cameras, something which was neither Mark or Gary's greatest skill and even his tattoos, so disliked by many of our older fans, will appeal to youngsters, who don't have the abhorrence of our oldies of such body decorations. We have a potential superstar on our speedway tracks, with a personality to match and it would be a massive tragedy if this chance, perhaps speedway's last, was just allowed to fade away. It would also be a betrayal of Tai. We all have the potential to do something, even if it seems so minor it doesn't appear worth it. Ask your newspaper for more news about Tai, or write to the BBC and make them aware of his brilliant charity work as well as informing them of his fantastic ability as a speedway rider. Posting on this forum won't do it, nor can the Speedway Star, but we fans can and should. We owe it to Tai, he has done the hard bit, we should be doing the easy bit even if in the end it all comes to nothing. We just cannot let this massive chance go to waste without even trying. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blacksmith 53 Posted July 9, 2014 I go to Armadale with my friend and his 14 year old son, and 12 year old daughter. Last year I took my girlfriends 8 year old son for the first time, and this year his 10 year old sister went as well. On occasion I have taken the kids into the hospitality so they have been able to go onto the centre green for a couple of races, and they all love it. (as the adults do as well) (Excellent deals Edinburgh do on hospitality packages) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
New Science 1,059 Posted July 9, 2014 Being honest, who ever takes notice of flyers, newspaper ads, or even those leaflets they post through your door for a takeaway or pizza? We all were introduced to speedway, more times than not, by a family member of friend. Because there are leaflets in motorway cafes, advertising different things, how many of you have actually attended the event advertised? There has got to be an interest. For example, if you know a family member or friend is off to the speedway, you are more likely to cadge a night out with them. A flyer or newspaper advert usually ends in the bin (flyer) or the newspaper is turned another page. Speedway's best form of advertising is fans bringing prospective fans along. But then there lies the problem... will the new people actually put up with what long-time supporters have? Can you imagine a 17 year-old, say, putting up with standing there for hours while trackstaff try to prepare a track after heat 1, when it was found the track hadn't been prepared properly since the last meeting? I don't think so. You have to have a love for something to be messed about by it so much. Youngsters of today won't give it another opportunity to impress, especially when they, too, notice the stadium is full (well, sprinkled) with doddering old blokes. Speedway's future lies with the current fans, who must try to inflict on their younger associates the meaning of speedway. We all think, being speedway fans, that anyone who hasn't attended a meeting are missing something. One example is this. How many of you have tried to get someone to watch a TV programme on our recommendation? We like it, so everyone else will. The same with music, food, and even books. It's our taste, and so everyone else must like it. But there has to be an attraction for anyone who hasn't tried something before. We have all done the classic thing... taking a bit of someone else's order from the end-of-week takeaway,a bit of sauce for example, after being offered a try. We didn't fancy it by just reading it was number 23 on the flyer, instead going with what we know. But after sampling just a little, you decide to yourself plump for that particular meal the next week. And that's it... hooked! That is what speedway has to do. Free tickets don't work, I feel, and just make the product appear cheap. You know there's a reason when someone offers you something for nowt. How many of us went along after seeing some ad or flyer? There is too much of a world out there since we first went, too many other attractions, and so the sport has to be just right, no cock-ups on the first date. It is getting the newbie long for the first match that is the problem. The second task.. is keeping them. Good points ! problem is that alot of the committed fans are bored at the minute,imagine what it must be like when your new to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
van wolfswinkel 635 Posted July 9, 2014 What do you mean when you used to sneak in Moose? I saw you struggling to get your leg over the other week! When you're 58 mate its a bloody struggle to do anything..too old to climb over anything now...ooh young man at your age Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlanF 295 Posted July 9, 2014 The most important piece of information any club can have is an email address. You can do all your marketing through that. Any club that doesn't have the email address of its supporters and communicates with them regularly is missing a huge opportunity. Get additional email addresses in your area by doing any kind of free giveaway or even buy an appropriate mailing list. All that matters is you get their email address. Send fixture reminders, videos, incentives to bring extra fans, anything. It takes on average about 7 contacts with a potential customer before they buy what you are selling. This is all marketing 101 and little or no cost. Having said that, once they give you a chance, you have to make sure they are not greeted by a dust cloud in heat 1, haven't taken their money and then called it off before heat 1, the doctor is sober, don't run out of food, not playing 40 year old music on broken down sound systems etc. No amount of marketing will work if the product is not good. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weatherwatcher 664 Posted July 9, 2014 The most important piece of information any club can have is an email address. You can do all your marketing through that. Any club that doesn't have the email address of its supporters and communicates with them regularly is missing a huge opportunity. Get additional email addresses in your area by doing any kind of free giveaway or even buy an appropriate mailing list. All that matters is you get their email address. Send fixture reminders, videos, incentives to bring extra fans, anything. It takes on average about 7 contacts with a potential customer before they buy what you are selling. This is all marketing 101 and little or no cost. Having said that, once they give you a chance, you have to make sure they are not greeted by a dust cloud in heat 1, haven't taken their money and then called it off before heat 1, the doctor is sober, don't run out of food, not playing 40 year old music on broken down sound systems etc. No amount of marketing will work if the product is not good. To true a lot of our stadiums have been stuck in the 1960's time warp and that is not just the music but the stadiums as well. They have been neglected for many years and look so old hat. When you see the Polish stadiums it makes ours look very Micky Mouse. I know the promoter haven't got the money to biuld anything as grand as the Polish stadiums but they just need to take a step backwoards and take a look at what is in front of them. Some stadiums in this country are just terrible and they don't do anything to attract the fans. With a bit of work and a few pots of paint they could soon make them look a bit more inviting. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shale Searcher 1,264 Posted July 9, 2014 To true a lot of our stadiums have been stuck in the 1960's time warp and that is not just the music but the stadiums as well. They have been neglected for many years and look so old hat. When you see the Polish stadiums it makes ours look very Micky Mouse. I know the promoter haven't got the money to biuld anything as grand as the Polish stadiums but they just need to take a step backwoards and take a look at what is in front of them. Some stadiums in this country are just terrible and they don't do anything to attract the fans. With a bit of work and a few pots of paint they could soon make them look a bit more inviting. I agree, but most don't OWN the stadia, just rented, what would you do if you rented something out and when it came back it was s different colour!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R87 476 Posted July 10, 2014 A slicker and more professional presentation of meetings wouldn't go amiss. I was at the Wolves-Swindon match two weeks ago and we had Peter York on the centre green, whose routines were dated 20 years ago and are now just cringeworthy. But what really irritates me is the painfully slow procedure of meetings. It can't be impossible to complete a meeting in 100 minutes. People don't want to be standing about in the cold for ages while nothing happens. I really think there should be something in place where clubs are encouraged to complete a meeting in a set time. If it over runs (barring mitigating circumstances like a bad crash and/or damage to the fence), then the home club should be fined. Riders and Referee's also need to play their part in this too. Get them straight back to the tapes after an unsatisfactory start, rather than speeding off back to the pits for 5 minutes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shale Searcher 1,264 Posted July 10, 2014 A slicker and more professional presentation of meetings wouldn't go amiss. I was at the Wolves-Swindon match two weeks ago and we had Peter York on the centre green, whose routines were dated 20 years ago and are now just cringeworthy. But what really irritates me is the painfully slow procedure of meetings. It can't be impossible to complete a meeting in 100 minutes. People don't want to be standing about in the cold for ages while nothing happens. I really think there should be something in place where clubs are encouraged to complete a meeting in a set time. If it over runs (barring mitigating circumstances like a bad crash and/or damage to the fence), then the home club should be fined. Riders and Referee's also need to play their part in this too. Get them straight back to the tapes after an unsatisfactory start, rather than speeding off back to the pits for 5 minutes. Great idea! Most only have enough dosh to pay the riders, what and then pay £xxxxxx to WHOM? for overrunning the meeting by 20 minutes or so?Really good idea that one....!! The stadia that really only exist for the doggies, doesn't need to be all singing and dancing, the bookmaker feed hardly ever focuses off the dog/s & track, the spectators usually populate the bar, so why spend money on anything else? Along comes a speedway guy and pay the stadium owner £1,500 to rent the stoney, sometimes weed infested brown oval inside the dog track and a couple of bars.... Until these stadiums are dragged into the 21st century and become full blown multi sports complexes, IE dogs, Speedway, football, rugby, quick cricket, stock cars, and others, then there will be no improvement on that side of things.... Perhaps it's going to be down to the Speedway owned tracks/stadia in the future.........? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crazysue 613 Posted July 11, 2014 James loved going to speedway and never missed a meeting...until he hit 16 and had to pay full adult rate. At the time, he had only just started his last compulsory year at school so was unable to have a student card as he was too young and couldn't get a full time job as he was still full time in compulsory education. Since then, he has been to 1 meeting....it became unaffordable to him and now when he could afford it a little better, he has moved away for Uni and there is not a track within easy reach. Middle son also loved going to speedway and also never missed a meeting...untill he too hit 16 and had to pay full adult rate. Unfortunately, he was also one of the oldest in his year group (like James) and had also only just started the last year of GCSEs. He also had the same issue as James in that it would be almost a full year until he could get a student card and then gain student admission. Just like James, he has now stopped going to speedway as it has become unaffordable. Youngest son liked speedway for a while but just couldn't cope with the people or the noise....apart from when he was at Peterborough, he loved that place. In my view, the prices and the ages when the changes in price come in are all wrong. Students now have to stay in education until they are 18 and there is also that awkward gap between the child rate and when they can get a student card to qualify for student rate..and by the time they get that card, they have found other things to do or just can't afford to pay even the student rate on Saturday job earnings (middle son cannot work after school due to the amount of extra curricular activities he has to do in relation to his A levels) In just a few short years, our group went from about 7 of us on a regular basis (including my 3 children), to just two of us. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted July 11, 2014 with a recent match attendance of 400, theres not even enough adults to take the kids!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
