wealdstone 3,454 Posted July 25, 2014 Yes the Elite League and indeed British Speedway is doomed. The only possible salvation is for a number like RF who are prepared to come in and lose money for a period whilst trying rebuild to the levels some of us remember. If this fails well good night Vienna. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weatherwatcher 664 Posted July 25, 2014 That is the sorry state of this country I think most of the Polish stadiums are built and funded by the Local goverments. Which unlike our poor hard up country the goverment don't pay a penny to help us build any new stadiums to make British speedway look a little bit profetional, instead of stadiums that where built out of scrap from the Ark. When have stayed renting track space from greyhound stadiums for far to long and the money could have been put to better use. If the people who run this country helped our sports or should I say our less well represented sports, then if the tracks looked better then I think we would have a far better chance of getting people through the gates, than we do now. You take one look at the state of the places and drive off into the sunset, never to bother going again. All the clubs in this day and age should run thier own tracks and let it out for others to use. I am sure with the right thought put into what was actually in and around the stadiums, they would be able to make a profit. Year in year out. Have an atheletic track, no dogs, stock cars hot rods and anything else they can think of, with a bit of help from the powers above. Bring speedway and its stadiums into this centuary not stck in a time warp from days gone by. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted July 26, 2014 That is the sorry state of this country I think most of the Polish stadiums are built and funded by the Local goverments. Which unlike our poor hard up country the goverment don't pay a penny to help us build any new stadiums to make British speedway look a little bit profetional, instead of stadiums that where built out of scrap from the Ark. When have stayed renting track space from greyhound stadiums for far to long and the money could have been put to better use. If the people who run this country helped our sports or should I say our less well represented sports, then if the tracks looked better then I think we would have a far better chance of getting people through the gates, than we do now. You take one look at the state of the places and drive off into the sunset, never to bother going again. All the clubs in this day and age should run thier own tracks and let it out for others to use. I am sure with the right thought put into what was actually in and around the stadiums, they would be able to make a profit. Year in year out. Have an atheletic track, no dogs, stock cars hot rods and anything else they can think of, with a bit of help from the powers above. Bring speedway and its stadiums into this centuary not stck in a time warp from days gone by. You paint a picture of a utopia that will never exist. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,658 Posted July 26, 2014 That is the sorry state of this country I think most of the Polish stadiums are built and funded by the Local goverments. Which unlike our poor hard up country the goverment don't pay a penny to help us build any new stadiums to make British speedway look a little bit profetional, instead of stadiums that where built out of scrap from the Ark. When have stayed renting track space from greyhound stadiums for far to long and the money could have been put to better use. If the people who run this country helped our sports or should I say our less well represented sports, then if the tracks looked better then I think we would have a far better chance of getting people through the gates, than we do now. You take one look at the state of the places and drive off into the sunset, never to bother going again. All the clubs in this day and age should run thier own tracks and let it out for others to use. I am sure with the right thought put into what was actually in and around the stadiums, they would be able to make a profit. Year in year out. Have an atheletic track, no dogs, stock cars hot rods and anything else they can think of, with a bit of help from the powers above. Bring speedway and its stadiums into this centuary not stck in a time warp from days gone by. That's it!! A money-spinning athletics track - inside or outside the speedway track? - in a stadium to be let out for other uses??! Maybe a tennis court in the centre too. Let me speak with my accountant immediately!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,626 Posted July 26, 2014 If you read Bob Dugards piece in the Speedway Star he said he had aggressively promoted the sport in the area this year, had provided a team which have been winning every week at home,and runs on a Saturday nights in the summer and people are still not coming through the gates. Some promoters do promote and it still does not work ! BSPA can,t do anything to change that ! It's not hard to see why Eastie have never made it pay . Riding on Saturday means that half the riders from the other sides have been missing so hence people are going to go . You can promote all you like but if's the likes of Killer and Hans are missing every week and replaced by Pl rides then it's never going to work . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 26, 2014 If you read Bob Dugards piece in the Speedway Star he said he had aggressively promoted the sport in the area this year, had provided a team which have been winning every week at home,and runs on a Saturday nights in the summer and people are still not coming through the gates. Some promoters do promote and it still does not work ! BSPA can,t do anything to change that ! One reason is that they can stay at home and watch speedway on tv on several nights of the month - why pay to go and see it TV is killing our sport, not supporting it As I said before. With all the Sky money that has been pumped into the EL over the past all the Stadiums in the EL should be up to par with the Polish Stadiums. With seating all the way way that is covered, and all of them brought into the 21st centuary not looking llike they are still being run after WW1. Some stadiums are down right terrible, is it no wonder that they can't get people to go, one at at the places and they do a quick u turn. More than half the country havn't even heard of speedway or even know that thier town have a sppedway track. We are a forgotten sport and until they update the tracks and let people know that the sport exsists, then I am afraid we are on a very fast road to rack and ruin. With stadiums getting worse year by year. Instead of spending the hard cash on riders that no promoters can really afford they should run with riders they can afford and then update the stadiums before it all falls apart. Which planet have you been on? - one where speedway promoters actually own their own stadia, I take it - that isn't planet UK, my friend! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,626 Posted July 26, 2014 One reason is that they can stay at home and watch speedway on tv on several nights of the month - why pay to go and see it TV is killing our sport, not supporting it You could say that about any Sport ? no doubt no one we will be in watching PL football this year because it's on tv 3 or 4 nights a week . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Starman2006 2,356 Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) That's it!! A money-spinning athletics track - inside or outside the speedway track? - in a stadium to be let out for other uses??! Maybe a tennis court in the centre too. Let me speak with my accountant immediately!! Ang on, he's forgot the Hotel shopping arcade swimming pool and Appartments... Do you think you'l get them all in ?? Edited July 26, 2014 by Starman2006 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FranktonBee 54 Posted July 26, 2014 You could say that about any Sport ? no doubt no one we will be in watching PL football this year because it's on tv 3 or 4 nights a week . Apples & turnips. Cheese & chalk. One is the most watched sport on the planet, and one is a marginal that is watched by a few diehards who would watch paint dry if it was the right colours. Promotion of the sport of speedway needs to be done by the right people on a local basis until it is able to command the dollar. Sadly I think it's much too late for that though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,626 Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) Apples & turnips. Cheese & chalk. One is the most watched sport on the planet, and one is a marginal that is watched by a few diehards who would watch paint dry if it was the right colours. Promotion of the sport of speedway needs to be done by the right people on a local basis until it is able to command the dollar. Sadly I think it's much too late for that though. So what ? the point is that Speedway has as much chance as people not going because it's on the tv as any other . Edited July 26, 2014 by orion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,364 Posted July 26, 2014 It's not hard to see why Eastie have never made it pay . Riding on Saturday means that half the riders from the other sides have been missing so hence people are going to go .You can promote all you like but if's the likes of Killer and Hans are missing every week and replaced by Pl rides then it's never going to work . I think that's a valid point, and I think the lower points limits have had a massive effect on crowd levels to the point of being self defeating. For me I've been not so bothered in recent years. It's not so much because of the strength of Swindon's team because I still can get into the side. But the oppodition just don't look as attractive. I remember a few years ago when the points limits were dropping like crazy. Lakeside were at Swindon. I looked at their line up and just thought it looked rubbish so never went. And Lakeside won!! Made me realise how weak the sides were. And they are even weaker now. So, yes, you need attractive opposition to attract supporters. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) You could say that about any Sport ? no doubt no one we will be in watching PL football this year because it's on tv 3 or 4 nights a week .That's nonsense! BPL clubs have enormous fan bases, unlike speedway, which needs as much of its own, limited fan base to go through the turnstiles and not watch the sport on TVMy BPL team sells out for every home match, has tens of thousands on the waiting list for season tickets, I tried for match tickets for the first nine home games for the forthcoming season and could only obtain two That's why your argument above is nonsense Many will watch the SWC tonight on TV who would have attended had it not been televised The same applies to EL fixtures - not in vast numbers but enough to affect financial viability Edited July 26, 2014 by Midland Red Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemini 4,894 Posted July 26, 2014 No but I do like value for my hard earned money no second half now no golden helmet all which added value for money. I think that answer might deserve a 'Whoooosh'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,626 Posted July 26, 2014 That's nonsense! BPL clubs have enormous fan bases, unlike speedway, which needs as much of its own, limted fan base to go through the turnstiles and not watch the sport on TV My BPL team sells out for every home match, has tens of thousands on the waiting list for season tickets, I tried for match tickets for the first nine home games for the forthcoming season and could only obtain two That's why your argument above is nonsense Many will watch the SWC tonight on TV who would have attended had it not been televised The same applies to EL fixtures - not in vast numbers but enough to affect financial viability First of all you said that people being able to watch Speedway on tv a few times a month was the reason people never went to there local track you never said that you meant live matches on the same night as there team was riding . I have many times not gone to sporting events as I am sure have many others have because the Event has been live on tv .that may Have been Cricket , Horse racing ,Football etc etc . So in terms of % of people who don't go because it's on tv I not sure why Speedway would stand out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
longlivefrankie 458 Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) I do thing speedway in this country needs a complete radical overhaul When it was popular (I can remember turning up at a early season Swindon v Poole challenge match in 75 or 76 to find a cue a mile along the road @ 6pm! - Simmons, ashby etc) it was clubs with well known riders who often stayed several seasons with one club. I do think was important at the time. You were very rarely let down by going and not seeing PC, Morton, michanek, Olsen turning up Those days are gone, from what I can see you are really not sure who will turn out from week to week But you got to work with what you got What you have with the GP is a travelling circus, so be it . No GP riders except for major events British open champs? So I would Have less fixtures fortnightly , squads , build over time a team fans can associate possibly bring back the dreaded rider control to keep things as even at start of season as possible Go back to simple ideas No jokers, silly names like elite or premier which promises something it don't deliver in the name British league anybody? Edited July 26, 2014 by longlivefrankie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites