Humphrey Appleby 13,974 Posted October 25, 2015 27000 for a speedway meeting is a success in anyone's book, and with sensible ticket pricing, sensible hotel prices it could be more. It's only a success if the meeting makes money. Maybe Melbourne did, maybe it didn't, but the long term sustainability is based on a fair return for the host promoter. and 40k at cardiff is a much better advertisement for the sport thsn 10k watching at a good race track in less salubrious surrounds. And yet it seems the SGP is going to Teterow next year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted October 25, 2015 given auckland reportedly needed 20k to break even, melbourne must have needed a chunk more to do so. 27000 i imagine cant be a big loss nor profit. key will be to see if this represnts peak attendance or if crowd will increase - may need doyle or holder to be fighting for the title for the latter? and i agree tgere are some venues, such as teterow, which appear to offer neitger prrstige nor neccesarily good racing,though hopefully the track will br ok Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wackie 938 Posted October 25, 2015 It seems next year the Aussie GP will be running the day before Moto GP at Phillip Island, excellent opportunity to tap into an additional motorcycle racing fan base there, wouldn't be surprised to see a bigger crowd in Melbourne 2016. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Skid 426 Posted October 26, 2015 a success?!...the costs for logistics etc etc would be far higher than the "average" GP, put it this way Im glad its not money! Masters wont get in the GP series as long as his ass points downwards! .He's had his 15 minutes of fame, will be his claim to fame. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arson fire 4,785 Posted October 26, 2015 Terry the knacker still fishing for bites Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terry 1,319 Posted October 26, 2015 Terry the knacker still fishing for bites Go to bed, you're overtired. School in the morning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Undercover Elephant 50 Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I would think 26,000 at Melbourne of the first event is a good crowd and should be built on next year.In the lead up to this event last week, I questioned if doing a little bit more to trying to draw money by having paper columns featured in The Herald Sun and Age. There was a brief feature from Thursday's press day in The Age with Jason Crump but nothing at all in the other main paper. Yes there was plenty of Radio advertising in the days leading up to the GP, but what about opportunities on the radio and tv interviews in being taken advantage of a lot more? You don't get much more of a target audience for any event staged in Melbourne. This is a sporting city ffs. Capitalise on it. I'd have contacted for example Triple M Melbourne, SEN, ABC, anybody, to set up an in studio or on the phone talk. Sell the product by doing the small things too. Fox Sports in Australia? Did they put this Grand Prix out on their FS News channel 500, because if they did I never saw it mentioned once over a period of days and various times of the day, startling! Have Tai Woffinden to entice the youngsters, he's got his own brand and image behind him. Greg Hancock to sell this to a higher listening and viewing audience on Channel 7, 9 and 10. Again, 9 did a small feature but never carried it on there after in sports bulletins. I spoke to one of the Triple M producer's and they were very keen to talk to Tai or Greg. They were concerned with rider availability though. They were aware the riders were in the country and said they were supporting the GP, but nothing of any in depth mention during the week. They had contacts given to them but there was no follow through it seemed. I didn't hear the Sam Masters feature on SEN if that was reported correctly. The trouble was there was no clear message advertising the fact that he was being featured. I read it third hand on this board afterwards, yet no Twitter messages or FB follow ups to inform Speedway fans. Not even on the SGP site in the news section. Don't leave money on the table. A 26,000 attendance is one thing, but not knowing, by trying it doesn't perhaps give you an actual benchmark of what might have been, had someone tried. Then work on that for 2016. Paul Sergeant at the press conference Thursday about how competitive prices were. Who was he talking to, the speedway media? Tell the public that message. He spoke with passion I give him that. I don't claim to know the answers but just merely highlighting that I think more could have been done within the last 3 years of planning. Edited October 26, 2015 by Undercover Elephant 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g13webb 4,254 Posted October 26, 2015 I for one thought the racing dished up from Melbourne was far better then the usual we get from Cardiff. I thought it was amazing SGP, probably the most superior temporary track I've seen. Each race was of the highest quality and every rider had a chance of winning. Sure the crowd didn't compare with those of Cardiff, but give it a year or two and this this be the daddy of the all. Brilliant Venue, Brilliant track, brilliant racing. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting...... NB... To think they're posters on here who think Greg Hancock is boring. To me he's top draw. When Woffy does those sublime passes, the world raves at them. But when Hancock makes them unbelievable moves, you don't hear a word..... No, he was a deserving winner..... 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted October 26, 2015 You tell 'em GRW. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,974 Posted October 26, 2015 = Don't leave money on the table. A 26,000 attendance is one thing, but not knowing, by trying it doesn't perhaps give you an actual benchmark of what might have been, had someone tried. Then work on that for 2016. Paul Seargent at the press conference Thursday about how competitive prices were. Who was he talking to, the speedway media? Tell the public some way that message. He spoke with passion I give him that. I don't claim to know the answers but just merely highlighting that I think more could have been done within the last 3 years of planning. I think you've hit the nail on the head. And it's all very well people saying the Ethiad is contractually responsible for doing the promotion, but they wouldn't know much about speedway and surely the series organisers should have a role as well. 26,000 isn't a bad first effort if the figures are accurate, but it isn't exceptional either and the experience of other prestige GP venues is mostly a decline in numbers after the first year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solrac 313 Posted October 26, 2015 I for one thought the racing dished up from Melbourne was far better then the usual we get from Cardiff. I thought it was amazing SGP, probably the most superior temporary track I've seen. Each race was of the highest quality and every rider had a chance of winning. Sure the crowd didn't compare with those of Cardiff, but give it a year or two and this this be the daddy of the all. Brilliant Venue, Brilliant track, brilliant racing. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting...... NB... To think they're posters on here who think Greg Hancock is boring. To me he's top draw. When Woffy does those sublime passes, the world raves at them. But when Hancock makes them unbelievable moves, you don't hear a word..... No, he was a deserving winner..... Re the Hancock thing. I think most people appreciate that he's an outstanding rider, the difference of opinion seems to come from the ongoing 'fued' between Pedersen and the Australian riders, and Hancock's affiliation via Monster sponsorship. The Australian lads are acting like retarded brats with a pack mentality. Like see them act like that in Denmark. Masters was a complete tool but hopefully that's a one off and he'll grow up soon. Hancock is a top rider, as is Pedersen, end of. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odds On 373 Posted October 26, 2015 just shows what a sad state of affairs the GPs are in when a old crusty wins it. The prestige that was attached to being speedway world champion has long gone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted October 26, 2015 just shows what a sad state of affairs the GPs are in when a old crusty wins it. The prestige that was attached to being speedway world champion has long gone. Nothing sad at all, apart from in the minds of a few deluded souls. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terry 1,319 Posted October 26, 2015 just shows what a sad state of affairs the GPs are in when a old crusty wins it. The prestige that was attached to being speedway world champion has long gone. Well it's down to the younger riders to beat the 'old crusty', as it's only Tai who is capable at the moment. When Mauger and Gollob won at an older age, it wasn't a sad state of affairs. They, as with Hancock were just better riders. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
damosuzuki 696 Posted October 26, 2015 This was a great GP, next year the crowd will be even bigger. The racing was fantastic. .......and we all know that Nicki did his usual sarky f***you buddy thing when he and masters were coming off - remember how he spoke to Zagar?. They are both hotheads but Nicki is box office. Only speedway fans could look at that GP and see the negatives. It's the naturally terminal mindset of people who've been shafted by dodgy promoters for years, but the GP was great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
