More On The Decline Of British Speedway

[keepturningleft 589]

Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, Eurosport and the like, we are now able to see speedway from tracks around Europe that we previously only read about.

 

And what an eye opener it has proved to be.

 

But first, let’s consider “Britain’s best stadium”, or at least that’s what is often claimed.

Sheffields Owlerton is a dog track stadium so there is greyhound paraphernalia

all over the place often getting in the way of the view as well as the dog track itself putting distance between spectators and the action.

The view on turns three and four is inhibited by some mystery grill/mesh which appears to serve no purpose whatsoever other than spoiling the view.

There is none of this grilling/mesh on turns 1 &2 so why is it there on 3 & 4?

 

In” Britain’s best stadium” there is no spectator seating which is simply unbelievable for a modern stadium in the year 2014.

I am not including the bar and restaurant area which I’m sure is not where the vast majority of speedway fans would wish to watch from.

It beggars belief that with declining numbers through the turnstiles that people who are unable to stand for long periods are ignored and possibly alienated in this way.

 

There used to be seating at Owlerton of course, along the home straight, but at some point (in the 80’s?), it was removed. Brilliant idea!

 

This means that as with most dog track stadia the low level viewing is not that great with the afore mentioned greyhound clutter getting in the way also compounded now with a non-see through air fence.

 

There is good viewing to be had – along the back straight terracing, but quite obviously this is closed off to spectators. Why would you want your paying spectators to have a good view?

This leaves turn one as the only area where there is terracing offering relatively uncluttered views.

 

The track lighting at Owlerton is very dim to say the least.

Didn’t always used to be like this.

Back in the day they used the old fashioned, but effective system of lanterns which literally hung over the track and which illuminated the action superbly.

 

The track itself has always had a good reputation, but like most tracks in Britain, it’s still way too narrow.

 

None of this is meant be a rant at the Sheffield speedway management because I know they are only tenants.

 

At speedway tracks in Europe, all the stadia seem to have plenty of raised areas around the entire stadium (even if it’s only on grass banking), giving fans a proper view - and all appear have a seated grandstand, or two.

At none of these tracks are fans distanced by a dog track, peering through grilling or standing on boxes to try and get a better view.

 

Many of the stadia in Poland are clearly in another universe.

 

There are no ‘cycle speedway’ tracks such as we have here like Eastbourne or Lakeside, pretty much all the tracks being big, wide and fast – proper speedway tracks, how it should be.

Someone will probably throw some statistics at me to prove the opposite, but smaller track always seem to me to be much more dangerous than the big wide tracks presumably because of the tightness and lack of run off area.

 

Clearly two of Britain’s best tracks and stadia are Kings Lynn and Coventry but the lush green centre greens which enhance the look of any speedway stadia have been replaced at those venues with concrete and it looks awful on TV.

 

The new Belle Vue could be a ray of hope, and I haven’t visited every track in the country by any means, so can’t comment on the state of every stadium and track, but if Sheffield is indeed Britain’s best stadium, Cardiff not included, it only exposes just how far this country has sadly fallen behind the rest of the world and it’s difficult to see how this situation can possibly change in the short to medium future.

 

 

 

 

[Bostonian 188]

Valid post and I agree with most of that. Leicester is a great stadium but the track is unfortunately not of the same standard. I would think Coventry and Poole are the best for seated viewing areas.

On Sheffield being the best stadium. I don't actually think many people say that, what riders and fans do say is that its one of the best race tracks in the country. Having been a few times last season, I can agree with that statement as well as there always seems to of been some exciting racing.

[Trees 2,814]

I think Lynn and Coventry should have their centre greys painted :-)

[Star Lady 5,400]

I think Lynn and Coventry should have their centre greys painted :-)

 

Pretty sure Oxford had some paint on their centre - think it was a road network thingy for go karts or something.

 

Didn't save their track tho

[foamfence 2,917]

What exactly is the point of this thread? We all know about poor facilities and we all know that the stadiums don't belong to the speedway promoters. It's highly unlikely that anyone is going to put their money into a purpose built stadium, especially as they are unlikely to make enough to pay expenses, let alone make anything back on their initial investment.

[Ray Stadia 1,071]

What exactly is the point of this thread? We all know about poor facilities and we all know that the stadiums don't belong to the speedway promoters. It's highly unlikely that anyone is going to put their money into a purpose built stadium, especially as they are unlikely to make enough to pay expenses, let alone make anything back on their initial investment.

I agree with you foamfence. For speedway to survive in this country, it has to forget the past and 'what was' and concentrate on the 'what is'. I am afraid it will mean town /city stadiums will be a thing of the past and more 'tracks in a field'. So long as speedway survives, I don't have an issue. Some of the Swedish tracks I saw on TV this year, were tracks in a field or a track in the woods.

[moxey63 1,785]

Reading Jim Lynch's views in the Star, the problem is with views of one individual... is that they probably differ from our own. Some say 15 heats, others 13; some say squads, others no.

 

I mean, someone like old moxey63 could put the sport into shape (in my mind), but not everyone would like my changes.

 

The Shawcross Report (think that was his name) which heralded the 1965 British League fetched the sport's most popular times since the war years.

 

We need another review, a proper, professional one, which takes everything into account. It wouldn't and shouldn't be agreed during a few days at the next BSPA bash. It is too serious a situation now to magic up rules that will be throwaway-able as an advent calender.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Reading Jim Lynch's views in the Star, the problem is with views of one individual... is that they probably differ from our own. Some say 15 heats, others 13; some say squads, others no.

 

I mean, someone like old moxey63 could put the sport into shape (in my mind), but not everyone would like my changes.

 

The Shawcross Report (think that was his name) which heralded the 1965 British League fetched the sport's most popular times since the war years.

 

We need another review, a proper, professional one, which takes everything into account. It wouldn't and shouldn't be agreed during a few days at the next BSPA bash. It is too serious a situation now to magic up rules that will be throwaway-able as an advent calender.

I agree with you. I also believe that something like that Report is needed.

 

I also believe that an Independent body should be in charge of Speedway.

 

I can't see either happening though.

[Deano 1,318]

Reading Jim Lynch's views in the Star, the problem is with views of one individual... is that they probably differ from our own. Some say 15 heats, others 13; some say squads, others no.

 

I mean, someone like old moxey63 could put the sport into shape (in my mind), but not everyone would like my changes.

 

The Shawcross Report (think that was his name) which heralded the 1965 British League fetched the sport's most popular times since the war years.

 

We need another review, a proper, professional one, which takes everything into account. It wouldn't and shouldn't be agreed during a few days at the next BSPA bash. It is too serious a situation now to magic up rules that will be throwaway-able as an advent calender.

 

 

Who was Shawcross?

 

Was he an independent or a speedway promoter at the time?

[Leicester Hunter 381]

 

 

Who was Shawcross?

 

Was he an independent or a speedway promoter at the time?

Lord Shawcross was a barrister and former Labour MP for St Helens from 1945 to 1958, when he quit party politics. He was also Attorney General in Clement Attlee's Labour Administration from 1945 to 1951.

 

He prosecuted at the Nuremberg Trials after WW2, and also prosecuted among others, turncoats William Joyce ('Lord Haw-Haw') and John Amery, who had worked in various capacities for the Nazis.

 

He wasn't a speedway promoter, but he was an independent barrister who could be relied on to be impartial. The rest, as they say, is history.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

AND at that time we also had a powerful and independent Speedway Control Board who held sway over the BSPA with an iron fist.

[E I Addio 15,845]

Lord Shawcross was a barrister and former Labour MP for St Helens from 1945 to 1958, when he quit party politics. He was also Attorney General in Clement Attlee's Labour Administration from 1945 to 1951.

 

He prosecuted at the Nuremberg Trials after WW2, and also prosecuted among others, turncoats William Joyce ('Lord Haw-Haw') and John Amery, who had worked in various capacities for the Nazis.

 

He wasn't a speedway promoter, but he was an independent barrister who could be relied on to be impartial. The rest, as they say, is history.

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't he have some connection with the RAC or some link wit motor sport generally so he had some background knowledge of the sport ? I have read also that he was director of some big companies so he must have had some business

acumen as well, so overall he must have been better qualied and experiencec thnan Tony Steele and some of the other names bandied around.

 

I think it also has to be said that his inquiry was different to today's situation. So that sort of Review is not really what is needed today..

[Leicester Hunter 381]

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't he have some connection with the RAC or some link wit motor sport generally so he had some background knowledge of the sport ?

Thanks for that. Yes, I remember this topic came up around a year ago, and BWitcher mentioned that. I wasn't at home at the time, so couldn't search for the post concerned.

 

so overall he must have been better qualified and experience than Tony Steele and some of the other names bandied around.

 

It wouldn't be difficult. More self regulation in effect, I'm afraid.

 

I think it also has to be said that his inquiry was different to today's situation. So that sort of Review is not really what is needed today..

It was, and it surrounded Wolverhampton's point blank refusal to be promoted as 1963 Provincial League Champions into the National League for 1964. The Provincial League backed Wolverhampton to a man and the whole League was declared illegal by the Control Board. That they raced and were successful with it is now a matter of record. The big stumbling block, which brought everything to a head was Belle Vue's hosting of the Provincial League Riders Championship. Liking what they saw, and with their season virtually over, Belle Vue then embarked on a series of challenge matches at PL venues. The Control Board immediately suspended the Aces, and in retaliation, I believe Belle Vue submitted a tentative application to join the Provincial League for 1965. That would have been a mere rubber stamping exercise, and terrified they would loose their flagship team to another league, the Control Board rescinded the ban.

 

The result in effect was that the 'junior' Provincial League absorbed the more senior National League to form the British League in 1965. It's a totally different scenario today, in that riders are not forced to choose which league they compete in, and indeed, the leagues today are not on a war footing, showing outright hostility to each other. Quite the reverse, really. Too many riders these days are competing in too many leagues in this country alone, and a strict review should remedy that. The remit is totally different to what Lord Shawcross faced almost half a century ago.

 

Edited November 1, 2014 by Leicester Hunter

[moxey63 1,785]

As Leicester Hunter has stated, too many riders are racing in too many leagues, and this has taken something away from speedway's being.

 

Riders must glance around the pits, and ask... how many in opposing starting slots, for example, could be sharing the same team jerseys later that week?

 

As a fan, that is a long held view.

 

You need the rivalry, the crowd response when their team is up against rivals, rivals that also wish to secure the best result for their team. But riders must feel divided by having so many teams. It certainly decreases speedway's credibility for a sport a serious fan wants to associate with.

 

I am sorry to go on about it, but a rider cannot be committed to any one set of fans or team, if he's riding for several teams. I am always put off by watching the "friendly derby" in football (Everton v Liverpool) because the mere thought of it not being blood and thrust, not as important, reduces its importance. It does to me, anyway.

 

It is important for speedway, to get the team ethics right. We are more or less just running with the flexibility of a school yard football match, in that teams have no affinity to the fans they (pretend) to want to grab glory for.

 

I think it was Ole Olsen, back in the day, who held back from getting friendly with any opponent, as he feared he wouldn't want to beat them as much.

Edited November 1, 2014 by moxey63

[foamfence 2,917]

As Leicester Hunter has stated, too many riders are racing in too many leagues, and this has taken something away from speedway's being.

 

Riders must glance around the pits, and ask... how many in opposing starting slots, for example, could be sharing the same team jerseys later that week?

 

As a fan, that is a long held view.

 

You need the rivalry, the crowd response when their team is up against rivals, rivals that also wish to secure the best result for their team. But riders must feel divided by having so many teams. It certainly decreases speedway's credibility for a sport a serious fan wants to associate with.

 

I am sorry to go on about it, but a rider cannot be committed to any one set of fans or team, if he's riding for several teams. I am always put off by watching the "friendly derby" in football (Everton v Liverpool) because the mere thought of it not being blood and thrust, not as important, reduces its importance. It does to me, anyway.

 

It is important for speedway, to get the team ethics right. We are more or less just running with the flexibility of a school yard football match, in that teams have no affinity to the fans they (pretend) to want to grab glory for.

 

I think it was Ole Olsen, back in the day, who held back from getting friendly with any opponent, as he feared he wouldn't want to beat them as much.

Having one league and no facility for riders missing due to overseas requirements would cure much of that and probably allow more part-timers into the teams. People seem obsessed with comparing us to Sweden or Poland, why bother? Just go our own way and do what's best for us.