packerman 160 Posted November 6, 2014 So 2000 fewer Swindon fans decided not to attend the play off final solely because the team did not finish top the league ? It might also have something to do with the fact that there was a very good chance of it raining and the meeting either being abandoned or even postponed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michaelcroucher 30 Posted November 7, 2014 I haven’t been on speedway forum for quite a long time and I haven’t been to speedway in this country for quite a while. Its not about being an arm chair person but I have been very lucky by going abroad to watch the speedway and I know in this forum someone wrote we shouldn’t compare UK to Poland, Swenden etc but the reason I have attend more abroad is the atmosphere is totally different the tracks have great racing and its cheaper. I know the price to get abroad is more money but it doent cost much more than going to speedway in this country. For myself to go to speedway in this country it can cost me about £50 for a nights racing. Thats taking in fuel, getting in, programme, car parking. I can attend speedway in lets say CZ or Poland for about £70 - £100. SO for £20 more im better going abroad. I also have been going to grasstrack more in this country and for the price with the racing it’s more enjoyable. Going back to speedway they also need to buy new equipment for track grading. I went to CZ for the golden helmet and the facilities they have at the track was amazing so if they can do it why cant the UK. I hope one day I will attend speedway back in this country. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
springdale 45 Posted November 9, 2014 There is just not the fanbase in the UK anymore, there are so many other things today for people to do. It is all very well for fans to want to watch the top riders, in an ideal word that would great but with crowds as low as they are where does the money come from to pay their wages? 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted November 9, 2014 Some tracks have enough fans to pay the bills as long as the bills aren't too high I guess? The promoters and riders need to try a little harder to attract more fans and keep them. This is another thing that the promoters should be discussing at their conference, surely putting their collective 'promoters' heads together will come up with some great ideas? Bloody should do! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted November 9, 2014 Most promoters (not ALL) are self-made successful business persons who obviously have a good idea what is worth throwing money at and what isn't. We have the freedom here to criticise and make suggestions but I fail to see what use insulting promoters and likening them to idiots will do. I remember the Ham brothers at Bradford regularly had a whole page with action photographs in the local newspaper, riders would visit schools, show their gear and a bus load of kids with free entry and souvenirs would arrive at the track on a regular basis, they had a very successful team staffed mainly by top British riders and they put on top events every season. It still went belly up! There might have been excuses that the stadium was to be redeveloped but I went to every meeting (it was a poor substitute for Halifax) and believe me it was totally dead by the time it closed, it was embarrassing when riders paraded round waving to empty terraces. The Provincial League took Speedway back to basics and after two or three years the sport was on a much sounder footing. Maybe keeping up with Poland and Sweden (or trying to) is the wrong thing to do? 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted November 9, 2014 Time for British Speedway to worry about putting its own house in order. Any person who doesn't wish to be part of the restructure, should be asked to stand aside and allow a sport to re-invent itself. That person, no doubt, will wish to return... especially when the Poles and Swedes begin to suffer drops in interest in their particular leagues. It will be tough at first, but we are down to the bare bones (star rider-wise) anyway, so a further cut may not be noticed. Plus, many fans like the Fast Track system, made up of less than star riders, so there is a taste for bread and butter guys. We have to believe in the product. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer 340 Posted November 9, 2014 Most promoters (not ALL) are self-made successful business persons who obviously have a good idea what is worth throwing money at and what isn't. We have the freedom here to criticise and make suggestions but I fail to see what use insulting promoters and likening them to idiots will do. I remember the Ham brothers at Bradford regularly had a whole page with action photographs in the local newspaper, riders would visit schools, show their gear and a bus load of kids with free entry and souvenirs would arrive at the track on a regular basis, they had a very successful team staffed mainly by top British riders and they put on top events every season. It still went belly up! There might have been excuses that the stadium was to be redeveloped but I went to every meeting (it was a poor substitute for Halifax) and believe me it was totally dead by the time it closed, it was embarrassing when riders paraded round waving to empty terraces. The Provincial League took Speedway back to basics and after two or three years the sport was on a much sounder footing. Maybe keeping up with Poland and Sweden (or trying to) is the wrong thing to do? I wonder if they take any notice of what their customers want in their businesses outside of speedway? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted November 9, 2014 I wonder if they take any notice of what their customers want in their businesses outside of speedway? Some people would always find something to moan about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vince 9,458 Posted November 9, 2014 I wonder if they take any notice of what their customers want in their businesses outside of speedway? Whether they do or not they make enough money to invest in Speedway! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted November 11, 2014 I guess crowds have been slowly on the decline for a few years, but speedway was having a bit of a renaissance in the early 21st century. There were 2 moments that were real key moments for me. Two things that were introduced, and when you went the following season there was an instant, visible drop in crowd levels. One was when they introduced the Tactical Ride rule. The other was the 39.95 points limit. Both of these had a drastic effect and drove away many core supporters. I must admit I have never understood why the implementation of this rule drove (and apparently still drives) people away. As SCB has convincingly shown on many occasions, the tactical substitiute rule (which had been in force for 40 years) had more effect on scores. The skill in using it is still there and it saved the sport tens of thousands of pounds in wages. What's wrong with that ? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,615 Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) I must admit I have never understood why the implementation of this rule drove (and apparently still drives) people away. As SCB has convincingly shown on many occasions, the tactical substitiute rule (which had been in force for 40 years) had more effect on scores. The skill in using it is still there and it saved the sport tens of thousands of pounds in wages. What's wrong with that ? Good post . The new tac sub rule Play offs etc tend to be a stick that the old time fans use to hit people with and blame for the drop in crowd figures . As has been said many times the Old Tac rule gave many more false results as well as costing a lot more money Edited November 11, 2014 by orion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted November 11, 2014 I preferred the old 'tac sub' but the tactical ride is almost certainly here to stay, on cost grounds alone. My issue with it, TR, is the nonsense where the rider finishing 2nd scores more than the rider in 1st, etc. I think it would be fairer, and probably more accpetable, if double points applied to the race winner only.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gambo 1,341 Posted November 11, 2014 I preferred the old 'tac sub' but the tactical ride is almost certainly here to stay, on cost grounds alone. My issue with it, TR, is the nonsense where the rider finishing 2nd scores more than the rider in 1st, etc. I think it would be fairer, and probably more accpetable, if double points applied to the race winner only.... ....No matter which team the winner came from..... Now that would certainly spice things up! ATB Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vincent Blachshadow 2,937 Posted November 11, 2014 I must admit I have never understood why the implementation of this rule drove (and apparently still drives) people away. As SCB has convincingly shown on many occasions, the tactical substitiute rule (which had been in force for 40 years) had more effect on scores. The skill in using it is still there and it saved the sport tens of thousands of pounds in wages. What's wrong with that ? I'd say it's the Mickey Mouseness of that rule, and the effect the same rule has had on the world stage in the WTC. Personally, I don't agree with any artificial attempted leveller - if you're behind, pull your socks up and catch up - and I fully understand that the previous benefit-the-losing-team scheme could have a greater effect on a score, but a bloke changing to a black and white hat and going for double smacks too much of 'It's a Knockout'. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted November 12, 2014 I must admit I have never understood why the implementation of this rule drove (and apparently still drives) people away. As SCB has convincingly shown on many occasions, the tactical substitiute rule (which had been in force for 40 years) had more effect on scores. The skill in using it is still there and it saved the sport tens of thousands of pounds in wages. What's wrong with that ? Because it is UNFAIR and CONTRIVED. People may not like that - but it is a fact. It is cheating the Public. If you can't see that HT, I am staggered. The BSPA themselves say that it is there "to keep Meetings close" so they are admitting, by definition, that they are contriving the Result. There should, in my opinion, be NO Tactical Substitute or Tactical Rides. If a Team loses - it loses, if it wins, it wins. THAT is what you call SPORT. All that FIDDLING has done is to ruin the Sport's credibility, and driven people like me (and I am not alone) away from Speedway. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
