National Speedway Stadium Opening Tickets Now On Sale

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

SUSPECT away Humphrey... the AMA and the FIM were in a fix and wanted it to go away as quietly as possible. Allocation of World Finals was within the remit of the CCP. Why on earth would Germany have got one?

That wasn't really my point. Yes, the CCP may have decided where the World Finals went, but as far as I understand, those sorts of decisions have to be ratified at a higher level - either at Management Council or General Assembly level. It stands to reason if there are potential financial and legal implications for the FIM, as I'd doubt Commission members have legal responsibility for the organisation. The Management Council is also specifically empowered to take decisions to safeguard the organisation, so if the out-of-court settlement was awarding a World Final to the US, then I fail to see why any sort of deal needed to be done with Germany to hold the subsequent World Final in a field. It seems very odd that a legal dispute would be settled by decision of a lower level Commission.

 

I can well understand that Germany may have been agitating for a World Final, and given that it was a source of significant earnings for many professional riders at the time, it was probably not an unreasonable desire. Equally though, any hosting award should have been made on the condition of them coming up with a venue suitable for a World Final, with a fallback somewhere else if they couldn't.

 

It all seems like very poor political management though, and the start of the trend towards the tail wagging the dog. Perfectly fine to take World Finals to other countries if they had the facilities (which ironically many do now), but taking them to Norden and Vojens just started the rot, although maybe that was the intention so it justified the establishment of a GP series.

 

Of course these days, the SGP organisers would bite the hand off of any promoter who wanted to run a GP in the US, and clearly Germany as well judging by the willingness to go to another field.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Humphrey Appleby

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Don't think Stockholm will remain on the calender any longer unless there is a significant increase on last years attendance 16,500.

There's not even a bridge to blame in Stockholm, and I'm not sure how popular womens' basketball is in Sweden either.

 

The worrying thing with temporary tracks {Cardiff being the exception} is they start off with a lot of hype and blusto but invariably fizzle out after a few years.

I think Cardiff works because there's no alternative to seeing another GP in Britain. If you had another round on a permanent track (e.g. Belle Vue), then I suspect the novelty of watching usually poor racing would wear off, plus there would be less incentive to actually make a specific effort to attend that GP.

 

I'm astonished that British speedway can still conjure up 40,000 fans (even The Fall have more, allegedly), so I'm afraid I struggle to believe that a second GP at Belle Vue would find much more of a new audience.

[Rob B 1,257]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/other-sport/speedway/manchesters-750k-bid-speedway-world-10030337

[SUPERACE 440]

See Robs post above. Trust me this plan isn't just for the world cup IMG hope to bring the European Gp to Manchester in the near future.

[customhouseregular 1,651]

I have to check my piggy bank to see if I can go .

[Trees 2,814]

See Robs post above. Trust me this plan isn't just for the world cup IMG hope to bring the European Gp to Manchester in the near future.

With just 10000 - freebies fans? Mind u, 9500 x £25 = £237,500, not bad.

[oldace 1,678]

With just 10000 - freebies fans? Mind u, 9500 x £25 = £237,500, not bad.

 

 

9500 X £25.00 is just short of £198,000 Nett but I would expect ticket prices to be higher. I think the cost of running the GP would be far in excess of £200,000 pounds

[speedibee 3,091]

There's not even a bridge to blame in Stockholm, and I'm not sure how popular womens' basketball is in Sweden either.

 

I think Cardiff works because there's no alternative to seeing another GP in Britain. If you had another round on a permanent track (e.g. Belle Vue), then I suspect the novelty of watching usually poor racing would wear off, plus there would be less incentive to actually make a specific effort to attend that GP.

 

I'm astonished that British speedway can still conjure up 40,000 fans (even The Fall have more, allegedly), so I'm afraid I struggle to believe that a second GP at Belle Vue would find much more of a new audience.

Do you actually go to Cardiff for the GP ? . I would assume not , since almost everyone who goes there would agree, it's about a lot more than the quality of the racing that attracts people back time and time again . it's absolutely ideally situated for a start ,right in the town centre , and the City and council do everything possible to make the event as good as they can , assuming the new Belle Vue has a track that provides great racing , it will be an added bonus to see a GP there , but dont expect it to rival Cardiff because thats not going to happen

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Do you actually go to Cardiff for the GP ? . I would assume not , since almost everyone who goes there would agree, it's about a lot more than the quality of the racing that attracts people back time and time again . it's absolutely ideally situated for a start ,right in the town centre

 

Sure, but why does Copenhagen and Stockholm not replicate that?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

BECAUSE neither stadium in Copenhagen or Stockholm especially is in the centre of town ... bit like Wembley to London really

[The White Knight 9,039]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/other-sport/speedway/manchesters-750k-bid-speedway-world-10030337

If this proves to be correct - which I have no reason to doubt that it is, it is great News for both Belle Vue in particular and Speedway in this Country too.

 

Perhaps this will stop all those people carping about the name of the Stadium being the National Speedway Stadium - because that is exactly what it will be.

 

Good luck to all involved with this Project I hope it succeeds and goes from strength to strength.

 

Thanks to good forward Planning this Project will give Speedway a Stadium in which we can all feel justly proud.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

BECAUSE neither stadium in Copenhagen or Stockholm especially is in the centre of town ... bit like Wembley to London really

 

Not really. Wembley to Charing Cross is 11 miles, Parken to Nyhavn in Copenhagen is only 2, so well within walking distance.

 

The Friends Arena is about 4 miles to the old town, so maybe an argument for it being too far away. Equally though, Stockholm is close enough to the main speedway fanbase that it can't be the entire reason for the poor attendances.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

MILLENNIUM (or Principality as it will soon be known) stadium is about 100 yards ...

POOR attendance in Stockholm has nothing to do with location, etc, but the fact that right now there are no home riders in the series worth crossing the road to see.

[SCB 0]

If this proves to be correct - which I have no reason to doubt that it is, it is great News for both Belle Vue in particular and Speedway in this Country too.

If this proves to be correct it's only what was promised at the start!

 

 

Not really. Wembley to Charing Cross is 11 miles, Parken to Nyhavn in Copenhagen is only 2, so well within walking distance.

 

The Friends Arena is about 4 miles to the old town, so maybe an argument for it being too far away. Equally though, Stockholm is close enough to the main speedway fanbase that it can't be the entire reason for the poor attendances.

The Millenium Stadium is on the same road as a lot of the pubs and bars. So even if you find yourself at the bottom of Mill Lane (about as far as any pub/bar needs to be) and you're sat on bend 2 it's less than 0.75 of a mile to walk. It doesn't require buses, trains or taxis. Nor does it require any kind of long walk. You're there within single figure minutes. Every year there is a small group of us who leave the pub at 5pm and get in for start time.

 

Cardiff just works well, either by luck or good planning it's perfect. You have the stadium that merges into bars/clubs/pubs that merges into restaurants that then merges into shops. It suits everyone.

[Stoke Potter 242]

Anybody going to Cardiff for the racing will be sadly disappointed, as I was when I attended the first GP there.

People may go to Cardiff for the event, atmosphere, etc. but not decent racing.

Hopefully the new B.V. will give fans top class racing and that would be more than enough reason to go.