Future Of Scunthorpe Scorpions

[topaz325 1,859]

I expect there are quite a few other clubs in a similar situation as Scunthorpe and are losing money year on year, unfortunatley well attended meetings such as Play offs , Cardiff GP,s SWC and the British final do not make up for the losses in the bread and butter meetings in the league.

Radical changes should have been made years ago to reduce costs, if that means losing big name riders then so be it, fans just want good racing on a well prepared track with the minimum of delays.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Rob always says it how it is and keeps the fans informed about what's going on. Would you rather him say nothing and then shut up shop on the 31st of August.

Well said.

[Lord Skid 425]

From Aug 1st you score double points if you use a GTR engine, and you can use a Joker if you use a legal carb and fuel as well.

[The White Knight 9,039]

From Aug 1st you score double points if you use a GTR engine, and you can use a Joker if you use a legal carb and fuel as well.

What? :blink:

 

I thought we were discussing Scunthorpe.

[Lord Skid 425]

OK, we'll lose the sense of humour, Admission is miles too high, It's a £10 sport, but the BSPA used to set a minimum, not sure what it is now, but it's too late, the Sport is finished, go to any Superstore or Garden Centre, and see the full car parks, people want more for their pound, they don't want to get covered in dust watching 6 decent races spread over two hours, and pay £15-50 for the privilege

[ruffdiamond 6,115]

OK, we'll lose the sense of humour, Admission is miles too high, It's a £10 sport, but the BSPA used to set a minimum, not sure what it is now, but it's too late, the Sport is finished, go to any Superstore or Garden Centre, and see the full car parks, people want more for their pound, they don't want to get covered in dust watching 6 decent races spread over two hours, and pay £15-50 for the privilege

Very good point, the top supermarkets are killing of loads of stuff,,, they probably have more power than any governments,,, but it's the shoppers that are behind it, wanting things for nowt and the fat cats just keep on getting fatter,,,

[Mimmo 1,070]

Rob always says it how it is and keeps the fans informed about what's going on. Would you rather him say nothing and then shut up shop on the 31st of August.

Don't understand what you mean. I'm in full support of Rob, and of course its right that he keeps his fans informed. But that's just what they are, current fans that are keeping the club alive at the moment. All I'm asking is, that's it's those that no longer attend that need addressing in whatever way possible.

 

So your comments make no sense, as I have at no point said that Rob shouldn't keep the fans informed, it's common sense that he should, and does.

[Albert 304]

 

I've always said, and will always say, that the Scunthorpe circuit produces some of the best, if not the best racing in the country.

In the earlier years, I was a regular visitor to almost every meeting from my Norfolk base, and would love to be in that position to still be able to be so. However, when race-day was switched from Sunday afternoon to Friday evening, due to family health reasons, I had to reluctantly say goodbye to a club that had become a big part of my life.

I still manage to attend the odd Bank Holiday Monday meeting, and all things being equal, will do so on the 31st August.

I obviously don't know the reasons for crowd levels dropping, although some of it is bound to be down to poor results, a reason I can never understand, because that's when your club really needs your loyalty.

As I said, in my families case, it's purely down to the change in race-day and race time, so is that the reason for the now missing fans? Have the promotion asked questions in the local papers as to the reasons for previous customers now stopping away? Those people obviously used to enjoy their visits, otherwise they would have stopped attending much earlier than they now appear to be doing according to Rob. There must be something that they don't like, or things that don't suit their lifestyle, so these questions need to be asked.

I sympathise with Rob and everybody involved on the management team, but if making statements through the speedway media about possible closure if an extra 200 people don't come through the turnstiles, is the only source of plea that is being made, then that is a waste of time, because the chances are that the deserters no longer read the sports press anyway. I'm not aiming any criticism at anybody, but just asking the question whether these statements have been made public knowledge in the local press and possibly radio.

I do wish the club the very best of luck, and hope upon hope, that the missing fans can find a way to return, because speedway needs Scunthorpe as much as Scunthorpe needs speedway.

 

 

The local paper isn't well read these days... It used to be a blooming good daily but for the past few years has been a weekly publication full of old news, ads, car sales and estate agents...100 of pages of shyte, I don't think its got many readers nowadays. The online version isn't much better, big headlines for trivial un-newsworthy items, most people just visit to laugh at the comments.

[dirtdodger 27]

i first saw speedway in1952 at Bristol,give you some idea of my age,i agree 100% with everything that's been said about rising costs of machinery, faster bikes have not IMHO made the spectical of speedway racing better,just made the bikes less re liable and more expensive to repair.There are several reasons for the drop in crowd attendance,change of race day to Friday from Sunday,lots of people in Scunthorpe work a two shift system which means they can only get to speedway on alternate weeks they get out of the habit and don't bother to come at all,my wife was happy to come with me on a sunny Sunday afternoon but has no interest in coming out on Friday night she'd rather be watching Corrie with a bottle of wine! Several people I used to work with don't come any more because they just don't have the money,price of two tickets plus a couple of drinks =£40.In an earlier post someone said that there hasn't been a lot of job losses in Scunthorpe,but there a lot of people on the minimum wage.Two chaps in my village stopped going when Sunthorpe left the conference league 'cos they cound'nt identify with the 'new' team as youngsters they liked to watch the young lads race.Not saying I want to see National league racing back at Scunny but maybe Sunday afternoon was more Family friendly.I do hope to see speedway at EWR next year and I wish Rob and 'the team' at Scunthorpe Speedway all the best.

[iris123 20,997]

i work with a lot of them on my shift and all they talk about is speedway but they dont go.going to have to ask the question now next shift.

I had a lot of mates from Scotland/Ireland who lived in London and were football fans,but wouldn't go to football in England.They were supporters of a club,not general football fans who would wander down to Chelsea or Arsenal etc and pay to watch teams they didn't support.Maybe it is the same with speedway fans from Poland

 

To be frank,from what I have read which admittedly isn't that much it sounds like Scunthorpe is dead.They need 200 "new" fans which if they get 2,000 is 10% increase,but I imagine they get a fair few less than 2,000,so the increase is more like 20-30%???? No chance is there? You might make an increase for a few weeks with such a press release,but it isn't sustainable and that is what they need.I said years ago the Uk needs to have less clubs and less meetings and others said they need more clubs and more meetings.It just isn't sustainable.It also makes me wonder why a club starts in march/arpil is poxy weather and then closes for the season at the end of August when the weather is pretty perfect.Still this is a real big shame as it is a god track that offers riders plenty of practice time,which is what the country needs.Just seems to be in the wrong place i'd guess.Only chance is if Mr Godfrey changes his mind or someone else comes in with money to lose.

[eric i 620]

Don't understand what you mean. I'm in full support of Rob, and of course its right that he keeps his fans informed. But that's just what they are, current fans that are keeping the club alive at the moment. All I'm asking is, that's it's those that no longer attend that need addressing in whatever way possible.

 

So your comments make no sense, as I have at no point said that Rob shouldn't keep the fans informed, it's common sense that he should, and does.

I get your point that the plea for more supports would be better in the wider press but you said it was a 'waste of time' putting a statement on the club website.

[stratton 1,491]

If Swindon were in the same position i would be willing to

 

pay 20 pound a week rather than 17 i am sure others would do as well.I know it does not solve the problem but new supporters are not going to appear out of the woodwork overnight.I also have no idea what the answer is,back to Scunny would they consider EL ?i don't know what the sky money is would that capital help.I know they would need a couple of riders to be competitive more exspense but fingers crossed Scunny survive it would be a disaster if we lost them.

[Mimmo 1,070]

I get your point that the plea for more supports would be better in the wider press but you said it was a 'waste of time' putting a statement on the club website.

Okay, we've mistaken what each other meant. I didn't actually mean it was a waste of time putting it on the website, what I was trying to put over, as you now appreciate, is that those reading it on the website are already showing loyalty to your wonderful club. Sadly those that have walked away probably won't be reading it, and they are of course the ones that need to be reached...........somehow.

 

Other clubs are in a similar position to yours, and it is a very worrying time for the sport that we both so much enjoy, especially people like Rob and so many others who pump endless thousands of pounds in trying to keep it alive.

 

I don't get to visit Scunthorpe very often, as I said, but over the past 2-3 years, I've introduced approximately a dozen newcomers to my local track plus a neighbouring one, and not one of them has returned for a second time, ALL giving the same reason that for them, it takes too long to get through what is basically a 15-minute meeting. I'm a die hard, so put up with things as they are, but must agree that barring incidents, no bog standard meeting should take more than 90-minutes to complete. I'm not suggesting that is the cause of the problems at Scunthorpe, because I don't know how long it takes to get through your meetings, but if it is part of the reason, then that particular matter should be rectified.

 

Anyway Eric, all the likes of you and I can do, is keep hanging in there with our support, and just hope and pray the rough ride suddenly becomes a lot more smoother.

 

Best Wishes, and good luck to you all at that fine club of yours.

[customhouseregular 1,651]

What is the average weekly attendance at Scunthorpe?.

 

Does anyone know the average weekly attendance at the various tracks around the country?.

 

One for Norbold I think...what was the average weekly attendance at tracks 50 years ago?. I keep reading about the decline of British speedway but how do gates at Poole, Coventry and Kings Lynn compare with the gates in the mid-late 60's?.

[Tsunami 10,219]

What is the average weekly attendance at Scunthorpe?.

 

Does anyone know the average weekly attendance at the various tracks around the country?.

 

One for Norbold I think...what was the average weekly attendance at tracks 50 years ago?. I keep reading about the decline of British speedway but how do gates at Poole, Coventry and Kings Lynn compare with the gates in the mid-late 60's?.

 

How is that relevant to today's problems. Those days and gates are gone, it's a different world now.