Attendances

[Gemini 4,894]

And to think the Brandonapolis used to be a classic meeting.

I don't think the 2013 one did it any favours. (My memory is not too good but I think that's the correct year, or it could have been 2012.) Did anyone get out of the place before midnight? Well, I managed it in the end after driving round the car park for 10 minutes trying to find an exit that wasn't blocked by cars. I finally had enough when Chris Harris crashed in the semi-final, but individual meetings have never really interested me anyway as I much prefer a league match.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Not sure regionisation would even bring in additional crowds. I started to get bored of speedway towards the end of last season, so a new league set up would not have given me the wow factor again.

 

I'm with a previous poster, there is no atmosphere these days, so perhaps a new style of presentation needs to makeup for that.

 

I went to a twenty20 cricket match perhaps we need an equivalent. Have a home and away "current" 15 heat format league meeting, then have another competition with a completely different take on the sport.

 

Have races pitched over two laps and/or have the races handicaped, make it four man teams or six, change the scoring, each club to hold a set of standard engines that get pulled from a box randomly by each rider before the meeting. Obviously not those suggestions, but radically different to what speedway is now. But keep the thrill and speed element.

 

The league what is now the National League, was radical and quite exciting when it first appeared. It survived the test of time and has probably kept a lot of clubs open in troubled times. Perhaps speedway needs to do something radical again.

Some very good ideas here for the younger element. Doesn't do it for me - but - I have had my time.

 

Perhaps it really is time for the Sport to move in a different direction.

 

As usal a good and well reasoned Post Deano.

 

Which bot of my post is ageist? Or shallow even.

Are you talking out of your a*se? :shock:

[Ben91 1,743]

Not sure regionisation would even bring in additional crowds. I started to get bored of speedway towards the end of last season, so a new league set up would not have given me the wow factor again.

 

I'm with a previous poster, there is no atmosphere these days, so perhaps a new style of presentation needs to makeup for that.

 

I went to a twenty20 cricket match perhaps we need an equivalent. Have a home and away "current" 15 heat format league meeting, then have another competition with a completely different take on the sport.

 

Have races pitched over two laps and/or have the races handicaped, make it four man teams or six, change the scoring, each club to hold a set of standard engines that get pulled from a box randomly by each rider before the meeting. Obviously not those suggestions, but radically different to what speedway is now. But keep the thrill and speed element.

 

The league what is now the National League, was radical and quite exciting when it first appeared. It survived the test of time and has probably kept a lot of clubs open in troubled times. Perhaps speedway needs to do something radical again.

 

Speedway is Speedway, four riders, four laps. To implement anything like this would mean rule changes in every country that hosts the sport really, and why would the Poles change when the sport is doing well there? These ideas may work here as part of a meeting or an entertaining second half idea but ultimately they won't bring people through the gate.

 

The sport just needs promoting, races over four laps are fine, they last long enough to be entertaining and not just a circular drag race, while they don't drag on and become boring. A beauty of Speedway which not many other motorsports have in my opinion is that you see the whole race in front of you when you are at the event, people pay stupid money to go to F1, Moto GP etc and just see the competitors whizz past them in the same spot 40-50 times.

 

We have a great product being undersold basically.

[New Science 1,059]

 

Speedway is Speedway, four riders, four laps. To implement anything like this would mean rule changes in every country that hosts the sport really, and why would the Poles change when the sport is doing well there? These ideas may work here as part of a meeting or an entertaining second half idea but ultimately they won't bring people through the gate.

 

The sport just needs promoting, races over four laps are fine, they last long enough to be entertaining and not just a circular drag race, while they don't drag on and become boring. A beauty of Speedway which not many other motorsports have in my opinion is that you see the whole race in front of you when you are at the event, people pay stupid money to go to F1, Moto GP etc and just see the competitors whizz past them in the same spot 40-50 times.

 

We have a great product being undersold basically.

Do you really believe it is a great product ?

There are thousands of seasoned fans who used to go but now choose not to, not sure they would agree with you.

Edited October 16, 2015 by New Science

[customhouseregular 1,651]

We have what was once a great product and what once again could be a great product, but British league speedway is a shambles. (In my opinion of course ).

[Skid Sprocket 243]

 

Speedway is Speedway, four riders, four laps. To implement anything like this would mean rule changes in every country that hosts the sport really, and why would the Poles change when the sport is doing well there? These ideas may work here as part of a meeting or an entertaining second half idea but ultimately they won't bring people through the gate.

 

The sport just needs promoting, races over four laps are fine, they last long enough to be entertaining and not just a circular drag race, while they don't drag on and become boring. A beauty of Speedway which not many other motorsports have in my opinion is that you see the whole race in front of you when you are at the event, people pay stupid money to go to F1, Moto GP etc and just see the competitors whizz past them in the same spot 40-50 times.

 

We have a great product being undersold basically.

Agree with every word 100%

[MattK 3,447]

We have what was once a great product and what once again could be a great product, but British league speedway is a shambles. (In my opinion of course ).

I think the product, four blokes on bikes going round is circles, is fine (although the draft system has significantly diluted this in the EL), but you are right, the league structure and organisation in this country is an absolute shambles.

[steve roberts 9,247]

I'd like to add something positive regarding modern day speedway but can't I'm afraid! Having followed the sport for thirty plus years but being out of the loop for the last twelve I have no enthusiasm in attending a meeting. It's not the sport I remember and with the AGM fast looming it will be another exercise whereby the promoters appear to be obsessed in just 'moving deck chairs around on the ill fated Titanic!' As I have previously stated that until an independent body takes control of the sport it will continue to spin forever downwards. John Berry spoke a lot of sense and how the sport could do with someone like him now!

[Trees 2,814]

The racing hasn't changed that much Steve, still four guys going hell for leather for four laps, no brakes, no gears, inches from one another at times Still hurts like hell if the fall off, they still break bones or worse

 

If you have lost your team it makes all the difference though, a lot of passion comes from supporting that team IMO.

[steve roberts 9,247]

Hi Trees! I remember corresponding with you years ago on the Oxford forum! Yes, moving to York has diminished my enthusiasm and when I rarely pick up a 'Speedway Star' I don't understand much of what I am reading...points scored, match points etc and all of the other weird changes that have apparently taken place since I last attended. It's a simple sport made very confusing by the daft rules implemented at each AGM. I always recall the late Bernard Crapper stating that he no longer understood the rule book after he withdrew from promoting at Oxford (and he used to know it inside out!) I realise the sport is desperately trying to entice new fans to the sport but in the words of John Berry 'it wasn't the fans who turned its back on speedway but that speedway turned its back on the fans!' My biggest criticism of the sport is that there is no longer any continuity and fans can no longer associate with their teams and its rider make up...a situation that existed in my time but has increased significantly over the years. Eight members of my family used to attend but gave up years ago which, I guess, is a sad reflection on where the sport is going?

[Trees 2,814]

Hi Trees! I remember corresponding with you years ago on the Oxford forum! Yes, moving to York has diminished my enthusiasm and when I rarely pick up a 'Speedway Star' I don't understand much of what I am reading...points scored, match points etc and all of the other weird changes that have apparently taken place since I last attended. It's a simple sport made very confusing by the daft rules implemented at each AGM. I always recall the late Bernard Crapper stating that he no longer understood the rule book after he withdrew from promoting at Oxford (and he used to know it inside out!) I realise the sport is desperately trying to entice new fans to the sport but in the words of John Berry 'it wasn't the fans who turned its back on speedway but that speedway turned its back on the fans!' My biggest criticism of the sport is that there is no longer any continuity and fans can no longer associate with their teams and its rider make up...a situation that existed in my time but has increased significantly over the years. Eight members of my family used to attend but gave up years ago which, I guess, is a sad reflection on where the sport is going?

 

You say there is no continuity but Lynn had all their 2014 team back in 2015 apart from Lewis Rose who we had to let go because of the rules ......

I KNOW I would be the same if Lynn closed tbh .....

[Deano 1,318]

 

Speedway is Speedway, four riders, four laps. To implement anything like this would mean rule changes in every country that hosts the sport really, and why would the Poles change when the sport is doing well there? These ideas may work here as part of a meeting or an entertaining second half idea but ultimately they won't bring people through the gate.

 

The sport just needs promoting, races over four laps are fine, they last long enough to be entertaining and not just a circular drag race, while they don't drag on and become boring. A beauty of Speedway which not many other motorsports have in my opinion is that you see the whole race in front of you when you are at the event, people pay stupid money to go to F1, Moto GP etc and just see the competitors whizz past them in the same spot 40-50 times.

 

We have a great product being undersold basically.

 

I agree, and so will every other hard core fan that pays to go week in week out.

 

But, what about the ones who aren't interested.

 

The reason I put the suggestions, was based on the twenty20 cricket. Cricket to a none fan is slow, boring and followed by old men, speedway to a none fan is first out the gate, a cold night and followed by plebs in bright coats.

 

To make cricket fast and interesting they invented twenty20, a white ball that you can't spin, batsman can therefore hit regular sixes, with a winner over twenty overs.. or 3 hours (I think). Worcester now sells out!!!

 

So how can speedway re-invent itself and create a sell out atmosphere... to make sure every race has over-taking, is close, competitive and puts hairs on the back of your neck?

 

Four blokes, four laps ain't going to do it....

Edited October 16, 2015 by Deano

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Hello Steve from another ex-attendee now living in York. I agree with all of your comments. When West Ham closed I lost interest in league speedway and stopped going to speedway completely in 1985.

[ColinMills 1,728]

I'd like to add something positive regarding modern day speedway but can't I'm afraid! Having followed the sport for thirty plus years but being out of the loop for the last twelve I have no enthusiasm in attending a meeting. It's not the sport I remember and with the AGM fast looming it will be another exercise whereby the promoters appear to be obsessed in just 'moving deck chairs around on the ill fated Titanic!' As I have previously stated that until an independent body takes control of the sport it will continue to spin forever downwards. John Berry spoke a lot of sense and how the sport could do with someone like him now!

ooh john berry..now were talking!!!

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Do you really believe it is a great product ?

There are thousands of seasoned fans who used to go but now choose not to, not sure they would agree with you.

 

The question is why ? The product is no different than it was 30 years ago when I started going.

 

There are those who will have you believe that racing was better then. It wasn't. My old Dad went in the 50's and said to me when I started going it was first out of the gate, first home.

 

Points limit ? Speedway has had some form of rider control for 50 years. Tactical rides ? Its had them for 50 years too.

 

The only difference I can think of is cost. That has gone up disproportionately, but hasn't it in most sports ?

 

I'd maintain that the first step is to get the product as good as it can be first and that means promotions doing everything they can to ensure that people come back - because I am nowhere near convinced that is the case - with the most important factor being that the track is set up for racing. For every good track surface I have seen this season I have seen a bad one.

 

Its all very well saying promote the sport, but a dog turd in a shiny wrapper is still a dog turd and people will only buy it once.

 

When speedway is good, its very, very good. Too often, though, it falls short of that for reasons that are wholly preventable.