ColinMills 1,728 Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) I agree and it should be possible, if attendances were published every week it could be an incentive for us all to help numbers creep up. Come on promotions give us some numbers to work with and we'll try to better them. would certainly help. but cant help thinking they wont want to publicise figs Edited October 17, 2015 by ColinMills Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
van wolfswinkel 635 Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) When i first went i had rickets and only ate Hovis bread , you could get 6 pints , 20 fags , a pint of milk and still have change from a pound 1921 then That were nuthin lad...there were 43 of us living in a shoe box in middle of t'lake, we worked 25-hour shifts. Dad used to whip us with broken bottle if we were lucky. Edited October 17, 2015 by haydon hat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
New Science 1,059 Posted October 17, 2015 What was the cost of entry ticket in,say, 1965? After a quick google £15 today equates to 16shillings in 1965 (80p) How much does it cost to watch the Rolling Stones today compared to what it cost to watch them in 1965 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted October 18, 2015 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. Yes, the basic product on track is great, the way it is served up isn't in the majority and that is what drives fans away. 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.... Of course it can, a speedway race can be spectacular, people don't get bored of the racing they get bored of the drawn out meetings, poor presentation and constant delays for no real reason. Why do riders need two minutes to get ready for something that takes less than a minute? As long as there are no legitimate hold ups or riders facing back to back rides then there should be a one minutes time allowance for riders to get to tapes as soon as those in the previous heat have left the track. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,960 Posted October 18, 2015 Cars and travel was more expensive in the 60's than it is now. So was having a bike on the back of an estate really cheaper, than having a van full of tools which doubles up as a mobile workshop? In real terms? Another point is that vans are generally fully tax deductible as business expenses, whilst cars are not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted October 19, 2015 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? Aint that the truth!!! I agree and it should be possible, if attendances were published every week it could be an incentive for us all to help numbers creep up. Come on promotions give us some numbers to work with and we'll try to better them. You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skid Sprocket 243 Posted October 19, 2015 You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... If I was joking I would have posted under jokes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deano 1,318 Posted October 19, 2015 Aint that the truth!!! You are joking aren't you. :shock: :shock: The Taxman might find out as well......................................... Pretty certain they couldn't get away with tax fiddling anyway. All tickets are numbered and turnstiles have a clickometer count type thingy. I'm sure all numbers would have to tie up to check for any cashier fiddling too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skid Sprocket 243 Posted October 20, 2015 Pretty certain they couldn't get away with tax fiddling anyway. All tickets are numbered and turnstiles have a clickometer count type thingy. I'm sure all numbers would have to tie up to check for any cashier fiddling too. Even if that was the case where are the figures the Taxman are given? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted October 20, 2015 Even if that was the case where are the figures the Taxman are given?Income as a whole from each meeting 😉 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOBODY 538 Posted October 27, 2015 1921 thenThat were nuthin lad...there were 43 of us living in a shoe box in middle of t'lake, we worked 25-hour shifts. Dad used to whip us with broken bottle if we were lucky. You was bloody lucky then lad. Aye....we were lucky if we 'ad food. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoke Potter 242 Posted October 28, 2015 Yes, the basic product on track is great, the way it is served up isn't in the majority and that is what drives fans away. No it isn't. The fact is most races at most tracks are boring and processional. The reason is that the vast majority of tracks are too small and narrow and not conducive to passing/close racing. Fix the size of the tracks, minimum 300m, with plenty of width. Next thing, track preparation. Why does it take 5-6 races for the dirt to move and create a racing line, utter crap, prepare it properly in the first place. And if you still can't prepare it to give decent racing from heat 1 then run a 5 heat pre-meeting first. rocket science it ain't but it is for speedway promoters! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted October 28, 2015 Speedway has always, at least in my lifetime, been frequently processional. The core product hasn't materially improved or worsened. It's the other stuff - facilities, additional entertainment, presentation, marketing - where speedway has nt changed, and consequently has a product which is 40 years out of date. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoke Potter 242 Posted October 28, 2015 Speedway has always, at least in my lifetime, been frequently processional. The core product hasn't materially improved or worsened. Yes and the reason is because most tracks are not conducive to good racing! And they never have been, but it is even more apparent with today's bikes/engines. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Skid 425 Posted October 28, 2015 The introduction of the fast track/ sorry cheap riders, seems to correspond with the fast decline in attendance, did the powers that be really think the fans would accept it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
