Blazeaway 1,501 Posted October 11, 2015 LOL, the BSPA are the individual promoters!! But they could, as a body, decide upon a brand poster, that's what I am saying ...... All well and good but if the individual promotions can't be bothered to go out and put the posters up it's pretty pointless really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skid Sprocket 243 Posted October 11, 2015 LOL, the BSPA are the individual promoters!! But they could, as a body, decide upon a brand poster, that's what I am saying ...... I agree with the brand poster but the problem is in distributing them, there seems to be too much "why aren't so and so doing this or why aren't they doing that" to get most supporters into action is near impossible, it costs nothing to ask the local shop or pub to display a poster for example but it needs volunteers and they are few and far between. i have found it a very satisfying job handing out posters round shops and pubs with some very interesting conversations talking to people who have never heard of speedway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
screm 8,069 Posted October 11, 2015 All well and good but if the individual promotions can't be bothered to go out and put the posters up it's pretty pointless really. Not knocking the idea on posters, but surely there is more to speedway promotion than putting a few posters up. Speedway promoters need to reach out to their fans more now than ever before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIRKYLANE 537 Posted October 11, 2015 If you are comparing back 10 or more years then , crowds are definitely down..... but this is true in many sports other than top level sport.. Poland's crowds are nowhere near what they used to be.... but theyare stil considerably better than in Britain. What is important is how do we get the crowds back ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skid Sprocket 243 Posted October 11, 2015 Not knocking the idea on posters, but surely there is more to speedway promotion than putting a few posters up. Speedway promoters need to reach out to their fans more now than ever before. Very true but as supporters that is one (small) part we can play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skodaman 192 Posted October 11, 2015 The main problem with most advertising is that it's very hard to accurately measure its effectiveness. However, there are more direct ways of promoting speedway, but in my experience promoters aren't interested. Speedway is plastered over the sides of Arriva buses around Leicester, but the info has not been updated since they originally appeared on them. One thing that puts people off is the package on the night of a meeting. Another, which has been mentioned many times is the tinkering of the rules: the rule book wants tearing up and rewritten in a more simplistic fashion. Rewritten rules should be clear so that promoters cannot use loopholes when they feel like it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted October 11, 2015 All well and good but if the individual promotions can't be bothered to go out and put the posters up it's pretty pointless really.Well that's just crazy innit, pretty sure every club could employ a "poster putuperer" :-) OF COURSE, there is more to Speedway promotion than putting bloody posters up! But it was mentioned on here that all stock car meetings are massively advertised with posters and so I suggested that the same could be done for Speedway ...... that's all :-) This MUST have been considered before by promotions, who knows ....... Speedway is plastered over the sides of Arriva buses around Leicester, but the info has not been updated since they originally appeared on them.One thing that puts people off is the package on the night of a meeting. Another, which has been mentioned many times is the tinkering of the rules: the rule book wants tearing up and rewritten in a more simplistic fashion. Rewritten rules should be clear so that promoters cannot use loopholes when they feel like it. Our rules have to be complicated because some of the promoters are so bloody crafty ...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blazeaway 1,501 Posted October 11, 2015 Speedway is plastered over the sides of Arriva buses around Leicester, but the info has not been updated since they originally appeared on them. One thing that puts people off is the package on the night of a meeting. Another, which has been mentioned many times is the tinkering of the rules: the rule book wants tearing up and rewritten in a more simplistic fashion. Rewritten rules should be clear so that promoters cannot use loopholes when they feel like it. I disagree that the rulebook would put off the average speedway fan. The main reasons people don't go to speedway are. 1. poor promotion 2. a percieved lack of value for money 3. long drawn out meetings, 15 heats should take no longer than 75-90 minutes. (injuries and rain delays permitting) 4. run down stadia and poor facilities 5. wulfsport jackets 6. poor promotion It's not the nit picking geeks that spunk their pants over every tiny rule break or bending (sorry SCB) that speedwaay promotions should be looking to attract anyway. The whole sport needs a massive rebranding as an adrenaline fuelled night out, let's do away with the image of weirdos in denim jackets covered in sew on badges ffs. Have a look at how the Americans promote Costa Mesa and you will see that the UK promoters are light years behind. Yes the racing may not be amazing but it's the whole package which people keep coming back for. The perception of value for money is the key. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spin king 1,923 Posted October 11, 2015 Why not ask the Promotions where crowds levels have increased over the last couple of seasons on what they have done to gain the extra support and raise the crowd levels. Seems like a logical answer to me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
New Science 1,059 Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) Speedway does nothing to attract new fans, so by definition is existing fans will age over time. Couple this to the fact that speedway is run by old men, the presentation, music etc. are straight out of the 70s, then you can see why youngsters are not attracted to the sport. Can only speak for myself,my parents took me to speedway as a child,I was hooked by the noise,the smell and the speed.Nowadays there is little noise,hardly any smell with only the speed remaining.The number of kids at speedway seems to have dramatically reduced and the ones that are there look bored,if we can't hook kids to be the long term fans of the future the sport will die in Britain. Edited October 12, 2015 by New Science 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted October 11, 2015 Surely they could bring that heavenly smell back again :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barncooseboy 237 Posted October 11, 2015 I think a branded poster with a band left across the bottom to print the local track location would be a good idea, i would go further and ask the guy who does Spedeworths posters to design it HOWEVER posting them is a different matter. Company owned shops/garages will not allow third party advertising on their premises so it has to be self owned and operated business, which keeps you out of most town centres. Some tourist information centres now charge to display information, can be £100 per month, driving around to distribute posters, its good going to do more than 10 a day.Cultivating local papers to get sports page editorial is vital, as long as you dont have a spokesman whose glass is permanently half empty and has been told to be positive but is mostly negative. Advertising and promotion can be a nightmare, dont think setting fire to the promoters hat will bring many through the gate these days. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,247 Posted October 12, 2015 Some years ago, whilst still living in Oxford, I did some 'promotional' talks at various schools (Primary level) on behalf of the promoter who was then installed at Cowley. However It wasn't particular well thought thru' as I had very little to show the children (a bike would have been useful!) and I took in some videos but it wasn't particularly successful in my opinion. Not very professional in approach and an opportunity lost. I have my own views why speedway has 'lost its way' but they've been well documented time and again on various forums. What the sport desperately needs is an Independent body to shake it up and the sport lost an ideal opportunity when John Berry offered his services (late eighties) but immediately stood aside as he soon realised he wouldn't have got the necessary support from within...and the sport has stumbled along since! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crazysue 613 Posted October 12, 2015 Can only speak for myself,my parents took me to speedway as a child,I hooked was by the noise,the smell and the speed.Nowadays there is little noise,hardly any smell with only the speed remaining.The number of kids at speedway seems to have dramatically reduced and the ones that are there look bored,if we can't hook kids to be the long term fans of the future the sport will die in Britain. At one point, all 3 of mine used to come to speedway with me, the two older ones were well and truly hooked on the sport (youngest was never that bothered)...until they hit 16. It was at that age that they had to start paying adult rate, despite still being in full time compulsory education (they turned 16 at the beginning of the school year). They could not take advantage of the student rate as they were not old enough to receive a student card (have to be in 6th form) and because they were in their last GCSE year, a part time job didn't pay enough or was difficult to have due to required after school attendance/events for their courses (middle son mainly). Eldest son went from never missing a meeting to going to 4 meetings in the last 6 years, middle son hasn't been back at all in the last 2 years. Their lives have moved on in the mean time and although eldest is now better able to afford to go infrequently, that break from going when they turned 16 put the kibosh on their passion. 10 years ago our little group numbered 5, this season on a lot of occasions, I was Billy no mates. Weirdly, youngest son came to Cardiff with me this year (alongside eldest), he absolutely loved it and wants to go again...but only to a GP, not a normal speedway meeting. He loved the noise, the presentation, the excitement of the crowd and was swept along by it all and this is a child (oops, young adult, he is almost 18 now) who hates crowds and noise usually. When I asked him why, he said it was more exciting, more organised, felt more special. I don't know what the answer is unfortunately to increase crowds at general league meetings, cost is an issue for some (as it was for 2 of my boys), for others it is the presentation and feel (youngest), still others it is the stadiums, the constant tinkering of the rules etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldace 1,678 Posted October 12, 2015 Surely they could bring that heavenly smell back again :-D That smell was simply burned Castrol R40 oil. As no one uses castor oils anymore and the total loss systems are obsolete then I am afraid you will never get that smell again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
