How Do We Attract A New Young Audience?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

I could say the same about your views on matters , since everyone knows your employers are in the pockets of BSI .it's hardly surprising you wish to paint a rosy picture when the reality is Postlethwaites decisions were simply hard cold business .

EVERYONE knows ...that quite an assumption especially for something that isn't true. And I thought this was about Postlethwaite and Reading and I would at least agree that JP's decisions were simply hard cold business. He would never deny that and he didn't gamble massive sums on taking the British GP from Coventry to Cardiff without some expectation of making it pay.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

He would never deny that and he didn't gamble massive sums on taking the British GP from Coventry to Cardiff without some expectation of making it pay.

 

That was his big achievement, but on the back of who's money?

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

AND those several unsuccessful businesses were?

Reading speedway, Cardwonder, Sponsorship Manager, and possibly others. Since then there's been Dig Deep.

 

Gaming International were at one stage hoping to jump on the casino bandwagon and would have welcomed a speedway tenant but when that prospect failed to materialise their enthusiasm

I recall many on here expressing scepticism about Gaming International's plans at the time. Even the super casino idea was not approved, and I think a rational investor would seriously have to ask whether a company running a few dog tracks would ever have been a credible partner in a super casino. Never added up, even before the benefit of hindsight.

 

My point was not really to analyse Postlethwaite's chequered business history though, but to highlight that he's the closest the sport has come to having an independent character bringing external investment from somewhere other than a transport company or car dealership, yet he wasn't really able to revolutionise the sport either, notwithstanding taking it to the Millennium Stadium. Yes, I know other indoor stadia can be cited, but GPs have not endured there and the domestic aspect of the sport remains as bad as it's ever been.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[June01 270]

I did get them in the car and didn't say I was going to speedway.

A hostage situation? Could be the answer.

[LagutaRacingFan 1,936]

Speedway will be dead in 10-15 years.... It's sad but that's the truth.

Young people in this country are not interested, the OAP's are all reaching the final stages of their lives.

[Odds On 373]

Speedway will be dead in 10-15 years.... It's sad but that's the truth.

Young people in this country are not interested, the OAP's are all reaching the final stages of their lives.

Heavens knows Im miserable now!

[steve roberts 9,246]

Heavens knows Im miserable now!

I don't think that speedway 'will be dead in 10-15 years time' but in what format that is the question? As long as there are motorbikes there will always be those wishing to compete at different levels of competition. Whether people will still wish to spectate is a very different matter which is why this particular thread was initiated?

Edited January 4, 2016 by steve roberts

[speedibee 3,091]

I don't think that speedway 'will be dead in 10-15 years time' but in what format that is the question? As long as there are motorbikes there will always be those wishing to compete at different levels of competition. Whether people will still wish to spectate is a very different matter which is why this particular thread was initiated?

I can see speedway in the future as part of a travelling circus like supercross , except as part of a bigger event mainly indoors on temporary tracks , with only 1 or2 specialaist speedway riders , the rest of the field made up of competitors from whatever the main event is , A sort of retro novelty act .

Speedway will be dead in 10-15 years.... It's sad but that's the truth.

Young people in this country are not interested, the OAP's are all reaching the final stages of their lives.

You are , and as far as I can make out you are aged between 12 and 21 , married or single , in a relationship or not , at school sometimes and university others , on odd occasions you are working or unemployed . A butcher a Baker a candlestick maker . so that pretty much covers all demographics

[sparkafag 746]

I doubt it ever will attract a large growth of a younger audience. In general now young people don’t tend to attend weekly live sport (football aside and even then there are caveats relating to attendances), the idea of large attendances at weekly sporting events is almost dying as there are just far too many other things for the “younger generation” to do now.

 

The sport would be best served living in its actual circumstances, which, in general often aren’t as bad as tends to be made out.

 

The bogeyman of “sport will die out” has been a living breathing theme for about 20 years now.

 

There aren’t many other sports that worry so much about people who don’t attend it in the way speedway fans tend to.

Edited January 4, 2016 by sparkafag

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

.....sparkafag..... I doubt it ever will attract a large growth of a younger audience. In general now young people don’t tend to attend weekly live sport (football aside and even then there are caveats relating to attendances), the idea of large attendances at weekly sporting events is almost dying as there are just far too many other things for the “younger generation” to do now.

 

So in other words look after the older fans because we are the ones keeping the sport going at the moment. Trying to encourage young people to attend regularly is a lost cause no matter how much things are 'jazzed' up.

[Paulco 7,080]

I doubt it ever will attract a large growth of a younger audience. In general now young people don’t tend to attend weekly live sport (football aside and even then there are caveats relating to attendances), the idea of large attendances at weekly sporting events is almost dying as there are just far too many other things for the “younger generation” to do now.

 

The sport would be best served living in its actual circumstances, which, in general often aren’t as bad as tends to be made out.

 

The bogeyman of “sport will die out” has been a living breathing theme for about 20 years now.

 

There aren’t many other sports that worry so much about people who don’t attend it in the way speedway fans tend to.

People are just worried because , like show jumping , speedway finds itself out in the sporting margins . We all just want the sport to be successful and strong , but it's a long way from being that

[sparkafag 746]

It hasn’t really been that (strong and successful) for about 30 years, during that time it has continued as what it is, a minority sport, even if attendances increased across the country by 20% + (which would be a phenomenal increase) it still wouldn’t be a strong sport, and there isn’t much wrong with that.

 

The average attendance has dwindled but the options available to people have increased, that trend will continue. There probably isn’t much the sport can do to stop people (more so young) from finding other interests other than abolish Netflix, Cinema, Lady’s Days at the racing, Darts World Championships, Concerts…etc and so on. There are just so many other things for people to spend their money on irrespective of what speedway is doing, that probably more than anything Speedway has done is the biggest difference between now and the 80s.

 

An average “young” person (who is fortunate enough to have the money to do it) is far more likely to want to see their favourite band at a concert or festival, attend the darts, go on holiday for 2 weeks during the height of summer, take out a year’s X Box Live Subscription, go out with their mates at the weekend than they are attend a speedway meeting. There is a decent chance you will attract them to Cardiff in numbers because of what it is, a one off event an occasion, but a decent % swing attending speedway week in week out, I can’t see it personally even if they did move into new stadia or play better music on parades.

 

This isn’t a call to give up, but more of a enjoy it for it is.

Edited January 4, 2016 by sparkafag

[Robert Lee 128]

Having read another dozen pages of the same old ideas, I am more than ever convinced that the real question is: "Why on earth would we want to attract a new young audience?". Just let speedway die a dignified death instead of trying to make it into something it's not. That's probably a biased view, 'cos I like it as it is (tactical rides excepted), and it'll probably outlast me!

 

Happy new year to one and all.

[June01 270]

This forum is around, what? 10 years old? Back then people were saying speedway will be dead in 10 years' time, the final nail in the coffin, etc, and they're saying it now...but it's still here, going on stronger than a lot of people believed.

 

I appreciate some things are frustrating, and not everyone is going to agree with some rules, decisions, team building, but I really don't see how saying RIP speedway is helpful. After all, those who ARE saying it are continuing to at least read the forums and take an interest, so it's clear they once thought fondly of speedway, and probably still do. All the time it has that support it will hopefully keep going. But the point of this thread is how to attract new supporters.

 

I've said it before and my thoughts haven't changed. I've lost count of the blank looks I get if I mention speedway - so many people have no idea it exists, let alone what it is or what it's about. I still think targeted adverts couldn't hurt. Flyers in the local papers...that sort of thing. Also I see lots of promotion in Denmark. Nicki and other riders visiting schools with their bikes, going to hospitals to talk to the kids... Not everyone is going to see speedway and say, "yeah I want to go and watch that" but if they don't even know it exists....?

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

June01.......This forum is around, what? 10 years old?

 

2001 so 15 years old this year. People have been saying the same thing about Milkmen but they're still around delivering milk....just to less people these days.