remembertheracers 171 Posted April 25, 2016 Spending an hour or so looking at various threads it seems that attendance levels have tumbled this year. Tracks mentioned have included Scunthorpe, Swindon, Coventry, Rye House Raiders and on updates tonight Cradley/Wolverhampton. The Belle Vue debacle, Plymouth's problems and the weather have not helped but is the sport on the verge of imploding? Does anyone have good news to report? Are Glasgow getting their rewards for investment and real promoting? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted April 25, 2016 if you forward wind 10 yrs, its extremely unlikely domestic speedway will be around, unless theres a major upturn 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icicle 896 Posted April 25, 2016 Has been bleeding cold & wet so far...hope crowds increase as better (?) weather. Also please Promoters start PROMOTING,& Advertising this sport! If you don't know you won't go! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted April 25, 2016 the product isn't right..big empty spaces and no atmosphere will never entice youngsters, and us "oldies" who has seen the sport diluted with crazy mix n match teams are losing interest 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted April 25, 2016 I was at eastbourne on Saturday and rye house on Sunday. Both meetings had very poor crowds, I doubt if there was much more than 500 at both tracks combined. Freezing cold weather with a threat of rain is enough to put most people off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topsoil 2,498 Posted April 25, 2016 Can't confirm it 100% but I would say Berwick's crowds are up a bit so far from last season, despite having four cold, windy, damp Saturday nights. The new promoters who came on board in the winter have added a new enthusiasm and the club are reaching out to new fans, especially through social media. Also i have noticed a lot of new businesses have advertised in the programme and the hospitality lounge has been full three of the four weeks so far. And they have announced the training track nearby will be ready for use later this year. A small beacon of hope in the choppy seas of domestic speedway? 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,375 Posted April 25, 2016 The plain fact is the sport is not attracting new fans in any great numbers and the regulars are getting older and are easily put off with the way the sport is being Promoted by the people at the top IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted April 25, 2016 Pooles crowds have been very good this season. And the holiday season hasn't yet started. The plain fact is the sport is not attracting new fans in any great numbers and the regulars are getting older and are easily put off with the way the sport is being Promoted by the people at the top IMO. I seriously believe 95% of speedway fans don't give two hoots how the sport is run 'at the top'. All they want is some good hard racing. The negativity of this forum doesnt seem present trackside. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,375 Posted April 25, 2016 Can't confirm it 100% but I would say Berwick's crowds are up a bit so far from last season, despite having four cold, windy, damp Saturday nights. The new promoters who came on board in the winter have added a new enthusiasm and the club are reaching out to new fans, especially through social media. Also i have noticed a lot of new businesses have advertised in the programme and the hospitality lounge has been full three of the four weeks so far. And they have announced the training track nearby will be ready for use later this year. A small beacon of hope in the choppy seas of domestic speedway? Good news,although the fixtures have been against our nearest local tracks which might make a difference.Hopefully the crowds will hold up. Pooles crowds have been very good this season. And the holiday season hasn't yet started. I seriously believe 95% of speedway fans don't give two hoots how the sport is run 'at the top'. All they want is some good hard racing. The negativity of this forum doesnt seem present trackside. Maybe 95% of the fans that still attend the others have gave up long ago. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 25, 2016 (edited) I was at eastbourne on Saturday and rye house on Sunday. Both meetings had very poor crowds, I doubt if there was much more than 500 at both tracks combined. Freezing cold weather with a threat of rain is enough to put most people off. I saw two variations on attendances for last week's reopening meeting at IoW. On Facebook, an attendee quoted it as "about 400" while a BSF assessment was given as 250, although this latter Poster later conceded he usually gave "low guesstimate attendances" and that there could have been more spectators at the meeting. The recent quoted attendance figures are a long way off the crowd for a 1946 Wembley v West Ham match when spectators were locked out and 85,000 fans were inside the stadium to watch the racing. Edited April 25, 2016 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemini 4,894 Posted April 26, 2016 Oh gawd. Another negative misery has made a reappearance. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eric i 620 Posted April 26, 2016 Good news,although the fixtures have been against our nearest local tracks which might make a difference.Hopefully the crowds will hold up. Maybe 95% of the fans that still attend the others have gave up long ago. I agree, anybody new to the sport who would like to understand all the rules would certainly be put off. Some promotions don't bother to explain the oddities of the rules to the fans, probably fearing it would be too complicated and hard to explain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted April 26, 2016 be interesting to know if any NEW fans are on this forum for their views? but I don't think there is.....I always said, until we get credibility like the grand prix, speedway is doomed. theres too many gimmicky rules with very little credibility, buster did say he would listen, but very few signs of it at present 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reviresco 708 Posted April 26, 2016 Geez, its the 26th April, the weather hasn't been favourable and most club's fixtures have been disjointed. Shall we give it until, say, June before we start making assumptions, eh? be interesting to know if any NEW fans are on this forum for their views? but I don't think there is.... How many 'new' fans would be aware of this forum? Oh gawd. Another negative misery has made a reappearance. That's what I was thinking, Gem, and it had been so pleasant without two of them posting, though they still couldn't stop themselves from hitting the 'Like' button, to remind us that they were still around. Guess we can expect nonsensical multiple threads to start appearing again soon? Posting about a 1946 crowd is really relevant to a thread about 2016 crowds ... not. Its only 70 years ago for pity's sake. Should be on the, in black and white only, 'Days of Yore' part of the forum. Don't know about fans being locked out, somebody needs to be locked up more like. Where do I find the 'Ignore' instruction? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bezza 20 Posted April 26, 2016 Certainly, one of the problems is passing judgement after 6 weeks of the season, however British Speedway could do with following other countries when it come to starting the season. Mid March is just far too early.... for everyone!. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
