Coventry 2017

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

...............Robert72............Not at the matches I have been too they looked very poor including the last one for the double header.
Did the storm matches break even ?
I fear for next season.

 

The double header crowd was not very good, probably because it meant nothing to either Coventry or Kings Lynn in the league table, but on the whole the Bees matches have been well attended and the racing has mostly been good all season.

National League attendances though have been very poor and I would imagine they have lost money on each meeting. I very much doubt if the Storm will continue next year but then the whole lot seems to be under threat at the moment anyway so who knows if there will even be a Bees team.

 

Edited to add the quote.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Gemini

[Authorised 60]

Coventry Don't have enough supporters to run Elite League Speedway or to make the council want to make sure the sport stays at Brandon. Fact

 

Crowds are shocking compared to a few years ago and it's clear the people of Coventry and Warwickshire are not behind supporting it.

 

It will be a sad day if it's the end of Brandon and the bees

 

 

I think it is easy to blame the fans for not supporting this promotion - I am not just citing you but others have blamed the fans in "use-it-or-lose-it" posts. Other clubs and their support WILL be worried about the demise of Coventry and the fans make an easy target, as the EL moves into another winter of turmoil. However, it is little to do with the fans.

 

The EL - have tried to model their business to suit the Grand Prix and foreign leagues. Cut fixtures, cut competitions, de facto squad use. Has it worked? No. We have an irregular fixture list. It takes too much arranging to make fixtures - and there are not enough of them. It doesn't work for the fans, and it doesn't work for riders - the majority of them are busy working out conversion rates to PL double up / appealing for guest bookings / or asking why they aren't reserves.

 

The complaints are not just coming from promotions under pressure either. The cut in fixtures was a mistake, I am relieved to see Matt Ford complaining about this recently. The move away from regular race nights was a mistake, again, I heard the Lakeside promotion preferring the Saturday night in an interview at the stadium earlier this year. I also think the top flight does need multiple trophies too to keep an interest for more clubs ("Double winners", "The treble" are things that can no longer be achieved).

 

Steve Shovlar and others mention Glasgow as coming up. I would hope they would shake things up if they did. The track is improving, but his assumption that they will go to an off-night and support 3 weeks with no fixtures, would surprise me. Their marketing is an example to other clubs, but imagine not having something on a billboard that wasn't "Speedway every xxx" - "sometimes a Tuesday, then a week on Friday, and a Sunday". It doesn't work. The travelling support would also be greatly depleted on an off-night - and the lighting would need improvements.

 

The promotion of Glasgow does give me hope that Speedway has a future, which brings me onto the final issue. The Horton promotion hasn't worked. The uncertainty, the lack of team changes, even the communication regarding the stadium and the latest farce. The sport isn't promoted. Of course, fans are supporting the club, however, the promotion makes it very difficult for fans to show support. I lost £170 on flights to attend on Friday, and they lose income as a result.

 

EL speedway needs regular fixtures, on regular nights, throughout the season from March to October across multiple competitions. It needs riders willing to promote locally and not fly off to the next earnings, and promote for the good of the sport (not in pubs at £25/head). It needs a simple rule book for newcomers to understand, including teams changes. Promoters also need to promote! IF it all means that we lose a few GP stars for the good of the sport, so be it. The size of the prize is in attracting new support; it hasn't hindered Glasgow by not having them. If it means Coventry going to the PL, then so be it too. There is so much double-upping going on plus some reserves from the NL, you wouldn't actually notice.

[Woz01 3,589]

 

Does he have control of the stadium then?

No but Horton sub-leases the odd event and the ride and slide days. We usually get someone from the club posting about the sidecars on the Facebook pages so would guess it sub leased from Horton. If I remember rightly we also had a sidecar demonstration during a Bees match last season.

 

Just to add the sidecars is on the Bees fixture list.

 

 

 

The sidecars are going ahead. So there is no issue with them, this issue appears to be with the owners of Coventry Bees Speedway..........?

Probably because Horton will run the stadium next year. I'm convinced it's all about that. Edited September 26, 2016 by woz01

[TesarRacing 1,825]

 

The double header crowd was not very good, probably because it meant nothing to either Coventry or Kings Lynn in the league table, but on the whole the Bees matches have been well attended and the racing has mostly been good all season.

National League attendances though have been very poor and I would imagine they have lost money on each meeting. I very much doubt if the Storm will continue next year but then the whole lot seems to be under threat at the moment anyway so who knows if there will even be a Bees team.

 

Edited to add the quote.

I imagine the decision has already been made as Fridays Storm NL meeting was due to be the last one sponsored by City Gearboxes.

[Windy Miller 8]

There's no getting away from it the crowds have been worryingly low at Brandon at times this season but that is just a sign of the times I'm afraid.

 

I've travelled to nearly every Bees away meeting this year and our crowds hold up well in comparison to the rest so if we're struggling to break even, most of the others are too.

 

Like I say, it's just a sign of the times I'm afraid and we have to stop judging our crowds by the numbers we got many years ago.

 

It is what it is.

[lisa-colette 6,035]

There's no getting away from it the crowds have been worryingly low at Brandon at times this season but that is just a sign of the times I'm afraid.

 

I've travelled to nearly every Bees away meeting this year and our crowds hold up well in comparison to the rest so if we're struggling to break even, most of the others are too.

 

Like I say, it's just a sign of the times I'm afraid and we have to stop judging our crowds by the numbers we got many years ago.

 

It is what it is.

I'd agree with that. If you look at 2003, crowds at Poole were 3-4,000 every week! Half that now, Coventry must have had similar at the time with both at the top of the league.

[Barrow Boy 2 172]

 

 

 

EL speedway needs regular fixtures, on regular nights, throughout the season from March to October across multiple competitions. It needs riders willing to promote locally and not fly off to the next earnings, and promote for the good of the sport (not in pubs at £25/head). It needs a simple rule book for newcomers to understand, including teams changes. Promoters also need to promote! IF it all means that we lose a few GP stars for the good of the sport, so be it. The size of the prize is in attracting new support; it hasn't hindered Glasgow by not having them. If it means Coventry going to the PL, then so be it too. There is so much double-upping going on plus some reserves from the NL, you wouldn't actually notice.

Agree with all of this.

 

Regarding Glasgow coming up which I think is unlikely due to them becoming isolated from the rest of the Elite teams. They will have no crowd pulling local derbies which they currently enjoy in the Premier.

[Gemini 4,894]

I imagine the decision has already been made as Fridays Storm NL meeting was due to be the last one sponsored by City Gearboxes.

Agree as my friend bought a badge a couple of months ago which ended in ~ 2016. I was surprised that they even made the decision to run this season as attendances had already dropped considerably from 2014.

[wealdstone 3,454]

The name Horton surely strikes fear into the hearts of fans of any club he gets involved with.

Edited September 26, 2016 by wealdstone

[BANANAMAN 330]

wealdstone, on 26 Sept 2016 - 1:43 PM, said:

The name Horton surely strikes fear into the hearts of fans of any club he gets involved with.

Hmmm ..Where does the queue start for would be Promoters to take your club on if Mick Horton walked away ?

[wealdstone 3,454]

Hmmm ..Where does the queue start for would be Promoters to take your club on if Mick Horton walked away ?

What club are you thinking of? He has "walked away" from a few..

[BANANAMAN 330]

wealdstone, on 26 Sept 2016 - 3:04 PM, said:

What club are you thinking of? He has "walked away" from a few..

I thought he was only involved at Coventry ? Is there anybody who wants to take over at Brandon ? Would Bees have ran for the last few seasons without Horton ?

[wealdstone 3,454]

I thought he was only involved at Coventry ? Is there anybody who wants to take over at Brandon ? Would Bees have ran for the last few seasons without Horton ?

Was Horton the only interested party to take on Coventry? There have been suggestions that he was selected because of his previous experience.

[Woz01 3,589]

It would be extremely unlikely anyone will take on Coventry now with the stadium situation.

Edited September 26, 2016 by woz01

[BANANAMAN 330]

woz01, on 26 Sept 2016 - 4:05 PM, said:

It would be extremely unlikely anyone will take on Coventry now with the stadium situation.

So would it be better for the Bees fans who constantly slag the bloke off to cut him a bit of slack & enjoy the few seasons speedway left at Brandon ? If they don't like the set up just don't go & you will have nowt to gripe about ..