Does British Speedway Have Future?

[Gunner85 603]

In my first two years, the National League ( top league ) contained only 7 teams and had home and away twice as well as the National trophy to fill out the fixtures.

 

In the third year , the British league was formulated with 19 teams in one league .This was the start of Speedway moving back up and eventually peaking again in later years.

 

We are at the present a long way from that lows of 63 and 64.

 

To me the biggest problem is that a lot of the lower income earners are stil struggling and have very little disposable income on Speedway or other sports.

 

Once people have more disposable income , crowds will begin to move upwards significantly.

 

The actual product is still good.... if the promoters were more pro active then it would help.

[New Science 1,059]

And the fact that you can talk to the away supporters next to you. I mentioned in another post that the younger generation wouldn't go where their dads go, 30 years ago did you go because of your dad/family or did you discover speedway for yourself?

No discovered speedway through my parents who started going when they were teenagers and took me for the first time in my pushchair. Continued to go with them until I was 16 . got a job, paid for myself and have been going every week since for 30 years. Interest is starting to wain now thou, missed more home meetings this year than in any of the last 30. Not afraid to say that the racing is nowhere near the quality of pre 2011 , very sad ,

[Pieman72 588]

The demograph of the typical speedway fan was a manual skilled worker and we need to understand what the current generation would like to watch thus constructing the sport around the past and present visitor to a speedway track. It's no point expecting a new supporter to pay £18-£20 it just isn't going to happen. I think the sport is reflected in the type of sponsor the more watchable it is the better the sponsor. Love the posts from by-gone days you were privileged to have seen the likes of Ove Fundin and Peter Craven.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,957]

To me the biggest problem is that a lot of the lower income earners are stil struggling and have very little disposable income on Speedway or other sports.

Once people have more disposable income , crowds will begin to move upwards significantly.

I'd agree the sport has basically become too expensive for its main audience, but speedway crowds were declining even throughout the last economic boom.

 

The actual product is still good.... if the promoters were more pro active then it would help.

I don't think it is, and that's the problem. The irregular fixture list, unstable team line-ups, daft rules and manipulation thereof combined with holding meetings in less than salubrious surroundings, certainly doesn't help things, but even the SGP which doesn't suffer from these issues in quite the same way is hardly pulling in the crowds either.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[Gresham 928]

No discovered speedway through my parents who started going when they were teenagers and took me for the first time in my pushchair. Continued to go with them until I was 16 . got a job, paid for myself and have been going every week since for 30 years. Interest is starting to wain now thou, missed more home meetings this year than in any of the last 30. Not afraid to say that the racing is nowhere near the quality of pre 2011 , very sad ,

I also started that way. My best friends father was an ex rider...so I'd go with my friend, his brother and father and my father. Got hooked at a very young age. Can still remember the very first race. Took my breath away....the noise, the speed, the smell, the roar of the crowd. Frightened me senseless...but the rush of adrenalin got me hooked. Spent the next day sliding my push bike in the style of my new hero's.

 

It still happens...there is a family that comes every week to my local track. The little en brings his bike and wears a replica race jacket. Bombs around the open spaces between heats, then watches avidly the racing. Reminds me so much of how I was...a joy to see. In fact there are quite a few young families who come to my local track. More oldies...but there is a good sprinkling.

 

It sounds like you are exactly the type of fan that the promotors need to listen too. Something must have really irked you after 30 years being so loyal.

[Skid Sprocket 243]

I also started that way. My best friends father was an ex rider...so I'd go with my friend, his brother and father and my father. Got hooked at a very young age. Can still remember the very first race. Took my breath away....the noise, the speed, the smell, the roar of the crowd. Frightened me senseless...but the rush of adrenalin got me hooked. Spent the next day sliding my push bike in the style of my new hero's.

 

It still happens...there is a family that comes every week to my local track. The little en brings his bike and wears a replica race jacket. Bombs around the open spaces between heats, then watches avidly the racing. Reminds me so much of how I was...a joy to see. In fact there are quite a few young families who come to my local track. More oldies...but there is a good sprinkling.

 

It sounds like you are exactly the type of fan that the promotors need to listen too. Something must have really irked you after 30 years being so loyal.

Good to hear a positive post, I've seen the same myself, so I hope the doom and gloom merchants will also take this as a positive. I know it could be better but not all is lost.

[Pieman72 588]

The solution is lowering the admission price and to run meetings on a Friday and Saturday night and if they don't want to play then find some local talent i.e. training schools, bikes provided and sponsors. Drawing an analogy to the England Football team performance recently and the Premier League rammed full of foreign players is a good example of what speedway is experiencing. A lot of football clubs are struggling hand to mouth and at the top is your favourite pay to view predator.

[Gresham 928]

The solution is lowering the admission price and to run meetings on a Friday and Saturday night and if they don't want to play then find some local talent i.e. training schools, bikes provided and sponsors. Drawing an analogy to the England Football team performance recently and the Premier League rammed full of foreign players is a good example of what speedway is experiencing. A lot of football clubs are struggling hand to mouth and at the top is your favourite pay to view predator.

Fixture schedule and rain off's are imo, a massive problem with speedway.

 

I don't know what it's like for others, but I won't risk travelling even if there is a hint of rain in the forecast.

 

Fixtures need to be weekly and consistent. If not, I presume like everything, people get out of the habit of going and find something else to do.

 

I know a few families who used to go to speedway, but got fed up with meetings being cancelled because of a drop of rain....they now go to football and rugby instead.

 

The two factors for me in keeping people interested, that Speedway already has, is continuity and finding a way of modern speedway bikes racing in damp conditions....which when you think about it, is a must considering the country we live in.

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

The solution is lowering the admission price and to run meetings on a Friday and Saturday night and if they don't want to play then find some local talent i.e. training schools, bikes provided and sponsors. Drawing an analogy to the England Football team performance recently and the Premier League rammed full of foreign players is a good example of what speedway is experiencing. A lot of football clubs are struggling hand to mouth and at the top is your favourite pay to view predator.

 

Definitely agree that admission prices have become a major issue and has been debated many times previously. I personally would love to see Speedway as a set day sport, 1 league per day over a Fri,Sat & Sunday however UK speedway does not have the unlimited use of Stadiums and therefore the single day approach is simply not feasible.

I do feel that there does need to be greater value for money and there are loads of possibilities for after meeting entertainment. Bigger 2nd halves, sidecar racing the list could go on and these competitors would race for very little/free just for the additional track time.

[steve roberts 9,246]

 

Definitely agree that admission prices have become a major issue and has been debated many times previously. I personally would love to see Speedway as a set day sport, 1 league per day over a Fri,Sat & Sunday however UK speedway does not have the unlimited use of Stadiums and therefore the single day approach is simply not feasible.

I do feel that there does need to be greater value for money and there are loads of possibilities for after meeting entertainment. Bigger 2nd halves, sidecar racing the list could go on and these competitors would race for very little/free just for the additional track time.

I've stated before that speedway no longer offers value for money in many people's eyes. £15 for 15 (?) heats doesn't entice me to travel 100 round miles to my local track (Sheffield). I was always a great advocate of second halves (in whatever format) but apparently many people today don't see that as an issue.

[Skid Sprocket 243]

 

Definitely agree that admission prices have become a major issue and has been debated many times previously. I personally would love to see Speedway as a set day sport, 1 league per day over a Fri,Sat & Sunday however UK speedway does not have the unlimited use of Stadiums and therefore the single day approach is simply not feasible.

I do feel that there does need to be greater value for money and there are loads of possibilities for after meeting entertainment. Bigger 2nd halves, sidecar racing the list could go on and these competitors would race for very little/free just for the additional track time.

It seems to be unanimous that the main problem is thought to be admission prices. Our season ticket prices work out at around £10 per meeting for a full season. When I asked one of our directors how they could make such a discount he said it was to get as much cash in up front when it was needed at the beginning of the season.

 

If that's the case then are there a few supporters at every club that could cover this start of season shortfall and be reimbursed at the end of season so that all of us could enjoy £10 admission? The extra supporters it would attract should guarantee the good Samaritans get their cash back. i know any accountant would tell you to run a mile from such an idea, you're not going to get rich financially but the satisfaction would be priceless.

 

Shoot me down if you will but before you do just think about it for a minute.

[Gresham 928]

It seems to be unanimous that the main problem is thought to be admission prices. Our season ticket prices work out at around £10 per meeting for a full season. When I asked one of our directors how they could make such a discount he said it was to get as much cash in up front when it was needed at the beginning of the season.

 

If that's the case then are there a few supporters at every club that could cover this start of season shortfall and be reimbursed at the end of season so that all of us could enjoy £10 admission? The extra supporters it would attract should guarantee the good Samaritans get their cash back. i know any accountant would tell you to run a mile from such an idea, you're not going to get rich financially but the satisfaction would be priceless.

 

Shoot me down if you will but before you do just think about it for a minute.

I'm all for thinking of new things that may or may not work...far better discussing them, than just rubbishing them, and letting things stay as they are. I feel that's the problem with speedway and some of it's supporters and those who run it. Set in its ways in many respects, and not willing to change...often with the most important aspects....yet they chop and change pretty much every year, with the things that aren't really that important.

 

Re....admission. Nice idea, but in all honesty, I really don't think the public would get their money back. Once it was in the Speedway coffers it would be gone, never to be seen again. Harsh...but you've only got to see how hard it is at some clubs to get admission back if there's a problem, like at Bell Vue this past season.

 

Speedway is teetering on a financial knife edge...I'd never trust my money with a speedway promotor.

[Skid Sprocket 243]

I'm all for thinking of new things that may or may not work...far better discussing them, than just rubbishing them, and letting things stay as they are. I feel that's the problem with speedway and some of it's supporters and those who run it. Set in its ways in many respects, and not willing to change...often with the most important aspects....yet they chop and change pretty much every year, with the things that aren't really that important.

 

Re....admission. Nice idea, but in all honesty, I really don't think the public would get their money back. Once it was in the Speedway coffers it would be gone, never to be seen again. Harsh...but you've only got to see how hard it is at some clubs to get admission back if there's a problem, like at Bell Vue this past season.

 

Speedway is teetering on a financial knife edge...I'd never trust my money with a speedway promotor.

I would personally trust our promoters but the cash could be held by an independent trustee and only payed out when justified and not just for a night out for the directors!

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

......Gresham.......The two factors for me in keeping people interested, that Speedway already has, is continuity and finding a way of modern speedway bikes racing in damp conditions....which when you think about it, is a must considering the country we live in.

 

I don't think the problem is all to do with the bikes but certain riders who have to get their leg over one so it would make no difference. They only have to see a damp track and they either refuse to ride or just tootle round at the back. Prefer not to name names but I think we all know who they are.

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

In regards to season ticket prices and the savings made / ability for clubs to get a lump sum early what if clubs sold tickets in smaller batches? E.g £50 for 5 entry tickets up front? Some people are put off season tickets as it's a large up front amount / that might not be able to attend all matches but by selling in smaller denominations it gets cash in the coffers and passes savings on to repeat visitors