Does British Speedway Have Future?

[Barney Rabbit 728]

We used to take a newbie and stand right up against the fence (you could in those days) and when the riders came by we would duck, the newbie didn't know to do that. I suppose it was a sort of initiation. A full tic-tac box would be worth money at some of today's rather bald tracks.

 

In the first few years of Panthers' existence, a speedway match used to be the last thing on two of the days of the Peterborough/East of England Show at the Showground and anyone still there from the show could watch the speedway free. You could tell the ones that had never seen the sport before because they always lined up leaning on the safety fence to get a good view of the action. They were warned to get back from the fence but most never heeded the warning. After the parade it was great to see the riders method of moving them back - a few well-executed turns ensured a good shower of shale went out covering these 'newbies' in the stuff. They soon moved back.

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,771]

We have got a future but it won't begin to improve till we address price for fans and our credibility and that starts with doubling up/ down , to anyone outside the speedway fraternity it looks a complete joke in team sport .

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

...or the story I read recently that a headmaster was considering banning children from running around in the playground in case they fell over and hurt themselves!

 

We had a talk from the Council's chief H&S officer a while ago and he told gave us a couple of anecdotes which tend to put things into perspective a bit.

 

Every year, the Round Table in Hebden Bridge hold a huge bonfire and firework display - stalls, rides, the lot. Every year they are on the front page of the local rag, complaining about H&S saying they can't do this or that. As that simply wasn't true, one year the chap from the Council finally had enough of all the flak he was getting and phoned their top bloke up. The response was:

 

'Yes, I know its not true but we get a free front page advert'.

 

On another occasion, some old biddy at a bring and buy sale in a local hall slipped over and broke her arm. Turns out the dancing club had asked for the floor to be buffed up and the caretaker went a bit nuts. It was then reported that H&S were closing the dance club down (which wasn't true).

 

Our H&S bloke was eating his tea when his mother phoned him up, gave him a bashing about closing the club and slammed the phone down.

 

The upshot was that a compromise was arranged and the dancing club, which had been on the verge of closure anyway because of a shortage of participants, doubled its membership.

[steve roberts 9,247]

 

We had a talk from the Council's chief H&S officer a while ago and he told gave us a couple of anecdotes which tend to put things into perspective a bit.

 

Every year, the Round Table in Hebden Bridge hold a huge bonfire and firework display - stalls, rides, the lot. Every year they are on the front page of the local rag, complaining about H&S saying they can't do this or that. As that simply wasn't true, one year the chap from the Council finally had enough of all the flak he was getting and phoned their top bloke up. The response was:

 

'Yes, I know its not true but we get a free front page advert'.

 

On another occasion, some old biddy at a bring and buy sale in a local hall slipped over and broke her arm. Turns out the dancing club had asked for the floor to be buffed up and the caretaker went a bit nuts. It was then reported that H&S were closing the dance club down (which wasn't true).

 

Our H&S bloke was eating his tea when his mother phoned him up, gave him a bashing about closing the club and slammed the phone down.

 

The upshot was that a compromise was arranged and the dancing club, which had been on the verge of closure anyway because of a shortage of participants, doubled its membership.

As I've said elsewhere I used to be a safety rep during two previous employments and see the problem from both sides. Common sense should be the rule applied but we are talking about the public at large...and that's a commodity often lacking.

 

Slightly off beat but the old myth about clearing snow from your front door making you liable if someone then slips up. Total urban myth. People hide behind that assumption because they are often too bone idle to get out their and clear it away. Talking once to an American neighbour he told me that in the district that he lived it is a requirement that you clear snow from outside your property.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

As I've said elsewhere I used to be a safety rep during two previous employments and see the problem from both sides. Common sense should be the rule applied but we are talking about the public at large...and that's a commodity often lacking.

 

Slightly off beat but the old myth about clearing snow from your front door making you liable if someone then slips up. Total urban myth. People hide behind that assumption because they are often too bone idle to get out their and clear it away. Talking once to an American neighbour he told me that in the district that he lived it is a requirement that you clear snow from outside your property.

 

Dead right about common sense..............and the lazy bleeders who won't clear their paths.

 

Unfortunately, I don't remember much about the serious bits of the talk only that I laughed an awful lot that day.

 

I do, however, recall that he told us about a bloke in a sweet factory who fell into a tank full of marshmallow. Laurel & Hardy stuff, but we stopped finding it funny when he told us that protection wasn't in place and that the chap had suffered second degree burns and been scarred for life.

[steve roberts 9,247]

 

Dead right about common sense..............and the lazy bleeders who won't clear their paths.

 

Unfortunately, I don't remember much about the serious bits of the talk only that I laughed an awful lot that day.

 

I do, however, recall that he told us about a bloke in a sweet factory who fell into a tank full of marshmallow. Laurel & Hardy stuff, but we stopped finding it funny when he told us that protection wasn't in place and that the chap had suffered second degree burns and been scarred for life.

My Great Grandfather was operating a threshing machine and was balanced on a board when he slipped and lost his forearm when it got caught in the machine (no Health & Safety requirements during the 19th Century) and from that day on lived with a hook on the end of his arm instead of a hand. He came from Hook Norton (where the beer is brewed) and was known locally as 'Hookie' Eden!

[Trees 2,814]

In the UK, I can't remember - maybe 2-3 years ago but that's because I don't really live in the UK. I've been to meetings in other countries more recently though.

 

However, I'm precisely the person to be having an opinion because I used to go to speedway a lot (for 20 years or more), and then for various reasons didn't go so much which caused me to have a different perspective.

 

 

My point wasn't whether there are war cries at speedway now, but that some feel that bringing them back would suddenly make the sport more appealing.

 

 

My point is that the programme should be a thing of the past. People have smartphones now - why not think about selling an app that allows fans to follow the racing online, without the need for biros and tippex?

Some things like score cards and away from speedway, books, never age imo, whilst people still buy them they should produce them. I think in the future maybe more fans won't buy them but will rely on the electronic scoreboard. Of course programmes are dual purpose if you stand on a bend!

 

Re war cries, of course they are dated but football fans still chant and sing as do speedway fans in Poland, fans need to go to meetings up for a bit of chanting and fun, many of us are just not that way inclined, it's hard to get a cheer out of some people as they must think it's not cool or whatever!

 

Of course it's only when you feel a passion for your club that you become less inhibited, just going to a speedway meeting here and there won't give you that same feeling.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Trees

[Guest]

We have got a future but it won't begin to improve till we address price for fans and our credibility and that starts with doubling up/ down , to anyone outside the speedway fraternity it looks a complete joke in team sport .

 

...and the same applies to MANY of us who are credited as being within the orbit of having an interest in speedway. It has not yet reached 'sell by' date but sadly there are signs that happening is on its way IMO.

[steve roberts 9,247]

Some things like score cards and away from speedway, books, never age imo, whilst people still buy them they should produce them. I think in the future maybe more fans won't buy them but will rely on the electronic scoreboard. Of course programmes are dual purpose if you stand on a bend!

 

Re war cries, of course they are dated but football fans still chant and sing as do speedway fans in Poland, fans need to go to meetings up for a bit of chanting and fun, many of us are just not that way inclined, it's hard to get a cheer out of some people as they must think it's not cool or whatever!

 

Of course it's only when you feel a passion for your club that you become less inhibited, just going to a speedway meeting here and there won't give you that same feeling.

I made the same point regarding the younger generation possibly finding chanting somewhat embarrassing...but it doesn't stop them from doing it at football matches and/or pop concerts because it's deemed as 'cool'...whatever that means!

 

As regards programmes I wish, now, that I hadn't got rid of them as the old memory plays tricks and they were a good reference source.

Edited December 18, 2016 by steve roberts

[Guest]

​This is debate previously elsewhere on the BSF in regard to where league speedway has failed. Are there signs that we are about to witness - one the next couple of years - something very similar in the UK?

 

Years Gone By

 

Countries Where League Racing Has Failed

Edited December 18, 2016 by Guest

[waytogo28 2,054]

These four things as someone else posted are at the core of the problem -

 

Four things that are constantly raised are the quality of racing, the facilities, delays and presentation.

 

I still go ( less and less mind you! ) and think that the delays, quality of racing are the most important of these - It just gets too boring. And I have been going for a 100 years - well almost! Over the last two seasons I have fallen out of love / become disillusioned with the in stadium experience.

I can't see most young people going more than once unless it is hugely made more crisp in terms of getting on with the racing. Sadly, seemingly the referee or the clerk of the course do not take much of an interest in doing this. Add the fact that the modern broadcast experience is vastly more interesting and informative - this is likely to cause further disinterest in the live stadium matches which look disappointing compared to a G.P. or a Sky match coverage.

[moxey63 1,785]

I used to watch the delight, the amazed glare when newcomers experienced their first speedway race live at the track. Certainly a spectacle that holds the attention... if early on. But the novelty value will wear off, if the rules and regulations are a joke. It is a great sport, but the rules seem to let it down more and more each season.

 

Simplify things, and not something that only the people making the rules as the only ones knowing what's frigging going on. Team racing is speedway's life-blood, and I lost interest with team speedway because it was no longer a team thing. When you stop looking back and can remember various team line-ups, not just your own, you know something has gone wrong.

 

Even more sad, is that the line-up we don't remember could be the present year's.

 

Now... ask me, say, for the Leicester team of... er... 1976.

Edited December 18, 2016 by moxey63

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

These four things as someone else posted are at the core of the problem -

 

Four things that are constantly raised are the quality of racing, the facilities, delays and presentation.

 

I still go ( less and less mind you! ) and think that the delays, quality of racing are the most important of these - It just gets too boring. And I have been going for a 100 years - well almost! Over the last two seasons I have fallen out of love / become disillusioned with the in stadium experience.

I can't see most young people going more than once unless it is hugely made more crisp in terms of getting on with the racing. Sadly, seemingly the referee or the clerk of the course do not take much of an interest in doing this. Add the fact that the modern broadcast experience is vastly more interesting and informative - this is likely to cause further disinterest in the live stadium matches which look disappointing compared to a G.P. or a Sky match coverage.

 

Dead right

 

The facilities don't matter that much to me personally (even when, at Weymouth once, I was sat on a portaloo and some kids opened the door) and I can stomach most presentation, even those that are pretty dire.

 

But unnecessary delays and crap racing are too prevalent and really stick in my craw.

 

Its why Scunthorpe hit the nail on the head. Usually cracking racing and no intervals, and I have even heard Rob Godfrey ask the referee to put the 2 minutes on over the mic.

 

Speedway is - like almost all sports - much better live than on the television. We just have to give people what they want us much as we can.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Halifaxtiger

[Paulco 7,100]

 

Dead right

 

The facilities don't matter that much to me personally (even when, at Weymouth once, I was sat on a portaloo and some kids opened the door) and I can stomach most presentation, even those that are pretty dire.

 

But unnecessary delays and crap racing are too prevalent and really stick in my craw.

 

Its why Scunthorpe hit the nail on the head. Usually cracking racing and no intervals, and I have even heard Rob Godfrey ask the referee to put the 2 minutes on over the mic.

 

Speedway is - like almost all sports - much better live than on the television. We just have to give people what they want us much as we can.

As we have spoke about on numerous occasions , once clubs stop trying to gain an advantage with dodgy track prep and start preparing tracks to maximise the entertainment value , the better the sport will become .

[Tsunami 10,219]

As we have spoke about on numerous occasions , once clubs stop trying to gain an advantage with dodgy track prep and start preparing tracks to maximise the entertainment value , the better the sport will become .

Ironically but, In the case with Rob asking for the 2 minutes on, he could have known that an opposition rider out next was having a problem, and was changing/warming bikes.