Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 20, 2019 Just come across a ticket I purchased in 1970 for a grandstand seat at Exeter Speedway - cost = 7 shillings (35 pence to the younger members of the forum!) I know there are several ways of comparing prices from one age to another, but here's what one such site came up with: According to the Office for National Statistics composite price index, today's prices in 2019 are 1,434.09% higher than average prices throughout 1970. The pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.73% per year during this period. In other words, £0.35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £5.37 in 2019, a difference of £5.02 over 49 years. So, speedway shouldn't be a £10 sport, as some suggest, but something closer to £6!!!! And if I remember rightly, it was a night of thrilling action at the banked County Ground circuit 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted July 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Midland Red said: Just come across a ticket I purchased in 1970 for a grandstand seat at Exeter Speedway - cost = 7 shillings (35 pence to the younger members of the forum!) I know there are several ways of comparing prices from one age to another, but here's what one such site came up with: According to the Office for National Statistics composite price index, today's prices in 2019 are 1,434.09% higher than average prices throughout 1970. The pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.73% per year during this period. In other words, £0.35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £5.37 in 2019, a difference of £5.02 over 49 years. So, speedway shouldn't be a £10 sport, as some suggest, but something closer to £6!!!! And if I remember rightly, it was a night of thrilling action at the banked County Ground circuit What is interesting here is that I am at Berwick tonight and there is a payslip from 1968. Riders were paid 10s a point and 10s a start...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris116 756 Posted July 20, 2019 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said: What is interesting here is that I am at Berwick tonight and there is a payslip from 1968. Riders were paid 10s a point and 10s a start...... Yes, and 95% of them did all the work on their own bike and had a second job. They didn't have to pay an engine tuner or a mechanic, they did their own tuning and a friend or relative was their mechanic who was happy with free admission, a drink and a fish and chip supper. Very different times. Back in the late 50's and early 60's there were also a number of Stock Car drivers whose full time job was racing, something that would be totally impossible nowadays. Again showing how times change. Edited July 20, 2019 by Chris116 Spelling! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RS50 359 Posted July 20, 2019 4 hours ago, Midland Red said: Just come across a ticket I purchased in 1970 for a grandstand seat at Exeter Speedway - cost = 7 shillings (35 pence to the younger members of the forum!) I know there are several ways of comparing prices from one age to another, but here's what one such site came up with: According to the Office for National Statistics composite price index, today's prices in 2019 are 1,434.09% higher than average prices throughout 1970. The pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.73% per year during this period. In other words, £0.35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £5.37 in 2019, a difference of £5.02 over 49 years. So, speedway shouldn't be a £10 sport, as some suggest, but something closer to £6!!!! And if I remember rightly, it was a night of thrilling action at the banked County Ground circuit Was the price you paid back in 1970 a child's admission price? Would obviously make some difference for the comparison. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 20, 2019 1 hour ago, RS50 said: Was the price you paid back in 1970 a child's admission price? Would obviously make some difference for the comparison. No, adult, best seat in the grandstand - obviously was even cheaper standing around trackside Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wee Eck 703 Posted July 20, 2019 3 hours ago, Halifaxtiger said: What is interesting here is that I am at Berwick tonight and there is a payslip from 1968. Riders were paid 10s a point and 10s a start...... So a 4 ride maximum would pay £8 meaning that 23 supporters at 7/- (or 35p) a time would pay the maximum man. In 2019 CL, the top guy gets no start money but, say £80 a point? 12 points = £960 which, at £15 a head is 64 supporters, or nearly three times the number needed in 1970. Makes you wonder if it’s riders rather than promoters who are making it so expensive? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 20, 2019 29 minutes ago, Wee Eck said: So a 4 ride maximum would pay £8 meaning that 23 supporters at 7/- (or 35p) a time would pay the maximum man. In 2019 CL, the top guy gets no start money but, say £80 a point? 12 points = £960 which, at £15 a head is 64 supporters, or nearly three times the number needed in 1970. Makes you wonder if it’s riders rather than promoters who are making it so expensive? I thought we all knew that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wee Eck 703 Posted July 20, 2019 2 minutes ago, Midland Red said: I thought we all knew that So why then do supporters idolise riders and slag off promoters? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted July 21, 2019 10 hours ago, Wee Eck said: So why then do supporters idolise riders and slag off promoters? Good point! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted July 21, 2019 If I recall, as a matter of interest, when I first went to Cowley aged 12 in 1972 the admission charge was 30p (6 shillings) for those under a certain age. The programme was 8p. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnieg 3,648 Posted July 21, 2019 Some interesting comparisons to be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/gallery/2015/feb/17/football-ticket-prices-old-ticket-stubs 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topsoil 2,498 Posted July 21, 2019 This is pretty much the same over for every sport. I bet if you did the same thing for football especially the comparisons would be frightening. The wages / salaries for professional sports has escalated almost out of control over the past 20 / 30 years, mainly driven I would say by satellite TV contracts for football, rugby and cricket. Speedway has tried to follow suit, but doesn't have the TV contract in place to fund the costs. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted July 21, 2019 (edited) When engine tuners are paid 350 quid a day no wonder it's so expensive. The spiralling costs for the riders make it difficult to compete. Perhaps introduce standard 2 valves, as they trialled at the IOW recently. The recent Kings Lynn matches at Swindon was 18 quid entry attracting a 1000 or so for both meetings. In 2017 over 3000 turned up for a fiver. Edited July 21, 2019 by auntie doris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted July 21, 2019 19 hours ago, Midland Red said: Just come across a ticket I purchased in 1970 for a grandstand seat at Exeter Speedway - cost = 7 shillings (35 pence to the younger members of the forum!) I know there are several ways of comparing prices from one age to another, but here's what one such site came up with: According to the Office for National Statistics composite price index, today's prices in 2019 are 1,434.09% higher than average prices throughout 1970. The pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.73% per year during this period. In other words, £0.35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £5.37 in 2019, a difference of £5.02 over 49 years. So, speedway shouldn't be a £10 sport, as some suggest, but something closer to £6!!!! And if I remember rightly, it was a night of thrilling action at the banked County Ground circuit Am I right in recalling that if you sat in the grandstand at Exeter - other than in the front row - you couldn't see the start line or home straight? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RS50 359 Posted July 21, 2019 Comparison I heard a few years back. Top division footballers fifty years ago would earn 6 times the amount of the average working man in the crowd. Today they earn 200 times the average working man. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites