Eastbourne Speedway

[eric i 621]

19 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Some have picked up on the Landlords reluctance to allow NDL speedway at Arlington. Looking at the headline start up costs listed by MD - other than lower rider sign on fees, don’t see there is much difference ? 

MD posted”Air Fence (£30000) Tractor, Shale,  Possible track equipment (including new starting gate), Rider sign on fees, Upfront money for medical cover insurances. “

The successful NDL team at Arlington run by Dugard consortium, ran on the previously owned track hardware. Starting from scratch is a different challenge

 

I am sure that's true but its not a reason to prevent NDL racing. Rider wages are significant when it come to the long term sustainability of running speedway. 

[25yearfan 476]

Like has been said before Eastbourne speedway probably hasn't been financially viable since the halcyon Division 2/NL years of the 1970's bar maybe a couple of seasons after dropping into the 2nd tier in the mid 80's and the 3rd Division seasons a few years ago. Only Bob Dugard bankrolling it for years kept things going. Even then he nearly nearly pulled the plug during the early 1980's when the first move into the top flight was proving a big struggle and this in a time when crowds were bigger than those seen in modern times. One wonders how keen Bob Dugard would have been to keep speedway going at Arlington in the 80's had his son Marin Dugard not developed into the brilliant speedway rider he was?

 

I think British speedways is soon coming to a point where only two Leagues will be viable - a top flight for the clubs who can afford to stay professional and pay overseas riders, tracks running on nights best suited to them, ETC and a 2nd Division a little bit stronger than the current National League featuring only British riders and Commonwealth riders and run mainly on weekends and riders part time. - When this scenario arrives which I predict will happen in the next couple of years then the likes of Eastbourne and other defunct tracks will stand a better chance of reopening?  

 

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by 25yearfan

[eric i 621]

So nobody knows/says why the stadium owners won't let anyone try National League level. 

[gazzac 1,015]

5 hours ago, 25yearfan said:

Like has been said before Eastbourne speedway probably hasn't been financially viable since the halcyon Division 2/NL years of the 1970's bar maybe a couple of seasons after dropping into the 2nd tier in the mid 80's and the 3rd Division seasons a few years ago. Only Bob Dugard bankrolling it for years kept things going. Even then he nearly nearly pulled the plug during the early 1980's when the first move into the top flight was proving a big struggle and this in a time when crowds were bigger than those seen in modern times. One wonders how keen Bob Dugard would have been to keep speedway going at Arlington in the 80's had his son Marin Dugard not developed into the brilliant speedway rider he was?

 

I think British speedways is soon coming to a point where only two Leagues will be viable - a top flight for the clubs who can afford to stay professional and pay overseas riders, tracks running on nights best suited to them, ETC and a 2nd Division a little bit stronger than the current National League featuring only British riders and Commonwealth riders and run mainly on weekends and riders part time. - When this scenario arrives which I predict will happen in the next couple of years then the likes of Eastbourne and other defunct tracks will stand a better chance of reopening?  

 

 

So what your saying is a second division like the NL was in 2017/ 2018 when the likes of Eastbourne/ Kent/IOW /Birmingham were in it, before it was targeted as becoming too successful and forced to a far lower level like today, a level it seems unacceptable to the Dugards as not attracting a level of support that could be successful after start up costs.

[25yearfan 476]

3 hours ago, gazzac said:

So what your saying is a second division like the NL was in 2017/ 2018 when the likes of Eastbourne/ Kent/IOW /Birmingham were in it, before it was targeted as becoming too successful and forced to a far lower level like today, a level it seems unacceptable to the Dugards as not attracting a level of support that could be successful after start up costs.

Yes I guess Iam! - And I'm sure you agree the sport would be better off!

[Derrickn 56]

3 hours ago, gazzac said:

So what your saying is a second division like the NL was in 2017/ 2018 when the likes of Eastbourne/ Kent/IOW /Birmingham were in it, before it was targeted as becoming too successful and forced to a far lower level like today, a level it seems unacceptable to the Dugards as not attracting a level of support that could be successful after start up costs.

So what we are looking for is a new Provincial league,for those of us who are old enough to remember it.

[gazzac 1,015]

6 hours ago, 25yearfan said:

Yes I guess Iam! - And I'm sure you agree the sport would be better off!

Yes I guess I do 

[GWC 495]

On 9/19/2022 at 6:12 PM, Derrickn said:

So what we are looking for is a new Provincial league,for those of us who are old enough to remember it.

Even in those far off days Eastbourne didn’t join the Provincial league staying in the southern league with Rye house and California I think.

That must show there wasn’t confidence in regular league racing unless there was another reason.

[FromBendThree 145]

2 hours ago, GWC said:

Even in those far off days Eastbourne didn’t join the Provincial league staying in the southern league with Rye house and California I think.

That must show there wasn’t confidence in regular league racing unless there was another reason.

If you read the history of Eastbourne you will find that attendances have frequently been a worry with the club closing more than once. Arlington is out in the country. There is no walk-up crowd. You have to drive. Not on a bus route. Miles from railway station. Not in Eastbourne. Wrong side of the Hailsham bypass.

 

[old bob at herne bay 828]

From bend three makes a good point. After the demise of the last incarnation of the Wimbledon Dons I was friendly with a handful of ex Dons supporters who regularly travelled to EB on a Saturday evening. 
 

[SuperSpeed 24]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:01 PM, FromBendThree said:

Arlington is out in the country. There is no walk-up crowd. You have to drive. Not on a bus route. Miles from railway station. Not in Eastbourne. Wrong side of the Hailsham bypass.

Whilst all the above are true, people turn up in their droves to watch stock cars at the same stadium -  and the stocks charge for parking! 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, SuperSpeed said:

Whilst all the above are true, people turn up in their droves to watch stock cars at the same stadium -  and the stocks charge for parking! 

The cars are a different promoter. They rent the stadium for their racing.

[gazzac 1,015]

1 hour ago, JohnHyam said:

The cars are a different promoter. They rent the stadium for their racing.

Although probably at a reduced rate because of the historical family speedway ties, a new speedway promotion would have to rent the stadium for their racing I would imagine. 

[gazzac 1,015]

1 hour ago, SuperSpeed said:

Whilst all the above are true, people turn up in their droves to watch stock cars at the same stadium -  and the stocks charge for parking! 

I believe those figures are well down on previous years, hard times for everyone at the moment. 

[FromBendThree 145]

50 minutes ago, gazzac said:

I believe those figures are well down on previous years, hard times for everyone at the moment. 

It was said on another thread that stox crowds were down at Arlington this year.