UK speedway slowly dying

[moxey63 1,785]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

You say that, but is the lure the team for most of us? I don't know... the biggest attended meetings I've been to have been individual meetings, World Finals, British Finals, BLRC's, WC Qualifiers, Golden Hammer etc. The only team meeting that comes close to some of those attendances in the past (during my time following Speedway) was the Cov v Hull decider double header.

The following of a team probably led to the following of a rider for that team, that has completely gone now thanks to doubling up, which if memory serves me was originally brought in to help progress British youngsters.

 

You are right in what you say. The biggest attended meetings were often individual events. But, as you also say, it was only because the riders in these meetings were some from your team that you usually went. You had favourites from your team, and their being in meetings often made you travel for miles to support them. 

For example, as a kid, I recall booking tickets for the 1978 world final but then was left feeling empty because Collins and Morton were ko'd at the last round, the British Final. I still went and enjoyed it, but most of the people there at Wembley were only in attendance because their club men had qualified. 

[GiveusaB 1,145]

Not sure if its already been added?

But surely the demise of speedway in this country will have something to do with it being so popular and far better run, in other countries ?

The best of the best don't ride here....?

We used to have all the best riders riding in England and that's what 'partly' drew the fans in....(just my opinion).

[GiveusaB 1,145]

47 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

You are right in what you say. The biggest attended meetings were often individual events. But, as you also say, it was only because the riders in these meetings were some from your team that you usually went. You had favourites from your team, and their being in meetings often made you travel for miles to support them. 

For example, as a kid, I recall booking tickets for the 1978 world final but then was left feeling empty because Collins and Morton were ko'd at the last round, the British Final. I still went and enjoyed it, but most of the people there at Wembley were only in attendance because their club men had qualified. 

Not sure I agree with that bit of your quote?

We went because it was 'amazing'....100,000 people....may be 20% of that attendance(at a stretch) had a clubman to cheer on ?

[moxey63 1,785]

42 minutes ago, GiveusaB said:

Not sure I agree with that bit of your quote?

We went because it was 'amazing'....100,000 people....may be 20% of that attendance(at a stretch) had a clubman to cheer on?

 

But, back then, you had to order your tickets for Wembley months in advance, before many of the finalists had been decided. I doubt there were 80,000 there because it was "amazing." Many booked their tickets believing their rider would make it and beat the rush before tickets sold out. I think the 1978 British Final was staged a fortnight before the World Final, due to the weather, proving how late the line-up was confirmed. 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by moxey63

[iainb 5,018]

28 minutes ago, GiveusaB said:

Not sure I agree with that bit of your quote?

We went because it was 'amazing'....100,000 people....may be 20% of that attendance(at a stretch) had a clubman to cheer on ?

It'd be like saying most people attending Cardiff this year will be because Max Fricke and Jason Doyle (plus British Championship qualifier) are riding in it.

Edited July 27, 2022 by iainb

[steve roberts 9,246]

3 hours ago, secsy1 said:

Could not agree more, presentation is useless using too many meaningless ex riders commentating or seen in pits that no one cares about and they do not even know who the riders are and get everything wrong.

Had to switch off on Monday after heat 6 due to the waffle.

...unfortunately it's now common place within televisised sport nowadays. Too much pontification and waffle by 'so-called" experts which is the main reason I don't bother watching sport on TV and haven't for years now.

[moxey63 1,785]

11 minutes ago, iainb said:

It'd be like saying most people attending Cardiff this year will be because Max Fricke and Jason Doyle (plus British Championship qualifier) are riding in it.

Most people attending Cardiff are possibly making their first speedway visit this year, possibly many because they're disillusioned at the state of club speedway, and because it's a one-off occasion.

If club racing served the sport as it once did, and teams contained riders that fans felt were part of them, I believe Cardiff wouldn't be half full.  

[GiveusaB 1,145]

10 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Most people attending Cardiff are possibly making their first speedway visit this year, possibly many because they're disillusioned at the state of club speedway, and because it's a one-off occasion.

If club racing served the sport as it once did, and teams contained riders that fans felt were part of them, I believe Cardiff wouldn't be half full.  

Or may be because the fans want to see the best riders in the world in action ???

I have to disagree once again....not wanting to sound 'confrontational'...(it's just opinions...)

 

As a spectacle, Cardiff is nowhere near as good as it used to be.....from the pre-match build up, to the presentation and so on....

As for the racing ?  obviously that will depend on the surface that's prepared....

 

[moxey63 1,785]

49 minutes ago, GiveusaB said:

Or may be because the fans want to see the best riders in the world in action ???

 

So why has Cardiff never sold out?

[customhouseregular 1,651]

2 hours ago, GiveusaB said:

Not sure if its already been added?

But surely the demise of speedway in this country will have something to do with it being so popular and far better run, in other countries ?

The best of the best don't ride here....?

We used to have all the best riders riding in England and that's what 'partly' drew the fans in....(just my opinion).

Would I have gone to Custom House every Tuesday if we didn’t have Harrfeldt, Knutsson etc., and riders like Briggs and Nordin were not visiting?. Probably.

[moxey63 1,785]

29 minutes ago, customhouseregular said:

Would I have gone to Custom House every Tuesday if we didn’t have Harrfeldt, Knutsson etc., and riders like Briggs and Nordin were not visiting?. Probably.

I watched at Belle Vue, but also attended Ellesmere Port on a Friday back in the day. I liked speedway, not for the stars, but for the team aspect. 

Edited July 27, 2022 by moxey63

[steve roberts 9,246]

Speedway for me was always about the team aspect and the individuality very much secondary. It was brilliant having a star man (Hans) who one could support on an individual front but team ethics (which he was a great advocate of) was paramount in my opinion.

[mikebv 10,285]

1 hour ago, moxey63 said:

So why has Cardiff never sold out?

For me simply because the "sports followers" have dwindled away so much...

If there is 40,000 at Cardiff this year then that is quite likely to be not too far off 4 times the amount who now attend UK speedway each week, if each team rode one meeting, (meaning 3 meetings in Div 1 and 5/6 in Div 2)....

When Wembley could get 100,000 crowds, Belle Vue for example alone could deliver 23,000 fans for a home meeting...

And there were over 30 other clubs around the country..

The biggest and most pertinent question to be asked should really be this...

Why will so many of that 40,000 who attend this year (the vast majority being UK based and passionate Speedway fans), not attend domestic Speedway regularly, or even maybe at all, this season? Or next? Or the year after? etc etc etc?

That question wont be asked though...

Even though around 40,000 UK based, passionate Speedway fans will all be in the same location, and all at the same time..

What a perfect opportunity for a bit of market research and feedback for any forward thinking organisation to help them improve their own business...!!

Edited July 27, 2022 by mikebv

[moxey63 1,785]

36 minutes ago, mikebv said:

For me simply because the "sports followers" have dwindled away so much...

If there is 40,000 at Cardiff this year then that is quite likely to be not too far off 4 times the amount who now attend UK speedway each week, if each team rode one meeting, (meaning 3 meetings in Div 1 and 5/6 in Div 2)....

When Wembley could get 100,000 crowds, Belle Vue for example alone could deliver 23,000 fans for a home meeting...

And there were over 30 other clubs around the country..

The biggest and most pertinent question to be asked should really be this...

Why will so many of that 40,000 who attend this year (the vast majority being UK based and passionate Speedway fans), not attend domestic Speedway regularly, or even maybe at all, this season? Or next? Or the year after? etc etc etc?

That question wont be asked though...

Even though around 40,000 UK based, passionate Speedway fans will all be in the same location, and all at the same time..

What a perfect opportunity for a bit of market research and feedback for any forward thinking organisation to help them improve their own business...!!

Good point about market research. But that's asking the 40,000 who will attend and who think not much is wrong with the sport. What about those who don't? They have just been allowed to drift away. Many probably still come on internet forums and the like, even still buy the weekly Speedway Star. Where's the market research on the missing fans? They haven't completely dumped the sport. Many probably just suffered one rain-off too many, a silly rule introduction that was kicked out the following year, or, like me, don't see it as a serious sport. 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by moxey63

[DJC 251]

8 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Good point about market research. But that's asking the 40,000 who will attend and who think not much is wrong with the sport. What about those who don't? They have just been allowed to drift away. Many probably still come on internet forums and the like, even still buy the weekly Speedway Star. Where's the market research on the missing fans? They haven't completely dumped the sport. Many probably just suffered one rain-off too many, a silly rule introduction that was kicked out the following year, or, like me, don't see it as a serious sport. 

 

I still follow every result here, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and further afield and usually grab the star if there's something about a rider I like to watch. 

Myself and the old man will always do Cardiff as it's only 5 mins down the road, my brother and uncle also come who haven't been regularly since the 80s!

Main reason for not attending regularly now is owners closing tracks chasing money, Newport, Somerset etc and no Swindon. Not for want of trying, just lack of availability  and time to travel 2/3 hours each way. Last time we took my brother to Somerset to see a rider who was guesting that we'd been raving about we got there and the BSPA had ruled him out last minute and it hadn't been made public...safe to say he hasn't been bothered outside of a GP since!