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Sky were always "very pleased" with the viewing figures they got, particularly in the first ten years or so.. Often they would easily hit well over 100,000 for the GP's and high 80's and 90,000's (and more sometimes) for domestic racing.. BT delivered circa 50 to 60000+ last time I looked at their figs on BARB which, for them, was also more than a reasonable return, and often would beat their round the world sports and non Premier League football.. I think with Sky it was just the cost of the OB to show Speedway, especially at a time when they had paid out zillions for football, that made them decide to pay up the contract and move on to other sports like Netball which I presume is cheaper to produce and definitely has no weather threats to it taking place.. Speedway's following on the TV though certainly punches well above its weight in relation to its 'live' following I would suggest... Which does make it all the more frustrating to he honest when you see hardly any effort to sell itself when the TV cameras come to town. There is obviously an interested and curious market out there for the sport, sat in their armchairs, so maybe doing more to hide the huge swathes of empty stadia that take 'centre stage' most weeks at the live meeting, and fill the space with fans or advertising, would be worth considering..?

Had you missed naming one of the streets on your map after him then?

Thanks. I wish I hadn't asked now.

Mrs D C-B also was a Cycle Speedway supporter / sponsor as shown. The trophy is currently being restored.

Quality, the clique I refer to is BWitchers mob and I certainly don't suspect everybody that doesn't agree with me is in his clique, but those that defend him definitely are. Your comment suggested that you are one of those. I don't do the 'last word' thing and this is 100% not a last word you clique member

Personally think it’s a good deal 19 heats of speedway on a great track with some quality riders in and the innovative use of 250 riders as part of a 9 man team. It’s a great way of extending a meeting and making the kids feel part of the team can only be good for the future. Maybe this could be part of the bigger picture when the NDL is back next season.

What are you doing on here then!

Nobody has been aloud in for God sake

I attended the SWC at the NSS a few years ago and originally had standing tickets for the first bend, however, upon arrival at the turnstiles we were offered seats on the fourth turn.. Me and many, many others took up the offer... The reason? Well it wasn't the organisers being charitable, it was simply that this section would be more in view than any other part of the stadium, as they showed every start from that camera (positioned directly above our original standing place focusing down the home straight).. They understood how important having a "full stadium" looks to the casual viewer, and the event's sponsors, if you want to grow your product in the ensuing years.. Quite often when the Aces are at home the camera angle at the starting gate (hand held from the centre green just in front of the tapes), shows rows and rows of empty seats interspersed with the odd one or two fans.. The circa 1800 seats are usually around 40 to 50% full on a TV match so there is still approx 700+ fans sat there, yet if you looked at the TV "plenty of empty red seats" would be your over riding view of the place.. Putting these 700+ fans together (for one night only) in line with the camera angles would only improve the overall positive view of the sport from those watching at home.. And any seats left empty would all be together so perfect for being totally covered with large advertising banners for their sponsors, or large adverts for the next meeting at the place with contact details etc.. I am sure for the 'odd time' fans would understand getting moved 'a bit' for the good of their club's long term marketing plan.. It doesnt take much to make something look far more popular than it actually is.. It often just takes a little bit of positive creativity..

You might think that but BWitcher’s just PMed me to say I’m definitely not part of his clique!

It has always seemed widely accepted that when a club is on TV they will get a lower crowd because fans would rather sit at home because they don’t have to shell out their entrance fee. To me that screams out the lack of value for money there is in attending Speedway. I support Stevenage FC. If we are ever on TV (it has happened a few times) I don’t decide to sit at home and watch, if anything I’m more interested in going to the match live. I’m reluctant to draw comparisons to Premier League football as it is a completely different beast but the majority of games are covered live or given extensive highlights yet it is rare to see many empty seats at these games. There is no substitute for attending a live sporting event, yet the numbers watching Speedway on TV don’t seem to correlate to the numbers who appear to walk through the gates to watch meetings in the flesh. I can’t see that being anything other than a promoting and cost to the punter issue. WWE use a technique with their TV shows when they have empty seats in which they move as many people as possible to the seating that their hard (main) camera faces. This gives the impression of a packed arena. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Speedway tracks to do something similar when the TV cameras are in town. A track like Sheffield, or Wolves, where fans can’t stand on the back straight would surely be better served having the cameras set up facing the main stand where the crowds are packed in as opposed to in the main stand facing a desolate, empty area.

Michael Michelsen replaces Martin Smolinski in all 8 GP`s

Neglected, is how I would describe it.

I agree with Steve!! This never happens. Sandhu shut Coventry down, whatever Matt did or didn't do, he didn't shut it down. He apparently tried to help to keep it open. Only people with other issues they have with Matt blame him for it.

Hmm, I'm pretty sure Sandhu did that.

Not that you are biased in any way of course.. TBH I rather have Matt in charge of the club I support than the terrible threesome of Sandhu, Trump and Horton!

Reckon Premier Sports think EPG means every programme (is) guesswork.

You've led a very sheltered life, Steve!

I'm genuinely sorry to hear of the circumstances of your father's death ianb, however having now read the full exchanges on pages 21 and 22 it's clear that Bwitcher was referring to flu and not your father's death.

Another clique member methinks.

Jeez, more googling. Do you actually have a life outside this forum?

This section of the forum is rapidly plummetting to the childish standards of the main British section.

https://www.svemo.se/Sporter/Resultat/Speedway/Serier/Elitserien2020/Matchresultat/

Was somebody asking if anyone is artistic? If so I'm interested in applying, here's a good example of my work,

https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/see-you-next-tuesday/

Only the xGoals clique.

well,iwas planning on attending this until i saw the admission price, sorry but £15.50 for an ndl meeting, no way jose

Oh yeah! Steve and Mick Hines got into it at Wimbledon once after an on-track collision... Generally though, I don't think he ever went looking for trouble.

There is one available on eBay from 1978/79: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Unused-1970s-Workington-Comets-Speedway-Car-Window-Sticker-L1/283888536622?hash=item4219134c2e:g:Kd4AAOSwWvtdoFlH

I think I read somewhere there is a week's break, so it is next Wednesday 26th August.

I agree, I don't think he's done that either, but I DO think his manner and pig headedness to anyone who disagrees with his point of view or challenges anything he posts is very OTT. He is definitely obsessed with Covid and especially Covid v Flu and spends hours and hours trawling the web finding articles and links to statistics just so he can prove (I prefer force) his opinion on anyone who's crazy enough to read it. And he HAS to have the last word on everything....wait for it.... He also has a little clique on here who tend to agree with every word he posts...I believe you have an honorary membership to this clique

I went to a grammar school in Surrey, so it was exactly the same for me. In fact, a school friend of mine (he was a couple of years older than me) was Ian Skinner, who captained the England youth team! The only football we had was the "Pupils vs the Masters" annual challenge...

Good old Geoffrey and his Belle Vue bias.

It was much safer than leaving it on the road!

Gets away with what? Posting facts? And truth? Your comment above is pretty despicable also...

Its easier on the mind iainb, i wasted minutes of my life arguing with the guy mute is the sensible way

I think Speedway needs fewer clubs. Each region should have a super franchise team with 1 star rider. Fewer meetings spread over Friday nights, mainly in the summer. Birmingham Bears - Bartosz Zmarzlik Manchester Aces - Martin Vaculik Norfolk Ninjas - Robert Lambert Somerset Scorchers - Tai Woffinden Scottish Saints - Leon Madsen Swindon Sizzlers - Artem Laguta 6 teams play each other once home and away, make an event of it. Have good entertainment on at half-time, each team can sign one star rider like Zmarzlik, Sayfudinov, Madsen and Vaculik. Tickets are £20.

Well Polish speedway isn't just about which riders is the most suitable due to merit but there is also allot of politics involved.

If only someone would post the video, we could all sleep soundly at night.

They would not be liable to pay rent if the law prevents them from having meetings. Tenants as such could not be haemorrhaging vast sums of money, as they are not employing anybody. Areas where they could have lost money is if they paid out signing fees/deals up front, and if they have spent monies on their racing equipment like air fence panels, start gates, office upgrades, replacement equipment like tractors and graders/blades as well of course with new shale, which would then be new investment for next season.

Bwitcher is right about Covid and he has given compelling arguments, citing government figures. Those who argue with him cite opinions, not facts, and consequently they are poor debaters and ultimately resort to insults rather than admit that they are wrong.

And I think he should lay off the Covid stuff and stop being an obsessive bully. Saying "having an interest in numbers and figures doesn't automatically make someone Rain Man" could be interpreted as being pretty offensive in itself and shows a complete lack of understanding of Autism. You've watched Rain Man that's your benchmark? I only ask if he is Autistic as then I could possibly understand his behaviour and adapt my interaction with him. If he isn't then he's just a rude, obsessive, cantankerous man who just won't accept anybody else's opinion or point of view.

You could almost predict who was going to "Like" this post... disagree away, keep it polite, civil and don't be obsessive and bait people I'd say we're a long long way from being "normal"... I don't know if you've noticed but we can't even go to the Speedway! I totally agree with your point about attacking people by calling them mentally ill, I'm not quite sure who has done this though? I have said I suspect he is and I've suggested he see a doctor as I'm concerned for him if he has. I have asked him if he has Autism, which he displays all the signs of, he's not answered that question, which of course he is quite within his rights to do. If you think his behaviour is "normal" and his baiting of forum posters is acceptable that's a sad reflection on you.

They don't have v because they use w instead and l with a bar gives them w. It's just how languages evolve. Most central European languages, including German use w for v. The Germans pronounce v as f. They probably think it's odd we use v in the way we do. It's only the same as how languages evolve with different words for the same thing.

They're all full of s**t, whatever colour they wear.

Personally i honestly think he has a hard task ahead of him .and that is last thing we want to see is our team disappear.

I'm not Ford's biggest fan and certainly don't agree with some of the suspect antics he's carried out over the years, BUT he's now doing everything he can to save Poole Speedway. So no matter who you are or what you think give the guy some credit. Losing our beloved team would be a huge loss, not only to me personally but to UK speedway. We've lost enough teams in recent years for goodness sake!!

Or a parting memento for the fans to cherish I suppose, even being an Eastie fan I hope that's not the case, still looking forward to the usual beating them at Arlington followed by the not looking forward to stuffing at Poole.

all water under the bridge done and dusted . more concerned what happens to my speedway team now

Comedy Gold even in such sad times, and you don’t even do it on purpose