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The problem is more one of perception than reality. It seems to be a widely (if in my view very often mistakenly) held belief that it is automatic that as the standard of rider lessens, so does the standard of the racing. When Poole proposed dropping down last year, around 30% of their fans said they would not watch a Championship team. When Birmingham and Lakeside moved into the NDL a few seasons ago attendances - at least initially -crashed. In addition, we will all be aware of the number of people who have over the years at least said that they will not go again because of points limit reductions. Assuring them that the quality of racing is the same usually cuts very little ice indeed. As such, Isle of Wight had every reason to fear significant loss of supporters and consequent loss of revenue resulting from a points reduction. Besides which, their issue is not just what happened but the way it happened. Had there been a vote amongst NDL clubs (and I have yet to see anyone suggest that there need not have been) rather than having regulations imposed on them by and at the behest of PL & CL clubs (most of whom have no connection with the NDL) then it is entirely possible that the Warriors would still be part of that league. Then again, its extremely likely that had there been a vote the points limit would not have been reduced, which is almost certainly why it was imposed.

Remember she was one of the inner sanctum. It was their club, their track, their land , they have chosen to sell up and take the money, that’s business and it’s their choice. Sad loss to speedway but predictable .

Yeah best course of action is to not bother to book one in the first place - Holder was way ahead of the curve.....

What absolute rubbish. What sort of entertainment (particularly PPV sport) are you getting for a fiver these days? I think it’s priced well.

My general point still stands... You don't know what's going to happen in the future so it's wise not to burn your bridges

Away win

You just don’t get irony/sarcasm do you

Just so you’re aware not sure if you are. Crowds are currently restricted. So it’s currently available to everyone. However once crowds are no longer restricted up here I believe it will be going back to the 50 miles exclusion zone. Tbh the streaming was aimed at away fans or fans who were abroad or too far away to travel to the matches so they still had a chance to watch their team. Obviously with covid it’s came in extremely handy with the predicament we’ve found ourselves in.

If the company who have bought it are not going to use it as a clubhouse, then I doubt it could be used as one on an adhoc basis one day a week. Maybe it will be offices, or a training centre for certain trades. Maybe she meant it's a no brainer to take the money offered for the clubhouse. IMO the Hancock family probably got fed up with working in the inner sanctum of a body that show so much ineptitude and self interest, instead of the greater good of the whole. Even though that body is way behind the current leaders in the I'm alright Jack World Championships The Cabinet If they've been offered silly money they'd be daft not to take it.

Majority of cinemas are about £5.99/£8.00 these days per person, its about 10 years since it was £15.00 a head, they had tailored cost to account for a crashing market even before Covid, food, like at speedway is optional but the base cost for tickets has come down a lot. A cinema is also an out of home experience, these days you can rent films online or having streaming services on constant demand. NBA League Pass is £25.00 for the entire duration of the play offs Premier Sport pass is £10.99 for a month Eurosport is £6.99 Using both these services you could feasibly watch about 4 or 5 meetings in a month. Now TV Day pass is £9.98 Netflix is about £5.99 a month I appreciate the need for the revenue of streaming a meeting, but anyone acting like it is value for money is being a bit silly, its an admirable product priced at diehard fans rather than likely to attract that must floating interest

They look like they are holding the executive box up permanantly!

Think that was the plan originally but didn't happen

I have a problem downloading images...given up trying if I'm honest!

I don't like to be critical (I love it) but I've got to comment on the atmosphere at the track last night and it was dead, I know the home team were taking a pumping but when all you can hear is a rusty swing from the other side of the stadium you have to ask yourself, if this is the best the head of British Speedway can do, there's not much hope. Sonically it sounded like a deserted gas station in the middle of the American desert lol From memory, there was only Kyle Howarth who came round to acknowledge the crowd, no interviews with riders, music constantly chopping and changing, results of a race not being given until after the next race when there was a close finish. I know times are tough and I'm sure there are reasons (for the music) but surely you've got to get the basics right that don't cost anything.

Certainly didn't expect to win by as much. A few good races tonight, Tommy Jorgensen was great, a couple of really nice cutbacks. Will the real Dany Gappmaier please stand up? Leon gets better by the week. Theo Pijper still decent around Berwick. I would like to see Josh McDonald on a decent bike, he could be on to something. Couple of times tonight you saw how the changes to the track might be working. A few riders trying the inside run off the second bend, Leon making it stick passing Pijper, then the cutbacks off the fourth bend, Jorgensen and Palin both successful. Hopefully a sign of better racing to come.

Good win at Lynn, but most fans agree they look weak. We haven't had any home matches yet so will reserve judgement until we've had a couple of those.

Sense of humour bypass alert......

First inductee Colin Pratt I assume it's Colin in the picture? He doesn't look well, but then he was never a great one for smiling. Not sure who decides these things but a worthy first inductee. Is there going to be one a month or one a week does anybody know... there must be so many names in the pot

I would say around that number yes.

Got to be race of the season surely

Copied from tougher Zomerset tread. I would like to think the Hancock's will give a more in-depth interview on the overall reason why Somerset Speedway is no more, the loyal fans deserve it & other promotions could learn from it. I have said it before: I'm sure the year in the Premiership created huge debts, this hopefully would under normal circumstances have been clawed back over the last few years but with forced race nights & covid this didn't happen. To their "credit" the Hancocks never presented the begging bowl to the sponsors or the fans, maybe they should have? Maybe if they had been more open with any problems a solution might have been offered. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe, what is fact another one bits the dust.

Wolves certainly hit the ground running at Lynn and unlike the Witches maintained that through to heat 15 Should be a comfortable home win - a point for the Witches would be a fantastic result

Of course it’s a limited market, I certainly wouldn’t suggest it’s competing with all the other streaming services above. But if clubs can get in extra revenue in these difficult times then I can’t see why people are against it? I’m sure Edinburgh are grateful for the extra monies last night.

It has been public knowledge since before the end of the 2019 season Certainly reported locally and confirmed in person by Chris Louis when asked by anyone who questioned him about it I don't remember if there were any pieces on national sources although granted there certainly wasn't any great fanfare It seems Buster made promises and guarantees but never actually got round to, or perhaps needing to, handing over any money or sign the required paperwork Ultimately it seems Buster NEVER owned Ipswich even at the outset of 2019 when everyone assumed it was the case However his word was enough to offer the reassurances that facilitated the move up and the continuation of the league so he can take credit for that As much as Buster doesn't come across in the best light, gets it very wrong at times and is lampooned by many you cannot doubt his commitment to Speedway

One of those riders who were never destined to be a World Champ, but seemed to ride every race as if it was his last... You would never feel short changed watching Martin Dixon.. Best wishes to him.

I'll try again............................................oh stuff it.............never had a problem couple of years ago.

Perhaps they could remove the stanchions for speedway meetings?

OK thought I'd read somewhere that the track had been looked at and it was deemed good enough for speedway? Grandstand? - Do you mean the executive box on the 3rd or 4th bend or the actual grandstand on the home straight which was there when speedway was last staged in 1997 and hasn't got supports near the fence? I'm sure the stanchions holding up the executive box could have safety barriers covering them and wouldn't block any views of the crowd cause no spectators would be present underneath the executive box.

Of course flights get cancelled. But luckily for us we have a great sponsor in ATPI who specialise in travel

For those waiting to hear the teams before buying their tickets, Berwick are same as last week, r/r for Coty, Scunthorpe have Jake Allen as a guest for injured Josh Auty. Ex Bandits Tommy Jorgensen, Tero Aarnio and Theo Pijper all in the Scunthorpe team (per SGB website)

Buster owns Peterborough as well as kings Lynn, doesn't own Ipswich.

streaming could save british speedway. not just marketing opportunities to away fans. what about fans in Australia, the US or poland. If all clubs could provide a stream then a monthly league pass could be sold internationally.

Hey Steve, are you down in Sussex today? I can't make this evening otherwise it would of been good to catch up again, not seen you since my Adam Shields days and thats a good while back now! Next time the clubs face up again I will make a point of catching up, stay safe and enjoy the speedway..

I agree 100%. Edinburgh have led the way with streaming, and other tracks should be doing the same. I recall that I got the chance to watch a Dale meeting live a couple of years ago when I was in Denmark for the week, and that was something completely new to me from British Speedway. I'm not sure that Edinburgh have received enough credit for their efforts in this area in the past. Tonight I got to enjoy a live stream when I wouldn't have been able to get to the stadium due to work commitments. With the pre-covid geo restrictions on the streams I wouldn't have had that opportunity. Once crowd restrictions are removed, I assume the geo blocks will go back on. I wonder if there might be a chance to have a "local people" pay rate for the stream for those of us who just cannot get to the Dale in time after work? I'd be happy to pay the normal admission price to get a stream on the nights I can't make it...but I understand if the club wouldn't be keen to do this due to the potential of multiple locals watching a single stream.

I know when doing the streaming in 2019 it was restricted. So you could only purchase the stream if you lived over 50 miles from the stadium. with restricted crowds at the moment that rule has been removed.

Never.

The fact that it was by mutual agreement means something is up by one or both parties. Given that Lawson was confirmed less than 24 hrs later just goes to show this was all probably known before the meeting started. No point speculating, I’m no Cook fan but I hope he is ok.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed watching the stream, obviously helped by the fact by the Bears getting a draw. For the Bears - Allen and MPT excellent. Rowe, Sarjeant and Jenkins rode well and picked up good points. Charles Wright and particularly Jordan looked off the pace but plenty of time to come good. If you’d told me before the meeting that Wright and Stewart would score a combined 8 points I’d have said the Bears would be on the end of a drubbing. For the Monarchs - Masters as good as expected, Pickering excellent too. The Bears fans least favourite Worrall started the meeting superbly but faded towards the end. Plenty of promise from Thomsen too. Some cracking races - quite a few passes including a lovely outside swoop by Allen on Masters. Hats off to the Monarchs for the stream - picture quality was great, commentary was obviously favoured towards the home team (as you would expect) but very fair and overall excellent value. Nearly 200 watching so I hope it made it worthwhile. Good nights entertainment.

Sounds to me from the tone of the interview that he was doing as he was asked by the riders but they couldn’t agree on what the track should be like..... Unacceptable for that to happen on race night IMO, get these issues ironed out pre season and be on it from heat one, no excuses.

Surprise Surprise , once the Euros start and fanzones open all will be well , Covid must be going on a two week holiday during then. Expected and transparent what her motives are.

Yes they are. Busy practicing right now at 4pm. 'Now thats what I call music', well to my ears at least! Moved back to Poole on Thursday and live close to the stadium.

I thought similar I’d have thought it’s another saving on wages with Cook going and Lawson coming in yet any reduction on admission? your dead right about mid table championship team . Less than 2 weeks into the new season which could have offered so much with a big relaunch instead offered a 6 team league rising star position and championship riders in the 1-6 in just 2 weeks we get this . Crazy

If it is the case. And i say if, because until we hear from either Cookie or someone in the know, we can't be sure. But Cookie has been honest before regarding his health. We will have to see if it's the same with Glasgow i guess. Craig is a quality rider, and if it is the case i wish him a speedy recovery.

Not a very practical view. Had Speedway only taken place in stadiums owned by the promoting companies, we'd have about 6 tracks operating. Even in the happiest of times for Speedway attendances, there would have been very few clubs earning enough money to buy their stadiums.

I think you're under the limit in one department.

Isn’t their always ?

Sadly, I think there is more to this than is being made public.

Fans with money, which promoters mainly are, should not be able to run the sport. They annually admit to being at the helm when their track loses thousands of pounds and learn enough to do the same the next season. Surely any bright spark would fathom out that, one day, the cash will be gone and the track will be in trouble. Living beyond your means has been speedway's problem. All the SKY cash went on keeping star riders happy, and then they all f**k*d off when it ran out. My feelings on the way the sport has been run are well documented on here. It is sad the way things are going, but I told you so.

If its r/r on both sides 3 guests v 4 guests and 2 NL juniors, would you advertise it?

Why given that the Bandits don’t publish on social media,do they not reveal the Team Line ups for Saturdays match when they Post that E-Tickets are now available on their Website.Some fans might like to know who the are going to watch before committing to buying tickets.