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I am fortunate enough to have attended many meetings in Poland, and across the globe really, but I can say in Poland their greatest asset is their fan base. People go because other people go, win, lose or draw, and of course it creates atmosphere, drama and a belonging. It would feel odd not to go on whatever race day it is and attend. And speedway takes place on most days of the week if you include the lower leagues. It's how we felt as kids and young adults at our local speedway tracks across the UK. Large crowds generate large revenue, large interest and every meeting is an event. From the bars and eateries outside the stadium with music and stalls, walking up the road with hundreds of other fans, every bar is full, queues at every food stall or souvenir stall, every fan in their club or national colours. This just doesn’t happen here really - we have lost momentum; we MUST build from the start again. It is the only way, in my view. No one will put a lot of money into speedway to take over the league. It is so different to darts and snooker when effectively the owner of the championship owns the "club" as all the players are individuals.... and nowhere is the business model of darts and snooker a big success in speedway except for the GP - just look at Cardiff, where individuals race under an ownership of the GP... same for F1, stocks, pretty much all other motorsport. So, my view remains steadfast... if we want team speedway we build from the base up, gaining maximum riders interaction to rebuild the sport in the UK. It's interesting to read the odd overly vocal person who says our speedway on the island is a joke, circus, funfair....mainly it comes from those who have no club or who are not satisfied with their own clubs, but oddly no one who attends our meetings thinks its a joke, and yet I see time and time again criticism at all levels for league speedway (which by the way breaks my heart as we want speedway to thrive in the UK and also because we actively "big it up" to tourists who visit us). Most complaint boils down to getting the basics right. And when you get the basics right, peoples opinions changes, people enjoy the show, circus, funfair and bring their mates, people write positive feedback and then privately send feedback of areas they believe promoters can improve, the crowds grow organically, they give feedback on the show... and the cycle is self-perpetuating and as in Poland a 30,000 crowd has a fan base return of 1% their crowd is 30,300, then 30,630 the week after... for a track with lets say 300... its 303, followed by 306 and so on... so we must start from scratch, a blank piece of paper... a new dawn. We should not believe this is a five-minute job either. It isn’t. But my view again is, done correctly it will be the building blocks of speedway for tomorrow's fans. Enjoy your speedway, remember its always easy to put someone down, a club down, a rider down, but takes a stronger person to stand up and shout positivity publicly and not just for hearts, likes or a reaction. All the best and see you trackside, Barry

No magic wand can make the sport year 2021 compliant anymore. Riders Wages are big to pay for the costs of bikes, a van, mechanic etc etc. Don't get me wrong I believe they are worth more than Premier League footballers but try telling that to your general public. The gulf between income from fans and expenditure on riders wages has risen to a non sustainable level. The sport IMO needs to go back to a part time one where you ride a couple of times a week and you have a job that fits around it. Then maybe we can build from the bottom and hopefully one day have a sport that could compete with Poland etc. Stadium rents against the size of crowds. Again the gulf has become non sustainable. If your owner isn't a wealthy businessman with tens of thousands per season to throw away you simply cant make it pay. The sport is a £10 sport. 15 minutes of entertainment over a 2 hour period. A family of 4 spending say £30-£40 is a good value night out. Spending £60 all of a sudden isn't value for money any longer. The bikes are loud and this stops any new tracks being opened. Soon as Betty hears the bikes in the distance sitting in her new Taylor Wimpey shoe box then the complaints roll in and the environmental people refuse permission. Maybe electric is the way to bring the sport back in to our towns and Cities ? I know the noise and smell are all part of us purists but not enough are coming through the turnstiles and this is why track after track are closing. I know Im involved with Redcar who are doing very well but as a Speedway fan of 49 years it saddens me to watch as club after club struggle and fold. I really do hope someone steps forward to take over at Newcastle, however unless they are a massive Speedway fan with money to lose then I cant see any sane person wanting to commit to a sport which in its present state cant survive in big high rented stadiums.

Denigrating the IOW again. What have you got against them? You completely miss the point of how they operate and why they are operating that way this year. Remember, they would have raced in the National League this year had not changes been imposed without consultation, and with no guarantee that the same wouldn't happen in the future. I am a neutral supporter- I don't have a team to follow and so no axe to grind. I want to see British speedway flourish. IOW are putting on serious speedway. I'm not sure what you mean by 'fun speedway. However, they wrap that up in first class customer service and extra fan engagement. Every other club could do the same. There must be tens of thousands of people like me who used to go, but have lost their track. IOW through its social media content attracted me to go, impress me when I attend, and keep me posted. I feel a part of their club. Kings Lynn , or any other club, could do the same, but they don't.

Lots of moaners on here tonight again about the track, the racing and everything else you can have a moan about but I think it was a decent meeting which kept my interest from start to finish. Far better than any GP I've seen recently which to be honest are really starting to bore the pants off me. British Speedway is not as bad as what a lot of people on this forum make it out to be ... just give it a chance and stop moaning so much.

Why can’t stuff be posted on the website when it happens? It pisses me off as it’s pure laziness, 90% of your audience don’t do social media.

Hit the nail on the head! The sport is a £10 sport. Riders must get other jobs that fits around it like in lots of other sports with such low gate money or ride abroad as well. Also people says its a family sport but that is far from it. The vast majority of kids around 12 and under will be in bed by about 9:30 on a school night!

Bet there's no mention of the club's impending doom on look north But every single football team in the north east will get mentioned though!! Too little too late either way... Never got a mention before... Bet most people in the area havent even heard of speedway before...

It has everything to do with it if you want to run a league or cup competition. Without credibility you won't get major backers unless they are speedway fans. There are plenty on here who have said credibility is a major issue & why they have given up! If you want to run a Micky mouse league that means nothing to anyone bar about 20000 people nationwide each week then you don't need it. Just to put that in context 20000 people a week roughly attend UK speedway possibly less if the same person attendeds more that one meeting. My local football club Ipswich had more than that to watch league one game on Saturday.

Any future for Newcastle or any other club can't be based on getting more people through the gate. That's the easy way to losing money. Base your budget on this seasons attendances deduct rent and expenses and pay the riders what remains. If that isn't viable then it's a shame but close down.

You can't get a lot for £10 these day Gav! And the problem is seeing it as 15 minutes of entertainment, it's much more than that. Someone posted on this forum the other day how the pub would then be 15 minutes of drinking. It's about the whole night out. Family of 4 would pay £35-40 at most championship clubs considering kids are usually £1 or something. Not many places you can take kids that cheap. The biggest stumbling block is the rented tracks. They're the ones that seem to be struggling the most.

Had a chat to Rob last night and the rumours have started with talk of two interested parties... one a former promoter and the other a consortium... although still no approaches made as yet... however if anyone is interested they will need to declare that interest sooner rather than later and get their finger out otherwise they will be in the same position as Rob was being late to the table for rider selection and building a team... So never say never... but nothing to report yet... Regards THJ

Cannot agree. He's long been a track specialist at Monmore. Yet when we needed him to perform as 'normal' in the 2017 play off final he was pathetic.Lost us the title, never forgive him.

Doubling up is definitely 'an issue' for me. Funilly enough it does not (to my knowledge) affect my frequency of attendance, at the moment ... But it just thoroughly pisses me off, all the time, like toothache. Anything that consistently antagonises a lifelong supporter who is still attending MUST be a bad thing to be avoided ... In the end it will piss me off too much, I bet.

I don’t think I’ve seen any riders moaning about the track on social media this season though… so it may feel better/easier/different for them?

But back then you got to watch the worlds best on TV on one of only three channels most Saturday afternoons, with many of them household names.. And then had your tea... And then went to watch the same lads ride at your local track.. For a small dent in your disposable income.. With England ruling the roost in the Speedway World... Meaning the domestic leagues fed off the international success being beamed into (literally) millions of homes.. And if PC or Ivan were "elsewhere" and a guest replaced them, you found out at the track, after you had paid to get in, not days in advance.. Then the USA and the Danes took over.. So Promoters brought more of them over.. And then more Swedes, Norwegians, Aussies, Czechs, NZ's, Finns, Poles, etc etc etc.. And then viewing figures dropped because England were no longer winning, nor even looking like winning.. So the TV companies stopped beaming the sport into millions of homes... So then crowds started to drop in domestic racing.. Meaning inflation busting admission fees started to rise to pay for all these overseas stars, and the drop in crowd levels.. And that was 35 or so years ago.. Yet the same operating model has taken place all that time until today where we now seem to have realised that a successful national team might help fill some domestic league meetings with fans.. Yet that is undermined by all that nonsense that still exists with "guests", ridiculous made up rules, poor track prep etc, but is now done in a 24/7 social media glare which (quite rightly), holds it up to the ridicule it deserves.. People's disposable income has shrunk due to so much modern technology in the home and life in general being "a basic need", and not a luxury, with monthly outgoings very high in many homes.. Nowadays a Speedway meeting doesnt leave a small dent in the disposable income anymore, but a significant one.. What you could do and get away with in the 70's and 80's you cannot now.. The Worlds moved on, but UK Speedway didn't, and to a huge degree, still hasn't. .

For me, the biggest obstacle for it as a"team" sport is the fact that clubs can't use the riders they want, and riders can't ride for the clubs they want, because teams seem to be solely constructed using averages. With the ridiculously low points limits, riders are forced out not only from their teams, but their leagues...

Well ridden Mathias Thornblom.

But if you want to sell it as a team sport there has to be emotional attachment to that team.. Or simply no point in doing it... UK Speedway obviously cannot/choose not to (delete as applicable), run it as a team sport "properly" therefore their operating model cannot do anything positive whatsoever, but can only impact it negatively.. Only the riders benefit from the operating model, team sponsors and fans definitely dont.. I 100% agree if what you had was entertaining then it could work, sadly when what you are watching comes under the word "contrived", getting people to buy into in more than once or twice initially will take some doing.. The lack of any league sponsor, or major company team sponsorship speaks volumes for its operating model as no company would want to put their name to something so made up.. Riders can pick and choose when to turn up, and have a night off as they are tired... Or get stopped from riding for their own team when fit, after representing their other team several times in the previous few days.. Both scenarios resulting in guests, as shown this week.. Teams will go into the play offs not allowed to sign replacements for genuinely injured riders out for the season, and instead get to use track specialist ringers as guests.. You would need a seasons worth of full on entertainment in every meeting to make all the above nonsense get accepted.. Speedway should just either decide to do "it properly" or not at all, as the current "fudge our way through" simply wont cut it.. And by "doing it properly" either run (at least) the top league with credibility, or run individual meetings similar to Grass tracks, Superbikes, MX and MotoGp, with decent fields and prize money.. When you have to collude with the promoters that what you are watching is "real" they have a serious problem, however.... The raw product of Speedway racing can be uniquely exhilarating from a spectating perspective... So THAT is what they should sell.. Meaningful meetings, with a decent standard of rider, all racing for a decent prize pot, on days or nights when the healthiest crowd can be attracted to generate some atmosphere, at a price point conducive to attract, rather than prohibit, the fans from turning up.. If that's within a team framework then fine, and if it isnt, then also fine...

One thing Poland do right over the UK is run at the weekend. Think of all the Friday and Saturday night tracks we’ve lost or which don’t run on those nights - nights when attendances are likely to be higher. Sadly, we all know the reasons why. TV is the other thing which has decimated domestic racing over here. Why attend a meeting in the UK when there’s so much of it on the TV and on streaming, etc. To see the World Champion ride back in the day, I had to go to the Brandon, when Norwich (Fundin) or Belle Vue (Craven) were riding. Other than those nights, I couldn’t see those stars ride. Nowadays, Zmarzlik, previously Woffinden, are never off the screen. Because none of the above, which I feel are major reasons for the decline in the UK, can be overcome, I do fear for the future.

And I could win the lottery lol not going to happen we are not good enough Nielsen getting injured put paid to what little chance we had still carrying batchelor

The thing is Poland has always been ran as a professional League. Therefore in Poland they have the credibility & a history of mass support that means that the both the local & national authorities take the sport seriously. The Polish league you have today hasn't just happened. All though the communist era the sport has attracted mass support not like over here with peaks and troughs. Attendance levels have been pretty static for decades. It's only in the last 15 to 20 years the big bucks have really come to the fore in Poland. To say the polish club owners had it easy is total rubbish. The truth is that Polish Speedway has has worked to continually have a product that attracts public affection therefore becomes a Huge part of the community & ultimately means that the big blue chip companies & TV stations are falling over themselves to become involved with it today. The mess that British speedway finds its self in today has nothing to do with the top riders not riding here, the grand Prix or the Polish League. It's totally to do with mismanagement by the authorities here. They even managed to smash the last golden egg that came their way though sky I suspect that will be the last such egg.

Everyone focuses on "credibiity", but that his little or nothing to do with it. If it was an enjoyable and entertaining night out, most wouldn't give a toss about credibility...

These probably the closest and the furthest away.......

With a 6.30pm start and 27 heats to get through, it was deemed that there was no time for an interval to let riders go round the crowd for the collection. As far as I am aware there was buckets placed near the turnstiles/next to the track shop (not sure which). You can still donate: Text SRBF to 70085 to donate £5. Via PayPal at www.srbf.co.uk Cheque made payable to SRBF and posted to ACU House, Wood Street, Rugby, CV21 2YX.

Fingers firmly crossed that a way for Newcastle to survive can be found. My wife's home town - she was born in Byker. She isn't a speedway fan, but she recognises the fact that we can't afford to lose any tracks and agrees that things do have to change pretty quickly if the sport which I have followed avidly for the past 68 years, is to have a future. Good Luck Newcastle! Best wishes to all of their supporters for the right outcome.

100% agree. What I am trying to get across is in my 55 years of following speedway I had never purchased a season ticket, Crump's inclusion in the Plymouth team was the only reason I purchased that ticket. I have thoroughly enjoyed my speedway @ Plymouth in 2021 - but would not have the same desire do buy a 2022 ticket with no J.C.

So sad that Rob has had to come to this decision, had he not been misled by the previous shower of s**t, and the subsequent vat bill, i think he may have made a go of it. lets hope talks with the interested parties have a good result.

This is 6th in the Ekstraliga averages, averaging more in the GPs than Thomsen and Lambert "mediocre" Vaculik? I don't believe he is in the series for commercial reasons at all - far less so than Lambert, Thomsen, and with a much better case for a wildcard. Out of interest, who would you put in instead?

Spot on .. i think matches seem better years back because the crowds etc were bigger giving a better atmosphere

It would be far simpler, and better than current, and credible, when using RR, if the riders above and below the missing rider in the averages could take two rides each.. All the way through the team.. With a No1 missing having his rides taken by anyone the team manager nominated up to 7 rides max each, but no more than two each of his rides for any individual.. And if a No7 in the averages is missing, then nominate an unattached No8 and let him and No6 ride two races each, with the No8 having a minimum three rides per night... Its ridiculous how many guest riders are used to fill spots that dont need filling if you ran a proper RR system.. The No1 nowadays isnt the powerhouse of old so doesnt need replacing as riders 2nd and 3rd in the averages are now much, much closer.. Riders want races to earn, so keep that opportunity within the team, and not bring outsiders in to take these money making opportunities, and also at the same time, add some credibility and integrity to the meeting..

He rode fantastically well, looked quick all night. Craig did a very good job also, even though he didn't win a race was close all night and took two great passes from Dan to beat him.

I quite agree..I’ve watched speedway for nearly 50 years and I think people must think that all matches were always filled with overtaking and breathtaking finishes..well they weren’t and often quite dull racing wise ..I was lucky to grow up watching racing every week at Hyde Road so was lucky to see Colins and Morton every week but I also saw quite a few processional meetings there as well and that track was as good as it gets….speedway can be breathtaking and can also be dull, always has been…this meeting wasn’t bad at all.

Dont really think it matters where they are from as long as the best are in it Or at the very least its 15 out of the best 20. What the GPs dont benefit from are riders like Bertzon and KK getting 1/2 points every time...

Yes crump was disappointing,however bjarne was better than I expected i will be buying a season ticket again as will everyone i know is doing the same. It was no fault of the promotion crump was poor that's speedway I guess.

I personally don't see doubling up as a major issue... It isn't ideal, but we don't have cross league cup comps so no major drama for me... But being allowed to ride for all and sundry? With the operating model being drawn up to actively encourage it? Now that's a completely different matter and is ludicrous... Over the past few days we have seen a rider decide to not race for his own team after riding for a few others as a guest in the week leading up to their meeting, as he was tired, and needed rest. So a guest was brought in... And tonight a rider cannot ride for his own club because the rules say he has to sit it out, as a rider who has replaced him for 28 days only must ride instead... But that rider is now iinjured so instead a guest will come in... Barmy on both accounts... Lets face it, if those who run it don't take it seriously you have zero chance of the fans doing so...

Doubling up is one of the major reasons in this country along with guests that is driving people away and makes it impossible to find any national sponsor. It makes the sport non credible. The sport in the uk needs to become a mix of semi pro/amateur with standard equipment in use in our leagues. It needs a major overhaul.

Wasn't social media the way to attract a younger/bigger audience?

Not as many people showing up now though.

Brilliant, I'll be seeing him next Tuesday at the Long Eaton sos. He's a top fella

Melissa Wilks,who was in Grange Hill.People get her mixed up with Susan Tully who was also in GH, and went to Eastenders to play Michelle.

Bomber certainly made a difference to us Pirates in our hour of need in 2018 play off semi & final. The move he pulled on Doyle at Wimborne Road to get us straight to the final was absolutey off the charts! Bomber played an integral part in us becoming 2018 PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS!

Wouldn't it be great if Rob Grant and Roy Clarke could set their differences aside so as Roy can make the last meeting as center green announcer, who knows it could set in motion a reunification of the Diamond's fan base that will be essential if saviour comes along. Also what about the Discovery channel or Amazon Prime? Can you imagine the likes of Ant and Dec joining forces with one one them to create a reality TV show in the same way the former Man U players did with Salford FC? What greatness could the whole sport achieve

Heavy rain until this afternoon and then a dry forecast for tomorrow after early fog. Makes me reminisce on the Brummie "pea soupers" we used to get when I was a kid. Fog was dense for days sometimes wouldn't clear at all. Rain may be a relief to Track Staff might help in preparation.

Good result for Peterborough. Overall poor entertainment regards quality of racing.

Kenny Carter didn't ride a modern laydown. That's the difference

I am making a visit this week to do a bit of track work so I will take some photos

Personally I always enjoyed the variety that speedway offered...team, individual, pairs.

The GP just had a revamp with the points scoring, which I feel is the worst ever system!

They don’t see to be able recognise the obvious.The riders that can’t make 1 League pay just need to retire and get a proper job for less money.It’s laughable that they will work for Tesco when they can’t earn from Speedway yet just moan they can’t make a living from the sport.Give them a tenner an hour for their Time at Speedway meeting.Wages have to be in line with Crowd Levels or there will be nobody left in 10 years.

Although we normally sing off the same hymn sheet Mike there is a lot of what you have put above I don't agree with. First off there is nothing "Top Tier" about British Speedway these days and we need to drop the terms Elite and Premier as this is marketing under false pretences there is nothing Elite about the product. Poland and Brexit have seen to that and if the Poles decide to make all their riders ride in just one league that will be a few more less for selection... The NDL was a joke as it was treat like a top league by promoters with riders on £800 guarantees and deciding not to ride in other leagues but choose the easy option of sitting in the NDL... Promoters are their own worst enemies as they try and operate like football clubs but for every Man City who can afford a Jack Grealish at 100 million quid and on a couple of hundred grand a week salary there are thousands of other clubs that can only dream of such ambition. Football at the top levels oare supported by billions of pounds of high paying revenue sources Speedway doesn't have two pennies to rub together. Promoters are the issue here there is no one else to blame as it those guys who cant get their act together and they don't like hearing that either. There is a race for all the top riders to be seen to smash all other teams and win everything and its only money that does that; which is back to the football scenario however football has the world to choose from and the Premiership here is where every one wants to play however in Speedway the roles are reversed as its Poland who have all the cash and it is Poland where all the riders aspire to be. That in now and wont change any time soon. There aren't Nine or Ten 'Elite' teams in the country to run a flagship top league as the riders we have available are only second strings in Poland at best and it is going to be harder to be a Professional in this country because the wages aren't sustainable to provide full time professionals with work. Gone are the days when guys like the Owen Brothers took all before them in the second tier and when the went up a league struggled at 6 and 7 initially in a team resplendent in international riders. The Sport moved on unfortunately the UK did not follow suit. I was told off a BSPL committee member that if the riders didn't ride in two leagues in this country they would qit because they could not make it pay!!! well let them quit and get a job because Speedway is no longer a full time Professional Sport in the UK Poland and Brexit have seen to that and the way the sport in governed with the tail invariable wagging the dog... I agree that something needs done and there does need to be more teams in League 1 than there are in League 2 and this ridiculous curry star rating system and other manufactured ways of trying to manipulate the riders for team building needs to stop... there needs to be a fundamental sea change in the sport both in attitude and in delivery of the product... Surely following this year we will see something radical happening. Finally you don't have 14 full time professional riders to pay from a crowd of 600, you have 7 home riders to pay for and then hope you make enough from your 600 punters to cover your own 7 riders for the corresponding away meeting. If there was ever a time for 6 man teams and electric bikes its now and on your last point someone in Speedway has said "enough is enough" and that is "The Fans" at many clubs. I wanted to expand this further but being at graft and busy I am struggling for time and there is another point I want to pick up on Regards THJ