Humphrey Appleby

Unfortunately, has been on a long slow decline regardless of the various recessions over the years. I'm amazed that any resemblance of a professional sport can be maintained on current crowd levels and the limited sponsorship the sport is able to generate, but the fundamental problem is that the sport has just not been able to control its costs and has ended-up gradually pricing itself out as cheap form of entertainment. Some of those costs have been beyond the control of the sport (e.g. VAT, stadium rental), but primarily rider wages have increasingly outstripped what they actually draw in revenue.

There's little point speculating before work on the place has actually started. I don't think anyone wants these sort of projects to fail, but how many times have fans been strung along by promises that never materialised (Reading and Swindon come to mind here)? The proposed Belle Vue development is undoubtedly well intentioned, but it's quite apparent the stated timescales were excessively optimistic, and some simple inquiries on the Internet reveal many of the necessary things have yet to be put in place. Given that this scheme is actively soliciting money from the public as well, I think it's entirely appropriate that pertinent questions are asked about when/if construction is actually going to start.

It was cheaper in terms of the value of money, but equally people probably had less disposable income overall. The fact that people are willing to pay higher prices for other sports does suggest there's generally more disposable income around now than then, but speedway has always drawn much of its support from the working classes for whom price probably is an important consideration. Of course, the fact that speedway takes place in stadia than have hardly changed in 40 or 50 years, and that entertainment value has been progressively reduced pver the years, is probably also a significant factor in the decline of the sport.

One doesn't wish to be the harbinger of doom, but I'm afraid the pointers do not appear promising at the moment. As you point out, it's very easy to check things on the Internet these days, yet the speedway community is still wedded to the old-fashioned notion that circulating cockamamie will convince the public. Some more questioning journalism might be in order here too.

Shortage of land for building and environmental pressures would probably be key factors there. Today speedway and grasstrack is largely the preserve of the north-east part of the country.

Glad to have been of help...

Yes, but living next to a motor sport venue is generally not a buying point from the perspective of most people.

I'm not sure why the builders would be seeking planning permission if they're just working as contractors? Surely this is the responsibility of the owners?

I believe ISG is International Stadia Group who are, or at least were involved with Coventry's Ricoh Arena amongst others. It also used to be 50% owned by a certain IMG(UK), but they withdrew after burning 7.5 million quid on the venture.. If the council is building the facility, then there presumably there should have been a tendering process as this is mandatory for public works with a value of more than 4.3 million.

The obvious issue would be where the Australians (and possibly the USA if they were involved) would ride their home matches...

Only a small handful of countries could put out competitive sides if they needed to find 7-8 riders, and home interest is quite critical with speedway meetings. There would be too many one-sided matches raced out in largely empty stadia with the one country scenario. With the best will in the world as well, differences in class are magnified in speedway due to the format of meetings effectively being a series of mini-matches (i.e. heats). There may be some scope to stage a multi-year test championship between the top nations able to put out competitive sides, but this should be in additional to some other more inclusive team competition (e.g. 4TT or pairs).

There are some good shorter tracks as well, but I think shape and width is an important factor. A lot of shorter tracks are in stadiums with limited space that force too many compromises.

The problem is easy to solve - run the Semi-Finals and then the Race-Off and Final as double headers. You could just about run 2 meetings of 16 heats back-to-back - so run the two semis with the host nation in one together as one meeting. If the host nation qualifies for the Final then that's fine, otherwise they automatically qualify for the Race-Off. Then stage the Race-Off and Final together as one meeting. The host nation is then in every meeting.

In principle it should be possible to lay a decent track around a football pitch, as after all athletics tracks are. I think the problem is that few stadiums have sufficient room to do it well, and it does make for a long track as well. To me, the best racing is on tracks between 300 and 330 metres or so, and that simply won't go round a football pitch.

Yes, but in speedway the World Championship(s) are predominantly held in Europe and predominantly comprised of European-based riders. What's more, the World Championships are hardly doing especially well, so it seems bizarre to create a parallel competition that's potentially competing for television and sponsorship money. If the powers-that-be have a problem with BSI or want some competition, perhaps they shouldn't have handed them the rights for umpteen years.

Should be in good company then with Gelsenkirchen and Cardiff. Will the shale be stored in a scientifically designed pyramid shape again? Although Warsaw isn't a speedway city, neither really is Cardiff and Copenhagen and I suppose a one-off prestige event might still pull the crowds. If this comes off though, no doubt it's because BSI have persuaded Warsaw City Council to pony up a subsidy.

Neither do they go well around football pitches.

I think it's a matter of evolving or ultimately going into decline. Whilst I appreciate that much of the Star readership is quite traditional and probably prefers a printed mag, they will not be around for ever and an online version may also pick up sales from people like me who can't be bothered to go to the shop (if you can find one that sells the mag). I struggle a little to believe that once things are set-up, it's much if any more work to generate an online version of a printed magazine. Where also would the Star be now if there hadn't been investment in modern ways of doing things back in the late-80s? Just to put one's money where one's mouth is, I'd be happy to send you a year's subscription in advance if you're willing to produce an online version.

Well yes, eating and drinking in a capital city is likely to cheaper than in the middle of nowhere (Malilla not Gothenburg). I'd agree that Sweden seems much cheaper than it used to be, but I'd have thought eating and drinking is still more expensive in Stockholm. I know, but I believe you can pay with euros on the bridge and you originally quoted the price in euros... Right, so it's for economic reasons rather than because Parken is need for the Eurovision Song Contest/football/One Man and His Dog Show. I knew we'd get there in the end...

Depending on which figures you believe, I think it's been somewhat below that for the last few years - but always a round number so one wonders how many are really paying. Last year the excuse was that the GP clashed with a Danish football match, now it's the toll fees. Copenhagen has always been expensive (although not in comparison to Sweden), and the Great Belt Bridge has been charging tolls (actually EUR 66 return) ever since the Danish GP started. I don't think these can be the only reasons that crowds have plummeted.

I don't think anyone would criticise the fact that the shale was kept in a pyramid shaped pile - it's pretty obvious that's the best way to store it. Obviously though, the tarpaulins leaked and/or there was insufficient drainage around the base, and most likely the pile was not actually being monitored as closely as claimed.

I seem to remember it being claimed it was shipped around in barges or something like that, but maybe that was a bit like the 'climate controlled facility'.

Presumably though, the tourist board was forking over sums of money for the privilege of the GP being in Copenhagen, and without that it's no longer viable. Even with football being played there, it's surely still possible to find a weekend out of season. I'm not sure I believe the story about the stadium being needed for six weeks if it hosts the Eurovision Song Contest. I (literally) got stuck in a lift with a Eurovision engineer in Azerbaijan once, and whilst we were waiting to get rescued, he told me they were installing the stuff in a few days.

More likely it's not going back because it's not making money.

How serious is an event held the same weekend as a GP, and with some of the line-ups that some of the countries put out?