mikebv

You cannot run any professional team sport successfully, and hope to get a great following, when the crowd themselves have very little 'emotional' attachment to the teams involved, or even the outcome of any event that they take part in... The way teams are put together in British Speedway delivers exactly the situation it currently finds itself in... No surprises as, quite simply, it couldn't be any other way....

For me, the decline started when ITV no longer showed Speedway nationally on a Saturday. The sport getting beamed into literally tens of millions of homes regularly must have had a positive knock on effect for crowd numbers.. PC, Mauger, Olsen and Penhall were 'Box Office' and even non speedway fans had heard of them (and recognised them).. Having one of them at your stadium was a definite head start in generating a crowd... At the same time the national team became second (or even third/fourth rate) which was double the problem as no one wants to watch a consistently losing national team. The Danes took over which was never going to move the sport forward in this country.. The rest fell into place as teams started to fill themselves with overseas riders of dubious ability levels alienating fans who had an affinity with the British ones they often replaced.. The nonsense rules havent helped down the years in anyway of course and have done much to erode away virtually all the credibility and integrity in the relevant Championships which means hardly any kudos is acheived by winning the title. Not a great way to kick start your business when your ultimate aim is so diluted and sadly, irrelevant...

5-6000? I thought maybe 2-3k at the very best. It's Speedway... The whole operating model would need to change more akin to MX, Superbikes etc with 'Club' meetings and 'Nationals' running side by side using the disparate levels of riders to ascertain which competition they ride in... Contracts would need to change with greyhound tracks and landlords but Stock Cars only rent the same venues and facilities four or five times a year so it is possible.. Once a month, and every BH, each a stand alone event in its own right and marketed as such, run on a Sunday afternoon, properly promoted and a full afternoon of entertainment from kids racing through to seniors.. Charge £20 to get in, 3k crowd would give you £60k, add some sponsorship and you would have a good prize/expenses/appearance money fund.. Team Speedway sadly in Britain due to its ridiculous operating model is clearly reaching its inevitable conclusion so the Sport needs to reinvent itself over here... Amateur/Semi Pro is for me the way forward to maybe start its comeback. Remember approx only 0.05% of the population attend it regularly so to many, if properly marketed, it would be 'brand new' as a large proportion don't even know what Speedway is.. It might lose some of the tiny 0.05% 'die hards' who simply would not want to watch the 'lower standard' on principle but it would be more about tapping into the 99%+ who don't attend now... Save Team Speedway? Won't happen as too far gone and not enough commitment or radicalism to change.. Save 'British' Speedway'? Still a great product when done well so just needs the right operating model to make it a success..

If 'individuals' were the 'only' Speedway it could/may start to prosper again? Bottom line is team Speedway, in this country, using its current operating model, is fast running out of time... (And fans)...

As a team sport in its current 'not fit for purpose' guise I would 100% agree... However, individual meetings properly marketed and promoted at say monthly intervals may generate an audience at certain tracks and keep the sport going? Similar to the way Stock Cars do it... Team Speedway is definitely a busted flush given all the nonsense and farce around its integrity and credibility (in this country), so maybe it is time to cut its losses and follow all the other other motor sports and go 'individual only'...? Maybe you could build up a following again and then move it into some kind of team structure at a later date if finance allows? A modern looking re-launch with all previous balls ups avoided...!? Oh to dream...😲😂

I dont think anyone really does anymore... Most go now I would say for the racing only and blank out all the nonsense which goes with the sport (in Britain).... No-one really (apart from possibly the promoters) regard it as a 'proper professional team sport' anymore, because, as we know, it isnt one... Hence the sport is down to mainly those eternally loyal '40-70 year old die hards' clinging on to the ever diminshing hope of a better future for their sport. People who, God Bless Them, are willing to put up with 'any old guff' to get their weekly Speedway fix... Losing Cov would be another body blow, akin to losing Dudley Wood, Plough Lane and Hyde Rd given its stature in the sport.. Here's hoping for some good news post Xmas. Be a shame to lose another 'iconic' track... And something British Speedway in it parlous state could surely ill afford.... Best wishes to Cov. Lets hope the joint NL team happens...

Hope not.... It will be my money she has used!!!😁

Didnt.... Told them though that it was 'The juniors', not the lads you see on the TV hence the price... Told them that for a tenner you couldn't go wrong.... One of them suggested his lad would want to go so I took him along, he said he enjoyed it.... Asked him did he want to go again a couple of weeks later as me and my lad were planning to go ... He didnt.. And didn't attend any other meetings, I got bored of asking him after about three times.. Plenty of people know Speedway exists (many hundreds of thousands used to go didn't they?) Unfortunately not many want to watch it nowadays... Even at a ten pound entry level.... Sad but reality...

Could 'we' draw 'us' in the Cup?😁

The colts I would suggest could actually make some profits! £10 for an adult and a teenager up to age 18 was great value for money. (not £15)... In the comfy seats too!! Crowds of about 500 which wasn't too shabby.. To sit in the same seating at a BV EL meeting, would have been £33 quid for me and the son and heir... Nowhere near the same value for money sadly... Admittedly you would get to see Danny King, Rohan Tungate and Paddy Hougarrd ride most weeks for 'various teams'. The lesser spotted Max Fricke however would have been a rarer sighting...😁 But at least on a par with Dan Bewleys appearances pre his injury..😁

Be like most EL meetings of the past few years then!!😁

Admire your optimism but 3k a match? For Speedway? I would suggest no chance. It might initially improve crowds having new owners as the publicity of nearly closing will no doubt tempt some people to attend again, however that will be a short term thing.. Plenty of people in Manchester know about Speedway, many see it on Sky regularly, and loads of Mancunians are aware of the Belle Vue Aces... They just won't pay circa £20 to watch it 'live', Thats the catch.. I have three mates who watch the sport on TV occasionally, often mentioning to me the match they watched as they know of my interest, and can appreciate the talents of the riders, (and even know who Tai Woffinden is as they have seen him on 'mainstream TV!) but when I ask if they fancy going and tell them it's around £30 for them and their teenage lad their answer to a man is "you having a laugh?".. Perfect target market, no chance of them attending. 1200 - 1500 a week of the usual 'die hards' I would say will be the reality and should be the income budgeted for...

It's only Speedway 'multi person'.... Hardly anyone will really care who wins the league or who gets relegated anyway, so you honestly don't wind anyone up or annoy them by decrying their teams... Teams will always ride in the league THEY feel best suited to so being bottom won't necessarily mean you take the drop if other teams feel dropping down would be better for them... You could actually see a twelve to sixteen strong 'top league' next year anyway built around a slightly weaker 'Somerset' strength, so this season for many teams will be about 'survival' rather than 'success'.... Still, have fun flitting from thread to thread....

I think most teams will have a 'ffs' given the level of both leagues..😁

Think you are correct, a fair summary.. They obviously know 'moving up' won't give them 500 more through the gate each week (maybe even no increase at all some weeks?) so have cut their cloth accordingly.. Winning their home meetings will be their primary objective and, in such a watered down League this team should deliver that more often than not.. No point bankrupting the club in trying to win an irrelevant competition. Much better to still be in a strong (or at least manageable) financial position by the end of the season.. I would almost suggest that this Somerset team could be a 'blue print' for all PL teams the season after this one?

Great post tmc.... The ultimate irony for me is how promoters seem to work night and day finding a way to try and out do each other, be it manipulating rules to suit their own end, through to gazumping other promoters re riders by 'turning their heads' to greater riches... All in the name of winning a League Title that barely anyone even in their local area will give a toss about actually winning, as hardly anyone will actually know the sport (never mind the League) exists!! All that energy put into writing rules, re-writing rules, re-re writing rules and eventually "in the interests of Speedway" completely ignoring the rules!! All to p1ss off an ever dwindling disillusioned fan base even further.. Maybe putting as much energy into re-starting from scratch, learning from all the self inflicted mistakes and re-launching the sport when 'fit for purpose' would be a better idea..? That though would mean some real radical planning not just a 'make do and mend' mashed together 'variation on a theme' plan that surfaces year after year and fundamentally changes nothing.. We as fans can face the fact that Speedway in this country has exactly the mainstream profile and fanbase success it deserves the way it is delivered, promoted and administered.. Amazingly I actually still think many promoters feel that they are involved in running a 'proper, professional sport', on a par with other pro sports, and one where 'winning the title' actually still has some kudos.. Truly laughable if it wasn't so tragic..

Team speedway has a relatively short shelf life I would suggest... (In Britain anyway) For a team sport to generate interest you needs it's supporters to have passion for both the sport itself, but in particular 'their team'. But how can you engender 'emotional loyalty' to your local teams riders when they change so often?. Some weeks you may have one rider out of the seven you should have representing you. And six from your competitors!? Quite ridiculous and from a team sport perspective totally at odds with a team event in regards to its integrity and credibility. Transfer the lack of single meeting integrity into the league title itself and truly why attend something all season that has no credibility even if you win it?... Not much of a starting point with which to sell the sport is it? As we will see next season. Most teams in the PL will have 70% or so of 'their riders' performing in the lower leagues too, meaning 'guests galore' and 'select teams' trying desperately to attract crowds on 'off nights' to fit in the logistical nightmare of completing the league season... (Good luck in achieving that). (For once)!! Too many teams, and not enough riders of the required quality leaves team speedway in Britain as a lame duck and add in a customer base demographic of virtually only white males, middle to upper middle aged, (in a country with huge diversity) and you have a base that by 'natural causes' is withering and dying (both metaphorically and sadly physically) as each year goes by... And as these people no longer frequent the terraces the shortfall in money has to be made up by those who still do in inflation busting price increases, thus driving more people away from an economical perspective too... Ultimately team speedway is too far gone for me to save itself. Maybe becoming like stock cars or Moto x is the answer? ie run maybe one 'big' individual a month at each venue with good sponsorship and prize money and align it with a season long British Championship that delivers great sponsorship and great prize money? A basket case of a sport is team speedway in Britain. A hopeless case sadly for me... However the sport when done well is still fantastic to watch so who knows? Get some credibility, get some integrity, get four riders of relatively equal ability in each race, have no guests, ride on nights that generate the biggest crowds for your club, deliver a full evening of on track and off track entertainment that brings in a diverse fan base and meets a 21st Century crowds expectations, and sort out a cost structure that allows an absolute PL max £15 admission, and Speedway in Britain may have a chance as a team sport... More chance of knitting fog than delivering that list I would say, sadly...

To be fair, as a 'Business Plan' I can see the merits of the concession being almost on par with the usual entrance fee.. Let's be honest, OAP's make up a high proportion of the crowd so you need to maximise your income.. As I drift ever nearer 'concession age' (and presuming team speedway is still running in this country when I get there) then ANY reduction would seem a bonus I would suggest rather than an 'entitlement'... Wouldn't surprise me to see other tracks doing the same..

Ones with cup holders to put the Thermos lid/cup in? Good call... Add a nice tartan blanket for your knees and plastic 'gola' bag for your corned beef and beetroot sandwiches (tinned CB obviously not that Fresh stuff) to hang off the back, and you are away.. Put say ten in a row and it could very quickly become Speedways equivalent of the 'Exec Box'... However, Maybe they could run a 'Buy a Cushion' campaign? Similar to the BV 'Buy a Brick' one? £50 and you get your own cushion with your name on it and arse cheeks moulded in for 'extra comfort'... Also similar to BV, £500 would get you a 'Cushion for Life' meaning you would be able to keep your cushion in the same place every season 'forever'.. Oh hang on... Maybe not...

If you didnt know what speedway was, and found a copy of the SS in some random doctors waiting room, you would find it a very professional looking and informative magazine, and would never believe how the image you glean of the sport from the pages within would belie the actuality of how it is ran.... It does the sport more than justice in my opinion and speedway in this country is lucky to have such a well delivered publication showcasing its product..

And don't get me started on Wagon Wheels.... (or have my hands got bigger?)...😁

Great idea... Just what you need to do when running a failing business and you make a conscious corporate decision to lower the quality level of your product.. Put the price up.... That'll work.... (Inflation busting obviously, goes without saying)... Its the only way.....

I am 'bemused' the way 'going to Leicester' is being used as a possible outcome for Cov.. Imagine the BSPA asking DH 'can we use your track to help bail the sport out of the rubbish it is in'?... He would have i would say 'all the Aces'.. (Except the Belle Vue ones of course)... His feelings towards the BSPA would mean he could drive a hard bargain I would suggest... You can hope though that the fact the council leader has got involved so quickly maybe has lead them to see the potential 'sh1tstorm' ahead for themselves if they are seen 'doing business' (as they appear to be) with someone who appears to do his business via 'stormtroopers'... Doesn't reflect well on them giving planning permission to someone who takes such action which ultimately effects the emotional state of rate payers and therefore voters.. Time for Bees fans therefore to get out and put pressure on the council. A few photos in the local rag of young Bees fans having their Xmas 'ruined' and much older lifelong Bees fans looking suitably 'devestated' taken outside the stadium/building site would be a start.... A real opportunity maybe for some 'orchestrated emotional blackmail' if done properly by Cov to maybe secure Speedway for a longer time if they get their act together.. Throw some mud at the councils current working relationship with Sandhu and who knows how much will stick...? 'Wrecking the joint' publicly might just be the worst tactic Sandhu has employed.. Bees fans should pounce on it...

Lets hope that Cov Council get made aware of the wanton damage done to the facility.. Maybe will sway them in their dealings with Sandhu? Time to get organised Bees Fans and bombard your councillors with your disgust at his actions.. And as mentioned, maybe get the Police involved too... Makes for good copy in the local rags...

Obviously Klindt missing meetings through fixture clashes may or may not happen but the very fact it could is one of those reasons why you cannot take the sport seriously... Sign a Dane and you ride on a Wednesday? Sign a Swede and you ride on a Tuesday or Thursday? Then no guests should be allowed when they are missing riding in their home league on those nights.. The sport is Mickey Mouse enough, blighted by guests, with the vast majority used for non injured riders.. Causing them to be used by inevitable fixture clashes that that will occur, and you know this months in advance, is simply ridiculous, and for the integrity of the sport just shouldn't be allowed...