Littleze

I recall Ole Olsen saying that he/they (the authorities) were looking at different surfaces to race on, this was probably 10 or more years ago… never heard the outcome of this (unsurprisingly)

EXACTLY.. a quick win, that’s makes it look professional and that you’re bothered.. they expect riders to be immaculate. There are many quick, cheap easy wins.. but hey, said this a zillion times.

I have no idea what it involves or takes to run a Speedway Club or the logistics and finances it requires.. I have run/managed football clubs.. and regardless of the level… it takes time, and commitment, so I’m reluctant to dig out individuals, however… as a (presumably) collective it’s failure upon failure year in year out.. aided and abetted by the Speedway Star.. their cosy journalism* etc are complicit imo. Do they know any other word to describe a healthy crowd (it’s always BUMPER… I mean even that word is from the 70’s) i think you need to let it fail, otherwise you’re just saying… this is fine by me.

That’s what Speedway clubs always do, put it on the fans, by promoting fear.. Cov, Lynn recently, Newcastle, Swindon.. blah blah blah. seriously, what’s to lose.. a weekly tradition, you’ll soon find something else to replace it with, most others have. I’ve been attending since my Mum & Dad took me to Rye House when I was 6months old.. (obviously I was oblivious) we went every week, often to tracks of teams we didn’t support. I didn’t have a car for a few yrs (late 20’s) I’m 51 now.. I went to Peterborough and took my then gf and my mum.. gf had never been & mum had not attended for years… I was early 30’s.. I ran up to see the track, crowd..I was a kid again. I/we had a good night, but I soon realised it was amateurish.. C Horton was in charge at the time.. and it’s been a love/hate again ever since.. and then I went to Cardiff last year…with a mate who had never been there. I can’t even be arsed to explain what I thought of that day/night. i also had a letter published in the Speedway Star, years ago now.. saying the same s*it I and many others have been saying for years.. it’s effing boring & I bore myself with it.

I’m sure many riders would like to have “ a club” the rules dictate they move about, be that 1-7 or guests… it’s their chosen living & they take risks. it’s a bs/contrived.. “cough” sport. People like to belong, be that in relationships, a work environment, a band, a team to play in or follow etc etc.d How can you get behind a team in Speedway when many of the team change year in year out, and often on a wk to wk basis. That’s how you build something and something sustainable.. Speedway can’t do that, which then leads to apathy and zero credibility… Sports pages would love to get behind something creating a buzz (for sales obvs) it’s crisis after crisis.. I wonder how Discovery view this farce.

You’re about 30yrs late with this comment.. but yes.

You’re only paying for that rubbish if you attend. If you don’t go, you keep your money and don’t have to watch rubbish. The power lies with you.

At least it’s not Kevin and Perry.

Just be upfront then, have some integrity, all it has done is shine the spotlight on them and the sport further..

I agree totally. I was at the farce of Cardiff last year… but still, it’s levels above what we have here, even at the most basic level, where there should be some parity.

I fully get that..& have done this myself, but it’s my opinion that if people keep supporting this contrived “sport” then there won’t be any real change, it may be too late for that anyway. I wonder how Discovery view the nonsense & unprofessionalism of the organisation & individuals, any forward steps that they may have made in the GP’s is undermined by British Speedway.

Don’t ever come on here and moan then. They will keep taking your money..& nothing will change.

It’s a dead “sport” why anyone attends is beyond me, those that do just legitimise this nonsense.. you keep getting this b*llocks because people keep going.

My 1st point about Stadia, is still a good and very valid point.. they may well cover the costs, or they may not.. but the point is & you have essentially agreed is that they are old, uncomfortable often dirty and not suitable for the modern day sporting experience.. I’m not saying that is a club or owners fault, but it’s a negative to go with the many other negatives, many of which they can control. They don’t even have to come up with idea.. it’s been done for them. Football referees… same kit, varying colours, bright, modern. Why can’t clubs strike a Sponsorship deal with someone who provides say Black, all in one overalls. They have their name on the front.. advertising space can be on the back of the overalls for any other companies who wish to Sponsor. So, all leagues/Tracks and track staff have a standardised “uniform” which speaks of cohesion & adds a small level of professionalism to the show. Get some younger track staff, not blokes of 40+ Have walk out with riders (possibly their heroes) at parade, as they do in football. It’s hardly groundbreaking, costs idiot all.. the kids will probably love it & want to go back.

The main reason Speedway clubs fold is due to largely, poor stadia, compared to other sports or activities on offer, no promotion, a near total disregard for their fan base, an amateurish “show” confusing rules, no meaningful competitions, which this leads to very little credibility and therefore exposure in media and the failure to attract sponsorship or investment. The failure to tap in a young audience on social media platforms. AFTV (Arsenal Fan TV) have approx 1.5 million followers on their YouTube channel alone. It was started by 1 man (many since and before have shows/podcasts resulting in exposure, advertising, merchandise resulting from this & expanding revenue streams). AFTV don’t have anything to even sell… no game/no club/no museum/no access to players… the list goes on. Speedway bosses have a product they could market to the whole world, they could interview riders, ex riders.. referees.. supporters, do bike examinations, show behind the scenes, team manager interviews, merchandise, tickets… do podcasts, show old clips… ANYTHING… what do they do… next to idiot all! I used to attend Rye, from when my parents took me from 6months old.. we went to Mildenhall, P’boro, Lynn, Milton Keynes regularly. Rye was a great venue, with potential if there was investment for it to be a picturesque stadium and good night out. I’m not sure the track design/set up, like Wolves gave that good racing.. Yet, you’d have these old codgers as track staff, smoking as they came out, some fat bloke as start Marshall with his top barely over his belly, waving to his mates on parade, the contrast being the riders & their bikes pristine. It’s shabby.. scruffy, lazy and embarrassing.. it’s professional sport.. that should apply to staff too. Image and perception is just as important. The latest trend to keep the sagging tapes from hitting the track floor is the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONE!! Seriously.. it looks rubbish on TV.. well it just looks rubbish. Add in the weather factor and all the other issues people raise. Address the above and you may just get the footfall back. Many well known high street shops disappeared because they didn’t adapt to the modern day market place.. and Speedway could well be that equivalent. That’s my opinion anyway.

Don’t watch… simple, vote with your feet. People keep going is essentially saying carry on lads.

This should have been done ages ago, in all regions of the country.

The reduction of fans is the Sport’s/Promoters fault. For a sport/race that is over in a minute/15 of racing… they sure make it complicated. let’s be honest, you need to put a dirt track in a muddy field…. No one is looking to build a *Wembley.. I know access is needed & hoops to jump through… but still. If you can’t make a noisy, dirty, fast, dangerous, colourful Sport a relative success, then I’d say there is little hope. I mean Darts for gods sake!! Plus, until they sort the covering of tracks, who in their right mind will travel long or even short distances to attend when it is at the mercy of the weather and riders.

Obviously it’s not good to lose clubs, for a whole host of reasons, that being said, I see it as a positive. Clubs can now build their own tracks & stadia, purpose built, modern facilities etc.. if they can find land/get planning permission. Why they would want to do that for anything between 1k - 3k fans and clubs folding around them, plus doubts over others too is beyond me, but maybe then they would treat the paying public with more respect and present a more professional show and experience and address the many credibility issues. Then, maybe the sport could progress over time.. if not it’s like everything else, if the product is poor or there is little interest, it shuts, that’s life & business.

I wouldn’t be too concerned about credibility, that went over 20yrs ago

I was there unfortunately. I’m still waiting on Ole Olsens findings on racing on a different surface/material.

The man who over saw the Cardiff GP fiasco… no thanks. Get an outsider “in”.

Nailed it,the sport is contrived.. one of its biggest problems as to why it isn’t taken seriously.Even the SON is contrived... you still get big home wins,the racing isn’t any closer because of it & the crowds reflect it too,not solely for that reason...obviously.Presentation is amateurish,music outdated etc...

Another idea I've had (it's probably full of holes) Is to have say 6 super regional tracks (like Belle Blue) & all the clubs operate out of them. So for example... Glasgow caters for Northern teams.. Coventry (if they can get back in the Stadium & renovate it) for Midlands. Rye House for that region (these clubs own the Stadium) Eastbourne... For South Coast Get a track in Wales.... Kings Lynn too... Covers that area. Then you have 6 tracks of differing size,would reduce "home advantage" as clubs would share tracks..... I'm sure you guys can pull this idea apart.. But trying to think out of the box.

5 man or 6 man teams?