HGould

I hope we get something out of Brummies before the weekend as silence can become deafening and worrying. Fingers crossed and for Newcastle too.

First of all credit to them; I had purchased tickets online with family to go down to see Brummies and I got an email to say the meeting was off, with options to transfer ticket or use at the restaging or request a Refund and I got a Refund within 10 minutes of asking for one as I'm unlikely to be able to make the rearranged Fixture if indeed Brummies are still running which we all hope they are. That doesn't suggest any of the immediate problems at Eastie similar to that Brummies and Diamonds have made very public. Looking at their remaining Fixtures it seems they avoid any more GP clashes and seem to have deliberately avoided them from the original GP schedule most of the season by riding on Sundays. I think the point made is that when GP dates can be changed very quick from the original schedule, as they have last year and this year, there is little they can do at short notice especially when the weather looks so grim. Aren't UK League Fixtures agreed in February, probably based on the original Speedway GP draft that has been shreaded and changed massively. The argument as to whether they have made the decision too soon or not has been discussed on other threads but at least they have stuck their mast in the ground and explained it which is refreshing in some ways. As someone elsewhere pointed out they will have saved a considerable sum by making an early decision too. Maybe the 2 Promotions agreed this too in order to give Brummies Management a few extra days to consider their future, we won't know until Brummies make a formal statement after calling Wednesday "make or break" and with Lee Kilby involved with both Clubs that may be another factor Hopefully Brummies and Newcastle will get through this and all other Clubs

Poole; Kent ; Newcastle; Wolverhampton to name but 4 have previously called off Fixtures covering a few weeks for well explained economic and crowd related reasons. Same if not more impact on the League system.

Maybe they've saved costs like Food and Staff and Programmes. Matches have been called 2 days before for a variety of reasons. What would you rather a Club do, call it off an hour before or once everyone has paid to get in. There are close links with Lee Kilby and Brummies, he was there last night and great to see him maybe Eastie have done Brummies a favour and given them a few days more to decide what they want to do? Don't the Masons live near Eastbourne.?

It must be an impossible choice. Risk losing more money they can't afford to or pull the plug, probably get fined and almost certainly meaning no more Speedway at the venue for the future if ever. The BSPL are sitting on a lot of money according to their last Accounts wouldn't an immediate payment to all Clubs be more helpful. Godfrey and Bates were quick enough to trumpet Government help, with the exception of the 2 Scottish Clubs (under separate Governance) does anyone know of any Club that actually got a penny? The sum of £500k was mentioned, why wasn't that just split between 17 English Clubs as a Grant for the Sport as a whole rather than just a few Clubs. It would be interesting to see a CL table with all Newcastle and Brummies Results expunged, that might waken Godfrey out of his slumber. I was told last night by an ex Brummies rider from the 70's and 80's still involved; that all Tyres are now stored at Scunthorpe, Clubs have to go and collect them and pay Godfrey for them and if they can't collect them they are charged transport costs. What has the Sport become? Sad truth may be that once one Club actually jumps a number of others may quickly follow and the domino effect starts.

I did automatically think it might be linked to the Brummies future, as we all wait for some news. When reading though its a very detailed explanation and not Brummies related at all I have been there for a meeting v Somerset in 2019 on the trust of their weather expert which proved very accurate so have to take the early decision at face value and the reasons. It does give Brummies another meeting at home as our next Fixture so a backhanded favour there for us hopefully.

It was on one hand great to see people you don't normally see there and may be a few hundred from other Clubs. The flip side is that sadly their attendance wont be regular, they came out to support the Club and the Sport which is fantastic, but we need several hundred more every week not for one week. No official news yet I believe, we wait with hope.

Biggest of season. Maybe 800 bit more. Opinions on survival split 50 50 Fingers crossed

I would have guessed our average in 2019 at around 700 to 800, suffered from a weak team initially but built up in summer holidays. Best few May have been closer to 900 to 1000. Kids scheme boosted in holidays. Footy season starts next week and that won't help at all as lots not been in a footy ground for 16 months so that'll be a novelty for many.

who knows ? if average has been 400 ish what's going to be enough to make it worthwhile for Masons to carry on. 800 - 900? hopefully not a last hurrah, but if they make a profit tonight does it mean they will make a profit next week and the week after? I'm going hoping for the best but honestly expecting the worst.

not been this season plenty of past experience of the bumps and hollows though and the holes..

If you prefer bumps and shale coloured concrete Poole is definitely the place for you

The traditional Club Merchandise model I've always been led to believe is that the Club orders its stuff, pays up front, hope to reach a point in August where they've broken even and after that it's profit but the danger is you can get left with a lot of Stock and spend a lot of money up front and we've all seen and waited for Clubs fire-sales at last few matches. The more modern model used by a few Clubs is to contract it out mostly online, you order decent quality leisure-ware with a Club badge or logo and it pops through the Post. I would imagine Club gets a small cut on each item and makes a few quid in the region of 10% but don't have an outlay so it's safer and more cost effective. That's happening now in other Sports and ways of life as more stuff goes online. Do I want to buy a coat or shirt that's probably been fingered by a dozen people on a rack?, not keen pre Covid and certainly NOT keen now . Buyer chooses which model they like but always going to be some happy and some not.

with Brummies OFF what are weather prospects for Poole I've got a chance to make it...

Got to feel for them. Where I am about 30 mins away been some showers but nothing torrential. They've been waiting for walk up but speedway fans are a fickle lot when there's a cloud in the sky. Probably can't afford another sub par crowd. At this late stage possibly incurred some costs already from tonight. Prayer mat out.

I'd paid my £18 online to watch the Scunny match expecting Adam Ellis to be there, still went and enjoyed 2 cracking meetings for £18. If that's not value, I don't know what is?

Agree totally Feel 100% for Peter and David, none of the issues were their fault and they are being let down by Stadium Owners. I'm told and it's only heresay that there is a new Stadium Manager who is a complete tool. I'd be worried that we'll close before the end of the season at this rate as the Crowd last night didn't look much more than 400 max 500 to me and with decent earners like Bomber and Riss in the team I can't see how Peter and David can make ends meet. Track was much better, team was much better, Redcar were very disappointing but that's irrelevant in the bigger picture I fear. Very worrying and very sad.

This discussion probably dichotemises the key issue facing the sport right now. Stick and hold what you have Twist and look outwards. If the sport does the latter it dies, if it looks outwards it has a small chance. Websites. Social Media and Programmes say a lot about which camp teams are in and averages are obviously vital to diehards but mind numbing for newcomers. Everyone has an opinion, in my opinion Scunthorpe deliver a poor programme. Average website and unless I've missed it lacklustre social media. Very average overall bottom 6 Leicester a good programme, formulaic AP website and excellent social media. Very good overall top 6 Eastbourne very independent it seems on all they do, always a very good programme and daily social media and a website clearly looking outwards to new supporters as well as older ones. Very good overall top 6 Whether averages define websites or not is very much down to your own perspective.

Mystery deepens. So if Jake was an NDL reserve last week on a notional 2 point average (according to green sheets) but no longer declared in a CL team as from tomorrow (when Kennedy replaces him) and not ridden enough matches for an average, why can't Eastbourne use him as an NDL reserve tomorrow?

Not easy to practice when half the team riding now in Premier League. Doubt any team would want a gating competition with Leicester

It would seem the only tracks interested are Leicester (who couldn't find an opponent), Eastbourne (who presumably could have ridden at home on Saturday or Sunday but accommodate a fellow Saturday Track on Sunday) and Mildenhall. As I said elsewhere, hopefully those 2 Tracks get rewarded with bumper crowds.

I agree we looked like a cold team needing to get some laps in round PB v a Team who have been riding week in week out with PB specialists. I's be more worried about the Crowd to be honest. Not great with figures but 400 - 450 tops. Really hope the missing fans come back next week and get behind everyone involved.

Big thumbs up to Lee Kilby for loaning us 2 in form riders.

I did read Stewart Dickson saying that Leicester had tried but that no one would go there on Saturday? I'm having a day by the seaside on Sunday to see Eastbourne v Leicester (CL / NDL) Double Header. Nice touch that you can decide mid-match whether you watch just one or both. They should be cracking matches and the only real Speedway on the Cardiff GP weekend, other than Mildenhall v Kent NDL also Sunday I guess that Eagles v Lions could have been Saturday night but that Leicester wanted to keep Saturday free as long as possible in case they got an opponent to come? Hopefully Eastbourne and Mildenhall are rewarded by a lot of floating support.

Agreed Lets see where Leicester, Scunthorpe and Poole finish on the 19th September and then we can see if it's top 4 or top 6.