Speedtiger

That is fine but if clubs do go bust, and the way things are looking in many other areas of uk business, they will, then you will lose out...as has been said £500 is a lot of money. Clubs should do the right thing and pay the season ticket money back now, no question about it.

Well if that is the case and I take your word for it, then more fool them. It is little wonder then the sport is in the terminal mess it’s in and that was before the Covid19 crisis. Ignore your customer’s at your peril.

I was speaking with someone yesterday who works for a large national company and she was saying they are planning on social distancing measures being in place for the next 12 months. The main issue is the situation is unprecedented and non of us know what the future holds and when things will get to what will be a new normal and precisely what that normal will be.

Spot on mike, and that’s why we are where we are! It’s a pity that promotors don’t go on this web site and listen to there customers!

Fair point but it’s the fans (customers) who pay to keep things going and it’s a very poor business that ignores the customer. The proof is there for all to see...Speedway is bust and that was the case before the virus crisis!

Ok, that’s all well and good saying that but he should explain exactly what he’s “working so hard” on what are future plans and let fans judge if he’s doing a “good job”. As I said history shows he is incompetent and way out of his depth and hasn’t done much to promote British Speedway.

Well it was a ‘statement’ although it didn’t really tell us anything and yes the situation is difficult but I suspect that is because nothing has been done or planned. The lack of information and leadership by the BSPA chairman & co isn’t unexpected as historically Godfrey and Chapman have proved they haven't got a clue.

No they are all in No1 genius Chapman’s lock up!

The geniuses at the BSPA... they know what’s what about engines!

Highly intelligent and eloquent made points there Jim...you certainly can spot an idiot.

Brilliant issue...if only speedway was run as well as the SS the sport would be in a far better shape.

QUITE CLEARLY DESPERATE....many many people are desperate but don’t go out and rob your neighbours. Your tone and rationale is amazingly stupid, how you can try to equate riders finding things tough with this type of thuggish behaviour is astonishing,

....so you go out and rob people at knife point....you really are mad to equate it....in an odd sort of way!

Didn’t the BSPA buy lots of engines a bit back, maybe they have some left over that will be going cheap?

Very good film, well done. Glasgow deserve credit for what they have done at the stadium and club. Sad bit is it’s astonishing at how much they put in the club and how much they are losing. No a great business!

Nice idea...full of ambition, will it happen? Not a chance!

Agree WTG Sadly there’s no way speedway or many other events will take place this year but careful you will be accused of being a doom and gloom merchant. The big issue is when the Covid19 infection rate significantly drops off and the government look to easing the lockdown, which is clearly still weeks if not months away, allowing sports to resume will be very low on the agenda as the country’s health experts will not want large gatherings of people closely grouped together for fear of a second outbreak. Ok speedway only attracts a very small number of supporters but I believe social distancing and limits on crowds will be with us, in some form, for a considerable time to come.

The big issue is when the Covid19 infection rate significantly drops off and the government look to easing the lockdown, which is clearly still weeks if not months away, allowing sports to resume will be very low on the agenda as the country’s health experts will not want large gatherings of people closely grouped together for fear of a second outbreak. Ok speedway only attracts a very small number of supporters but I believe social distancing and limits on crowds will be with us, in some form, for a considerable time to come.

Fair point and well said Brian, if it weren’t for the older supporters it’s a fact there’d be know one there. You 1st point, im told it’s the Bv club that’s made a huge operating losses and city council have also lost a lots of money as not being paid any rent. But they paid £9m to build the stadium.

Agree with you I’m a regular attender at BV and the track racing etc are the best in U.K. by a mile But think you are wrong about ‘break even’ as I were told by an insider that they have lost 100’s of thousands pounds. And that was before this virus crisis. How clubs can survive this disaster is looking increasingly difficult.

Good points. Agree, the fundamental problem with speedway is the people that run it, they have run the sport so badly..that’s why it’s in terminal decline. Speedway is not a ‘fashionable’ sport and Promoters have not moved with the times and modernised the sport for new and demanding fans who have lots of other leisure-time options available and want more for their hard earned cash than 15 minutes of entertainment in substandard run down stadia. I really hope, but I’m not convinced, that when this pandemic crisis is over and if, and it’s a big if, the sport can be salvaged from the wreckage, that anything will fundamentally change for the better.

Phil, Thanks to you and to your editorial staff, for the efforts in keeping going at this extremely challenging time. The sport needs the Speedway Star to survive and we should support and help them to weather this serious storm.

Matt. I’m a realist not a pessimist. Ive never said speedway clubs are not eligible to apply BUT there’s a big difference in being eligible to apply and actually getting financial help. Not all clubs are limited companies. Speedway doesn’t directly employ that many people as all riders are self employed and Clubs have lots of unpaid volunteers to make the sport work so will not be judge a priority to save jobs which is the main criteria of getting help. Any loans that clubs, who are probably already in debt, may obtain will be only adding to that debt and will no doubt be personally secured by the borrowers. Clubs may have to accept strict loan terms due to desperation because at this stage clubs will have paid out large sums of money in preparation and anticipation of the season starting and much needed cash coming in which leaves them very exposed. As always the devil in all of this will be in the detail.

Geoff, you need to get your head out of the sand, wise up, grow up and face up to the real world.

Agreed...WTG and that was my point I made previously....before even making an offer of help the government will audit Sports including BSPA-Speedway and a 1st year novice accountant will see the poor financial state the sport has been in for some time and that will be that. It would be like bailing out Woolworths and BHS.! Also the government will have much more pressing priorities to deal with than speedway. Money will be extremely tight...even for essential services. In the grand plan of this serious worldwide crisis Speedway, I’m afraid, is totally insignificant.