Deano

Birmingham is 10pm and only once I believe we had to go over by a few minutes.

There is a saving provided the riders will ride for the same point money. I don't claim to know how negotiations like this work. If I were a rider and knew my earnings were going to drop by perhaps one ride per meeting I'd want a percentage increase on my points money. The promotion though could rightly say, no to this.

I agree, it's never wanted to be the master of it's own destiny. It's always been a sheep.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, everyone can look back and think this and that was much better back then. The quality of television programmes for one. The thing is the crowds have gone away for a reason, what worked in the 70's may not work now. Why would thousands of people come flocking back because we go back to 13 heats, drop the double points tac sub, drop the play offs and adopt the 70's rule book? There was something they did back in the 70's that gave the general public the appearance that there was something new to watch, something worth standing out in the cold for. Something that gave the general public an affordable evenings entertainment, that was better than the pub, the cinema or an evening in with the piano and oboe. Promoters should be looking at all the alternatives that families, couples and singles like doing during this day and age and beating it on quality, price and value for money. I'll give you one example. I enjoy, once a month meeting up with mates. We go to a pub and grab a curry. I spend £70 in total and consider it money well spent. Why not grab the likes of me, who could bring mates to the speedway, drink quality ales and offer a decent curry at competitive prices. At the moment, the beer and food is awful and it's more expensive. I generally couldn't get the same clean environment as a pub or restaurant in a speedway stadium.

It usually depends if something more important happened at the local church tiddeley winks game. My local Sutton Coldfield free paper will only print anything if it involves something or someone from Sutton coldfield. As Birmingham speedway isn't in Sutton coldfield, it just doesn't get in. The only time it did get in was when a Sutton lad got to sit on Smolinki's bike at Perry Barr. So if Birmingham signed a Sutton Coldfield born rider.... but that would make him a Brit and local.. speedway doesn't do that.

You'll rattle the old guard's cages with that one.. lol.

Clubs do. The press officer will send a match report or news to the local media sports editors, who through discretion either dump or print it. That is the big problem. That's how speedway tries to get into the papers....... for free. It would probably be of greater benefit to hire advertising space. Again... that costs money... You get what you pay for and I think speedway always goes for the free or budget variety. You have to strike a balance somehow and cheap/free isn't always the best.

The Tata Chairman said to Jaguar designers, "you build and design a car for your current customer base, a customer base which is getting smaller as they are all dying." Jaguar heeded this advice and look how their sales have grown. Speedway should do the same.

I remember someone sometime ago said bring in the "Rider in Black". completely unidentifyable rider in black gear, helmet and bike, (like a stig figure). Have the current home rider with the highest score to get challenged at some point during the meeting. Most the anoraks will probably guess who it is, but something the kids may enjoy. It would need to be a Chris Holder or Darcy ward quality for Elite League, but could work for one season.

I agree. Perhaps live streaming is the way... stream onto your smart television via the internet for £5 per meeting. To be honest, you have to really want to go speedway to go. It's too easy being a cash sport to say "not tonight" at the last minute. There's no "buy tickets in advance" for the big team coming to town in two months in the local newspapers. Promotion is all done the freebie way, send in a report and just hope the newspaper has some spare room next to the local tiddely winks.

You have to think like a youngster too. Why would I want to leave the warm comfort of my bedroom with my PC/game console. To spend a cold evening, stood in a Siberian wind listening to some old geezer muttering into a mic.

You need to get teenagers in by the classroom load and get them chapperoned around by a trendy geezer (not this guy). http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/archive/0/0f/20080208212814!Nerd.jpg Keep them away from the greys and the badged up wulf jacket gangs. One look at the current crop of customers and they'll be out the door before heat one.

Speedways greatest and biggest problem is it's always looking backwards. Never out looking in and forwards, which is why is considered a naff, boring sport by old fans and outsiders. It needs a bit more than tingering with the race format to bring back the interest i'm affraid. Some new ideas that send out a breath of fresh air that can be built upon is what is needed. Make it cheaper for riders to participate to help cut admission might be a start, without making the product look inferior.

Cheers. Get the gist now.

That's one.... hurdles is plural. In years passed the rider who rode for both teams only rode for the home side. Doing the same thing would be no more ridiculous than the British League guest facility.

So what are the hurdles? Haven't read much into it tbh, a link would be enough.

The GP's put speedway back into decent stadiums. If we'd stayed doing the one off, the grand final would probably be held at Rye House or something of a similar size.

Quite clear you get the speedway you deserve. Enjoy it while it's losing cash by the lorry load and no one is really that interested in watching it. I mean, it's good job they have cancelled. Promoters backed by a license organisation that after some growth get a global sponsor and a far larger fan base than any ACU licensed event. We don't want that do we, few, close call. Walk four doors down your road and ask the person who answers the door to identify Darcy Ward or Joe Haines in the photo. Chances are they'll say "eh!" "who?" "Speedway?" A superstar to me and you is not a superstar to Brian and Brenda Pissweed. We need more Brian and Brenda's to make the sport pay.

Done. 49% travel 25+ miles to watch speedway.. This must be some of the problem, it's a team sport that is no longer local to it's fanbase..... Very interesting.

The interviews from the pits always got me. " So Jason, looking forward to the season ahead?" "Yes, mmmph mmmmphhhh mmmm phhhhhh mmmghhhhh brand new, mmmpphhh ....."

Confirmed...... chivalry isn't dead! lol

Although, the family has graced the sport for 30 years and more, also isn't Mark Courtney one of Harris's mechanics??? Perhaps that is the last we'll hear from it. Back to speedway as we know it then.

I'm a engineer with letters after my name (don't pay to use them though)... I probably know a lot more than you think. I was simply helping the OP decide whether they really needed to use titanium parts, that was all.

Build one bloody good reliable bike and not two. Beg borrow and steal for the meeting if you go through the fence with it. Learn to ride it and ride it well. Skill and smooth riding on the fastest line (not necessarily with the fastest bike) will always be better than several fast blasts and a big wobble.

Agree, be interesting to know what the MCF do differently to the ACU?