moxey63

Time for British Speedway to worry about putting its own house in order. Any person who doesn't wish to be part of the restructure, should be asked to stand aside and allow a sport to re-invent itself. That person, no doubt, will wish to return... especially when the Poles and Swedes begin to suffer drops in interest in their particular leagues. It will be tough at first, but we are down to the bare bones (star rider-wise) anyway, so a further cut may not be noticed. Plus, many fans like the Fast Track system, made up of less than star riders, so there is a taste for bread and butter guys. We have to believe in the product.

The Play-Offs have served their purpose, the rich man's Knock-Out Cup Final, which it bullied out of survival. I always feel a chill, no feeling or interest when the POs come around... people expect so much but it is often the biggest let-down of the entire year (like New Year) and all the months, all the admission fees people have coughed up out of their lives. They have never been the fairest way of deciding the true champions - just look at Birmingham a few years ago I expect a line of people defending the POs immediately as I press the "Post" button. But, all they have done, is taken away the draw of all the matches - the league round-robin matches - that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. We may see bumper crowds (in today's term for bumper crowds) for the POs, but these people have probably only turned up for the occasion or have spent the past seven moths of it, choosing which matches tickle their fancies. A series of qualifying matches.. that's what the Elite League programme is now.

Is that an official video then? I am well chuffed... well and truly gobsmacked. Elbow are not a bad group... but this record, and I've only heard it for the first time... ably backed by a superb video, I have to say... moxey63 likes it! Speedway don't half look good... I knew there was a reason for it. Just off to download the Elbow ditty!

It also portrays, I assume, the problems speedway has today... of getting people from their chairs at home, with SKY and the Internet holding hostage, whereas 30 years ago, VCRs were the cause of speedway's rocky future. There is now more competition out there. Then again, didn't speedway have competition in the 70s and before, like dancing, cinema, bowling, stockcars..

This may be of some interest, a piece I've just put together after I came across an article in the December 29th, 1984 edition of Speedway Star. Is it Groundhog Day! The plight of British Speedway is worrying at the moment, but long time fans have always been fed a diet of tracks losing money and whispers of going to the wall. With every generation, speedway tends not to offer its faithful much in confidence about its present or future well being. In the last edition of Speedway Star of 1984, an Open Letter by A. R. James, General Manager of Wimbledon Speedway, placed his position on the difficulties a manager had of running his speedway. How far, in 30 years since, has the sport grown, stagnated or sunk? SKY's millions in the past 15 years, from my casual observation, has been allowed to trickle away with every paying customer that's been allowed to stray, and not having been replaced by a new one in return; by increasing running costs and to the pay cheques of men that the crowds come to see. Back then, in 1984, Mr James wrote that speedway "continues to exist by grace and favour of greyhound racing or stockcars." Sounds familiar. James revealed that Plough Lane budgeted £12,000-£15,000 a year for advertising. He scoffed at recent comments attributed to speedway promoters from riders and press who advised on giving free tickets outside other entertainment occasions, to help stem a tide of dwindling support for speedway. The Wimbledon superior reported that Wimbledon had lost a five-figure sum during the 1984 campaign – which in figures accounted for 125 fans per match. Ex-World Champion Michael Lee, for one, had put his name into the ring to help out a sport that had suffered a dip in popularity in recent years. Lee’s idea of pitching a bike inside cinema foyers and handing out free tickets to customers, was, as James likened it to, similar to Tescos doing likewise at Sainsburys’ stores. Lee volunteered for publicity fixes. But James denied these efforts by riders or officials would have done much. He remained adamant that stunts and shouting, they achieved nothing and weren’t long lasting. James reversed the scenario, and asked if, for example, a Wimbledon supporter would really be persuaded to attend a ballet at Sadler’s Wells, if somebody was handing out free tickets at Plough Lane one week. He poured scorn on the idea, and asked why the cinema would really put on the line, the risk of losing a customer to a rival entertainment, just to help out a sport that is using its premises to pinch its customers! His belief that speedway’s problems circa 1984 were due to a fundamental shift in social patterns and expectations. The overwhelming majority of your contemporaries no longer go out in the evening in order to purchase entertainment. The advent of video machines in the home and an array of films on tape to watch were now endangering speedway’s being. People, James argued, are not grateful of a free ticket for something they don’t want to do anyway. Plus, there is no such thing as a free ticket, as it’s going to cost in travel and refreshments. The underlying argument from the Wimbledon boss, as of today’s way of thinking, I suppose, was… the “bring a friend” attitude. Bring them; not just one week, but also every week, was his defence. Then there was another piece, by the retiring John Titman, who criticised British promoters for their lack of promoting. In Australia, said Titman, they HAVE to promote… otherwise no one would turn up. In Britain, the soon-to-be retiring Aussie ridiculed the British method… of printing a fixture list in March, and then expecting people to show up every week… for the next seven months!

I noticed my interest began declining more after the Tactical Substitute was taken out in the mid-00s. It isn't rose-timted glasses, as I was mid-30s at the time, but I noticed matches became less interesting. Even the most boring speedway, racing-wise, used to keep one interested, when teams could use TS. Some may scoff, but speedway fans love being strategists, just look at the interest in speedway manager games and programme filling, keeping records etc. Speedway isn't entirely about the racing aspect, it's the enjoyment of filling in the scores, guessing what managers do to fight back, which isn't as exciting with the Golden Double. The old TS, teams could throw in a series of muscle-testing scenarios to help either keep the scores respectable or put things right. Just my opinion, one of them, why speedway went wrong.

There was a feature in one of the speedway publications, an interview with pop producer Peter Waterman, and he revealed his uncle was "Split" Waterman. Update: This wasn't the piece, it was in something like Five-One magazine (the piece I read), but I am not the only one who remembers it: http://www.speedwayplus.com/Mal.shtml

You only have to summon a few quirks of the strange world of the speedway rider and the nomadic ways. For instance, from memory I think practically all of Wolves' 1996 title winning side went on to ride for Belle Vue at some point. Surely this was purely a case of fitting in names for a season knock-about while the proper employers found ways to employ them the year on. Then there was the oddment back in 1980, Norwegian Reidar Eide turned out for four different clubs! Yes, that's right... FOUR different clubs! It was rare then. Now, decades on, speedway's ability to keep some form of structure has failed miserably and allowed the latest stop-gap quirks - those being Double-Uppers and Double-Downers; Fast Trackers... All fans want to see, a genuine sport with rules that stick, riders who grow with the club to become favourites and not one-season Charlies. At Belle Vue, for instance, we have had many rider down the last decades, there simply because it was either that.. or speedway's shelf of standbys. Fans need to associate with riders who represent them. Otherwise the stand-in rider will end up spending longer at the club than the tiring supporter.

As Leicester Hunter has stated, too many riders are racing in too many leagues, and this has taken something away from speedway's being. Riders must glance around the pits, and ask... how many in opposing starting slots, for example, could be sharing the same team jerseys later that week? As a fan, that is a long held view. You need the rivalry, the crowd response when their team is up against rivals, rivals that also wish to secure the best result for their team. But riders must feel divided by having so many teams. It certainly decreases speedway's credibility for a sport a serious fan wants to associate with. I am sorry to go on about it, but a rider cannot be committed to any one set of fans or team, if he's riding for several teams. I am always put off by watching the "friendly derby" in football (Everton v Liverpool) because the mere thought of it not being blood and thrust, not as important, reduces its importance. It does to me, anyway. It is important for speedway, to get the team ethics right. We are more or less just running with the flexibility of a school yard football match, in that teams have no affinity to the fans they (pretend) to want to grab glory for. I think it was Ole Olsen, back in the day, who held back from getting friendly with any opponent, as he feared he wouldn't want to beat them as much.

A quick bit of criticism for the Star's cover designer... less is good. Sometimes the cover appears similar to a ram raid and looks too busy. too much going on at once. I feel it doesn't need as much headlines on the cover, as most people who buy it are speedway fans and don't buy it off the shelf (like a newspaper or mag) because they are persuaded by headlines.

My way of thinking also.

Think that was Pete Waterman, the one related to Split.

Most of the riders thinks the fast track system is great? Well, pandering to riders, has brought about a lot of speedway's current probs. It's fans they should be pandering to, first and foremost. You will no doubt in the minority... as most fans continue to find a fast track way of ditching the sport.

Reading Jim Lynch's views in the Star, the problem is with views of one individual... is that they probably differ from our own. Some say 15 heats, others 13; some say squads, others no. I mean, someone like old moxey63 could put the sport into shape (in my mind), but not everyone would like my changes. The Shawcross Report (think that was his name) which heralded the 1965 British League fetched the sport's most popular times since the war years. We need another review, a proper, professional one, which takes everything into account. It wouldn't and shouldn't be agreed during a few days at the next BSPA bash. It is too serious a situation now to magic up rules that will be throwaway-able as an advent calender.

Now... if we could only find speedway's other missing supporters, since about 1984, we'd all sleep better!

I have the Golden Greats videos, some great racing from past stars of the sport, who still have the old styles and racing appetite. Personally I would pay double for such a meeting. The flip side... I wouldn't pay half to go and watch today's stuff.

A couple of questions... When a rider commutes to and from Europe to race Britain, who actually pays the travel expenses? As most Australians, Americans etc arrive on these shores first, then find leeway to start racing in European leagues, does Britain get any recompense for blossoming them?

What memories you must have, Gustix, if you can go back that far. You have seen speedway's rise and fall and the times in between. Bet you can tell some stories.

SCB is right, in my opinion, as regards even younger riders having to appear as world beaters, with fancy-Dan helmets, specialised vehicles, even the best bikes they cannot afford. I think it is all about today's society - the need to be famous before anyone really knows you. It seems to be all about vanity. I think young uns are afraid they may get laughed at f they wore an old, tatty pair of kevlars or even leathers, if they turned up on a bike that was several years hold and owned by an ex-rider. We can't have kids being picked on as being povs, can we? I read Jon Armstrong's piece in the Star recently, how he's using an old bike, old van and is getting as much enjoyment from the sport as he did 20 years ago. But how do you educate a youngster, for example, who has these designer things done, costing hundreds of pounds, which doesn't increase his ability one bit, just adds to expenses, which I know the club isn't paying at this standard (National League) but it just delivers a bad example. The sport cannot support this kind of thing. Team suits are another aspect. Wasn't somebody (Craig Cook) left out of the recent World Cup, because he wasn't able to take a call or something at the time, and his £500 racesuit (for just a few meetings that week ) had to be prepared? It has to be addressed. Grand Prix stars having different sets of kevlars, helmets with different colours... that's all very well. But domestic speedway must get a grip and start to manage itself properly.

Like The Dean Machine, I feel too much money is going out of the sport on engine tuning. In addition, even NL riders are having their engines tuned regularly just to feel they have a chance Somebody is having to pay the costs. Riders, past and present, like Dean, who genuinely love the sport and are willing to avail their experiences, surely we should be listening to them. With respect, Dean was not in speedway to make a fortune and retire at 30, he obviously has a love for it and that's why he's on here (with us plebs) . We should be listening to this type of guy, who has survived on the basics - perhaps like Mark Burrows etc - and then see what cloth the sport is able to cut accordingly.

Don't think Sky shows enough live grading, to be honest. Remember one meeting at Belle Vue, wait for it, when the tractor actually broke down in the middle of the track. My oh my, how we laughed. Worth the admission alone, even if we missed the last bus home and had to sleep in the depot.

It is team racing all the way, with a sprinkle every now and then of individual stuff, the way it's always been. Team speedway is the bread-and-butter stuff... but just too many riders are riding for just too many teams... and team speedway has been reduced to suiting the individual. Nowadays it isn't who you ride for, it is how many teams you ride for. Riders are akin to agencies workers in the real world.

I agree, speedway stadiums have stayed the same as back in the day or been allowed to fall behind the times. People expect more when they attend a sporting event... but we are simply talking about a sport that has its a*** hanging out. Belle Vue's decision to be awarded a brand new place goes against the grain of a sport or perhaps any business that has continued to lose custom and money over many decades. Belle Vue's new stadium won't draw any beneficial increase in numbers at the gates... and newcomers won't come back because they were allowed to use a neat toilet. They can pop in a fast food place and use their facilities for free. On the other hand, if it were a food outlet, seeing dirty toilets... now that would put me off going there again. I'd probably leave the grub that I'd ordered and make a swift exit. Attending a sporting occasion, a minority one, usually means you are attending for that one thing. Grubby loos won't put you off watching the racing; but they would turn your guts if you used neglected WC rooms at a fast-food place. Belle Vue's new place will see the same faces that Kirky Lane has kept hold of. Perhaps a few old stagers will return, may remain or give it a future swerve, as the sport isn't what they remember. Most fans stopped going, not because facilities went stinky, but because they were frustrated or they used their speedway cash on more needier things. As for newcomers... personally I don't see any rush of newcomers. I feel most newcomers only come in the first place because they are brought along by family or friends. I suspect there aren't many that are persuaded by what dross they've seen from the Elite League these past few season, courtesy of SKY. The sport, and not facilities, needs to be addressed fully. Hopefully, it'll keep what fans still attend, and they may live to introduce other people. Apart from that, speedway, or British Speedway, could go the same way as those sweets from the seventies, you no longer see because nobody bought them. I, for one, don't care what is going on at a speedway meeting... as long as the sport's structure, line-ups, rules... as long as it is a product that your inner belief is in full trust of. And that isn't the case right now.

Stadiums don't mean too much... remember how the old Hyde Road looked, even back then. It needed a lick of paint, and the toilets weren't a place you'd want to hang around.. But Hyde Road had the track... and that's all you need with this sport - a track. The Likes of Somerset and Scunthorpe have built up neat stadiums from virtually nothing. So it can be done. As long as it's presentable, the main objective is to provide a sport that's enjoyable. I didn't stop attending speedway, and now stay at home on Mondays, because the stadium at Kirky Lane was not up to my living room standards.

I used to have this attitude, that many of the remaining few speedway die hards retain, a "Don't Call My Sport, You're Living In The Past" blinkered firewall Over time, the moaners appeared to start making sense, and you find your own feelings draw closer to theirs, not the ones who stand on the terraces, wearing their teams' bobby hat and scarf, and shut up shop when they hear the merest expression of criticism. These are the slow learners, possibly that gullible, they need a friend or someone to accompany them to the cash machine, toffee counter or their medication review with the GP. The penny may never drop for them, and speedway will continue to pickpocket their baby minding money, raise prices every year to make up for the losses of those departed folk who finally saw the light. One day, while stood alone with themselves on the terraces, they'll possibly have a "beam me up Scottie" moment, a "what am I doing here" sort of night, as they wait to see if the boys are prepared to race on a track that's not been touched for weeks, an ambulance to return, the umpteenth re-run of a certain heat. It'll come... just, unfortunately, some pennies are dropped from higher than mine. Mind you, it took me 30 years. Then again, the penny may have dropped a long time before... I may not have even heard it strike the floor, or even looked for it.