ouch Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 10 hours ago, IainB said: ... if I want to go and watch a T20 Cricket match at my local ground on FRIDAY the 30th of May at 18:30, look at the ticket options available to me: https://www.tixr.com/groups/leicestershire-ccc/events/leicestershire-foxes-v-derbyshire-falcons-123326 A group ticket of 5 for £18 each... the way Cricket sees it, a group of (working class) mates coming for a night out and a few beers, they've seen it on Tv, it's colourful, musical, the crowd are involved with prizes and stuff being given away there's dancing girls. They've also seen speedway and see a load of pensioners sat in camping chairs filling their home made programmes in watching a tractor go endlessly round a track and its on a school night. The way a Speedway promoter sees it, 5 strangers grouping up outside the turnstile to get some money off... and while this attitude remains crowds will continue to dwindle. ... I remember a few years back at Leicester they wouldn't even let a couple of mentally handicapped people in at a concessionary rate! I still think £28 for 2 adults to sit in the grandstand at Belle Vue with an unlimited number of 11’s or under in tow and 12-17’s at just £6 each offers good value. The Colts take half a second longer per lap so it’s hardly noticeable yet not only do newbies not attend, the local speedway fans that visit Belle Vue week after week and know full well it’s happening choose not to attend as they don’t want to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sidney Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 9 hours ago, IainB said: Sir Sidney Snob of Snobbyshire 😜😂 I've pulled up my drawbridge and asked the guards to patrol the moat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sidney Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago 9 hours ago, IainB said: It's how us great unwashed eat Sir Sidney, in fact the kids would prefer a maccies rather than a bar meal. I agree. British Speedway just needs to decide what it is trying to be and who it is trying to attract, and then create and implement a plan to achieve that ( in fact, I'd almost guarantee that people with the skills to do so exist within the fan base and on this forum and would willingly help out). Now, as we know, the risk is that it alienates it's existing fan base in trying to attract and keep a new fan base - but those of us who have been watching since the 60s, 70s and 80s are drifting away or dying in any event. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago 47 minutes ago, ouch said: I still think £28 for 2 adults to sit in the grandstand at Belle Vue with an unlimited number of 11’s or under in tow and 12-17’s at just £6 each offers good value. The Colts take half a second longer per lap so it’s hardly noticeable yet not only do newbies not attend, the local speedway fans that visit Belle Vue week after week and know full well it’s happening choose not to attend as they don’t want to. If the Colts were "the only ticket in town" then their crowds would be up around 1000, and maybe more, I would suggest .. It is indeed good family value but, for many, that is on top of already paying out for watching the Aces, either the week prior or the week after... As for newbies? The "World Famous Belle Vue Aces" would hardly get a recognition nod door to door in Gorton, Longsight, Levenshulme, and City Centre Manchester, therefore not much chance of the Colts being known in areas "on the doorstep"... You only need to see the response when fans get asked to pay just six quid more to watch a double header after the main event featuring their NDL team to see how little regard and interest so many with a team in tier 1 and 2 have in "junior speedway".. As I said, maybe if that was the only speedway they had, many would attend...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wembleyfan Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago Not wanting to harp back to "The Good Old Days" too much, but responding to the question , is it still a working class sport? My answer is No. Not because of price, although it's a valid argument, but one reason is a disconnect between the fans and the riders. Riders were, mostly, semi-professional and had day jobs, mostly working class jobs, or at least jobs that people could associate with. The very top riders were full time professionals, the Maugers, the Briggs, of this world, but even people like Peter Collins had a day job in his early career while riding speedway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDY69 Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago Yes it is still a 'working class', same as football always has been. Have you tried eating out these days, £20 for a burger and chips - what about live gigs/theatre, approx. £90 a ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted 52 minutes ago Report Share Posted 52 minutes ago It is totally unrealistic to expect bigger attendances for NDL matches. The equivalent competitions in Denmark, Sweden often pull in double figure crowds and Poland isn't much better. Other sports have very little fan interest in reserve and youth teams. Why should speedway be so different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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