What about Northampton?

[Neila]

As a lot of promotion done today is via Facebook, just done a search, guess what no Northampton speedway comes up, Northampton shaleway the stock car page does not mention anything. It's now 7 weeks to the 1st meeting at Northampton and no sign of ANY promotion being done. Anyone live near Northampton and have you heard of any promotion?

[M.D]

14 hours ago, Neila said:

Probably the top table in British speedway are in charge, that's why nothing been announced bar a new track.

This is my train of thought now, something doest add up here and it would not surprise me if the sports governing body in the UK is behind running this.

[Happy Hunter]

9 hours ago, Neila said:

As a lot of promotion done today is via Facebook, just done a search, guess what no Northampton speedway comes up, Northampton shaleway the stock car page does not mention anything. It's now 7 weeks to the 1st meeting at Northampton and no sign of ANY promotion being done. Anyone live near Northampton and have you heard of any promotion?

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/other-sport/top-flight-speedway-is-coming-to-northampton-and-the-season-starts-next-month-5621934

[Eagle77]

By now they must know at least some of the answers... who is in charge... who is the promoter... who is riding for the team... what is the team called... what are the teams colours... 

So can anyone come up with a logical reason why these things are still being kept a secret?

 

[Neila]

but the article from the local press is just the press release saying speedway is coming, dated 5th march it's now 11th march nearly 1 week later, no more information been released, no Facebook / social media posts made, no pre publicity to promote the venture (as far as I can see).  Just seems to be Northampton been announced then radio silence 

[IainB]

10 minutes ago, Neila said:

but the article from the local press is just the press release saying speedway is coming, dated 5th march it's now 11th march nearly 1 week later, no more information been released, no Facebook / social media posts made, no pre publicity to promote the venture (as far as I can see).  Just seems to be Northampton been announced then radio silence 

They do have a website though 😉😂

http://www.northampton-speedway.com/

[Wee Eck]

11 hours ago, mikebv said:

They must have been cheap as they certainly went unnoticed themselves...

Not a good look for a marketing company...

The sponsors are key and the clubs should engage them to use the money for local marketing and not just to fund "Superstars One and Two"...

One Superstar should be the plan for every team with that rider being the focal point of the marketing....

Clubs spend a truly huge amount on riders for a sport with so few followers, so maybe a redirection of sone of this money could help it grow?

I suppose it all depends on the professionalism of the promotion. Poole are known to pay less in points money than most similar teams, that’s been the way for many years, but to use sponsors to top up riders’ income. But at the same time, they’ve promoted heavily in the local area (maybe less recently but that might change with Matt Ford moving back to England). 
Central marketing by BSPA/BSPL hasn’t worked so it’s down to each club to do their own.

And my guess is that BV believe that having Dan and Brady gives them a better selling story. I don’t live anywhere near Manchester so have no idea how or even if they maximise this

[Eagle77]

The whole thing seems to be a lesson in how not to run a sports club...

And I support Spurs so at the moment I certainly know how not to run a sports club...!!!!

 

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, Wee Eck said:

I suppose it all depends on the professionalism of the promotion. Poole are known to pay less in points money than most similar teams, that’s been the way for many years, but to use sponsors to top up riders’ income. But at the same time, they’ve promoted heavily in the local area (maybe less recently but that might change with Matt Ford moving back to England). 
Central marketing by BSPA/BSPL hasn’t worked so it’s down to each club to do their own.

And my guess is that BV believe that having Dan and Brady gives them a better selling story. I don’t live anywhere near Manchester so have no idea how or even if they maximise this

Dan and Brady who?

That would be the question from 99.9% of the 2.75 million who live within 45 mins of Manchester..

That's how well Belle Vue market them...

However, even the "Best Supported Clubs" run with a pretty poor levels of punters in real terms...

An average of 1500 or so isn't being "successful" really is it?

My lad will play in front of many more than that several tines a season, at step six of football, and last week at Hyde Utd, two Amateur Sunday League teams played out a final in front of over 1000 spectators..

I am always amazed when teams do a "special" and reduce admission, or even let fans in for free, and then the promoters are quoted as saying "We did this and the week after the crowd was back to normal"...

Of course it was...

Clearly by definition of the increase in crowd for the "special" it shows there is a strong market of ex attendees out there who still follow sport, but don't turn up due to the normal price point...

Laying out six figure salaries to riders who, whether there or not have little impact to crowd numbers, will mean you can never drop admission charges to a level that may regularly attract more of those who turn up for a "special"...

Edited 1 hour ago by mikebv

[Happy Hunter]

48 minutes ago, IainB said:

They do have a website though 😉😂

Although there is nothing on it!

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Happy Hunter
Spelling error

[IainB]

17 minutes ago, Happy Hunter said:

Although there is nothing on it!

There's a nice picture of the entrance... what more do you want 🤷‍♂️😂

[Hawk127]

8 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Dan and Brady who?

That would be the question from 99.9% of the 2.75 million who live within 45 mins of Manchester..

That's how well Belle Vue market them...

However, even the "Best Supported Clubs" run with a pretty poor levels of punters in real terms...

An average of 1500 or so isn't being "successful" really is it?

My lad will play in front of many more than that several tines a season, at step six of football, and last week at Hyde Utd, two Amateur Sunday League teams played out a final in front of over 1000 spectators..

I am always amazed when teams do a "special" and reduce admission, or Thursday even let fans in for free, and then the promoters are quoted as saying "We did this and the week after the crowd was back to normal"...

Of course it was...

Clearly by definition of the increase in crowd for the "special" it shows there is a strong market of ex attendees out there who still follow sport, but don't turn up due to the normal price point...

Laying out six figure salaries to riders who, whether there or not have little impact to crowd numbers, will mean you can never drop admission charges to a level that may regularly attract more of those who turn up for a "special"...

Failure to have a nationwide promoting policy is one issue as is the price point to watch the sport and the attitude of many punters who only want league speedway racing rather than general speedway racing.
As an example of what many miss out on you only have to take a look at the individual meeting in Poland on the 28th March and the line up you are getting and tickets for just over £11.00.

Once upon a time we could watch great individual meetings in this country which filled out the speedway calendar but now virtually nothing. Add to the lack of support for these meetings the failure by so many clubs to put on second halves for up and coming riders is only damaging the sport further. Put a £1 on the admission fee and put on a second half. Clubs will have already been paid by the punter so it does not matter if the majority leave after the last race of the league meeting, the riders are getting valuable track time.

If you have decent sponsorship and hold individual meetings at the right time then the top riders would come but many do not want to commit to a whole season in the UK. It is delusional to think that the worlds top riders would flock to the UK if a TV deal was in place and the points money matched what is available elsewhere. TV has made little difference to the numbers going through the turnstiles and has never nor ever will match the pulling power that fills stadia in Poland where you have broadcasters falling over themselves to get a slice of the action.
In the UK you just have to accept it a case of also rans and the sport should take a long hard look at itself and decide what is best for the domestic scene and build on that.

A new club comes along so just sit back and see how it pans out. What they do about promoting, team names, riders, promoters, managers etc, is down to those behind the venture and I am sure they are not naive or the amateurs that many think they are and all anyone needs to hope is that it goes well. How they do it is their business and no one else’s.

[Sir Sidney]

11 hours ago, Neila said:

As a lot of promotion done today is via Facebook, just done a search, guess what no Northampton speedway comes up, Northampton shaleway the stock car page does not mention anything. It's now 7 weeks to the 1st meeting at Northampton and no sign of ANY promotion being done. Anyone live near Northampton and have you heard of any promotion?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1bs37TMRic/

It is featured here and on the Spedeworth site, but not wall to wall advertising I'll grant you

[ouch]

1 hour ago, mikebv said:

Dan and Brady who?

That would be the question from 99.9% of the 2.75 million who live within 45 mins of Manchester..

That's how well Belle Vue market them...

However, even the "Best Supported Clubs" run with a pretty poor levels of punters in real terms...

An average of 1500 or so isn't being "successful" really is it?

My lad will play in front of many more than that several tines a season, at step six of football, and last week at Hyde Utd, two Amateur Sunday League teams played out a final in front of over 1000 spectators..

I am always amazed when teams do a "special" and reduce admission, or even let fans in for free, and then the promoters are quoted as saying "We did this and the week after the crowd was back to normal"...

Of course it was...

Clearly by definition of the increase in crowd for the "special" it shows there is a strong market of ex attendees out there who still follow sport, but don't turn up due to the normal price point...

Laying out six figure salaries to riders who, whether there or not have little impact to crowd numbers, will mean you can never drop admission charges to a level that may regularly attract more of those who turn up for a "special"...

 

Belle Vue regularly dropped admission charges to £15 or less with any number of kids free. They ran on a Sunday afternoon to help boost crowds. 99.9% of the 2.75 million didn’t care that Dan & Brady wasn’t riding but the problem was nobody turned up, well 500 on a good day. They couldn’t even get speedway fans to attend even though they had been told six days before that it was happening. 

When you add in the fact that they have repeatedly tried ……

Have an advert on local radio over an extended period of time. 

Have an advert in local newspapers over an extended period of time. 

Have an advertising board on some of the busiest roads in Manchester. 

Have posters in shops and businesses. 

Had out flyers in local shopping areas. 

Have a float or attend local fairs and carnivals. 

Attend local & national trade shows. 

Give out free tickets to schools and businesses. 

Take bikes and merchandise into schools to accompany the talk they deliver on the sport. 

Have a standing display of bike, suits & merchandise in the city centre. 

Be featured on local tv news’s 4 or 5 times between March and October. 

Have a regular editorial in local papers. 

Have a 30 minute highlights programme on a local tv satellite station. 

Form a tie up with local groups and offer free entry and supporters club membership. 

Attend (and win) local sports team of the year awards. 

Constant bombardment of social media posts across all the mayor platforms.

I’m a speedway nut but I’ve more than halved my attendance due to the fact that the majority is boring sh^%<e!

 

[ouch]

1 hour ago, mikebv said:

Dan and Brady who?

That would be the question from 99.9% of the 2.75 million who live within 45 mins of Manchester..

That's how well Belle Vue market them...

However, even the "Best Supported Clubs" run with a pretty poor levels of punters in real terms...

An average of 1500 or so isn't being "successful" really is it?

My lad will play in front of many more than that several tines a season, at step six of football, and last week at Hyde Utd, two Amateur Sunday League teams played out a final in front of over 1000 spectators..

I am always amazed when teams do a "special" and reduce admission, or even let fans in for free, and then the promoters are quoted as saying "We did this and the week after the crowd was back to normal"...

Of course it was...

Clearly by definition of the increase in crowd for the "special" it shows there is a strong market of ex attendees out there who still follow sport, but don't turn up due to the normal price point...

Laying out six figure salaries to riders who, whether there or not have little impact to crowd numbers, will mean you can never drop admission charges to a level that may regularly attract more of those who turn up for a "special"...

 

Belle Vue regularly dropped admission charges to £15 or less with any number of kids free. They ran on a Sunday afternoon to help boost crowds. 99.9% of the 2.75 million didn’t care that Dan & Brady wasn’t riding but the problem was nobody turned up, well 500 on a good day. They couldn’t even get speedway fans to attend even though they had been told six days before that it was happening. 

When you add in the fact that they have repeatedly tried ……

Have an advert on local radio over an extended period of time. 

Have an advert in local newspapers over an extended period of time. 

Have an advertising board on some of the busiest roads in Manchester. 

Have posters in shops and businesses. 

Had out flyers in local shopping areas. 

Have a float or attend local fairs and carnivals. 

Attend local & national trade shows. 

Give out free tickets to schools and businesses. 

Take bikes and merchandise into schools to accompany the talk they deliver on the sport. 

Have a standing display of bike, suits & merchandise in the city centre. 

Be featured on local tv news’s 4 or 5 times between March and October. 

Have a regular editorial in local papers. 

Have a 30 minute highlights programme on a local tv satellite station. 

Form a tie up with local groups and offer free entry and supporters club membership. 

Attend (and win) local sports team of the year awards. 

Constant bombardment of social media posts across all the mayor platforms.

I’m a speedway nut but I’ve more than halved my attendance due to the fact that the majority is boring sh^%<e!