DJC Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 10 minutes ago, BluPanther said: I think regularly attracting any worthwhile amount of supporters from defunct tracks is a myth... I agree. We would pick and choose meetings at Somerset and Swindon after Newport closed down but it never felt the same. Probably 5 a year at Somerset and even less at Swindon. I actually think we went to Somerset more when Newport were running than after 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 (edited) 2 hours ago, BluPanther said: I think regularly attracting any worthwhile amount of supporters from defunct tracks is a myth... Birmingham, with Cradley, Coventry and Wolverhampton, (and even Stoke), within reasonable commutable distance, certainly would back up that opinion... Getting a new track should be something to celebrate, but you do feel that there is a certain amount of desperation with this venture, with allowing riders to double up (as we know how important that is), being the main reason for another top tier team... Let's hope whoever takes over can truly promote a high octane, adrenaline fuelled, exciting and dangerous sport, which brings in plenty of fans who then become regulars... If they can, then maybe it can become a template for others to do the same...? Edited February 16 by mikebv 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish McRaker Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 Is there a possibility that having 6 teams could salvage a tv deal (albeit a limited one) in 2026, thus providing a contribution towards the setting-up costs? But as well as the question of lack of support base and lead-up promotion & marketing, theres also the question of product quality. Whilst the sub-surface of the track should be fine (no hidden nappies), the first season at a new track is notorious for revealing previously unforseen problems. So many new tracks throughout speedway's history have failed due to such problems being insurmountable. And whereas Ipswich should be okay once their supporters get dialled into their new-look team, you do wonder about the possible quality of a 6th team, after the recent experiences of Birmingham, Kings Lynn and Oxford coming to mind. A 6-team league that features a lame duck side is asking for big trouble, not just for that club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piston197 Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 1 hour ago, DJC said: I agree. We would pick and choose meetings at Somerset and Swindon after Newport closed down but it never felt the same. Probably 5 a year at Somerset and even less at Swindon. I actually think we went to Somerset more when Newport were running than after Likewise, hardly missed a new era Newport meeting, went to a few at Somerset, ( awful drive down a regularly jammed M5) standing on a cold slippery bank and a circuit that was basically a big doughnut, never compared favourably to Newport, went to a few at Swindon as well, poor atmosphere looking through wire fencing across a dog track did not compare favourably either, once your team is gone it is hard to switch allegiance. I would rather attend a grass track now, slick operation, lots of good close races, but if Newport was to return I would be back in a heartbeat / 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ben91 Posted February 16 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 16 I just cannot, and will not be able to square away the fact that a track can be opened where nobody is calling for it, yet there have been multiple clubs that it would have been much easier to save but weren't rescued over the last let's call it a decade or so. It's compounding years of bad business with some more bad business. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 4 minutes ago, Ben91 said: I just cannot, and will not be able to square away the fact that a track can be opened where nobody is calling for it, yet there have been multiple clubs that it would have been much easier to save but weren't rescued over the last let's call it a decade or so. It's compounding years of bad business with some more bad business. At last three, and probably more, riders get to "Double Up"... The key reason for two leagues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGould Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Sorry to be a part pooper. Anyone who thinks that you could drive from anywhere west of Coventry (e.g Greater Birmingham, Black Country, Staffordshire, Worcestershire or further west) in anything under 2 hours to remote Northamptonshire is living in cloud cuckoo land. It can take an hour to get from Wolverhampton to Birmingham or Birmingham to Coventry. The only way a Track in Braefield can attract any fans further west than Coventry would be to run on Saturday night or Sunday. Fans would literally have to take a day off work / school and fork out £40 / £50 in fuel. They may do it once or twice for novelty value but that is all. Its a financial disaster on the Perry Barr scale waiting to happen. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjcone44 Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 stop hating on British speedway 🤣 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Well if it all comes off at Northampton I wish them luck . 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverblue Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 I don't see why all the negativity, Northampton is easily accessible from many major roads, if you have been deprived of speedway I would have thought you would see this as a godsend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chips Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Just a thought - does anyone live locally enough to witness if there is actually any work going on there? A lot of this is pure hearsay right now - some sort of evidence of a fence being built would be enough to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishersGate Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 4 minutes ago, Dave_minall said: Just a thought - does anyone live locally enough to witness if there is actually any work going on there? A lot of this is pure hearsay right now - some sort of evidence of a fence being built would be enough to know. I know someone who visited the track the other day and took photos, there's so much work to do from what I've seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 41 minutes ago, FishersGate said: I know someone who visited the track the other day and took photos, there's so much work to do from what I've seen Not many meetings to fit in so they could start sometime in May... Only initially doing Away meetings will mean a fair few quid in reserves is required with no money coming in though... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 (edited) 5 hours ago, HGould said: Sorry to be a part pooper. Anyone who thinks that you could drive from anywhere west of Coventry (e.g Greater Birmingham, Black Country, Staffordshire, Worcestershire or further west) in anything under 2 hours to remote Northamptonshire is living in cloud cuckoo land. It can take an hour to get from Wolverhampton to Birmingham or Birmingham to Coventry. The only way a Track in Braefield can attract any fans further west than Coventry would be to run on Saturday night or Sunday. Fans would literally have to take a day off work / school and fork out £40 / £50 in fuel. They may do it once or twice for novelty value but that is all. Its a financial disaster on the Perry Barr scale waiting to happen. I wholly disagree with this and know so from experience My son currently lives and works not too far from Telford and has manages to get back to Ipswich for 7:45 Tuesday kick offs leaving sometimes as late as 4:15 For him Brafield would be about 100 mins, from Birmingham perhap 85, Wolverhampton 70 and Coventry under 60 Yes delays can always happen but 2 hours plus from those areas would be very unlikely Edited February 17 by dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotteringAround Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 1 hour ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said: I wholly disagree with this and know so from experience My son currently lives and works not too far from Telford and has manages to get back to Ipswich for 7:45 Tuesday kick offs leaving sometimes as late as 4:15 For him Brafield would be about 100 mins, from Birmingham perhap 85, Wolverhampton 70 and Coventry under 60 Yes delays can always happen but 2 hours plus from those areas would be very unlikely Agreed. I could get from Stoke to Brafield in around 100 mins. Maybe 1 hr 45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singy13 Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 2 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said: manages to get back to Ipswich for 7:45 Tuesday kick offs leaving sometimes as late as 4:15 Who's side are you on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teromaafan Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 2 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said: I wholly disagree with this and know so from experience My son currently lives and works not too far from Telford and has manages to get back to Ipswich for 7:45 Tuesday kick offs leaving sometimes as late as 4:15 For him Brafield would be about 100 mins, from Birmingham perhap 85, Wolverhampton 70 and Coventry under 60 Yes delays can always happen but 2 hours plus from those areas would be very unlikely And just how many people do you think are prepared to spend this amount of time travelling to watch speedway on a regular basis? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverblue Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 13 minutes ago, Teromaafan said: And just how many people do you think are prepared to spend this amount of time travelling to watch speedway on a regular basis? There must be a lot that do and Northampton is not very far from Leicester, If I lived in Leicester I would go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle77 Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 I'm based in West London and in my time I've followed Wembley, Wimbledon, Hackney, White City, Eastbourne, Rye House, Lakeside and Oxford... I think it's about a 60 mile drive for me to get to Northampton, so I might give them a visit or two if it ever get's off the ground... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therefused Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 fairly easy route for both Leicester and Sheffield fans too as its straight down the M1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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