IainB Posted 7 hours ago Report Share Posted 7 hours ago Just now, SteveLyric2 said: OK I'll get 'Arry to give Barry and Eddie a call on the blower. Its a touch... Seriously though if the Hearns did want to get involved in Speedway (which I'm pretty sure they don't) then the SGP series would probably be the way to go. It has a proven track record by the previous promoters to WBD staging events in big stadia at destination cities attracting big crowds and you could argue was on the cusp of going mainstream at that time, so it's been proven that it can be done and an audience is out there, the series is just missing the characters for the public to get involved with, the razzamataz, the hype etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted 6 hours ago Report Share Posted 6 hours ago 1 hour ago, IainB said: Seriously though if the Hearns did want to get involved in Speedway (which I'm pretty sure they don't) then the SGP series would probably be the way to go. It has a proven track record by the previous promoters to WBD staging events in big stadia at destination cities attracting big crowds and you could argue was on the cusp of going mainstream at that time, so it's been proven that it can be done and an audience is out there, the series is just missing the characters for the public to get involved with, the razzamataz, the hype etc. I agree with this, running a league is not really their thing but running something like the GP is but there are a couple of things which are odd like Redknapp asking Hearn and doing the publicity pics and then 3 of the shareholders in speedway futures Ltd are sport management people including ex motox rider Jamie Dobb, why ? Do they know something is coming ?Ā Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 5 hours ago Report Share Posted 5 hours ago 48 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said: I agree with this, running a league is not really their thing but running something like the GP is but there are a couple of things which are odd like Redknapp asking Hearn and doing the publicity pics and then 3 of the shareholders in speedway futures Ltd are sport management people including ex motox rider Jamie Dobb, why ? Do they know something is coming ?Ā Hopefully... "Anything" that delivers 21st Century marketing being that hope.... A great piece in the Speedway Star today from Tony Mcdonald covering how similar so many of todays issues are with the sport 40 years ago, and the way so much of what we have today is a legacy of failing to change when, often, the writing was clearly on the wall by carrying on doing the same thing each season... You have to wonder, looking at the crowds now, if we are now at "ground zero" and necessity will actually truly be the mother of invention, and those in charge actually start to work collectively realising that they are really "one entity" and only as strong as their weakest link... One team getting 5000+ for a play off final is all well and good, however, dozens and dozens of meetings around the county being ran in front of circa 500, or even less, each season far outweighs that one night when the sport looked "popular".... Dozens and dozens of meetings with 500 MORE in attendance each meeting, has to be the initial momentum building target... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago I reckon that I was so lucky to watch and support Speedway during the 'sixties' and 'seventies'.. It was never perfect, but it was entertaining. The different competitions, Pairs, Four Team Tournaments, Internationals, Individual Meetings, (Proper) League Racing where the Team that won the League were actually allowed to win it (no 'Play Offs'). No Grand Prix either, just a proper Individual World Final that really meant something with loads of Qualifying Meetings. It was open to ALL riders, not just the selected few. There was even a chance for Second Division riders to win it. Compare that to what we have now. Plain League Racing, the odd Pairs Event, the very rare Individual Meeting and the odd GP. So little variation. No the wonder that people are voting with their feet. If I were able to attend, I am not sure that I would, Speedway has changed so much, and not for the better. Where are all the Characters these days? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singy13 Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago 16 minutes ago, The White Knight said: Where are all the Characters these days? They are on here giving expert advise as to how to remedy UK speedway's slide into oblivion. And apparently most favour Two visions - so if that happens the 'slide' will obviously continue !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago (edited) 1 hour ago, The White Knight said: I reckon that I was so lucky to watch and support Speedway during the 'sixties' and 'seventies'.. It was never perfect, but it was entertaining. The different competitions, Pairs, Four Team Tournaments, Internationals, Individual Meetings, (Proper) League Racing where the Team that won the League were actually allowed to win it (no 'Play Offs'). No Grand Prix either, just a proper Individual World Final that really meant something with loads of Qualifying Meetings. It was open to ALL riders, not just the selected few. There was even a chance for Second Division riders to win it. Compare that to what we have now. Plain League Racing, the odd Pairs Event, the very rare Individual Meeting and the odd GP. So little variation. No the wonder that people are voting with their feet. If I were able to attend, I am not sure that I would, Speedway has changed so much, and not for the better. Where are all the Characters these days? Add in that we have lost 15 teams in the past decade.... Wolves, Coventry, Birmingham, Somerset, Lakeside, Rye House, Peterborough, Swindon, Stoke, Newcastle, Eastbourne, Oxford (top tier), and the IOW and Mildenhall, (NORA), (Kent got replaced 'ish'), and Cradley stopped riding at Wolves, and you have to wonder what standard we would have today if all these teams were in any of the 3 leagues, given the lack of rider numbers.. As the song goes... "The Only Way Is Up!!!".. Edit. Add in Buxton, but they are coming back.. (Dean, get that Wessie out, you are their No1!!!)...š Ā Edited 25 minutes ago by mikebv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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