M.D Posted Tuesday at 05:17 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 05:17 PM 7 hours ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said: What happened to Newcastle and Eastbourne? The Dugard's don't want speedway at Arlington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortythirtyeight Posted Tuesday at 06:48 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 06:48 PM 8 hours ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said: What happened to Newcastle and Eastbourne? Newcastle was finally put out of its misery by an idiot who pretended to be a promoter , Grant , who delivered the final shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted Tuesday at 06:52 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 06:52 PM (edited) 1 hour ago, M.D said: The Dugard's don't want speedway at Arlington. It says it all really when a family steeped in Speedway history doesn't want the sport at the stadium it owns and runs. Edited Tuesday at 06:53 PM by IainB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk127 Posted Tuesday at 08:30 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 08:30 PM 9 hours ago, Fromafar said: Everyone seems to be forgetting the financial side of things when talking about Teams moving up. Agree, it is about what works for the local business model. Tracks/promoters/home teams can no longer rely on swelling the coffers with income from the opponents spectators attending away matches. Firstly you have the cost of travel, then the possibility of a call off because a dark cloud is expected at around the first race and add to this the fickle attitude of riders who cannot cope with damp tracks etc. and that is just a few of the reasons why racing from yesteryear does not work today. Week day speedway works for a number of clubs but others have seen increased support from weekend meetings when at least the chances of away support increases. Tracks need to promote what’s on offer when they can get the best number through the turnstiles. It is so difficult to come up with a formula that works for the speedway demographic given the self interest of the club owner/promoter and the influence of overseas competition where some riders can, assuming they are good enough, earn top dollar in places like Poland but I still wonder how many riders sit down and work out the risk factors should they end up on the sidelines because of an injury and are asked to repay the advance fees. it is a shame that so many on this forum have good suggestions on ways to improve the offering but no one is listening. Oh well we await the annual debacle in November and thankfully ignore the outcome and instead look forward to another season of racing from Poland which seems to be so much more organised. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byker Biker Posted Tuesday at 08:50 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 08:50 PM 3 hours ago, M.D said: The Dugard's don't want speedway at Arlington. In fairness to the family Bob was always strong enough to stand up to the BSPA and threatened to close it many times if it didn't work for them. I know you are part of the consortium to revive the Eagles but the Dugards have seen and heard it all before. Bob was never my favourite promoter but he did give it every best shot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted Tuesday at 10:08 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 10:08 PM 1 hour ago, Byker Biker said: In fairness to the family Bob was always strong enough to stand up to the BSPA and threatened to close it many times if it didn't work for them. I know you are part of the consortium to revive the Eagles but the Dugards have seen and heard it all before. Bob was never my favourite promoter but he did give it every best shot. "Close it if it didn't work for them"? A perfect example of why the sport is where it is... And all to try an win something hardly anyone gives a toss about, with hardly any financial return, and all simply down to the way they themselves as a collective run things.. I remember Jon Cook (who seemed switched on), in an interview with the SS, when on the MC, saying he dreaded the phone call asking for a decision on a guest rider that may, or may not, have been allowed in some meeting.. As once, a promoter called him and said he would not run the meeting and close the track if he didn't get his way... Basically, too many promoters have seemed to have the following attitude... "If I can't have what I want, I am taking my bat and ball home with me and you all then cannot play".. They need to work collectively and ensure all come to the tapes as even as is possible, given no one is going to get "rich" by winning any UK Speedway league, nor are they going to get any national recognition... Looking "insular" is no longer an option I would suggest, and everyone needs to work together to get the sport out of its current "steeply" downwards trajectory... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bob at herne bay Posted 13 hours ago Report Share Posted 13 hours ago MikeBV, Its been said many times before bt the modern day "promoters" just want to win at all costs. They all forget that they are in the ENTERTAINMENT business. What is served up nowadays falls far short of acceptable entertainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 valve Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago (edited) Maybe a version of the old 13 heat format (happiness was 40-38)should be considered with six man teams and the final race being made up of nominated riders. Also give team managers more of an input by allowing teams trailing by (say) 6 points choice of gate positions. And then after an interval have a short second half featuring juniors/development teams. Basically, providing some variety at no extra cost. Edited 2 hours ago by 1 valve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PersonalResponsibility Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago (edited) I've just been reading an obscure report/essay about speedway. It's mainly focused on the 20s/30s and the birth of speedway, but I couldn't help but think some things sounded strangely familiar. Quote Unlike many other British sports, there was no debate within the motor-cycling world about the need for a strong amateur presence within speedway, but, as A.J. Hunting believed, this may have been because the costs of a machine and clothing were prohibitively expensive for amateur. [May 2nd 1928] Quote Tom Stenner, a speedway journalist, claimed that many of the early promoters were ‘nimble-witted individuals’ who ‘opened tracks of mushroom growth that paid no-one but themselves and were never intended to do so. [1934] Quote E.O. Spence, the manager of Belle Vue and sometimes called the Mussolini of speedway, was often accused of not being interested in promoting junior riders but he maintained that the public wished to see only the big names [1st August 1930] Quote Long delays between heats caused by false starts and the breakdown of machines were seen as deterrents to public interest Quote The ACU and the Speedway Control Board do not seem to have had a programme to promote the expansion of speedway. Their minute books show that they waited for those interested in promoting to approach them instead of searching out potential investors to introduce speedway into new locations or to take over existing tracks. Still, at least we've learned from our mistakes. Edited 1 hour ago by PersonalResponsibility 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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