Seriously

[IainB]

2 minutes ago, Hawk127 said:

Another issue is, it is now the business end of the season in Poland and the GPs so no rider is going to possibly jeopardise either becoming potential world champion or risk not winning the league or retaining a place in the upper league in Poland. They pay the riders top dollar and can make demands on them to protect the Polish product and t v rights with t v companies seemingly contributing handsomely to the coffers of Polish speedway across the board. Not sure what the answer is but UK speedway is not in a position to exploit an event to the detriment of the punters attending who are at odds with what is on offer and now pick and choose the meetings they attend because the product has become tired and in some cases boring. Those who want to exploit the punter are not looking at the bigger picture and are possibly driving the sport into oblivion.

To be fair generally the effort levels of the riders does seem to go up a notch during the play offs in the UK, whether that's perceived by the fans (me) or is actually the case I don't know, but I'd like to think it is the former. 

As for some clubs increasing the admission prices, I know King's Lynn have done it in the past but most clubs don't... I don't call them the pay offs for no reason though. 

[Hawk127]

2 minutes ago, IainB said:

To be fair generally the effort levels of the riders does seem to go up a notch during the play offs in the UK, whether that's perceived by the fans (me) or is actually the case I don't know, but I'd like to think it is the former. 

As for some clubs increasing the admission prices, I know King's Lynn have done it in the past but most clubs don't... I don't call them the pay offs for no reason though. 

I don’t disagree with your comments but the financial stakes seem to be much bigger these days and with Poland seemingly calling the tune it is a big financial risk for riders. In all fairness who would blame Brady for not taking too many risks given the biggest prize of his career possibly up for grabs. As much as I like Bartosz I would like to see Brady take the honours this year as the guy deserves it. 

[Sir Sidney]

1 hour ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

That’s to watch a professional product in a competition that actually brings kudos & means something to win it. I doubt they would pay that much if half the team doubled up in the championship & used guests to cover injuries.
 

A far cry from British Speedway. If British speedway was attracting full houses & had people waiting on List’s & ballots to get tickets they could probably warrant higher prices. At the moment for many people 24 quid isn’t attractive let alone 27 for what is on offer.

I don't disagree with you in the main. 

I was quite happy to pay my £29 in the seats to see the current world number 2 and 3, and another SGP rider and another most people seem to think should be an SGP rider. For me, heat 15 was worth the entry fee. At other tracks the amount I would pay might be less.

I pay less to watch speedway than I do, for example,  rugby - but British speedway could do so much more to attract more support and to improve the value of the event. 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

How many belle vue tee shirts,scarfs  and hoodies etc did the belle vue track shop sell Monday night or any race night for that matter ? Something I witnessed last week at zielona gora and gorzow was just how many fans brought the merch from the club stores, there were que’s out the doors, team shirts and scarfs were sold in huge quantities generating substantial income for the clubs and it seemed no matter what you wanted they had it with their logo on it 

[cowboy cookie returns?]

9 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

How many belle vue tee shirts,scarfs  and hoodies etc did the belle vue track shop sell Monday night or any race night for that matter ? Something I witnessed last week at zielona gora and gorzow was just how many fans brought the merch from the club stores, there were que’s out the doors, team shirts and scarfs were sold in huge quantities generating substantial income for the clubs and it seemed no matter what you wanted they had it with their logo on it 

If the sport here was run in a professional manner & the supporters had that bond with the team as their riders that could happen here.

We are now in a position where riders over here in the main are just hired hands who ride for your club one night & someone else the next in in the uk.

 

[PhilTheAce]

10 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

How many belle vue tee shirts,scarfs  and hoodies etc did the belle vue track shop sell Monday night or any race night for that matter ? Something I witnessed last week at zielona gora and gorzow was just how many fans brought the merch from the club stores, there were que’s out the doors, team shirts and scarfs were sold in huge quantities generating substantial income for the clubs and it seemed no matter what you wanted they had it with their logo on it 

our track shop does very well tbf

[IainB]

46 minutes ago, PhilTheAce said:

our track shop does very well tbf

Even the one on the back straight that I have only ever seen open once on my many visits to the NSS?

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, PhilTheAce said:

our track shop does very well tbf

No it doesn’t, how much merch is seen worn inside the stadium ? Very little, I’m not having a dig at BV this is every track, it doesn’t have a brand or an identity, my son has a belle vue shirt and he is one of the very few who wear them on race night, the brand is what sells the team 

[bellevueace]

2 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

If the sport here was run in a professional manner & the supporters had that bond with the team as their riders that could happen here.

We are now in a position where riders over here in the main are just hired hands who ride for your club one night & someone else the next in in the uk.

 

I agree with that, supporters dont have that bond with their clubs that they used to have. When clubs had riders that were their riders that had an affinity with the club it was different, Belle Vue had Wilkie, PC, and Mort, Ipswich J Louis, Sanders, Davey, Kings Lynn Betts, Lee, Leicester Wilson, Coventry Boocock for example, fans and riders had that loyalty to their particular club. Today the riders are hired hands in comparison, but you could say the same about football too, times change and loyalty today is to Poland and the big money. Cant blame the riders considering the risks in the sport.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, PhilTheAce said:

our track shop does very well tbf

No it doesn’t, how much merch is seen worn inside the stadium ? Very little, I’m not having a dig at BV this is every track, it doesn’t have a brand or an identity, my son has a belle vue shirt and he is one of the very few who wear them on race night, the brand is what sells the team 

[Sargent10]

42 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

No it doesn’t, how much merch is seen worn inside the stadium ? Very little, I’m not having a dig at BV this is every track, it doesn’t have a brand or an identity, my son has a belle vue shirt and he is one of the very few who wear them on race night, the brand is what sells the team 

Ffs, I wish everyone would stop comparing British speedway with Poland, completely different animal, in Poland speedway is virtually the national sport, said it so many times how many other sports in Poland have any sort of history/following? Speedway is tribal over there like football here, so merchandising is big business and they buy the shirts etc and follow their team, that finished years ago in British speedway, probably around the time of the premier league starting and coverage of football increasing, one notable aspect of this happened this last couple of weeks, Lublin having to restructure themselves because council grants which most teams receive are being cut because there local football club is doing well and maybe that’s a sign of things changing.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

26 minutes ago, Sargent10 said:

Ffs, I wish everyone would stop comparing British speedway with Poland, completely different animal, in Poland speedway is virtually the national sport, said it so many times how many other sports in Poland have any sort of history/following? Speedway is tribal over there like football here, so merchandising is big business and they buy the shirts etc and follow their team, that finished years ago in British speedway, probably around the time of the premier league starting and coverage of football increasing, one notable aspect of this happened this last couple of weeks, Lublin having to restructure themselves because council grants which most teams receive are being cut because there local football club is doing well and maybe that’s a sign of things changing.

Ffs 🙄 I’m not comparing the two I’m pointing out that merchandise is and should be a must for all team sports including speedway in Poland the uk or on the moon, it’s branding and branding generates publicity and awareness but for whatever the reason we don’t seem to push it, so get off your high horse and actually get the point 

[IainB]

1 hour ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

No it doesn’t, how much merch is seen worn inside the stadium ? Very little, I’m not having a dig at BV this is every track, it doesn’t have a brand or an identity, my son has a belle vue shirt and he is one of the very few who wear them on race night, the brand is what sells the team 

I'd disagree with that actually, last time I was up there, in the south stand, I actually did notice how many team shirts were being worn by the fans... maybe it's different in the posh seats in the main stand

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

2 minutes ago, IainB said:

I'd disagree with that actually, last time I was up there, in the south stand, I actually did notice how many team shirts were being worn by the fans... maybe it's different in the posh seats in the main stand

When I was there a few weeks back I think I saw around 10 including my son, me and the Mrs were talking about how nobody was wearing them 

Edited 2 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[IainB]

6 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

When I was there a few weeks back I think I saw around 10 including my son, me and the Mrs were talking about how nobody was wearing them 

North or South stand?

[ABS]

5 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

When I was there a few weeks back I think I saw around 10 including my son, me and the Mrs were talking about how nobody was wearing them 

Perhaps people go straight to the tracks from work? The Premiership is an evening sport over here in the UK as opposed to a weekend sport in Poland. Maybe this influences what people wear?

[Sir Sidney]

10 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

When I was there a few weeks back I think I saw around 10 including my son, me and the Mrs were talking about how nobody was wearing them 

What is noticeable about Poland is how many people (in addition to other team wear) have club scarves and wave them at any opportunity - especially during races as their riders go by. It creates a great effect and is very visible. It's virtually non existent in UK, but so easy to do

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

7 minutes ago, ABS said:

Perhaps people go straight to the tracks from work? The Premiership is an evening sport over here in the UK as opposed to a weekend sport in Poland. Maybe this influences what people wear?

Maybe, I’m not blaming the people I’m just saying this should be a thing that needs to be addressed and pressed 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

14 minutes ago, IainB said:

North or South stand?

The standing one whichever that is 

[IainB]

2 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

The standing one whichever that is 

Yeah, that's the south stand... hey ho, just shows how different people notice different things 🤷‍♂️