Number of Meetings in the UK

[Kieran22222]

I noticed that Tom Brennan done 40 meetings in the UK, which is only just shy of the 45 he done in Poland and Sweden combined. Is there an argument that there are too many meetings in the UK and that actually less is more?

[Gone]

Not enough for me. Like it how it used to be one a week

[SPEEDY69]

1 hour ago, Kieran22222 said:

I noticed that Tom Brennan done 40 meetings in the UK, which is only just shy of the 45 he done in Poland and Sweden combined. Is there an argument that there are too many meetings in the UK and that actually less is more?

No.  Fanbase would get smaller, rents would increase and stadium owners even more likely to kick-out speedway tenants.

[Kieran22222]

How would fanbases get smaller and rents increase?

[SPEEDY69]

17 hours ago, Kieran22222 said:

How would fanbases get smaller and rents increase?

Landlords will want the same money for the year, so less meetings means the rent for each one will be higher. Fanbase will be smaller because people will get out of the habit of going if they're less frequent.  Can't make one as you're on holiday and the next one is not for a month it's easy to think oh well I won't bother as you've probably found an alternative routine/thing to do.

Edited Tuesday at 09:44 AM by SPEEDY69

[Trotter65]

I don’t think there needs to be less meetings in the UK….there are probably a lot less meetings in the UK now than in the past but more riders are now racing abroad than ever. In the past only the very best rode regularly abroad and that was often Sunday long tracks , foreign leagues weren’t readily available to British riders

[singy13]

On 11/3/2025 at 2:49 PM, Youhave2minutes said:

Not enough for me. Like it how it used to be one a week

If he's done 40 meetings during a season isn't that at least one per week? (of a speedway season)

You say you like more- but speedway doesn't do 52 weeks of the year, there's always an off season - like such as now!!!!

[Gone]

48 minutes ago, singy13 said:

If he's done 40 meetings during a season isn't that at least one per week? (of a speedway season)

You say you like more- but speedway doesn't do 52 weeks of the year, there's always an off season - like such as now!!!!

I know that it’s seasonal but weekly home meetings is what I was used too

[arnieg]

2025: 322 meetings

2004: 1095 meetings

All-time high- 1300 in 1978.

 

Sobering stats.

[Gone]

24 minutes ago, arnieg said:

2025: 322 meetings

2004: 1095 meetings

All-time high- 1300 in 1978.

 

Sobering stats.

Certainly is

[Racin Jason 72]

1 hour ago, arnieg said:

2025: 322 meetings

2004: 1095 meetings

All-time high- 1300 in 1978.

 

Sobering stats.

Wow that’s a huge difference. 

[The White Knight]

2 hours ago, arnieg said:

2025: 322 meetings

2004: 1095 meetings

All-time high- 1300 in 1978.

 

Sobering stats.

Sobering stats - YES.

Happy memories though. 

 

[old bob at herne bay]

On 11/3/2025 at 2:08 PM, Kieran22222 said:

I noticed that Tom Brennan done 40 meetings in the UK, which is only just shy of the 45 he done in Poland and Sweden combined. Is there an argument that there are too many meetings in the UK and that actually less is more?

Only because he is allowed to ride for 2 teams in the UK ! 

[Kieran22222]

11 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Only because he is allowed to ride for 2 teams in the UK ! 

I thought he only rode for Ipswich this year, unless I am going mad

[Ben91]

Less can be more. The issue with the British calendar isn’t that there aren’t enough meetings it’s that there is no consistency and often there are huge fixture gaps during the height of summer. 

If a team was at home once a fortnight and away once a fortnight (alternate weeks) it would encourage more fans to attend away meetings potentially. 

[mikebv]

On 11/5/2025 at 6:55 PM, arnieg said:

2025: 322 meetings

2004: 1095 meetings

All-time high- 1300 in 1978.

 

Sobering stats.

Imagine trying to run 1095 meetings now with such a small pool of riders?

It would be three riders per team....😄

[CrystalCastles]

On 11/4/2025 at 9:43 AM, SPEEDY69 said:

Landlords will want the same money for the year, so less meetings means the rent for each one will be higher. Fanbase will be smaller because people will get out of the habit of going if they're less frequent.  Can't make one as you're on holiday and the next one is not for a month it's easy to think oh well I won't bother as you've probably found an alternative routine/thing to do.

I think it's also worth noting that a lot of weekly meetings during the season probably don't cover the rent. 

A shorter calendar would be better in my opinion.

A more professional and structured calendar would mean that they could actually get a season completed before the play off cut off date, more flexibility for rain offs.

I think fans already pick and choose what to attend, for lots of reasons.

 

[SteelShoe]

On 11/3/2025 at 2:08 PM, Kieran22222 said:

I noticed that Tom Brennan done 40 meetings in the UK, which is only just shy of the 45 he done in Poland and Sweden combined. Is there an argument that there are too many meetings in the UK and that actually less is more?

less will have to be more next season

[CrystalCastles]

On 11/6/2025 at 8:27 PM, Ben91 said:

Less can be more. The issue with the British calendar isn’t that there aren’t enough meetings it’s that there is no consistency and often there are huge fixture gaps during the height of summer. 

If a team was at home once a fortnight and away once a fortnight (alternate weeks) it would encourage more fans to attend away meetings potentially. 

I'd like to see Promoters and the sport as a whole introduce some more flexible ticketing options in the future.

I have a Glamorgan membership for 8 days play+ a free ticket for a guest for 1 day & free entrance at other county grounds (When Glamorgan aren't playing). 

This encourages me and commits me to going. Next year is £100, based on current season prices it would be £120 on the day. I've failed to use it to it's full potential every season (Think i've typically done 6 days play, never used it anywhere else). So they probably make a small upside on me.

I think with modern fans being more likely to pick and choose, more could be done to get people to go maybe not to a full season but to a significant part of it. And i think for fans who travel away.

There's a lot of fans who have lost there team, who still go and typically travel around to different tracks.

I think the sport could be doing so much more in this area.

Edited 4 hours ago by CrystalCastles