Arenacross vs Speedway

[Vince]

Just got back from the Arenacross at the NEC Birmingham and thought it worth mentioning a couple of things.

Firstly Dan Bewley is a respectable motocross rider, it was only in the whoops which are Supercross specific really that he was losing time in a decent Pro-AM class.

Secondly the presentation compared to even the Cardiff GP was so much better. 3 good presenters who ramped up the crowd and kept the interest going between races, probably all a bit shouty for an old bloke like me but the youngsters lapped it up and sport needs the likes of them more than the likes of me for the future. Lots of flashing lights, loud music and freestyle MX/ girls dancing with fire and a guy chucking free kids T shirts randomly into the crowd all accompanied with encouragement for the crowd to make a lot of noise and be involved between races and while the track was graded. (Graded incidentally by the son of Ace of Aces Promoter Ian Barclay)

All in all despite decent rather than great racing we came away having had a great time and Speedway could take some lessons from the Promoters of this series. Might not be practical for every meeting but a lot of what they did could be applied to the bigger events and most certainly the GPs.

 

[Tim G]

30 minutes ago, Vince said:

Just got back from the Arenacross at the NEC Birmingham and thought it worth mentioning a couple of things.

Firstly Dan Bewley is a respectable motocross rider, it was only in the whoops which are Supercross specific really that he was losing time in a decent Pro-AM class.

Secondly the presentation compared to even the Cardiff GP was so much better. 3 good presenters who ramped up the crowd and kept the interest going between races, probably all a bit shouty for an old bloke like me but the youngsters lapped it up and sport needs the likes of them more than the likes of me for the future. Lots of flashing lights, loud music and freestyle MX/ girls dancing with fire and a guy chucking free kids T shirts randomly into the crowd all accompanied with encouragement for the crowd to make a lot of noise and be involved between races and while the track was graded. (Graded incidentally by the son of Ace of Aces Promoter Ian Barclay)

All in all despite decent rather than great racing we came away having had a great time and Speedway could take some lessons from the Promoters of this series. Might not be practical for every meeting but a lot of what they did could be applied to the bigger events and most certainly the GPs.

 

I went aswell and it really is an entertaining and enjoyable show, it’s non stop and the 3 hours go so quickly.

Thought Dan was playing quite it safe when he had other riders around him but put in a good performance in his second ride.

[mikebv]

I attended one in Manchester a few years ago..

I said at the time that every UK Speedway promoter should go and see how motorbike racing could be presented..

My lad caught a T shirt and I got roped in to entering the text raffle to win a mini MX bike, which was hanging from fhe ceiling, at a fiver a ticket...

They must have paid for that bike several times over given how many phones were in use!

Music. Lights. Noise. Colour. Excitement...

And a hyped up prize too, where it was said they were racing for a £200k first prize...

The reality was that this was the total paid out over the five rounds to the riders..

But nothing wrong with a bit of hype that increases your profile and standing... 

[Bagpuss]

How much to get in out of interest?

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, Bagpuss said:

How much to get in out of interest?

When I went around seven years ago it was £70 for me and my then 15 year old lad...

From the moment of entry where riders had their meet and greet merch stalls, and free event posters given away signed by many of them, to the "have your photo with the Monster girls" (He did, I didn't!),, to the pre racing build up, the actual racing itself (didn't have a clue who any of them were), and the entertainment between hests eg the T shirt guns getting fired, the text raffle for fhe bike, right through to the free giveaways as we left, more posters, stickers etc..

Worth every penny...

And so much of it would have cost fhe organisers minimal outlay, yet the crowd left with great memories and something tangible to also remember it by...

I got an email that night thanking me and my son for attending and asking for feedback, and 12 months later, an email with 10% off tickets but we were going away so couldn't go..

Proper Promotion by Proper Promoters...

Edited 6 hours ago by mikebv

[Preston Comet]

I imagine they have a bit more money to promote than the average speedway club

[mikebv]

4 hours ago, Preston Comet said:

I imagine they have a bit more money to promote than the average speedway club

Who collectively spend seven figures a year on riders? 

Edited 1 hour ago by mikebv

[Preston Comet]

Yeah, good point Mike.

Also, its indoors in a decent arena..

Send all them punters to watch the same thing, with the same razamataz, at say, Armadale, Edinburgh, and see how keen theyll be

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

13 hours ago, Vince said:

Just got back from the Arenacross at the NEC Birmingham and thought it worth mentioning a couple of things.

Firstly Dan Bewley is a respectable motocross rider, it was only in the whoops which are Supercross specific really that he was losing time in a decent Pro-AM class.

Secondly the presentation compared to even the Cardiff GP was so much better. 3 good presenters who ramped up the crowd and kept the interest going between races, probably all a bit shouty for an old bloke like me but the youngsters lapped it up and sport needs the likes of them more than the likes of me for the future. Lots of flashing lights, loud music and freestyle MX/ girls dancing with fire and a guy chucking free kids T shirts randomly into the crowd all accompanied with encouragement for the crowd to make a lot of noise and be involved between races and while the track was graded. (Graded incidentally by the son of Ace of Aces Promoter Ian Barclay)

All in all despite decent rather than great racing we came away having had a great time and Speedway could take some lessons from the Promoters of this series. Might not be practical for every meeting but a lot of what they did could be applied to the bigger events and most certainly the GPs.

 

When ever I go to a gig at an arena I always think could they put them in my speedway GP in here, I went to see Jim Jeffries a couple of months back at this venue and although it well situated I didn’t think it was big enough for a track and fans, hard to tell with the pictures from the arenacross, would you say it’s big enough ? 

[Tim G]

4 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

How much to get in out of interest?

I paid just under £50 last night, there were cheaper tickets available and also some more expensive.

You could get a family ticket for £100.

They also do numerous VIP upgrades and you can also buy a track walk package.

[Vince]

4 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

How much to get in out of interest?

£59 per seat at what I think was the price for the majority.. I think the cheapest were £44 and the view from anywhere would have been pretty good. The most expensive VIP tickets I didn't look at but imagine somewhere between extortionate and daylight robbery ☺️

2 hours ago, Preston Comet said:

I imagine they have a bit more money to promote than the average speedway club

Hence why I said bigger events and especially the GPs. They are in it to make money though so these events must be turning a decent profit.

2 hours ago, Preston Comet said:

Yeah, good point Mike.

Also, its indoors in a decent arena..

Send all them punters to watch the same thing, with the same razamataz, at say, Armadale, Edinburgh, and see how keen theyll be

As above, but a lot of the enthusiasm shown by the promotion would cost next to nothing and would make for a more exciting night out.

1 hour ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

When ever I go to a gig at an arena I always think could they put them in my speedway GP in here, I went to see Jim Jeffries a couple of months back at this venue and although it well situated I didn’t think it was big enough for a track and fans, hard to tell with the pictures from the arenacross, would you say it’s big enough ? 

I'd guess in that hall you'd be looking at 250m max or maybe 200m with air fences. I went to the Classic car show a few years back at the NEC and as best I can remember some of those halls were bigger and could have a reasonable track built in but would need stands built as well. What the cost of those halls are though I have no idea.

I reckon a small track with a few top riders at this time of year and with the same presentation could work well if filled to capacity like the arenacross. Just looked it up and capacity in that hall is 15,600 which would be a better atmosphere than a half full Cardiff.

[mikebv]

2 hours ago, Preston Comet said:

Yeah, good point Mike.

Also, its indoors in a decent arena..

Send all them punters to watch the same thing, with the same razamataz, at say, Armadale, Edinburgh, and see how keen theyll be

Well it certainly wouldn't work at Edinburgh...

Their promoter couldn't work out how or why the city's basketball team got three times the crowds Speedway got...  

[Hawk127]

I had a look at the website and anyone interested in two wheeled motor sport could not help but be impressed and would be attracted to the event given the time of year and speedway could certainly learn a thing or two. A good few years back I went to an indoor flat track meeting in Braintree and that was good entertainment. If I remember correctly that was in January, but nevertheless it was a good turn out and some decent racing. It then begs the question, why can’t speedway be a bit more innovative and look at options to run meetings off season. 

[IainB]

1 hour ago, Tim G said:

I paid just under £50 last night, there were cheaper tickets available and also some more expensive.

You could get a family ticket for £100.

They also do numerous VIP upgrades and you can also buy a track walk package.

But could you watch a race from the centre green 😂

[IainB]

1 hour ago, Vince said:

£59 per seat at what I think was the price for the majority.. I think the cheapest were £44 and the view from anywhere would have been pretty good. The most expensive VIP tickets I didn't look at but imagine somewhere between extortionate and daylight robbery ☺️

Hence why I said bigger events and especially the GPs. They are in it to make money though so these events must be turning a decent profit.

As above, but a lot of the enthusiasm shown by the promotion would cost next to nothing and would make for a more exciting night out.

I'd guess in that hall you'd be looking at 250m max or maybe 200m with air fences. I went to the Classic car show a few years back at the NEC and as best I can remember some of those halls were bigger and could have a reasonable track built in but would need stands built as well. What the cost of those halls are though I have no idea.

I reckon a small track with a few top riders at this time of year and with the same presentation could work well if filled to capacity like the arenacross. Just looked it up and capacity in that hall is 15,600 which would be a better atmosphere than a half full Cardiff.

Wasn't CVS looking at staging speedway in large warehouses?

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

8 minutes ago, IainB said:

Wasn't CVS looking at staging speedway in large warehouses?

He wasn’t looking he was just stating it was worth looking at, think he has seen industry in the USA 

[mikebv]

14 minutes ago, IainB said:

Wasn't CVS looking at staging speedway in large warehouses?

Racing around the flat packed beds and the dining tables?

Flat pack racing...

I like it...

Could catch on...

Edited 1 hour ago by mikebv

[Paul Johnson]

Speedway has always relied on the racing being the entertainment,they are only just realising i think that kids racing seems a good spectacle and brings in the kids that speedway needs. people now want proper entertainment for their money. Stop playing crap music on loop and sitting on the steps having a fag all evening like at Scunny.

Do what Scunny Untd do and see if u can get a band, put a Dj on the centre green, maybe have theme nights in the summer, best hawiaan shirt contest or a hog roast evening or the sweet stall that Sheffield had