Arenacross vs Speedway

[Vince]

1 hour ago, gjcone44 said:

they could not put that show on every week though.

Most certainly not, the vast majority of MX events are held in a field with relatives watching and the riders footing the bills. Even the MXGP series is nothing like the Arenacross.

However things like the enthusiasm shown by the presenters, the involvement of kids and getting the crowd wound up could be done for next to nothing. I've been to many meetings where the commentator brings every bit of excitement back down to a nice controlled level of boredom.

The lightshow etc and pre event promotion would work well for SGP.

It is also significant that very few of the riders would have been paid to be there on Saturday, the bulk of them will have paid to enter (or their teams will have)

[ouch]

I’ve said since seeing the Arenacross in Manchester a few years ago that speedway needs to move with the times and go indoors and only run 3 to 5 events per year. That proposal fell on deaf ears much as the t shirt cannon did. We now find ourselves where we are unsurprisingly. 

From now on I’ll get my kicks from Arenacross in Manchester, when’s the date for their next moneyspinner? I’d even travel to their other English events from now on, could someone post a list?

[longlivefrankie]

Just for info speedway has been held in NEC in 1980 under the name of world indoor speedway presentations its was a e3 day event , I went to day 1 on the

[Sadman]

1 hour ago, longlivefrankie said:

Just for info speedway has been held in NEC in 1980 under the name of world indoor speedway presentations its was a e3 day event , I went to day 1 on the

Also Brighton and Bournemouth withe some riders on 250cc bikes.

[mikebv]

3 hours ago, ouch said:

I’ve said since seeing the Arenacross in Manchester a few years ago that speedway needs to move with the times and go indoors and only run 3 to 5 events per year. That proposal fell on deaf ears much as the t shirt cannon did. We now find ourselves where we are unsurprisingly. 

From now on I’ll get my kicks from Arenacross in Manchester, when’s the date for their next moneyspinner? I’d even travel to their other English events from now on, could someone post a list?

There is definitely a "less is more" feel to UK Speedway due to so much of it being delivered poorly...

Less meetings but much better planned, promoted and delivered could help it keep going...

Two teams, seven riders per team, (any adhoc seven riders per team), fifteen heats, four laps clutch start, birthday dedications over the PA to octogenarians, etc etc etc, and all to try and win competitions very low on relevance and kudos, simply doesn't engage enough people anymore..

The racing itself though could still be "sold", and even more so if fhe prizes of the competitions engaged the wider public...

Watching Speedway racing should feel like you are attending an "event"....

Unfortunately, it rarely feels like you are attending one given the "sales pitch" and "race day experience" is so far away from being where both are required to be in 2026...

Edited 3 hours ago by mikebv

[topaz325]

Ice Hockey in Canada and the US has a similar "event" status with music and razzmatazz.

 

[ouch]

2 hours ago, longlivefrankie said:

Just for info speedway has been held in NEC in 1980 under the name of world indoor speedway presentations its was a e3 day event , I went to day 1 on the

Also Manchester December ‘91.

[Vince]

4 hours ago, ouch said:

I’ve said since seeing the Arenacross in Manchester a few years ago that speedway needs to move with the times and go indoors and only run 3 to 5 events per year. That proposal fell on deaf ears much as the t shirt cannon did. We now find ourselves where we are unsurprisingly. 

From now on I’ll get my kicks from Arenacross in Manchester, when’s the date for their next moneyspinner? I’d even travel to their other English events from now on, could someone post a list?

Arenacross World Tour

I think Speedway can run a decent number of events purely because it is a team sport. However I do think they need to run far more at weekends, many more people now seem to work outside of the normal hours so can't make meetings even if they want to. For one I can very rarely go as I work nights so only Saturday and Sunday are possible for me. Somewhere along the line though they need to adapt so that the youngsters want to come, not kids but those in their 20s and early 30s. They will spend money but they need more than 15 races, they need a night out and Speedway stadiums could do that in the main as they have a bar which could be lively enough to make it worth their attending.

Edited 2 hours ago by Vince

[Vince]

And just for comparison

SGP - FIM Speedway

[Vince]

1 hour ago, Sadman said:

Also Brighton and Bournemouth withe some riders on 250cc bikes.

I did go to Brighton once and it was OK but can't imagine there were too many people there from outside Speedway and not much to attract them.

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, topaz325 said:

Ice Hockey in Canada and the US has a similar "event" status with music and razzmatazz.

 

I've watched Speedway in the USA and it's a similar vibe...

It is a "night out" and not just a Speedway meeting...

Kids races, sidecars, handicap racing, riders stalls with their merchandise, various competitions for the crowds to enter through the night, food and drink served to you in the stands, and a presentation level that keeps you engaged from announcer to roving mike person..

The towns I saw the racing in had a good many banners and boards up around them, including on the interstate, and loads of fhe restaurants, bars and hotels all had posters in their windows advertising the track and the racing...

Crowds were "very decent" too, no GP riders in attendance, and, mainly, ex UK riders in their 40's and 50's dominating proceedings..

Speedway can be a great night out...

The UK version just needs to find how to show it much more often..

Edited 2 hours ago by mikebv

[topaz325]

15 minutes ago, mikebv said:

I've watched Speedway in the USA and it's a similar vibe...

It is a "night out" and not just a Speedway meeting...

Kids races, sidecars, handicap racing, riders stalls with their merchandise, various competitions for the crowds to enter through the night, food and drink served to you in the stands, and a presentation level that keeps you engaged from announcer to roving mike person..

The towns I saw the racing in had a god many banners and boards up around them, including on the interstate, and loads of fhe restaurants, bars and hotels all had posters in their windows advertising the track and the racing...

Crowds were "very decent" too, no GP riders in attendance, and, mainly, ex UK riders in their 40's and 50's dominating proceedings..

Speedway can be a great night out...

The UK version just needs to find how to show it much more often..

It does help when the sports are held indoors with light shows and music but promoters need to put on a show as you say.

 

I remember going to an Ice Hockey game in Canada about 20 years ago and it was great , loud music when points were scored, big tv screens and fire machines etc.

[mikebv]

7 minutes ago, topaz325 said:

It does help when the sports are held indoors with light shows and music but promoters need to put on a show as you say.

 

I remember going to an Ice Hockey game in Canada about 20 years ago and it was great , loud music when points were scored, big tv screens and fire machines etc.

The big challenge the UK version of the sport has is to make it relevant...

If you run a team sport there has to be a "tribal, them v us, feel" to the competitions..

And the competitions must have something seen to be tangibly worth winning in the eyes of any prospective, (and even actual), followers..

The "War of fhe Roses" at the NSS is a case in point...

Two local rivals yet hardly any away fans are in attendance even on a BH Monday which then delivers a flat atmosphere...

Many "non regular" BV fans will visit on that day, so a huge opportunity to impress them enough to attend more...

Often all it does is reinforce to them that their low attendance level is justified, and what made them visit less frequently iinitially is still the way that the sport is ran..

In short. Nothing has changed to entice them back..

The sport just meanders, doing the same old, same old, and, I presume, believes it will suddenly become popular again..

Give away fans free tickets if needs be to get them there, get a bit of banter and atmosphere going, build some tribal rivalries which can be "milked" ongoing...

There is plenty of room in the stadiums to fit 100 or more away supporters I would suggest...

[Jonny the spud]

In the mid 90’s I used to race at a weekend supercoss / speedway meeting in the Munich Olympic-halle ( the massive indoor velodrome stadium next to the main Olympic stadium.)  8-10,000 people watching. The speedway was on late afternoon  / early evening, the floor was boarded over with wood and we were all supplied with Metzeler road tyres … they sponsored the event, lights / loud music/ lasers the lot.

 

For the evening event they wheeled in all the jumps / berms etc made out of wood for the track set up ( it took about 1/2 hour). The meeting was just as you’d expect with the riders disappearing into the stands under the seating, racing around corridors and appearing on the other side of the stadium. Brilliant mental stuff. 
 

It was great fun, ( paid well), there was no expensive temporary track to be installed and apparently the supercross berms / jumps could be used at other events. 
 

it’s not rocket science. 

[SPEEDY69]

Running an event and getting engagement is what it's about and speedway could learn a lot from those types of events, although being indoors is an advantage.  Arena cross as a spectacle is not for me though, all those jumps I find boring.