I am aware that these days, there are people around who read someone's opinions and ideas, and find it necessary to launch a personal attack on why they are wrong. Much of this can be attributed to "social media at it's worst". These are nothing more than my opinions. And as such - I'm entitled to them.

The State of British Speedway Today

So there I was, doing my weekly shopping, minding my own business, when a middle aged guy in front of me in the queue made a comment about my polo shirt. "Dudley Heathens?" he says, "Whats that all about?" (And before anybody corrects me, I haven't yet bought a Cradley Heathens polo!!). "Oh, its the speedway team I support " I informed him. He stood there for a few seconds looking a bit puzzled and said "Speedway? Is that still going?"

It took a few moments for his comment to register properly. This conversation took place the very day after what I previously thought was a highly publicised British GP. Even now there are dozens of speedway venues across the country. Speedway used to be the second biggest spectator sport in the country. Not only is British speedway televised every week, but now also Swedish League, the World Cup, The European Championships, The World Pairs and the Grand Prix series. Us Speedway supporters moaned for years that there wasn't enough Speedway for us to enjoy on TV, and to give it the publicity it rightly deserves, but that isn't the case these days. There is more than enough - even for the most ardent amongst us.

So what is the problem with the state of Speedway today? Where have the crowds gone? Why did they go? It is fast becoming apparent that Speedway today is watched only by the fanatics. There are no casual visitors to Speedway like there used to be. It is also obvious that even those hardened supporters by and large only go to watch their own team at their home track. The days of hoards of supporters travelling across the country to support their team at an away venue have gone. Of course there are exceptions to this, but they are the exceptions rather than the rule.

In terms of getting the paying public through the turnstiles and putting "bums on seats" British Speedway today is in a terrible state. I have supported Speedway for 53 years, and have never seen it in a worse state. After years of fighting the local council and their neighbours, Birmingham Speedway triumphantly made a return to racing in 2006. This year they have had to close their doors mid season because it is not viable. And at Eastbourne, there are rumblings that they may very well be in a similar position at the end of this year. Depressing stuff indeed!!

So exactly what is wrong with British Speedway that it isn't attracting the paying public to go and watch? After all, it is as exciting a spectacle as it always was. There is still the same thrill to be had from watching 4 riders racing at ridiculous speed with no brakes. Speedway still has its heroes - and its villains!!!! I don't for one minute claim to have all the answers. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this - I would be making myself a fortune off the back of Speedway, but it is long overdue that Speedway took a long hard look at itself before its too late and the Grim Reaper comes knocking on the door. It is my view that there are several issues in Speedway that need to be addressed. There isn't just one problem - it is a combination of many. 

Firstly:-
The B.S.P.A.

Supporters of British Speedway have for years been saying that Speedway should be run by an independent body - an organisation that has no interest (financial or otherwise) in the day-to-day running of Speedway clubs. As it is, it is (and has been for years) it has been in the large part run by the Speedway Promoters themselves. As we have seen time and time again, when the B.S.P.A. meet, they only too often make decisions that are borne out of self interest rather than for the good of the sport. And time and time again, because of a particular viewpoint of 1 or 2, individual promoters are at loggerheads and infighting is the end result. How can this be right? More than ever before, an independent body should be set up and make decisions that are in the long term interest of the sport - not just decisions that will to the benefit "the old brigade".

I have no doubt whatsoever that when the B.S.P.A. meet again this winter for their annual conference, they will debate for hours on end whether the points limit should be 42 or 41.5, and if the P.L. and N.L. should be different. And I have no doubt that they will spend further countless hours debating other such trivialities and once again totally ignore what they should be debating - what to do about the decline in numbers on the terraces!!!! If Speedway doesn't radically change, then it is heading for disaster. The biggest problem by far, as I see it, is that it is living way beyond it's means and cannot afford to sustain the level of racing that is being offered in the British Leagues.

I am now firmly of the opinion that we can no longer compete with what Swedish and Polish League Speedway are offering. British Elite League Speedway cannot afford the riders with the biggest earning potential in World Speedway. G.P. riders earn big money in the British E.L. and it is a sad but nevertheless inevitable fact that British Speedway can no longer afford it. The numbers going through the turnstiles are not sustaining it, and if nothing is done about it then there is only one outcome.

There are only 2 things that can be done here - increase the revenue coming into British Speedway, or cut the costs to a level where Speedway IS a viable proposition. There is no "magic wand". These are the only 2 options available - ignoring this fact (like the B.S.P.A. seem to be doing) will lead to the destruction of Speedway in this country.

Some time ago, it was announced that once again, Sky T.V. would be broadcasting British Speedway on a Monday night, but the main difference is, that in 2014, Sky are not ploughing the "big money" into British Speedway in the way of sponsorship as they were doing in previous years. As I understand it, they now pay for the T.V. rights, but no sponsorship. That led to a statement from the B.S.P.A that "we are now free to be able to get sponsorship deals from elsewhere". Whatever happened to that idea? Where are these sponsors? Time and time again, the powers that be seem to be of the opinion that organisations and corporate bodies will come banging on our door with fistfuls of cash only too eager to get us out of this mess. Er hello!! As has been seen, this doesn't happen because we live in the real world.

There has been a debate doing the rounds for years about giving more young British riders a chance to prove themselves in the top flight of British Speedway. The B.S.P.A never lifted a finger to do anything to help British youngsters make a name for themselves and raise the profile of British Speedway. Then, all of a sudden, there they are telling us all that the new "fast track" system has been set up for the benefit of young British riders and British Speedway as a whole blah blah blah. Absolute rubbish!!!! Although I am firmly in favour of the system (and I do appreciate that there are those who aren't) the ONLY reason that it was introduced was as a cost cutting exercise now that the Sky money has all but dried up. For me, it was the right decision, but one that was made for totally the wrong reason. There was talk last year of reserves in the E.L. getting £100 a point, and some idiot promoters were all too willing to pay it. Do they really think that we are stupid enough not to realise the truth and the whole thing is just a cost cutting exercise?

I sidetrack here for one moment - but please bear with me. There is a young lad who rides youth Speedway (mentioning no names) who is and has been really successful in his yet short career. He has sponsors literally coming out of his ears. Yes he's a damn good prospect. Yes he's a damn good little rider, and yes he has an incredible future ahead of him. The thing is though, both him and his father spend hours on end arranging sponsorship deals to help pay their bills. They have recognised that to attain the level of racing that they want, and to sustain it, they have to get off their backsides and go talk to people, both face to face and through the power of social media. The whole of Speedway can learn something from this - nothing worth having comes easy. You have to work at it. Riders can learn something from it. I am sick to the back teeth of seeing posts on Facebook that amount to no more than "I ride Speedway. Send me some money on GoFundMe". That will really attract sponsors - NOT!! It's not clever, it's not professional and it's not going to get you anywhere. Promoters can learn something from it too. AND SO CAN THE B.S.P.A Get off your backsides and go find the iconic sponsors that we used to have like The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Mirror, Gulf Oil, and yes, even Durex!!! They sure as hell are not going to come banging on our door.

The other side of the coin and the other way to ensure that Speedway continues in this country at club level is to cut costs. To my mind, to make any significant difference, the only way that this can be done is to take a long hard look at the level of riders that compete in this country and the wages that they demand. If it means that Speedway can safely continue, then they either have to be totally realistic, or we don't have them. Put bluntly, if the E.L. had no G.P. riders whatsoever, but carried on being able to operate within its budget, that is far preferable than to risk more of what has gone on at Birmingham. Of course, everybody wants to see the best in the world competing on our tracks. The fact of the matter is that we simply cannot afford it. But hang on, would it be such a bad thing? More tracks operating on a Saturday night again enabling more "away" fans to go watch at other venues = more revenue. How many people these days don't have the facility to record the G.P. and watch later if there is a match on that involves their team? Not many I reckon. And as a consequence, if Sky pulled the plug completely, you never know - it may just tempt some of the "stay at home armchair" fans back onto the terraces. There are a lot of "what ifs" there, but it wouldn't be a half bad idea for the B.S.P.A to discuss this stuff.

 

The Promoters

It is high time that promoters did exactly what the name suggests - promote!! I cannot think of one single promoter who can be genuinely congratulated for the way in which they have gone out there to Joe Public and furthered the cause of Speedway n this country. Oh yeah, there are plenty of them who post their bits on Facebook. There are those who think that doing the odd radio interview is a handy bit of "free publicity". But I'm talking about proper promoting.

Speedway needs to be nurtured, it needs to be developed, improved and most of all supported. Promoters need to realise that like the example I gave earlier, you have to go out of your way to get sponsors and people through the turnstiles - they are not going to be forming a queue to find you!! In the days when Speedway tracks were packed to the rafters with supporters, there wasn't the alternative entertainment around that there is now. Promoters just have to wise up that to get the fans in, they have to first convince them that their money is better spent at the Speedway, and £ for £ it is better entertainment and better value for money. The entertainment business has come on a long way and developed and improved enormously in such a short space of time. Has Speedway?

Riders and Other Expenses

Eskilstuna Sweden - August 2011. The match - the European Under 19's Team Tournament. Along with a couple of other Cradley fans, I went to see this meeting as a "bit of a jolly" and also to give some support to our lads. I already knew that my boyhood hero Bernie Persson lived in Eskilstuna, and sent him an email asking that if he had no other prior engagement, would he come and meet us. Not in the best of health, and having not visited any speedway track for the past 6 years, we were amazed and honoured that he came. The purpose of me mentioning this, is that when my hero speaks - I listen!!! And he said something that I will never forget. As we stood there reliving old times he said "You know the problem with Speedway today? There are far too few riders taking out far too much money". And.........I have to agree.

I am aware that in any professional sport, the competitors that have achieved such a level that they are referred to as "The Elite" can demand much more in the way of remuneration than the rest. That said, I can only repeat what I have already said insomuch as it is totally unrealistic to expect it in a British League that is struggling to survive. I fully understand that these riders put their lives on the line every time they turn a wheel - but so do all the others.

The problem for me though doesn't stop there. The cost of competing in any form of motor sport these days doesn't come cheap. I know this only too well. Having said that, Speedway isn't exactly helping itself. Even at National League level, it seems to me that no matter how big a riders talent, one of the pre requisites is a sign written race van with all the trimmings. At this level is this an absolute must or an unnecessary expense? What happened to 3 bike trailers on the back of an estate car carrying all the kit? I'm not one for standing in the way of progress, nor am I yearning for the "old days", but when competing in NL and even if doubling up with PL, is the expense really justifiable?

The one thing that I find totally incredible, is that even at NL level, you cannot go and purchase a brand new motor and race it "straight out of the box". The first thing that happens is to take the valve springs out and throw them away and fit upgraded springs. What????? Even at NL level???? Again, I don't want to stand in the way of progress, but we are now at the point where Titanium Con Rods can be purchased. Yours for a mere £1000. Where is the money expected to come from if you are not born with a silver spoon in your mouth? And don't even start me on people complaining about NL pay rates. Somebody please answer me this and then I'll start listening to that debate. In which other motor sport at this level do the competitors get paid anything? Something just has to be done with regard to the cost involved in competing at the bottom end of the sport. I'm not for one minute suggesting sealed engines (I've seen first hand the arguments that starts) but at all levels of British Speedway legislation has to be made as to what is and what isn't acceptable with regard to riders equipment. Higher costs will inevitably lead to higher pay demands on the promoters who are already struggling to get Joe public through the turnstiles.

Again these are just my opinions. I do not know the answers to some of the points here. The only thing I do know is that this is the kind of material that should be on the agenda of the next B.S.P.A.'s  AGM.