Seasons Greetings to all and sundry!

Just a brief note to wish all followers of TSR blog the very best over this festive season and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Unfortunately, hectic work load and numerous other things have conspired to limit our new posts since mid-November, but I can assure all loyal (and new!) followers, that a wealth of interesting, thought and discussion-provoking topics will be coming your way in the New Year.
Until then, stay safe, wrap-up warm and steer clear of the numerous 'Top 100 (insert generic topic)' countdowns that use up useful airwave space during this time of year!

Sherif

Post and poll update

Morning all....it has been a little while since I have been able to post due to work commitments etc, but I am glad to say that the updates should return to their normal regularity shortly, and boy do we have some interesting topics for you over the coming weeks, including a first look at the 'almost there' proposals for Beaumont Sports Complex (home of the revived Leicester Lions), and the possible re-introduction of a national forum for supporters which the BSPA will actually HAVE to listen to! Stay tuned...we want your input!

Poll Update

With regards the poll, there are now only 16 days left in which to cast your vote in our second poll, posing the question 'Would you be interested in purchasing a stake in a not-for-profit fan-operated speedway club?'. To this point, it appears that the majority of voters have said 'yes, I would', but suffice to say, there has been a disappointing level of voting so far....we need people to open their eyes to this possibility (it could be closer than you think!) and get casting their votes. TSR Blog is here to ensure actual action in relation to these words, and is not just here to pay lip service to the speedway fan. These votes could genuinely count toward change, so let us know what you are thinking today!

The Ebsfleet Factor...the fans take control

13th November 2007...a day which will forever be marked in football history, for this was the day upon which the internet made more real an impact on the football World than could ever be imagined. This was the date when website 'MyFootballClub', agreed a deal in principle to purchase the North Kent football club Ebsfleet United FC (formerly known as Gravesend & Northfleet FC) of the Blue Square Premier League (formerly the 'Football Conference') using money generated solely from equal annual subscription fees from over 27,000 members Worldwide.

The theory adopted by 'MyFooballClub' is that of a not-for-profit company, or more formally, an 'Industrial and Provident Society' (essentially a legal vehicle to enable a business to be run without being allowed to invest for profit). These 27,000 members, hailing from over 70 different countries from around the World, each pay an annual subscription fee of £35 to keep the Club operational, in return, each having an equal say in all of the traditional 'boardroom-level' decisions, including transfer dealings, team selections and staff appointments.

Now, regardless of the investment, and whilst enjoying higher average attendances, and relative success, Ebbsfleet United (like a majority of lower and non-league football clubs) are still in a precarious financial situation, and the fickle nature of football fans is obviously open to even more abuse when your collective Chairman is probably not even a supporter of the team in the first place! So yes, the model has obvious flaws, in that continuous investment from the same, or increasing numbers is required on an annual basis to ensure the bills can be paid, and to actually progress to the next level, even greater financial commitment is required, and there is a propensity for people playing Chairman to get bored of the 'game' after a year.

On the flip side, it provides true supporters, and those with a real passion for involvement in football (perhaps bigger than their wallets will ever be!) a unique opportunity to become manager, director and chairman of a professional Club, and this sense of power and control is something the average fan would never have been able to contemplate without this kind of financial model.

Now, how is this applicable to Speedway?

Well, this financial model is obviously portable, and can be transferred to any other sport (in fact, it has already been used for this purpose in other countries), and whilst the 'pot' of Speedway fans is significantly lower than that of, for example, football, my opinion remains that, in parallel, the operational costs are far lower, and the existing supporters would possibly be more motivated to continue their investment after the first year. Also, taking a more holistic view of the situation in the UK, the sport is effectively on its knees, in need of massive reform from the top down, and a move of this type to allow a large pool of fans to control a Club could provide the Sport with the kind of huge kick it needs to fall into the 21st Century, all the while generating much needed publicity.

So, with the above in mind, the big question for this month's poll is.....If TSR or any other not-for-profit organisation were to create a similar financial model to 'MyFootballClub' with the intention of buying and controlling a Speedway Club, would this be of interest. We are not focusing on whether this would be the right move for Speedway, but actually whether this would be of interest to you, the supporter, dependent of course upon the level of investment required.

I am expecting this emotive topic to generate a big response!

Sherif

TSR Poll update...get voting!!

Just a quick reminder to our contributors and followers that the TSR Blog's inaugural poll will be closing in just 7 hours, so do not miss this opportunity to have your say as to what is the greatest contributory factor in the dwindling attendances at British league fixtures.


The more votes we receive, the more useful the data will be, and don't forget, each poll will be followed by my analysis of the results, and the usual opportunity to comment and debate the views of TSR!


Get voting!


Sherif

Join The Speedway Revolution Blog on Facebook!

For our followers with access to Facebook, a quick note to inform you that TSR Blog also has a presence there!
To show your support for the blog, and to encourage greater debate and discussion, simply follow this link --->to the TSR Blog Facebook group, and join today. Remember, all of your Facebook friends will be able to see your group membership, and you can indirectly help to spread the word about a subject we all feel passionately about. Lets make a collective difference!

Sherif

Why its time for Tai...

Well...with another Grand Prix season reaching its conclusion, the hardly surprising fact of the matter that the two Brits, Messrs Nicholls and Harris have finished up (effectively) bottom of the standings has probably not been lost on the viewing public and, more importantly, BSI/IMG.

Now, we all appreciate that the sport, put mildly, is somewhat stuck in a rut in Britain, and the core issues, including a chronic lack of proper practice facilities, dwindling crowds and relatively non-existent national press coverage (bar the saviour of the ever-present Sky Sports) are doing a good job of discouraging the next generation of riders from pursuing the 'speedway dream' (descriptions of this on a postcard please!), but, when domestic Promoters and the BSPA talk about the sometimes negative impact the GPs supposedly have on the sport in Britain, I think they are clutching at straws.

In the short time I have been following Speedway, my opinion has always been that, as the pinnacle of the sport, and with the domestic scene in Sweden, Denmark and the UK nose-diving rapidly, the Grand Prix series is pretty much the only thing keeping Speedway alive as a professional entity. This is a debate for another day, but I feel that it is the responsibility of the authorities and Clubs in this country to formulate a system which fits around the GP calendar. This is no different from the stance football takes with its international breaks. But, as stated, more on that another time.

Back to the issue at hand, and going right back to basic principles...if the GP series is the only real commercial prospect the sport possesses at the current time, then, given the state of the sport over here, it is imperative that at least one British rider is included in the 2010 line-up.

Looking at the options, I personally have always liked Scott Nicholls, but for whatever reason (be it his equipment, attitude or external factors), he has had an absolute nightmare of a season, and will not be around next year. So, we then have Bomber...after 2007, the man I thought could be the saviour of British Speedway, who did enough to earn a wild-card last season; but, will IMG overlook some pretty non-descript performances and remember the all-action seat-of-the-pants excitement that this guy can produce when he is on song? I'm not so sure...for Chris' sake, I hope so. However, sentiment aside, is there justification for offering two places to the Brits? Again, I'm not so sure, but given the departure of Leigh Adams, and the possibility of Rune Holta following him out of the door for next year, there could be a reprieve.

What I would suggest is that we look to follow the Russian example in 2010. At 19, Emil Sayfutdinov is a precocious, but raw and undeniably exciting prospect. Despite dropping out of 2009 GP qualifying at the third stage, IMG took a gamble in offering him a Wild Card, and he repaid their faith tenfold, blowing away a long list of more experienced campaigners and adding an air of unpredictability and mystery to each race, which has no doubt shaken up the Speedway World. Emil even had time to drag his country to a respectable and unexpected fourth place finish in the World Cup! He has signle-handedly raised the profile of the sport in Russia, and has a determination and fearless quality which, if nothing else, gets him noticed.

I think that in following this model, IMG could really make a genuine difference to British Speedway should they decide to offer a Wild Card to a similarly talented young rider, one Tai Woffinden. Also 19, this fresh-faced teenager has already won team championships in all three divisions in Britain, and, combined with his U21 Championship win in 2008, and his third placed finished in the British Championship I feel now is as good a moment as any to launch Tai on to the World Stage. He has the right image, the desire, and the raw talent to drag British Speedway kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and, perhaps more importantly, his capacity to deliver success could significantly raise the profile of British riders, generating more column inches in the press, and bigger and better sponsorship opportunities, all the while encouraging existing young riders to aim higher to emulate the success of Emil Sayfutdinov, and generate greater subscription of newcomers to the Sport.

For now, we must wait and see what the eventual line-up is for 2010, but suffice to say, the result could, in my humble opinion, have a major role in affecting the perception and popularity of the sport in Britain.

The Loyalty Threshold - Part 2

Well hello again and welcome to the second instalment in my piece on how Speedway Clubs could potentially buy loyalty.
In the first part of this 'stream of consciousness' (reference courtesy of crafty cockney lethario Russell Brand), I stated that to spread the sport's appeal, the authorities and promoters alike would need to combine minds to figure out ways of improving the general spectator offering, not necessarily just from a sporting perspective, but, more holistically, encapsulating the event offer over the 90 minutes or so. This would then enable Clubs to generate more revenue and therefore retain more control over their own futures, rather than being dictated to by self-concerned stadium owners, whether they be an individual or company, such as the Greyhound Racing Association.

I had cited three key areas which could be improved, to give Clubs a better chance of attracting and retaining new and more diverse support bases. Atmosphere, facilities, and admission prices.

Let me summarise each in turn…

Atmosphere - When referring to atmosphere, I am not specifically talking about the creation of noise…the unified chanting of a crowd or the shriek of the Speedway supporter’s weapon of choice, the trusty air-horn. Yes, this is important in contributing to what we know as ‘atmosphere’ per-se, but one must remember that Speedway of all sports has the capacity to send even the most hardened fan to sleep during the intervals. No other sport I can think of has as many scheduled gaps as ours. Can you name one?!
Promoters need to realise that over 90 minutes of action, punters are actually only paying to watch around 15 minutes of racing. Why not, then, follow the example of the British Grand Prix at the Millenium Stadium, and put on a real show….provide us with an event; a day out for people. Reward loyalty and encourage new fans to return by keeping them fixated for that 90 minutes, and make them leave wanting more.
Just how one can achieve this is open to comment and debate (and please do leave your thoughts!), but initial ideas are local bands, BBQs, fun-fayres for the family and children alike, and stalls, perhaps selling local produce/products. All of these ideas would likely cost little or nothing, and help to build the reputation of the Club at the hub of the community.

Facilities – I have previously written at length about facilities, and how new mixed-use facilities can provide a way forward for struggling promotions, and this principally involves Speedway Clubs being able to control their own futures through owning, part-owning, or leasing a mixed-use facility, possibly underwritten by the Local Authority. This is most certainly a long-term vision, and will provide Speedway with the tools to re-invent itself completely, but what is the short-term fix?
Well, Speedway needs to create a more acceptable face. We all know that for the most part, the existing stadium stock across all three leagues is largely decrepit and wholly inappropriate. Ideally, in this situation, you have to make the best of a bad situation. Rugby League is an example of a sport whereby, though it is only regionally popular, Clubs attract relatively large crowds, and some of the stadiums are far from lavish. When a stadium is clearly dated, and the views can be described no more lovingly than ‘restricted’, Promoters need to do their best to make the rest of the offering acceptable. This means providing the most fundamental of facilities, such as clean, working toilets, treating fans to good quality catering, and probably obtaining a licence to sell alcohol on the premises. Promoters also need to get with times, following the example of other sporting arenas, and ensure that paying customers are able to purchase their tickets, food and merchandise either by card or cash!

Admission Prices – I will not labour on this point, but in my humble opinion, it is better to attract 3,000 spectators paying £5 every fortnight, (keeping them coming back, and encouraging them to bring their friends and family along for the rest of the season) than attract 1,000 or less at £15 per head.
On average it appears that tracks in the Elite League charge around £15-£20. Given the facilities they are providing, and the quality of some of the track preparation, and therefore predictability of racing, this is simply not good value for money.
If you are trying to promote the sport across the board, at least start from a position of strength, with full terraces. This gives the impression that the sport is well supported, and the importance of giving this impression should not be underestimated, particularly given the weekly Sky coverage. I often cringe at the fact that meetings are being filmed in front of virtually empty stadiums, live on prime time slots.

There I shall end, but hopefully this has provided some food for thought, and ammunition for further debate.
Next time, I intend to look around at the current situation of Clubs across the leagues and see how some have managed to succeed in the face of sport-wide adversity. Until then, take care, and keep the faith!

The Loyalty Threshold - Part 1

It occurred to me, whilst standing on the terraces at Griffin Park, Brentford on Tuesday night (enduring another dose of dreadful League 1 football fare!), that whilst the sporting offer on show is in fact, for the most part dire, blind loyalty keeps a reasonable number of lower league football fans coming back for more weekly punishment.

One thing that struck me about Speedway when I first started attending my local track, was that once one removed the incentivised special offers, once the re-calculated rider averages enforced more line-up tennis, and as the onset of unfavourable weather took hold, sometimes (relative) reasonable attendances were quickly reduced, the numeric residue, being, in the majority of cases, very low; and critically, most likely not enough to allow most clubs to generate any kind of profit, thus blocking growth and lasting improvement.

So, you ask, what point am I trying to demonstrate? Well, my simple mind likes to categorise sports fans rather generically into two groups. Those that are unerringly loyal, and are prepared to follow their team home and away, whatever the weather, whatever the surroundings and whatever the quality of the action. Then, you have your fair-weather fan (from which I exclude the increasing number of those who simply cannot afford to attend!). The fair-weather/armchair fan is typified by intermittent attendance at only the most prestigious fixtures, usually providing the best facilities and most encapsulating action. The rest of the time they can usually be found on their favourite chair, Sky remote in hand and TV dinner on lap.

Now, I am not condemning this approach, as I am not naive enough to believe that everybody should purposely put themselves through the former scenario to achieve the 'loyal' tag, but, in my humble opinion, it does demonstrate that loyalty, not just in Speedway, but every sport, is largely a diminishing phenomenon, and I would argue that the 'Sky' generation (where all manner of sports are televised and readily available in the comfort of the home), the next generation of sports fan is spoilt to such an extent that so-called loyalty (translating into live attendance) needs to be, to an extent, bought.

So, the question is, how does one buy loyalty in Speedway? Well, in my opinion, the live offering needs to be so appealing as to prove unmissable....to the extent where the televised equivalent just will not do. My thinking is that this requires a combination of three principle elements...atmosphere (the ability to feel 'alive', part of the event, and excited regardless of the quality of the action), acceptable facilities (good quality concessions, ability to chose to sit or stand, protected from the elements and reasonable accessibility), and last but by no means least, fair pricing which is actually proportionate to the entertainment being offered.

With my eyes all but IT'd out for tonight, I shall end on that rather abrupt point, but in the second part of this post, I intend to run through each of the elements listed above, and briefly propose how the authorities and Promoters alike, can improve their chances of buying loyalty, and actually attracting consistently acceptable crowds.

Until then, please flood me with your much valued comment and opinion, and keep the debate going.

Evening all!

Sherif

Show your support...become a 'follower'!

Morning all (and a fine one it is panning out to be here on the sunny Essex riviera!). With the blog now up and running and generating a slow, but steady flow if interest (and some excellent and thought-provoking comments), I would dearly love to spread the word to a wider audience. The Speedway Revolution Blog is designed for debate on a large scale, and it is my hope that these views can be forwarded to those that currently control the sport...it may work, it may not work, but something has to be done, and proactivity will not harm anybody!

With this in mind, you will notice that a widget entitled 'Followers' has been added in the right hand sidebar. By adding yourself as a follower of the blog, you not only show your support but spread the word to other potential fans who may be interested in taking part in this interactive debate. You can do this by simply clicking the white 'Follow' button, and adding your details either using existing log-in details or signing-up for a new Google, AIM or Yahoo account. Any support I can gather is greatly received, and can help to really make this blog an exciting forum upon which to air your views!

Thanks, and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Sherif

Template Changes :S

Apologies to any of you reading the blog tonight who may have experienced any disruption...I am currently in the midst of attempting to modify some of the html to improve the reading experience on the page, and hopefully this should be completed over the next couple of days...if you have any suggestions, or there is anything in particular which you find unwieldy or frustrating about the set-up of the blog, please let me know and I shall endeavour to accomodate these thoughts!

Evening all!

Sherif

Speedway Star facilities article added...

Afternoon all,

For any of you interested in how I became mixed up in this debate on the future of speedway, a copy of the article I sent to Speedway Star magazine is now available by following this link ---> http://www.driversjonas.com/img.aspx?CID=2046468&LangID=1&DocId=26119&DocVersion=16652&log=1
It should provide an insight into my views for the procurement of new and improved facilities, and how these can potentially be funded. Comments welcome as ever!

First poll added!

Evening all,

Whilst sitting on the PC reading about the success of relatively new/rejuvinated (and fairly basic) set-ups in Scunthorpe and Plymouth, it got me thinking.....what exactly would draw more spectators to view this fantastic sport? Of course, there are a plethora of reasons...chief amongst them being the poor marketing, promotion and understanding of the sport, coupled with stereotyping of the sport and its supporters from the 'outside' World; but, in terms of the facility housing the sport, what do you feel is the key driver in our small crowds in this country? What makes 45,000 spectators pay a minimum of £30 a ticket to watch the British GP which converseley often attracts less than 1,000 on a weeknight to pay half that amount to watch Elite (and National/Premier) League speedway?

Have your say and take part in my inaugural blog poll!

MotoArena Toruń

I had been following the construction of the MotoArena Toruń since the project started on site....completed in May of this year, it provides us with a sterling example of a new Speedway facility, and is a reflection also of the changing face of Speedway (and professional spectator sport in general) in Poland.



Capable of holding 15,500 spectators in a comfortable and weatherproofed environment, the fundamental construction itself is relatively basic, but it looks impressive nonetheless, and in my humble opinion, offers a glimpse of what can be delivered in this country with a different attitude from both the promoters and perhaps the sporting authority.
I would be very interested in hearing the views of anybody who has visited the MotoArena.

The blog is born!

Good Evening all, and may I be the first (obviously!) to provide a hearty welcome to one and all, and of course my deepest appreciation to you for your support in viewing this page.

My intention over the coming weeks and months is to blog what I see, hear and personally feel about the state of British Speedway and my thoughts on how to restore the sport to a healthier position in general, but predominantly focusing on improving the facilities infrastructure, thus changing perceptions, stereotypes and attitude toward what, in my humble opinion, is one of, if not the most exhilarating sports in the World.

Until next time (once I have familiarised myself with the whole blogging phenomenen!) followers, be good, be healthy and enjoy your sport!

Sherif