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

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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!