What needs to change with British speedway?

Just a week has passed since the Rye House Rockets have gone bust. And after the British Speedway Promoters Association announced the team’s elimination from the league, TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker analyses just what is going wrong with British Speedway.

Speedway. At it’s best it can be the most adrenaline-packed minute of motorsport you will ever see. But with teams in Britain slowly having the chequered flag shown to them as clubs struggle to keep finances in the black, the question being asked is, just what can be done to save British speedway?

Rewind even just ten years ago and you will see the monumental difference between the past and the present. Ten years ago, the then called Elite League, had nine teams, multiple grand prix riders, and crowds big enough to justify Sky Sports broadcasting live racing every single week. 

However in stark contrast, only seven teams now ride in the top tier of British Speedway, with currently just one GP rider racing here domestically. And as some clubs struggle to bring in enough fans to break even on their expenses, making a profit is but a dream for some teams.

But as the BSPA struggle to realise the damage that some of their calamitous changes are causing to our beloved sport, changes are needed now more than ever. 

If inspiration is what’s needed then look no further than Poland and the Ekstraliga. Speedway is the country’s national sport and the way in which it’s run by the governing bodies is an example to all. Tracks are in perfect condition which provide fantastic racing at every meeting, top quality riders feature in every heat raced, and in turn thousands of fans flock to every race night. 

Admittedly British speedway doesn’t have the funds to compete with Polish racing yet, however that doesn’t mean simple changes can’t be implemented to at least start improving racing in our country. One simple change could be to lower ticket prices. 

This may sound like a strange move to some but the facts are speedway isn’t a £25 a ticket sport and when speaking to families you understand their frustration at not being able to afford taking all of their family members. Instead the solution may be to charge a lower price for tickets, therefore resulting in more fans coming which is the exact thing the sport needs in order to survive. 

The engagement with more young fans is crucial as well, as these fans are the future of speedway. Just look at the work Swindon’s Lee Kilby has done with youngsters at the Robins and you notice just how important the presence a younger community of fans is to the sport. If we can get a younger audience interested and interacting in speedway then the future looks bright.

Finally tracks around Britain just aren’t good enough, with the exception of a few. Too many heats on a night where quality racing is expected are just gate and go wins, which is boring for all involved. What needs to happen is the quality of material being used needs to improve, and more professional track staff need to be employed. A better track attracts better riders, which creates better racing and therefore attracts more fans. Sometimes you have to spend a little extra cash to make something a success and this is no different in speedway.

Other sports have managed to consistently re-invent themselves to keep pace with the ever changing sporting industry, so why can’t speedway? Fresh ideas are needed and positive changes need to be implemented as British speedway looks to re-modernise itself. It may already be too little too late but lets hope change will happen sooner rather than later.