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Speedway: Anyone watching?



DNB_Seagull

Dirty Northerner. For now
Apr 27, 2014
579
Didn't appeal but growing on me. Eastbourne Eagles (SEAgulls) lead Lions by 18-23


LOTS OF CRASHES SO FAR!
 

Gullflyinghigh

Registered User
Apr 23, 2012
4,279
I've always found it a passable way to spend an evening...always curious as to how much money is in it for the riders though.

It's clear that they all love doing it but I'd be amazed if there are many full time riders taking part (please tell me if wrong by the way, I'm basing my opinion on nothing!).
 

HawkTheSeagull

New member
Jan 31, 2012
9,122
Eastbourne
Ouch, nasty crash for the Eastbourne rider, bike straightened up and straight into the air barrier.

Lucky the air barrier was there, a solid barrier would have been a serious injury.
 


HawkTheSeagull

New member
Jan 31, 2012
9,122
Eastbourne
Eastbourne had a MASSIVE lead and were on the edge of their first away win in over TWO YEARS........but they screwed it up on the last lap and lost by 1 point.

No wonder why the team are screwed if they never win away and do things like this.
 


Paul Reids Sock

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2004
4,458
Paul Reids boot
I've always found it a passable way to spend an evening...always curious as to how much money is in it for the riders though.

It's clear that they all love doing it but I'd be amazed if there are many full time riders taking part (please tell me if wrong by the way, I'm basing my opinion on nothing!).

A few of the top riders make a decent enouh wage out of it apparently. A lot of the ones that aren't in the Grand Prix must struggle a bit. It is pretty amazing when you look at the leagues they race in, a fair few of them race in 3/4 leagues across Europe meaning they are putting in the hours travelling. Just had a quick check on the internet and it said that some riders get £500 a point, which isn't bad seeing as those are the riders that may be getting 12-15 points in a meeting and be racing a few times a week.
 

Gullflyinghigh

Registered User
Apr 23, 2012
4,279
A few of the top riders make a decent enouh wage out of it apparently. A lot of the ones that aren't in the Grand Prix must struggle a bit. It is pretty amazing when you look at the leagues they race in, a fair few of them race in 3/4 leagues across Europe meaning they are putting in the hours travelling. Just had a quick check on the internet and it said that some riders get £500 a point, which isn't bad seeing as those are the riders that may be getting 12-15 points in a meeting and be racing a few times a week.
That's not bad at all but presumably there's a seasonal structure to speedway, so they'd have a fairly small window to earn for the year...plus travel expenses...ouch.

I suppose it's similar to low-level professionals in higher profile sports. Tennis players way outside the top 100 for example.
 

Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
22,924
I've always found it a passable way to spend an evening...always curious as to how much money is in it for the riders though.

Same here, the crowds at Arlington are usually sub 2k I believe and I think the owner makes a loss to keep the Eagles afloat. Whether the pit crews do it for the love and some pocket money I don't know, but the riders do ride for different teams across Europe and beyond, which helps boost their wages.
 


Paul Reids Sock

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2004
4,458
Paul Reids boot
That's not bad at all but presumably there's a seasonal structure to speedway, so they'd have a fairly small window to earn for the year...plus travel expenses...ouch.

I suppose it's similar to low-level professionals in higher profile sports. Tennis players way outside the top 100 for example.

Yeah it's not a bad wage for something you love. I didn't realise that in Poland the average attendances can be 15,000 and they can earn about £9,000 in a night. Again, not bad if you are good, but it is killing some of the clubs here as the riders would rather that money than £3,000 a night at Eastbourne infront of 600

I remember a meeting I went to in Sweden when the top two teams raced eachother, there were between 25 and 30,000 people there, it was amazing. I especially liked the mexican wave that went from the start line and around the track the 4 times while being timed like a race.

I read years ago that Jonas Kylmakorpi (sp) who used to race for Eastbourne is actually very well off himself and just rides because he loves the sport.
 
Apr 1, 2007
2,446
Saltdean
The Leicester track is shocking...

They built it from scratch a couple of years back and made the bends too tight !!

I've been a couple of times and the viewing is superb but they shot themselves in the foot with the design
 
Apr 1, 2007
2,446
Saltdean
A few of the top riders make a decent enouh wage out of it apparently. A lot of the ones that aren't in the Grand Prix must struggle a bit. It is pretty amazing when you look at the leagues they race in, a fair few of them race in 3/4 leagues across Europe meaning they are putting in the hours travelling. Just had a quick check on the internet and it said that some riders get £500 a point, which isn't bad seeing as those are the riders that may be getting 12-15 points in a meeting and be racing a few times a week.

The Birmingham Brummies have just folded having got to the Elite League final last year...

Their points salary was capped at £45/point I believe and they still went under...Big points payment are only in Poland and Sweden
 


forrest

New member
Aug 11, 2010
586
haywards heath
About 10 years ago me and my mate decided to go on a European speedway tour. Taking in the speedway World Cup semi final and final in Poland, a polish league match and a few matches in Sweden.

The polish league match was out of this world. A 20,000 crowd, away fans crowded into a pen on one of the bends. With the corners fenced off to keep the fans separated. Honestly it was like a throwback to the dark days of football hooligans here in the 70,s/early 80's. Bricks, fireworks and anything they could get their hands on we're exchanged by both sets of fans. A plane flew over with a banner saying the home team fans were all gay. When it landed at the airport the locals were their to meet it and brought the banner back and burnt it on the terraces. It was a bloody insane day out and an eye opener.

Also at the time one of the polish riders, Thomas Gollab was the highest earner in Polish sport and the average crowds for speedway were higher than they were for football
 


moggy

Well-known member
Oct 15, 2003
5,050
southwick

Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 6, 2003
19,295
The current Eagles owners, the Dugard family, might pull the plug as they are losing £100,000 each year. Arlington Stadium may also be sold off for a multi-million pound housing development.

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/s...highly-unlikley-to-ride-next-season-1-6153880
Blimey, that's sad news, I didn't think things were that bad.

Despite my complete indifference to F1, and indeed all motor sport, surprisingly I find I really quite like speedway. Plus in Sussex we've got one of the top sides - although perhaps not for much longer it seems. Also one of the joys of speedway on TV is that you get to hear Mr Seagull Line himself, Tony Millard, I love his voice as it takes me right back. (Although he seems to have given it up this season as I haven't heard him once so far).
 

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