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Post by Graeme Mead on Jan 19, 2015 19:49:33 GMT 12
I know as I get older (and others) we will eventually end up with lots of older people on a microphone. ( we wont be doing this forever) Would it be a sensible thing to run a training opportunity to try and encourage more speedway interested people into the sport of "race commentary". Many like me were just handed a microphone and told to 'go do it". and I suppose I have learned a thing or two in 15 odd years of doing it, but could I have been better sooner (and im still learning now). What it has done for me is opened an opportunity in live radio and other sports to just by microphone confidence and want to do it. But what if we ran a day or weekend where some of us older ones showed those who have an interest what is required when you step into the box or the pits. I know I have had quite a few try and they have liked it but didn't want a career of it, stuck at it or found it just to hard and maybe that's because I didn't find the time to show them some stuff that would help. As we try to lift the level of the show in speedway to compete with the other forms of motor sport, what we need to do from the tower is lift the level of service across the country of what is delivered to the paying public. It is our job to complete the picture of what the public see if they are there, or hear if they are off site. The offsite listening base I believe will only grow in the years to come and we need to be ready for that traffic to increase. Its just a crazy idea but I would be prepared to give it a go and maybe at the end of the training they got to call a race meeting and use some of the things they may have learnt. Is this something that we seriously need to look at or is the old idea of turn up and do it the best way. The tracks, drivers, teams and sponsors all tip money into speedway and maybe we need to ensure the broadcast future of our sport by training people who want to be on the side of the mic that I do. I have no idea of the logistics of how it could be done, but if there is a want then we might be able to find a way and maybe the tracks might see their way to allowing us to help these people into club nights or smaller meetings to gain confidence and skills. It may well start someone off who will be around for some time to come  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2015 20:07:25 GMT 12
Thats a pretty cool idea - general tips on mic position in front of the face etc could be included maybe?... Mainly experiencedd in live sound with bands and conferences etc but Ive seen tons of people hold them down near chest level, aimed more towards the people being spoken at and even the wrong way around before {more often than you would think - this includes cable mics, how do you get that wrong?}!!!
Maybe book the local clubrooms before a meet and after wards each do a short drivers interview at some point during the night?
I'd be keen - may not be my thing but would be a fun way to find out and start things off for newbies!!
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Post by SpeedwayLive on Jan 19, 2015 20:11:49 GMT 12
Happy to help if we can ...
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Post by mgninc on Jan 19, 2015 20:36:24 GMT 12
Good concept, but hard to get anyone to really buy in to. I know I'm always been keen just to spend time around others who call events to pick up parts of their style, but I think ultimately its just such a 'who you know" thing that the guard changes very slowly. Of the more experienced guys I've worked with, some are great, and others are just a$$holes protecting their pay packet.
Im probably a baby coming up just on 7 years on a mic, but I've found the best way to make it work is identify someone with a passion, bring them in, and then coach them through some slower paced stuff first and provide feedback without trying to change the style that makes them them.
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Post by midway on Jan 20, 2015 8:05:57 GMT 12
I thought Barry Brown did a good job of finding Dreaver ,and being a great opportunist,a plug on radio sport may just find another Jamie McCartney ,Very hard to find the enthusiasm needed by the young or not so old in this day of age . |
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Post by meeaneemic on Jan 20, 2015 12:15:13 GMT 12
The idea has some merit Minty. The Sport also needs to be looking at giving some of the drivers tuition on how to present themselves during an interview.
It's great when you get a Driver who you know will talk the legs off a Donkey but what about those times when a meeting is won and you just know the interview is going to be hard work because the Driver A} Doesn't like talking on the Mic
B} Talks so quiet you have to turn the Amp up full
C} Needs prompting for everything including naming sponsors etc.
This is an area Speedway could really make a difference through Public Relations and it could/would start with PR training for our young Ministock drivers.
If they could feel comfortable enough to give a speech at school about their racing it could have a huge knock on effect for the Sport.
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opd
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Post by opd on Jan 20, 2015 13:03:30 GMT 12
Dale Ewers was always good value.
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Post by boner87 on Jan 20, 2015 13:47:04 GMT 12
Personally I'd love to do commentary. I mean you get to talk about speedway to thousands(may be an exaggeration) of fans new and old, young and old, knowledgeable and some not so.
I would relish a chance at training or perhaps "apprenticeship" in commentary. I have said that for probably the last 5 years commentary at a certain (p) speedway has been going downhill not only in the box but the infeild too.
Would this idea go down well at local clubs? Well one can only ask I suppose??
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Post by beachboy on Jan 20, 2015 15:23:44 GMT 12
youngone here's your chance.
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Post by pinkmod89 on Jan 20, 2015 17:41:29 GMT 12
Would be keen as have done a little in the past and enjoyed it even though I had never done it before.
Great way for anyone to meet competitors and let slip to the public little secrets they might have said or not
Bit like snapping pics of people when they least expect it.
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Post by jimmyj on Jan 20, 2015 18:02:51 GMT 12
I don't think I would be allowed ,Ask to many difficult questions   |
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Post by Stumo on Jan 20, 2015 18:17:22 GMT 12
Id deffinatly put my hand up.
Having done a couple of Legends Days at Harrisville with mixed feedback then coming so close only to be rained out commentating Teams Nats at Palmy last season it would be good to spend some time with the "Pros" and learn the nack. Not shy with already doing the speedway show on More FM Nua...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2015 18:36:40 GMT 12
I can always remember as a young fella going along to western springs and Waikaraka park and always really listening into the commentary and always wanting to have a go at commentating this is going back to when I was about 7 or 8. At the age of 17 I got the chance to go along to Meremere dirt track and was chucked in the deep end throwen the mic and told here have a go. I then got the chance to head down to Huntly speedway and jump in the box with mintie and Malcolm I did a good 2 seasons there being taught the ins and the outs of commentary I then headed up and got the chance to work at Waikaraka park alongside Kevin McIntyre and then getting the chance to tackle Waikaraka on my own with Malcolm sines which again was amazing and I learnt so much. Having the opportunity to work along side Legends of the sport like Mintie Mead Aaron Drever Malcolm sines Kevin McIntyre and also phil dark I have learnt a lot about commentary In my 6 years of doing it. This year Mintie gave me the chance to join the Saturday shambles at Huntly working alongside himself and Aaron Drever and I am absolutely loving it. Mintie this is a fantastic idea to try and get more people into commentary. Think about it you get the best seat in the house get to talk about the greatest sport and get to chat to and meet some really awesome people. I look forward to many more years of commentary alongside Mintie and Aaron and also look forward to being able to work with the likes of Barry Brown and STM. I would only be too happy to share what I know about commentary and what I have learnt
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2015 19:55:29 GMT 12
I think its a brilliant idea Mintie.
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Post by midway on Jan 20, 2015 20:05:58 GMT 12
I don't think I would be allowed ,Ask to many difficult questions I really could see you working with dreamers and brown ,but the hardest of all would be to contain your language when your speedway hero has a mishap .Percy would be lost for words . |
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Post by boner87 on Jan 20, 2015 20:11:08 GMT 12
As long as the information coming through the mic is correct??
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Post by BarryB on Jan 20, 2015 20:33:06 GMT 12
I don't think I would be allowed ,Ask to many difficult questions You get banned too often to be reliable  Anyway, I thought this was a thread about running half marathons...... Barry B |
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Post by lummyboy on Jan 20, 2015 21:18:17 GMT 12
this sounds like a great idea would be fun
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Post by jimmyj on Jan 21, 2015 16:45:04 GMT 12
Could not do that either Barry /  |
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Post by theycallmewade on Jan 21, 2015 21:56:43 GMT 12
As a sports venue designer, I can tell you that the a spectators experience is greatly affected by the quality of sound.... By this I mean how clear the sound is and how loud it is. One of the big things we do when designing stadiums is really focus on the PA system to get that right. We have all been to events where the sound is not right and it just becomes exhausting and colours our perception of the quality of the whole event. (lighting is extremely important as well, but not for this thread). I am not even talking about what is being said on the PA, just the level of sound quality can make a big difference.
Personlly, I think you are onto something bigger than you think here Mintie... Yes the professionalism of what is being presented is key and is greatly coloured by who is delivering and how. We should not underestimate how important it is!
To give this some context, stadia around the world are working on new strategies to keep spectators involved and attending. Their big focus at the moment is 'delivering information', and they are looking at how they compete for the 'stay at home and watch on TV crowd' becuse it is winning at the moment due to being information rich. Stadium managers are looking at delivering action replays / stats / commentary directly to mobile phones just to keep the 'information flow' going to live spectators (some other stuff as well that is pretty out there but out coming our way...) Information is key, so is 'no dead air' - been to a rugby match lately...ball goes out and music comes on!
I think the pioneers of speedway commentary should absolutely be looking to teach and share. Clubs should be looking to make sure the show is 'delivered'. With the SL guys and others looking to get a wider and more mainstream audience, Speedway should also think about it's 'brand' with respect to delivery - it has one already by the way developed by those mentioned above. Think about Rugby league commentators (especially the aussie legend commentators) vs Rugby for instance - the difference is no accident!
I applaud your idea Mintie! My gut feeling is that speedway has a real chance to claw back the Saturday Night, Speedway Night spot during the summer months - bringing the professionalism to delivery of the show is key to that!
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