Online Ticket update

The Eastbourne HG Aerospace Eagles would like to thank all of those who have purchased Ticket(s) for our opening fixtures on the 22nd and 29th of May.

We hope that you have found the TryBooking System easy to use, and that you have found the detailed explanation of the Arrival, Entry and Exit processes that we have to apply due to current Covid 19 restrictions, to be of assistance too.

It may be the case that by mid-May that restrictions will ease and the processes will become simpler. We will contact you by e-mail in the week prior to any Match that you are attending to advise of any changes to Covid 19 restrictions, and how they may have changed since you purchased your ticket.

Whilst no-one can foresee the future, we do hope that the initial restrictions that we are currently working under will ease and make for an enjoyable, exciting and pleasurable experience.  

Your health and safety will always be of paramount importance to us and it is important therefore that you abide by any advice and guidelines as we are very much in the hands of the Local Authority and whilst they have been wonderfully supportive to us and Stock Cars, if regulations are not met, they do have the power to close the Stadium down, and that may mean the end of Speedway at Arlington for the immediate future.

Online ticketing

We will have to work under ONLINE pay in advance Ticketing Arrangements for most, if not all of the 2021 season.

We are trying to make as many supporters as possible aware of this via the Club website and social media, and to all fans who registered for updates via our website, which is free and easy to do.

In the next few weeks, we will start an advertising campaign across all of the local Newspapers, Local BBC Radio and Local TV News (Meridian) and when things open up in April, we will also have a Poster Campaign locally and in Tourist Information Centres etc.

There are things that you can do to help us though and it would be very much appreciated if you could ensure that any Supporters or occasional Speedway Fans that you may know are aware that ENTRY WILL BE BY TICKET ONLY and that there is an easy and secure ONLINE process available via the Club website.

Meeting Formats

We will be staging standalone CHAMPIONSHIP and NDL (National Development League) and also some combined “Double Header” Championship + NDL Matches during the season.

There will be a few Fixture changes announced in the coming weeks primarily to announce that some of the “Double Header” Fixtures will become standalone Championship or National Development League Fixtures.

This is because we were initially under pressure to announce an NDL Fixture List, but with more time can fine tune it to make it fit our available dates better. 

Full Pricing for Championship / National League and Double-Header CL+NDL Fixtures can be found here

We have been asked by a few supporters about some very specific issues relating to Double Headers, so here is a brief FAQ section that we will expand on during the course of the season.

Question: If there is a Double Header can I attend the NDL match only?

Answer – Yes you can and the cost will be the NDL Rate of £10.00. There will be a dedicated Car Parking Area set aside for those arriving for NDL Matches only and that will allow Stewards to open the Gate and to come and call you from your Cars and to enter the Stadium before the NDL Match starts.

(This will be set up for the planned Double Header Meeting on Sunday 27th June v Leicester which is our 2nd scheduled Double Header.  Please note, we cannot utilise this for the Match v Newcastle on 22nd May due to the very tight Crowd Limit and Crowd Restrictions at that time)

Question: if there is a Double Header can I attend the Championship Match only and leave before the NDL match and pay just for the CL Match?

Answer – Logistically it is not possible to allow Championship Match Pricing only for a Double Header on the basis that you will leave after the Championship Match has finished; as once you are inside the Stadium we cannot control and segregate between CL and NDL. 

We have however worked on a simple solution, that we hope will please those who have concerns about Double Headers and only want to watch The Championship part of the Fixture.

We will charge Double Header Prices for Tickets. There will though be a dedicated EXIT GATE that will be open for 10 minutes between the end of Heat 15 of the Championship Match and Heat 1 of the NDL National Development League Match.

If you wish to leave at this point you can go to the EXIT GATE and stewards will cross check your Name and email address on the Attendance Sheet. 

We will then email you a £6.00 REFUND Voucher Code. This can be used specifically by the Refund Code Holder to get a discount on your next Match, meaning that you have paid for the CHAMPIONSHIP Match only. 

This scheme will also apply from the planned Double Header Meeting on Sunday 27th June v Leicester (our 2nd scheduled Double Header) as again we cannot utilise it for the Match v Newcastle on 22nd May due to the very tight Crowd Limit and Crowd Restrictions at that time.

Question:  Why are you running Double Headers?

We are very keen to develop a new and young Asset base and to attract and retain the very best talent we have to give them an NDL and MSDL Team to race in, to develop in and to be nurtured by us for the future. All of the feedback we have had in the past from supporters indicates there is nothing they love more than seeing British Riders, especially locally based British Riders coming through from a young age into the Eagles / Seagulls Team in this way.

When we planned and applied to join the NDL for 2021 season we anticipated starting on either 1 April or 1 May. Had we started on 1 April we would have had 7 additional weekends to spread out the CL and NDL season. Had we even started later, on 1 May as planned, we would have had an additional 3 weekends to stage Fixtures. In 2022 we will hopefully have a season from late March to mid-October and no need for Double Headers.

The passion we have for our project and the development and acquisition of young British talent therefore was and is more important than the issues we have faced in getting all Fixtures in for a truncated season from 22 May to mid-October.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause some supporters, but we hope that like us, you will see and understand the bigger picture and the medium and long term viability of Eastbourne Eagles and Seagulls and our project.

With the exception of the opening Fixture on 22nd May, all currently planned Double Headers are either on a Sunday afternoon, or in the Schools Holidays and when we stage a Double Header on a Saturday night, we will start earlier to ensure we finish in good time for those who wish to go on for a night out, and before it gets too chilly and cold in Arlington Wood.

Question – Why are you selling Tickets so early?

We are only too aware of the financial implications many have suffered over the past 12 months and indeed Eastbourne Eagles have been similarly affected with Turnover slashed by almost 95%.

We are conscious that we would normally be having 3-4 Meetings in April and 2-3 Meetings before 22nd May.

The shortened season compresses everything and makes it even more of a financial strain for Supporters.

The idea of selling tickets for May matches in March, and for June Tickets in April is to help you to spread the period in which you have to purchase and buy Tickets over a more normal and standard Speedway Season that is usually over 7 months rather than the now truncated 5 months. We would like to thank you all for your incredible support, it is truly humbling and very much appreciated.

We will be confirming specific CAR PARKING Arrangements early in May. These will be designed to make access in and exit out of the Stadium as simple as possible and also to ensure minimal cross-over outside the Stadium for different Areas.

There will be dedicated Areas with Stewards for 2020 SEASON/10 Match Ticket Holders and for those in AREA 1 and AREA 2. 

There will be signage inside and outside the Car Parks and Stewards to guide you and ALL Ticket Holders will be e-mailed information and guidance before each scheduled Match.

Please remember to tell all of your friends that Speedway aims to be back on 22 May

We will put Tickets for June Fixtures on Sale at the end of March. , that A reminderCar Parking is FREE in the Stadium Car Park at all Speedway Fixtures

Feedback

If you have any questions, thoughts; feedback or comments we are more than happy to listen, learn, implement and discuss where we can. As you will know by now, we do try to monitor Social Media and Forums and answer directly where possible, but it’s not always possible to pick up every query or concern. 

The best way to contact and communicate with us is via e-mail to admin@eastbourne-speedway.com. 

We have made a real effort since the Spring of 2019 when we took over the running of the club to be open, transparent and approachable at all times. There is no need to have to hide behind false names or be scared to voice an opinion in fear of being banned or penalised, we actively seek your views and opinions as without you, our Supporters there would be no Speedway. Please feel free to engage with us at all times.

We look forward to seeing you all in May.

Thank You and please Stay Safe and Healthy

For those wishing to still purchase tickets for the Newcastle and Poole meetings, please click on the related images below. 

Please note: existing 2020 Season and 10 Match Ticket Holders do not need to pre-book – please just turn up with your 2020 Season Ticket or 10 Match Pass and go to the dedicated ST/10 Match Turnstile (which will be clearly marked)

Terms and Conditions can be found here.

Image credit: Mike Hinves