Eastbourne Eagles
FOLLOW US ONLINE twitter.com/sportinprofile
Eastbourne Eagles
With the Speedway season in
full flow Eastbourne Eagles
has enjoyed a fine campaign so
far and are looking to build on
that platform. Sport in Profile
Magazine recently caught up with
Club Representative Paul Watson
to find out more.
SIP: How long have you been involved
and what first attracted you to
Eastbourne Eagles?
PW: I have been watching the
Eastbourne Eagles since 1994. Work
brought me to Sussex and I found, to
my joy, that I was living only 20 minutes
from the club’s Arlington Stadium,
which is at Hailsham, just off the A22.
SIP: What are the most challenging and
rewarding aspects of your role?
PW: I am a speedway fan and it is
a pleasure to work with the riders who
are all so open and helpful. Seeing how
the riders interact with the fans - from
tiny tots to pensioners is a joy for any PR
person to see. The riders help “sell” the
club by being so friendly and welcoming
to supporters, both before and after
meetings.
SIP: How’s the general mood down
there at the moment? SIP: What are your plans for the rest of
2017?
PW: Buoyant. At the time of writing,
Eastbourne has gone top of the league,
with matches in hand. However, the
National League title is decided on
a play-off basis. The top four teams
compete in two semi-finals and a final
once the regular season is over. We are
in a great place but everyone knows no
cups are handed out in mid-summer. PW: Obviously, the plan is get into
the play-offs and then win the Grand
Final and become National League
champions.
SIP: How would you say 2017 has gone
so far?
PW: It has gone extremely well but
speedway is a dangerous sport and
injuries can blow any team off course.
Eastbourne has some thrilling racers in
the team this year and fans really warm
to the way they fight for victories.
SIP: Is the club doing anything to
maximise its commercial potential?
PW: The club has an excellent main
sponsor, IT First. There are a number of
other “second tier” sponsors, down to
small businesses (or individuals, groups
of supporters) putting in small sums.
Like most small sports, speedway has
been squeezed over the years by the
growing coverage of football and, in
particular, the Premier League. It makes
it hard for the minnow sports to get a
mention in the papers, TV or radio.
Images Courtesy of Tiffani
14 Issue 14