Halifaxtiger

Compared to some of the stuff you have stated on this thread they are positively complimentary.

Incorrect, BW. I seem to recall it being said that he wouldn't go even it was free To be fair, he is anything but the only one that this thread applies to. For my own part, I really don't understand why someone who doesn't go to speedway, has no interest in watching (even on the box) and wouldn't go if he didn't have to pay is a member of a speedway forum and comments regularly.

I suspect if Newcastle don't make it Plymouth will go up. That is precisely what happened when they applied to join the PL in 2011 - refusal, then acceptance when Stoke (if memory serves me correctly) pulled out. It looks to me that the refusal has been based upon the need for a 12 team league but until we hear the actual grounds its difficult to actually state whether the decision is correct. Let me assure you that the gap between the standard of riders in the Championship is just as wide as it is in the NL. Overall, I think the outcome is pretty decent, although I'll wait to see what happens with the NL first. Certainly the regional split in the Championship seems to me to be a very good idea indeed.

Being a speedway fan and someone who attends regularly, I sometimes wonder why I am on here.

I think its been pretty much shown that Kent don't have 'issues' getting meetings done within their curfew at all. As I say, two hours is more than adequate and in my experience the overwhelming majority of meetings are completed within that time. As to prima donnas, experience tells me that they are anything but restricted to the Premiership It maybe that one of the conditions for them going up is either that the 630 start time can be accommodated or their hours for racing can be changed. Knowing precisely where Central Park is, its bloody ludicrous that their applications to run later and on other nights have been refused.

I have heard they are...………..providing circumstances are right. Its nonsense to suggest that 'most' speedway meetings take more than 2 hours (or that it will take 2 hours to get to heat 8). The overwhelming majority that I have been to take less than that, so there's no reason why they can't run with the same start time and curfew. There will be a lot more urgency about proceedings than there are at some places, and that's no bad thing. They certainly have the stadium for top flight speedway.

You're right, but its never stopped other tracks in need of improvement staging international meetings. Apart from the NSS, Kent is the best stadium we have. With the loss of Stoke & Plymouth and the possible loss of Cradley, Leicester & Belle Vue it maybe that next season's points limit will be extremely low (32 or even 30) to entice other clubs to enter NL teams. With Sheffield reverting to Thursday, Buxton could come back. My only hope is if Isle of Wight decide to fold given the circumstances a role is found for Barry Bishop & Martin Widman. The innovation, foresight and enthusiasm they have put into the Warriors over the last few seasons is something the sport simply can't afford to lose.

Completely agree, but I'd maintain that Matt Ford's 70% is still about right. I have always maintained that the quality of the track is more important than the rider. Where that's concerned, you're privileged because NL speedway at the NSS is better than most I have seen on BT from PL tracks.

I had heard about Sheffield. I must admit I am more surprised by Berwick than Kent. Their nearest rivals will be Belle Vue, 200 miles away. Makes no sense at all - Shadders is bang on. Kent ride on Mondays, have a fantastic stadium and could pull in a few from Lakeside. Always a possibility.

True, but if you discount all those over 7 (other than those who already ride CL such as Cook, Masters, King etc) there are just 10 who almost certainly couldn't or wouldn't drop down. That's 20% of the PL rider strength. I think its more a question of the CL points limit being high enough to include all those who could ride at that level. I also think those assessed averages are hugely inflated. Danny King would be over 11 (8.67), Erik Riss 9.9 (8.4) and Sam Masters 11.02 (9.05).

I suggest you check the figures. Its actually 61% ( including 40% of heat leaders) at present. Include Porsing, Lidsey & Berge (who all average under 5) and it goes up to 65%. Conceivably, any rider averaging under 6.5 could do, too (Andersen has already been mentioned on this thread as a potential no 1). Now we are up to 71%. It depends on the points limit, of course, but I think Ford is - at worst - only slightly out. Many have mentioned that it was the change of race night that damaged Poole's attendances not their on track performances or the quality of riders, for 2019 at least. A switch back to Wednesday night with a successful team could actually improve attendances despite the overall drop in rider quality. Taking into account Matt Ford's estimate of a 25% cut in costs, you can see his reasoning for the change.

I don't think your point about success can be under estimated. Word I got was that a hugely successful NL Birmingham drew bigger gates than a disastrously unsuccessful EL Brummies side - there were certainly some on here who swore that they would never go given the drop in standards and ended up choking on their own venom as Birmingham won back to back titles. It is true that if the team is poor attendances could fall lower than the 70% figure stated, but if they are successful some of the 30% might go anyway. Stopping going altogether in the face of a winning side is much harder than walking away if they are rubbish whatever league they are in, and it isn't as though the team will be massively different - as Matt Ford stated, 70% of the riders will be the same anyway. He's right. One thing I believe is certain : Ford won't have made this decision without a deal of thought, analysis and consideration.

I have heard that too.

I am sure that all speedway fans would want the world's top riders to ride in the UK but we can't afford them. In the same way, I doubt if there are many - if any - Poole supporters who would actually want Championship racing but its not just a matter of that, its also a question of finance. Poole, apparently, simply can't make Premiership racing pay so they have no choice other than to drop a league. Even by the most optimistic of standards, this isn't Poole fans voting to go down. Its them saying they will accept Championship speedway rather than - at least potentially - nothing. It always surprises me how a change of race day can - on occasion, dramatically - affect attendances but experience suggests that in most cases it does.

If you don't know the facts then you have no idea whether what I am saying is 'idle gossip' or the truth of the matter (on this or any other occasion). I'll let others decide on the strength of my reputation as a poster if it is true or not and, unlike you, most of them will not let their club bias get in the way when they do.

I know when Ashley Taylor was planning to try and open in Cornwall the two nights he would not consider were Friday and Saturday because holidaymakers would either be coming or going. I can well appreciate why they might switch from a Friday (having travelled to Plymouth on that day) but you do run the risk of losing families due to school commitments. Having said that, it is indicative that Somerset chose to stick with Wednesdays on returning to the Championship rather than going back to Fridays and Adrian Smith has said that in the school holidays Belle Vue get bigger gates on Mondays than Fridays.

That's what I have been told. Six figure sum since they took over, apparently. However, maybe my sources (which are pretty good) have got it wrong. Care to put me (and others) straight ? Thought not

I am not quite sure brave is the word. The last promotion at Championship level folded having made losses in every season. The present promotion are reportedly losing money hand over fist at NL level. Most of the league is based north of Manchester, with only Somerset within 200 miles. Travelling expenses will be huge. Attracting riders to drive to the far south west - on a Friday night - will be a problem that could result in higher pay than normal. They will certainly have to work on the track preparation side, because Championship riders are far less forgiving than NL ones. They'll also have to work hard on the PR, because the attitude seems to be that criticism - from anyone and of any kind - is unacceptable. That's not good enough and requires a sea change. Having said all that, SBA cam be a fantastic race track and I have seen some brilliant speedway there at Championship level in particular, and I have always thought that a city the size of Plymouth could and should attract gates big enough to substantially support a Championship team. Very best of luck to the club and the promotion.

Half of the Championship clubs are north of Redcar (if you include the Bears, that is) and Sheffield and Scunthorpe are about 100 miles away. In terms of distance alone, Redcar is a better choice than Sheffield or Belle Vue. Having said that, if both the NLRC and CRC were held over the same weekend (say Saturday and Sunday, with a 12.00pm start on Sunday) and it was promoted in the right way, you could hold the meetings at Belle Vue. I think it would attract a very decent attendance bearing in mind the (mostly) neutral venue, the NSS's reputation for racing and the stadium facilities. A similar event at Peterborough a couple of years ago was a huge success.

It could and should be a fantastic meeting. Even with the withdrawals, that's still a terrific line up. Part of the problem is that they have had to have 'extensive track work' after heat 8. That's simply not good enough.

Very entertaining meeting especially when the dirt line moved out a bit. I too thought Morris was to blame. Off gate one, he was mid track by the time they entered the first bend and shoved Riss and Wright up against the fence. I'd also agree about Riss but this was far less clear cut. Riss was off 3, Morris 4 so the possibility of a collision was far greater. Rarely has a rider put in so much effort for so little reward and he deserves better than criticism. His only disappointment might be when he was beaten by Rowe in heat 5, otherwise he was up against it in every race and while he finished at the back in heat 9 Harris and Schlein took so long to get by him Palm Toft was clear. That was a crucial - possibly decisive - contribution.

At a rough guess, the attendance was about 2,500. That's about double Belle Vue's usual attendance. The way I see it, they'd be crazy to change from the 12pm starts on bank holidays.

We'll have to disagree about the result today. I certainly wasn't being complacent until the 5-1 in heat 11, as at that time the Aces still had to prevent King's Lynn getting a point. I do agree about tactical changes. Anything to make a meeting more competitive and interesting, and those who compare speedway with other sports in their arguments against it are talking nonsense. I went to the handicap meeting at Isle Of Wight a week or so ago and co-promoter Martin Widman commented that the passing was 'artificial' (to be fair to Martin, I put that word in his mouth). My response was 'Who cares ?' Taken all round (because the Warriors do so, so much more than run a speedway match), it's the best meeting I have seen this season .

I certainly don't agree that most matches are finished after a few races - that certainly wasn't the case today and I'd point out that Newcastle last week the Diamonds were winning by 12 points at heat 9 only to lose the meeting. You have two problems at Leicester. For a start, it has a notorious reputation for poor racing. Secondly (and this might not been seen as a problem as such) you have a very good team, top of the table and looking nailed on for a play off position. That means that they are going to thump a few away sides. I don't disagree about tactical changes but suspect that you & I are in the minority. Certainly, there are numerous number of people on here that rail against 'artificial' score changes.

According to the proboards site, 25 August 2018. That, however, is nit picking. I saw the crash at Workington and it was truly awful - I was actually relieved that his injuries were what they were. To break the track record today would have been a fantastic achievement no matter what. To do it after what happened is a remarkable one.