BWitcher

Thanks for the link. Awesome.

Bestowed for a year only you say. Correct. And as they won it 5 months ago, they've got around 7 months of being champions left. A few of you seem to be wanting to rewrite the rules of the whole world of sport. Maybe you think Obama isn't actually the President of the USA, after all, he didn't win the election this year did he.

Don't be an idiot. Poole are the reigning Elite league champions. End of. Are you claiming Tai Woffinden is no longer world champion? It's the same thing. Dear me. If it isn't theirs how can they be defending it? Basic fail.

Not forgotten anything. It is 'theirs' until somebody takes it off them. That is all he has said.

Nothing to do with 'typical Poole attitude' at all. Poole are the current Elite League Champions. That is fact and is all Steve Shovlar stated, they are champions until the end of the play-off final this year. It's quite simple.

Let's wait and see how he gets on when the real stuff starts. It will take him a few weeks to find his feet I'm sure, but it's important we cover for him if so. Can't afford to start with a home loss or on the backfoot from the off.

Tad disappointing its not a proper 20 heat competition...

I've just booked my flights from Portugal to be there for Sam's appearance at Sheffield. Any news on who else is in the meeting?

Not disagreeing with you. It angers me every time a race is pulled back when someone has simply made a great start. Times have moved on WK. What passed as being a character and 'entertainment' has long since changed.

Oh dear.. the relics are out again harking back to the 'good old days'. The old way of starting was awful. It's awful even watching it now seeing riders roll into the tapes, back out again, in again, back out again. Awful. What is annoying now is when races are called back when someone makes a fantastic start. Quite simply, if the referee lets the tapes go, meaning he is happy no rider has moved backwards, then if a rider doesn't touch the tapes, let it go. The minute modern day speedway gets any form of villain they are castigated by all and sundry.. particularly the older fans!

Spot on. Forget about fancy graphics, this game is all about gameplay. Takes a little while to get the hang of it, but once you do, it's fantastic. Very welcoming community, currently in Season 8 of a well run league structure. Go to www.britishspeedwaysliders.com to sign up as a member. There are regular 'pool' meetings for new members to get used to racing in a real meeting.

Updates and Radio WM both said it was a big crowd.

I didn't realise they were all in the GP. I assume you believe that a GP rider won't be winning then as they're just having a practice?

Absolute legend. Was cheering on to the radio commentary in Heat 20!

When it is justified then criticism can be given, however you find ways to criticise on every single thread. We are in agreement in that overall the BSPA do a woefully poor job (or have done) in promoting the sport and before you came along I was viewed as perhaps one of the most critical posters on this forum... however it must seem I'm supportive of the BSPA in comparison to yourself!

Cut back on advertising expense? Explain to me how much it costs to put out a statement on the BSPA website, or for the BSPA to make a tweet. You are talking absolute utter garbage as there is no added expense, none at all. Sold so many? How many? Who says? Where are the figures? IF they have sold 'so many' then 'suddenly' ending the offer with no warning is cutting their own throats. The only way the BSPA can claim any form of victory from this is if Brandon is a sell-out.

I'd suggest you don't take up a career in marketing, you will not be very successful. It is clear to anyone with half a brain cell that if you are going to run a promotion the most important thing is that you ADVERTISE it. Secondly, if the promotion is only going to be on offer for 24 hours it would be very important to STATE THAT. That's the idea of short promotions, to encourage people to purchase there and then. There will be many who didn't purchase there and then as they had no idea the offer was only on offer for 24 hours. It makes no difference to me as I live in another country, however it will make a difference to the sport. If Brandon stadium is not heaving close to capacity for this meeting, you can say they've failed.

As I said, they didn't promote it IN THE SLIGHTEST. Show me the link to them publicising it. They got lucky (or unlucky more likely the way they see things) that others did the publicising for them.

Utter garbage. They didn't promote it in the slightest.

So why are they being warned then is the question I would ask? If they don't touch the tapes (with their wheel/bike), let it go.

That is precisely the point, how big would it have been if the offer had either:- a: Been promoted b: Been available for a longer period of time. There is nothing yet to suggest this was even a genuine idea by the BSPA and not a cock-up. It's been suggested for tv meetings for a long time.

As somebody involved in the promotion of this event would you care to explain to us the rationale behind the BSPA preferring to stage this event in front of a sparse crowd, over a packed out Brandon Stadium?

Why? Are they different to the rest of the world, the majority of the population of most countries are manipulated by media/propaganda.

In a positive way!!! They could get 1500 paying £25, or god forbid too many take advantage of the offer and they get 5-6000 paying £12.50. Plus accompanying programme sales, food sales etc. Do the maths. Sadly they are just too blind to see it.

They're not worried about people deserting them for EL clubs (at least they shouldn't be as you say, but anything is possible), they're worried that fans decide the product is over priced and simply stop going.. That is already happening.