Aces51

I just rang the away track and asked for the result, they always told me.

It's been looking very bleak for the Bees but fingers and everything else crossed that a solution can be found. Wouldn't be the same without those visits to Brandon.

He also said, “I'd like to put on record my thanks to Manchester City Council for everything they have done and are doing to make the National Speedway Stadium and the Belle Vue Aces a success, and wish the best of luck to whomsoever is favoured by BSPA to take over this icon of speedway." Could some draw the conclusion from that final comment that he was not favoured by the BSPA?

Very good news and I am pleased for all the Lions supporters.

It is certainly one of the rumours, said to have cost them £10,000 a month for the temporary terracing. Whether there is any truth in the rumour, I don't know. I do know that the concrete terracing in the south stand wasn't done so somebody was paying for the temporary terracing and toilets.

Isn't the evidence that most individual events have been dropped because of even poorer attendances than for league matches. My guess, is that most fans still prefer team events.

The promotion said that they had not been able to start the Academy because so much of their time had been taken up with the issues arising from the problems caused by the contractors. They said it was their intention to have it in place in 2017.

It's a10 point difference but you obviously think highly of a gnats appendage.

All of the team building averages are here on the SGB website. http://www.speedwaygb.co/elteamissues16 It is the final one at the bottom of the list 2017 team building averages numerical

SCB, I agree with your last 3 lines providing KB manages to gate first and we know he doesn't always manage to do that, in fact, fairly often he doesn't manage to do that. If any of those riders you mention gets out in front of him his chances of passing any of them is pretty remote. In fact, if lesser riders than those you mention get out in front of him his chances of passing them is pretty remote.

It's a matter of personal preference. Most cities have some very nice areas as well as some poor ones. Many prefer cities because of their metropolitan nature, the employment opportunities and the multitude of sporting and entertainment facilities available on the doorstep. Others prefer life in a backwater. Each to their own but obviously the majority live in cities and any survey will reflect that,

Gating is important but more so at certain tracks. The racing at Monmore isn't as good as it used to be but it is far from being a gaters paradise. PC would probably have won again in 1977 but for breaking his leg so badly the week before the final. He still finished second to Ivan.

I hope that any new promotion will understand the need for continuity, fans need riders they can identify with. It will also be a shame if George isn't involved, his work with the Colts is what we need to start to produce a conveyor belt of British talent.

I agree and I'll be there whoever we sign, the racing should still be good. However, if we are going to survive we must have a side which is competitive and capable of at least winning most home meetings. Otherwise, crowd numbers will soon fall.

I was impressed with what I saw of Branford last season. Could be a good signing.

Without doubt Starman is a genius. I bet nobody else has the same insight and intelligence and assumed Phil must be the new promoter and we were getting it straight from the horses mouth.

It never ceases to amaze me that someone reports something they have heard/been told by some unnamed source and then others take it as gospel and comment on it as if it were a fact.

I was showing that people would pay more for the same cake if you put it in a more expensive looking paper case.

At the NSS fans had the option of £20 for the grandstand, even more in the premium seats, or £17 in the south stand. There were always significantly more people in the grandstand unless it was sold out. That seems contrary to the suggestion that the sport is way over priced. Surely, if it were, then more people would pay the lower price? Admittedly, with the age profile, a number may need to be seated but that wouldn't account for the huge difference in numbers at most meetings.

An excellent signing. I am sorry he won't be at Belle Vue next year but he struggled with the bigger track and it is better for his career that he moves on. His away scores prove he can still sore plenty of points.

I am the same. What I remember from this year is the best racing I have seen for many years not the number of matches that we won.

So many clubs are in financial difficulties which is why we can no longer afford the top stars, why facilities are not updated, why they cannot afford professional PR and why every year clubs struggle to survive. This year again steps have been taken to reduce costs to try to enable clubs to at least break even. Excluding a billionaire backer it is the only realistic hope for the future of speedway. Maybe , just maybe, it may enable the sport to get on a sounder financial footing, consolidate and start to grow. To suggest that these financial savings be given away by reducing admission prices seems to me to be madness. Knocking a pound or so off the price is unlikely to have any great affect on attendances and any more than that is a risk too great because it could lead to wholesale closures. The hope that £10 speedway would increase the crowds in the significant numbers needed to increase the total income through the turnstiles is not a risk the sport can take in its present precarious position. Ask yourself why international manufacturers reduce the size of the product and charge the same price to maintain or increase their profit margins. They don't reduce the price to below the manufacturing cost in the hope that a massive increase in sales will at least make up the difference. Speedway in the UK is doing the same. It may not work but it is much less of a risk than price reduction.

There was/is a stadium manager and a sales executive. Various events have been held, including a business conference which was held there a few days ago. A number of events are advertised leading up to Christmas. Unfortunately, like with any new facility it takes time to build up the business and I suspect that next year would and still can produce significantly more income. Speedway couldn't survive at the dog track and the only way it will have a chance now is not by returning there or, to that financial model but by increasing the crowds and the income from the bars, food outlets and the Peter Craven suite. The planned academy needs to be up and running and other money making ideas implemented like, training days, flat track racing, sidecars etc.

It is on the Poole website "Ford has also confirmed that the Pirates first team action of 2017 will against Wolverhampton in the Elite Shield, with the Pirates travelling to Monmore Green on Monday 27th March with the return leg on Wednesday 29th March. The Wimborne Road season opener will be the Darcy Ward Invitational Meeting on Friday 24th March."

Let's hope for the credibility of the sport that they are.