mikebv

Some riders get well over half a million a year riding Speedway... Therefore. So early in the season, on potentially weather impacted tracks, and riding against some vastly inferior riders on those type of tracks, I would suggest they probably err on the side of caution... And Poland are already doing "sparring matches"/team boot camps, so a clash of calender could also be an impact...

Does it really matter if NKI has or hasn't been "declared".. Just give them a guest facility.... They don't race till April 20th anyway, and the first two matches are away, and not till the 30th at home, so plenty of time to sort guests out..

198 Guests used last season in the top two leagues... With one less team in the top tier they are going to have to go some to beat it... My money is on them to do it though...

One million percent... More meetings will have guests this season, again, than not, for a plethora of avoidable reasons, therefore Northampton starting with them, and even running all season with them, for something out of their control, isn't going to make one jot of difference to the credibility of the sport.... And, it is imperative that Northampton are competitive... And, given the other promoters have put their team together, I am sure they will ensure it... Whichever way it has to happen...

That team would struggle in the Premiership...

Currently 17-43!!!! Are the home team at full strength as that team looks very poor...

Thank God we're back.... I almost had to start a conversation with the Missus!!!!

I can only presume it is to show those councils currently deciding on whether to give house building permission, on ex Speedway sites, that the sport isnt in steep decline and confidence is so high in its growth that a new track has opened... Those fighting the developers can point to both Northampton and Buxton as examples of people seeing a bright future... Personally, if they had a couple of hundred thousand to spend I would have used it to grow the businesses of the 14 current tracks through national marketing and special offers... An extra 500 at each would make a huge difference given the low starting point, and bring another 7,000 fans in to the sport.. Even if Northampton is a "success", there won't by anything like 7,000 there each meeting.... Fingers crossed it works, however, the optics of having your team compiled by your opponents doesn't sit well in a professional sport....

According to Mark Lemon in the Speedway Star, the promoters (who and how many not confirmed), and some "outside investors"... Attracting a fanbase to support a team put together by the owners and promoters of some/all (?) of your opponents in the same league could be a bit of a tough sell... If they don't do well some may not be "too surprised" given their opponents put the team together..

Are zee two Brutish Earmen stool hideeng in zee cupberrrrd, René....?

You may be... But the good people of Northampton aren't... (Because they haven't been told much about it yet)...

Well meaning unpaid amateurs doing their best... Allied to a number of promoters who are ex riders, and ex rider sponsors, all having zero skill set in event management and marketing... Pre 2000 you could get away with it, however, as the internet and social media came on board, and immediate scrutiny and feedback started to be the norm, you no longer can just present something in the way you did thirty or so years ago.. (And for some, 40 years and even further back).. People's expectations have risen, and they get influenced by the feedback of others... Do UK Speedway ever do market research? Do they have a "Trust Pilot" where comments can be left, and answers given to the feedback they get? I used to hold several sessions every 13 weeks with 30 customers at a time, and their feedback could be "brutal"... But, it did give my chance to explain why certain situations happen, and why I couldn't change them, but, more importantly, give me "Gold" feedback on things I could change, but hadn't seen many of these issues as a problem... Amazing how much listening, and being honest with your customers, can improve your business enormously...

100%.... If you cannot run it as a bona fide team sport, (which they obviously cannot), then, simply, don't... Instead, promote it (properly), as "Sports Entertainment".... Still a great night out if you can ignore all the current, an ongoing, nonsense infrastructure around it..... Spend less on riders and more on marketing the event if you cannot afford to do both...

Oh, you cynic... But. With your inside knowledge, and my years of following the sport, I can only assume you are very much probably right!.... On a separate note, Mark Lemon in his Speedway Star interview, mentioned how important to the "integrity and credibility of the sport" this sixth team is... Reading further, it apeears that there are several (all, who knows?), other BSP promoters actually running the show, with riders already spoken with, and team planning in an advanced stage... So... This means that promoters of teams in the same top tier competitions are compiling the Northampton team... The very same team that their own team(s), (already announced) will race against.. "Integrity and Credibility"??? Imagine a professional sport being ran that way, with spectators then being expected to take it seriously...?

From the main stand... B Block... You could see that some were unpainted, but some were painted blue, maybe official GKN pallets?.... (But don't quote me on that, they may just have been GKN copies).. I will win the 50/50 draw (if they do it), at the GP and confirm details when I am on the centre green and feedback to everyone..