mikebv

But! But! But! I saw a photo of a "Blue Groove!!!! That's the important thing to mention, not the crowd of well over 2,000!!!! "Ahh! But how many of them of them will be back next time with the track looking like that?" Will no doubt be the question asked by some... "Pretty much most if not all of them, and maybe even more" will be the answer..

A suggestion which seems to be made every single year, to aspire to something and stimulate growth... Yet, instead, we dumb down every single year... Maybe using the mean average of all the teams would be a compromise?.. Meaning the lowest teams have head room, (but not unreachable head room), to improve, and the top teams don't have to decimate their septet by reducing loads of points...

GB, Sweden and Denmark ran full programmes, with the obvious risk of injuries... I would have thought that the organisers would have had the riders out in Poland for the week doing publicity for the meeting, and being in a "team camp" together... Adding a bit of "gravitas" to the event, particularly as it now isn't every season.. It looks just like another run of the mill meeting when nothing is done differently...

I would suggest for the riders below the top tier, those not on the top contracts, then whoever pays the most will determine that decision..

The Silver Jubilee of 1977??.

You would think the lead up week to the World Cup Final would be blank wouldn't you? Strange some leagues still run... Maybe not that important?...

Jonathan Chapman and Alex Brady also seemed to know what was needed in a modern day entertainment environment... "Modern thinkers? No thank you! We don't need them"...

Plus the likes of Silver and Thomas, and probably more... These were "Promoters" who genuinely reflected the definition of the word... Rather than nowadays where "Owners" would be a much more suitable name.. The real "Promoters" knew that getting locals to attend regularly wasn't always the major priority, (if they did then great), instead fhey wanted volume every week, even if some fans only visited once... The logic being that that even that one visit meant that person knew that the sport existed, and keeping the team in the local public awareness meant more chance of more visits further down the line.. In short, the more who read about you, the more who know about you, and therefore, the more likely they are to take a look at what you do... Todays Social Media world would be seen as perfect by some of the "old school" operators of yesteryear.... (If they avoided getting banned!!!)...

No, you only get banned for not turning up... Plus... Any ban for Bomber would mean about five teams short of a rider...

Saving a good few quid on a jet washer...

Wasn't the cunning plan that the cups were done and dusted "early" in the season?...

Clubs actively agree to meetings taking place (usually away from home), knowing their riders will be missing but will already have lined up a track specialist ringer, or two, or three, to step in.. I remember BV once riding at Arena with, I think it was, four missing due to Zagar riding in his National Championship and three others in GP Challenges.. They brought in three ex Arena riders and ran RR... They had their best performance there in years!!! NB. It goes without saying that any proper sport, one with credibility and integrity, wouldn't have countenanced such a thing taking place and the governing body simply wouldn't have sanctioned the meeting to be ran..

And a much bigger name, meaning many of the crowd would have turned up specifically because he was (supposed to be) there... Arriving a bit late, with bikes not spotlessly clean, isn't anywhere near the level of Michael Lee in his heyday of absences...

9.2 with bonus points... With age comes experience.....

The positive social aspect of how the sport was, shouldn't ever be understated... Even into the mid 90's the BV riders would be in the bar having a drink and signing autographs with the many fans who stayed to have a beer... Supporters Clubs across the country arranged away meetings coaches and held regular social events through the season... The operating model was always "a bit Mickey Mouse" (but obviously nothing like today's Guestfest version), however, the social aspect of the sport kept people engaged and invested in the teams, so therefore they attended regularly... Teams who were, most weeks, your own riders, or riders doubling up who had been loaned out by your team to a Div 2 track for their development... Nowadays it looks like Teams are put together the night before, with anyone and everyone in the frame to ride for your club on a adhoc, horses for courses, basis.. And, some riders will leave the stadium almost before Heat 15 has started if they have a very early flight the next morning from an airport miles away from the track they have raced on... The whole thing needs urgent review and a complete overhaul and reset... Start UK Speedway again...