mikebv

Turkey's don't vote for Christmas!!! The BIG difference now though, is that rather than one league always having significantly higher numbers, like over the last couple of decades, (ie tier two), if just two teams "move up" then tier one will have the majority of tracks... The tail no longer will be able to wag the dog... It hasn't been by chance I would think that most BSP Chairmen have been tier two promoters over the recent past... Poland's "one other league" (not one country and two leagues), if they get their way, will be a game changer for UK Speedway... DU riders, who choose the UK, will have a clear decision to make... And, tier two in particular, will be a very different landscape than what we, and they, have been accustomed to for (probably), far too long, particularly as so much DUing has hugely contributed to the current paucity of riders.. Colemans vision of greater demarcation between the leagues over here will organically happen if Poland get their way... And, personally, if I was him, and I had his wider influence, I would definitely be encouraging it to happen. As that would mean the much needed radical change of direction for UK Speedway, would inevitably have to happen, (and I would be able to blame someone else for it!!!)..

He is another in an ever growing list of "outsiders" to come in to Speedway and see potential.. Similar to John Postlelthwaite in that he has feet in both GP and UK Speedway camps, (someone who has continued to be very successful in his own post Speedway career).. Postlethwaite, however, sadly, didn't get listened to with his vision on how to deliver the huge potential the sport has, and neither did those others who also came in from outside the "UK Speedway Bubble" since.. The Speedway Stars "x years ago" section is very telling, almost every week, as they cover off what was being discussed from decades ago, and, almost every week, the same issues that we still discuss today get mentioned as something that "desperately needs sorting"... Meaning many from inside the sport have spotted the clear and obvious issues, (and it isn't just the moaners on the BSF), yet, their view on things obviously fell on deaf ears... (Or maybe not deaf ears but ears with fingers stuck in them and the person going "LA! LA! LA! I can't hear you!!")... Coleman reminds me of Postlethwaite in that politically, and emotional intellectually, he is of a much higher level than many within UK Speedway, and, regardless of whether he gets listened to, will personally be a success in whatever he does in business going forwards... It is a huge opportunity for the sport in the UK to use his capability, contacts and acumen... The, "quite content with their lot, Hobbyists" may not concur though!!! Let's, as fans of the sport, who can also see its obvious potential, (if only just down now to its low point currently), he can deliver significant progress and growth...

I thought his full name was... Justin Elkins EF..... Given it was written so many times in the Speedway Star...

I can't help thinking that Matt's vision was for every team to run a squad system... Rather than UK Speedway itself running a huge one!!! Just think, this was TEN years ago, therefore, given Matt's thoughts wouldn't have been a knee jerk one to a sudden issue, you can only presume it was several years of issues leading up to his thoughts... Which shows, there was obviously an acknowledgment by (at least some), promoters, that the sport needed a better strategy and operating model... Instead, Doubling Up became the game changer that allowed tier two teams to keep riders they had developed, as the riders remained affordable as they got subsidised by tier one teams.. What started out as a laudable development tool, (and had been used for decades successfully in developing UK talent), then became the "go to" strategy for the sport... One rider, two teams, both sharing his salary... Resulting in. Two places for some riders, meaning no places for others.. The even bigger result? Even more Double Up riders being needed, one, due to the lack of riders caused by the lack of development opportunities, particularly in the second tier, and two, an even greater need to share costs due to the ever dwindling fanbase their strategies created... A quite brilliant plan and one that is now fully being felt in all its glory!!

Is it a seven or a twenty eight day ban he gets...? It does show how fragile everything is when an experienced DU rider steps away from the sport given two teams now have the difficulty of finding replacements of a "decent" level... Best Wishes to the lad, one of those 100% "triers" who keep you watching the sport...

And all promoters know they will need to use all the "ahhh but what if?', regulations put together, up to, and including, "in the interests of Speedway" at some stage of the season... There will be over 200 guests used this season in tiers one and two, with a large percentage down to fixture clashes, and "illness", and not injuries... A truly incredible way to run what is supposed to be considered (by themselves at least), a professional team sport... Edit. As an ironic footnote to this, I have just read a Speedway Star from a few weeks ago and in the "10 years ago" section if quotes Matt Ford as saying.. "Its only a matter of time when" (a squad system should be introduced), to avoid meetings packed with guests.. "The one absolute certainty I can give you is that it is going to happen, its just when people finally don't feel frightened by it, for want of a better word, and understand how it would work".. "We are limiting and strangling ourselves by sticking to the old format of using the same seven men, it can't continue".. "At no point has it ever been as bad as it is now, and at no point have people being talking so negatively about the sport, the biggest reason for that is the lack of fixtures and continuity"... Remember this was TEN YEARS AGO!... It could have been written today...

Do you think this would have been better for their business? "Well, that's it! After this weekend we clearly have bugger all chance of making the play offs, so it is hardly worth even bothering coming to watch us now"... If so, the BSP could use you... Plymouth are one of the "good news" stories this season and have made loads of positive moves, not least moving from the "graveyard night" for the entertainment sector, (Tuesday), and moving to Saturday's, which is the biggest night for it... They are obviously trying to maintain that positive message, which, in this social media era is absolutely paramount to engage punters to attend... The "truth" is often largely irrelevant these days in communication to those watching, and putting a positive spin in everything you put out into the public domain, is 100% the way to go...

It is 100% down to the promoters, not the riders... They are the ones who agree the meeting criteria to be followed, and also are the ones who sign riders knowing clashes are inevitable, eg Zack Cook... Lawson is following the criteria laid down... And, without using riders who will inevitably have clashes abroad, who actually would fill the team places?...

Having watched him for many years I don't think he ever gives less than 100%... Proper Box Office....

He would be assessed as a GP rider now wouldn't he?.. Be great to watch around Ipswich... Stand well back though...

Uber around five/six quid... Plenty of regular buses too, at £2 from the city centre.. Five mins in a taxi, around ten on a bus...

Certainly adds to the atmosphere....

Wouldn't he be banned if he doesn't go?... It was mentioned that he should be asked on BSN last night about why he is in Denmark and not the UK.. Maybe the promoters of Poole should have explained why when informing everyone that they had booked Sam Masters to replace him... It is hardly the fault of the riders that such situations occur is it?..

To get 8 teams in the top tier I am sure some work will be done on averages... Bringing 8 competitive teams to the tapes will be the aim... Maybe even less riders per team to deliver that "wider difference" between the leagues, that Richard Coleman has mentioned needs to happen.. If UK Speedway is having to go head to head next season with Denmark and Sweden for the same Polish contracted riders, then maybe less riders per team would mean higher payments to them?.. Denmark have five rider teams, and riders have five and six rides... I thought that Doubling Up would be a key advantage for the UK, when attracting those riding in Poland, given the number of total meetings would far outweigh Sweden and Denmark... Stopping DU'ing for these riders no longer gives the UK this advantage... Possibly they will go home and away twice to raise the number of meetings higher than Denmark and Sweden?...

Makes a big difference to any meeting when a decent amount of away fans turn up.. In Football the Premier League cap away fans at £30.. Speedway should do some similar reduced cost prices for away fans...