mikebv

If it's ITV4 they will certainly be hoping the potential extra "eyeballs" generate more income via sponsorship, and maybe more clicks of the turnstiles due to free access to the sport increasing its profile...

It is quite baffling why some would want what appears to be one of the few financially successful clubs to rip up their business plan and operating model to "do something different"... When that "something different" clearly wasn't working back when there were more teams in the top tier, and the sport appeared more stable and had more going for it, than it currently does... If I were running Poole I would expect a lot of incentives to move into the top tier to ensure my balance sheet wasn't negatively impacted, and was protected, and, if I didn't get them, then I would be quite happy to stay where I was...

I am Dan Bewley!!!! I am Dan Bewley!!! I am Dan Bewley!!!. Etc, etc ..

Richard Coleman said on one of the podcasts he did a few weeks ago that doubling up was being classed as "two leagues"... Maybe it has changed?...

So he can't double up over here then if he rides in 2nd tier Poland and top league Sweden?.. Or can he?... 🤪

Not at all... You don't grow any business by opening other units when you don't have the infrastructure in place to ensure the ones you currently have can keep going profitably .. UK Speedway has to share riders now with the number of teams they have, who will therefore ride for any new ones?.. Certainly not enough of them of the required level for another top league team to compete adequately... You actually damage your brand by spreading yourself "too thin" which then results in every one of your businesses starting to suffer, even the current successful ones you have, as your "weakest links" start to drag the business down.. UK Speedway needs to consolidate and sort out it's issues, then build on what it currently has... With a clear plan for gradual growth for the next few years .. It doesn't mean new tracks cannot come on board, but it must be planned properly to ensure it improves UK Speedway and not be, yet another, knee jerk reaction on a whim, which leaves fans saying .. "It can't be like this again next year"... (Again, and again, and again and etc etc etc)..

Meaning he can ride 3rd tier in Poland plus as many leagues as he wants?...

You would want to keep Brennan at two or four then I would think.. Someone else will benefit from his average if not .

He who pays the piper, calls the tune...

He is going to sign to ride in Sweden again, so that is one league... If he doubles up over here, is that his three leagues?.. That would mean no top two divisions in Poland wouldn't it? But he could ride in their third level?? Confused....

No, we don't want as many tracks as possible next season, if it means delay in planning fixtures, meaning fans can't plan accordingly,, riders don't wait and sign elsewhere (even more important given the new restrictions), and the inevitable "cobbled together" septet is destined, before a wheel is turned, to finish miles adrift at the bottom of the league.. Far better to run with what they have, consolidate, and, should a team, or teams, want to come back then they can spend a season doing open meetings to gauge viability... A professional business has control, vision and a several year growth plan using best case/worst case parameter scenarios, and builds their future operating model and business plans accordingly on the forecasted positions... What a professional business doesn't do is reach the end of their financial year, and, only then start to build next year's plan, or, unless it is "Donald Ducked" fundamentally change it... It certainly wouldn't stretch any meagre resource pool it currently has further by bringing more complexity into its operations.. Run next year as planned, and build in future growth accordingly as and when it enhances the product..

And if so, just say that.... Would even give their fund a bit more publicity and urgency to sort, so could bring in some money quickly... No idea why there isn't ever any transparency and engagement with the fans... ie. The very thing that helps keep their hobby surviving in the UK...

Was the 3rd of Nov, now been cancelled... No reasons given as to why..

They certainly do, and continue to do, a p*ss poor job at "fan engagement" don't they?… It's almost like Speedways version of Omerta.. Everything is on a "need to know basis", and it is clearly obvious that, to them, their customers simply don't need to know.. The optics of what they do, so many times, paints them as amateurs, well meaning amateurs, but amateurs nevertheless... Literally several million is spent on riders, yet, it would appear, very little spent on a fit for purpose communication and marketing team... An amazing business plan, and one that, to no surprise, reaps exaxctly what it sows, season on season..

Is Doubling Up classed as one league for the UK, or two, in the rules laid down by Poland?.. That could impact some of the riders if it is two...

"It's our hobby, not yours"..

"Sign Jason Doyle, Win Titles", seems to be the mantra to follow..

Birmingham had to sign riders knowing they would not be riding a full season, and on made up averages to make them look competitive... Since Sky pulled out its been a constant falling off, with doubling up, and Guestfests, becoming the default mechanic to use... There is so little prestige in winning the top tier, both Oxford and Poole decided to ride in the second division, as it more suited their business model.. A sport where you can choose which level to compete in? An interesting concept!!! Over the past few years, five teams seems to have become the maximum that the UK can adequately ensure all are competitive... And as for winning the title? Bald men fighting over a comb just about sums up the last decade or so... With this season being pretty much on par with the others of recent times...

Bloody Luxury!!!!😁

A dominant team doesn't mean a "poor season"... In fact, in most sports, it means a team that when they visit you want to take them down.. And are something to aspire to, and not just match, but move ahead of... The main issue is that for at least a decade, and probably more, as the top league dwindled, and teams even chose to drop out of it to ride in tier two, winning it has little prestige... Six teams? Seven teams? Who cares when usually one, and sometimes two, are completely out of their depth... This years title, last years title, and several going back to Covid and beyond, have very little value or kudos the way they are won, and the minimal reward they generate...

After years of ever growing brand damaging Guestfests where these very same top riders missed more and more UK meetings to further their own individual ambitions as the GP series grew... And promoters arranged meetings regardless, knowing some of their best drawcards would be missing.. But still charged the same..

Not at all... I remember it was said that 2027 was going to be sorted by July 2026... I, for one, believe them..

And the majority, who run the sport like a hobby, aren't interested in developing the sport beyond their own needs...

Good to see that, as promised, this close season isn't going to be like the past others....

So many of the issues faced goes back to the lack of any real prestige, publicity and financial reward for winning any of the domestic titles.. If that could somehow be fixed then everything else just falls into place... You could have a "decent prize", and a trophy, (like Rugby League does for example), for topping the table and then a separate "main prize" for winning the play offs.. Meaning each meeting has something riding on it .. Unfortunately, there appears almost to be not enough relevance to the sport in the UK, other than providing riders with a decent six month income and promoters with an expensive hobby they can indulge in... Play Off final crowds show there is a more than decent following still for Speedway, they just need to find a way to get, at least, a few hundred of those who attend the play offs only to attend, even only occasionally, during the rest of the season.. Can they do it?...