mikebv

They do get judged against the mans game, which is ludicrous given the difference in capability... They are also not helped by the incessant media hype and coverage which tells everyone that it is great, and only sexists wouldn't see that.... An incredible amount of mainstream media coverage too, which doesn't reflect its size or stature, coverage UK Speedway would kill for.. As for the standard? My lad, when 16, (six years ago), and in a League One teams Academy played a one half friendly game against a Woman's Super League team and won the 45 mins 3-0... And it could have been much more given the physical differential, and speed difference, between the two teams..

I dont think any Aces fans are "in tears" given everyone knows how successful teams get broke up... One Aces fan may be winding up a few fans of other teams with his comments, and I am sure they will know what they are doing... (Seems to be getting bites too)..

There are several interesting podcasts, and media pieces, doing the rounds about the WSL and that since it's launch, in it's current guise when it took over the reigns from the FA in 2023, crowds have dropped from an average of 7,500 that season, to 5,300 (so far) this season.. The most worrying aspect being that any start up businesses should by now, three plus years in, be showing "rapid growth" if it wants to keep investors happy, and attract new ones as the initial "quick buck" investors leave, and not be losing over 20% of it's customers.. The reasons quoted? Amongst them.. A lack of tribalism with the events being more a social occasion than a major sporting occasion.. A disjointed fixture list meant planning to attend wasn't simple.. A lack of jeopardy as only certain teams can win the title due to their spend on their women's team. (One team has had a billionaire put in over £40m to ensure her "hobby" is successful, including paying a player a million a year)... A lack of prestige and kudos in winning the competitions.. Too many changes to teams' players, as the larger clubs buy the better ones, meaning that fan affinity isn't built over a sufficient time to engage fans' loyalty, and there results in too far a disparity between top and bottom.. If they had added in "too many guest players" it could have been UK Speedway's operating model..🥴

A great piece of work... Particularly this season as it provides a great reference point as to who can still ride in the UK under the new rules...

A unique sport (in the UK), where everyone basically becomes "free agents" every year... Meaning of course they then can freely seek out better terms elsewhere, or, to keep them, you have to at least match those better terms, which then adds to your budgeted costs, which may be unaffordable... People talk about development of riders, but as they often have two teams on the go from an early age, (more if they are clearly going to be any good), then no one team can really say that they were responsible for any riders development... And, of course, some will mention loyalty, however, in UK Speedway you could ride for every other team in your league over a season, therefore loyalty to any particular club would be a difficult concept to be seen as integral in UK Speedway... Especially as you can lose your place in any team for doing "too well" if your new average allows your team to replace you with someone they see as being better at that figure .. If Dan leaves the Aces, (he already has as the season has ended), then good luck to him... The only loyalty I would suggest he has in Speedway is to the Polish teams that have paid the considerable amount for his rehab when he has suffered serious injury... Even when the injuries happened elsewhere... It would be good for the UK to have him riding over here given he can be so exciting to watch...

As it stands the league will be watered down given some of the more capable ex RS's will not get places in the top tier and some NDL level lads will be coming in... They desperately need some decent U21 riders from overseas as twelve GB U21's will mean a huge disparity in capability each meeting, from No1's to No 6's and 7's...

The only reason I can imagine for their reticence is that so much of the decisions they make, subsequently, and usually quickly, get highlighted as unfit for purpose, or better solutions get put forward, when they get scrutinised by the wider public... Within minutes, on here, usually someone states chapter and verse on why a decision made contravenes certain rules and regs, eg several times announced guest riders get changed due to not being eligible after it getting challenged on here.. ... You also have the caveat of "in the interest of Speedway" to add in as and when needed, which quite frankly is an embarrassment in a so called professional sport isn't it?.. I can't think of any other pro sport where "as we haven't made rules and regs fit for purpose in this instance, we'll just make something up" is allowed, and, fundamentally part of an operating model... It can't be too difficult to put out a database of riders, wishing to ride over here, with their averages can it?. Or maybe that would open a huge can of worms!!! Edit: You would really have thought something all sorted by last July would have been made public by now though wouldn't you?.......

It's on a need to know basis... And, it would appear, your punters obviously don't need to know.. That "Speedway United" marketing thing being put together has its work cut out doesn't it?..😁

His "low" average certainly is something that belies his capability, especially around the NSS .. And riding Mondays/Wednesdays would knock plenty of Thursdays off his schedule, as it would be away only he needed to ride.. Obviously if he signed in Sweden then it would be the only Polish meeting he had to do on Thursdays which may be more appealing..? I think the UK does have an issue given it's two nights a week structure, especially as Thursday is so close to the weekend "high pressure" meetings, which can start on Fridays.. GP/Top Level riders seem to start to pick and choose their schedule the more they get older, and if you have done a fair few years in Poland as a HL in the top league, you will have earned some serious money, so maybe not the same need to travel around Europe any more than you need to..? And the old adage of having to ride in the UK to be World Champion is well debunked, (unless those two races BZ did for Birmingham made all the difference?) 😀, so the best young foreign riders are not coming over like they were, with many of them also getting some incredible Polish contracts due to their capability and demand for their services.. The UK is almost being squeezed from above and below, and given so many riders are now at the "veteran stage" over here it does need some radical change ..

And they doubled down on having him on the podium, (thus treating him like he had been an integral part of a team that had just won the title)... By inviting him to the end of season dinner to celebrate the fact!!! Something must be wrong there... 😁

Signed for Slangerup in Denmark... Wonder if not doing a Thursday track will be in his plans?.. Or maybe Sweden also is???.

Doyle was though... Seemed to have a great time too, looking at the photos .. Obviously didn't want all that fun he said that he had riding for the Aces to stop....😁

"I am sure Tom would rather be at a club that will support his career rather than move him on quickly".. Was that bit true too?...😁 Two whole seasons... Have they retired his race number?... 😀

Chuckle Brothers Team Planning.... To Me. To You. To You. To Me... Going to be great though, not like last season in any way shape or form...

Didn't Ipswich sign the best RS in 2025?.. Even though they weren't entitled to given the regs?.. Birmingham should have had him, a team so poor, they had to sign a rider who couldn't complete a season just to look "competitive"... Was that "integrity"?... Ipswich last season also had two of the top eight in the averages, which in a league of 42 riders doesn't suggest they did too bad a job in getting a team together... In fact, it was only really Tom Brennan's unusual, uexpected poor season that prevented them from quite possibly being in the final.. And it was no ones fault but Ipswich why they didn't put their team together later than others.. It took several months, which were ultimately lost months... This season is looking like last with relation to the actual names of riders involved, and could actually be much weaker if NDL riders take positions held by Championship Heat Leaders.. Will that mean 2027 is a great season worth winning?..

He has quite clearly hit upon a system that works for him... Like Woffy who also gave the UK a miss when at his peak.. And becoming a father will also mean he wont be wanting to be away from home... If he rides over here, then great, if he doesn't, he just joins a long list of those who don't...

In the Speedway Star, Mark Lemon mentioned how he likes to keep as many riders as he can, which does make sense if they have improvement in them (like last season), as you have invested time in them and had to take the "not too good days"... It is much more of a gamble when coming off a season of good increases in averages, and for riders to move up a position in a team and even just keep the same average will be a challenge.. The joys of being successful in Speedway!!😁 The opportunity being of course, that a poor season from "the engine room" could see them having great averages for the 2028 team!!😁 Only in Speedway...

Will be a challenge with three riders moving up a position in the team higher than the positions their averages were gained at.. Blodorn and Cook to HL's and Tate to Second String... And the RS? Won't be as good as Cairns you would have to think.. Klindt at four?.. And ???? at six, probably needs to be a very decent level U21...

Surely nothing is stopping the UK doing this?... And if there is... They didn't think this through very well. Just by coming on here you could see how many lads were moving out of the RS scheme, so, surely, "someone" should have considered who were likely to replace them?... The foreign U21 riders better be good!!! (But I have my doubts as to their level too given how many of the best ones ride in Sweden and Denmark)..

This season is very much, completely different... As all the teams have much longer to pick from pretty much exactly the same riders.. Meaning it will be the best season, ever, ever, ever..* Even better than the seven team 2025, which surely will be talked about for decades to come... * (Unless Belle Vue win again)....

You would think that "the stock car tracks" would automatically run on a Thursday wouldn't you?.. Must be logistically so much easier to prep the track... That would be four of the six, with Belle Vue being the outlier of the other two left... If they went to Thursday's (could still do BHM's), then one meeting a fortnight would be doable, with all teams riding on the same night... Meaning No Guests!!! So that won't happen then...

If we get more top level riders over here then clashes could be inevitable.... However, if we only have a few top tier Polish riders, like currently, then as you say, hopefully they can work around it... Who knows maybe if will focus them on delivering some fit for purpose fixture planning across the season with home matches, weather permitting ,evenly spread out?..

Agreed, however. Just running on Thursday would mean clashes with Poland running on that night.. Eight meetings planned next year plus any rearrangements... And also would mean riders flying out on Friday to possibly race in FIM meetings or Polish top league matches that night.. Scandinavia has the advantage of "being done" by Wednesday evening, so the fixtures at the weekend have prep time...

Josh Grajczonek???? Game over with that on a triple word ..😁

Jason Crump born in Bristol... Our first three time world champ...😁