mikebv

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?...

A team that regularly delivered the best crowds wherever they visited.. A perfect example of "UK Speedway Vision"...

For once, after all these years, maybe just make the team average match the team that finishes top of the table, pre play offs.. No dumbing down, let the team at the top keep the same riders if they want, and let the rest have room to improve... It is just another daft self inflicted "Speedway Anomaly" that means a team that is successful, who have built an affinity with fans, then gets broken up... Kids in particular love having heroes so if you want them to get engaged (which means an adult paying to get in), then stop peeing about with teams having to lose often one of their best, therefore most popular, riders.. Create an aspirational level to attain by having to "beat the best" the following season... I remember 93 when the Aces won the league and the following season they were nowhere near the same team given the changes.. In every sport the best should be the benchmark for others to try and better, but not by weakening the best..

Max Fricke helping prevent his own team from qualifying was a close second .. Joking apart, if you had laid out several hundred quid to watch your team this season, and your best rider helped another team to prevent you from attending the play offs, but then rode in them himself, picking up a fair few grand in the process, you would be a little bit peed off to say the least wouldn't you?.. The sheer concept of it is simply laugh out loud ludicrous isn't it?.. Yet promoters seem to shrug their shoulders and mumble something about "necessary evil"... They must be crackers... At least there isn't any relegation, as Nicolai would have won the league and got relegated at the same time..

Me and my lad met up last night with eight others who also had only attended the PCMT and the GP's . All had the very same reasons for our non attendance... In no specific order .. We mentioned the lack of atmosphere at the run of the mill meetings due to the half full stadium... The lack of any threat to the Aces qualifying which renders the qualifiers easy to miss . Monday nights not great for many to attend... So few teams means zero variety... Jason Doyle riding for Sheffield to help them qualify and Max Fricke sabotaging Kings Lynn's chances by riding in the qualifiers for Sheffield were also mentioned, as was the glaring fact that Nicolai Klindt has zero connection to BV, as one said to me, "try and sell that to a major TV company"... (Well done Nicolai by the way, you Aces Legend!!😁).. What was interesting as two of us discussed the UK Speedway issues four people, two couples, stood behind us said they had been listening and said they thought the same!!! They too were at their first meeting of the season.. You would think some surveys would be carried out via club Facebook pages wouldn't you to get some feedback as to the main reasons why, and why not, close followers of the sport attend, or don't, as the case may be ... It was clear well over a thousand others were not regulars looking at the crowd size, with Sheffield having hardly anyone, (as is usual), there.. As for the night itself, all agreed the presentation was hugely better than we have previously seen, (is that a one off or is that the usual?), the PA system worked well where we were, the food and drink areas were quick and efficient, plenty of toilet facilities and the presentation kept momentum going in between races... It certainly looked like a lot of planning had gone into the night to ensure a good impression for those who were non regulars, hopefully it can pay off early next season.. For a Friday I thought there would have been more kids watching, so maybe a "family area" would help? Ensuring they all can watch together? One "pen" would do it. Maybe at a Special Offer rate for the Adult, (kids are free on the South Side) with someone doing giveaways, face painting etc. . In short, if they could deliver nights like this as "the norm" then UK Speedway would be wondering why they "only get 3,000", rather than it being a "bumper crowd" nowadays... Well done to the Aces, the engine room, once again, delivered, and Luke Killeen certainly showed some real potential to go forward in his career... Let's hope that far too long overdue reset is delivered this winter... The product can attract decent crowds, the infrastructure around it, not so...

How many titles is that for Jason Doyle in the UK?.. Can't be too many riders that have more I would think.. A proper, 100% team man wherever he rides and whoever he rides for...

The Aces will need a No3 next year....

Nicolai Klindt... #aceslegend...

Leon Flint, such a very capable rider, yet is so poor, so many times at the highest level.. Definitely a very decent rider in there so I presume it must be a confidence thing...?

An extra £30k, and maybe more with sponsorship from their clubs sponsors, for a tier two No 1 and 5.…..?? Can tier one teams afford that?..

Take a bow Luke Killeen... (So far)... Great to see a young lad riding like this when the pressure is on...