mikebv

Be careful... I got there really early when the Aces rode against them once, and stood in one of those gazebo type things on the first turn.. (Maybe not even there anymore?).. Anyhow.. A steward spoke with me (me and my lad were the only ones in it at that time), and told me that some woman stands there every week and will kick off if I am in "her space".. So, being a gentleman, I moved down a couple of steps.. 3 other lads then came in and stood in the place I had just vacated and got told the same thing.. But they didnt move... Cue, one "mature woman" dressed in the club shop telling everyone around her (for two hours solid), that "that's my space and they are stood there, they need to move".... From what I remember the meeting was crap but listening to her was hilarious, as was the lads' reactions.. Bet she got there really, really really early the next week... Summed up the demographic following so many teams have sadly.. As a footnote, as we got there early, we got invited into the pits so my then 11 year old lad could meet his favourite BV rider, Craig Cook... Let him sit on his bike and listened to all his, and mine, stupid questions for a good half hour.. Hopefully Craig is back soon..

Cannot blame him for taking an extra (and probably quite lucrative), payday... These lads are self employed so there only loyalty is to themselves.. Hate the game, not the player....

800 or so would be enough... And they could ride on any night apart from Mon and Thur... Satruday night? Knock 3 quid off the admission and use (at least), a couple of Div 1 HL's... Got to be worth it...

Favourites now for the title? I would say so...

Eurosport been doing it badly for years... I remember their occasional 90's coverage and they havent moved on since..

Again The issue is that Laguta is enough for you as a Speedway fan.. I loved watching him and Emil recently at the NSS.. However, expecting people who have no idea who Laguta is to buy into the sport emotionally will be a struggle when he can replace riders from other teams at a moments notice.. "But guests have been around for years"... But we didnt pay £22 to watch them and Bomber didnt turn up for all and sundry.. Their operating model delivers exactly what it deserves... No more, no less...

All very laudable observations... However... When your very starting point is "contrived, make it up as you go along nonsense", then you really have zero chance of enough fans buying into it... Might as well chuck the money down a grid...

Wow... Still crap at 900 isn't it? You do though reap what you sow... And the promoters of the sport in this country have, in the main, been clueless for decades... And unless they one day wake up and realise that it doesnt really matter who wins something so contrived and abject, and agree to make every team part of UK Speedway PLC, with a collective marketing and team strengthening strategy, it will simply wither and die... Covid gave them a unique opportunity to reset, and relaunch... That they did neither speaks volumes for their capabilty level...

One of the major issues. .. 2nd Div riders in the main also worked. .. Only the very top lads in Div 1 were full time pros.... Wilkie said he could earn much more in one night than what he earned in a week doing his "real job"... And could do it four or five times a week.. Nowadays, Div 2 HL's are Div 1 HL's... Hence the (far too high), cost to get iin, reflects the amount of (too many for the size of the sport), full time pros, rather than what the sport offers from an entertainment and credibilty perspective. ..

Someone who gets it.. You have an organic natural place in the grand order of things.. So dont try and be something you are not... Promoter Egos are a significant part of UK Speedways problems I would suggest... I would think that Poole and Glasgow could compete with BV, Wolves, Sheffield, Leicester, Ipswich, and maybe Peterborough, crowd level wise.. For the rest, go Championship (8 teams), and the rest go NDL... The biggest pond is hardly an ocean so be a big fish in the one your crowds suggest you need to be in.. Amazes me why those who constantly struggle to compete, try and remain at a level they clearly are not at...

Is it on Sky then?...

You forgot... Why is Bomber only riding for the team he is contracted to? Have they changed the rules??

With no Blodem, 38 for the Panthers No disgrace tonight . Should be, as always, some decent racing.. In Menorca, so personally couldnt give a toss..

You need a place on the MC..

Ooooooo!!!... Radical...

Could Bomber guest manage? Natural progression long term for me as his Speedway riding career is nearer the end than it is the start... Tonight, he could tactically plan how to beat himself in at least 4 races..

There will be lot of "after you, I insist", outside then....

And you can get dropped by the club for doing "too well"....

The big issue facing the sport.. The way they run it means you simply do not engender that emotional loyalty to your team.. Instead, you have a version of "sports entertainment", which, can be excellent, and is often nowadays, very good... However.. When you know that overall it is all a bit contrived, nights when you are on TV are the ones you can give it a swerve and save a few quid.. Can't play emotional blackmail with the fans and say they could lose their Speedway if they dont turn up.. Give them something to actually believe in, and invest their emotional attachment to, and they will...

I think it is a great idea, which shows innovation and fan focused improvements to the sport, every meeting going forward has to have a winner which brings huge excitement.. Unless of course, you lose it.. Then it is a contrived crap idea and they haven't a clue on how to run things. What is bloody wrong with a draw anyway?..

FFS....

One EVERY meeting would be an idea maybe?

Never seen much passing there for a long while.. Fast close racing in the main, but not much overtaking.. A bit too narrow on the bends for todays riding style and fast machinery..

Loved the play offs, but to win lose or draw wouldnt have bothered me. The racing was great... And is consistently very good all around the country.. You cannot take it seriously though can you? Guest Riders dictating where the titles end up, and who qualifies for the play offs, potentially preventing their own team, their fans, and even themselves from winning anything.. Guest Managers taking charge of another team on nights their own team are riding? And riders being prevented from riding for their own team because they have an injury, but allowed to ride for another team because they haven't.. For those who still take seriously a competion that has all that as part of its operating then fair play,... Like so many others now who attend reasonably frequently, I just enjoy watching the racing and whoever wins, then good luck to them.. As I say, the racing nowadays is as good as anything I have seen served up.

Maybe the budget doesnt allow them to pay what the likes of Kemp and Rowe will feel they are worth? Both these lads are potentially significantly better than the vast majority of RS's so, (if it was me), I would be very challenging in my negotiations.. When you have paid Doyle and Emil their whack each meeting, you maybe need to balance up the bottom end a wee bit to compensate.. To be honest, really surprised the Aces havent snapped up Rowe, as he could be a significant difference maker in those very close play off meetings..