mikebv

Look At Me! Look At Me! Look At Me! Not Them! Me! Etc, etc, etc Ad Infinitum... Best of luck to Poole in the final... A victory for Poole will really be a "Victory for Speedway"... And resonate far and wide, bringing huge publicity for the sport.. The Dorchester Reporter could even do a half page spread just above the local Meat raffle results from the British Legion...

The only thing professional about UK Speedway is those riders who only ride Speedway for a living... The non riding aspect of the sport wouldnt even pass as semi professional... Even many amateur leagues in other sports would be offended to be measured against UK Speedway's operating model and rules and regulations' implementation...

If it goes back to the "Summer Cup" next year, would the amount of "sunny days" we get determine whether the finalists stay in the competion or not? Could be 50/50 if that's the case to be honest...

Let's hope that going forward the promoters think very, very carefully about naming their competitions after someone, or some event... Otherwise none of them may ever get completed again.......

I admire your optimism.....

The 31st of which month?

Liz Truss goes.... Glasgow pull out of the Jubilee Cup... It's just one huge surprise after another today isn't it?

Little boy sits on Santa's knee and gets asked what he wants for Xmas... "A real Dragon that flies and breathes fire" says the kid... Santa doesnt want the boy to feel let down, so remains calm, and instead diplomatically explains that not all things are always available to be given as Xmas presents... "If I cannot give you a Dragon what would you like instead young man?", Santa asks... The young lad thinks hard for a few seconds before answering.. "I love Speedway Santa so if I cannot get a Dragon as my Xmas present then I would like you to sort out British Speedway so it is ran properly, with integrity and credibility and with a fantastic marketing plan... This time it was Santa who thought hard for a few seconds before answering... "What colour Dragon do you want kid?"...

I am going to buy two and not read one of them....

I was going to suggest that....

Poland's biggest advantage is the fact they have seen how the UK has ran things from their own "halcyon days"... And therefore 1 million percent avoid doing the same.. Hence, for example, they ensure every team has to have a strong Polish presence... They may be training up the riders from other countries via the U23 league to ensure they have enough quality riders to maintain those high standards, but they haven't taken their eye off the ball to allow the national team to fall behind, because they know how important national success is to selling the domestic product... We decided in the late 70's and early 80's to spend the best part of the next four decades training up 'the world', with very much quantity rather than quality often being the key determinant of who came over... Unfortunately to the detriment of the UK riders, and it's media coverage, as the national team became also rans... Poland has lots of advantages because they seem to know what they are doing, and where they want to take their sport... Maybe one day the UK also could have a clear strategy for growth?

I think it is that those "involved" behind the scenes in some way, see it for what it is, ie mainly about riders making money, and sponsors having a hobby who maybe could get some reflected glory and/or satisfaction in helping riders.. And nothing more than that really.. For those who follow the sport it is often about frustration in seeing "what could be"... As I say, a shame given the on track raw material that the sport has to play with... You only have to look at Poland as to how exactly the same sport, featuring many of the same riders, has been developed to become "The place to be", and financially hugely successful for those who take the risks when they ride... I suppose though that the "make it up as you go along" operating model that the UK uses, is "good enough" for riders and personal and local company team sponsors to keep up their livelihoods and interest respectively... Which ultimately keeps the sport going in the UK at least...

100% get all that from the logistical angle... However... It is yet another situation where those who run the competitions completely devalue their own output... If anyone really took it seriously then Sheffield would not be happy that each other team had home advantage and they didn't... Instead we have another "make do and mend" which is absolutely fine, just as long as the promoters understand why many loyal fans of the sport then decide to give many meetings a season a miss... As. If those who organise competitions don't take them seriously, then why should the fans? Season on season the same nonsense is allowed to pervade... Which is a shame given the raw material to work with...

And if Sheffield (or any club with landlords) have issues with dates at any times of the season then surely they should have held their rounds when dates were available? If October was an issue then maybe they should have gone first? The Premiership Pairs which had the potential to be a good competition was heralded as "Giving fans what they want" via more variety... Maybe they should have added, "Giving fans what they want, but not necessarily at the tracks that they want it"... Eric Morecombe would have been proud...

Because Leicester isn't in the Premiership maybe? Using that logic. With Peterborough, KL and Ipswich in it maybe Mildenhall could have been used? Also.. The other five teams will have had home track advantage but Sheffield now wont.. Hardly making the competition a credible proposition really is it? And Sheffield fans who want to go and watch it now have to travel 'away' to another track to do so.. All season to plan in one of only three competitions, and one that needed just six nights over seven months, (with the added advantage of fixed race nights), to complete it... An amazing achievement...

Will Leicester enter with Morris and Howarth...? Or will they be needed for Wolves and Sheffield? All very confusing this UK Speedway isnt it?

I think I read that the remaining matches are not being included in the averages... Due to the obvious potential for some "surprising results"....

Amazingly well ran in the UK, this sport isnt it?...

In the early 90's Wolverhampton was like the 51st state.... Monmore had USA flags everywhere, and their fans were often in attendance when England rode against the USA in the Midlands, cheering on their stateside brothers... "Come un Sammoi, an Ronnoi, ya 'orrrll"

Any details as to which pub? Will go along....

And what makes it so frustrating is that it will quite likely happen again... If the promoters themselves dont see their own competitions as being important enough to be ran properly, and to be therefore taken seriously, then what chance are they giving themselves of convincing fans, media and sponsors, that these competitions are worth attending, covering and sponsoring? As often will be said.. There needs to be a strong hand on the tiller which ensures so much 'self inflicted nonsense' (which can only undermine the sport), is eradicated.. Be that an independent person, or party, or someone within the BSP who gets given total authority to make decisions for the good of the sport, and has the power to impose consequences to those who fail to comply..

Best of luck to the Aces.. Could "make or break" their title challenge..

Sheffield Heat Leaders.. 18 off 14 rides in leg one.. 25 off 14 rides in leg two.. 43 off 28 rides in total.. And that includes a gifted 5 points in Heat Fifteen of leg two which was a dead rubber.. A collective average of 6.14 for the three Sheffield HL's.. And some still suggest it was 100% the refs fault that the Tigers lost...

You do sometimes get the impression that "new teams" are seen by some as a threat rather than what they should be seen as... ie another asset towards the growth of the sport... Maybe, if new teams come in they should start at NDL level and link up with a Premiership or Championship team, who don't run a second team of their own... One. To create a potential rider development path into the higher leagues, but also, at the same time, support the "new team" in their dealings with some of those who may not see their existence in such a positive light, as well as giving advice as to the way the day to day dealings are done... A relationship that could continue on, or not, depending on how the new team develop as they become established.... You do sometimes suspect that "safety in numbers" could be a key strengtn to have in British Speedway..

Because those who run the sport have no vision, nor have any consequence for their actions... Instead it is a private members club with everything ran along the lines of an expensive hobby, rather than bona fide professional sporting leagues...