mikebv

Thousands of people, politicians, their security, their entourage, plus journalists from around the globe, and protesters from all points, all flying into Glasgow to discuss how we can reduce emissions... As Homer may have said... "Doh!"

Given how few tracks now operate it could actually become a possibility... Of course it would mean some pro active equalisation of team strengths done fairly, to ensure all teams have access to (probably), a couple of decent heat leaders.. To give the riders enough meetings, and still ensure the league finishes on time (), you would probably need to do all teams home and away once, and then split the leagues geographically into two and run home and away against them.. Play offs from the top two from each split league.. Throw in a cup comp and enough matches for the riders?

Spot on.. And when/(if), someone like Len Silver decides that "time is up" you should really take heed if you are one of the other promoters... Still... I am sure many of those left know best..

As close as you could get using some "science" I would suggest.. Obviously in the real world the final conversion rate will be influenced by teams already having riders signed up on what they believe to be the conversion rate that all should follow.. A conversion rate that, when agreed by all, "miraculously" allows some to then track the team they wanted.. Edit: Given they won the Premier League with six Championship heat leaders, Peterborough would be a perfect measure to use to define the (as near as damn it), true difference between levels...

With so many riders being heat leaders in both leagues you would think the conversion factor could be a pretty accurate one.. Get the mean collective average all these riders for both leagues and the difference between them is the conversion rate.. You couldn't get a more accurate figure I would think..

I think it will need a period of sustained success to make the wider sporting media and sports' watching public to start to follow more closely.. Similar as to how the Sport was covered in the 70's due to consistent success, (and then got almost dropped like a stone when the Yanks and Danes took over).. And also similar to the way Carl Fogarty built up a WSB following over through several years of successive title wins.. With BSB getting more coverage and interest too, off the back of what he achieved at World Level.. Woffy, Lambert, Bewley and Ellis would be a fair team, as it currently stands, for the 2023 WTC, and as we have seen this year, next years team for the SON, whoever is picked, would be in with a decent chance of retaining the trophy.. Going head to head, every night you ride, against the top level, can only help...

They would still have the top four qualifying for the play offs...

A perfect move for Dan at this stage of his career.. Too many GB lads didnt make that risky jump into a more pressured environment and stagnated, when they could have maybe progressed up the Speedway ladder... The vast majority of races he is in now will have at least one top level rider up at the tapes with him which can only help improve his own performance... Missing the start and passing sometimes all three others in Sweden and Poland wont be as easy as he seems to find it in the UK so his gating will need to be consistently sharp which can only help him at World Individual and Team level... Hopefully he will appear in some individual events over here like the Peter Craven Memorial as he one rider that definitely is "worth the admission" to watch.... A big couple of years for Dan coming up I would think, let's hope it goes well for him as having a couple of successful young lads like Bewley and Lambert at World Class level can only help get the sport in the UK more publicity off the back of it..

Pre Covid in Sweden crowds were considerably larger than in the UK... Not Poland level obviously but a basic meeting would get 2000 or so... And, given they don't run Mickey Mouse rules, it means they do have some credibility and have a nationally recognised company sponsoring the league....

Wise words mate....

How do you know?

Michael Lee didn't take to it too well either in a Test Match v the USA I seem to remember...

Doesn't me... If they moved up they could only compete in the top tier by signing three decent heat leaders.. And by that I mean signing proven tier one riders... Rider like Steve Worrall, Danny King and Rory Schlien if he could be persuaded not to retire.. Oh! Hang on a minute......

The Grasstrack there? A very big and fast track... The type the French seem to like to ride in Speedway. Maybe that is where so many learn to ride a Grass/Speedway bike? .

I must admit, I do like that.. Gets the crowd going too when its one of the opposition doing it.. There is still a delaying the start rule so that can used by the ref if he feels someone is taking the 'Gerd Riss'... It was great to see and hear Ivan getting the bird off rival fans as he went into the tapes time after time, and then hear the cheers as he rolled back and the tapes went up with him last away Mind you, he was still leading most times by the third turn, lap one..

In a sport with so few teams, and with fixed race nights (so no clashes for the riders needed to compete), it does take something pretty special to still not have the league completed by the start of November... ..

Incredibly bad luck to get poor weather at the arse end of October in the UK... Unheard of as far as I can recall... Luckily Speedway is a sport that isnt too affected by rain....

And 'if' he has Bewley and Fricke in the same team with him the pressure will be off to a certain degree.. As well as providing him with a spur to measure improvement for himself... No way should a rider of Batchelor's capability be running such a low average, therefore he has to be worth a punt I would say...

Surely Batchelor will be considered by most teams? Just over a 5 point average... The NSS could be perfect for him as a home track to get back to somewhere like he was..

Then Sky came in a few years later and pumped many millions into the sport.... Providing thousands of hours of live prime time coverage to a sport bereft of such an opportunity to showcase itself.. You really couldn't fail to develop the sport successfully with such huge backing providing a gilt edged golden opportunity to do so could you?.... What a night by the way...

Will they need to take a Covid test to get back in? Is the IOW on "the list"...?

Poland have zero tolerance and dont seem to have many starting issues and races start promptly.. Start Marshall walks away, and if a rider moves back, then the ref tells him and he returns to move the rider forward.. The Final at Peterborough had some riders six inches from the tapes.. No need for so many extra Mickey Mouse rules to be added if they just implemented some rules that they have properly.. Although there would need a comms system from ref to start marshall like Poland have... Two plastic cups and a piece of string may work..?

I believe that isnt quite right anymore... I think we are the "bring a friend" sport now...

And also do a bit of testing of machinery in race conditions which may help him in Poland...

I think the kids like to go to other sports as other kids are there.... When my lad started to go to BV as a five year old there were around five other kids of the same (ish) age who all ran around in between heats together.. I would imagine standing around for a couple of hours when you are several decades younger than every one else there must be a bit boring and unappealing... T20 in particular targets families and does a very good job of doing it....