mikebv

A suggestion which seems to be made every single year, to aspire to something and stimulate growth... Yet, instead, we dumb down every single year... Maybe using the mean average of all the teams would be a compromise?.. Meaning the lowest teams have head room, (but not unreachable head room), to improve, and the top teams don't have to decimate their septet by reducing loads of points...

GB, Sweden and Denmark ran full programmes, with the obvious risk of injuries... I would have thought that the organisers would have had the riders out in Poland for the week doing publicity for the meeting, and being in a "team camp" together... Adding a bit of "gravitas" to the event, particularly as it now isn't every season.. It looks just like another run of the mill meeting when nothing is done differently...

I would suggest for the riders below the top tier, those not on the top contracts, then whoever pays the most will determine that decision..

The Silver Jubilee of 1977??.

You would think the lead up week to the World Cup Final would be blank wouldn't you? Strange some leagues still run... Maybe not that important?...

Jonathan Chapman and Alex Brady also seemed to know what was needed in a modern day entertainment environment... "Modern thinkers? No thank you! We don't need them"...

Plus the likes of Silver and Thomas, and probably more... These were "Promoters" who genuinely reflected the definition of the word... Rather than nowadays where "Owners" would be a much more suitable name.. The real "Promoters" knew that getting locals to attend regularly wasn't always the major priority, (if they did then great), instead fhey wanted volume every week, even if some fans only visited once... The logic being that that even that one visit meant that person knew that the sport existed, and keeping the team in the local public awareness meant more chance of more visits further down the line.. In short, the more who read about you, the more who know about you, and therefore, the more likely they are to take a look at what you do... Todays Social Media world would be seen as perfect by some of the "old school" operators of yesteryear.... (If they avoided getting banned!!!)...

No, you only get banned for not turning up... Plus... Any ban for Bomber would mean about five teams short of a rider...

Saving a good few quid on a jet washer...

Wasn't the cunning plan that the cups were done and dusted "early" in the season?...

Clubs actively agree to meetings taking place (usually away from home), knowing their riders will be missing but will already have lined up a track specialist ringer, or two, or three, to step in.. I remember BV once riding at Arena with, I think it was, four missing due to Zagar riding in his National Championship and three others in GP Challenges.. They brought in three ex Arena riders and ran RR... They had their best performance there in years!!! NB. It goes without saying that any proper sport, one with credibility and integrity, wouldn't have countenanced such a thing taking place and the governing body simply wouldn't have sanctioned the meeting to be ran..

And a much bigger name, meaning many of the crowd would have turned up specifically because he was (supposed to be) there... Arriving a bit late, with bikes not spotlessly clean, isn't anywhere near the level of Michael Lee in his heyday of absences...

9.2 with bonus points... With age comes experience.....

The positive social aspect of how the sport was, shouldn't ever be understated... Even into the mid 90's the BV riders would be in the bar having a drink and signing autographs with the many fans who stayed to have a beer... Supporters Clubs across the country arranged away meetings coaches and held regular social events through the season... The operating model was always "a bit Mickey Mouse" (but obviously nothing like today's Guestfest version), however, the social aspect of the sport kept people engaged and invested in the teams, so therefore they attended regularly... Teams who were, most weeks, your own riders, or riders doubling up who had been loaned out by your team to a Div 2 track for their development... Nowadays it looks like Teams are put together the night before, with anyone and everyone in the frame to ride for your club on a adhoc, horses for courses, basis.. And, some riders will leave the stadium almost before Heat 15 has started if they have a very early flight the next morning from an airport miles away from the track they have raced on... The whole thing needs urgent review and a complete overhaul and reset... Start UK Speedway again...

If only the other six had "let them down" the same?... They would have been miles away at the top of the league!!!!!

Understandable view, however, who, of his level, would have replaced him at Poole and Ipswich if he hadn't took the places?... Hardly a queue at the door to ride over here is there?.. So much so, clubs sign riders knowing 100% that they will miss meetings.. (Usually away meetings, and quite often, at tracks their missing rider(s) don't always do too well)...

100% that is their plan... And fair play to them given the huge outlay they make in signing on fees and points money, and rehab for their injured riders, (regardless of where the injury happened or nationality of the rider).. With that level of money they pay then being used by riders to set up, and support through the year,, their racing in other leagues... As is obvious... The less racing riders do the less chance they have of injury... That will be the thoughts of the Poles... And it's fair enough, given riders don't have to ride over there if they don't like the terms and conditions.. No one is forcing them to ride over there...

Lawson gets grief for either being late or just on time, and for bikes not being spotless.. Yet holds down a full time job and has a young family... When the sport was in its halcyon days the minority were full time professionals, with the majority seeing Speedway as a very decent second income, with many able to earn in one night of Speedway what they earned for a week in their "main job".. Nowadays we have reserves trying to be full time professionals... It's total madness from a business and operating plan perspective.. Especially as winning any of the comps has no real value or worth...

Doubling Up is the perfect system for both riders and promoters... A poor night on Monday can be covered by good nights, up to four times, later in the week, and you can always pick up plenty of Guest bookings if your team isn't riding.. No major prize on offer, means no major pressure to perform, as does having no major number of adequate replacements for your place should you not perform... And promoters get to share the costs of these riders... A nice, cosy agreement.... And one which doesn't condition, or prepare, the better young lads, in any way shape or form, for racing abroad in much higher standard leagues, and international competitions...

So, plenty of time then... He gets bad press but seems to have no issues when riding for Poole..?

Nowhere near enough development of young UK riders over the past two decades has delivered the only output it could.... The NDL was seen as "too strong" so got diluted, so clubs stopped riding in it, and entry level places were no longer there given the reduced number of teams.. The Championship then used the better NDL riders and also used loads of journeymen foreign riders which, again, took places away for UK riders.. The Championship became "too strong" with loads of tier one HL's and SS's doubling up, which also took places for developing riders.. The result? No bridge between the third level and the top tier, which the second tier should be..

To be fair to him, the No1 position at Ipswich hasn't been a big points contributor all season... And Lawson isn't really a No1 in the top tier, similar to how Tom Brennan also isn't... Juggling a full time job and starting your "other job" at various places around the country, at 730pm, must be a challenge from time to time...

Better late than never..

Third would be a great achievement...

For a good many followers "they don't care" about how their team are performing.. They will still attend as the sport is pretty much down to its die hards in many places, and many of them will attend, primarily, to watch the racing... You can't take it too seriously given the operating model used, therefore, many of those who attend will return the next meeting regardless of result.. Poole are very much an outlier as their crowds do shift significantly depending on how the team are doing, (which is magnified more given the higher crowd level starting point)... Hence the Ford's dropped down as they saw that the higher costs of tier one didn't guarantee a successful season, and an unsuccessful season, impacted their business. and, in tier one, that would be a much more expensive unsuccessful season... Their business model is pretty much perfect for UK Speedway, keep winning and their crowds will remain strong, and plenty of tier one riders will be on show every time they race, but at tier two salaries... They also seem to actually promote the sport well locally, which, again, is a bit of an outlier when compared to many clubs...