mikebv

If only the UK had Thursday as their priority night.... I wonder if anyone has considered asking if this could be possible...?😯😝

Not just the "start" but the actual "solution".… Why they leave it so deep on the outside is baffling given it's a track with high speed narrow bends...

The Championship made a rule of no guarantees either last season, or the season before.. I am sure all rules were followed...

That's 3 million zlotys isn't it?

Won the league but not convinced they would have won the play offs.. With Bewley, Kurtz and Lidsey on the form they were in this end of season I would have fancied the Aces to keep within 12 or so at Ipswich... And then given the Witches their usual beasting at the NSS...

If they raced head to head 10 times, I would currently put Lidsey up by six to four.. Maybe five to five by next years end? And six to four to Cook the year after.. Lidsey showed his capability and experience in the final so it is worth the Aces keeping him for at least one more season..

Early season would be the time to run individual events... Pre Poland and Sweden.. "Well paid" practice and engine testing for the top riders before the "serious stuff" in Poland kicks in.. The first two or three weeks of the season... You would only need three or four "top riders" at each event on the Championship tracks I would suggest . Do a 12 rider field to help with costs, do some handicap racing to even up the meeting (like Wolves used to do with the Olympique) and see if a few "big names" can start your season with a bit of a bang.. Most Championship clubs are actually in "small" towns, even those with big city names, so advertising locally wouldn't cost the earth either, and most in these towns will have heard of Speedway I would think... A bit of hype in the marketing and you may get a decent start to the season, with something to advertise your club off the back of..

It is a slow inexorable decline which has gathered pace in the last couple of decades, as tracks close regularly.. Therefore. What we have is pretty much all there is... There isn't anyone with a magic wand to fix all its issues, and when getting all the clubs to the end of a season, and then, hopefully, all coming to the tapes the season after, is seen as a measure of success, then it clearly shows just where the sport sits.. The business and operating model is one that no one on Dragons Den would buy into, but it is the only one they have, so just enjoy it for what it is... A night out watching some Speedway racing.. I have my tickets planned for next season already... The PCMM and the play off final, home and away...

There is nothing stopping clubs putting on extra meetings... Make them into something that fans see worth visiting and they can be a big success... Eg The PCMM at Belle Vue. A crowd of well over 2000 attends each season, which you could estimate, must deliver circa £45k to £50k in gate receipts at the admission charged... They put together a top class field and "amazingly" people attend.. The bottom line is that if the promoters could make league racing pay well, then surely they would have more meetings? If you are successful financially in business you open your doors for as long as you can.. And, vice versa, if you are losing money on certain days and times of day, by just being open at those times, then you cut back your opening times to remove those losses from your business... If, and we don't know if true or not, that Oxford only wanted 1H and 1A, then the rest didn't have to agree.. If it is 1H and 1A though it does open up lots of openings (and time), for each track to organise a "big event" locally which could deliver their best crowd of the season, which in turn could raise the profile of their team too and have a positive knock on impact to the league crowds as interest could be stimulated, (especially amongst those large number of fans who follow the sport, but only attend "now and again")... For the Championship clubs in particular, getting say three or four of Doyle, Emil, Bewley, Fricke, Holder, or Kurtz etc etc to their track must be an opportunity to deliver a more than decent crowd if advertised well enough..? And less meeting means lower season ticket costs, and annual admission costs for those who attend regularly, which may again help those who attend "now and again" to increase their number of visits..?

That was my thought.. I havent watched him but he does seem to be able to win races, and against "decent" opposition.. Which suggests that when out in front, (just like in practice when you are the only one out on track), he can go fast... Coming off the throttle time and again is a big issue that needs addressing, and quickly..

And.. Withiut being disrespectful, or morbid.. The reality is that the current demographic of followers suggest illness, mobility issues, and worse, will no doubt take a few out of attending next year... And every year after that... Unless a "net increase" will be delivered through new followers, or (maybe more achievable?), more attendance from those who follow the sport but attend infrequently...

Ellis at BV would be an interesting one... Always think that there is more to come from him.. Might sound daft, but I think he is a fair bit better than his average in the UK suggests.. With his mate alongside him maybe he will flourish and reach the level many thought he could get to four or five years ago...?

You do learn to NOT lock a bike up, but instead let it "flow" through the bends to keep speed and momentum up.. And learn to use different entry and exit lines each lap to mess up the rider behind who may be thinking about a pass.. A good learning ground for those who will develop onto the international stage, where these type of wide tracks are more the norm than the old "technical tracks" of yesteryear in the UK.. The ones that "you had to learn to ride to be the best in the world".. Those few meetings Zmarzlik did at Brum must have worked wonders!!!!😁

The RS system was designed to find a good few riders to go into teams and replace overseas riders... Unearthing a supply of "Simon Lambert's" rather than specifically finding a "Robert Lambert"... Which is a very sensible plan... I am just not sure doing it in the top league is the way forward as the standard on show is too high for many of them to compete... They need to be nurtured, not disillusioned as they progress... And watching several almost a whole straight behind race winners last year won't be doing anyone any good, most of all the sport itself as it tries to keep crowd numbers at acceptable levels..

And isn't shoehorned into some "contrived" team competition... The way the sport is basically "made up as we go along" over here does definitely impact attendances . You see the way the play offs bring many "out of the woodwork" (like me!), who attend simply because we know the crowds will be "decent" and the events themselves will have some atmosphere.. Both things lacking most weeks during the play off qualifiers.. With no "tribal element", and any real rewards, kudos, or recognition for winning any of the trophies on offer, it really must be a difficult "sell" for the clubs in trying to engage more fans firstly through the doors, and then to maintain them as regulars.. Price increases will be more designed to offset a forecasted lower number of attendees I would think, rather than be a tactical business growth decision based on elasticity of price .

But they don't drag out the system to riders over 21, and don't "protect" heats to give them an advantage others don't get.. That is just contrived nonsense in a sporting context.. We now have "professional RS's" who year in, year out, take a slot but don't progress.. With many, "well behind", during races, which adds nothing to a speedway meeting.. Like a non league footballer playing Premier League football and not being allowed to be taken off for 70 mins.. Just use the system in the 2nd tier and let the odd " next superstar", take a place on merit if good enough to compete eg Bewley,Lambert etc.. The gap is too big currently for them between the best riders at each meeting and themselves.. Which won't help them develop, and doesn't help what's on offer entertainment wise..

You don't get many riders that have ridden for five years becoming an "overnight sensation".. Jason Doyle is one I can think of, but he was a reserve in a much more competitive league at the time, so was well in front of the current RS level lads...

Almost as many as "this year is the most important AGM ever's"....😉

In the top league 100%.. No disrespect to them but not many add too much value to the racing, (which a good many measure a speedway meeting on more than any result).. If it is a 'cost issue' to not have two "Number 6's" then run with six rider teams... These lads can then ride at second string in the 2nd Div, and No1 in the NDL...

Sadly, I fear you are correct.. There is a danger of a four team league going forwards... Brum, just making up the numbers, will do no one any favours...

They key is how competitive Brum will be.. Hopefully, the other clubs will support them by not trying to tempt their riders and they can put out a team of a "Premiership level".. It won't help anyone to have a similar scenario to last season where they were always going to be seventh, even before a wheel was turned... A strong Brum will mean a strong Premiership...

And, just like with Swindon, the spectre of the houses will always create a possibility of noise complaints in the future should Peterborough stay on that site... With the council now seemingly "on side" now is the chance to be the "bigger party" and suggest alternatives to prevent more time and money being used up discussing things, changing things, appealling things, and re-appealing things.... Maybe all could "win" now?

A great summary... R.I.P. Len... The sport owes him a huge thanks for the incredibly high standards he set, and the enormous amount of effort, work and time he put in to deliver those standards that set the bar height for others to aspire to... Condolences to Andrew and all his family...

The aim surely has to be to get those who attend "now and again", to attend more regularly... They are the ones that a price reduction may inspire.. Just look at the PO Finals to see how many "locals" attended their tracks.. It shows that there is more than enough potential interest, but just not for "PO Qualifiers", at the price being charged..

Spot on.. He seemed to be what he is... ie A young kid enjoying the moment with fans of the team he rides for, fans who some of which will have watched him ride for the Colts.. I would imagine he therefore feels an affinity with those who run Belle Vue given the relationship he has built with them..