mikebv

Hard riding there from Vaculik.. Great to watch...

Maybe riding in front of more than 1000 inspired him.... Great crowd, and great support for him from the fans..

Rowe five paid six after three rides.... Doing well...

How did Glasgow do?

F'naaaar, F'naaaar..,... (One for the Viz fans)....

I went to Sheffield with my, then, 19 year old lad, a couple of years ago and he mentioned how many races were "in memory" of someone. And then the next time at the NSS, with those thoughts in our minds, we picked up on the same... The demographic of the fanbase perfectly summed up I would suggest. And it shows the challlenge faced by promoters in replacing those sadly departed very loyal regulars...

The days of testimonials for doing ten years st one club are long, long gone.. "Do I go well there? How much will they pay me? Is the priority criteria I would suggest from many when deciding where to ride.. Averages moving up and down year in year out just means moves for riders to go from one club to another... And tonight in the UK, weekend in Poland, Tuesday in Sweden, and Wednesday in Denmark must dilute the riders "riding for the badge" outlook.. And, as we know when getting interviewed during a meeting, not many know the score, which suggests that they don't feel that "bond" to any great degree...

Hope Sam tells them the score before Ht 15!!!

But were you on two hundred quid a point?

As has been said.. The majority of riders are focused on their own races and points money.. Getting battered as a team, but scoring a double figure personally is a "good night"...

You would think that the competitors involved might already know the score too.. Those interviews with the riders are always great when they get asked "Do you think you can still win this?" And the oft used answer is "I don't know, what's the score?" I bet they know the score in Poland.. And their own score too, including bonus points......

And not running it like a hobby, and instead running it like a bona fide sporting competition, also helps them 100%, and ensures (one million percent), that the massive TV contract stays in place..

I remember an interview with Chris Holder in the SS from a decade or so ago saying he got ten times the money in Poland compared to the UK... You can see why the Poles are so protective of "their" riders, and (several) riders, when riding over here, take it a bit cautiously, now and again, when track conditions are not quite to their expectations... You lose a lot if you get injured, and I also remember contracts in Poland covering off no payments if injured riding in another league, and returns of signing on fees, (which can be well into five or six figures)..

As many said on here, before a wheel was turned, the averages were set up to make the Birmingham team appear competitive against the other teams put together.. And this was also in a league that this year saw more current GP, and recent GP riders than for a good many years, therefore the "mean level" of rider has risen..

It's a development league... Not many outside of the followers of the sport will be able to name 3 speedway teams of any level, let alone who the "Champions" are.. The majority of NDL lads will never make a living out of the sport so either ride as a "hobby" or ride in the hope that maybe one day they will get to pro level... If they are not there, then there isn't any racing to watch...

The vast majority are... The old Kirky Lane track went similar after the first decade or so.. The NSS, Glasgow, Scunthorpe, Redcar and the new Worky seem to be the ones that can handle the modern machinery and provide decent racing.. And don't forget, winning at home is key, NOT the entertainment level...

Now the UK have "given up" Thursday, then surely riding Wednesday wont be an issue? Riders will be missing due to riding in Poland on a Thursday.. Riders will be missing due to riding in Denmark on a Wednesday. (With less impact I would think too)...

Even more difficult to bother..... The play offs will probably have teams made up of all and sundry, and that is perfectly fitting as to get there each would no doubt have had "some help" from their "supposed" competitors.... But they will also get decent crowds which, at the end of the day, is the only thing that matters...

What a ride!!!!! Take a bow young man!!!!

Allowed back in due to ref blaming the wind blowing the tapes... Hone fans not happy..

Bit of atmosphere... You can just imagine having the lads with the megaphones over here... "Sit down!!! I can't see wirrim in front er me Ethel,, ee shunt be allowed ter bring that bloody thing in"...

They had to subsidise the other 3 meetings... They still got a 3k+ crowd paying up to £95, so, for me, it shows a one off meeting, circa twenty quid cheaper per ticket, would bring in around £300k..

The NSS for a one off meeting could get 6,000 with added seating... An average fifty quid per ticket, (70 seating and 30 standing), and 6,000 would be doable..

Probably well past its peak now... A steady decline since the 40,000 crowds. .. Great value for money to get in ironically, it is just that the "novelty" has gradually worn off for many.. Also when the likes of TR, Crump, Hancock, Pedersen and other "GP stars" had left these shores, this was the one chance you got to watch them "live" over here.. Now there isn't the same "mystique", and therefore the same attraction to see them...

Kubera closing in to World Class.....