mikebv

It's been mentioned that there is a new TV deal, with money on the table.. (?) If that is the case you could only presume it's not considerable if a Premiership promotion (a very successful one), is not ruling out dropping down and sharing in its 'bounty'?

It will be the same next year I would think... And the same the year after that. . And the one after that. . And the etc etc etc.. Incredible really isn't it?

Quite possibly but no other sport feels the need to do it do they? For me, maybe go the other way and massively market the hell out of the event locally and make the night an advert for your club and the sport.. If there is TV money then reduce the admission costs and deliver a full nights entertainment. . So many people "used to go" and are still very interested in the sport but now just watch on TV. Therefore do something that makes them sit up and think "Now that might be worth another visit".. I always think Speedway clubs would benefit massively by having a mindset of treating every match like its their last meeting ever. ie if it was, how they would market it, how they would promote it, etc etc Sadly, maybe one day it will be their last meeting ever if they don't start promoting themselves better when the TV cameras come to town..?

Not surprisng really.. Most riders earn their money from their home meetings, hence usually join tracks they have had success on... For the fans it is all about entertainment, for a good many riders it is all about earning money.. (Not a criticism by the way, the jobs a dangerous one so they should seek to get as much reward as they can). For Speedway as a whole now, I do believe it's a false economy having massive home track advantage as the Leagues are simply so devoid of kudos (and financial reward), that winning 'at all costs" is a complete waste of time and money.. Putting on a full night of off track entertainment, allied to a fantastic night of racing on a well prepared track, should be the No1 priority and aim for all tracks if they want to prosper... Not 'doctoring' tracks to win something that not too many followers of the sport actually care about...

Must confess it's all a bit confusing,, Some fans wouldnt want to see their team in the Championship as they believe that the standard of racing wont be as good as the Premiership... Even though they have spent last season (and many before), watching Championship riders riding at their track every meeting, often for their own teams... In fact the majority of Premiership riders they will watch are also Championship riders.. I presume it's the same logic that has some saying that young novice British riders should be given plenty of opportunities to ride, but, at the same time, saying that they wouldn't pay to watch that standard of rider.. So in summary, (if I have it right)... Some people will quite happily watch Championship riders riding in the Premiership for their own teams, (and willingly pay Premiership prices to do so), but are not prepared to watch the very same Championship riders riding in the Championship for their own teams, (at a lower admission cost than they currently pay)..? Boris should really ask some of these people to sort out Brexit, the EU wouldnt stand a chance..

A dead cat bounce Steve.. Happens every time a world class rider returns.. A few weeks after the novelty has worn off we are back to the same crowd levels ( but with a huge earner now to pay).. Fixed nights meant superstars would come back and we wouldn't need guests to replace them anymore as the nights were fixed and fixtures were in stone.. What happened to that? Did they not get the memo? Or was the stark financial reality of bringing them back more the issue?

But crowds plummeted whilst top riders rode over here so how does that work? Woffy rode as World Champ for a season at Wolves but I didnt see any 'full house' signs going up at Monmore or indeed anywhere else.. Woffy,, Emil, Majic, Doyle, Ward, Holder, NKI, Nicki P, Zagar, Lindback, Lindgren and Hancock have all rode over here in the timeline when thousands of punters decided to stop going.. Maybe due to the annual inflation busting price increases to pay for them? Or maybe due to the ever changing fixture list to accommodate their own agendas? Or maybe down to when these guys had a meeting clash due to their full calendar (as so in demand), you ended up with a plethora of guests to replace them, thus rendering meetings with minimal credibility and fans feeling short changed? It's £18 to watch second, third, fourth and fifth level riders now.. How much would be charged to watch the top guys? They don't come cheap and are there enough sponsors willing to cough up what will need to be a whole leagues worth of superstars, as if each team doesn't have one then those without will struggle.. Thousands have deserted the domestic product over the past ten years or so.. Having Global superstars in front of them each week didn't prevent this exodus.. NB As an aside, the best meeting I saw this year was the Colts v Kent. All for a tenner for me and free for my 16 year old lad. I would actually defy any world class riders to have delivered better such was the quality of racing and entertainment on offer. Hence we went back six more times this season.

The names could be changed to protect the guilty... I mean the innocent...

of course. .. Over 60000 of us glory hunters there in Nov 1974 when we played Sunderland at OT in the 2nd Division.. My first game.. All from London, Singapore, Japan and Ireland, USA and Norway... If Citeh have one third of the citys football fans they are doing very well and will have improved their standing considerably since they started winning things.. Up to seven years or so ago there were more Liverpool shirts sold in Mcr than City's... Bless them...

1.1 billion of us fans now worldwide (allegedly), so there must be some even in such a far away place as Wuckintun...

I am sure many a Polish League manager, and team riders, have been filmed having a good laugh when getting beaten... And I am sure their fans would have keenly joined in with such hilarity... Or maybe not?

Well if you disagree, it's a good start. ..

Understand your points 100%... Given the number of riders needed, my own personal choice would be (temporarily), five man teams to deliver the highest standard attainable and also mean the talent pool is then stretched across as many tracks as possible. . I just think the time has come to be radical and almost 'start again'.. With three main reasons for this. . 1. The crowd level Speedway gets now is pretty much down to die hards only, and most of them have proved, particularly over the past five to ten years, that they will attend the sport whatever is put out in front of them... 2. There are literally tens of thousands of ex fans on the tracks' doorsteps around the country, who no longer attend regularly because they either became disillusioned with what was being presented to them, or the cost to attend frequently became prohibitive, or not seen as Value For Money. An admission cost that was wishfully based on paying rider salaries far in excess of what the crowd level could sustain, rather than reflecting what was on offer. Therefore a lesser standard should be reflected in lower admission costs.. And 3. There are literally millions of people who live within say an hour of tracks around the country who have zero idea of who any of the riders are, GP down to NL standard, so won't have any pre conceived ideas of the actual standard disparity, so would attend (if you could get them engaged), with a completely open mind.. Therefore surely it's about time to be radical and try something very different? Put out a heat structure that doesn't mean top riders race against NL riders, but instead delivers every heat where four riders of commensurate ability race against each other.. Heroes can be delivered at any level, meaning fans can develop an affinity towards them regardless of their standing in the 'world order' and more 'local derbies' against teams several clubs haven't raced against for several years (or maybe even ever?) can only stimulate interest surely? Interest that may lay dormant in many of the thousands who live in close proximity to the tracks and possibly spur them on to attend again? Speedway seems to try all sorts to generate 'new fans', when just getting half those who used to attend regularly, who have either left the sport completely, or now just visit infrequently, would make a huge difference to its success.. Maybe doing 'something different' whilst reducing costs, would see some of them return and kick start some momentum? One thing is for sure, doing the 'same old, same old' as has happened for so long, (and all crowd level evidence shows), definitely wont..

One league, but geographical, might be the boost the sport needs? Similar to American Football, you ride against those within your own conference twice home and away and once against teams from the other... Probably will need six or even five man teams and be ran at 'Championship Lite' level with maybe some form of rider control to ensure an even spread of the better riders, but could be worth it.. Eg 1. Prem HL 2. Champ HL/Prem 2nd String 3. Champ 2nd String/Prem Reserve 4. Champ Reserve/NL Heat Leader 5. NL Second String 6. NL Reserve Maybe grade these riders but have an overall mean team average to prevent teams getting the best rider in each grade through paying more? As said before, BV visiting Redcar, Berwick, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Scunthorpe and Newcastle can only be good for those clubs, and BV would also I am sure reap the benefits (even if just the once for novelty value) of a fair few away fans visiting the NSS.. Maybe Buxton and Stoke could pool resources and make a comeback at this level at Hi Edge given the local derbies? Poole would do the same as the Aces I am sure for the likes of for example, Plymouth, Somerset, Eastbourne and the IOW in the Southern part of the Country.. Play offs could then be ran within each conference before the winners of each go head to head in the Grand Final.. Market the sport as a fresh start, with a truly national competition, and see if more variety of clubs to visit/be visited by, would give it some positive fan growth momentum to be built on..

Think there is a natural change in the mentality of the Aussies who now ride in Poland every week from those who don't. . When they came over the UK was their 'bread and butter' and the only ticket in town for them to earn enough to stay being a pro rider.. Now, for several, Poland will be their priority given the potential earnings out there, even in the lower divisions.. And do well there, and the top league may come knocking moving you into the mega bucks league... Fair play to Doyle who still seems to treat the UK with the same focus as he does all his racing...

Because they want to give themselves every opportunity of guesting every week?

I've thought for quite a few seasons that the Aces should have 'dropped down'... Many of the Championship teams are northern based and many of the Aces riders over the past good few years have rode in the Championship anyway so it's not like there's any 'superstar' that will be missed that currently brings a crowd in.. Could have rode Fridays or Saturdays too... None of the league titles carry any real kudos anyway so you might as well ride in the one that gets you the most financial return.. More variety of teams visiting and, I would assume, lower rider costs.. I would think they would get 1400 or so every weekend no problem considering the good crowds they get at NL. With circa 1800-2000 at BH's.. And BV, with their history and standing in the sport, would be a crowd puller for the home teams they visit too meaning more fans visiting tracks.. Which can never be a bad thing..

To be fair. You get plenty of garbage matches in all sports.. I just think that we as fans want to be entertained possibly too much and are sometimes unrealistic.. Lots of Speedway fans are not that focused on their teams, but the sport itself, given the nonsense that goes on, and that might be why we often feel a bit deflated by what gets delivered.. Lots of Swindon fans will I am sure be content with the win and lots of Wolves fans will be disappointed with the defeat. And plenty of both will be disappointed with what they watched regardless of result.. It does though ultimately go back to running the showpiece events when the summer has ended. Keep doing this, (like will happen ad infinitum), and the defence of the poor racing and reduced crowds due to weather threat, becomes very weak, as basically it's (yet another), self inflicted wound..

Correct. . Played right into Wolves' hands now this.... They have to start favourites I would think... Their's to lose now.. Especially if the tide is in taking away the home teams advantage. . Oh, hang on... Sorry, just realised its not Poole they are against..... Come on Swindon fans, spend the next ten pages telling everyone how you really are the underdogs..

A strange idea... Must have a huge belief in Perks.. We will see if his belief is justified....

Dreadful... Any casual viewer must watch the GP's on a Saturday and wonder how exactly the same sport can be so different time and time again just a few days later virtually every week..

Isn't it policy that Bomber, Scott and Rory get first dibs on the guest slots?

Having done countless disciplinary hearings I have always found that there are usually THREE sides to every story... With my job trying to find the third one...

One league next year if Poole drop down? Wouldn't think TV would be too interested in a deal without the most successful modern day club.. Or maybe a top league of around 10, but heavily watered down to Championship level (at best), which maintains 'big hitters' like Poole? With a second tier of slightly higher than current NL level..? Good to see them seeking fans' feedback.. Be interesting to see the questions and the results...

Unfortunately running on the same night would need some riders to be in two places at once... At the meeting their own team is in, and the meeting that another team has borrowed them for.... Maybe though these two teams could get drawn to race against each other and certain riders then ride for both? The likes of Scott, Bomber and Rory could have a good week considering how many teams they represent over a season... They could get knocked out in the first round, and the second round, and then go on to be a runner up and a winner in the final.... Setting off for Poole in a minute, don't want to be at the back of the queue to get in.. Although I don't want to get there too early either... As I may end up riding for one of the teams.!!!