mikebv

Woffy, Smarzlick, Doyle, Majic, Lindgren, Dudek, Madsen, Laguta... With the rest much of a muchness with possibly Lindback, NKI and Zagar bottom three.. Kolodziej will get caught out on the temp circuits but be very good in Poland I would say.. Ninth wouldn't be a surprise for me..

Strength in depth is key so having a couple of 'decent reserves' all season can only be a plus... Big question marks on Worrall and Bewley in the 'engine room' as both coming back from serious injuries but as we know, it's not where you start in Speedway, it's where you finish... And this team does give the Aces a chance to assess how it's going in the first couple of months and possibly make changes higher up the order if needed to push for the play offs, without losing that reserve strength.. Replacing a couple of 'middle order riders' with a big hitter (if you can get one) and a slightly lesser second string later in the season, while keeping solid reserves, could be a winning formula...

Rugby League is a sport ran in many parts by lots of well meaning amateurs.. Succesful business people who have invested into 'their' clubs over time and ended up Chairmen, with many enjoying the limelight locally that being in charge brings.. Very similar in fact to the way Football was ran for decades till the mid nineties when 'outsiders' were brought it to run individual clubs by much richer owners who simply stumped up the cash but didn't want the hands on daily routine.. The tail often wags the dog when it comes to the League set up and decisions made, due to the top league being less in numbers than the rest.. There is a clear demarcation between the haves and have nots and both sections have completely different agendas, meaning concensus as to the way forwards is always fraught... It has a central body running the sport, but decisions made are often only delivered after already having discussions with all the clubs to gain approval, rather than a truly independent body driving the sport forwards with a clear vision which the clubs then need to adapt too.. It has a very 'small time' outlook, with the vested interest of individual clubs holding back any chance of the sports collective progression... All sounds a bit familiar doesn't it?

For me the '3rd Division' should be the 'development league'... I seem to remember that this was it's initial vision... Each team seemed to have one rider with experience (a rider coach wasn't it referred to as?) and the other six were aspiring riders, keen to learn from the more experienced pros, and benchmark themselves against them when racing... Paid track time was the outlook for many... Instead it transpired into a pseudo pro league, mainly driven that way by '2nd tier' teams who couldn't make that league pay so dropped down, bringing with them several of their riders from the previous higher level who then doubled down and brought with them higher expectations of payment... Thus creating the plethora of 'professional juniors' who now exist, who invariably make almost zero improvement year on year as they have found their level, but continue riding... In effect clogging up the system of development as the places they take should be being used to bring on younger riders... I thought this year the BSPA was eager to have clear demarcation between the leagues with the averages it set, however by simply not converting Premiership averages to Championship equivalents using the x1.5 conversation it set, it has undermined it's own idea... Division One should be the 'pro league'... Division Two should be the 'semi pro league'.. Division Three should be the development league, where getting some expenses to help cover costs should be seen as an added bonus to the track time being provided.. Three clear differential standards, with three clear aspirational levels for riders to move into...

Not really to be honest... The problem is no one is in control of Speedway.. The riders dictate due to the average system making ordinary ones more needed so overall salaries rise. And the riders need to ride 'everywhere' means they dictate when meetings take place regardless of crowd pulling potential or the credibility of it.. The Promoters then compound the issues by having no clear vision for the Sport and often run it as a "look at me" self indulgent hobby, so allow such nonsense to pervade... Far too easy to carry on making it up as they go along than ever have a clear plan for the future which may include some difficult choices.. Barry Hearn delivers clear direction, clear standards, clear returns for investors, sponsors and players, and clear direct leadership.. A million miles away sadly from British Speedways operating model..

Way too much.. As they become teenagers often their interests wains and 'other' things take over their lives... And paying nothing for a kid, for say five years or so, till they reach eleven, then feels a huge leap to paying a tenner when they are twelve.. Thats an extra £40 a month to find, then add on the usual food and drink they consume and you have circa £80 a month extra to pay out.. That will reduce visits for many families I would suggest... It really is a false economy as I am sure many more adults with teenagers would go more regularly if it was free... Better to get £20 twenty times a season than £30 four or five.. And the more visits will hopefully sustain their interest into adulthood..

Looks more like a plan to go back to its roots. eg teams with one high average rider and the rest of a lesser level who are hoping to progress in the sport via track time... With less 'professional juniors' who never seem to move forward but stagnate and block up team places, quite content with their 'professional speedway rider' ranking... Just a shame Buxton cannot be there too, as they have done probably more than anyone to develop talent which has progressed to a higher level, leaving them sometimes as whipping boys when up against higher spenders who bring in those 'professional riders' who are happy to be seen as a big fish in a small pond.. Lets hope they get some open meetings as particularly on a nice summers day the place is well worth visiting to spend a couple of hours watching some Speedway.. Presume Sheffield racing on a Sunday now has not helped..?

It seems to go unnoticed but there are actually five months from the end of October to the start of April.. A long, long time to work... I pay my night lads (inc premium, NI and Pension) £11 an hour.. Thats £380 a week or a total of £7600 for 20 weeks work.. That's to fill shelves in a Supermarket.. I am sure there are probably other 'basic skilled' jobs out there that may pay even more..? Who knows, seven lads all earning this amount might collectively mean they don't have to then request over £50k between them off a Speedway promoter..? Would buy at least one very decent bike that I reckon and a good few quid left over for plenty of spares... The penny will need to drop soon that riding Speedway in GB isn't a full time role which gives you the opportunity to put your feet up at Forty years of age and spend your earnings for the rest of your life.. Similar to all Sports very, very few make it to the very top. British Speedway seems to be starting to realise that paying out EFL League One and Two wages on Bostik League attendance income simply doesn't add up.. It may be difficult to get people to ride Speedway now, but it will be a damn sight harder when no places exist to ply that trade..

NL racing at the NSS is very good (but then again most matches there are).. However, it only costs £10 for me and my 15 yr old son for us both so is fantastic value for money. Just a shame it isn't advertised better (or should that be 'at all') as the crowds they get (whilst good for NL), don't do justice to the entertainment value on offer or the admission cost...

I agree Aces51, Team Speedway will carry on for a good time yet... It sadly will need to be the cobbled together variety rather than 'proper teams' but maybe changes will be made to sort this.. The possible light at the end of the enormous tunnel is that there does seem to be a recognition that sharing riders between leagues simply adds too much pressure to the fixture list, and generates guest riders, which do nothing to aid the sports standing in the wider sporting fan base, so steps seem to have been taken.. They also have recognised the need to have aspirational improvements so making the three leagues clearly of differing levels can only be a positive thing... The Sport has effectively tried to kill itself by self administrating a 1000 cuts, so finding plasters to stem the flow of blood for all of them in one go won't be achievable.. Tentatively, it does look like they may actually have some ideas on how to undo some of the self inflicted nonsense that has been allowed to pass itself off, for far too long, as a 'proper team sport'.. A long, long way to go but let's hope it works... It seems to be a long term plan at least, which is more than we have had for some time,..

And then we can also find out the 14 or so additional regulations that are required to completely ensure they cover every possible angle from a sharp practice potential... (Or so they think)....

It also may help in a collective marketing of the sport and a share out of any profit delivered from 'official' merchandise sales too.. Generic SGB merchandise, clothing, prog boards, badges car stickers etc etc etc all with the individual tracks insignia on them.. A much better margin would be delivered if all clubs collectively purchased these products from manufacturers rather than all do it on a small time basis individually. With profits from every sale (wherever it takes place) shared out amongst the whole leagues teams.. US Sports in particular use this strategy well.... And maybe instead of doing their marketing at a local level individually they will start to pool resources to get their SGB brand out nationally.. The Sport needs to work together to protect every track now I would suggest as not too many more can disappear before its effectively game over. So strength in numbers would appear key... One for all, and all for one!...

Woffy too I presume? Let's hope the finer detail will ensure there is common sense...

I actually think that there is some light at the end of a very, very long tunnel... Issues such as doubling up are starting to be addressed by the points limits. Quite cleverly too as they are not disallowing it but just making it harder to take on say a heat leader from the Premiership, ie a high earner... Instead Championship teams will need to look to the NL for more riders I would say which can only help bring them on, and cost less. If teams want to have Premiership standard riders then they should be in the Premiership, and the lower tiers then should have clear separation of standards. It looks like this has been taken on board... The 2.5% reduction looks good, however, given its Speedway no doubt there could be ambiguous interpretations of the rule so absolute clarity is needed.. Two fixed race nights have got to be easier to manage than three (especially when one of them was Denmarks night).. The Test matches look positive, and the fans interaction stuff looks like they are dipping a toe into the waters of technology. About time.. New competitions could work but need to be done and dusted well before the annual cram in at the end of the season for all the silverware distribution. Surely next year they will ensure finals are held throughout the season and not just in the last fortnight? Now, don't get me wrong, I am still far from convinced the sport will move forward at the pace needed to get it successful, but there does at least appear to have been some sensible, common sense decisions made... Which after many years of less than fit for purpose ideas, it is a welcome change... As always though, the proof of the pudding will be in the implementation.. And this is British Speedway don't forget, so you never quite know how that will go....

Might impact the NL with such a low Championship level? Presume done to encourage the two teams up? I would imagine Championship clubs will be looking to the NL for riders rather than go towards the Premiership with a 1.5 conversion rate..? And could it possibly move the NL more towards its 'true vocation' as a training league..?

Presume that the plan is no longer to narrow the gap between the leagues to include promotion and relegation..? 42.5 at 1.5 conversion rate is 63.75 equivalent at Championship level... Against a 38 point Championship top level.. And the rate is set to go higher. Or am I reading it wrong? To be fair, clear demarcation between the leagues should be encouraged to ensure we have some kind of aspirational journey for teams and riders...

I don't know how many attended the last few meetings but if say Worky had picked up to two trophies by the end of August I am sure the attendances would have been very good from then to the end of the season as they could have marketed a potential 'treble' each week to the local population.. By the play offs time I am sure the whole town would have been acutely aware of the importance and size of the achievement that potentially lay ahead... They would have had weeks of hype and advertising rather than just a few days in which to generate interest which I am sure would have delivered several hundred more fans over the period that they actually got cramming in meetings at the end of the year... Speedway really hasn't a clue about marketing itself has it?

It is ludicrous isn't it? Winning can actually close a club down.. And one of the reasons is that the club doesn't get the chance to make more of its success financially due to the ridiculous fixture list... Winning three titles is a fantastic achievement but doing it all in a fortnight costs the fans a fortune, the clubs a fortune and has finals ran in the worst weather month of the season meaning fans could end up picking and choosing which final to attend!! Two of the Comps start months and months earlier in the season so surely it would be more beneficial for clubs to spread out that success across the season..? Having a trophy to be won in say June, one in August, and one in October would keep the interest going through the whole season and mean if one club dominates they get the chance to maximise each final to deliver the best returns, and if three separate clubs win the trophies it shares the opportunity to have 'bumper crowds' across the league... So many simple easy to do improvements can be made to this sport, many not needing any money spent, it just doesn't seem they can see them..

No plan can ever work without an independent body/person controlling it with a 100% mandate from all concerned to make abiding decisions.. A major issue the sport has is that rules change so quickly, and are manipulated continuously, simply because they can be changed on a whim. No business can sustain success with an operating model that so constantly moves all over the place on an adhoc basis. Particularly when those making the adhoc changes have a vested interest in the outcome.. Guests are allowed because they always have been. Too easy to keep doing the same old, same old. Fixed race nights reduced them but absolutely 'loads' we're still used, (and as we saw with the fixture changes, are now an integral part of the operating model), so it could have been regarded as a ' bit better'.. Similar to being sat at the very back of a plane as it crashes into a mountain I would suggest... A 'bit better' but it won't really be of any use in the grand scheme of things.... If you cannot run any sport properly then your probably best not doing it at all. And a team sport even more so given the emotional attachment you need from your fanbase.. But if you do decide to run a team sport, and instead of running it properly you choose a haphazard set of rules to follow, which destroys the very credibility of the sport, then never be surprised you struggle to get people to follow you... The sport needs a root and branch investigation into it to form a 'proper plan of action'. Done on a national level by people with no vested interest in the sport. And then ran by an independent body to maintain discipline, consistency and integrity... The same way as all 'proper' sports are ran..

I on the other hand can imagine many people saying I am not going because of guest riders.... In fact I would suggest many, many thousand no longer go because they feel "what's the point"? Who cares who wins titles in Britain? None have any kudos the way they are delivered. The reason why there is no alternative to guests is because there is now a fundamental need for the teams to keep costs down by sharing riders, rather than sign cover for absences, and a need for riders to earn as much money as they can by taking as many rides as they can, regardless of what colours they ride in... If Poland ever went down the same operating model route as the BSPA uses, and ran leagues devoid of credibility then I can guarantee that they too would have a sport on its arse.... No big money from TV, no national media coverage, no big company sponsorships and no big attendances would be the ultimate result they would deliver.. Just like we have over here..

I wonder if at any stage of reviewing why attendances are not hitting the required amount to cover costs have the Glasgow Promoters ever reflected on how much the Mickey Mouse way the sport is ran effects them? One of their riders (Chris Harris) won a Premiership medal riding for Poole and one week later a Cup Winners medal riding for Somerset.. I would suggest they try and influence the stopping of such nonsense and then try and raise awareness and support for their business... You can be as positive as you want in engaging locals to help... When the product you are selling is so inherently flawed you will never have a chance of success..

Agree 100% Ian, but I now believe that as it is 'so bleedin' obvious' that what we have have now doesn't work, the Promoters must be acutely aware of all the issues they have, but simply haven't got either the vision, capabilty or finance to ever break out of that self inflicted continous vicious cycle of lack of credibilty of product, meaning lower income is achieved which cannot then cover annually higher uncontrolled costs.. Unless, as you say, something totally radical takes place... I just don't think they have that desire to try and undo all that has been done as it would be a huge undertaking and possibly well beyond their particular skill set... I personally dont think we will ever see the sport ran 'properly' again. (as a team sport), in this country, and what we have now ie lots of weekly cobbled together nonsense, will be the only way forward. (As surely if they felt it needed fixing they would have by now such are the glaring issues)... Which is a shame, as the core product on offer can be truly great... Anyway, here's hoping I am wrong and someone has the balls and comes forward to take the sport over here by the scruff of the neck, see its huge potential (99.9% of the population don't go), and has real vision, drive and desire to deliver a 'brave' new dawn... I will write a letter to Santa as a 'back up plan' though, (just in case)....

Definitely in League racing.... Its Mickey Mouse enough as it is without any more contrived nonsense... Using handicap racing in an individual event to add a bit of spice though then fine...

The actual racing itself is, for me, as good as I have watched.. (48 years a fan) Maybe not lots of passing (was there really ever?), but most races are at least competitive from front to back as the riders are mostly of a reasonably similar standard. (Out of their depth 'Wobblers' are now pretty much a thing of the past).. So, the 'core product' passes the test.. Sadly. All the rest of the 'show' completely undermines it.... From the ridiculously allowed contrived septets riding against other contrived septets almost nightly, through to an overall entertainment package that belongs in 'The Wheel Tappers and Shunters Working Men's Club' (look it up or ask your grandad). The sport (in Britian) is strangling itself... Let's be honest, NONE of the three leagues have any credibility therefore what is the point of running the sport as a Team Sport? Simply, you can never hope to engage your local potential customers to buy into 'their team' when invariably it changes each week and no longer is 'their team'. So why still run the sport that way? You will have very little chance of ever being successful at the turnstiles.. So. Maybe now it's time to run less meetings, with more races per meeting. At weekends... Maybe run individual competitions over three days at the same track Friday, Saturday and Sunday two or three times a season? Different Comps from kids level through to different graded levels from NL standard up to 'expert'?. Friday and Saturday being qualifiers to the main event on Sunday... Or, if you want to cling on to a team Speedway concept, run a one off National Comp in one venue the same way over three days. Bringing maybe three riders per team in a best pairs type competition.... What is happening simply isn't working so do something different.... And several well promoted, well planned, sensibly priced, well sponsored financially, Festivals Of Speedway' around the Country, all rode in front of decent crowds of several thousand rather than 'one man and his dog', has to be more positive for the sport in terms of awareness and positive branding than the, quite frankly, complete nonsense, that is currently getting served up and masquerading as a bona fide sporting competition... There are many many more thousands of ex fans of domestic speedway who attend Cardiff I would suggest, than the total amount of fans who do attend domestic speedway each week.... And there are many many more thousands than that who 'used to go' but no longer attend speedway at all.. Therefore, there is still a big market out there if it can be persuaded to come back... The racing itself can be fantastic, so Speedway in Britain needs to just find a way of doing it justice.. And the current way of doing it won't manage to do that.. Not a chance...

Common Sense comments.. However, I do really believe that what is done now cannot be undone.. We have gone too far and it is not possible to get the Sport where it needs be in this country.. I am convinced the Promoters know full well the stand out reasons for the Sport's ever hastening demise (there has never been so much feedback available), but they simply havent the resource, or possibly the capability too, to sort the self inflicted mess out.. We all know that there is huge potential in the Sport as many of us just on here used to go regularly, and around the country I would suggest EVERY track has at least 2000 people living locally who no longer go but used to go and keep a passing interest in the local Speedway team.. It just appears that Promoters feel there is zero chance of enticing them back so no point in trying.. A shame, but it is what it is..