mikebv

Correct on all points, however... Many on here quote examples such as guests, EDR nonsense rules, Double points, crap tracks, select teams being put together regularly, poor presentation etc etc as amongst the reasons why they don't attend or less frequently attend... The irony is that the internet (eg forums like this) actively dissuade people to attend matches nowadays as all the information as to who is or isn't there, why they are missing, track problems if any, etc etc are all laid bare for people to read prior to the meeting taking place. An example was a fortnight ago as just as I was setting off to watch him at BV I found out via the BSF that AJ was missing. Hence coat off and TV on to watch sod knows. (Wasn't forking out circa £50 for me and the lad).. Years ago, we had lots of the same issues but didn't have any media outlet other than the Star and Mail which retrospectively informed people. We basically turned up to be told that "PC was in Germany for a longtrack final so xxxx replaces him". Or a poor meeting was read about a week later after the event, but not dissected 100 times. You may get the odd letter to the sports media but that was it... Totally agree that the sport should embrace social media and any other IT medium to get their message out there.. But to gain any extra fans they have a lot of work to do logistically around the integrity and presentation of the sport to ensure that the message isn't open to ridicule, especially in the 'instant, critically focused' feedback world we live in today.. Maybe that should be the 2017 focus..? Although unravelling what has been allowed to masquerade itself as a 'proper professional sport' for far, far too long, may take considerably longer than just one year..!

Looks like Tai is 'calling the BSPA out'... Get everyone talking, and plenty of rumour and speculation later, the BSPA will, (eventually) have to release some kind of statement themselves... Rory's another who has never been shy in coming forward and voicing an opinion so his comments will lead to more conjecture. (How is his relationship with the BSPA Chairman these days by the way?)...!! Lets hope Tai's obvious passion for Team GB isn't lost (and wasted) and the BSPA and himself can work alongside each other to build on what was a great Silver Medal performance..

Looking at that conversation with Phil Morris and the riders then, I think some have already decided...!

Didn't Richard Hall have an average from 1974 (or sometime round there)used recently when he wanted to ride NL??😁 Fair play then only using Tai's from two years ago... Least the BSPA are being consistent...😝

An eight point average rider delivers 10 points off five rides... Don't think Tai would have too many problems delivering an eight point average between now and the end of the season will he? Looking at the 'swing' in points between him and JK I would reckon at least five more a match to the Wolves as Tai would I am sure take five rides a night. Makes perfect sense for them to bring him in and, for once at least, Speedway looks like a proper professional sport where the participants want to do everything (and do it legally, without making up or simply ignoring rules) to win the League... Shame we have already rode against them twice. Would have definitely gone to watch him against us.. Be great to see him ride at our place in the final though!!

Why exactly is NKI not facing a ban anyway for 'witholding his services"? Whether a 'facility' is, or isnt, granted or used, is surely irrelevant given the fact that last night he should have been riding for KL but simply chose not to? Agreed by KL or not.... Or has riders being able to pick and choose when to turn up, and when not to, become another new rule we have missed? More self inflicted nonsense sadly this time from the BSPA chair himself. Still I presume a few bob was saved in wages so every cloud and all that... AJ, KK, Zagar, and now NKI all missing in the last 8 days from EL meetings for 'various' reasons.. Not good for the sport really this is it?

Correct Steve... You should only be able to bring in ringers during the season when you use guest riders!!😁 The whole season is based on ringer after ringer, week in week out so why should the play offs be any different? Good to have the World Champ back. A Speedway team improving their chances by bringing better riders in to try and win the league is just like a normal sport for once..

JK's announcement appearing on page "108" of the thread!!! Spooky!!!!! MOTWYW.....!!!!

Correct.. If the sport wants to slavishly follow averages for team building with all the inherent inconsistences around how they get delivered, then no one can complain if they get used to bring a World Champion in on his current figure... Either use them, or don't. Cant have it both ways..

Or maybe have a transfer window set for half way through the season or SWC week where teams can bring in ŕiders up to the mean average of the EL at that particular time.? Would definitely help the lower ranked teams a) become more competitive or b. still push for a play off spot Teams in play off contention already would, by definition, probably be over the mean average so would more than likely have to release a heat leader to bring someone in but if they did it would have a spin off that lower ranked teams could maybe include the released riders in their teams.. It would keep the season extended for several teams that currently have nothing to compete for and maybe be tempting to the top names whose diaries are less congested later in the year. (Similar to Hancock when he went to Poole)..

Everyone can see Poole are still the overwhelming favourites due, in the main and deservingly so, to the significant advantage they gleaned from the rules regarding reserve picks at the start of the year.. However, last year they did let slip a large lead in the final at BV before just managing to scrape over the line on home shale, so when under pressure there is a precedent that they can wobble. (And who will ever forget Cov beating them?) And this year dont forget there is no Magic to steady the Pirate ship like he did last... Their nearest challenger I would suggest are the Aces but with still no clear home track advantage in what becomes effectively a home and away knockout cup they could be vulnerable in the play off.. Poole's to lose for me and would be a poor year for them really if they don't win it, especially when you put their team up against the others at the start of the season..

What's not true? Riders are allowed to miss EL matches to ride in the SEC. KK did it on Saturday.. Absolute nonsense planning any meeting when knowingly riders are missing.. Absolute nonsense the BSPA ignoring this competition and putting their head in the sand hoping it will go away.. This comp now has FIM backing so wont be going anywhere soon I would imagine... Might as well work around it and ensure that each team has its own riders appearing (injuries excepted) each week... Facility for this, facility for that!.. Don't plan half the bloody meetings when you know in advance that riders are missing and you wouldn't need facilities!! Seems to be a speedway thing that more time seems to be spent on making loads and loads of supplementary regulations for rules, than focusing on sorting why such things are needed in the first place..

Been a great competition racing wise since inception. Four riders of similar ability in each race is certainly the recipe for great racing as we know.. Shame the likes of Cook and Lambert don't get a chance to ride in it.. The opportunity to ride on more types of tracks with riders of above average ability must help their progression.. Seems crackers that the BSPA won't let them ride as they say it effects Saturday night meetings in the EL. Yet they allow Anderson, KK, Kylmakorpi to ride over here and miss EL meetings on a Saturday night when they ride in it!! British or European, it is irrelevant the nationality of the missing riders. The issue is that they are missing, therefore simply don't plan meetings against teams with SEC participants... (There's plenty of blank Saturdays to work with)! Also, we ban British riders from competing in the SEC because it may effect the Saturdsy EL, yet openly plan in and run fixtures on Fridays before GP's, GP challenges, U21 meetings etc. which mean some teams using four guests!! Strange priorities..

Agree about weak teams but the sport then compounds the issue by not letting a weak team improve to the level of the team with the highest average, (in sport the best should be the benchmark for the rest).. Poole start tonight approx 8 points higher as a team average, yet Leicester (if they wished) could still only bring replacement riders in using the start of season/contrived/best guess average which is much lower than the averages the top teams are now running on... Cant be good for their business, the home tracks business when they visit, and the sport in general to let the weak teams stay weak... Yet its done year in, year out by the sports own regulations..

Sadly tonight, it looks like even 10 rides each from the heat leaders wont help!! Ouch.... In Boxing the ref would step in about now....!

Ok with that rather than guests as it at least keeps some credibility.... However, where it unravels is that Lakeside should be able to use any of their 2 - 6 as many times as needed up to a max of seven rides for any individual. Eg The two heat leaders should be able to take two rides each of the No1's races it the team manager wishes.. Instead, four riders get one ride each meaning second strings or even reserves replacing a No1...

Really like Doyle, however he still is a little impetuous.. Part of why I like to watch him is his aggression, but he will need a cooler head when the pressure is on (as it certainly will be as he continues his rise to the highest sector of the sport). He is of a level now that he doesn't need to do 'first lap S or B lunges'. More than capable of beating anyone over four laps from the back. Especially on BV's track.. Pawlicki went down because he was contacted from Doyle. Could he have stayed on? Probably. But what would have been the point as his focus was to avoid the rider outside him and in doing so would have left him locking up and a distant fourth coming out of the turn... Right decision from the Pole to go down (safely) in 'instalments' and right decision from the ref to exclude the Aussie.. Nil points, played the joker, so double nil!!😁

Maybe next season the Sport could start the season with a HUGE individual event similar to the old BLRC at its 'spiritual home' of Belle Vue...? Put it on the calender pre Poland, get Tai, Nikki P, Emil, Greg et al over to add to the best of the EL riders... Selling tickets from now till say end of March/Early April would I suggest deliver a crowd similar to last night... £20 tickets would make good xmas presents...! You could effectively launch the British Speedway season off the back off it. Hold a big city centre event in Manchester to showcase the Meeting and wider sport in general... Maybe every British team putting in five grand each to deliver a six figure prize fund would get some wider media publicity too? 10,000 fans at £20 bringing in £200k of revenue would more than cover any outlay for the clubs and give them a huge opportunity to promote their Leagues... Confirm date asap and you would have eight/nine months to plan, get sponsors, let fans get hotels etc... Maybe even make it a two night event on the Friday and Saturday with eight riders (top eight in GP?) 'seeded' to the final and 16 other competitors racing for the other eight spots on the Friday? £30 a ticket for both events would deliver £300k!! The track can take two nights racing as we have seen so why not give it a go? It could become the BSPA's 'Cardiff GP'.. And what a start to a speedway season it would be..!

When one synchro swimmer is 'synchronising' for another team, can a 'guest' be brought in to replace them? If so, then it really could be a threat.!!!!!

Really? Am I being 'whooshed' as you must be making an obvious wind up? A truly GREAT Speedway meeting that cost me £45 in total (including race off!) for me and my 13 yr old lad... Watched the sport for over 40 years and watched thousands of races..... One of the best meetings I have ever attended.. No 'follow the leader till the track comes to them' nonsense... Great racing from heat one.. Loads of Poles generated a fantastic atmosphere, good natured but patriotic and we all congratulated each other at the end. Atmosphere and noise at a Speedway meeting? Whatever next? A truly GREAT night for Speedway in this country.... Lucky to have this fantastic track on my doorstep... Privileged to be there to watch sixteen riders use every inch of it trying to become World Champions.. PS (Shame we cannot bottle it and watch this every week in the EL. You would sell out the venues every time)....

WTF???? I'd be nice if I were you mate.... A couple of years from now, given what happened a few weeks ago, you may need one or two of us on here to put a word in for you to earn a few quid.... Be a good lad and wind yer neck in eh? PS well done on another gold medal...

Where are you????? Let's be having you!!!!!! Didnt see Delia there tonight!!!

Wow... A great nights Speedway..... This sport when done this well has no peers for me.... Let's hope the feel good factor can rub off on the Leagues in this country and floating observers of tonight's action on TV will visit their local tracks... Should Woffy ride for Team GB? Put that to bed tonight I would say.... Worth the admission alone that lad.....

Maybe the rest didn't get the email?😁

Free upgrade to the east stand seats available at the west terrace turnstile... You get a free union jack flag too😂