Hawk127

Give the punter what they want and they will turn up every week, see them as a way of filling the coffers no matter what is served up and you get empty terraces. Last nights world cup meeting is what the sport is all about. The weekly fodder with double up, rules that make the sport a laughing stock and the lack of a 'Real team' that a supporter can relate too leaves the average person with limited funds no real choice in the way of deciding where to spend the hard earned pound. Baldyman is right. Give us regular weekly meetings against different opposition, individual meetings., four T T (that is after all what the World Cup has become) with eveningly matched teams and perhaps things might change. Even if you had two 4TT in one eveining with Aand B graded riders and a final with the two two scorers from each meeting. Something needs to change or some teams will simply disappear. Even the regional option with a north and south divided is better than what is on offer now. It simply cannot pay its way as it stands. Loyalty is a two way process and not many clubs seem to get this very simple analogy. Riders in the main are not team players so stop pretending and structure the racing accordingly. Even the SEC is streets ahead of the league racing in this Country. Time for change maybe!!!

Simply one of the best meetings at this level in a long time and a special congratulation to Latvia. Moreover thanks to all the riders for making it such a good event to watch. I hope the final is as good.

Congratulations to team GB. The team rode to win and no one could ask anymore. They did what they had to do and let's wait and see what happens in the final. For now bask in the glory of a GB win.

I don't think it is about Doyle, Holder or any other top tier rider and whether they would or would not ride in the U.K.. It is about preserving the sport on a competitive basis here and building for the future rather than tinkering around the edges and pandering to those who do not want to commit to BL racing except on their personal terms. I still believe that True speedway fans want competitive teams and racing, to see team riding, identifying with your team hero, watching your No.8 break into the team, seeing the 6 and 7 challenge the heat leaders and even bringing back the golden helmet match race and silver helmet match race. Frankly the top tier riders can make a living out of riding elsewhere and compete at GP level. Those who want that upper echelon fix can get that from the GP'S and swell the coffers of those who run those meetings. On that basis Cardiff might exceed a crowd of 50k. Have an International meeting or two (Poland have done so recently so it cannot be all bad) but it is time to stop thinking that Tai or any of the others will want to ride regular UK league meetings, it's not going to happen without a cost to the sport as a whole be it financial or regular racing. German crowds are healthy and they don't seem to crave a Nicki P or similar. The UK are no longer a dominant force and the money is not here to command the top tier of the sport, except on the odd occasion (GP). Roll on some reality, but I won't hold my breathe

A good post. Was thinking last evening watching the Poole match and looking at the teams wondered why they are bothering with the double up etc. It Is becoming a little bit of a joke. I agree, amalgamate and have one league plus the NL. Weekly meetings with one home and away league meeting and knock out cup, four team tournament and an individual British championship knock out competition that has rounds at every single track with the top sixteen riders competing in a final in September. Let's face it the top riders are never going to return to the UK as fixed race nights will never happen. It is time that British racing looked after number one. Go back to basics with weekly racing at every track (where possible) and a series of International meetings. The World Cup is a joke being every year, it ought to be every two years if it has to be and should be team meetings and not four man teams racing as individuals. Some might say these ideas are a backward step but the sport is dying in front of us. Let tracks who don't want league racing have open meetings and individual events to suit the location. Wild it might sound but how about if the IOW could get the sponsorship to hold a IOW championship with invites to top riders such as Nicki P, Tai, Niels etc. Yes it would need sponsorship but if it worked and everything has a price, why not? The sport struggles and is limping along. Change is needed in my view and what 'the outsider' says is a start

I thought the presentation was better than Sky. Some comments re the camera work may be valid but I really did not notice the difference. The racing was good but that tends to be the case when it is individual meeting rather than league racing. That to me says it all. Gate and go in league racing and while I accept that the individuals have to earn a living, team riding is a thing of the past and for the seasoned punter league racing has become borefest. Have a level playing field with standard machines and relying on rider skill would sort things out but as it stands, I can only agree with many others who have posted on many other topics, the top two leagues are in decline. The NL will survive because of the level and the never say die attitude of some of the up and coming riders. A shame that this great motor sport has almost reached its nadir. BT sport offer s lifeline but virtually empty stadium for a league meeting is going to do nothing to enhance the viewing figures and improve the numbers at tracks. A gamble yes but for every TV meeting perhaps the promoters should charge £5 per adult and £1 for anyone under 16. Speculate to accumulate and you don't need to charge the earth. Adopt the pricing policy of Ryanair with base cost (entrance) but once in you have a captive audience. Make it attractive enough and the visitor will spend cash on other things. Not all clubs make money on food and drink but offer discounted pre-paid family tickets to future meetings and make it flexible. With football it is often difficult to simply turn up and buy a ticket, make it easy to get into a speedway meeting. Clubs working together so that the family ticket can be used at a number of local tracks. Example, Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Mildenhall, Peterborough and Rye house. Accounting wise it can be sorted and with a little imagination it could work. Hey oh what do I know, followed the sport since the late sixties and nothing will convince me to part with my cash in the way I did in years gone by to get the speedway fix every week.

Team meetings will never be what they used to be. Not enough riders to around and not enough home grown talent. Team riding is rare and a skill that the current crop of riders seem difficult to get to grips with. Maybe the bikes, tyres, tracks, I don't know but it seems more often than not a case of gate and go. If league racing cannot fulfil a season why not have individual riders attached to a 'team name' who ride a series of individual meetings around all UK tracks and the top seven scoring individual riders represent the teams they are attached to and then say the riders attached to the top eight teams then contest a play off and final. Those not in the play offs compete for the 'most' individual winners' event on an elimination basis over twenty meetings. For the league meetings, one home and one away for all league clubs with the top four finishers drawn to make play offs. Three competitions and weekly racing at every track if arranged properly. Just an thought but no chance of it happening but something needs to change dramatically for the sport to survive on anything other than a amateur basis

Spot on. Hackney, Friday, Rayleigh on Saturday and if I recall correctly Crayford Tuesday with the occasional trip to Wimbledon on a Thursday. Len would put all the effort in to get a meeting on. Remember one occasion when it had rained all day, flooding all around but Rayleigh were due to face Birmingham. A Few Birmingham riders made it through as did some of the Rayleigh contingent but alas a team meeting was not possible. Sawdust on the rack, a series of match races and other races were brought prematurely to a halt at around 8.50 when the heavens opened again and that lasted all night. Lighting, thunder and torrential rain. The riders put the effort in and those who turned up at least got to see some racing and appreciated the effort. Today this would never happen, more is the pity. But perhaps supporters then were more interested in seeing racing, not just league meetings and those riders recognised and respected the supporters who had made the effort to turn out. The racing today may be different but some things were better back then.

Len Silver has been a great advocate for speedway and as many have said he still believes in weekly meetings and does what he can to achieve something that runs through his veins, speedway racing. I go back to the days when he ran Rayleigh and Hackney and always put on a great show often in difficult circumstances Many of you may mock his efforts, many just want team racing but what about the riders, so often you hear about track time and all this is doing is trying to achieve that and yes you have to charge but for goodness sake is it not about the riders and the racing. Riders willing to turn out and do the best to entertain and all the supporters do is take the p.. out of the promoter. Rye House survived for many years on open meetings and true speedway fans turned up. Think on all who criticise people like Len, Speedway will be a lot worse without his type being around still after all these years.

Good advert on Premier website with Tuesday night is speedway night and they have a clock counting down to the start of the match. For £9.99 per month it does not seem over the top for what you appear to be getting. Hopefully viewing figures are good. Be interested to see the Polish match that follows the live Swedish fixture.

It is a shame that former riders and those who have recently stepped down then go all out at other two wheeled disciplines and end up coming a cropper. Yes they were legends and they gave many supporters so much entertainment. The thought was that they could be more of a teacher/training team and simply having some of the greats turn up and not only put on a challenge match but also pass on some of that experience. Even if it was a handicap match, I am sure that supporters would turn out if it was promoted well and it could even be part of say a two wheeled motor sport al day event with say short track and side car. No it is not meant to be like a league meeting but all that is good about oval track racing.

Maybe that is the problem for sponsors and the impression that those outside the sport get, half empty stadia in third rate countries. Why have GP's in Germany, Slovenia or Czech.. As I said reduce the number of meetings, two in Poland, one in Russia, one in Scandinavia, one in U.K. and possibly one in Australia and make more of it with for example a practice day that is open to joe public and perhaps another meeting. One in the morning and then the main event in the evening. Something does need to change if the product is to improve and people feel that they are getting entertained. If the latter is guaranteed, then price is not necessarily an issue. Still any comments and debate on the topic is actually a waste of time but it is always interesting that all the good advice and ideas of many on here are lost on those that run the sport.

It was not what a flag ship event should be like and as many have said this needs to start with a bit more oomph rather than the damp squib it turned out to be. Taking GP,s to third rate tracks in places like this is probably not the image that prime sponsors would want to be associated with and they are who you need for this to be taken seriously. Based on this meeting you might just as well hold the opener on the Isle of Wight, at least a decent track, guaranteed good support and imagine what it would do for the local tourist economy early doors. That aside, the mix of riders will I am sure throw up some interesting results as the season progresses. I do think that GP's need to go to another level but the current backers do no seem to be able to provide consistently good entertainment which can hold the interest of the regular supporter as well as the one off attendee. Perhaps the GP circus has had its day in the current form and maybe less meetings but those that are held are at quality venues and fans can get discounted tickets if they subscribe to all the meetings. Still let's see what sort of show the next GP offers.

It is very unfortunate that some of the icons such as Leigh Adams and the one and only Mr Gollob have sustained injuries. Having all but left speedway and tried other two wheeled sports it is sad that they seem to come a cropper having been in one of the most dangerous motor bike competitions in the world. Could the talent they had/have and others who hang up the Kevlars from competitive league racing be part of a touring team that grace tracks in challenge matches. These guys might no longer have got what it takes to compete at GP level but they could still entertain the public and pass on a few tips to the up and coming generation. Imagine (and unfortunately it will not happen but you can get the drift) if Leigh, Tomasz, Mr Crump, Chris Louis, Jason Lyons, Mark Loram and a number of others toured tracks in the U.K. and Europe with a series of challenge matches. Just need a sponsor and it could be one for the future. I am sure people would pay good money to see the legends, win or lose. Meanwhile, Mr Gollob you have been a joy to watch and having seen you at Ipswich I like many others have been honoured. May you make a good recovery.

Why not forget Heat 15 and nominated riders. It is all a farce adds nothing to the drawn out processional stuff that the average punter puts up with until now. Will those running the meetings stop padding it out and just get on with the racing. Meetings where the average race time is one minute give or take ten to twenty seconds, why does it take two hours? For example if it says a 7.30 start then racing should start at that time not all the fluffing about and racing commences at 7.45. The average race goer has had enough of intermittent entertainment and in this day and age of quick instant no hanging about information, data and results, speedway meetings at a a snails pace hack people off and is in any wonder you cannot attract younger punters who have the attention span of a gnat. Which promoter is going to have the balls to actually stop wasting time? I will not hold my breathe for a response. ✌️✌️️✌️️

Apart from the errors re spelling etc. But thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately no one else is listening but at least we can dream (and that is about as good as it gets the way things are run). Mildenhall to beat Poland in World Cup Play off and I respect all the riders and management at the club, the finest in the land. If only. Really you yearn for change but those who run the sport live in cloud cuckoo land so no hope.

Standard pricing across the board broken down into the three leagues/ tiers - Premiership £16.00 / Championship £12.00 and NL £8.00. All kids under 16 free. Concessions (60'and over £10.00. Racing commences on start time so any parade takes place fifteen minutes before. Cut out the rider from ntroductionand warm up laps. Introduce each rider who goes out and gets two laps practice Thirteen heats then three heats of any combination of riders but no rider can race more then once in the final three heats. Apps for programmes Riders for the next heat ready by lap three of the current heat. Riders Gardening is prohibited. Automatic 15 mtr start Unsatisfactory start, back to the tapes immediately. Once riders are on track, mechanics etc not allowed on track. If ride leaves the track they are excluded Start Marshall given authority to penalise rides for delaying that start. Reduce the maximum time between races to three minutes to allow for track grading. No interval after heat 9 Meetings not completed within 90 minutes (excluding crashes) receive a fine which goes to the Ben Fund. The Ben fund to be turned into a pre season championship chase and every rider attached to a league team in the U.K. Must ride in at least one meeting. Top,sixteen scorers go to a final Ava neutral track Chances of an of the above happening are as remote as a National League team winning the World Cup

Unfortunately boycotting for a whole month is unlikely to succeed and anything less and the promoters would simply find an excuse to postpone a meeting (waterlogged track, electrical failure etc.). Across the leagues support would not happen and sadly you are left with either spending your money elsewhere or persevering. Not ideal but ultimately those in charge do not give a toss about the product, be it in delivery terms of entertainment or value for money. A rum old deal but take it or leave it, with many in management of the teams offering one of two fingers to the paying punter. Nothing is going to change and in a few years my bet is that the sport will become an amateur part time event and those riding have other jobs so it becomes a hobby. Until then the choice is down to the paying public but with so many other options competing for the precious pound, promoters really need to think outside the box. As a form of entertainment (and forget the risks etc because that is not what the public rate the price they pay) it is not good value for money. It is overpriced and delivery is slow, two hours for fifteen races is not good. People want delivery and quickly (think about how long you are prepared to wait for Google to give you an answer) hence it is a fast sport, high risk but delivered at snails pace and no longer a team event just a group of individuals who can ride for up,to three different teams in a week. If I was you CookieIpswich save your cash spend it wisely.

It really seems odd that anyone in the role of managing a meeting seems to have little or no consideration for the punter. Once in the stadium you are a captive audience and they treat those on the terraces with such contempt. Delays through crashes are acceptable but track grading every two races, riders gardening at the start, unsatisfactory start with riders going back to the pits just seems to piss everyone off but those on the track, the ref, the start Marshall, mechanics, Uncle Tom and all with none of them giving a fig. It is possible to run slick meetings and keep the action coming. Riders ready to go on track by lap three of the proceeding race, track grades every four races and not six or seven laps by the tractor, two/three is enough given the riding lines and cut out the interval of twenty minutes. Why when people are going back a forth during the meeting does anyone need twenty minutes to a buy a tea. It is worse when the interval is at heat 11 or 12 and with possibly no more than a maximum of six minutes of racing left, punters are still hanging on thirty or forty minutes later for heat 15. If those in charge got their act together then those youngsters waiting to practice after a meeting could actually be involved in some second half competitive racing and perhaps make it count such as the races be a qualification round leading to a final at say Belle Vue. As someone does has said on another thread, the admission price is not an issue but the delivery of the product is and it is still run as it was many years back. It will not change because those who run the sport do not want it to for some unfathomable reason.

All valid comments but the problem seems to be who owns what and who gets what in terms of revenue from the various portions of the speedway pie. Not easy to resolve but surely some common denominators such as programmes/race cards and age groups with kids under a certain age free, as the sport really needs the younger supporters to build for the future. I also think that to encourage youngsters perhaps using lower powered off the shelf bikes and giving them time before the main event(three or four scratch races) and a final run off after the main league meeting. Surely brighter minds on here can come up with some better ideas before the sport disappears up its own backside

What seems confusing is the pricing structure. For example concessions at some tracks are age 60, others is 65 and some state retirement age. Adult prices vary as do the programme charges. Why do the clubs not work together to sell admission tickets for adult, family, child, concession at one price across the board so that you can buy a batch of tickets to attend whatever track/meeting you wish. Have tiiered pricing for the three leagues and work on the basis that you have a base cost of £10.00 and add to it depending upon the track and the meeting. Tickets can be bought from the BSPA and can be used at any track over a season. Buy Five meetings and get 5 per cent discount on the gate price, ten meetings and get 15 per cent and twenty meetings get twenty five per cent discount on the base price of £10.00. Clubs need to join the modern era when it comes to payment and to centralise this through the BSPA with options to pay by PayPal, credit card etc. which may be the way forward. Forget programmes and have race cards at £1.00 with fifty per cent going to the Ben Fund All charge car parking at 50p which the club keeps and distributes to riders at the end of the season based on points scored(pro rata) Just ideas as in reality I have been going to speedway for nearly fifty years and the pricing structure is archaic and needs a uniform structure.

Good news re Newman but let's wait and see. Speedway is a funny old game and as long as both riders are active it is for the good of speedway as a whole and Sarj rode his socks off last night and no doubt Newman would have done the same. It supports the idea of a squad system with the potential to loan a rider to another club as long as it is not to a team that the loaner (sorry not the deal phraseology) is due to race against in a league fixture. In other words Ipswich could not lend Newman to Redcar if Redcar were the next opposition. Just a thought and probably a load of b....ll..cks but I would rather see both riders active than one sidelined because the home team could not fit them in. ✌️

Berwick were not on the pace and Ipswich were good and the reserves are impressive. They were perhaps trying a little too hard, but if they carry on and take their time they will be a steady confident pairing who should be giving many of the opposite number a good run for the money. All in all a confident and accomplished performance and if home form carries on like this the gate numbers will increase. Well done witches.

Perhaps one way to deal with this to set up agreements with the likes of Germany France, Italy Sweden and Denmark with rider exchanges, international meetings and a European league championship and exclude Poland, Polish riders and any rider who signs up to a Polish club on the current terms would be bringing the sport into disrepute in the aforementioned countries. If the Poles want supremacy at any cost then they can be supreme albeit all alone with their national riders frozen out of every other speedway league and no internationals, etc. The only stage the riders would appear on are the GPS and the European Championship. No World Cup which in reality should not be held every year any way. It cocks up the domestic league campaign and is just a distraction unless you are a Pole. Other then the above or some other action, if you leave everything as it is the fans will become pretty peed off when being short changed because a team cannot put out a full home side.

My initial comments on the topic was a general view of what it could be. One individual decided to personalise it without knowing me let alone what I do when it comes to domestic speedway. For the record I am a regular at Ipswich and Mildenhall and have been going to various tracks since 1969 starting at Rayleigh and now regularly go to Berlin for ice speedway so I don't have to put up with the sort of reponse hence I gave as good as I got. Sorry if you are both so delicate and sensitive but that is tough, it is all part and parcel of the rough and tumble of the forum. I stick by my comments and do not apologise. ✌️✌️️✌️️