Hawk127

Yours and Ipswich then bring Scott back to where he belongs. One last hurrah with Ipswich having Scott , Chris Harris and Rory leading the team they could then look at some up and coming NL riders who the old timers could train and educate? At least it might be entertaining and building for the future with the NL riders learning from racers rather than gate and go merchants. Then again the the idea of entertainment is of no interest to those who run speedway and the trainees think they are better than they really are so back where it started with no team racing and over inflated egos.

Unfortunately the way the meeting schedule is it would seem that many clubs have little chance to turnaround their fortunes. Stop,start for a variety of reasons and the inconsistency of racing feels like the whole thing is falling apart. Witches came close to shutting down once before and while it has a loyal following the lack of regular Thursday night meetings must be worrying for those running the club. Add to this the poor performance of one or two riders and the chance of making the play offs is seemingly a long shot with the current team. Success leads to better gates but the fans have only so much patience. One has to wonder what is the future for the witches. This great name is being dragged down into the mire by circumstances beyond its control. It is sad to think that not so long back it was the good old days, you had regular Thursday night speedway from March to October. Now it is a pale shadow of how good it once was and when you look back at so many great names who have graced Foxhall and worn the Witches race jacket, Jarek, Mark, Tony, Jeremy, Tobi, Ben, Chris, Tony, Piotr and many more who rode with pride for the witches. It is not rose tinted glasses. The reality is it was better not so long back and unfortunately it i# going down hill rapidly. Now it has to be fingers crossed which teams will come to the tapes in 2019.

Perhaps the reality is that the sport is dead in the water financially and it will need to eventually revert to semi-amateur status to survive. Not sure about the licensing these days but in years gone by tracks had an ‘open licence’ and could run individual meetings but not compete in the league. Maybe that is the only way some stadia can keep speedway tracks open. Rye House use to be one such track. I don’t know the answer but weekends and regional leagues might see more travelling support etc. but many hardy supporters are even unlikely to travel any distance if it looks cloudy as they have little confidence in the meeting actually going ahead. For too long the punter has had a raw deal and the powers that be have a long hard journey ahead of them if they want to rebuild the faith and gain the confidence of the supporters. Something radical probably needs to happen but with these so called businessmen allegedly running tracks/teams at a loss you have to question their sanity. If they are trading at a loss, are they trading insolvently? If the answer is yes then some should be calling in the administrators now otherwise the directors become personally liable as the limited company status no longer protects the shareholders/directors. Will the truth ever come out. Only when it is too late and most of the problems are because the sport is managed so badly.

The execution of this decision added to which you have fewer meetings in the Championship meaning that no team/rider can get some momentum going and probably a further reduction in fans going to mid week meetings probably will result in disaster for some clubs who may not come to the tapes in 2019 and others with a bloody nose financially speaking. Racing does not match the quality seen in individual events such as the British Final yet most supporters are fickle and only want league racing which is and will never be what it was many years back. Bikes have changed, with few exceptions riders can’t team ride and the double up is a joke and with no hope of the top stars ever returning to British racing you have a sport in its twilight years. It is going nowhere and those in charge have dug such a huge hole from themselves it is unlikely they can get out of the mire that they have created. The current fixed race nights are a disaster for the sport and would only work if the fixed days revolved around weekends and for that to happen and possibly see clubs survive, the sport at domestic level has to forget the other nations and start to rebuild for the future. The chances of that happening are nil.

Hats off to the GB guys. What a result. Well done to Tai, Robert and Craig. A great team effort.

Well done to the Czechs for putting up a show and the lesser nations who made it entertaining but the Aussies make it. A pity but last chance saloon for Aussies who scrape through and on to Friday when hopefully the competition really begins. No different to the World Cup as far as qualifiers so let’s see if the next rounds match previous years WTC

Yes apologies for not being clearer on the highlights. I meant all fifteen heats. I do not think it takes anything away and would perhaps encourage people to try a live meeting. The highlights is in effect what you get with repeat of GP and it seems OK on Motors with the Ice Speedway. Highlights in a magazine format might be more interesting with decent interviews with riders, promoters and referees rather than a few minutes with those who believe everyone understands what they are jabbering about when they end each sentence with ‘You know’. No we don’t otherwise the question would not have been asked in the hope of a sensible reply. Coverage of what is going on in other countries given that so many riders in the UK also have team places abroad. Widen the information given out and make it interesting. When was the last time anyone mentioned during a live broadcast anything about the bikes and the acceleration capabilities with no brakes. Rarely if at all is the answer. It always assumes that it is the diehards watching and not new fans. Many including myself could go on with this topic but life is too short and nothing will change. It is what it is both live and recorded TV as well as track attendance. You pay your money and make choice but is it any wonder that more and more have become armchair viewers when the whole idea of a meeting being on has become such a lottery.

If need be BT could do worse than contract to show both leagues given that the quality of racing, competiveness and standards are not a lot different but overall questions marks must hang over the sport that is so far in decline. Live racing is probably a bad choice. Highlights of a league meeting and extracts from other European league racing may attract a few moreuntes. The Freesport offering does seem to outstrip the BT offering and given the state of British speedway, I do wonder why BT sport makes any bids for domestic racing. I can understand the GPs but that promoted by the BSPA Is simply not worthy of national exposure. Time will tell where the U.K. exposure ends up.

Probably with the exception of the GP where you have a group of individuals going hell for leather against each other ‘team’ related meetings are dire because the skill of team riding and looking out for your colleague is a lost skill. League racing through to pairs meetings shows the same traits as the GP with individual riders looking out for number one.The gate and go merchants and those half a lap or more behind supports this up to a point. The SON format may not be ideal but the World Cup was becoming so predictable you might just as well had a race off for second third and fourth and given Poland the cup. People think speedway at the U.K. league level was dire but the mediocrity across most nations at least gives hope to the also rans. Probably best to draw judgement once this tournament has run its course until then treat tonight as a bad day at the office.

Time to stand up to the Poles who seem to want to rule the speedway world. This should be the final straw but cannot see the U.K. authorities doing anything other than roll over and let the Polish clubs treat the U.K. with contempt. Unlikely to happen but someone ought take the ‘fight’ to them. Change the format in the U.K. to one main league and the NL. Meetings to be run Thursday,Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (for TV). Overseas riders permitted except Poles who cannot commit to league racing over here because their association will not allow them to ride on these days. Look towards internationals with the likes of Germany, Latvia, Czech etc. Have two parts to a meeting. The reserves in any team must be NL riders who double up. Squad system if necessary for all clubs. Something needs to be done to defend British Speedway.

Few countries if any can compete with the standard of the Polish stadia. In the UK the sport has ideas above its station and sooner people stop comparing it to other speedway nations the sooner it can get back to basics and start to rebuild. As it stands the stadiums, racing and coverage are nowhere near as good as Poland and never will be and what we have now is going down hill fast. A revolution is needed to change things not a bunch of sad businessmen who have lost the plot.

NIMBYs. Thanks for the clarification. I remember where the stadium was an it would have been a great venue. So many good stadiums/tracks lost to this sport over the years and the sad state the sport is in at this time, you can look back with fond memories and how lucky we were in the late sixties and early seventies. Just one part of the golden era of British speedway never to be repeated.

Yes I seem to recall that moving to Crayford was the original plan but some sort of problem arose and at the 11th hour the move to Rye House was agreed. Remember the first season very well as many ex Rayleigh supporters (me included) took the coach from the Weir to Rye. Still do not understand what happened to the plans to build a stadium in Rawreth Lane which would have a couple miles as the crow flies from Rayleigh Weir. At one time rumours also circulated about Southend dog track stadium staging speedway.

Maybe this is where the British speedway fan has decided to spend the hard earned cash rather than the mediocre weekly racing that is served up in the U.K. Most fans are perhaps now more discerning when it comes to the spend and with team racing poor to non existent, individual events at various levels are perhaps far more attractive proposition and spending the same amount as a weekly fix spread over a season but on quality yet fewer events is perhaps where the sport Is going and without some serious changes league racing is dead in the water in the U.K. It simply cannot compete with the top tiers of league racing overseas. We must all wait and see how things unfold both domestically and at international level.

The answer to that is don’t expect the fans to flock back in droves when the promoters and riders decide to put on a meeting that suits a few. It is sad but as many will recall, Fridays and Saturdays and I guess Sunday were speedway days when fans would turn out in reasonable numbers irrespective of the forecast etc. They knew barring injury the regular 1 to 7 would turn out. Now if you are lucky it is fortnightly, team select is the name of the game in many cases and gate and go merchants with no real bike control, no team riding and poor entertainment from a racing perspective. For many riders it is, a case of p... off as soon as the last race is over. Years back riders would meet/talk to the paying punters and mutual respect existed. Today nothing. It really has reached an all time low and as I have said before, time to think of number 1 and start rebuilding speedway with riders who commit to weekly racing in the U.K. and racing on nights when the fans want to attend not when the riders and promoters expect the fans to turn up. None are bold enough but if each club took a straw poll of when fans would more frequently attend, it would interesting to see the result. For now and as long as the sport in the U.K. continues as is the days are numbered for many clubs. Don’t blame other nations blame the U.K. authorities for not standing up to others.

I guess it gives someone the opening to voice an opinion and while it may relate to a general theme regarding the state of speedway in the U.K. the idea of the forum is generally provide a platform to make point. Many other threads are from disgruntled, disappointed or disillusioned supporters and the one common factor is that on this side of the fence many fans old and new are not happy with the direction things are going and on the other side you have those who are merely custodians at a point in time, totally disregarding the swell of opinion. All the hot air that the BSPA come out with re FRN and top riders coming back etc and a minority believing that it will happen one day are both wide of the mark. Possibly a waste of time but I guess the point will be proven one way or another when we see who comes to the tapes in 2019 What is not in doubt is that Speedway in the U.K. cannot financially support top riders of GP standard. U.K. speedway needs to find its own level and stop pretending that it can compete at the highest level at this point in time. It cannot and the sooner that the realisation hits home and that financially and tactically team building does not need to revolve around top GP riders or the Danes, Swedes and Poles. U.K. is probably more on a level with Germany, Italy, Czech, France and other lesser nations so why not accept it. Rebuild using British and other European options, reinstate test matches home and abroad, introduce North and South Leagues with the chance of more travelling support to away matches and put the sport back to being weekly fixtures between say May and September. Either side of this period clubs can run whatever fixtures they want. Introduce standard bikes which could mean rider skills are improved rather than the gate and go merchants that grace the tracks today. This not turning the clock back but trying to build for a future which ensures clubs survive. The fact that some believe less meetings are better as it reduces the potential losses beggars belief. That is only putting off the inevitable. The only way perhaps those in charge might listen is to receive a written petition from the fans delivered in person to BSPA HQ with as much publicity as one can muster. Will the sport survive across the country as it stands, probably not but it does have a chance if they stop looking at it through rose tinted glasses and hanging on to the very few good points such as the young talent coming through and start looking at trying to entertain the fans. As has been said so many times, it is a spectacle if the racing is close and good, but it is simple, four riders, four laps on equal machinery. Why complicate it when the reality is it is dangerous, fast and furious the riders put their lives at risk. Sell it as it is. One final point, if only they could try and promote the racing in a a similar vein to the FIM and its trailers for Ice Speedway. The film, music etc is very good and gets across, the cut, thrust, speed and danger.

Just a reminder for those interested live tomorrow at 13.30 CET on FIM YouTube channel the long track meeting Herxheim and it is a good line up including from GB James Shane’s, Chris Harris and Richard Hall

Unfortunately nothing upmarket as far as speedway is concerned otherwise each GP would be sold out. It does not work at the highest level and league speedway is a long way short. It is simply not a spectacle that some would have you believe and is way down the list on the must spend when it comes to disposal income. It has too many rules for a simple sport and the rider skills do not exist with bikes too powerful for the tracks. Standardise the bikes, improve rider skills, forget the other speedway nations and charge £10 per adult, £1.00 for under 16’s with weekly meetings on race nights that will attract the best crowds (probably Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and get back to basics so as to attract new talent then you might have some hope. As it stands clubs who cannot afford to run two home and away meetings because they think they might survive with fewer meetings are delusional and running on a night that does not bring in the punters is financial suicide.

Fixed race nights arevOK as long as they are the right nights for the club. The way it is set up now is simply putting a sticking plaster over what is so wrong with speedway in this country. Currently pandering and be dictated to by other European nations it really is time to think about what is good for British Speedway and get on with it. As it stands you still have doubling up, race nights that do not appeal to many, no weekly speedway fixtures for many clubs and with irregular meetings the likelihood of more fans drifting away. When will the custodians of this sport start to think about what they are doing. If those clubs that voted for less meetings were making losses with home and away twice, the chances are they will be out of business by the end of this season. I could see a situation where a few clubs find it no longer viable to continue and in 2019 they may have no option but to have just one league plus the NL in order for clubs to cover the stadium rental.

Crikey, what a result for the second night on the road. Well done to everyone. Reckon they could whoop the Witches at this rate.

Is the lack of track time and regular weekly meetings a factor for the hit and miss form of some riders/teams? Injuries are unfortunate and we wish Danny a speedy recovery but you cannot help think that some riders are suffering greatly from match race fitness and home track racing so the view could be that this seasons less is more is taking its toll on some. Still have the league to go for but it will be a very short season if they are not able to turn it around both home and away. At the moment, winning away looks a long shot. Let’s hope that the gaps are plugged/changes made. Perhaps Freddie Lindgren or Greg Hancock might like some time out in Ipswich

The watered down was tongue in cheek. Some racing is very good but those races that hit the spot are few and far between. The atmosphere, the crowds and the general presentation in Poland far exceeds what is offer domestically. That is not how it is use to be. I have been around for far to many years and watched derbies, grudge matches and some fantastic individual meetings at Rayleigh, Wimbledon, and Hackney and latterly at Rye House, Crayford, Ipswich, Kings Lynn and some epic local derbies. Says it all when you’re u went to several tracks each week. It is all a bit flat now and watching Poland reminds me of how good it use to be with crowds and characters. Listening recently to a recording of an interview between Len Silver and one of the London radio stations when the sport was introduced as the second most popular in the U.K. attendance wise and looking back at the world championship with the likes of Michanek, the Americans, Olsen the likes of Louis , Terry Betts, Peter Collins and the atmosphere that was created, then you wonder where it has all gone so wrong and who is to blame. You cannot turn the clock back but many on this forum will confirm that it was very good as a spectacle and now you can take or leave it. It simply has not moved with the times.

No, due to the watered down product everyone in for a Pound plus if you bring your grandma it is a bogof so should see huge crowds like they get in Poland. Granny in t shirt and banner being very vocal and berating the ref just like they did in wrestling with big daddy. Then I woke up an realised it was just a dream. It could rain and the long range forecast is not good so best call it off the first Uk televised match now. BT can then show all action tiddlywinks and the rest of us can watch Freesport and normal service is resumed. It will be interesting to watch the BT matches but one thing is for sure the supporters at track will never ever match what you get in Poland (unless it is free entry).

Catching up on the Polish matches recorded and the crowd/atmosphere is awesome (round 2 ZG versus G) and while the racing appears generally better than the UK it is the whole package so the odd average race does not stick out like sore thumb. Shows how it should be done from a presentation spectacle and the enthusiastic crowd is as good as any football derby in this country. Long may they show Polish speedway.

The custodians of our sport are taking it to the brink of extinction. No other nation gives a fig about British Speedway, most promoters don’t give a fig about the supporters and if you read through the various threads a lot of the diehards (those in their 50’s and 60’s) are giving up. The armchair follower is now voting by not turning up to live meetings. TV cannot be blamed, if it is why do the Poles still have large contingents of very vocal support when a meeting is televised. It is primarily down to lack of weekly racing, early call offs and fans short changed with a mediocre product. The powers that be have in one swoop brought speedway to its knees with the last BSPA conference and it is baffling how these so called business people can be so blind as to not see what they are doing. Have they got more money than sense. Get back to basics and start again putting British racing first and if they want to compete again on the international front have test matches in this country but give the sport back to its fans.