Ray Stadia

The trouble with what you say, is that Belle Vue's 'comfortable' position, is not felt by most other set-ups and let's be honest, it has been touch and go for even Belle Vue over the years. I think if you just think about your own speedway team, you run the risk of either being the 'last man standing' or you find what you thought was a safe and secure club, underneath is in serious problems. Not that I'm suggesting that is the case with Belle Vue. Where you are lucky though, is you have a great stadium and let's face it, it is dubbed a national speedway stadium, therefore, if speedway went amateur, your stadium would be great for different individual events and perhaps even a GP event! Which means you should still see plenty of quality action!

In fairness to Vince, it is his son who used to ride speedway. It seems as though Vince may participate in another weekend type motor sport, maybe pre-65 scrambles, where you probably don't get prize money, but may get a cup/shield etc, as are many amateur motor sports. I think you could run speedway on an amateur basis and still have teams. Often amateur participants are more dedicated to their sport, so the argument that you wouldn't get the commitment from the team, I think is unfounded. In any case, if you had a team of amateurs, you could afford to have plenty of reserves, for the occasions when riders are unable to race.

Writing in bold is good though, for those of us with dodgy minces! But 'squaring the circle' is what this thread is all about. Riders have financial needs, yes, but there are not enough punters or promoters with deep enough pockets to meet the costs. So speedway either limps along as it has done and hopes a miracle happens or in other words, speedway buries its head in the sand or someone or some thing, grasps the nettle and starts to think outside the box.

A description of a team I remember from the past was a team being described as a 'Cinderella Team', I seem to remember the old Scunthorpe set-up being called that. My understanding of that expression was that they limped on, season to season operating on a wing and a prayer. It seems to me, all speedway teams can currently be described as Cinderella Teams. Maybe the description is still used, but I am sure I haven't heard it for years.

IMO, the only way forward, is for all the remaining clubs to submit to a central point, such as a 'speedway finance officer', how their set up can break even, each season, based on people through the turnstiles, stadium costs, any other costs and riders costs. Then you look at the worst case scenario, in terms of the least number of fans who will turn up, over a given season. Once you have this information, the BSPA or whoever is the controlling body, then decides on how the speedway model should be going forward, for every club. The answer might turn out to be that the only way forward, is fully amateur and pay purely on results. It should allow speedway to rebuild from the bottom up. OK you will probably lose the big name riders, but we are more or less there now. If the costs for promoters mean they can break even each season, then we may see more tracks open.

Surely, if the sport was run on a purely amateur basis, all tracks could be run over the weekend, I know that might clash with greyhounds and stock cars, but there are 3 days over a weekend Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. That way, the riders can still do their day jobs or attend college or whatever.

So what would be your answer to the current crisis Philip?

Of course, you are assuming they can read!

I think what adonis is suggesting, is by having 'standardised' engines, the costs for the riders, should be lower and could/should 'level the playing field'.

Exactly, which is why the riders in this country should have proper jobs and ride speedway as a hobby and receive remuneration based on results. In addition, regionalise the speedway teams, to ensure the riders have reduced costs and reduced travelling time. And have more individual meetings based on ability, which means you could still have big individual meetings for the best riders offering big prize money.

Trouble is TWK, this subject has been discussed on here for years now. And, in the past, when it has been discussed, people got accused of being negative or being a troll etc. However, it does appear the brown stuff is hitting the fan. Not being negative, but perhaps being realistic, I don't think the situation can be easily reversed, which is perhaps stating the obvious and is also perhaps, the 'elephant in the room'?

The old prostate playing up?

Personally, I have never seen a Flat Track race in the UK or anywhere else, but if it keeps a stadium 'alive', such as the Rye House stadium, then it has a thumbs up from me.

Finland or England?

6 points! Surely that's worth a forum ban?

Now caught up, thank you. I am shocked. I thought he was a lot younger, but then the years roll by. I remember members ribbing him about him being a university student. He always had a good input of speedway chat.

I lead a sheltered life! Is it discussed anywhere on the forum?

Perhaps it was a young Tai Woffinden?

Oh dear, I didn't know he was doing porridge!

Speaking of SCB, is 'SCB' still a member of the forum?

OK, but Iwade have training days. Are the training days recognised by the BSPA/ACU/SCB or are they run in a similar way to Lydd? It appears that training days and actual meetings are perhaps treated in a different way? I accept that proper insurances should be in place for training days, with medical assistance and proper guidance, not just a free for all. I have a friend who does track days at places like Snetterton and Brands Hatch on his Triumph. As far as I know, the day is the responsibility of whoever is organising the track day, which may not be the track owner.

Licensed by who? And is the track recognised and endorsed by the BSPA or/and the ACU or/and SCB?

Surely, if there is an issue with being affiliated to a recognised body, the answer is for a non-BSPA track session to be classed as a grass track event, which can then be under ACU rules. The fact the surface is shale rather earth can't be a problem, can it? So long as the word 'speedway' isn't used, I would have thought it would be ok. I think the Iwade training set-up is run on a similar basis.

I wonder if the reason they are being brought in, is not necessarily to reduce the cost to riders, although a rev limiter may help with wear costs, but the main reason could be to try and level the 'playing field'.

I don't think it's been mentioned anywhere else, but on the Beeb this morning, they were going through those who have passed away in 2018 and when they got to the sports section, I was waiting for Ivan Mauger, but unless I blinked at that moment, no mention of the great rider.