PHILIPRISING

AND, as it happens, the last attendance at Odsal for a World Final was in fact less than 20,000. Wembley World Final attendances were invariably put at 100,000 because that was the stadium's alleged capacity and it sounded good but few if any actually achieved that level and the one in 1981 was way below that. Different era, of course, and as BWitcher so rightly points out the number of people regularly attending speedway in the UK 30 years ago was significantly higher than today. Without the GPs and Cardiff what major World Championship event do people think would take place in Britain now? Even if there was a one-off World Final the likelihood of it being staged here in anything more than every five or six years would be minimal.

YOU'VE obviously never been to a GP at the Millennium

SO you are saying that those riders who boycott the UK do so because of the GPs? Nothing to do with the money on offer in Poland and, to a lesser extent, Sweden and elsewhere. Not that many riders simply do not wish to commute to the UK to race when there is plenty of alternative employment. Riders like Bjerre, Iversen, Ward, Woffinden, and Zagar prove that if the mind is willing the GPs do not stand in the way of the top riders racing here. Don't accept that the annual crowd at Cardiff is on a downward spiral and, frankly, the attendance is quite impressive given that it is probably about the same figure, if not higher, than the number of people who attend speedway in the UK on a regular basis.

YOU obviously have your own agenda here but we don't actually use press releases. Naturally, stories that appear in the local press are likely to be included in SS, or indeed the other way round. I wonder how often you actually read SS? Go through last week's edition and tell me how much you could have read in that form anywhere else?

THE second Sky meeting is not until mid-April so obviously they are not involved

DON'T think you will ever get a definitive answer to that. Revenue for the FIM from all disciplines goes into their coffers and is then used and distributed by the various commissions, etc. Their administrative costs must be huge, of course, but they would also argue that they fund, in part of wholly, various competitions including a number of junior ones that, they will argue, benefits the sport as a whole. And they supply officials for all FIM events - the Jury President, Race Director, GP Secretary at GPs for example - which must cost a pretty penny at the end of the day. TWK: we have had this debate several times and I respect your opinion. We are never going to agree and neither of us is likely to change our respective minds.

YOU keep forgetting the million plus a year that goes to the FIM... that may not be enough in your view but I think it only fair that you don't just disregard what is paid to the organisation that actually owns the World Championship. Yes I do support BSI's involvement. I think they have raised the bar considerably, shown how speedway events can and should be promoted and do actually put quite a lot back by showcasing speedway at the highest level.

NICOLA Sands at BSI says she will enquire and get back to me asap

THE paid attendance figures published from Cardiff are supplied by the stadium... not sure that BSI would have an accurate breakdown of UK v foreign attendees. Would doubtless know how many pre-season went overseas but probably not those who pay on the day. My own experience with Bob is that he would argue most points!

PERHAPS they would have fallen even more but for the Cardiff meeting each year?

DO you honestly think that the British GP at Cardiff is not good for speedway here ... even if BSI make a profit out of it, which given the amount their invest in and indeed risk the event is surely their right.

WOULDN'T entirely agree Andy ... for sure Bill is not short of a few bob and he desperately wanted to see a Speedway GP at his beloved Western Springs. He made it happen and despite the financial losses he has gleaned great satisfaction from having the event there. BSI presented him with a fully functional speedway bike, bedecked in Buckley System regalia, and believe me he gets great pleasure spinning around WS on it. In fact, we have trouble getting him off the track. Somethings are priceless even for the multi-millionaires of this world.

HOW did you arrive at that figure? And, who in your opinion, is the recipient of the three million quid? A daily newspaper ...how can you compare that with a weekly publication? And are you seriously suggesting that Speedway Star appeases to a higher power?

WHETHER or not it is in the public's interest to know how much Sky are paying is debatable but if neither party are prepared to divulge the information that is their prerogative whether we like it or not. STILL the better option and would not have wrecked Havvy's night...

THINK you will find UK speedway appearing on various days of the week rather than essentially Mondays during the up-coming season... their summer schedule is quite light.

DOESN'T need SS to underline that Havvy is the innocent victim here and, as I have posted elsewhere, is simply a gigantic BSPA cock-up...

ACTUALLY doesn't seem there is much to investigate in my view. Seems like a typical British speedway cock-up. Doubt whether there is any sinister motive behind it that insightful reporting is likely to uncover. The piper calls the tune, Sky stage soccer matches on nights of their choosing so why not speedway? The BSPA/Go Speed whoever should simply have told Sky that in this instance it wasn't possible to have and screen the ELC on March 21 because of Garry Havelock's pre-arranged testimonial. They could have gone for a week later, might even have been able to tie in with GP riders assembling in London on the 30th to fly to New Zealand. The actual terms of the new Sky deal (how much they are paying) is a matter for the BSPA and SKY and unless either is prepared to reveal the sums involved (which they are not) that's how it will stay. But there is plenty more in the interview we are carrying with Terry Russell (sorry, does that constitute another free ad?) next week.

WE have been been and never will be an official mouthpiece for the BSPA ... suggest that to anyone at Rugby and they would probably choke with laughter.

"WEATHER in England in March is more or less assured" ... haven't laughed so much since Morecambe and Wise were on our TV screens

MAYBE not quite that far ... grapevine suggests the meeting (involving four champions from Denmark, GB, Poland and Sweden) might be held in Poland... where else! Lots of discussions and dis-agreements currently taking place.

TERRY Russell and Go Speed represent the BSPA in their negotiations with Sky so obviously not cut out of the loop. Not sure where you (The Pedaler) came up with 40% commission. The arrangement between Go Speed and the BSPA is freely entered into so whatever rights TR has he is entitled to under the terms of his contract which quite rightly is not something either party will want to divulge to the public at large. Why should they? With regards to your last paragraph (Pedaler again) regarding amongst other things Speedway Star regurgitating press releases... you obviously don't even read Speedway Star so I won't waste my mind commenting on your latest diatribe. I am very proud of Speedway Star, never more so than this week. The feature on Tai Woffinden is journalism of the highest class and in my humble opinion could not be bettered in any publication.

THANKS for the info ... must admit I had no idea that is why SS had to hold fire THOUGHT you didn't like fixes! Sorry, only joking...

BUT if Buckley wants Bunyan, which he does, then the MNZ, FIM and BSI will go along with it

NO but shouldn't be too long ... just need to get all their ducks in a row

GOT there in the end and, as suspected, Sky wanted to lump it in with other deals. Just disappointed that they and the BSPA wouldn't sanction a release in Speedway Star today. There will be interviews with Terry Russell, Nigel Pearson and Kelvin Tatum next week.