PHILIPRISING

PDERHAPS they have got six in place and waiting to see who they can afford for the seventh?

RUMOURS that will now be 8

WORD on the street has been that BV are waiting on the outcome of negotiations for a TV deal and how that affects their budget.

ACTUALLY I haven't. I WOULD imagine so

YOU have already made up your mind so won't matter

SOIMETHING I learned in my profession decades ago is that if someone tells you something in confidence you do not betray that. If you do, a second chance is rarely forthcoming. Agreement between the FIM and BSI to go ahead with the new format was only completed last month and, as I have stated previously, BSI wanted to get a new website, branding and a formal announcement in place but the FIM rather jumped the gun with half the story.

DON'T assume anything ... just wait and see.

I WAS responding to SCB who claimed that having "two riders instead of four" was cost cutting. Anyway, three times seven is still more than four times five. I very much doubt that the word pair will appear in the title of the competition. Two riders from the same country in each race yes but that doesn't specifically make it a "pairs" competition no more than one from each country makes it a singles event. From what I am told, the actual format has never been tried before. And suggesting that it is like replacing soccer's World Cup with a five-a-side tournament is beyond even ridicule.

THREE riders not four, seven countries not three and some other changes that will increase costs which are yet to be announced.

HAS coincided with an era of guests, depleted teams, irregular fixtures and lots of other nonsense so no surprise that attendances have gone down rather than up.

FOOTBALL

IF you were a teenager why would you go to speedway?

SEVERAL times from Riga. Terrible road, about three hours.

PETER Oakes in Speedway Star this week has tried to unravel the farcical situation that the BSPA have put themselves in by preventing Scott Nicholls and Edward Kennett riding for a Championship team in 2018 because they did not do so this year and therefore failed to acquire an average. Although, of course, Nicholls appeared in various end of season Championship finales as a guest. We also now have a situation where Nick Morris and Craig Cook, both of whom have averages over eight, and Sam Masters (almost eight) could ride for the same Championship side but not together for a Premiership team. Do the BSPA ever look beyond their noses when making up rules, seemingly on the hoof.

I REPEAT ... wait and see. Not everyone will see it as "diminished." A major issue for staging countries has been the race-off which even on a Friday rather than a Thursday has not attracted fans in Denmark, Sweden or Poland where, unlike Britain at least, fans are totally dis-interested if their nation isn't competing.

BT have offered a one-year deal (don't know the details) but presume the ball is now in the court of the Premiership tracks.

ARE you the self-appointed spokesperson for speedway fans everywhere? You no more know what fans across Europe (it isn't only the British that are involved) think than I do. If no one bothers to attend in June then your argument will carry significantly more weight. If they turn up in droves then you will be proved wrong. Until then ...

EXPLAIN how it is cost cutting?

DON'T think that will be the case

MOST likely Chris Holder?

AS with the bsf and other forums of a wide variety of subjects, the majority are generally silent. Always amuses me when reading that five people have complained about a TV programme watched by millions.

SURELY you are not suggesting that the bsf is representative of the speedway public at large, no matter who the contributor is?

WAS chatting with Kelvin Tatum yesterday who said he enjoyed riding in the World Pairs and in many ways thought it as much of a TEAM competition as the World Team Cup as it was in his day including when he captained GB to their last victory. He explained that he, and no doubt others, liked having a partner in the same race and that as a pair you could try and help one another. He added that there will be fantastic riders in the event so why shouldn't the racing be terrific. There is something extra special about racing for your country and that applies as much for the pairs as the SWC he said.

YES

YOU can do better than that ... or at least I thought you could.