DC2

The 2007 trio were disappointing, the 2019 trio well above expectation.

Which team would win, 2007 or 2019? Considering how the riders performed in those seasons and not on their reputations, I wouldn’t be so sure that the 2007 one would thrash the 2019 one: 2007 Adams Chrzanowski Gjedde Ulamek Richardson Korneliesen Moore 2019 Doyle Ellis Musielak Jensen Batchelor Vissing Perks

You think? I think last year’s 2, 3 and 4 were better, but the 2007 reserves were better. 1 and 5 equal.

Is it indisputable? Maybe in terms of half a dozen lost GP riders, but otherwise? If you compared two of Swindon’s best teams over recent years, considering how the riders performed in those seasons and not on their reputations, I wouldn’t be so sure that the 2007 one would thrash the 2019 one: 2007 Adams Chrzanowski Gjedde Ulamek Richardson Korneliesen Moore 2019 Doyle Ellis Musielak Jensen Batchelor Vissing Perks

Fair point. But I assume you take my point that you can’t have the best riders if they can’t be paid for by people through the turnstile.

Didn’t you say we need to see the best riders? Well, to pay for them you have to charge more or hope attendances treble or better. So can you afford them on 800 crowds paying £50 each or on 2,000 crowds paying £30? You definitely can’t afford them on 1500 crowds paying £17. So I’m asking you where the balance lies between quality of rider and affordability?

Not at all. It was a guess on my part. If you think that team would be supported by a £30 admission fee say so and give an idea of how many fans would pay that and what the overheads would be.

What do you mean? You’re beginning to slip from debate to abuse. I said “Polish type team” and I’ve used Lesznos as an example.

Possibly. But how much do you think it would cost to field a team of Hampel Kolodziej Kurtz Lidsey Piotr Pawlicki Sayfutdinov Smektala

I wonder where the balance lies? Would people pay £50 to watch Polish quality teams or prefer £10 to watch lesser ones?

Not sure that is a unique selling point. Plenty of sports in this country have the best participants. I don’t know what the USP is, other than good races are thrilling and following a team is “tribal”, similar to football but more pleasant For me, the key is value for money. If speedway were £10, albeit with lesser riders, my girlfriend and I would go every week.

But there’s no evidence that the first caused the second.

I don’t think chalk on a board will cut it though. From my experience of shop fascias, a two metre by three metre illuminated plastic board with a LED display would cost at least £10,000.

I agree one is desirable but wonder if it can be afforded by every club. I suspect they cost at least £10,000? I’m not sure that expense can be justified simply to inform those who are not paying attention to the PA.

Is a scoreboard necessary if the PA announces the score after every race?

I know he had a bad season but Surprised that Kildemand doesn’t make the top 50.

Collins only 9 for skill? I’d have thought 9.5, but only 8.5 for equipment.

Yes, I can see that there would be a complete lack of atmosphere in the stadium, but TV companies have a way of recreating that for the viewer, like canned laughter for comedy programmes. It would be pretty easy to match previous soundtracks to the live sport on screen.

Is it not feasible that there will be some sport behind closed doors? Will not some TV and betting companies be keen to fund it? Maybe not speedway, but Champions League football, Indian League cricket and some international matches in football, rugby and cricket? Oh, and horse racing. And possibly some cycling, such as the TDF (although strangely rearranged to clash with the second biggest race, the Vuelta), due to being outdoors rather than in the confined space of a stadium. In fact, less coverage could wet some new appetites.

I think it’s more down to how close people are likely to come into contact with each other when attending an event. You’d need two metre spacing marks for all queues, toilets, food and drink outlets and parking spaces, seating areas restricted to one person in every four seats and designated spectator standing positions throughout the stadium with yellow sprayed dots that individuals stand on and no standing in close clusters of family members or friends. On a positive note, speedway is so poorly attended that it might have the space for that!

I doubt that any events in stadia will return this year.

Thank you. Apparently one season Nielsen averaged a perfect 12 away from home?

Out of interest how do Hans Nielsen, Penhall, the Morans and Gundersen compare?

And that’s just the Honda workers.

You could be right. Presumably they’re in the Legends Lounge munching on prawn sandwiches? Or should I say prawn and avocado on sourdough with a pinch of saffron and a soupcon of lemon zest?