SteveLyric2

Is that when there were just 2 TV channels and both in black and white?!

Presumably there won't be any of the previous visa issues with Laguta for any of the GP rounds?!

I am sure there is (or could easily be) a tyre for wet weather. However I can't see it working with the highly tuned machinery currently in use by the top riders!

If any Sky decision to cover speedway in the future is financially driven (ie based on overpaying for Premiership footie etc), then reading a couple of the business pages today, the next round of bidding for Champions League football has a deadline of 5th November (NB the deadline is before the BSPA AGM). If Sky win that bid with an overinflated figure to ensure they beat BT Sport, then I can't see Sky renewing speedway. However if BT win the bid then Sky could still look to continue a deal with Speedway!!? On the flip side if Sky do win the Champions League bid, that could leave BT Sport looking for other sport to fill their schedules....!

Good post Tsunami! The only thing I would take issue with is the position with Sky?! As I said in an earlier post, why someone from BSPA/GSI hasn't approached Sky mid-season and given them a sensible deadline to respond with a decision, I just don't understand!! A presentation could and should have been put together to BT Sport (or whoever). The sport would have been no worse off than it is now in terms of knowing whether it has a TV future and planning for 2014 accordingly!

The Star explains that it is due to another bad accident for organiser Marcus Williams, requiring him to be 'in traction' for a lengthy period of time!!

What about the folk who watch both football and speedway?! There is really only one month - mid June to mid July - when there is no overlap!!

Tai's win was mentioned in BBC Radio Solent's live footie coverage this afternoon Saints v Swansea!!

Photo and small report in the Sun on Sunday. No mention that he rides for Wolves!!

I raised this on the 'Brummies website' thread yesterday morning as I didn't know if it was encountering similar problems to theirs?!. It came back on later in the day then was off again this morning, but OK again at the moment!!

Didn't Tai himself tweet a week or so ago that this was in his diary - assuming he becomes WC. Fingers crossed for him!

....but it does take a lot longer hanging around for all their autographs and then having to check they are who they say they are!!

Yes but that income rarely goes to the Speedway Promotion!!!!!

Sky didn't seem that bothered about continuing with the GPs with all the 'top' riders!! Whether Sky negotiate a new league deal or not, it will be financially driven, due to the vast amounts they have committed to Premiership and other Football. Whether any new deal will financially be enough for clubs to cover the costs of the top riders is highly debatable!

All provided by the good offices of GSI of course - subject to a properly negotiated imposed pricing structure!!

That's just a ruse so that you could get in free to watch the meetings, rather than stay at home and watch the Sky ones!!!

We all know what should and shouldn't have happened in the past with the money allocations - but that is history. What astounds me is why we the BSPA are in the final weeks of a multi-year TV deal and still seem not to know when or if a decision about the future will be made?! The BSPA and/or GSI should have had the ba**s to approach Sky much earlier and give them a deadline, on the basis of taking a presentation to BT Sport (or whoever)! I know its a bit like the 'tail wagging the dog', but we wouldn't be in any worse a situation than we are now - at least the sport would have had several months of being able to plan ahead (in theory - it is the BSPA after all!!), rather than seemingly not knowing and not having any plans before the winter break/AGM!! Incidentally, why would Sky's Barney Francis need to be made aware of this year's play-offs? Its not as if we haven't had them for many years (although having 3 hours of overrunning semi finals this year - I hope they weren't brought to his attention, unless the viewing figures were phenomenal!?) Personally, any new TV deal that offers any reasonable sponsorship funding, will merely be papering over the cracks. As much as I would miss seeing some of the 'top' riders in our league, the GPs and Euros are still on TV!! Clubs and the sport as a whole needs to cut its cloth accordingly and run/promote a sport that is affordable for all. Get back on a more even keel in the next couple of years or so and then look to expand again then.

...and would almost certainly increase the sale of souvenir pens at most tracks!!

Couldn't agree more. That was the one downside at Wimborne Road too, especially after it had been announced that the first televised race (from Perry Barr) would be at 7.40 pm. It was very drawn out and unnecessarily so. What it must have been like for the 2 BBC Radio 'simulcasts' (Solent and Wiltshire), who started their broadcasts at 7.05, with all the long gaps, no action and limited background knowledge, goodness only knows?! Another media 'own goal' because of Sky's production!!

Another packed stadium I see.........Not!!

What about the Pawlickis that you mentioned earlier!!?

No worries - the crowds will still flock in to watch Tai's replacement.........Lukasz Sowka!!!!

The introduction of a European Champions League for speedway - which has been talked about but not progressed for the past 2 years at least - is something that Sky were very interested in. There are surely a couple or three EL clubs that would be keen or can afford to participate, so maybe something of that nature plus the play-offs is what we might have to get used to as far as TV is concerned! Maybe the Polish Marketing company behind the SEC could develop the concept and get Eurosport or BT Sport to show it?!

Whether the sport gets any sort of TV deal or not for 2014, it must not detract from a major move to cut costs - for everyone! Undoubtedly this will not all happen in one go, but there has to be a dramatic plan that every club signs up to and agrees to stick with - even if a TV deal comes in at a later stage! One huge problem imo is if a 'big money' sponsorship deal (TV or not)is secured, then many promoters will use the cash to offset past financial losses, rather than to improve the promotion and presentation of a value-for-money product!! (ps. Which is what has happened to much of the Sky money in the past, other than that which has been passed on to riders and onward to tuners etc in inflated payments!!)

I have a theory that its in the rules that a meeting result can be called after heat 10 - but it could be a conspiracy on my part?!