SteveLyric2

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....!

Sky 'Track Co-ordinator' Ronnie Russell

Agree with your Sky comments Hackett and made the same points on the Sky thread! I'm not sure about an 'independent' chairman or body as I can't come up with anyone that would be truly independent AND have enough knowledge of the sport. Anyone brought in without substantial knowledge of speedway would only have to learn it from those that are already involved!! For next season, no GP riders or no riders that are not based in UK has got to come in, in some form or other. GP riders don't want more meetings anyway - unless clubs share 2 riders for the number 1 position, but that won't reduce costs! -, its riders like Nicholls, Harris, Watt, Woodward et al that want more meaningful meetings with decent racing as well as most fans!!

Is Patch still involved? or likely to be involved in 2014? Not having a dig, just asking...!?

And those losses are WITH the Sky money!! So wages for top riders plus flight expenses to be axed for 2014?! If its the same for all clubs - will there be enough riders to go around?

New Old owner for Peterborough??????????/

Only a mention in every tracks local media!!! Don't forget the BSPA are the promoters themselves, not some separate organisation!!

Dyer will be fine - as its the Premier League!! Assuming he can be talked into coming back next year??!!

2 full coaches of Poole fans making the trip, plus many more under their own steam!! I did ask about a 'rain-off' date if needed a couple of days ago but didn't get any clarification!!!? With the Poole Blue Riband, the Brandonapolis and the ELRC coming up this week (all of which have been deferred at least once already), there doesn't appear to be too many options, unless its next Monday.. If it doesn't happen tomorrow I can't see the same number of travelling fans being able to get there....

'Nobody is singling out Matt Ford on that front'?? Really?? Are you serious? You've only got to read some of the posts on the last couple of pages of this thread, let alone the others!! Also, just as a matter of interest, whilst I agree all promoters have their own 'local situations', the knack of being a GOOD promoter is to create a management team around you with a range of skills, business sense and experience to cover the majority of eventualities! In addition to the current Poole promotion, I also know and have worked with promoters (past and present) at 3 other tracks, so maybe I might have a little more knowledge and experience about what happens (has happened) at some other tracks, than just Poole. Finally about 'no other clubs getting thread after thread of criticism' - I seem to recall the Panthers, Robins, and Belle Vue promotions all coming in for some stick earlier in the season - some valid, some not, imo, but with Poole it does seem that EVERY thread has the same/similar comments from the same/similar posters whether it is relevant to the topic of that thread or not! As I said a few days ago to Gavan, if he hates MF that much then start a thread specific to that topic rather than repeat the same stuff over and over across all Poole threads. EDITED - ...and as if by magic, post#171 illustrates my point exactly!!

Of course I'm 'pro-poole'. I have been for nearly 30 years, sponsored for 26 of them and proud of it. I go to (nearly) every home meeting and some away. That doesn't make me anti-every other club, unless 'fans' of those clubs have a go at something to do with Poole, which is unfair, biased or not down to them. Many of the things that are currently wrong with the way speedway in UK is run are collectively the responsibility of all those in charge ie the promoters - all of them - and to all those that have this biased notion that Matt Ford somehow has any more influence than any of the others - you are seriously deluded and just mischief-making to the extreme. Any promoter can be outvoted/overruled/taken to task on issues by the majority or by the BSPA MC or SCB who have been elected by their peers, like it or not (and MF hasn't been on the MC for some time). Yes the rules need changing but Poole are no more to blame for them being open to interpretation than any other club. If this is a reflection on the current state of speedway, so be it, but I shall still be 'pro-poole' cos that's who I support.

Jim Lynch was at Wimborne Road on Monday for the final 1st leg and he's stood in for Middlo in the past!!! Make of that what you will. But there were loads of 'faces' around at Poole on Monday.

Gavan, The Know probably knows more about individual and team speedway, domestically and internationally, and has invested in the sport more than you've had hot dinners!! To call him a 'jumped up nomark' is totally out of order!! People get annoyed about your posts because they are so repetitive, often insulting, sometimes lacking facts and usually blocking up every/any thread that is remotely to do with Poole.!! We do get it - we just don't need it thrust down our throats threads quite so repetitively. Despite not being 'anti-Poole, anti-Poole riders, anti-Middlo' etc etc blah blah, why not go on some of the non-Poole threads and give yourself and us a bit of a break!

Serious question - if by any chance it is called off, anyone know the likely rearranged date?????

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!

I wouldn't be happy either. That's why the admission cost needs to reduce at the same time as we lose the top riders to make savings. Alternatively, as others have suggested, perhaps the new team-building rules will concentrate only on those riders who are based in UK for the whole season - thereby saving all air fares etc

Not entirely accurate!! Matt has a third party to sell advertising space in the programme and in the stadium. Matt and his co-promoters gets the actual sponsors in!

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!!

...or in football for that matter!!!!!!!

Josh and the 2 Kyles plus some 6-7 pointers, I reckon. Can't see any of this year's top 3 included - whichever riders occupied those positions! A shame, but reality has to kick in sometime in the EL top division.

Lots of people change their minds when they know what he can be like!!

Go ahead, name all these Puppets then!! It should make very interesting reading for any legal eagles (and I don't mean Eastbourne!)!!

...and its taken you 6 whole days to come up with that??!!

Any Brum fans able to confirm that the BSPA/Sky track covers are going on, as the forecast for Monday currently shows light rain and showers from mid-morning through the afternoon!!?