The Pedaler

EXACTLY, not only should kids get in for a quid but their accompanying adult should get in FREE too! Of course they should. No doubt everyone else on here who agrees with that line in thinking will mock promoters for trying to make a business out of speedway, for trying to get some money into the bank to pay the bills with, and ye gods, if they should even dare to do so, to actually make a profit!

In the EL, only Kings Lynn, Wolverhampton and Lakeside offer "concessions" admission to registered disabled in the pricing structure on their web sites. NONE of them mention carers, or other helpers. Not looked at PL / NL web sites. As for the rights and wrongs, short sightedness or other emotive language, that's up to the individual to decide. One thing's for sure though, whatever discounts the promoters offer will come out of their own pockets. No Local Authority will be providing grants from their Social Services budgets, to finance the discounts, nor will the promoters be getting anything off any charity to fund their generosity.

It's usually to maximise publicity. Although in this case I'm not sure Birmingham have anyone lined up at all. Drury has to feed off the scraps left over by the other teams, as the Brummies have no worthwhile riding assets of their own. In some fantasists minds, Nermark may fit the bill, but I bet not one of them has actually asked Nermark if he wants to ride in the UK again. He didn't last year, what should change his mind this year? Playing 5th fiddle in a Brummies team in which he might not get paid? Is that supposed to persuade him? Having a reputation for being bad payers won't help the cause of getting willing volunteers either. Just because a few people have made guesses about Nermark doesn't make it true. In the case of this delay, as I say, I think that no news is due to the fact that there really is no news.

And that's all it's about isn't it? "me...me...me..." The sport can go to hell as long as you can still put a fiver on something at the bookies, can't it? All that glitters is obviously 24 carat gold in BWitcherland...especially when it shines out of Terry Russell's backside.

Worrying isn't it?

Or take yourself back to the days when on the way back from Cardiff you stopped off at Newport for the Welsh Whateveritwas.

First question - are you or do you seek to be entertained by the riders when you go to the speedway? If so, then whether they do so directly or indirectly, they are the ones entertaining you. Second question - have you discussed your point of view with the Richardson family? Or the Duh family? or the Olsson family?

Nice commission earner for Terry Russell trading as GoSpeed for the future isn't it? Does anyone think that this will pull extra people into match nights at the stadiums? In other words, whilst Terry Russell trading as GoSpeed does well out of this deal, and that is whether or not a new stadium is built at Swindon (promises at Reading come to mind) what will be the fate of the other tracks around the country? Terry Russell has done well out of this. He has his future earning assured whether or not Swindon are in existence after this season. As for the rest, what does he care? Attendances won't be his problem will they?

You certainly seem to be appeasing those who feed you your press releases. Without them, where would you be now? Certainly lost the art of unearthing "news" of your own, or digging beneath the surface, or looking in dark corners to see what else you might find.

Quantity is one thing but what about the quality? I bet a lot of riders needed to make the ERC a respectable spectacle are already signed up to appear for Havvy. Ward and Holder, to tout 2 names, would be star attractions, without which the ERC loses credibility. Having an ERC stuffed full of National League reserves to make up the numbers just wouldn't look very good on SkySports would it?

Well let's see what happens this season then.

You mean the young men who risk their lives for your entertainment? So they try to earn a living as best as they can. It's what pays their bills for them and sets them up for life after 40. If you don't like these mercenaries, stick to the National League, and you won't have to worry about them. Let me guess though, you are a voluntary worker? Charity worker? Missionary? Or do you have an ordinary job like most others and also try to get the best pay for the job that you do? Yeah, you can offer yourself up for as much pay as you can get just don't let others do the same though will you?

BSPA Statement - http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.23718 Can anyone make sense of the second paragraph please? Havvy's date was in the book and has been for ages...SO, as I understand it (and I may be wrong) Sky & Terry Russell trading as GoSpeed present the BSPA with a shortlist of dates to reschedule the ERC to. So it's not their fault, or is it? THEN the BSPA decide to choose Havvy's big day on which to have their showcase event. Is that right? SO are the BSPA saying (without being big enough to actually say it), that it is their fault? What's not said is how short the short list of dates was that was offered by Sky & Terry Russell trading as GoSpeed, Where there several dates on offer, so that it really took an act of spite on the part of the BSPA to screw Havvy up? Or did Sky & Terry Russell trading as GoSeed give a Soviet style choice of Friday 21st, Friday 21st or Friday 21st? And in the 3rd paragraph, it says that the BSPA will work with the Poole promotion and Havvy to offer an alternative date. In other words, Matt Ford will be "reminded" of which association he as a promoter belongs to and has to obey, with the provision of stadium and promotional facilities, and Havvy will have to do as he is told, else face disciplinary action as a team manager and subject to the BSPA / SCB's interpretation of good order and discipline. Shafted, screwed, and bullied, are just the repeatable words to describe Havvy's plight. Never since Judas has anyone been as sold-out as Havvy. I hope that the pieces of silver that Terry Russell trading as GoSpeed and the BSPA earn from Sky make them proud to be alive.

So if Speedway Star can't be compared to Pravda, maybe it should be compared to "The Watchtower"? Another publication that's oblivious to the truth and current affairs in it's zeal to spout out the "Good Word" to appease the higher power? Anyway, who needs Speedway Star when the Bournemouth Echo is leading the way with decent speedway journalism? - http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/10981713.Speedway__BSPA__have_to_take_responsibility__over_Havelock_says_vice_chairman/?ref=twtrec

So, no interviews with the riders torn between the two potential bookings then? No interviews with Havvy over how he feels about being shafted? No interviews with the guy who cocked up the fixtures then? Could it have been the same guy who programmed in a Lakeside fixture on the Friday before an FIM event on a Saturday, only to discover when all the arrangements had been made that three of his own Lakeside team were needed in the FIM event, including the Friday practise/training day? Let's just sweep everything under the carpet shall we and carry on as if nothing has happened? Isn't it in everyone's interests to investigate why these so called cock-ups occur in order to expose the truth so that things might be able to improve. Can't you see that SS could be a catalyst for improvement that would be in everyone's best interests? Instead all we get are excuses for why every issue that raises eye-brows amongst the fans is a "non-story". No doubt the BSPA will be relieved that they won't be having any awkward questions to answer, and will feel that it doesn't matter if they don't take the care needed to avoid similar cock ups again in the future, because their favourite speedway magazine won't be bothered next time either.

Good, so we can expect some interesting and investigative and insightful reporting on the goings on over "Havvygate" and the new SkySports deal then can we??

Why not re-name Speedway Star - "PRAVDA"? If all you want is good news stories and announcements of record production figures by the state tractor factory... If that's the sort of thing that you really want then let's go back to Speedway Star just being an official mouthpiece for the BSPA.

And another one for the Speedway Star to get their teeth into...

So let me get this straight...when there is a new TV deal to be announced, twice in their press release do the BSPA take all the credit for the deal for themselves, with big man Alex Harkess mentioned in despatches. HOWEVER, when something goes pear shaped, the organ grinder is nowhere to be seen, leaving the monkey in charge, who in turn passes all the blame onto GoSpeed (and by inference - Terry Russell) - who got none of the credit for the new Sky deal. What a shambolic dishonourable shower that this sport has in charge of it. I hope that Speedway Star investigate this matter thoroughly, and report the in depth facts for all speedway fans to read about. Recycling the press releases just won't work in this instance. Oh, and respect to Neil Middleditch for his comments - http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/10980390.Speedway__Middleditch_blasts__disgraceful__ousting_of_Havelock_s_night/

The people are there, the money is there. What hasn't been done is to persuade the people to part with their money at the speedway. Very strenuous efforts have been made, and a lot time spent on the matter, so it's not for want of trying. Maybe it has something to do with the quality of the product?

In those days kids wore school caps and short trousers and held hands. These are different times now. You have to break out of your romantic nostalgic little time-warp bubble.

You mean the bit that was couched in diplomatic speak for "we are going to force Havvy into postponing his event because we are the BSPA, we run the sport and what we say goes." ???

I'm sure that there will be those in high places that would have arrogantly expected Havvy to have cancelled his Farewell in order to carry out his management responsibilities as Coventry manager, at Coventry geeing up the Coventry riders there. Just wait until the pressure comes from above for the Farewell meeting to be cancelled in view of a "BSPA Shared Event" happening on that date. And what about the FANS? Those who would have liked to have gone to both? SHAFTED!

The question is, do people still go out as a family, or do people to out with "their mates / crew / gang" (whatever this years terminology is)? Is the romantic notion that speedway is a family spot as true for the 20-30 year-olds bringing their youngsters to the speedway as it is that the 30-40 year-olds bring their parents and grandparents? Do todays youngsters want to be seen out with their parents? Look at the report of kids deserting Facebook because their parents are on there. The world has changed. In the olden days, there were two big concepts - that speedway was the second biggest spectator sport in the country and that speedway was a family sport. I think both of these concepts now need to be consigned to the scrap heap.

The ERC should be boycotted by riders and fans alike for the cynical way that it's been rescheduled to sabotage Havvy's Farewell event. About time that the SkySports/BSPA alliance were taught a lesson. Last year the Belle Vue v Poole fiasco, this year shafting Havvy. It's not on, and about time people took a stand.