waytogo28

We must not forget that the current stadium is redundant and will soon be replaced with the new, ultra-modern version in a seamless mid-season operation. We have seen the pictures so it cannot be fake news. Can it?

IF the promotion has any pretence of being "professional" there should be an unambiguous statement within 24 hours of the "cancellation" ( and if it was merely a postponement ). Are they closing down in mid-season ( not unheard of in speedway history )? Or are they going to try to run at weekends? Or most likely have they sold up the speedway rights to c/o the BSPA or Buster Chapman? There are very few other options I would have thought. Does the BT deal depend on a minimum number of Premier League clubs?

I genuinely suspect that there is no answer. Nothing that will bring in adequate numbers of new fans. It is being rejected by current fans who do not want what is on offer. What is there to change?

I think it has already killed off the sport in the UK, as who can really go on with crowds that rarely top 1,000 and may be as low as 300? What is there to attract new fans? Even if they have BT and caught the meeting last Monday I can't see them rushing out to a track near them. It confirmed that first away invariably wins and that there was an enormous skill gap between the riders, several of whom had problems lapping at speed. And if their local track does not run on a day they prefer, they just "leave it". Without Tatum & Pearson building up each race ( ie watching with the sound off ) it was comical.

My posting was a tongue in cheek knock of the BSPA at the kind of press release they might make about the situation. I do not personally regard the loss of any club as "unfortunate", it is a tragedy for supporters when their local track closes IF this happens. The FRN is yet another BSPA cock up and they will ultimately force clubs out of financial viability. My apologies if you thought otherwise. I have lost two clubs, one permanently and one temporarily in the past.

I hope that this Final Final will be televised.

I can only pray that someone at BSPA does take a look at this thread, even if no other one's appeal to them. There is much on this thread that offers quality feedback to all UK promoters. Most of it is well thought out and offered up as something which could help improve the sport in the UK.

It certainly looks like the worst stadium, as seen on TV. I have not visited it since the change of promotion but the motocross course looks terrible unless it does bring in a new income stream/ fans. On TV the stadium it looks as if some awful natural disaster has recently taken place there. It reminds me of King's Lynn in the early 1980s before major work took place.

Experiments of any kind by the BSPA, in it's enormous, far-reaching efforts to re-build UK speedway are always for one whole season and I think the effects of FRNs will be carefully dissected and examined at the annual conference, before the 2019 plan will be put into place. Should there be any club casualties along the way that would be deemed to be unfortunate.

Yes, there should be but with Buster at the helm of the BSPA and with his record for "offs" of all miscellaneous kinds, it could be for almost any reason ( or none at all )

Let's hope that it is something beyond the control of BMR and NOT any kind of "cease trading" notice from them. Odd.

The TV match at Wolverhampton V Leicester showed that dumbing down on talent is already well advanced in the Premier League. Yes I know it's a tight technical track but if riding in the top tier all riders should be capable of turning ( even at a lower speed ).

As it will before much longer. Tracks without owners with substantial wealth or sponsors with deep pockets may go at the end of this year. Crowds of 500 to 800 ( or less in some places ) means it is a hand to mouth existence for some promotions.

Thanks, Niels, back to your best. Class is permanent and form is temporary. Imperious maximum. Good all round team effort.

What was very clear is that the standard of the Premier League is where the Championship was three years ago. Mediocre 2nd strings on view and some very poor reserves on show. Some riders clearly not competent on that track. The huge gap of ability was on show in a grand way. When watching the Polish & Swedish matches on Freeview, the UK's "top offering" looks ridiculous and tells you what the true level of league speedway has fallen to.

Hopefully, he got the reward of the true amateur - Nowt.

We used the No.8 in the last home match at King's Lynn and while it was a good experience for him he was hopelessly outclassed, but in the event of a fall or an engine failure, he was a backstop. The No.8's I remembered from long ago were likely to be ready to step up into a team place and be at least on the pace.

If the intention is to sell the sport to new fans who may be casual BT, viewers it would be better to show all of the TV matches from the NSS. Racing elsewhere so far has been poor this season. The problem is how to fill up the relatively empty spaces on the terraces, wherever the match is broadcast from.

Only 2 r/r! That is nearly like two full teams - if there really are no guests.

Is Lewis Kerr able to ride tonight?

Much more likely to be 50 - 40 as we have virtually no No. 6 and may be without Leis Kerr. Neils is far from is best as yet as well.

Daniel Smith wrote on another thread " "Jonathan wasn't to everyone's cup of tea, but he did always put himself on the front line and stood up to every bullet fired on this forum. Always posted press releases, team changes etc very pronto. He did all the same when on social media too, Twitter and Facebook. Always answered questions, even the questionable moments regarding postponement with opposition fans. Lots of people didn't like him but was very approachable and got things done. While stadium improvements are continuing and the new scoreboard is an excellent edition the sound system has seriously been neglected. " Regarding Jonathon Chapman - he did at least listen or read fan feedback and attempt to do something about it. I was commenting on the same thread " the continuing decline of speedway" that in feedback to the KLS management over three years ago we ( a small group of regulars ) one thing we complained about was the muffled, mostly inaudible rider interviews that should provide some interest in the break between races. This could be improved at almost no cost by tweaking existing gear. But no - one within the promotion is listening to any suggestion put forward. We were not asking for the AFA to be roofed over.

Thank You DS. I suspect you are right as the decline seems to have dated from around that time. Also perhaps the reason we can't hear the riders muffled comments, is the reason the promotion can't hear us?

It could easily be used for a revival speedway team or even a completely new attempt ( ignoring the Badger's years ). There are two problems 1) Very substantial funds would be needed to convince the stock car promoters that the return of speedway would not be a flop ( who wants the quick failure of a sporting launch at your otherwise successful venue ) 2 ) there is no evidence historically that speedway is of much interest to the local public. I lived there for 20 years and went to Coventry regularly ( only 30 miles away ). By the way, Brafield really is Northampton - the town centre is only five miles away but thankfully reasonably far from the local village population. Northampton Knights, take the fancy of a wealthy sponsor?

Feedback they have had at King's Lynn Speedway - by the ton. It is turned into mulch ( can you have digital mulch? ) and used to cover the mushrooms/supporters. Not one simple request/idea has been bothered with. For example, the rider interviews are always muffled and mostly inaudible unless you congregate in the audio sweet spot and it is impossible to gather 864 fans in that tiny area. It takes very little, possibly no expense, to rectify that but no one seems bothered and it has been left as it is for at least three years. Why?