waytogo28

That is exactly my point it is a FRN farce / mess for many KL Stars fans because they are regularly denuded on Weds by the rights of Denmark to use several of the Stars team ( inc their No1. ) It is a farce if the KL promoter - who doubles up as the Chairperson of the BSPA - was not able to see that before it was set in stone. But you are right they will get that or something else right in 2019. But how many more fans will walk away disillusioned by then. It isn't being negative to point out why someone is currently very fed up with how things are done in UK speedway. No need for a forum if we are all only supposed to be gushing over everything that promoters do. Not that you are.

Please don't let it be like this ( although I fear that it is ) sadly.

I watched the Freesports broadcast and felt that the Swedish match had only 3 exciting races ( for me that does not include coming out of the 2nd bend first lap ) so 5/10, The Polish match was a bit better and until the deadlock was broken it was anyone's match so 7/10.

There is no decline in speedway. It continues to put on the same old show in much the same way ( but with faster bikes with more shiny bits and brighter kevlars ). The decline is in the interest of the general public in speedway racing as a UK sport. As far as I am concerned the racing has declined in excitement with less passing ( or even the prospect of it ) and less close racing. There has been a decline in the way people relate to "their" team because of double upping, guests and r/r. Speedway promoters no longer sell what the general public want ( especially the under 30s ). With now 2 or 3 really exciting races out of 15 and little of interest in the others, the decline since I first went in the mid 1950's is very visible to me ( and others I know ). I still enjoy speedway on TV, especially the GPs, but even watching Swedish and Polish matches last night on Freesports I found I could get on with a lot of other more interesting things in the gaps between races (the Swedish match in particular ). The GPs are a great entertainment bundle with the interest kept high most of the time. If there is a future for speedway it needs to include live streaming ( an abysmal failure so far ) and not only for those who now prefer to stay at home but for those who want to watch it on a phone, tablet or whatever in the pub.They want to watch 15 mins of close exciting racing but not wrapped up in 2 hours plus of their time ( well that is my guess ). I will go to watch my local team, KL Stars, when they next have a full team at home.

Ask him the most essential question of all. Keith Chapman - Success or Failure leading the BSPA?

Guesting in spirit! It's speedway UK style after all.

Don't suggest laying concrete, that is what speedway in Japan consists of and you get 2 heats in an hour, or very occasionally 3. Meetings literally take all day but it's less than 50p to get in. All down to the queues at the bookies which is where the money is made ( or lost ).

Don't worry too much about the FRN farce, it will be replaced with some other farcical rule / idea in 2019. It has been like that since the last century and will not change with the current promoters running things. Is the idea to get every team's crowd level below 500 and then there is some complicated tax avoidance scheme?. There must be some purpose behind such foolishness. Whereas far away in another country they are worrying about crowd levels below 5,000. Hmmm.

I agree with you except for the 'at last' part because when you think that if Robert Lambert has now come of age ( I do fully agree there ) that is bloody marvellous as he is only just 20 with ( fingers crossed ) 10 -15 years to stay at the top. Yippee!

It was thought to be considerably less than 1500 at the NSS on Monday night V KL Stars.

It's a faint possibility, but just as BV were littered with guests last night, KL Stars have that problem on future Weds when their Danish team members are whisked back home to ride. A full Stars team will do better than people thought. A pity that it will not be often enough.

They will be Much To Busy working on Plan B for this season and the changes they are already working on for 2019. How fortunate we are that they care about the sport so much.

It can only be that the BSPA feel that that is not an important part of attracting or holding onto fans. They seem to prefer Mexican style speedway with a long gap between races plus grading halts and an interval. Siesta style sunshine speedway!

It's great that it works for you and some others but it hasn't worked for the missing thousands who have drifted away ( likely never to return ). Crisp presentation is certainly one of the factors that the disillusioned have reacted to. The job of the BSPA is to find out all of those reasons and work on the simplest and cheapest to fix and get on with those first. It is this that they have failed to do. And this laid back "it takes as long as it takes" approach certainly doesn't seem to appeal to new fans.

Seems to be a bit like Venezuela and it's re-elected leader ( with a vision for change ). The last five years weren't so bad and now we can go on slowly changing things for the next five. Is there about 46% of the fans from 1999 left on the terraces? Or do we wish there were so many? people are not starving for food here but many fans of speedway are hungry for a better balanced, well run sport that takes some account of the fans and what they hope and dream for. Yes, not unlike the hopes and dreams of Venzuelan's. They were ( are ) a cash rich country but were badly led and mis-managed ( watch out that Jeremy Corbyn doesn't do the same here! ). Of course Buster Chapman isn't to blame for the whole sorry mess but he has made it worse ( along with other promoters ) with ill judged poorly thought through decisions ( e.g. even now with FRN ).

I am quietly confident that that is in the long term game plan for Robert and Dan because those who are most talented deserve the best rewards. And those best rewards are in Poland, Sweden and the GP. If you get to that level it is hardly worth doing the UK for the rewards on offer. That is what Tai is doing now and the very best of British talent who can truly cut the mustard, will emulate him. And Good Luck to them. The relatively low level financial rewards here are as a result of mis-management by British promoters over the last 20 years.

Buster has made terrible mess of "leading" the BSPA and guiding UK speedway to a better ( well supported future ). If Godfrey is having a major say ( and tipped to take over as Chairperson ) we are well and truly scuppered. They appear not to have one constructive, workable idea between them. The Centenary is in doubt. Yes, they have utterly lost touch with fans and listen to no-one unless they agree with their ideas.

In the "New Era" at King's Lynn Speedway I thought all that narrow minded parochialism was behind them. But it is true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. When Buster became The Big Boss of UK speedway we thought that his much shouted criticisms at others promoters would result in progress. All just dreams, turned to dust.

On the button in almost every respect. In fact every respect! But it is too simple for the BSPA and until the whole administrative structure of UK speedway is changed. I cannot see it prospering or even becoming viable. Sadly.

Even with a lot of shooting practice over the last 20 years or so their aim remains very poor. Dale Allitt at King's Lynn said this week we wanted Mondays & Thursdays for the Premier League but got Mon. & Weds and " have to make the best of it". We have heard that kind of comment numerous times over the years from BSPA and then they change something else for the next season and get that wrong! He is the Team Manager of a team with 3 or 4 Danes in it, who will be missing for 40% of the team fixtures ( inc. their No. 1 ) And they won't or daren't run on Mondays. If Swindon were allowed to continue on some Thursdays why not others? Yes, double up clashes raise their heads again. Stars V Leics had six guests or r/r in it.

Who do I send a cheque to and who do I make it out to? I was going to do a crowdfunding donation but they don't do Paypal anymore.

Either Buster really believes that he has the right as the promoter to decide what to release and when, or he doesn't really care what the shrinking number of fans think. Is it a case of it's my toy and I will take it away, so there?

This kind of planning requires common sense and a practical approach to problem solving, all of which is lacking in decision makes at this level. Either they don't "see" it at all or don't care.

That is how speedway will end up in the UK semi pro, mostly at weekends or on days clubs can attack a decent crowd. Filled with riders who want to ride here. Hopefully on standardised 250cc bikes too.

But all they have to do is please 1,500 to 2,000 on consistent basis as most of the requested "fixes" are inexpensive and simple to fix but for some reason they think in a different way. They seem to believe that if you are twittering away and posting on social media, suddenly 1,000s of newbies in the 18 - 30 arrange will pile in. That is what they dream of and that is just as deluded.