RobMcCaffery

It's because it's a team sport, or at least an individual sport adapted into one. It attracts people who want to support a team and the bikes are just a means to an end like a ball in football or a puck in ice hockey. The scoring and general statistical side also attracts a different kind of supporter to general motor sport. Rather than try to fix labels or lament a wider interest in motor sport let's celebrate what we love and acknowledge that it is a sport 'apart'. We still have that 'club' feel at many tracks but it is greatly diminished since too many riders are far too busy getting to another country to stay after the meeting and get to know the fans. We're on the level of non-league football, the amateur level of rugby and what are minority spectator sports in the UK, ice hockey and basketball Just look at the crowd figures (estimated in speedway of course) to see. The difference is that while the last two do have limited numbers of foreign players they are based here and not constantly flying round Europe. How we think we can have riders flying thousands of miles to perform in front of hundreds of people does beat me. Too often those vital social links are now broken - they made people feel part of the 'club' and perhaps a little more tolerant and understanding of the odd defeat. It may have been a defeat, but it weas OUR team giving its all. If only we could find more to understand and share our love. Leave the 'labelling', whether kind or hostile to others.

Apparently it's no different to when the sport attracted decent crowds and had plenty of fixtures. So they tell us.

That's fine from the competitor's point of view but effectively they have used those 'lesser' championships for their own ends then cast them aside without consideration for the fact that they owe those competitions some respect and gratitude for their help. Okay, nobody's expecting the likes of Woffinden to go back to NL and PL level which helped nurture him but to put yourself above the sport in your home country and effectively walk away from the inconvenience of 'paying your dues' isn't likely to earn much respect, except from those with a similar selfish outlook on life. Could you imagine the Swedes and Poles putting up with a World Champion refusing to ride in their leagues and national championships? People have duties as well as rights. I think he's been badly advised by those seeing that the Aussies let their riders get away with avoiding their national championships. The British Championship involves just two meetings, one if a wild card is sensibly given, just as many as riding in a bogus pairs championship for a Polish business.

You could have plenty of new concepts for the sport, but the sport needs ones that benefit it, not outfits like One Sport that feed off it, pretending to be offering benefits to the sport. With the exception of Monster those brands are currently largely irrelevant outside Poland. Yes, it may grow, if they can find people dumb enough to become fans of corporations not their local teams or their nations. As for whether it could be of any benefit to the sport rather than One Sport and their corporate clients I really can't see it!

Oh they managed it prior that happening, occasionally. Bear in mind during the 90s Spedeworth were running stock car racing on the circuit and they take up far more space. It's surprising what you can fit onto the smaller tracks, especially if the competitors use their heads and don't go blasting full-throttle as if they were at Peterborough.

I remember when in the early 90s we were supposed to be getting sidecar teams together, Tragically one of the intended Rye House passengers was killed at Matchams Park and that was the last we heard of it.

robert72 is just a sad obsessive fixated not only on Tai Woffinden but also in closing Leicester Speedway. Lovely character, best ignored.

BBC WM often cover speedway in the West Midlands when they can but they didn't tonight. You can always check coverage here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/speedway/17839601

I expect it would work in Dubai with plenty of hype - at a similar budget to F1 and WSL for starters. As for in established speedway countries you need to impress more than the sponsors and supporters starved of star name riders like Croatia, Germany.......or Britain....

I read an article where One Sport were claiming that they could build this tournament into something resembling Moto GP or F1. Well, you can't fault them for aiming high. Apparently the sponsors are delighted with it. That makes it all right then......

It does work on Virgin's Tivo so must be a Sky problem.

Given the lengthy delay last night their delayed coverage policy worked this time, but as we know it isn't always going to be this way. Just one 7 am showing is still shocking, albeit better than nothing.

Always the glib, overconfident answer. It's clear that track is becoming dangerous. When you see riders of international standard losing control on their own you know there's already a serious a problem which abject neglect will not improve. Oh, I forget, this is Poole and your arrogance will always see you through. Your own star rider is repeatedly complaining about the situation, or is he just covering up his abject current form? (Leader in the GP, double-figures in Poland and Sweden).

I am sure that will be a comfort to the family(ies) of the rider(s) who stand to be seriously hurt on that rapidly-deteriorating track.

I was concentrating more on Karger and the stadium than noticing the dust. Bear in mind I've only seen one meeting at the old place since the Rockets folded in 1994. I've seen enough comments from here over the years and from friends who still go to know that the track's been an embarrassment for a long time which is why I was pleased to see it looking pretty reasonable in the clip. I put a heck of a lot of effort and commitment into that place in my time, despite having to walk away in 2000 for what were deeply personal reasons. I still care though, although now from a long distance.

I'm sure he earned the nomination and yes a track like that isn't a fair setting on which to judge him. Given what appeared on screen as the coverage started it's testament to Swedish track construction and preparation that we not only saw a meeting but one with acceptable racing. I think the professionalism over there and in Poland contributes to the crowds over there rather than just the names as so many wish to think. "Hey, coming to speedway next Friday, Nicki Pedersen's riding" "Who?"

God knows how we coped with 26-30 meeting seasons..... Oh yes, enjoyed ourselves hugely. Perhaps it's best to finally let the EL drift off into senility, staging a bare handful of meetings and let the rest of us enjoy the other leagues?

Probably cost. I doubt whether many have any idea who's riding.

But would he show the same commitment here or want an affordable deal? Anders Thomsen's looking an odd pick as wildcard for the Danish GP.

Scrolling-up is too much effort for some - or learning how to find links themselves :-(

That track's holding up very well - hope we get some racing as it dries.

This looks a lot smoother- it's probably as wet as the overwatered Wimborne Road was. The Swedes quote averages per ride, not CMA as we use here. Jonsson's was 1.2, converting to 4.8, explaining his reserve berth.

Looks very wet. I'd expected them to do one of their remarkable Swedish track recoveries but they seem to have just let it drain. . Sportowe Fakty reported to the Poles that it was postponed. Oh well, let's see what we get. Eurosport's highlights show is on at 7 am tomorrow by the way.

I just watched the heat 11 clip on the BSPA website. Apart from the pleasure of seeing a much-maligned kid finally getting it right it was good to see the track looking much improved and to see that the stadium is finally being sorted-out. I do hope the investment is rewarded and that it's not a one-off for young Karger. Sometimes patience does get rewarded.

Do you really want a season of seven home matches plus maybe one or two in the playoffs? The crowd levels over there have nothing to do with single nights. Swedish crowds my be large by British standards but only tend to be 2-4,000. Poland has a very long history of large crowds, going back way into the communist era. Most towns staging speedway in both countries do tend to benefit from being in relatively small places where seven big events a year are probably rather significant.