PolskiZuzel

The recently introduced ban on competing in the European championships for SGP riders is exposing riders to high financial loses . The Moldov Company, Nicki Pedersen’s sponsor for some time now is not happy that he is prevented to publicizing their name to millions of Eurosport viewers broadcasting four rounds of the SEC. Moldov, apparently put on a table 200’000 euros for this purposes. Nicki has now a tough nut to crack, because nobody knows how Moldow is to react if the rider chooses to compete in the Grand Prix instead in the SEC. By the way , the Dane is in a trap , because accepting Polish club, Leszno, offer to ride for them in 2014 season he also signed a million PLN worth advertising deal with the local firm, Polcopper (long standing sponsor of Leigh Adams, which implies that he is to advertise Polcopper name in the GP . It seems that there is no way out for Pedersen. This same problem as Nicki, is facing Emil Sayfutdinov who finally managed to sign a deal with the Russian sponsor which put on the table around 100’000 euros, on condition that Emil rides in the SEC which is broadcasted in Russia. If Emil is not in the SEC, the Ural Company may completely withdraw its offer , or drastically reduce its support. Russian rider therefore has a lot to think about.

And that is exactly what is happening. I go along with Humphrey who said : "They ( Polish rounds organizers) should have done their sums and worked what was a reasonable fee, or even based it on a percentage of the profits". I think they learned that the hard way and are no longer as foolish as before. Like This Quote MultiQuote

How much do they charge cities to host GP's ? It is widely known fact that BSI are asking much more from Polish cities than from any others. Gorzow city council already last year wanted to renegotiate unfavourable (in their opinion ) contract with the BSI . Torun does not want to pay for their contract extension even half of what is expected by the BSI . The British/American Company wants 5 years contract extension for astronomical sum of £2’500’000 which is a half of a million GB Pounds for a year The Tourn City Council is prepared to pay £200’000 and for no more than three years. Polish speedway club are no longer so eager to stage SGP rounds. For many reasons. One of them is that their City Councils have lost interested in this form of promotion. Bydgoszcz speedway for this year license is paying around £220’000 GBP, with their own money. Another reason is that profits from such an event are falling drastically . Bydgoszcz in 2010, when Tomasz Gollob was crowned on his home track as the world champion, earned short of a half a million GBP. It was a record . Earlier gains hovered at less than half of that . Wroclaw on each event earned an average around 200’000 GBP. Last year, Bydgoszcz earned only around 80’000 GBP and Gorzow a hundred K. Now when there is an alternative in the form of Speedway European Championship and Speedway Best Pairs, Poland will think twice whether to stage SGP as well as SEC. SEC organizers’ asking fee for a licence is around £120’000. This is in theory , because in practice, none of last year's assignees have paid that much. In any case, Torun is wondering whether to replace SGP with the SEC, and this means that come 2015, Poland will stage only one SGP round, at Gorzow .

The truth is that they do pay licence fees to FIM. The problem is that it is FIM-Europe, not FIM, and the latter doesn't like it :-) If its nothing to do with Poland, then what it is do with, or with whom? You're Trees.

So why then BSPA/ACU are against everything that is not in their own interest.

You are entitled to your own opinion...but I can tell you one thing. sportowefakty.pl are NOT "the party paper of OneSport. Yes they advocate speedway matters from the Polish point of view, but are not what you are accusing them of.Their aim is to cover all sport disciplines, and speedway is only one part of it.

Widely accepted you say... then you know very little about reality. Yes SF are basedi in Poland, in the same way as BSI are based in the UK. If you think that SF are the mouth piece for OneSport then tell me whos's mouth piece is speedwaygp.com ?

I could not have phrased it better !!!

Where would the riders find sufficient employment ?... it depends what one regards as sufficient. As far as I know Polish EkstraLiga pay sufficient money for top riders to give Denmark and GB a miss. Chris Holder is the latest example. Others found this some time ago.

As far as I am aware Sajfutdinow team is drafting a petition to the BSI requesting cancellation of the SGP entry form, which he was obliged to sent earlier. The form was sent before FIM ruling effectively banning SGP riders from taking part in the SEC .The problem is that the Russian has signed sponsorship deal which obliges him to ride in the SEC. It is quite possible that BSI will refused Sayfutdinov’s request. If that happens Sayfutdinov’s lawyer will have no option than open a legal battle in courts. They will argue that their client was not aware that situation will change so drastically. Nicki Pedersen is a similar situation and the story goes that he has already sent a letter to his National Federation asking for help in this matter.

Thank you Bavarian! It only proves that Continentals see what's going on in speedway from different perspective than those in the UK. If we would think the way some of the British speedway followers do, our beloved sport would gone to dogs long time ago.

Perhaps its not where you are, but its FTA where I am Why is questionable if it has a world wide audience. It looks like you are seeing a no further than you own nose. You have right to regard my opinion as a crap. Not every one does.

For a start OneSport events are beamed to more viewers that BSI ones. They pay more to riders for their efforts so that alone is beneficial to speedway. Perhaps you think that the latest FIM's decision will bring greater benefits to speedway, do you ? and as we are on the subject - what benefit to speedway brings BSI ?

According to sportowefakty.pl The International Motorcycling Federation passed a resolution over last weekend, which prohibits representatives of all disciplines (including speedway) to compete in any other events than those under FIM jurisdiction. FIM decision became public only yesterday (Wednesday) and it will carry dire consequences not only for speedway, but all disciplines affiliated to the FIM! Under this decision, riders taking part in the world championships events will not be able to compete in European championships. For speedway, Vito Ippolito’s decision ( he is the FIM president ) means that riders will have to choose whether to compete in the Speedway Grand Prix or Speedway European Championships ! FIM has made its decision without consulting its subordinate committees and its content has not yet been sent to the national federations. It is now incorporated into the regulations and will be be sent to interested parties in the coming days. The FIM resolution of the FIM can also have dire consequences for such disciplines as longtrack and grass track speedway . This decision also puts into question existence and functioning of the FIM Europe. The FIM decision is also an obvious attack on the One Sport company, whose conflict with the organizer Grand Prix - BSI has been known for a long time. The question now is what about those riders who have already confirmed their participation in events organized by One Sport ( Emil Sajfutdinow Emil and Nicki Pedersen, among others ), and also had the intention to compete in the SGP.

So why there is suggestion -"it's a shame the pair of them will pull out of the testimonial" ?

Why we should listen to you when you can't even decide whether it was "you" who invented Budweiser, or made it cool in English pubs

Why shame for Risager ? Have you got any confirmation that Iversen and Bjerre have withdrawn from his Testimonial ?

Doesn't occur to you that what might appeals to Americans doesn't always appeal to Europeans. Why do you strive to reduce people to numbers...we are not a number. So let us do what we like and you do what you like. Long live "Chris Harris"

Is it ? Perhaps you could elaborate on this because to me speedway is an individual sport. In the same way as any sport activity based on racing or running.

Polish speedway media are saying that Zielona Gora, Polish EkstraLiga Champions will be flying to the UK for a three-day practice session combined with two friendly test matches. The practice session and two friendlies are to be held at the King's Lynn track . The idea for co-promoting such an event was born at Zielona Gora a year ago and it’s mainly due to their involvement that these two friendlies will be staged this year. - We know what conditions were prevailing last March in Poland. We looked then enviously at the perfectly prepared English track and already have made first steps to stage such an event - said the Zielona Gora chairman, Marek Jankowski. The event at King’s Lynn will be known as the Pre-season International Speedway Cup,. The first day is scheduled just for practice rides. Weather in March in England is more or less assured and each rider will have the opportunity to ride on a well prepared track. To make sure that it is, Zielona Gora are taking with them their own trackmaster, because the point of this trip is that their riders will practice on a track comparable to that they will have in their own EkstraLiga - said Jankowski. On Saturday, March 19th, there will be a four team test match in which teams from King's Lynn, Zielona Gora, Berlin and the team composed of invited riders. Polish promoters are to invite world champion, Tai Woffinden to lead the team of invited riders. Each team will consist of four riders plus one reserve. The next day, there will be a final between the two best teams. English SKY TV and Polish POLSAT TV are to cover this event Details are most likely to be announced next Tuesday.

Thanks for clarification. Nothing should then stop Tai and Bomber to ride in the first two rounds and have a substitute for Bomber for the third round as he have to ride for his club on that day. But the BSPA did and the organizers had no option than to ask another nation instead . Which I believe they did.

Is nothing to do with BSPA ?...with whom then ? Polish speedway media are quoting One Sport Company representative as saying : "We have decided that the British Speedway will not participate, and does not approve of this kind of rivalry" – it I said in the (BSPA) response sent to the One Sport. Such a laconic reply surprised the One Sport representatives. - "We received a letter in which one sentence gives a clear BSPA position. That is - not granting permission for British riders to compete in events organized by us … without giving any reason. We talked this morning to Tai Woffinden, his comment regarding this situation is not suitable for citation. For you it might be "an unofficial boring old pair event", it might not be very popular in the UK. Does it mean it should not be promoted elsewhere. Does it mean that British speedway authorities (whoever that might be) have the right to prevent their riders earning money elsewhere. Surely not.

Thank you for your reply. I didn't know that your sources are confidential... still it's a great pity than even with a ( a possible) crowd of around 4,500 organizing such an event is not viable for Poole promotion.

Mr. Rising, I am aware that you are in position where you are hearing a lot of things, but would you kindly say "B" when you already said "A" and tell us why that proposed "one-off meeting" is unlikely to take place. No doubt we would also love to know the source of that hearing. Thank you.

I take your point...and thanks for replying. My view is that even today, when "things are not what they used to be" there is still a chance of working out who should ride for whom. As it was explained in my second post. I always believe that "if there is a will, there is a way".