Mylor

Some very valid points there ytsejam. It got me thinking, which tracks are the best with the capacity to hold such events? It wasn’t long ago that Bydgoszcz was considered the bees knees but they haven’t held a GP for years. I struggle to think of many ‘world class’ tracks in the UK. Belle Vue, yes but beyond that? Perhaps it’s for a dedicated thread but can you list more?

Is Eurosport 2 not showing the SON? I don’t see it listed anywhere. ☹️

I suppose this lull after the stormy winter was only to be expected, however, are we about to see any of the content of the agreement, a new rule book and details of the arbitration setup and procedures? I'm not intending to restart the vitriol but it does seem a shame after all that kicking, scratching and blood letting to know so little of what it was all for and whether it was indeed good for the future of the sport in the UK? Only by seeing at least some of the detail can we begin to make a reasoned judgement, not that we're much good at that here these days eh?

I was uncomfortable with bomber's inclusion too but if you were forced to choose a brit on merit you'd surely have to go with the British Champion. With, hopefully, some dirt on the GP tracks surely he'll do a little better next year. Still not a top eight finisher though methinks but he should finish the year with more confidence.

Good grief ianmartin! I was a Wolves fan then and couldn't understand why Mike Parker transferred riders around like that. He ran Newcastle, Sunderland and Wolves if I remember correctly. Can someone give me a potted history of what happened to him, and Bill Bridget etc? Ahhh..........those were the days. Guasco, sadly missed, Graham Warren, Tommy Sweetman (did anyone else ride wearing glasses?), Ivor Brown (we hated him too of course), Jimmy Squibb (who was still riding for Canterbury at 54!!) and others who didn't quite make it to greatness but gave us fabulous entertainment, Dave Hemus, Fred Priest (2nd halfer who once managed to stay on for all four laps, a bit like a half speed early Ben Barker), Kid Bodie,..........

Let's put the cat amongst the pigeons............... The EuroSport International Series................... I wonder who'd be interested in televising this? 8 7-man teams, 2 groups of 4 in a mini league, home and away. 2 semis over 2 legs each 1 final over 2 legs. That means the Winners would ride 5 'home' meetings.......... Poole, Coventry, Sheffield,........ anybody else fancy a round? Australia could ride their 'home' meetings wherever they like. Discuss!

I missed that one but by all accounts it was probably the best ever. Anyone know where I can get a video or dvd?

There's a 3 page thread on the 'European Club Championship' in 'The Way Ahead' forum................ http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...?showtopic=3294

We'll agree to differ on the structure then Kevin, your assymetric full blown, full time Euro League on the North American pattern verses my 'Champions League' approach where teams compete in the 'EL' and Europe which will still allow for qualification, local derbies etc. You missed my workaround for this point posted a few days ago.......... I favoured a different route Matt, one where riders riding for more than one team would nominate which ONE of those teams they'd ride for in the European Club Championship.

Far too complex Kevin. The sport would gain no credibility from Wolverhapmton or Poole actually fielding different teams for different competitions. The media and the fans wouldn't wear it. How would teams qualify for a competition under these rules, by winning their equivalent of the EL? And if so, what team would they put out the following year? Would the 'EL' winning team become the ECC team? Far better it be kept as simple as possible using a format well understood by the media. An 'EL' playoff place means a place in the ECC for the following year and all the additional income that'd produce. The ECC and the international tournaments should be structured, sponsored and broadcast in such a way as to bring in the maximum income for this cash starved sport of ours. Certainly enough cash should be generated to allow promotions to move towards ownership of the stadia initially.

I favoured a different route Matt, one where riders riding for more than one team would nominate which one of those teams they'd ride for in the European Club Championship. Over time this would make them less attractive signings for other teams and they would become more committed to their favoured team, especially if it stood the best chance of succeeding in Europe. The sport would then slowly work it's way towards a one-rider one-team position (with some allowance for riders from developing countries, allowing them a limited number of matches for teams in their home country). This needs to happen at some point if speedway is to gain any sort of credibility as a serious sport. Various ways of achieving this and how riders could be compensated for the initial loss of earnings are well covered in these 'Way Ahead' threads. Fans would feel some pain too as there would be less opportunity to see the world's very best week-in, week-out but the additional variety (international tournaments, the return of prestige individual events, the ECC etc) should, over time, more than compensate for this.

Take a look here Matt........ http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...?showtopic=3294 There's more on this in the 'Future' threads

European GP at Coventry end of September?........................Reading??

But who owns the rights to something that doesn't exist? The BSPA own them for domestic speedway and BSI bought them for the GP's. Both competitions existed before so there was someone to buy them from. When will the FIM latch on to the fact there's something else to organise then sell? While they're at it can they also get their heads round a proper European Club Championship and sell that too?

But Cardiff does need more reasonable cost accommodation within walking distance of the city centre and a central booking website........... put in your criteria and up pops a choice of online bookable AVAILABLE accommodation. Cardiff IS a pain if you have to get there and back in a day so we like to stop over Friday and Saturday nights. Expensive, yes, but really worthwhile when the sun shines, as it always does. So much less hassle and a few hours in Cardiff Bay on a Sunday morning sets you up for the journey home. Cardiff is a brilliant place to spend some time. I just wish the local tourist board or someone would make it easy for us to spend more money with the local traders and not fortunes on hotel rooms 5 miles away.