Najjer

Somebody else who doesn't understand averages. Riders could of maintained the same standard as they were at at the start of the season and their average would have still increased because of the low 38.00 points limit. The fact of the matter is Berwick have the same team that they ended last season with but have replaced Doolan with Bickley, who isn't as good. That means as a whole their team is weaker than it ended last season with.

For anybody who also said I was wrong, can they now see how next seasons league is weaker than this years? Bickley for Doolan sums that up.

The fact of the matter is, people would rather lose it than be forced to tolerate sub standard entertainment and lack of value for money. Why would anybody attend for the sake of it when they aren't happy with what they are watching?

Shame as Bellego is mustard at the OTA.

One of the biggest mistakes at Somerset is how far away on the home straight the terracing is from the track. That’s one of the things I used to love about going to Plymouth was that you literally felt like you were on top of the track which in turn helped create a decent atmosphere.

Lesser riders because their average fits more than likely. Stats don’t lie and teams will be weaker this year as a comparison to last years on the whole.

The standard of the league last season was the same at the start of the year and the end of the year, regardless of a 38.00 or 42.00 average total. End of season averages are now used for this season, so the starting 38.00 is irrelevant now. When you take the average of team totals from last season which isn’t totally accurate due to some assessed averages replacing higher averaged riders, it is above 41.00. Therefore the standard has now been lowered by reducing that average down to 41.00. Hope that clears that up for you.

Because you are now using end of season averages, not start of season averages. Basic maths.

On average, most team’s totals at the end of the season will of been around 42.00/42.50 on average across the league. The points limit has been decreased to 41.00, therefore making the league weaker than when it ended the season.

I hadn't realised that - shows you how much weaker the league is again then.

The league is now weaker than last season. If you can keep the same team as last year then it will be competing against lesser teams than last season.

......and the product is weakened further

I'd suggest they earn their position on merit, not just to fill a certain quota of riders per team and because they have a certain average that fits. It is blatently obvious in recent years riders have been rushed through the system far too quickly as a cost saving measure. They don't perform, they get the sack and the team signs another rider and the story goes on and on. The rider whose been scoring next to nothing confidence is shot to pieces and they take a break from the sport. As long as it keeps cutting costs and watering the product down further whilst admission prices continue to rise (pro rata to the standard on offer) then that is absolutely fine apparently.

I saw that too but that was incorrect. 2018 admission was £17 in Div1 and 2019 admission was £16 in Div2. A £1 reduction from seeing the likes of Doyle, Holder and Wright on a weekly basis to Atkins and Grobauer.

The thing is, in this day and age people are not happy to settle for “that’ll do”. I personally want to watch the best. I would pay good money to watch Doyle, Holder etc ripping up the Oak Tree. But I won’t pay good money for as is likely an even further watered down 2nd tier that is topped up with yet more National League riders who can’t cut it and out of their depth.

My opinion is based on having watched my team compete in all 3 tiers of British Speedway for 19 years. Without doubt the best place to be was in the top tier. I chose not to attend last year for various reasons and depending on the news on Friday and beyond, looks very likely it'll be the same reasons to keep me away next season too.

Racing - Yes... Better riders, better quality. Atmosphere - Probably Entertainment - Yes... the difference between the top and bottom riders is far greater in the 2nd tier than the top tier Attendance - Yes... crowds were well down from what I was told last year against our Premiership seasons

Sorry to break the news to you, but there is less fixtures in the 2nd division than there is in the top tier in its current form.

The Championship is rubbish value for money compared to the Premiership. The quality of riders is hugely different in that it's effectively a case of Doyle, Iversen, Lambert, Kurtz, Holder vs. Stoneman, Atkins, Harris and other National League riders. The price is no different in general meaning the Championship compared to the Premiership in terms of quality of rider on show and the admission price is a rip off. Why else would crowds of been so bad this season in comparison?

Bit of a kick in the teeth to go from Craig Cook to Aaron Summers... and then to Ulrich Ostergaard. How about that for a come down!

Because THJ isn't actually that good. He is nowhere the rider that was threathening to be a top GP rider a few years back.

Used to be the best track and best prepared in the country - losing Wright, Allen and co was a massive loss but they don’t come close to the loss of Ez

The total averages will be 42.00-42.50 though and not 45.00 because of the x4 multiplier whereas some riders will of had x5 rides. If the total team average for the start of next season is anything less than that then they are yet again weakening the product further and further again.

I expect he is, especially considering he last rode for Somerset in the top tier. It's also well rumoured he was offered a 'less than handsome deal' to ride for Somerset this year though.

It was well rumoured he was offered a deal by Somerset who were effectively outbid by Redcar for his services.