enotian

Exactly this. It's the one redeeming feature of doubling up. When these young riders are on their learning curve they need to be on the bike as often as possible. If they're not doing the PL and CL then they need CL and NL for the exact benefits you've pointed out. Even if there has to be nomad teams in the NL (whose 'home' matches are at the oppositions track and fixtures against other nomad teams at neutral tracks) to create these opportunities and a career path for those kids not up to CL yet. Good time to ban ghost teams eh?

How would everyone feel about a Duckworth Lewis style formula to decide abandoned matches or even totally washed out fixtures. Not great for season ticket holders and lost earnings for riders but it would avoid matches being run on unfit tracks and end of season fixture congestion. Might be useful if league matches can't start in May as hoped. Roughly there'd be a mathematical formula to determine each riders match specific 'average'. The formula would take into account the riders average and recent form. Home for the home riders Away for the away riders. Could even include previous performance on the specific track. Importantly the formula and data would be visible so the match specific averages would be known pre match. Then the result of un-run heats would be determined based on riders match specific average. Worst idea ever?

In the CL yes. Because 4* doesn't apply to the CL. No in the PL. Where they'll all be 4* regardless of previous PL average. I see Anders Rowe seems to be the first to have jumped ship. Looks to be in the Ipswich 1-6.

Is why it would have been simpler to just give higher assessed averages to more experienced/overseas riders. Say 5 point minimum average (for team building) for any rider with over 100 league matches under their belts. Maybe 6 or 7 for non UK riders. Provides natural openings for the young riders without requiring an inexhaustible supply of youngsters. And why you can make a 5 year commitment but can't necessarily set out how that will work across the years this far in advance.

It's like a metaphor for Lockdown isn't it!!! Maybe Godfrey suggested the Scotch Egg As you say we should wait for the full details. Ultimately, what ever they decide won't be the reason I'd decide not to attend but might be for some. Just like the offside rule, that many laws to make it 'fairer' to the extent that everyones forgotten what the rule is for. Hopefully the promoters remember what the reason for developing British talent is and don't ruin it with red tape and regulations.

dont like the sound of that one little bit

The general point is that speedway crowds used to be larger. They're decreasing because the sport isn't providing everything the customer base wants or there's more choice elsewhere providing more of what the customer base wants. Football, via Sky Sports, did a massive rebranding exercise. After years of violence and under investment in stadia football was only a domain for die hearts and those looking for trouble. Sounds familiar (apart from the violence bit). The tragedy of Hillsborough and Valley Parade provided a unique opportunity to totally reset the whole industry. Interestingly, speaking to fellow football supporters who can now watch every game (home and away) from the comfort of our own homes for considerably less than it costs to go to the actual game, can't wait to get back to actually attending the matches. It's the overall matchday experience that is perceived to be worth spending more on. Not sure how attainable that is outside of football.

Who said there was a draft??? I'm sure there isn't. Newcastle finished near the bottom of the 2019 table. I'm sure they'd have picked a Flint or a Kemp or a Palin ahead of an Alcock. I'm certain any club can approach any rider on the list and offer them a place. That rider might accept or reject that offer.

Some might say modern technology is actually saving the world as part of the green agenda. I'm not sure. I think you're saying that technology is killing society. I might agree. What I am sure of is that the world/society changes, always has always will. Even speedway changes. Mostly defined by the competitive nature of the sport. You can decide that you'd prefer if everything was like the old days and resist change but you can't stop change, it is inevitable. As a business if you'd don't embrace change you will fail. There are many examples. I don't think for one minute that having a speedway app will on its own attract thousands of young people to flock to their nearest track but just look at what other successful sports, businesses or even celebrities are doing. They're providing exclusive online content, discounts, access to merchandise and writing their own narrative, not letting the journalists define how they are perceived. Now you and I might see through this as propaganda but alas the vast majority lap it up. As we've seen very dangerous when the politicians apply the same but if you're waiting for the tide to change you're going to get wet.

Bickley has now done 2 full seasons and Kemp just one. If that's the mechanism fair enough. I must admit I'm not a fan of forcing teams to have a youngster because it's more difficult for some teams to develop riders and I like to see teams which a structured differently. I was looking forward to seeing Mountain and Wright at reserve for the Diamonds in 2020. We'd have been clattered in heats 13 and 15 but might have been stronger in heats 2, 8, 12 and 14. Can often lead to topsy turvy matches which has to be good. But given the problems with rider availability it's probably a good idea for these circumstances. And if it means some of these riders progress to international stardom then all well and good even if that means they can no longer/don't want to ride in the UK. Hopefully the clear pathway for young riders will attract new batches. I recall BSB did something similar years ago that propelled Rea, Hill and Sykes to varying degrees of stardom. All I would have done was re-assess all experienced riders say 5 full seasons (S Lambert, W Lawson, Sarjeant, J Wright etc) to a minimum 5 point average for team building. Likewise for non UK riders. Just like nobody can average lower than 2 even if they do. Then teams could still decide to select a strength in depth team if they couldn't access a suitable youngster. There's a natural incentive to selecting 2 point youngsters anyway as they're most likely to add points to their starting average, which is the name of the game.

that's the jist of it plus it's also perceived to be greener. some might consider filling in the programme to be a bit "wanky". I still like doing it but I'm a bit "wanky". some people don't bother with a score chart and just enjoy the racing without bothering about the score of upcoming heats. if you like to know about who has scored what and what's still to come an App could simply provide that or be much more. Rider stats, gate stats, heat stats, head to head stats, you could have it predict the result of upcoming heats. As stated earlier you could even have have rider interviews live from the pits. if the App covered all league matches you could be sat at home getting the live scores and interviews just like the excellent speedway updates. Maybe the App would provide post match highlights. As I say, anything you want it to be depending on how much you have to invest. Certainly not everyones cup of tea but might it help attract a younger/wider audience? I'm particularly interested in fan interaction. That's massive for TV shows like BGT, X Factor, The Jungle, Celebrity Dancing and the On Ice version (all of which I'd never watch) and would be a USP for speedway if via an App the public could interact, i.e. selecting gate positions. Unsure.

except that Kemp appears to be 3* and Bickley 4*

We don't know but it looks like if a rider does average over 4 in the CL then they are then a 4*. In terms of the CL that means they can't be a #7 (or presumably #6 if there are 2 Rising Stars in 2022) and therefore their 2021 GSA applies. See Tom Brennan this season. 4* but in the Eastbourne team on his 2019 GSA. In terms of the PL as a 4* they can still ride at #7. The problem is if the rider achieves say an 8 GSA in the CL riding at reserve all season. I'm certain they'd get a CL team place in 2022 but what if they struggle in the top 5? Say their average drops to 3. No doubt they'd be dropped but then couldn't get a reserve place elsewhere to regain their form.....

2019 GSA Flint 3.30, Kemp 3.95 and Bickley 3.93. The only discernible difference is that Bickley also rode a full season in 2018. I don't disagree that Kemp and Flint look to be better prospects but you can't grade on future potential. Otherwise Palin and the Thompson twins might have been graded 4* straight away. Fortunately it won't cost Bickley a team place unless he loses his Berwick place due to poor form.

Do you want to know how Apps work or what a Speedway App would do? Apps or applications are just a computer programme coded to do whatever you want them to. To that extent a speedway App could be anything you want it to be. I've speculated that it could be linked to real time updates from the meeting referee or even on bike transponders. Equally it could just be an electronic version of a paper scorechart. The only limits are the limits of your imagination.... and how much you want to spend developing it of course.

Yes there should be a criteria but equally if that criteria leads to a dysfunctional position in 2022 or beyond then you'd amend it wouldn't you. Like you say if the pipeline dries up within those years you might revert to one per team. Or if it's a huge success and there's more supply then you might increase to 3 graded team places for Rising Stars. Never paint yourself into a corner. Surely giving an opportunity to a kid who might go on to be successful internationally and even raise the profile of the sport in this country is preferable to giving another shot to a 3 point 30 year old who is never going to develop? It's product R&D and I don't see giving a team place to a youngster ahead of a low average old timer as reducing the quality, although I'll reserve judgement on that until I've seen Alcock in action [not a euphemism] Cynically you might also consider supply and demand. If there's a greater supply of riders then those riders can't demand as much. Either way the decision is obvious.

lots of magazines and newspapers going out of print and going digital would suggest that's where the money is. also offers a new income stream of selling your customer base data. Sell a paper programme you have no idea who to or how often they accessed it. Apps give you access to a whole host of additional customer data.

But I think there has to be an element of making it up as they go along doesn't there? 2022 will all depend on relative progress in 2021. If it's a huge success and enough youngsters have progressed beyond the gradings then the plans might (need to) change. The idea is that there is a mechanism to provide a pathway for young British riders into the professional leagues over a sustained period. That has to be preferential to team places going to established riders on low averages. Whether or not this is the best way to do it doesn't matter as long as it works. What would be interesting how long does a rider get to progress? Some on the list already have considerable experience.

So like any other rider then. You get offered a deal and either accept it or reject it. I guess all riders have preferred options but not all of them materialise.

Yes but those are their CL averages and grade 4 doesn't apply to the CL only PL. I don't think Bickley has a PL average to compare but I don't like Perks was a 6.

I suppose the difficulty in publicising the 5 year plan is that it probably changes based on rider development. I guess the intention is that riders progress from 1 to 4 star but what happens if one on the named riders progresses to heat leader status and the other don't. Do you have one 4* on a 9 point average still riding at #7 in the PL? As it stands, if this is the correct list, it looks about right in terms of ability/experience across the groups. I hadn't expected over 21 riders to be included but they needed at least six. You can basically see how average and experience have dictated the grading without it being stated. At least the gradings will mean that no young riders will be omitted because their average is 0.05 over a point limit. Surprised not to see Zach Watjknecht/George Wood on the list so I presume those other previously retired inclusions have expressed an interest in riding?

and Newcastle

It's a good point as printing costs are replaced by hosting costs etc but you can gain advertising revenue via apps. The trouble is it's digital advertising so your local plumber etc who'd advertise in the programme might be excluded, although it's not that difficult to make a digital advert. However, rather than having individual club apps this rather lends itself to an App which covers the whole league(s) so you subscribe to the App and get every scorecard for every match. Have the updates linked directly from the referee so you find out first who has won or been excluded first. That would be something no other sport has. As with any successful App content is key and speedway has that in abundance. As has been suggested rider interviews (live or pre recorded) but also statistics. Whilst I personally don't gamble betting culture is massive. Knowing pre heat each of the riders stats for that heat number and that gate position against those opponents on that track. Whether you gamble or not everybody loves it when their prediction is correct. Even if you're not at the meeting. As for people not using Apps at sporting events I don't think that's true. Maybe it's because Sunderland games have been dreadful over the past few seasons but I've witnessed many people using their phones during games. Gambling Apps encourage it with Cash Outs etc but I'm sure some people are doing their on-line shopping!! Certainly having a meeting App would make those boring seemingly increasingly frequent track grading sessions more palatable. As with everything in businesses it's content and scalability.

2. is a good idea but you'd need to find out what the riders think. It's an international sport so how do riders compete overseas on inferior equipment? 5. gets my vote. I'd love to see guests abolished totally but riders earnings would take a hit. Unless you remove the earn while you ride principle riders will want to ride as often as possible. 6. great idea. I've mentioned before about making the sport interactive. Maybe voting for a nominated heat or gate positions. Or even just an interactive heat predictions game. I've said before that I think that an IPL style short (2 weeks) tournament with the top international and British riders should be the future of top level speedway in this country. Hopefully providing mainstream attention for a short period (like Wimbledon does for tennis).

Not to mention that compared to 20-30 years ago we now all spend a considerable amount of disposable income without ever leaving the house (even if we could). Internet, mobile phones, TV subscriptions (SKY, Netflix, Disney etc etc), Spotify, Amazon Prime even Deliveroo.