uk_martin

Interesting article about the following of Polish Ekstraliga teams on Social Media, along with some eye opening stats here - http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/489749/raport-sportowefaktypl-kluby-ekstraligi-w-social-media/7 Are there lessons to be learned here? To put things into comparison, GoSpeed International Ltd claim copyright to all media so forcibly prevent any "official" video from going onto YouTube, or any "official" photos from going onto photo sites like Instagram, Flickr etc. YouTube and Instagram therefore may be difficult for British teams to emulate. Facebook and Twitter though, British teams should be right up there with their "likes", "shares", "friends" and "followers" shouldn't they? Which teams in this country are most effective at using Social Media for raising their profile, public awareness and interest stimulation? Should there be a rethink about the distribution of photos and videos on YouTube, Instagram, Flickr etc? Would that be in the best interests of British Speedway for that to happen?

There are some really good lonng distance coach operators in Poland now...and of course the ever improving railways with all their second generation Deutsche Bahn hand-me-down rolling stock. That said there are some routes where the coach is quicker than the train. Gdansk to Torun was one that I went on using Polskibus last year. Saved an hour. Likewise, Poznan to Gorzow on Polskibus takes 2 hours rather than the 3 hours on the train. e-podroznik and Polskibus also have apps for your phone to do all your ticketing on. Anyone here who remembers Poland in the communistical days would be astounded at how much it has changed. http://en.e-podroznik.pl/ http://www.polskibus.com/

The rule is clear in the event that there is a rider who rides for more than one of the teams concerned. The first team a rider signs for is the one he rides for. With most Aussie and Americans riding in GB before heading over to the continent that's a rule that's sympathetic towards the British teams. Combined squads of 20 top riders with at least half a dozen SGP winners in there is a better field than you'd get for any kind of individual meeting, and best of all, it's a team event. I dare say there will be those who think that this has nothing to do with them but parks and non league football team fans probably don't think that the UEFA Champions League has anything to do with them either. Too bad really as I think that this has the makings of a great meeting. It's interesting that no-one ever says "nothiing to do with us" on threads about Aussie or Kiwi speedway, or about an individual meeting in the USA - (http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=78325) but as soon as you get a meeting that was the idea of someone in Poland, which first took place in Poland and which has it's funding and promotion coming out of Poland, then we get negative comments like these. Are people really that threatened that they have to react like this? Or is it just sour grapes at the realisation that Poland IS the sport's powerhouse now and Great Britain's now just a bit-part player in international speedway?

Rob Lambert and Steve Worrall have both now chosen to double/dumb up/down. So that leaves only two full time British riders in the British EL and one of those has retired from riding for Team GB again...so that leaves just Chris Harris. And the British Elite League is the weakest of the three main European "Elite" leagues at that. Does anyone think that is a situation to be proud of? Shoot me for telling it to you straight if you like, but that won't alter the facts as they stand. ONE full time British Rider in the British Elite League, able to represent his / our country. A total disgrace to the state of the sport in this country and a total humiliation to the governing body as far as I'm concerned.

What I meant was it is 4 or 5 races one after the other...with the bikes getting pushed out for the next race as soon as the riders return from the last race...then the interviews take place during the tractor racing, then 4 or 5 more quick fire races...and no advert breaks until the meeting interval. Compare that to the way that SkySports do it...Heat 1 then an interview with Chris Louis then another interview with whoever that woman is then Pearson and Tatum have a rattle, then, after the commercial break it's heat 2...repeat formula 14 more times...

Start the list of differences here: 1. Average age of a Polish Speedway fan is at least 20 years younger than a British fan. They are young enough to be enthusiastic, exhuberant, and energetic - and it shows. 2. Stal Gorzow had 4 riders in their team who won an SGP last year.(..is that some kind of record?) - British EL teams don't even have 4 riders who are of EL standard. 3. All team members including management and mechanics wearing team colours. Looking professional not like a scrap dealers annual convention like the pits in the UK. 4. Atmosphere - no comparison needed. 5. Huge fan bases - Stal Gorzow's AVERAGE crowd was 13,100 for all regular season meetings. Falubaz, Torun and others not far behind. 6. Communication - brilliant use of social media by the Poles. Videos on YouTube, regular updates on Twitter and Facebook... 7. Polish teams are supported by their town and city councils. British local authorities wouldn't care twopence in many places if speedway was to disappear. 8. Huge media interest. The latest deal for the Ekstraliga is worth something like £110,000 per team per year over 3 years thanks to NC+. Do British teams get anything off Sky any more other than the "privilage" of being shown on telly? 9. Polish TV coverage has to fit around speedway NOT the other way around like Sky insist on over here. 10. Polish teams are superb at taking their riders into the schools and community and engaging with the public. Bartosz Zmarzlik, Adrian Cyfer and Piotr Swiderski were recently involved with knitting needles in hands in a fans / community gathering, learning how to knit yellow and blue scarves. What do most British riders (Tai aside) do to get into the community other than an occasional "forced" PR stunt, and to raise their profile and the profile of their team and sport? 11. Polish teams are already involved with Winter Training. This involves team building, gym work, aerobics, martial arts instruction, etc. Stuff to keep the miind and body fit. Ever heard of winter training over here? 12. The list could go on...

I went through a list with a friend, of all the "second generatioin" riders that we could think of. At best it was a 50-50 split between those 2nd generation riders who were better than their parent, and those who didn't reach the same peaks. We've had our share at Birmingham, where Mark Warren wasn't as good as his father Graham, likewise, Jay Herne wasn't up to Phil Herne's standards, and Aiden Collins never matched Les Collins's achievements (and there are more). On the other side you have Jason Crump and Tai Woffinden who definately our-did their parents (likewise more could be reeled off) So basically you can't judge young speedway riders like you can racehorses. Breeding and bloodstock doesn't guarantee anything other than more pressure to bear than their compatriots get.

Craig Cook and Ben Barker, amongst others, have taken the safe and comfortable route by dumbing down between EL and PL for years, instead of grasping the nettle, committing themselves to the EL and bettering themselves in Sweden and Poland. What good's it done? How much further forward has it driven their personal International successes? That's the purpose. To encourage the riders to maximize their potential, and to turn out for Team GB so that Great Britain be competitive on the World Stage. Of course, if all that matters to you is your weekly league meeting and don't care about the nation's prospects, then you won't care about such things. Maybe the fairy godmother will magically appear and make everything alright?

Been told just now that he may be of Sean Wilson lineage...perhaps?

Illegal is it? You just issue different kinds of riding licenses. An "A Class license" if they are in the EL and a "B Class license" if they are in the PL. Maybe even a "C Class license" if they are NL. Just like a motor racing driver needs a "Super License" to drive in Formula 1. Then you set the eligibility criteria for obtaining the licenses to suit the policy of the issuing authority and allow it to entirely at their discretion to refuse a license. A rider can't complain if he then can't compete at the top level again if he himself decides that he is no longer good enough for an "A Class license" and swaps it for a "B Class license".

I think that there should be a "trap door" from EL to PL. Once that a rider is full time EL and decides to drop down to the PL it should be in the knowledge that there's no way back to the EL or the EL wage demands. That'll make them think. There used to be such a trap door when Rugby Union never allowed anyone back to the game if they went to Rugby League or American Football. Didn't stop anyone from doing it if they wanted to but they were sure of the consequences of their decision. Worst thing they ever did, scrapping that rule, but that's another issue. Give a rider on the upward slope of his learning curve a couple of years doubling up if he must. After that it should be the only time that they can choose to stay on in the PL. After that it's decision time. If they go EL it's for keeps. Another drop to the PL after a full time spell in the EL will be for good. Let the uncommitted make way for those with more determination to get on.

As long as it's NOT Harold Wilson.

Making it easier for a PL rider to advance into the EL and harder for an EL rider to look for a cushty little number in the PL...in theory. I don't see these calculatioin methods as being that objectionable in principle.

Too bad it co-incides with Rugby World Cup 2015 fixtures (seeing New Zealand All Blacks v Argentina at Wembley on 20th) else I'd make a weekend of it at Ostrow & TBA

Tis the season to be Bah Humbug for some I guess...however there don't appear to be too many line-up conflicts between the 2015 protagonists to it should be good to see Stal Gorzow, Elit Vetlanda, Holsted and the Puddle Pirates taking part in some good racing. Got a hotel room booked and am looking forward to making a great weekend of it. And on the subject of great promotion, what a cracking video clip this is...and look where it appears - YOUTUBE - the place that is banned, "Strengst Verboten" and off limits with a wall built around it for all British Speedway Video clips that the BSPA / Ronnie Russell / GoSpeed International cartel can lay claim to http://youtu.be/lhQG-ZieE8I

Can someone who speaks Polish please have a look at the final paragraph here please? - http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/489109/trener-piotr-paluch-ocenia-mocne-sklady-torunia-i-leszna That sentence = "Competitions were to be held in English Poole , but organization of the event at this point was brought into question." does not bode well...OR it may just have been squirted out wrongly by Google...A spot of manual translation would give it the answer. Why does my heart dispair at the thought of an international competition falling apart as soon as it's passed into British hands to deal with? Wouldn't that just be typical? I just hope it's not as bad as it sounds.

Thanks guys for the translations Shame that the Polish Play-Off's final co-incides with the Czech Golden Helmet (again?)

There's a regular train service to Munich HBF if you are staying in the city. The train line runs close to the airport but there is no stop there. Munich Airport to/from Munich city is a 40min S-Bahn ride. The 317 bus does the route between Munich city and Landshut and DOES call in at the airport. BTW - correct pronounciation for the town is akin to Lands-hoot - NOT Land-Shut More options here - http://www.rome2rio.com/s/Munich-Airport-MUC-Germany/Landshut

What do you think "Back Office Staff Junior tournament" is likely to mean? What's IMEJ ? Thanks

I was told it's Les Rumsey - http://www.speedwayplus.com/les_rumsey.shtml Maybe I was told wrong...Blimey, they must 'av 'em young in that part of the world if it's a grandad / grandson thing...Still, same principle about no guarantees to greatness applies.

Corporates will do a think known as "due dilligance" and as soon as they see that the wool is being pulled over their eyes, they will pull out anyway. How can a "corporate" be expected to put their trust and money into something as blatantly dishonest as what is being made out? If you are up s**t creek, maybe your best bet is to admit it, and try to attract someone who can get you a paddle?

Welcome and good luck to Mr Banks Jr. It will be interesting to see how he and Ellis Perks at Cradley get on this year. Being the son of a former rider can be a good thing but as Liam Rumsey at Mildenhall has shown, it's no guarantee to greatness. Let's keep fingers crossed though that these riders adapt to the sport and make life interesting.

Has anyone got the "inside track" on what these 7 Polish National Team matches are that are in the PZM fixture list? If it's 7 test matches for the Poland team/squad then that'll be some going. I wonder who the opposition will be...and what sort of response the BSPA will give if invited to send a test team over. (NO, on second thoughtsl, I don't wonder what the BSPA response will be...got a feeling I know the answer to that ) Maybe (just thinking out loud now) OneSport are organising a big-style Poland v Rest of the World series? That could be interesting. Spread over the length of the season and across 7 venues in Poland, that would be either: 1. "very exciting" OR 2. "another Mickey Mouse event", depending of course how well disposed you are towards the Poles and how they go about promoting the sport. Be interesting to see more details about these matches as the news breaks.

Bearing in mind that with what's left to spend in the averages, the next signings will be 4, 5 or 6 point riders (or thereabouts) so how "fantastic" they will be will remain to be seen. If, who I've been given a "heads-up" for as our next signing, gets announced officially though, I think that the current "love" will be maintained for a while yet.

Were you in Prague last year when the Latvians wiped the floor with Team GB in the SWC? Forget Nicholls - he'll never ride for Team GB again Forget Bridger - he's "on a gap year" and may or may not ever return. Forget Cook - he can't afford to travel to tracks to represent Team GB (or at least he couldn't when asked to ride in the GB v Australia Test series in 2013) Which leaves Tai plus some elderly gentlemen who are "iinconsistent" at best at international level