MattK

It is kind of strange that speedway tries to target itself at a younger market and encourage kids, when it is clear it's real target markets should be older people.

Maybe this site does not represent an accurate cross-section of people who attend speedway?

How often are engine capacities tested for example?

It would be very interesting to know how often bikes are scrutinised and to what level.

How much would it cost to get speedway going again? The last time I went there was for the short-track which was 2012 and the pits looks pretty wrecked, there was a tractor parted in the forth bend bar and the terracing on the third and forth bends looks ready to be condemned. And that was three years ago! Obviously, the main grandstand was still usable and it would be suitable if you're only looking at crowds of up to 500 (which would be OK for NL level) and you could have a make shift pits area in the second bend/back straight (as they did for the short-track).

This is the rule from last season: 16.1.1.1 In the case of a Doubling-Up Rider the priority is: 1. Original Fixture List 2. The “owning” Club (ie. is on that Team’s Retained List) 3. If there is no “ownership” then the PL Club has priority 16.1.1.2 In the case of a FTDP Rider the priority is as per SR 16.1.1.1 unless there is an agreement between Promoters

Why not? You've got three recognised heat leaders, one of the strongest second strings and probably the strongest reserve pairing. Coventry are definitely the best all-round team.

Speedway is saved. Watch the crowds come flooding back.

I'd say the GPs and SWC are as entertaining as ever, therefore machinery is not a factor.

The stadium is in the fifth phase of the development. The care home is planned to be where the existing stadium currently stands. As A Orlav says, there has been planning permission submitted for an additional 100 or so houses around the perimeter of the "new" stadium, but this hasn't been granted yet.

How is that any different from the GP challenge today?

I'd suggest there are some very bread and butter riders in that list. My understanding is that every rider is allowed to enter the qualification round for the British championships. Then, the federations are given a number of places in the GP challenge qualifying, which are populated based on rider's placings in the British Finals. BSI don't get to "choose" riders. Nothing to stop a NL rider working their way through the qualifying rounds. Here's a wacky idea, maybe it is more difficult to win the World Title today than it was in the 50s because the standard of riders is so much higher?

Olympic Stadium, maybe yes, as the capacity is only slightly more than the attendance at Cardiff every year. Wembley is nearly 90,000, which would be a very big ask. Basically it means attract twice as many people to a one-off event than regularly attend league speedway.

Didn't you see the adverts for Elite League speedway during the ad breaks on Eurosport? No, me neither. Even if a one-off final was reinstated, common sense would dictate that the top four or five riders in the world are seeded straight into the final and the next dozen into the semi finals. Nowadays the speedway calendar of the top riders is too crowded to leave qualification down to chance.

It's a good question. It would be interesting to know how many people go to Cardiff, but don't attend league meetings. I'm not sure how many "old" fans would be attracted, especially given the ticket prices would likely be upwards of £50.

Could a speedway event even half fill Wembley today?

I don't know the ins and outs, but the last world final at Wembley was 1981. Two more were held in the UK before the GP Series was initiated, both at Bradford - why was that?

I don't think you can really compare the capacities of the one-off finals with the Cardiff GPs. Cardiff is an annual event, if there was a one-off final today it would be held in the UK once every six or seven years. A better comparison would be the cumulative GP attendances for a whole year with the old one-off finals.

Which riders precisely haven't had the chance to qualify? All these British riders were in the GP Challenge for the 2015 GPs: Craig Cook Lewis Bridger Chris Harris Richard Lawson Kyle Howarth Daniel King Richie Worrall

Like the .co domain names? I can hardly wait!

Social media is a bit like preaching to the converted, especially for a sport like speedway. The only people who will follow speedway clubs on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or search for speedway videos on YouTube are people already familiar with the sport. Yes, it can be used to re-connect with lost fans, and I think e-newletters are a far more effective way of doing that, but it isn't going to attain mass appeal. If speedway wants to reach a much wider audience it needs a more grass roots approach.

I'm talking more the cost of competing in World U21s, Euro Pairs etc. I'm sure fans would mind chipping in to help send riders to represent GB. Fans competing in foreign leagues should be at their own expense IMHO.

I agree there seems to be a lack of a "bigger picture". Why aren't we spending riders to all these international events in order to gain experience? I'm sure the standard answer would be cost, in which case why not set up some kind of fund (similar to Kickstarter) to allow fans to make a contribution?

Don't get me wrong, if Worrall, Garrity or anyone else is in the top four British riders come World Cup time, then they should absolutely be in the running. But they shouldn't get a place simply for being younger than another better performing rider.

The World Cup is not the right place to give young riders "a go". You should field your strongest four. If the likes of Garrity, Newman etc. want experience racing against the best in the world, then let them find a place in the Swedish and Polish leagues, race in World and Team U21s and get their experience the same way young foreign riders do.