MattK

Channel 20077

What, being at home all day and listening to her constant nagging was enough to make him want to take jobs in three different countries again?

I like the current format.

Very cheap. How much does it cost to watch a top football league match in Russia and Poland?

I was looking at the prices of GP tickets and the Polish GPs seem a similar price to Cardiff. I would be interested to know what it costs for regular league matches in Poland, Sweden and Latvia.

Very, very impressive. I wonder how much it cost to build?

Has a European ever won the Australian Championships before?

Why didn't Leigh Adams take his first ride?

Do you have any proof that speedway on TV has resulted in reduced crowds? I don't know anyone who chooses to watch a meeting on TV, rather than attend their local track. Personally I think it would be a massive boost to speedway if it could get coverage on a free-to-air channel, both in terms of a wider audience and increased media interest. I always feel there is a kind of "boycott" by other media if a sport is shown exclusively on Sky.

Excellent write-up, as always. Many thanks!

Excellent reporting, many thanks!

But why? Already quality riders are in short supply. Having 16 teams in the top flight will spread the better riders even thinner and will force clubs to do an "Oxford" and desparately scrabble for anything that resembles a heat-leader, regardless of costs and availability. We need to make EL speedway more attractive to stay-away riders and therefore create more competition between riders for team places, rather than the current situation that forces teams to compete, on price, amongst each other for the top riders.

Albeit with the name of the local lap dancing club plastered all over them

I agree with the OP that speedway at the moment is very confused as to which team to bat for. On one side it is marketing itself as a family friendly sport, but on the other hand it's booking guest appearances of "babes" and attracting sponsorship from the likes of Zoo and PartyPoker.

I know absolutely nothing about TV production, but that doesn't stop me from being nosey. How much did C4 pay for the rights to sho those highlights (which they then proceeded to show at 4AM)? Was the fact they showed it at bizarre times part of the deal?

I think the riders who finish outside the top 8 in the GPs and don't qualify though this competition should have to complete a tie break: I deserve to be in the GP because... in 15 words or less.

OK, how come there are only two GP riders?

How come Hampel is the only GP rider competing in this?

Blimey, £4.99 is a bit of a bargain.

Excellent write up guys! Thanks.

I think I'd swap Kennett with Stead, but other than that, I think it's looking good. I can't see the point of dropping one of the top five in order to allow a "track specialist" to ride at Coventry. I think you're better off giving Kennett the extra experience and after all, qualifying via the race-off isn't a bad thing, ask the Danes.

Anyone know why Leigh Adams was missing for Masarna?

Someone feel free to correct my frightening naivety, but how much "tactics" are involved in the World Cup? You pick five riders, who to all intents and purpose pick themselves, you decide on an order and you send them out. If you need to "motivate" any of these riders to represent their country in the World Cup, then I'd suggest you've picked the wrong rider. Maybe I'm under egging it a little bit, but come on! Personally, I think Neil Middleditch does an acceptable job with the riders he has available. Before castrating Middlo, or indeed naming a successor, I would ask "what would you do differently?".

How come so many top riders are dropping down into the Polish Liga I?

Poltran does Polish/English translations. But as you said, it seems to translate Polish into a form of English not spoken on these shores for around 100 years.