Reliant Robin

Would need a fairly huge swing in averages to make that happen, so I'd say very unlikely

I'd be confident that Poole will make the Playoffs.....wouldn't bet against them going on to win the thing even given their early season form. Somerset Swindon Poole Kings Lynn Belle Vue Wolverhampton Leicester

BSF, where facts are classed as pedantry. Mighty high horse.

There is always going to be a them and us mentality of sorts. Rightly or wrongly, the more 'professional' of Clubs (best of a bad bunch maybe) are growing tired of constantly having to come down to the lowest denominator when it is doing nothing for their business or the Sport in UK. As a Swindon fan, I want to see a decent standard, but I understand that may not be possible financially throughout the league. Unfortunately there are not enough Clubs run too well and those Clubs who would rather grow their business than keep coming down a level need others to race against. There isn't going to be a universally popular route forward. Swindon were given full protection and priority over Championship to be able to run 50% of their league meetings on a Thursday. He's not a member, hasn't been for almost 10 years apparently

Not at all, I'm making out that £250,000 + is better than the zero originally suggested. I am also reasoning that Speedway in UK at this moment in time is not worth much more. I am also reasoning that Clubs have very few obligations for the money they receive. One home meeting covered on TV.

£13,000 is still a lot more than you were originally saying. Bearing in mind that generally, each Club will have one home meeting covered by BT (exc Playoffs), what else do Clubs have to do for this money? Going on what I read on here, £13,000 is the equivalent of some Clubs gates. On top of that, all Clubs have their contribution to BSPA admin paid for, including Championship Clubs. I would guesstimate that BSPA are receiving around £250,000 a year for TV, plus a bit more from abroad.

Correct, BT do not pay the hosting Club. They pay BSPA a license fee for the season which is then distributed how BSPA see fit. Equates to a lot more than the initial £3k per meeting you had said.

Do you honestly believe that BSPA would have accepted a deal for £3k per meeting? Way off the mark, and would have been a case of no TV coverage if that was the case I'm sure. Wherever that figure has come from (I've seen it mentioned a few times) it has been divided by about 5 I'd reckon! That said, streaming is still a viable proposition, if marketed and worked at correctly

It's not ok to kill 3 tracks, certainly not, but trotting out the 'prop up the Premiership' line is laughable. Tracks need to run on best night to suit them, that should be their choice. The problem comes with all of the doubling up that has been allowed to increase year on year giving all sorts of clashes and pieced together teams as well as causing a mess with averages between the two leagues. This needs restricting first and foremost. Clubs should then run on the night they think suits their fanbase best. Clubs with assets should have first call in all instances on those riders, even for re-arranged fixtures. We'd then see which league is propping up the other. It would encourage the Championship to invest in fresh talent rather than relying on borrowing riders from the other league.....and vice versa. It won't happen overnight as it has gone too far, but restrictions on doubling up are vital should 2/3 leagues remain. Edited to add, if there is financial trouble at Rye, I hope they can come out the other side. If that means the BSPA backtracking on FRN then so be. We shouldn't be losing Clubs over a silly choice of nights made in November.

To be fair, whoever his replacement would have been would more than likely have had similar chances

Looks like Smith will now be available to Swindon on Thursday following Sheffield's changes. MPT missing is a big blow to Kings Lynns chances, but Lambert and a couple of others in decent form. Should be a good meeting, and if Swindon start how they did last Thursday then it could spell trouble.

Swindon had protection (as did their opponents) on fixtures originally scheduled for a Thursday. So would imagine Kerr will be there on Thursday rather than riding for Glasgow. MPT may well be missing as was a later signing for Kings Lynn - going by last Thursday, it appears protection only stretched as far as the initial fixture list and initial team declarations.

Wow, surprised to read this. Was thinking Somerset have made a tidy start to the season under the radar, and with home meetings in hand look quite well placed early on. Don't see that these changes make the team stronger, and Wright seems to be a fans favourite wherever he goes due to his never say die racing style. Strange changes here.

Also worth noting with Bellego last night, the collision in the first staging of heat 3 bent his bike. He realised this after his 2nd ride of the night. Got pulled out of his 3rd one, then went out on an un-bent bike in heat 14 and won comfortably. There's a few inconsistencies in there, but generally I still like the feel of this team and think we'll be pushing for trophies at the end of the season. After last season, I think there are a section of our fans who think we should be winning every meeting, and should be scoring at least 55 at home each time. Entertainment wise, I prefer a meeting like last night to a drubbing.

Not forgetting the fee to BSPA....reduced from previous I'm sure, but certainly not 'nothing' by all accounts

I don't think it would save them money....any saving would be spent, and some, if riders had complete freedom of movement. I'm not saying I'm I complete agreement with the 'asset' system how it currently is, but scrapping it completely isn't the answer and would not do supporters of the Sport in UK any favours in my opinion. I do think a Club should have to use their assets within a timeframe or lose them rather than sitting on them indefinitely.

I'd suggest that if there was freedom of movement then costs for Promoters would increase at an even faster rate. Riders would be better off and be open to the highest bidder each year, even more so than they are now. Who do we think those increased costs would end up being passed onto?

It certainly is sad, but it is where the sport stands currently

No chance, most old PL promoters in 2013 would have been delighted with a 1,000 average crowd

In turn continuing to damage the top league in order to protect 3 clubs in the lower league. Nothing changes. It had been agreed prior to AGM that Mondays & Thursday's would be Premiership nights. That's why they are the protected days, as requested by BSPA, within the International Speedway League bodies agreement

I'll bet most of them are assets of Premiership Clubs. Do you not understand, it isn't just a Swindon issue. Not running on a Thursday and having to go with Wednesday's instead is causing problems generally across the top league. The whole point of having fixed race nights is being undone due to the strings being pulled by the lower league. There are guests and R/R continuing to be used on this race night, and re-arranging any postponed fixtures onto a Wednesday race night is becoming more and more difficult for those Clubs that would want to due to rider commitments on the continent. The top league could take a similar stance to yours, claim Thursday and Friday and insist all Championship Clubs work around it or move up a league. Alternatively, Clubs should be able to go back to racing on nights that suit their own business needs best. In the event of any clashes, priority goes to the division in which the rider is an asset, no matter whether re-arranged at a days notice or not. Give some worth to the asset system at least.

Decent meeting last night, the best at Swindon so far in terms of racing. Swindon always looked relatively comfortable for the win, but did think throughout that Wolves may nick a league point. Fantastic to see a performance like that from Zach, will do his confidence the world of good. Onwards and upwards

Exactly that, it was designed to prevent the doubling up clashes left right and centre, and to that end it is working

Prior to that FIM meeting of International leagues, and prior to AGM, at a meeting of all Premiership Promoters, it was agreed that protection should be sought at the above mentioned FIM meeting for Premiership to run on Mondays & Thursdays. We are where we are and hopefully things will work out for all Clubs. I will say, although it's early in the season, Swindon don't seem to a have been affected so far in terms of attendances and guests/RR. Hopefully that continues when they run on non-Bank Holiday Mondays later in the season

Which part isn't true? Thursday's may not have been Poole's preference, but I am certain that Monday & Thursday was agreed as the fixed race nights for Premiership speedway. I'm led to believe Poole & one other were against this....for the other 6, this was their preference and was therefore what priority for these days was based upon with the other International Federations.