Sir Sidney

So sorry not to follow your rules. I'll get back in my box

As this is a Belle Vue thread I don't want to take it over with other comments, but I cannot agree with you that the racing at Wimbledon was boring. Like everywhere else it had good and bad meetings. I do agree with your other points. British speedway does need to take a hard look at its self in readiness for next season

The fact is all 3 teams closed as the owners wanted to develop the sites, nothing to do with them being slick tracks. At the point Wimbledon closed the promoters wanted to take them up a division - nothing to do with crowd size and quality of racing and all to do with the owners wanting to knock down the stadium and build housing

Almost certain that, based on current experience, BSPL would put barriers in the way of such events, limiting who could ride.

Thanks for parking advice. I'll aim to arrive in plenty of time to park in the car park and avoid the road parking. Much appreciated

I'm intending to go to the meeting at Wolverhampton in the evening. It's some years since I last went to Monmore. Can anyone advise on how easy it is to park please? Thanks

You are measuring the experience on the size of the crowd- but where are you wanting to compare it to? I would say the IOW are getting crowds which would be comparable with or better than other NDL teams (and that is the level they have chosen to operate at), but perhaps more importantly they are at a level which makes it sustainable. However, my main point is that any promoter at any level could learn from them and increase their own attendance.

Trees, you seem to have a downer on the IOW offer and I don't know why that is. I can understand that you don't like the racing on offer - but you must take into account the restrictions that the Warriors have had to operate within this year. However, any one who goes to watch an event with an open mind could not fail to be impressed by the the whole show - from the minute you are welcomed by the parking team right up to the moment you leave ( and if you are travelling back to the mainland on the late ferry the customer care continues right up to the point you have to go back to your car ). Any promoter would come away from a visit with at least a couple of ideas that would improve their own show, and therefore their customers night out.

I couldn't agree with you more. I am a great advocate and supporter of what IOW has achieved this year

I'd certainly agree that British speedway as a whole needs to have a serious rethink, and only pay out what it can afford

Given that it appears that not enough people were interested in the higher level product then that's a dilemma

You will know better than me then - so NDL unsustainable on two levels

I came to quite a few of the meetings so yes. I think the NDL at that point was a great product. I think this year, with the imposed new model, there are simply insufficient numbers of teams to create enough meetings for a stand alone team. That is why I think it is unsustainable, rather than the quality of the racing and the number of supporters who would attend.

Although of course BSPL has changed the NDL model dramatically by imposing a new operating model this year - so really not sustainable for a stand alone team

Well, he will know where to find his first clown

http://www.kent-speedway.com/news.php?extend.1744.1

I only wish I could. My 'local' clubs are all circa 60 miles or more away sadly

Or perhaps, as reported elsewhere, they just had fewer entrance gates open. I sincerely hope it was because more people were there to watch the top two teams in the league

Exactly. Wouldn't it be refreshing for BSPL to say now exactly ( or even approximately) how it envisaged this would work?

I have absolutely no idea Old Bob. I do think it will be different to this year - for good or bad I can't say

Let's assume for the moment that the NDL stays with the same points limit next year. Team averages will have risen to say 42 (as mathematically they must rise) and so teams will have to reduce again. How do you think will they do that? - Get rid of the 10 point number one and replace with a 3 point rider - drop two riders with a total average of 13 to bring in two more 3 point riders. There are any number of permutations, but it is unreasonable to think that there are enough available places in the Championship to take all the displaced riders (assuming you consider they are good enough ) , and that there is a sufficient number of safe riders to come in on a 3 point average each year. I suspect the NDL will change the rules again next season.

Sadly I doubt any thought was given to 2022 when the rules for 2021 were imposed.

Do you know what the plan is for 2022 ? It's a mathematical certainty that the averages will have increased to a level significantly above the points limit for this year. If the same limit is in place next year then a number of this year's riders will have to be jettisoned.

You clearly haven't followed why it is that IOW are not in the NDL this year. It's nothing to do with covid restrictions.

I was at the IOW meeting yesterday. It was anything but a sideshow. So much that others could learn by attending. If you get a chance to go then do. I defy any promoter to attend and not come away with a hatful of ideas that they could adapt to their own needs. The stadium is presented immaculately, the whole staff and volunteers are as warm and welcoming as you could want, whilst also being extremely professional The racing was very good and I would happily watch that evert week. Riders were out and ready to go as soon as the riders were in from the previous race. The riders interacted with the crowd The promoters seek feedback. Barry was out talking to people in the queue before the gates opened, he was talking to people at the ferry terminal whilst we were waiting for the 'speedway special' sailing, and he walked round the ferry lounge thanking people for attending. Martin was also talking to supporters on the ferry. If that is all a sideshow (and I have only touched the surface here ) it'll do for me - and I reiterate the speedway was plenty good enough as well.