KevH Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Addison Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I think SCB has summed it all up brilliantly for me.Thats exactly how i feel about EL or PL. Steve i have seen Elite League meetings around the country both live and on sky and some meetings were pretty good but there is no way that it is this wonderful product that you profess,with what did you say,races you can only imagine.Come off it.The main thing i can't understand about your point is you make it sound like we have to watch the GP stars to see great and exciting racing or super skill.We see some unbelievable races at times at Owlerton at Premier level,races that make the hairs stand on the back of your neck,then i think back to when we've had EL guys down.The Elite League Riders Final and World Team Cup and frankly most races were quite boring,with riders strung out on rocket ship bikes 30 yards apart.I wouldn't cross the road to watch that.There are plenty of exciting riders and riders with raw talent too to watch at Premier Level.I love my speedway on a thursday night,and i can't wait till the next meeting every week but i can honestly say with hand on heart if Sheffield were to move up as the Elite League is now i'd be gutted.Where else could you see someone like Carlos Villar too,i can't wait till he comes back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 14, 2003 Report Share Posted July 14, 2003 I really can not see Sheffield moving up. I could only really see Andre Compton and Andy Moore in the EL team. Think Sean would prefer to stay in the PL and the rest of the team would not be good enough apart from possibly Ricky at reserve. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo_1515 Posted July 14, 2003 Report Share Posted July 14, 2003 Phillip, you said about all EL racing being spread out, well it's not all like that. I know most of it but we do get good close racing with lots of passing. Even I don't like meetings where it is all strung out. Take when Poole came to Coventry last, for example, I thought that was a pretty boring meeting racing wise.. most of the times were below 60 seconds and people were just gating and zooming off into the distance. I didn't enjoy that and would much prefer to see close racing with lots of overtaking. When you have meetings like that, what chance have the lesser riders got, when their machines are nowhere near as fast as the top guys. Speedway, in my opinion, is about skill, and overtaking people, not how fast you can go. Personally, I would love to see Sheffield come into the EL, but that's just because I've heard lots of good things about your track, and the amount of passing and good racing you get, I want you in the EL so I can visit your track! When you are in the PL, I have no reason too so mum won't take me! :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Sadly - depite requests from Phil in the 'posting guidelines' bit - this seems to have degenerated into 'my leagues better than your league' type arguements!!! This is just the problem IMHO! The promoters must get into similar discussions at the comference every year, which is why we never seem to move forward!!! I go to most Wolves matches - home and away - plus my fair share of PL matches throughout any given season and CL matches when I can afford it - and can honestly say I enjoy ALL levels of the sport. Yes the Elite League has the top stars - but this is not always a guarantee of good racing - and I probably enjoy it slightly more because the matches I see involve MY team. However, I can see the merits of the premier league - most notably the variety of different opposition and the often closer racing than in the elite. The conference league is a good idea for helping the young guys to progress but I do worry that there seems to be too amny 'old hands' just using the league for a bit of a hobby - but that's just my view!!! There IS a big issue about self interest within ALL the leagues - probably with reason in some cases - but we have to see the thing globaly or we're no better than the powers that be who we spend a lot of time critisising!!! IMHO the whole thing needs a big shake up! We need to stick with the three leagues but they need to be more evenly distributed. If this means rider control and my team losing some of the 'big guns' then so be it! No rider is bigger than the club and whoever rides for Wolves will get my support (although I might draw the line at Billy Hamill! :twisted: ). I think it's perfectly feasible to weaken the EL teams by restricting them to only one 8.5+ rider and a lower points limit (40 or 42 points perhaps) - also possibly keep the 'doubling-up' thing but to restrict it back to British riders under 21 (or 25 for those who have less than 3 years experience - to prevent discrimation against late starters). And most importantly, no cow-towing to the one or two descenters you're sure to get (my money's on Matt Ford and Colin Pratt!) - they can't run a league on their own so if a majority want it then tough luck!!! :twisted: Finally (sorry for the long post folks!), going back to the original thread, I think the teams that should join the EL - based on fan support and the ability to make it pay - should be Swindon, Workington, Sheffield, and one of Newcastle, Arena and Kings Lynn. If Ipswich are still determined to go PL then it should five out of those six to join the seven other EL tracks. Of course there will be issues for Workington who will lose out on lucritive 'local' matches (hopefully offset a bit if Newcastle come up too) but there is also the advantage of having lots of 'new' tracks for them to visit. Also I sure many EL fans would make the journey to Cumbria as it makes such a nice change from yet another visit to Belle Vue or Coventry!!! :roll: I know I would!!! The bottom line is that we can't stick our heads in the sand and pretend everything in our own garden is rosy - speddway needs ALL the leagues and it's very short sighted to keep saying 'I'm alright Jack'. All the promoters should try to put aside their own self-interest and look at what's best for the sport as a whole - that way we might actually get the sport back to where it truly belongs!!! :!: :!: :!: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupus Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 The previous post was from me - I have no idea why my log in didn't register but I didn't want anyone to think it was from some spy in the BSPA or whatever!!! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylor Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I think the teams that should join the EL - based on fan support and the ability to make it pay - should be Swindon, Workington, Sheffield, and one of Newcastle, Arena and Kings Lynn. : Should they be compelled to join the EL lupus or do you have an incentive in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Finally (sorry for the long post folks!), going back to the original thread, I think the teams that should join the EL - based on fan support and the ability to make it pay - should be Swindon, Workington, Sheffield, and one of Newcastle, Arena and Kings Lynn. So a few pl clubs should be thrown to wolves to improve your viewing, ask your beloved CVS why he allowed with others the EL to get like it is?? Plus i really doubt any EL riders would like riding at worky due to the travelling, look what happend when the bspa had to really twist neil evitts arms to get him to sign for Halifax back in the 80s. Bottom line, PL are still suspicous of certain el promoters after the amalgamated league. The BLC would have built bridges, but cos of the usual suspects the divisions are as large as ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupus Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 So a few pl clubs should be thrown to wolves to improve your viewing, ask your beloved CVS why he allowed with others the EL to get like it is?? Plus i really doubt any EL riders would like riding at worky due to the travelling, look what happend when the bspa had to really twist neil evitts arms to get him to sign for Halifax back in the 80s. Bottom line, PL are still suspicous of certain el promoters after the amalgamated league. The BLC would have built bridges, but cos of the usual suspects the divisions are as large as ever. Firstly, If you knew ANYTHING about me, you'd know that under no circumstances could you refer to him as my 'beloved' CVS. :? :twisted: However, I do agree that the EL promoters have only themselves to blame for the problems in the EL. As I said before though, it's no good ANYONE sticking their heads in the sand and pretending everything in the garden is rosy! I realise that the PL promoters are unlikely to stick their necks out after what happened in the mid-90's but by the same token, the PL needs the EL and vice versa. I'm sure there may be some riders who would be reluctant to ride at Workington, but how do we KNOW if there's a problem unless we test the waters so to speak. Finally, I'm not suggestiing these changes for my OWN benefit but to help the sport AS A WHOLE florish and grow. I'll leave the self-interests stuff to certain promoters and fans who can only see things very close up!!! :twisted: ;-) Should they be compelled to join the EL lupus or do you have an incentive in mind? No, I do not think anyone should be 'forced' to join any league - I would hope that by evening out the teams to lower the costs for anyone moving to the EL, and therfore helping to improve the profile of speedway as whole, would be enough insentive for any promoter who has the interests of the sport as a whole in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylor Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Thanks for the reply lupus. I'm just trying to gauge people's opinions of how we get from where we are to where we want to be. There are several ways to achieve it, of course. Am I right in thinking you would favour a form of rider control? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 No, I do not think anyone should be 'forced' to join any league - I would hope that by evening out the teams to lower the costs for anyone moving to the EL, and therfore helping to improve the profile of speedway as whole, would be enough insentive for any promoter who has the interests of the sport as a whole in mind. Hostory suggests that the EL promoters largely dont operate like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupus Posted August 11, 2003 Report Share Posted August 11, 2003 Hostory suggests that the EL promoters largely dont operate like that. Can I just change your post to read 'Most Promoters from EL or PL .....' ? :twisted: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight_Lady Posted August 11, 2003 Report Share Posted August 11, 2003 I'm sure there may be some riders who would be reluctant to ride at Workington, but how do we KNOW if there's a problem unless we test the waters so to speak. Speaking from an Edinburgh point of view (and even a Glasgow one), we have always suffered when trying to sign English riders or riders based in England because they just don't want to travel. That is why we have had so many Swedes, Danes and Finns not to mention the Aussies. So in answer to your comment quoted above I would say that problem already exists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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