Div 3 and a CL?

[Phil]

With the increasing number of stand alone clubs in the CL what do you think of the idea of having a new division for those clubs?

 

Hopefully over time this could increase in size as new tracks are born and the option for any struggling PL teams to drop down.

 

The CL could then stay more or less as is with a few changes to the use of ex-EL / PL riders!

 

There are many obvious pitfalls to this, one being that currently they are not really enough teams at about 8 to do this but think it is worth looking at and putting in the plan?

[Tony]

IMHO I wouldn't think this would be a very prudent idea.

 

Firstly, the three tier structure is enough and at the lower end it could use a few extra clubs with the same amount filtering up so the top league is increased.

 

Another tier would almost certainly lead to another set of specific rules, lord knows we need more rules that differ - not.

 

It's my view we need three leagues of roughly the same number of sides all working to broadly similar rules. Meaningful inter league competitions become a posiblity but there needs to be a proper distribution of Sky money. If Sky wants to cover the EL only that's fine, but some of the money MUST go to strengthening the grass roots of the sport.

 

Otherwise it may not be there much longer.

[Scunny Stag]

Whilst an increase in CL teams might make it more complex to arrange fixtures I think the current structure is fine (not to say that 4 tiers is wrong). The second teams have the option of running in the Trophy (7 home meetings), the league (12 meetings) or even both. Then of course, they can add the KOC. I think that flexibility has helped encourage Armadale, Trelawny and Stoke to ride in the Trophy this season and Oxford, Wolverhampton and Swindon step up to the league (if I'm not mistaken).

 

As for Tony's suggestion I think it would be a bad idea to take money away from the EL and give more to the CL. I'm a big fan of the CL but the EL is the one struggling to survive whilst the CL, like all motor sports at the lowest level, has to be treated as a hobby. The more money given to the CL is only likely to tempt has beens back into the sport or worse still tempt them down from higher leagues.

 

Phil, What was your thinking behind the question? The number of teams at that level, a disparity between the top and bottom teams or something else?

[Phil]

Phil, What was your thinking behind the question? The number of teams at that level, a disparity between the top and bottom teams or something?

 

To be honest it was just a thought to throw into the pot and I am not convinced at myself especially with the 'rules' issue.

 

Some of the 'stand alone' CL clubs have a different aims to the clubs running in the CL as a second team. Just wondered if it might be a possible solution to allow the stand allow clubs to increase their strength closer to the PL level.

[Tony]

As for Tony's suggestion I think it would be a bad idea to take money away from the EL and give more to the CL. I'm a big fan of the CL but the EL is the one struggling to survive whilst the CL, like all motor sports at the lowest level, has to be treated as a hobby. The more money given to the CL is only likely to tempt has beens back into the sport or worse still tempt them down from higher leagues.

 

That makes sense, of course it does, but I think that view is in danger of being too short termist (is that a word?). I believe speedway needs quite a overhaul next year and that must be a long term plan.

 

All sports will attract money if successful at the highest levels, ultimately that results in cash shortages lower down and that really must be avoided if British speedway is to be healthy long term.

 

If you look at any sport when it achieves big sponsorship things always look great cash wise at the top, but I can think of no example where a few years down the road the infrastructure hasn't then started to creak. Football, Rugby and Athletics have all been the same.

 

My point is that speedway needs to recognise this now and ensure that the league structure it puts in place is here to stay.

[Mylor]

All sports will attract money if successful at the highest levels, ultimately that results in cash shortages lower down and that really must be avoided if British speedway is to be healthy long term.

 

But Tony, don't you think that the greater the popularity of the sport at the highest levels, the greater the attendances lower down?

[Lioness]

In my experiences in Scottish football Mylor it doesn't work that way unfortunately.

 

I think even in English football the pinch is beginning to be felt showing that even there what is happening is that the rich are getting richer and the poor are facing extinction as they overspend to try and keep up.

 

One thing speedway has to make sure it doesn't do is go into the spiraling debt football and rugby clubs have found themselves in in recent years.

 

In football we are doing it from the bottom up-clubs are investing more in youth and less in players they can't afford. In speedway some promoters are trying to do the same and should be applauded for it. Unfortunately they will still always be at the mercy of the money men coming in and stealing away their best riders but hopefully that will be tightened up in the near future.

[Tony]

All sports will attract money if successful at the highest levels, ultimately that results in cash shortages lower down and that really must be avoided if British speedway is to be healthy long term.

 

But Tony, don't you think that the greater the popularity of the sport at the highest levels, the greater the attendances lower down?

 

Hi Mylor

 

I think I tend to agree with Lioness on this, it doesn't always work that way. Soccer may be slightly worse off generally though as much of the time the bigger soccer clubs are playing at the same time as the smaller ones. Fans have to be attracted to the the bigger game and cannot choose to be in two places at once even if they wanted to be.

 

In speedway of course the fixtures are more spead out and it would be stupid for Arena therefore to run on the same night as Rye or Glasgow on the same night as Edinburgh.

 

This should go some way to help attendances as the sport gains popularity.

[DavidC]

I don't think the CL needs much tinkering with, it's doing a good job in producing young British talent, keeping some clubs in existence and providing some important youth training for second string clubs. The current situation of clubs being able to choose how many fixtures they approximately want by choosing which competitions they enter is a good one IMO.

 

Only 5 clubs are stand alone - not a great deal I think and the differences in the league gives it great variety. The fact the league is now in it's tenth season is a testimony to its success - none of us could of believed a third division in the sport would keep going for so long.

 

Second-string clubs I believe struggle to attract crowds they deserve, I'm thinking of Sheffield and Peterborough, and splitting the league would only lesser their crowds and could prove a headache for promoters financially.

 

There is always room for improvement of course, rules on the eligibility of higher league riders and foreign riders still needs to be addressed. The one old hand rule per team is good one but the rules on riders averages in the league still needs to be looked at.

[Deano]

A rule change in the form of enabling conferance league teams to sell their produce, would be of benefit. This would create greater financial stability for clubs who do not get good attendance figures, a small BSPA 'tax' on this fee could enable money to be distributed to help start up new conferance league venues. The BSPA would of course have a financial interest in a new club if this was to happen.