World Final V Grand Prix

[The Know]

Can I ask a serious question, and one I'm interested to know the answer to please?

What would make you change your mind? What would need to happen to the sport for you, as a sponsor, to want to invest in British speedway?

 

Okay, that was two questions.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now thats a good question and one i ask myself.

What would change my mind. Iam not sure really if there is anything that would change our minds. The way the sport is run under the bspa is not correct and i wouldnt give money to clubs knowing it could be used towards the fees for the bspa to send on whatever they choose.

 

Invest in british speedway.

If there was a proper training programme for kids and i mean like in poland and so on abroad i would be glad to put funds into this as long as it was used for the kids.

 

The thing with speedway is you wont whatever company you are get a return on speedway. The people that generally do it love speedway and the ones who think they will get a return dont hang around long because they dont.

We have a yearly sponsorship budget of 100.000 which is split 80% speedway 20% motocross and since 2001 when we came into speedway have spent approx 600.000 on uk clubs- riders and sgp. Now this is not a large amount compared to very large companys and more high profile sports and most people think were mad doing it but at the end of the day we like speedway and many people we have meet in it. If more companys came into speedway and put the same or more money into it maybe it would help change things for all the clubs. Unfortunutly all sponsors seem to be knocked all the time and this maybe puts others coming in, i dont mind as use to it now But there we go thats what i think but others have there way at looking at it and who is right or wrong who knows I will stop boring you now.

[Kevin Meynell]

Times change, pity you dont. 

 

The bottom line is that despite the hype, BSI have changed little in terms of making speedway a globally, marketed sport. It remains focused on a small handful of countries, and even within those countries, it is not mainstream at all (and that includes Poland).

 

To be fair, I don't think this is entirely the fault of BSI because speedway has always been a working class sport that hasn't been able to leverage patronage in the way (say) cricket has. I will acknowledge they have been far more successful than the BSPA in terms of obtaining television and sponsorship money, although it's nothing like in the same league as some other 'minority' sports that had similar followings to speedway in the past.

 

At the end of the day, speedway really only has an substantial audience in Britain, Poland, Sweden and possibly Denmark. There may also be a possibility to better exploit the likes of Australia, Germany and Russia, but that really is about it in terms of marketing potential. Many grand plans for a full-time SGP were postulated years ago, but I feel they have never come to fruition for precisely this reason.

[Mr. Clemens]

In the sports section of the October issue of the Sky TV magazine there is an article concerning the American NFL

 

In this article it tells of American Football history being made when a crowd of 103,467 people in Mexico City watched the Arizona Cardinals versus the San Francisco 49er’s.

 

As the article says – this was the first regular season game held outside the USA

The success of this convinced the NFL – to take the show on the road

And curtain up is at Wembley Stadium England on Sunday 28th October 2007

 

Teams playing are the Miami Dolphins versus the New York Giants

This is a real match – not an exhibition match – nor is it a warm up game

This is the real thing

 

There were 500,000 applications for tickets

Thousands will fly in from Miami for the game – as the game is home match – therefore the ‘home team’s fans’ were guaranteed a ticket allocation

 

In the 1990’s – Rupert Murdoch – owner of Sky TV – bought up the TV rights of what was then the English First Division – in order to monopolise the broadcasting of what subsequently became the Premier League Football

 

In the years after the formation of the Premier League – what can be called the ‘favoured’ football teams – those with the largest fan base – the so called ‘rich clubs’ - came to forward to dominate the game

 

These being primarily - Manchester United – Arsenal – Liverpool – while various other clubs fought to gain – ‘favoured football club status’ – and break into - the fabled ‘top four teams’ – eligible to compete in the European Champions League

 

Around the same time the movement began – that was intended to eventually lead to the formation of a European Super League – incorporating – the favoured football teams of each European Nation – that played under the UEFA flag

 

But for a European Super League to take shape – these favoured football teams – would not only have to withdraw from UEFA but from FIFA too

It was made very clear - this was the intention of a number of the elite European football clubs – that this was their future – and they intended to put this plan into practice

 

Being one hundred percent aware - this was going to happen – Murdoch attempted to buy Manchester United - in order to have control of the television rights for the games that involved United – in the event that this European Super League – came into existence

 

FIFA - aware what was happening – and what it meant to them - and what it meant to them - was – that the power base of FIFA – would be undermined - put a spanner in these works – by making it known – that those players who played in this European Super League – would lose their registration with FIFA – and therefore would no longer be eligible to play international football for their countries

 

As a result of these manoeuvres – the formation of the European Super League – was stopped in its tracks – and the Champions League was brought into existence – as a compromise – in other words European football fell between two stools – where it languishes to this day

 

Fell between two stools because – the established – old fashioned routine of European football no longer existed – but neither was the new version of European football presentation fulfilled – so European football on TV – pauses now at the half way house between – what football was – and what football will become

 

Once FIFA had successfully put the spanner in the works – Murdoch immediately dropped his interest in the purchase of Manchester United - like a hot potato

Man U fans were quite happy that Murdoch pulled out of buying their club – because they knew what was going to happen – if he managed to buy Man U

 

And what was going to happen was this – exactly what is now happening with the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants

The European Super League games – would – eventually – take place – all over the world

For example Man U would play Juventus in Tokyo Japan – and the game would be broadcast all round the world – and to these two clubs respective fans – sat in their own stadiums – watching it all – on giant TV screens – while Mr Murdoch – would have reaped the rewards of the ownership of Manchester United – that FIFA subsequently denied him

 

Alex Ferguson is also aware of all this – being the reason he has already said – that international football is dead in the water

For Ferguson believes most devoutly in the ‘manifest destiny’ of Manchester United to truly be the greatest football club on earth – in every sense of that concept

And this can only come about if the European Super League is formed and Manchester United become truly – A World Football Club – with a fan base in every country – they are invited to play in – in essence playing in front of their – ‘home’ supporters – every other game

 

For this is what Mat Busby meant – when he said he wanted Manchester United to be the greatest club on earth – but Busby was looking at the situation within the context of the old UEFA and FIFA dominated system – not in the shape of a European Super League – he might have foreseen it – but it couldn’t have happened in his day

 

In the Sun newspaper today there is on page 67 – an article concerning Arsene Wenger – with the title – ‘English football has lost its soul’

 

The article talks about all these foreign buyers coming in and buying up all the football clubs – that have the potential – to develop to the point where they can be classed as – real contenders for all the top honours in domestic and European football

 

The reason these wealthy business men – Americans – Russians – et al – are buying up English football clubs is – that at some point –European football - stalled at the halfway house – described earlier – will free itself from the restraints put upon it by FIFA – and the European Super League – will become fact

 

And European football – will be played anywhere in the world – in the country of the highest bidder – prepared to lay out a fortune – to be visited by these teams

 

This is the reason the Glazer’s bought Man U – and the reason the fans protested so vehemently against it – to no avail – and to their eternal regret – as the future unfolds

 

This is the reason Abramovich bought Chelsea – the reason those two Americans bought Liverpool – the reason that other American bought Aston Villa

The reason – another Russian billionaire is in the process of buying Arsenal

They all want a piece of this forthcoming satellite TV money machine

 

And Arsene Wenger is the ‘dinosaur’ – the ‘boring old fart’ – that sees what’s happening – and sends out a dire warning to one and all – that football might die a long and bitter death

Arsene – on the other hand - sticks to the tried and tested concept of what football was – but no longer is – nor quite yet – what some require it to become

 

And already his position at Arsenal is being undermined – by the Russian billionaire creeping in there – buying up shares – even though – Arsenal is solvent – in fact the richest club in England – despite the fact Wenger didn’t spend his allocated transfer budget – and thereby prove – that football doesn’t need this new money – as much as it likes to think it does

 

Despite the fact he has shown – by example – that billionaire ownership isn’t needed in English football – Arsenal will still become owned by this Russian – and Wenger disgusted and dispirited will no doubt retire from active participation in football – and spend his declining years saying to people – ‘I told you that football would die if the designs of all these people – with attitudes alien to the true spirit of football – were allowed to own football – mind - body and soul’

 

This ‘stance taken’ by Wenger invites parallels with Ole Olsen I- circa 1975 – when he won his world championship that year – mounted on a two valve bike – in defiance of those who were already switching to four valves – determined to show his fellow riders – that there is progress and there is progress – and the general adoption of the four valve bike – wasn’t necessarily progress - conducive with the competitive spirit of the sport of speedway

 

And what in fact – you may ask – has all the above to do with Speedway????

Well – as it has been stated – Murdoch – wanted to buy Man U – in order to have his feet in both camps when it came to broadcasting this - European Super League

By owning Manchester United – and the Satellite TV broadcasting rights

But FIFA put their spanner in the works – for the time being

 

In the meantime - Murdoch – with this idea for the world wide presentation of football - on his mind – but unable to bring it about – needed a guinea pig to test out these ideas in practice – so he cast around for some sport – suitably down on its uppers – that could do with – both a financial boost and TV exposure – and through Sky TV found – Speedway

 

And none other than Ole Olsen himself – that great innovator of the presentation of speedway – stepped forward - with an already tested out plan of action – to promote speedway - in a different form than previously – the Speedway Grand Prix series – and Speedway fell- like a ripe plum – into the hands of Sky TV

 

The Speedway Grand Prix series - would replace the old Speedway World Championship format - that previously - speedway riders - had to compete in – in order to become World Speedway Champion

In the beginning – there were six GP’s in the series – which has grown now to eleven in 2007

 

Initially the rights of the Speedway Grand Prix series – were owned by BSI – and now they are owned by IMG

It is IMG’s intention to make of Speedway – that which the top European football teams - wish to make of the European Super League - a world wide Television franchise – a money making machine

 

And the presentation of the SGPs – will take place – in various countries around the world – within the countries that - IMG believe - will respond positively to the idea of presenting a Speedway Grand Prix – all of which will be broadcast by satellite – and fed into the homes of – the World Wide Speedway Grand Prix Supporters Club

 

Thus speedway – like the NFL – is going to go through – a sea change – in what it is as a sport – the way it is presented – and the way those involved in speedway – react to all these changes – as they unfold

 

And all this is being done – to test the ground – for the inevitable transformation of European football – into a world wide TV franchise – which will come about – when all these billionaires – buying out English football in particular – are ready to pull European football – out of UEFA and FIFA – to form – the European Super League

 

And once football falls into line – with this TV master plan – every other sport will follow on obediently – into the world wide TV broadcasting fold

It’s not often speedway leads football in innovations – but in this particular case it is doing – and will continue to do so – till football accepts the inevitability of its future

 

Those actively involved in speedway – be they promoters – riders – mechanics – administration – the FIM – the BSPA – are all of them aware that something is happening – to the sport they live and breathe for

Some of them might have no idea what it is – others might have an inkling of what it is – and others definitely know what it is – and all the above is it

 

But for all of this to bear fruit – in the manner desired – requires that speedway be a vibrant forward thinking sport – on every level – in as many countries as possible

 

The master plan

Relies on – a strong senior speedway league – e.g the Elite League

Relies on – a strong intermediate speedway league – e.g the Premier League

Relies on – a strong breeding ground for young riders – e.g the Conference League

Relies on – all of these leagues to be strong and vibrant

 

In order that they feed the SGP – with a constant supply of up and coming riders – with the required professionalism – to compete in the SGPs – in the manner required of a top class international speedway rider

 

Because it is obvious – that you can’t have the one thing – the SGPs – without the other – League Speedway – taking place in the traditional European hotspots

And wherever leagues can be established worldwide

Because you have to have speedway leagues – and their speedway teams – in order that supporters – will have local speedway to support – so they will be suitably motivated to tune into the world wide SGPs – broadcast on TV

 

British Speedway – has found itself at the most profound crossroads in its entire existence – on the eve of its 80th birthday

With the current BSPA – in the position where – the decisions they make – will take speedway in Britain – to a bright new future – or to its extinction

 

And the IMG will take the cream of speedway – riders who no longer have a commitment to a speedway team in GB – to perform in their extended series of GPs – perhaps 20 of them a year

But the final number will be the one – deemed most practical – to all those taking part – especially the riders - in particular – expected to perform in them

 

But league speedway can survive in GB – but without senior league speedway – it can be in danger of becoming an amateur sport – in the truest sense of the term

Young riders – looking for a future in speedway – will find the doors closed to them – the opportunity of becoming a speedway world champion – will be a distant – and destined to be – an unrealisable dream - unless they can afford to go live and ride on the continent – and make such an impression – to catch the attention of the SGP organisers

 

But grassroots speedway – can seen to be in danger of extinction in GB – sacrificed on the altar of expediency – because Elite League speedway – requires top class riders now – which in the main – so promoters seem to believe - can be acquired from abroad – rather than can be bred to order – in sufficient numbers – in this country – without solid – consistent – financial investment

 

But for Sky TV – to see its plan for the future of football to work – it is necessary for them – to have a successful testing out of that plan – in the shape of speedway

Therefore – to follow this test through – it is not beyond the realms of possibility – that Sky would inject money into British Speedway – in order to keep it afloat

 

Keep it afloat until – at least – and at last – the European Super Football League – is formed – and the real master plan is put into practice – then speedway having served its purpose – might well be find itself - once more - out there on its own – left to its own devices - to live or die as it chooses

[Trees]

Hmmmmmmmm, as usual very thought provoking MrC!

[iris123]

Now thats a good question and one i ask myself.

What would change my mind. Iam not sure really if there is anything that would change our minds. The way the sport is run under the bspa is not correct and i wouldnt give money to clubs knowing it could be used towards the fees for the bspa to send on whatever they choose.

How much leverage in decision making do you have though as a major sponsor?Think in some sports and you can even see that in speedway with Sky,people putting money in can have a say in how the sport is run.I remember Lewisham Council getting a seat on the board when they sponsored Millwall

Invest in british speedway.

If there was a proper training programme for kids and i mean like in poland and so on abroad i would be glad to put funds into this as long as it was used for the kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And there we agree.If i won €100,000,000 on the lottery today that is the only area i would put my spare cash into.Decent all weather stadium with proper training and probably a scheme so that youngsters could get started with no initial outlay.Trouble is i don't play the lottery anymore

[mark cox]

The GP's will continue as long as they generate enough money for Ole & his mates to continue to run them.

We will continue to watch them on Sky/travel to watch first hand, because we love speedway in what ever form we are allowed to watch.

Some people love them because in its ideal form we see the top riders in the world, 11 times a year on great race tracks, with the best rider being crowned World Champion. What could be better or fairer than that?!

Well in a weeks time there is the final GP of the year, & apart from fans of the brilliant Pedersen & the riders gunning for £50,000, does anyone else give a stuff?

Whereas if 16 riders were lined up next week, all with a chance of becoming Champion, I would guess there would be a bit more interest & anticipation...

I know such talk is dismissed by some as living in the past, you've got to move with the times, etc, but one of the main reasons people watch sport is the chance of the unpredictable actually happening. It adds to the entertainment value & therefore keeps people interested & engaged in the sport.

The Olympic Games, the World Cups in football, rugby etc; these are all events that are massively popular, that are decided ultimately in 'one off' finals. The athletes etc know that firstly they have to be good to actually progess through stages, before giving their very best on the day required.

In the past in speedway, the greats still became World Champion in one off finals, & if next Saturday was the same, Pedersen would be the favourite & the most deserving winner, but the interest would be that he might not win.

The old system did give a natural progression to the speedway year, giving a chance to any new British young prospect to progress through British, Overseas & intercontinental finals, where every meeting held an interest, not just for the glory of winning, but to see the mad scramble to qualify. It might not be fair to the most consistent rider, but who gives one about that?! We want entertaining!

Anyway enough of the ramlings of an old man, I'm off back to my cave.

What times the GP on next week?