crazysue Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I really can't see how the public have been cheated....and certainly not by the promotion. They promised a 60K jackpot on the final heat and that is what they gave, it was the riders decision to split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rabbit Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I really can't see how the public have been cheated....and certainly not by the promotion. They promised a 60K jackpot on the final heat and that is what they gave, it was the riders decision to split. No, they promised a £60000 jackpot to the winner. Poole Speedway will launch their on-track Diamond Jubilee season with a prestigious individual meeting on Sunday March 9th 2008 with a the wealthiest prize in speedway history for a single race. The winner of the grand final of the 20 heat, 16 rider meeting will receive a life-changing £60,000 prize for the final minutes work of the meeting, an event which Poole promoter Matt Ford is looking forward to in earnest. "I am very excited about this meeting and I am sure that it will attract considerable interest from not just Poole fans but also British speedway fans. The top riders are 'up for it' and the line-up will be world class, I can assure you of that. We already have the world's reigning top 3 signed up for the event and a host of other GP riders . It is a great way for us to launch our 2008 season, which is Poole's 60th and the 10th year of myself and Mike Golding promoting here at Wimborne Road." "This will be the first domestic meeting for most of the riders invited and being so fresh in the season it is certain to provide a level playing field and the competition will be intense with all the riders keen to bank the massive £60,000. What a way to start a season!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 You mean Nicki isn't the only bad guy in this? The fellow who posted the pics of this meeting on another thread and has now been approached (apparently) by the promotion to take take offline... Wasn't this sort of un-accreditated? photography banned two? seasons ago? You cant no longer take pro-cameras with zoom lenses in to stadiums and shoot for free? Goverment afraid of people taking pics of kids peeing behind trees and such... I'm not making this up Don't know about other clubs but at Poole a photographer pays the promotion for the right to shoot there all season and then sells his photos to the fans from his stall. Rerun Video are filming every week at the stadium and again, I doubt they would be happy with the final being available for free on youtube. It devalues their product and after paying for the priviledge of filming the meeting they want a return on their investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BjarneRubble Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 So the crowd increased by 1000 after the meeting had started? And yes, I did watch a couple of later races after the interval on the third/fourth bend (after coming around for a chinwag with someone) and still it was only 1 deep around there. I'll stick to the estimate of 4000 provided by Rabbit and Bob C - at least, they don't live in fantasy land. Let me repeat that I thought it was a real shame that the meeting didn't attract a capacity crowd, after the tremendous amount of promotional work put in by Matt Ford. All the best Rob I don't live in fantasy land Mr Sam. I observe what I see, you observe what you see. Neither of us will ever be able to prove it one way or the other so why don't we just leave it like that. It's totally irrelevant anyway, so why 'nitpick' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 No, they promised a £60000 jackpot to the winner. Which they gave...it was the riders decision to split, nowt to do with the promotion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I really can't see how the public have been cheated....and certainly not by the promotion. They promised a 60K jackpot on the final heat and that is what they gave, it was the riders decision to split. It was a winner take all event. This obviously was supposed to adds tension and excitement in the final and if the riders had kept quiet about it no one would have known. I dont blame the riders riders for playing safe and splitting the money (given Nicki's performance if I'd have been him I would have took the gamble!). However telling the world and his dog about it after was a bit foolish. I also fail to see why people are having a go at Matt. If the riders decided amongst themselves to split it I dont see that there is anything he could do to stop them. He is contractually obliged to hand over the cheque to Nicki, what Nicki does with it after is his business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 You said that so much better than me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I am with Orion on this one, this was billed as a winner takes all meeting, how are we going to get the National sporting press interested when they see this sort of thing going on, the first thing that they are going to say was that it was rigged. Perhaps a lesson learned and any Promoter putting such an event on in the future will add a clause to the contract forbidding pot splitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rabbit Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Which they gave...it was the riders decision to split, nowt to do with the promotion. True, but it was the promotion that promised a £60000 winner take all final, not the riders. It was Matt who stated that 'all the riders keen to bank the massive £60000' which was not the case. He failed to deliver the goods. I have no idea what he could have done about it, but I'm not a business man spinning what turned out to be a yarn in an attempt to get more people through the gate. Maybe his legal team should have thought of the possibility of such an occurrence and put something in the riders' contracts for the meeting to stop it happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 True, but it was the promotion that promised a £60000 winner take all final, not the riders. It was Matt who stated that 'all the riders keen to bank the massive £60000' which was not the case. He failed to deliver the goods. I have no idea what he could have done about it, but I'm not a business man spinning what turned out to be a yarn in an attempt to get more people through the gate. Maybe his legal team should have thought of the possibility of such an occurrence and put something in the riders' contracts for the meeting to stop it happening. 1 It was a winner take all final. Nicki got the cheque. As I said before what he does with it after is his business. 2 Who wouldn't be keen to bank a £60k cheque? 3 Spinning a yarn? Matt was stating fact before the event. He has no control over the riders decision to split the pot. 4 Legal team? Hindsight is a marvellous thing (see my previous post). I am deeply disappointed that the pot splitting has overshadowed what was a great start to the season and should have been marvellous publicity for British Speedway in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Jasper Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I watched that Video on you tube and was genuinely surprised by how small the stadium is, I have never been to Poole and it does not come across how small it is when on Sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I watched that Video on you tube and was genuinely surprised by how small the stadium is, I have never been to Poole and it does not come across how small it is when on Sky. Shureley you mean a desirable compact bijou stadium close to all ameneties lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BjarneRubble Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I watched that Video on you tube and was genuinely surprised by how small the stadium is, I have never been to Poole and it does not come across how small it is when on Sky. They say that "the best things in life come in small packages". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 True, but it was the promotion that promised a £60000 winner take all final, not the riders. It was Matt who stated that 'all the riders keen to bank the massive £60000' which was not the case. He failed to deliver the goods. I have no idea what he could have done about it, but I'm not a business man spinning what turned out to be a yarn in an attempt to get more people through the gate. Maybe his legal team should have thought of the possibility of such an occurrence and put something in the riders' contracts for the meeting to stop it happening. Eh? There was no yarn being spun, the pot for the winner was £60k and Matt had no control over what the riders involved agreed between themselves. From what I can see, there was no deception on the part of the promoters when it came to the prize, so they are blameless. Anyway, I think what those four did was actually very sporting and generous and shouldn't really be called cheating the paying public, can you just imagine the comments if Nicki hadn't split? I can just see they would have been along the lines of " Bah that Nicki, taking 60k out of British speedway when he is not even bothering to ride here this year...money money money" (I hasten to add, I am in the Schumi camp on the reasons why Nicki is not riding here this season). As a first try (in British racing), there will always be teething problems, or things you could not foresee as Pirate Nick says, hindsight is a wonderful thing, maybe in future they will change the contract to encompass this situation to prevent it happening again. Even if I had been able to attend, I would not have felt cheated, I would have enjoyed the racing and been happy to think that all the riders in the final benefitted...but then I am that type of person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Eh? There was no yarn being spun, the pot for the winner was £60k and Matt had no control over what the riders involved agreed between themselves. From what I can see, there was no deception on the part of the promoters when it came to the prize, so they are blameless. Anyway, I think what those four did was actually very sporting and generous and shouldn't really be called cheating the paying public, can you just imagine the comments if Nicki hadn't split? I can just see they would have been along the lines of " Bah that Nicki, taking 60k out of British speedway when he is not even bothering to ride here this year...money money money" (I hasten to add, I am in the Schumi camp on the reasons why Nicki is not riding here this season). As a first try (in British racing), there will always be teething problems, or things you could not foresee as Pirate Nick says, hindsight is a wonderful thing, maybe in future they will change the contract to encompass this situation to prevent it happening again. Even if I had been able to attend, I would not have felt cheated, I would have enjoyed the racing and been happy to think that all the riders in the final benefitted...but then I am that type of person. Nothing sporting about 4 riders pissing about for 4 laps not careing who comes first or last thats anythink but sporting, the fact is people came to watch a 60k winner take all final and it never happen . If ford or the bspa had anythink about them they would ask for the money back as any deal for any race in any sport leaves a sour tasteand there no place for it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Nothing sporting about 4 riders pissing about for 4 laps not careing who comes first or last thats anythink but sporting, the fact is people came to watch a 60k winner take all final and it never happen . If ford or the bspa had anythink about them they would ask for the money back as any deal for any race in any sport leaves a sour tasteand there no place for it . I dont think Matt or the BSPA can do anything about this. Your issue is with Messrs Pedersen, Adams, Nicholls and Jonsson they are the ones who, in your opinion, have brought the sport into disrepute (if thats the right word). This was a decision made by 4 individuals, presumably just before the final. If and it is IF Matt knew before the race what was he supposed to do? Stop the race? Disqualify the finalists and go down the list until he got 4 riders who would race winner take all? I'm sure that would have gone down well with the crowd, and would probably have resulted in legal action from the 4 finalists. Once again there was/is nothing Matt can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Rocket Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I dont think Matt or the BSPA can do anything about this. Your issue is with Messrs Pedersen, Adams, Nicholls and Jonsson they are the ones who, in your opinion, have brought the sport into disrepute (if thats the right word). This was a decision made by 4 individuals, presumably just before the final. If and it is IF Matt knew before the race what was he supposed to do? Stop the race? Disqualify the finalists and go down the list until he got 4 riders who would race winner take all? I'm sure that would have gone down well with the crowd, and would probably have resulted in legal action from the 4 finalists. Once again there was/is nothing Matt can do. I was not at the event, but was there plenty of time between knowing who the four finalists were, before the final actually took place? What I mean to say is, for them to make a decision to split the booty, surely they would have needed a bit of time to think about it, i.e. '£60k or £15K, what do I do?' If it was me, I would need a good half hour at least, but that's me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) I was not at the event, but was there plenty of time between knowing who the four finalists were, before the final actually took place? What I mean to say is, for them to make a decision to split the booty, surely they would have needed a bit of time to think about it, i.e. '£60k or £15K, what do I do?' If it was me, I would need a good half hour at least, but that's me! No doubt accompanied by some suspicious huddling in the corner of the pits!! ps Given Nicki's form I bet the other three jumped at the chance! Edited March 11, 2008 by Pirate Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazeaway Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I was not at the event, but was there plenty of time between knowing who the four finalists were, before the final actually took place? What I mean to say is, for them to make a decision to split the booty, surely they would have needed a bit of time to think about it, i.e. '£60k or £15K, what do I do?' If it was me, I would need a good half hour at least, but that's me! Guaranteed 15k or nowt? Easy descision to make. It was a stitch up, feel sorry for the people that went and the Poole promotion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) At the end of the day, Nicki still won the 60,000 and it's up to him what he does with it. If he wants to stick with the agreement made before the race then it's up to him. If he'd wanted to change his mind and pocket the lot, then that, too, would have been up to him. I don't know why everyone gets so hung up on what other people do with their money. It's up to them (as long as it's legal). Edited March 11, 2008 by Grachan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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