2011 El Guide

[T.N.T.]

TEAMS IN THE ELITE LEAGUE = 10

 

Belle Vue, Birmingham(NEW), Coventry, Eastbourne, Ipswich, Lakeside, Peterborough, Poole, Swindon, Wolves.

 

Each week (starting second week in April) teams are paired up to compete in one home and one away meeting each.

 

After 9 weeks (ending June 12), ALL teams will have ridden 18 league matches.

 

The weeks remaining in June are used up with KO Cup matches, postponed meetings, challenge matches etc.

 

NEW AVERAGES SET - Averages are issued after ALL A fixtures completed (no later than June 19) and come into effect on June 20th with any transfers using the new averages but teams can only use their new 1-7 from July.

 

From July 4th, ALL teams pair off again to ride their 18 B Fixtures.

 

This takes you to week starting September 12th when KO Cup Semi Finals are held.

 

Week starting September 19th, Play-Off Semi Finals

 

Week starting September 26th, Play-Off Final

 

Week starting October 3rd, KO Cup Finals

 

 

Obviously some tracks have the same race night, so these clashes are arranged for Bank Holidays ... eg, Belle Vue v Wolves 11am or Good Friday.

 

 

Although the finer points need working out, using this system ALL teams rebuild at the same time ... ALL riders get new averages at the same time ... League tables are more level with teams riding the same amount of home and away matches at the same time.

 

 

Is there any reason that this can't work ?

 

If so surely it could be worked out to make the playing field level for ALL teams.

 

 

Suggestions ... Ideas ...

[Brummie Kev]

Cant see the Brummies in the Elite League in 2011 ( planning permission permitting), Crowds at Perry Barr couldnt sustain Elite League Racing and people would moan like crazy if we had an air-fence.

 

Its not worth the risk.

[Cheekee Raylee Monkee]

How about 'Elite' League teams actually tracking 7 of their own riders?

[kiwi]

TEAMS IN THE ELITE LEAGUE = 10

 

Belle Vue, Birmingham(NEW), Coventry, Eastbourne, Ipswich, Lakeside, Peterborough, Poole, Swindon, Wolves.

 

Each week (starting second week in April) teams are paired up to compete in one home and one away meeting each.

 

After 9 weeks (ending June 12), ALL teams will have ridden 18 league matches.

 

The weeks remaining in June are used up with KO Cup matches, postponed meetings, challenge matches etc.

 

NEW AVERAGES SET - Averages are issued after ALL A fixtures completed (no later than June 19) and come into effect on June 20th with any transfers using the new averages but teams can only use their new 1-7 from July.

 

From July 4th, ALL teams pair off again to ride their 18 B Fixtures.

 

This takes you to week starting September 12th when KO Cup Semi Finals are held.

 

Week starting September 19th, Play-Off Semi Finals

 

Week starting September 26th, Play-Off Final

 

Week starting October 3rd, KO Cup Finals

 

 

Obviously some tracks have the same race night, so these clashes are arranged for Bank Holidays ... eg, Belle Vue v Wolves 11am or Good Friday.

 

 

Although the finer points need working out, using this system ALL teams rebuild at the same time ... ALL riders get new averages at the same time ... League tables are more level with teams riding the same amount of home and away matches at the same time.

 

 

Is there any reason that this can't work ?

 

If so surely it could be worked out to make the playing field level for ALL teams.

 

 

Suggestions ... Ideas ...

 

rain offs?

[SteveEvans]

Nice ideas in an ideal world, but weather and stadium availability makes it impossible to have everyone on 18 matches at the same time. The problem it seems this is trying to solve is teams being able to strengthen ahead of others. Maybe simply have a tranfer window in the month of July or have riders retain their value all season long.

[Bavarian]

I like this, would be a postive step in the right direction. Can't see Brum in the EL though, but with Ipswich dropping down, it would work perfectly well with eight teams in the EL, and leave a little extra options for rain-offs re-stagings.

[mickthemuppet]

I like this, would be a postive step in the right direction. Can't see Brum in the EL though, but with Ipswich dropping down, it would work perfectly well with eight teams in the EL, and leave a little extra options for rain-offs re-stagings.

And why should Ipswich drop down?

[25yearfan]

The too small EL with its twice at home and twice away fixtures is repetitive, offers no variety and combined with foriegners missing, not enough British riders, racenights all over the place - doesn't work!

 

What needs to happen and what most people with an interest in British speedway would know deep down is that the EL needs to amalgamate with the PL and have a new top flight with 16 teams and a new 2nd Division featuring the 7 former PL teams not in the new top flight plus Plymouth, and any other 3rd Division team wanting to step up and any possible new tracks like Leicester, Sittingbourne, Oxford. This new top flight would be at a level inbetween the current EL and PL but closer to the PL. The new 2nd Divison would be at a level in between the current PL and NL.

 

A proper 3rd Division for any standalone tracks not wanting to ride in a new 2nd Division and reserve teams from senior tracks would be formed and would feature British riders only!

 

As for Birmingham not being able to afford the EL. Well that could probably be the case but I bet that Birmingham get bigger crowds than at least one EL track. The bottom line is that the EL is unaffordable for neary every track in the Country apart fom 4-5 tracks!

 

Anyway Birmingham have got to gain full planning consent before they can think about next season!

[old bob at herne bay]

With Eastbourne looking to race on a Friday next season

we have

Monday BV Wolves

Wednesday Poole

Thursday Swindon Peterboro Ippo

Friday Lakesiders Easto and Cov

 

Seems to me that with some persuasion/enducement

if Wolves and Bcv could would moveto any of Weds Thurs or Fridays, then the el 2011 could reatins ALL weds thurs Fridays for el racing throughout the season.

 

Any rider unable to sign a LEGALLY BINDING contract for these dates would recieve a €5000 fine for each meeting missed.

 

A way forward to ensure riders turn up to all meetings ?

 

Old Bob

[Brummie Kev]

Will we even have a 2011 Elite League, Interesting comments from Chris Louis on this link about the the possibility of a "Super League" being proposed for next season .

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8979454.stm

 

The Witches chief, along with his team manager Pete Simmons, has expressed his frustration with the set-up of the Elite League.

 

Throughout this campaign both men have talked up the idea of an expanded top-flight and will look to put forward their ideas at November's promoters' meeting.

 

"Things have undoubtedly got to change quite radically, there are lots of different ideas as to which direction the sport in this country should go," said Louis.

 

"There's lots of talk about a super league at the moment, which could be exciting if it is handled the right way."

[thamesview]

Elite League 2011.

 

With the impending Ipswich/Newcastle battle due. Ipswich struggle and with Newcastles crowds, will they struggle when they come up. Speedway is stuggling with itself at the moment. The key vital thing that everyone seems to be missing is what can be done NOW to get fans back to the sport. I use coventry as an example, (athough im not a coventry fan), but they have Barker, Kennett, Bridger, Harris, Auty good British Riders all, how many other clubs have gone british. What i think that the British League needs, is getting back to British Speedway.

 

What i would want is a 5 year plan. In which it would be re-addressed or re-assessed then.

 

I think all Elite League teams should run as only having 2 Non-UK rides in their team, even if getting a guest in still 5 Uk riders, and 2 foreign. This would eliminate the use of averag4es, as its the British riders who are key to this. And Foreign riders can be signed by a club who are prepared to pay that riders wages, so no restriction to who, only how many.

 

Premier League maybe 2 again or 1 foreign Rider. As they arent Elite League level, but are above National.

 

National League to be run with maybe no foreign rider if any at all to aid the continuity of the sport.

 

This would get some fans back, because i for one will not go and pay £15+ to go to an Elite League track, to go and see foreign mercaneries over here.

 

Reference to Elite League just looking at KO CUP SF 2nd Leg

 

Poole- Holder, Ward, Pedersen, Mroczka, Watt, Madsen & Doyle

Peterborough- Bjerre, Buczkowski, Schlein, Iversen, Batchelor, Cook & Kosciuch.

 

Can anyone spot more than one brit there i cant.

 

Why would i go and pay money to watch that, im all for supporting a team, but i want something that apeals to me, to see how well a brit does is more important to me than watching 7 foreigners riding for my team. Till they change that, id rather stay and watch National League and give the new blood to the sport my support.

 

Until the leagues do that, then all the Elite league riders are doing is sucking life out of the British Speedway to kill it, what will happen when all teams have come close to folding due to no fans, or budgets, they will move on and ride for some other team in another country, and take their money instead, without a care.

 

Sponsors what is the benefit to them to sponsor a team of foreigners, it may get their logo on a bike or overall, but is that logo on a pole going to tempt anyone in poland to buy that product. Doubt it.

 

If you want British Speedway then it has to be British at the core. If you want foreign riders may i suggest setting up a Europa league.

Edited October 23, 2010 by ahitman

[suzuki star 882]

Elite League 2011.

 

Poole- Holder, Ward, Pedersen, Mroczka, Watt, Madsen & Doyle

Peterborough- Bjerre, Buczkowski, Schlein, Iversen, Batchelor, Cook & Kosciuch.

 

Can anyone spot a brit there i cant.

 

If you are talking Craig Cook for Panthers, he's a Brit, and a very promising one.

[Ron Butler]

With Eastbourne looking to race on a Friday next season

we have

Monday BV Wolves

Wednesday Poole

Thursday Swindon Peterboro Ippo

Friday Lakesiders Easto and Cov

 

Seems to me that with some persuasion/enducement

if Wolves and Bcv could would moveto any of Weds Thurs or Fridays, then the el 2011 could reatins ALL weds thurs Fridays for el racing throughout the season.

 

Any rider unable to sign a LEGALLY BINDING contract for these dates would recieve a €5000 fine for each meeting missed.

 

A way forward to ensure riders turn up to all meetings ?

 

Old Bob

 

Belle Vue can only ride home matches on Monday or Wednesday (occasionally Sunday afternoon). The GRA - stadium owners- require all other times for greyhound racing.