Peterborough Panthers - Nl Or Closure?

[NeilWatson]

As Peterborough have now been ruled out of both the Elite and the Premier league, I hope they will be applying to run in the National League for 2011 to preserve the sport at the Showground.

 

I would be delighted if that were the case, but would I be in a minority?

 

With the changes in senior management at the Showground, could NL work for a season with a return to EL in 2012?

 

Over to Mr Frost.....

 

 

(Edited for typo)

Edited December 3, 2010 by NeilWatson

[SimonB]

It would certainly be a great shame to have Peterborough close and of course that cause difficulties with re-opening given how intensive the housing is now around the showground. The EL racing I have seen there has been top class, generally much better than any other EL racing I have seen either live or on sky. Hopefully if NL is the only option they will decide to go for it.

[TheCookster]

I imagine Peterborough fans will be gutted whatever the final outcome. I have always enjoyed my visits to the Showground to watch speedway. Hopefully this will only be a brief hiatus before things are sorted in a satisfactory manner.

[Fromafar]

It would certainly be a great shame to have Peterborough close and of course that cause difficulties with re-opening given how intensive the housing is now around the showground. The EL racing I have seen there has been top class, generally much better than any other EL racing I have seen either live or on sky. Hopefully if NL is the only option they will decide to go for it.

To lose speedway at the Showground would be criminal some fantastic speedway over the years on that track,The BSPA should be ashamed if they have turned down an application from Peterborough to go PL.Sad state of affairs IMO

Edited December 1, 2010 by Fromafar

[rhidassa]

I hope they do run NL. It's another NL track giving more riders the opportunity to get a spot in 2011, not to mention if the club closes it will doubtless become harder to re-open a year later than had they run in a lower league.

[Blazeaway]

I hope they do run NL. It's another NL track giving more riders the opportunity to get a spot in 2011, not to mention if the club closes it will doubtless become harder to re-open a year later than had they run in a lower league.

 

Nigh on impossible, if Peterborough don't run for a year they have to reapply for planning permission.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Nigh on impossible, if Peterborough don't run for a year they have to reapply for planning permission.

 

Hmm, not sure if that's necessarily so... Wimbledon Speedway didn't need to apply for PP in 2002 (11 years after the Speedway had closed) coz in that time motor-sport had continued at the venue. At the EoESG there's certain to be the two big BMF shows (which include a variety of motorcycle sports events on the track) in 2011 so that'll mean no 'break'..

Also of course Oxford just staged a dirt track racing event, what three years after the Speedway closed there. That didn't need PP...

[Panthers99]

Unsure what I want TBH....

 

I dont want to see my club go from Elite League to National League, as the thought of having riders like Harris, Nicki Pedersen, Hans and Lindgren scraping the fence, and now novices crawling along the white line, or struggling with grip.

 

Also, surely its not finacially viable for the club to run National, the rent is way to much, and for only get 200 hundred fans turn up, thats at the most aswell, the atmosphere will be shocking, almost empty.... thats gonna be awful.

 

I want the club to run.... but not like this

[Sean]

 

 

Also, surely its not finacially viable for the club to run National, the rent is way to much, and for only get 200 hundred fans turn up, thats at the most aswell, the atmosphere will be shocking, almost empty.... thats gonna be awful.

 

 

 

but how much would they lose by not running at all ...... ?? a fair chunk in assets i guess as the BSPA will be taking them straight back .... makes simple reading that they will HAVE to run now in the NL as will Coventry or face the likes of Rory Schlein and Chris Harris becoming BSPA assets and having a massive loss on there hands too !

[Halifaxtiger]

It would certainly be a great shame to have Peterborough close and of course that cause difficulties with re-opening given how intensive the housing is now around the showground. The EL racing I have seen there has been top class, generally much better than any other EL racing I have seen either live or on sky. Hopefully if NL is the only option they will decide to go for it.

 

Dead right, agree with every word

 

Unsure what I want TBH....

 

I dont want to see my club go from Elite League to National League, as the thought of having riders like Harris, Nicki Pedersen, Hans and Lindgren scraping the fence, and now novices crawling along the white line, or struggling with grip.

 

Also, surely its not finacially viable for the club to run National, the rent is way to much, and for only get 200 hundred fans turn up, thats at the most aswell, the atmosphere will be shocking, almost empty.... thats gonna be awful.

 

I want the club to run.... but not like this

 

Some people say NL speedway is better than nothing. They are wrong, because it is frequently more exciting that than either the EL or PL - anyone who watches all three levels will tell you that.

 

Peterborough is one of the best tracks in Britain so every supporter will want it to stay in business. If that is NL (and it seems that EL and Pl are ruled out)so be it.

[Ben91]

Peterborough and Coventry seem to have a clear cut choice, NL or permanent closure. Both tracks could survive a season in the National League and then re-apply for EL status in 2012, which they would pretty much certainly get. Both clubs have a fair few assets they could loan out or sell for a large sum, whilst not having to pay these riders wages, this would help cover stadium rent, in Peterborough's case at least, i'm not sure how Coventry operate. A few snobish fans will no doubt turn their back on the sport, crowds will be made up of the die hards perhaps at the start of the season perhaps, but when the fair weather fans start to miss their fix, then they will come crawling back and realise that the NL isn't so bad.

 

Perhaps we may even see EL and NL teams operating out of both venues in 2012.

[rhidassa]

Unsure what I want TBH....

 

I dont want to see my club go from Elite League to National League, as the thought of having riders like Harris, Nicki Pedersen, Hans and Lindgren scraping the fence, and now novices crawling along the white line, or struggling with grip.

 

Also, surely its not finacially viable for the club to run National, the rent is way to much, and for only get 200 hundred fans turn up, thats at the most aswell, the atmosphere will be shocking, almost empty.... thats gonna be awful.

 

I want the club to run.... but not like this

 

Not entirely accurate there... yes, it is a league for upcoming riders so it won't be the same as you're used to, or the same level. It doesn't mean you won't see any racing, and that the riders will be crawling around not racing. The top half of the NL are riders who either are, have been, and/or want to be again PL reserves and moving up... and they are certainly capable of putting a good race on against each other. Yes, several of the riders will still be learning and it wont be the same level or speed you're used to. Just don't assume it will be a borefest.

[crazysue]

Although it would be weird seeing either Coventry or Peterborough in the NL, surely keeping speedway going is more vitally important.

 

I love national league racing, sometimes more so than any other league as you get to see the future stars (I know there are a few exceptions), the little mistakes they make, make it unpredicatble and it is just so much simpler. Virtually none of the riders have the big egos of some of the better known riders, they are more accessable and are grateful for any assistance that can be given to them.

 

Personally, I would be disappointed to see Peterborough in the NL as with the Elite being shut out to them, I was hoping they could go Premier and replace our newly lost derby against Kings Lynn...it is so much easier to get to Peterborough than it is Rye House!

[davidba]

Personally i would like to have seen the EL at 10 teams with no B fixtures, making these big events and getting rid of the repetition thats killing off the EL of late(Not reducing it even more)then the top riders could have been tempted back, as long as cllubs didn't pay OTT wages.

Then these clubs would fill their blank weeks with NL fixtures by running a team in that division too.

I know Poole lost money on running Bournemouth but thats because fans in hard economic times had to chose between which of 2 meetings per week to attend. If EL was once a fortnight and properly advertised it would attract good crowds, and on the off week the NL outfit would attract more than when in competition with EL fixtures, especially as the NL would then be a proper 18 or more team league with say 1 foreign rider per team, so massive opportunities for local lads to have a go and progress through the ranks.

 

Nl racing can be just as good as any other level, i think if run properly most teams could attract 50-70% of their EL crowd for NL fixtures which should be enough to be viable.

 

All this talk of law suits etc is self defeating madness, lets have a 10 team(Inc Cov+Peterbro) EL, keep 14 PL for now with view to going up to 18 in afew years once Bristol reopen and Sittinbourne bed in etc.

 

Then have a big exciting NL with some sort of fixed costs system, standardised bikes whatever, with;

Stoke, Dudley, Buxton, Weymouth, Mildenhall, IOW, Sittingbourne, Rye House, Kings Lynn,Scunthorpe,Newport, Bournemouth,Belle Vue Colts, Peterbrough 2(Boston?),Coventry 2(Tamworth, is that nearby?),Brum 2,lakeside 2(Arena Essex?), Eastbourne 2 (Hastings?)and Swindon Sprockets(Or Reading?).

That's 19 potential teams, though obviously not all EL teams may choseto run another team dependent on their rental situation etc.

 

Then we'd have 3 healthy tiers with good variety, plenty of opportunity for British riders and some controls hopefully in place too on needless costs in tuning and flights for riders etc.

 

Oh and while i'm dreaming, El will be at least 12 clubs by 2013 as Wimbledon reopen thanks to a sugar daddy and the olympic site is used for an East London team(Stratford Olympians??)so there is a proper London rivlary to be enjoyed.

 

Should i send this to santa?

Edited December 2, 2010 by davidba

[Sean]

 

 

 

Oh and while i'm dreaming, El will be at least 12 clubs by 2013 as Wimbledon reopen thanks to a sugar daddy and the olympic site is used for an East London team...(Stratford Olympians??) so there is a proper London rivlary to be enjoyed.

 

 

WHAT ?? stratford WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ?? on waterden road ?????? nah ... only one team could possibly be recreated on that site .. re opened .. and reborn .... HACKNEY HAWKS !

[builderbob]

can someone explain to me why the premier league is capped at 14 as 16 makes much more sense

[BossMan]

can someone explain to me why the premier league is capped at 14 as 16 makes much more sense

 

Because the BSPA want to punish teams that do not toe the line and fit in with the dictators!

 

 

[SimonB]

can someone explain to me why the premier league is capped at 14 as 16 makes much more sense

 

Totally agree that 16 teams works best for the PL, indeed I am certain that during my time in the BSPA there was a maximum of 16 teams set for the PL. 16 is better for the KO Cup and allows the possibility a return to the 4 team tournament qualifying meetings. Ideal in my opinion.

[25yearfan]

Personally i would like to have seen the EL at 10 teams with no B fixtures, making these big events and getting rid of the repetition thats killing off the EL of late(Not reducing it even more)then the top riders could have been tempted back, as long as cllubs didn't pay OTT wages.

Then these clubs would fill their blank weeks with NL fixtures by running a team in that division too.

I know Poole lost money on running Bournemouth but thats because fans in hard economic times had to chose between which of 2 meetings per week to attend. If EL was once a fortnight and properly advertised it would attract good crowds, and on the off week the NL outfit would attract more than when in competition with EL fixtures, especially as the NL would then be a proper 18 or more team league with say 1 foreign rider per team, so massive opportunities for local lads to have a go and progress through the ranks.

 

Nl racing can be just as good as any other level, i think if run properly most teams could attract 50-70% of their EL crowd for NL fixtures which should be enough to be viable.

 

All this talk of law suits etc is self defeating madness, lets have a 10 team(Inc Cov+Peterbro) EL, keep 14 PL for now with view to going up to 18 in afew years once Bristol reopen and Sittinbourne bed in etc.

 

Then have a big exciting NL with some sort of fixed costs system, standardised bikes whatever, with;

Stoke, Dudley, Buxton, Weymouth, Mildenhall, IOW, Sittingbourne, Rye House, Kings Lynn,Scunthorpe,Newport, Bournemouth,Belle Vue Colts, Peterbrough 2(Boston?),Coventry 2(Tamworth, is that nearby?),Brum 2,lakeside 2(Arena Essex?), Eastbourne 2 (Hastings?)and Swindon Sprockets(Or Reading?).

That's 19 potential teams, though obviously not all EL teams may choseto run another team dependent on their rental situation etc.

 

Then we'd have 3 healthy tiers with good variety, plenty of opportunity for British riders and some controls hopefully in place too on needless costs in tuning and flights for riders etc.

 

Oh and while i'm dreaming, El will be at least 12 clubs by 2013 as Wimbledon reopen thanks to a sugar daddy and the olympic site is used for an East London team(Stratford Olympians??)so there is a proper London rivlary to be enjoyed.

 

Should i send this to santa?

 

A Eutopia I'd like to see as well!

 

As a lapsed Norwich fan (very lapsed considering we last competed in a League in 1964!!) I know that I'd love nothing more than to see a Norwich team in the 3rd tier of British speedway!

 

I think Coventrys pull out is more political so I'd assume they aren't interested in running NL, while it looks like Peterboroughs sugar daddy Rick Frost has said enoughs to bankrolling 6 figure losses but if Peterborough can

run in the NL(or any EL,PL, Coventry as well!) in order to keep going then that'll be better than nothing and the racing at NL can be very entertaining.

 

From what I've seen of Peterborough home meetings in recent years, a healthy crowd isn't a regular occurance while low crowds were much regular. So a drop down to a level where their low crowds would more financially viable wouldn't be such a bad thing?

Edited December 2, 2010 by 25yearfan

[Fromafar]

can someone explain to me why the premier league is capped at 14 as 16 makes much more sense

Mainly because the BSPA say so.Its their ball and they like to say who can play with them.