kiwi Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Well it's been predicted for at least the last 15 years, and I'm not sure it's any nearer happening now than then. The obvious problem is there are barely 18 countries where speedway is ridden, and only about six of those are professional to any significant level. Okay, the likes of Britain, Poland, Sweden and Denmark could possibly sustain 2 or 3 GPs each, but that would still require 6 or more GPs to be staged in 'smaller' countries and that seems optimistic. Secondly, staging 18 rounds would bring the SGP into conflict with the Polish League as it's really going to be impractical to schedule its fixtures once every two weeks. Staging a GP and round of the Polish League on the same weekend might work for the Polish GPs, but not for further flung GPs. Plus of course, a GP rain-off would cause havoc as the reserve dates are on Sundays. Finally, IMG already have the pick of the riders they want and make a profit on the SGP, so why would they want to take on responsibility for paying the riders full time? 18 rounds would be feasible. Australia, NZ, Argentina can all be run between October and April don't forget the season would just get extended Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 How often does Jason Crump willingly ride in Australia during the European winter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 How often does Jason Crump willingly ride in Australia during the European winter? what? If it's part of a GP series then all 16 will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 what? If it's part of a GP series then all 16 will be. We'll see. Realistically, as things stand, you can make an awful lot more dosh racing in the domestic leagues. The FIM will have to start coughing over serious cash to the riders if they expect them to undertake an extended tour of the Asia-Pacific region, before or after the European season. The GPs flourish, to a degree, at the moment because they get the riders for next to nothing and they aren't a real threat to the Polish league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Know Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 VERY unlikely. Speedway riders (a) have to earn money from league racing and ( need more racing than GPs will ever provide. Kelvin Tatum was one who tried to run a team (Niklas Klingberg) but the financial backing wasn't forthcoming. tony r did it with ulmek and whats him name tried it with crump and kris before he ran off with the cash tatum most prob put them off as one of the most boring men in speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Know Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 HAVE tried to speak to Ole today (as yet without any joy) but can only think something might have got lost in translation. Apart from anything else, where would they find 18 weekends? I know Bernie Eccelstone appears to be trying to stage an F1 event every other week (at least) but speedway riders have to earn their corn outside of the SGP series. Personally I would have thought we are at the max in Europe right now and it will be a long time before there is much expansion elsewhere other than NZ (looking good) and perhaps Oz. Suitable venues remain a significant problem. think nz will be one hit wonder if happens, bit like aus was but that had no wonder. gave most tickets away to look busy they have a good product and series, leave it as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 think nz will be one hit wonder if happens, bit like aus was but that had no wonder. gave most tickets away to look busy they have a good product and series, leave it as is. I may be wrong here,but i seem to remember a few years back when you were involved that you was predicting and even relishing the fact that there would be an extended tour away from Europe.I guess you were thinking Malaysia.But you must have also been thinking of somewhere like Oz,NZ as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 I can’t answer that as I don’t know the answer mate. I think there will always be leagues and teams but speedway as a global sport will gradually rely less on the league team emphasis. If they paid enough now a lot of GP riders would drop riding in teams in the UK one day and Poland or Sweden the next. I follow their tweets and it does never come over as anything like fun for them with all the international commuting they have to endure to make a decent living. Say to one of them: I will give you a million dollars but forget teams anywhere just ride in the GP‘s - what do think would be their response? It will come for sure but as long as there are leagues here in this country Poole will always be a part of it as one of the famous teams. (I apologise Starman if that reply to your post sounded patronising. It was not meant to be.) Not at all Jim, but you are right, and basically outlined what i said. Yes, if they want to go down that route then this is what will happen. Yes, there will always be speedway, but at what level? My guess is that one day there will be some knid of amalgamation with the PL, and that might no be no bad thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 (edited) Thing is, where is the FIM going to find fifteen million dollars each and every year? Don't forget it's the FIM that coughs over the cash to the riders and they already sold the commercial rights under a long-term contract. If The Know is to be believed, BSI Speedway made around a million and a half profit last season and that's while the riders are getting peanuts. What is it? Five grand for a win? They probably cough over less than a million a year for the riders. Where are they going to find fifteen million? From asking BSI Speedway for more? That's their profits gone. While we're talking of the GPs expanding, the Ekstraliga in Poland is scheduled to expand to ten teams next season, so they'll need more dates to run the league. They are also proposing a limit of one GPer per team, leaving five GP riders out in the Ekstraliga cold. Edited April 14, 2011 by ladyluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 tony r did it with ulmek and whats him name tried it with crump and kris before he ran off with the cash tatum most prob put them off as one of the most boring men in speedway. PROBABLY says more about you than him ... think nz will be one hit wonder if happens, bit like aus was but that had no wonder. gave most tickets away to look busy they have a good product and series, leave it as is. NZ, if it happens, will be a five year deal ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchesterpaul Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 (edited) Just a slight diversion from the topic. Got to say i'm impressed that the Star seems to be producing 'exclusives' as in fresh unpublished news most weeks now. I'll always buy the magazine as it's a fantastic state of the art publication for the sport, but nice to see one can often expect a new story. Also, well pleased that someone at the highest levels of the magazine is becoming considerably more active in the forums of late. I don't think people realise the importance and significance of the magazine to the health of the sport. Oh yeah! what's with unambitious Olsen only wanting 18 lol. Edited April 14, 2011 by manchesterpaul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 NZ, if it happens, will be a five year deal ... Remind me of how long the deal was for Gelsenkirchen and whether that was kept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Remind me of how long the deal was for Gelsenkirchen and whether that was kept. WHAT has that got to do with NZ? Why are you so negative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 If someone came along and offered me half-a-million quid plus per year to work much less than I do now, then of course I'd be likely to take them up on the offer. However, it simply isn't going to happen, and such is the case with the SGP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 WHAT has that got to do with NZ? Why are you so negative? Maybe its her/his Liver playing up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 (edited) WHAT has that got to do with NZ? Why are you so negative? I should have thought that was obvious. I've a vague remembrance that the deal with Gelsenkirchen was three years and it lasted just one year. I realise Gelsenkirchen holds bad memories for you. After all, didn't your magazine dismiss Polish rumours that the 2008 German GP wouldn't take place? Incidentally, it looks like Sparta Wroclaw have doubts about the business sense of hosting GPs: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/04/14/krystyna-kloc-o-organizacji-grand-prix-zastanawiam-sie-czy-t/&usg=ALkJrhijx7t3LODbzw7Kg98q97Ida1p-0A Edited April 15, 2011 by ladyluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I should have thought that was obvious. I've a vague remembrance that the deal with Gelsenkirchen was three years and it lasted just one year. I realise Gelsenkirchen holds bad memories for you. After all, didn't your magazine dismiss Polish rumours that the 2008 German GP wouldn't take place? Incidentally, it looks like Sparta Wroclaw have doubts about the business sense of hosting GPs: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/04/14/krystyna-kloc-o-organizacji-grand-prix-zastanawiam-sie-czy-t/&usg=ALkJrhijx7t3LODbzw7Kg98q97Ida1p-0A THE first GP in Gelsenkirchen was actually successful thanks in no small part to the co-operation of the stadium authorities ... also a key factor at the Millennium. However, a change of personnel there brought in a regime that actually didn't like the idea of speedway there and made life very difficult. This had absolutely no impact on the fiasco that took place that fateful weekend but did mean that neither side was keen to continue. Wroclaw may well have doubts about the viability of staging a Grand Prix but as well as the three Polish tracks staging rounds this year others are desperate to get on the bandwagon. A key factor in promoting and hosting GPs these days is the support of the towns/cities/districts in which they take place, and that applies to Cardiff, Copenhagen and Gothenburg as much as Terenzano and Malilla. There are similarities with the FI model though obviously on a much smaller scale. And I still think you should try a day with the glass half full rather than half empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyluck Posted April 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 THE first GP in Gelsenkirchen was actually successful ... And the second one? How bad were ticket sales? How did certain Poles know so far in advance that it wasn't going to happen? However, now you talk about a five year deal for Auckland, but isn't it the case that a three year deal was signed with Gelsenkirchen and that only one GP was staged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 And the second one? How bad were ticket sales? How did certain Poles know so far in advance that it wasn't going to happen? However, now you talk about a five year deal for Auckland, but isn't it the case that a three year deal was signed with Gelsenkirchen and that only one GP was staged? TWO actually whatever the outcome of the second attempt. Have already explained why both sides agreed to tear up the three-year deal. I appreciate there are some people (Poles and you amongst them) who believe in the conspiracy theory about the aborted German GP but I can put my hand on my heart, swear on my mother's grave and so on and state categorically that every effort, at huge expense, was made to get the track right. As the man charged with keeping the media informed that fateful weekend I was well aware of what was going on and anyone who believes that the event was deliberately sabotaged needs sectioning. It simply isn't true. Gate receipts are only one component of GP finances. And a huge number of lessons were learned which is why Rob Armstrong, IMG'S Global Head of Motor Sport, will not sanction an event in New Zealand until they are 100 per cent sure that they can provide a track not only suitable for GP racing but one that can also, if necessary, withstand poor weather in Auckland. These are facts and, of course, you are at liberty to believe or disbelieve them but if you select the latter your obviously substantial knowledge of speedway will be seriously flawed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Know Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 PROBABLY says more about you than him ... NZ, if it happens, will be a five year deal ... quote] my opinion as i am allowed as you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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