Olsen Wants Eighteen In 2012

[ladyluck]

That was at Reading, surely? You know, the place where he actually had to cough over the going rate to riders.

[Humphrey Appleby]

But there have been some massive deals for riders (Rickardsson particularly) that hinged entirely around the SGP series and wouldn't have materialised otherwise.

 

It's not really the Rickardssons and Crumps that you need to worry about, or indeed even the lower-order who'll drop out at the end of each season. It's the there or thereabouts middle order who are essential to make the competition interesting, that need to be able to make a go of things.

 

I suspect that if the GP expands and starts impinging on the Polish Leagues (or the Polish Leagues continue to limit the number of GP riders), then you'll start seeing more riders passing over the SGP.

[Bavarian]

I feel that 18 GPs ist just too much. It just might get too repetitive. Twelve is about right, but I see the limit reached at a maximum of say 15 GPs, and this only if the series is to expand to overseas tracks and outside the European season.

[The Know]

AT the very first meeting John Postlethwaite had with the then GP riders after BSI secured the commercial rights, he told them he didn't see it as his role to provide massive prize money but rather a stage and an audience (TV) that would enable them to secure lucrative sponsorship.

 

As you say that is easier for some riders than others and nationality comes into it. But there have been some massive deals for riders (Rickardsson particularly) that hinged entirely around the SGP series and wouldn't have materialised otherwise.

 

i dont always agree with things as mr rising does and he isnt my cup of tea but he is right here. one, the riders in sgp are all on a good income overall from racing. two, they secure good sponsorship from being in the gp. three, they dont lose out going to a gp money wise if they do badly.

 

its down to the riders to use being in the gp for there advantage.

when we helped hans he was on a bonus for 1st,2nd and third in the g.p. this was pretty much the same as the gp paid. so if he done well he done ok overall out of it. i expect he had similar deals with other sponsors. if people think there hard done by think again.

 

we have a deal like this with our rider in sgp this year.

 

its down to the rider to use being in the gp to bring more money in.

 

look at mx1, mx2, no start money and no prize money and ama supercross which is far bigger than sgp and they pay rubbish prize money.

[Jim Blanchard]

Back in the 60’/70s world championship road racing (or MotoGP as it is now) the GP’s were run under the auspices of FIM but there was no one body or organisation then that had any promoting rights and each individual organiser ran their own countries GP and negotiated with the riders directly for start money/expenses. Prize money was generally poor and the tracks consisted frequently of street type circuits and therefore they were very dangerous. At least 6 riders on average lost their lives from the lowest calibre riders to the top men every season.

 

GP riders of the day like Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman, Giacomo Agostini and Bill Ivy etc could not make the Gp’s pay as the money was so poor. So they frequently raced in non championship events around the world to make some additional money. That is why it was great for me to go to Brands Hatch, Mallory Park and Cadwell Park to see on a regular basis these top guys in action on their exotic grand prix machinery at local circuits. These riders were also factory/works riders so had to compete in the poor paying GP’s so that they might win world championships but they did have some salary to help them financially, unlike the most of the riders who made up the field or privateers and who simply relied just on the start and prize money to live. No works contract - no salaries.

 

There is a comparison here as I see it in that in road racing during the 60’s and 70’s all the top riders raced most weekends at non championship events to earn some decent money as the GP’s system was poor paying, though world championships and its prestige were at stake and so it is with speedway, its league team events taking part in UK, Sweden & Poland etc creates the money for the riders as the additional financial rewards derived solely from the SGP’s is insufficient at present. But attendance is essential for any rider in SGP for personal glory and to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport.

 

Over the years from the early 50’s there were the occasional strikes over the poor financial rewards for taking part at the highest level of the sport, of motorcycle racing and the FIM would usually be heavy handed and issue fines and suspensions to miscreants; one Geoff Duke was suspended over striking for better pay for himself and other riders.

 

In the late 70’s riders like Barry Sheene ,who was fast becoming an household name all over the world, and Kenny Roberts with the extra publicity they were creating, started to push the FIM hard over the money that GP organisers were dishing out to them which was as little as they could get away with, and again there were walkouts and strikes etc and in 1980 these riders, amongst others, were on the point of starting a break away series which had the desired effect of bringing the organisers of the GP’s and the FIM around the table and to increase the levels of both start and prize money. At the East German GP at Sachsenring for example attendances were 150,000 common, and the riders were receiving a pittance to race and to risk their lives. Being part of the Eastern Block then riders invariably were paid in goods/beer rather than cash.

 

It slowly got better and better and I think eventually Bernie Ecclestone became involved and started to create a franchise for the broadcasting rights of the MotoGp series. Once formed I think he quickly got out of it and a Spanish company called Dorna took over the organising and broadcasting rights.

 

My theory of a GP rider only is based on that the more the Speedway SGP is expanded globally as Ole Olsen suggests that along with it will also see the franchise for the broad casting rights increase, and it will also as a result advertising revenue increasing. MotoGP and WSB is generally awash with money now by comparison, and is completely now totally different commercially to what motor cycle racing was in the 60’s.

 

As an example: Valentino Rossi is reputed to earn about £15m a year. A high percentage of this is his salary plus bonus’s from Ducati; a major manufacturer, and also from prize money, corporate endorsements and personal sponsorship, and his own merchandising brands etc. I appreciate that with speedway the money is not there from the engine and bike manufacturers, and that is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. However, a few riders in MotoGP and WSB or BSB are having to contribute financially to the budget of a team for their place. Again, through personal sponsors and endorsements and the subsequent exposure they are still able to compete. I heard a rumour recently that one rider in this years MotoGP series had to contribute 10 Million Euro’s for the ride. He may have paid it himself or his personal sponsors may have helped him out.

 

If you take out the Engine Manufacturers as a source of income from the equation from SGP as a brand and sold globally by the right people, I am sure that and that the extra exposure will garner more corporate sponsors for the events, the local authorities where the location to the SGP track adding to the pot, plus riders personal sponsors would be prepared to up the anti because of all the extra exposure that would follow, and that will assist the transition to the status of a contracted SGP rider only.

 

Now, maybe I’m totally wrong, it’s just my theory though and I think that there is a good chance it might go that way subject to it being managed by the right people and the right decisions made. I realise that there is quite a long term contract already in place, but I was thinking generally longer term.

 

My views have partly been brought about by the rather tenuous arrangement of the top speedway riders taking part in leagues in several countries from day to day, many may suffer from burn out and their form becomes jaded as a result, and therefore self defeating in what is actually earned, and that sort of activity must have a limited time span on a normal human being that has to perform day in and day out in a very competitive (not to mention dangerous) environment, and also mixed loyalties when dates clash etc, and the way that the various countries might start applying different specification requirements on the machines, as with the new silencer problem recently.

 

When I am at a road racing track say Brands Hatch for a round of the BSB or Silverstone for WSB if I I walk around the paddock on a Saturday evening and there is a round of a SGP on somewhere, virtually the whole paddock; teams, riders, mechanics, marshals, are all in the hospitality units are watching it. It has a world appeal to people dialled into motor sport as enthusiasts. Many of these people I doubt would watch a League meeting, as there is hardly anything for them to connect with, the teams would mean nothing to most of them, and neither would most of the riders. What would help lift the profile of SGP even more though would be if another Barry Sheene or Valentino Rossi would start to emerge, and maybe a Japanese rider that was good enough to be involved at some stage, which would simply speed up the process.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Jim Blanchard

[P T Preece]

Japan, Aussie, New Zealand, South Africa, America, Argentina and Brazil.

Hows that for 7 venues. Japan, Aussie and NZ before the season starts, America, Argentina and Brazil the first few weeks.

South Africa the final one of the SGP season.

I know they dont have Speedway in Brazil or Japan to my knowledge, but it would be good to see it happen.

[kennylane]

Back in the 60’/70s world championship road racing (or MotoGP as it is now) the GP’s were run under the auspices of FIM but there was no one body or organisation then that had any promoting rights and each individual organiser ran their own countries GP and negotiated with the riders directly for start money/expenses. Prize money was generally poor and the tracks consisted frequently of street type circuits and therefore they were very dangerous. At least 6 riders on average lost their lives from the lowest calibre riders to the top men every season.

 

GP riders of the day like Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman, Giacomo Agostini and Bill Ivy etc could not make the Gp’s pay as the money was so poor. So they frequently raced in non championship events around the world to make some additional money. That is why it was great for me to go to Brands Hatch, Mallory Park and Cadwell Park to see on a regular basis these top guys in action on their exotic grand prix machinery at local circuits. These riders were also factory/works riders so had to compete in the poor paying GP’s so that they might win world championships but they did have some salary to help them financially, unlike the most of the riders who made up the field or privateers and who simply relied just on the start and prize money to live. No works contract - no salaries.

 

There is a comparison here as I see it in that in road racing during the 60’s and 70’s all the top riders raced most weekends at non championship events to earn some decent money as the GP’s system was poor paying, though world championships and its prestige were at stake and so it is with speedway, its league team events taking part in UK, Sweden & Poland etc creates the money for the riders as the additional financial rewards derived solely from the SGP’s is insufficient at present. But attendance is essential for any rider in SGP for personal glory and to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport.

 

Over the years from the early 50’s there were the occasional strikes over the poor financial rewards for taking part at the highest level of the sport, of motorcycle racing and the FIM would usually be heavy handed and issue fines and suspensions to miscreants; one Geoff Duke was suspended over striking for better pay for himself and other riders.

 

In the late 70’s riders like Barry Sheene ,who was fast becoming an household name all over the world, and Kenny Roberts with the extra publicity they were creating, started to push the FIM hard over the money that GP organisers were dishing out to them which was as little as they could get away with, and again there were walkouts and strikes etc and in 1980 these riders, amongst others, were on the point of starting a break away series which had the desired effect of bringing the organisers of the GP’s and the FIM around the table and to increase the levels of both start and prize money. At the East German GP at Sachsenring for example attendances were 150,000 common, and the riders were receiving a pittance to race and to risk their lives. Being part of the Eastern Block then riders invariably were paid in goods/beer rather than cash.

 

It slowly got better and better and I think eventually Bernie Ecclestone became involved and started to create a franchise for the broadcasting rights of the MotoGp series. Once formed I think he quickly got out of it and a Spanish company called Dorna took over the organising and broadcasting rights.

 

My theory of a GP rider only is based on that the more the Speedway SGP is expanded globally as Ole Olsen suggests that along with it will also see the franchise for the broad casting rights increase, and it will also as a result advertising revenue increasing. MotoGP and WSB is generally awash with money now by comparison, and is completely now totally different commercially to what motor cycle racing was in the 60’s.

 

As an example: Valentino Rossi is reputed to earn about £15m a year. A high percentage of this is his salary plus bonus’s from Ducati; a major manufacturer, and also from prize money, corporate endorsements and personal sponsorship, and his own merchandising brands etc. I appreciate that with speedway the money is not there from the engine and bike manufacturers, and that is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. However, a few riders in MotoGP and WSB or BSB are having to contribute financially to the budget of a team for their place. Again, through personal sponsors and endorsements and the subsequent exposure they are still able to compete. I heard a rumour recently that one rider in this years MotoGP series had to contribute 10 Million Euro’s for the ride. He may have paid it himself or his personal sponsors may have helped him out.

 

If you take out the Engine Manufacturers as a source of income from the equation from SGP as a brand and sold globally by the right people, I am sure that and that the extra exposure will garner more corporate sponsors for the events, the local authorities where the location to the SGP track adding to the pot, plus riders personal sponsors would be prepared to up the anti because of all the extra exposure that would follow, and that will assist the transition to the status of a contracted SGP rider only.

 

Now, maybe I’m totally wrong, it’s just my theory though and I think that there is a good chance it might go that way subject to it being managed by the right people and the right decisions made. I realise that there is quite a long term contract already in place, but I was thinking generally longer term.

 

My views have partly been brought about by the rather tenuous arrangement of the top speedway riders taking part in leagues in several countries from day to day, many may suffer from burn out and their form becomes jaded as a result, and therefore self defeating in what is actually earned, and that sort of activity must have a limited time span on a normal human being that has to perform day in and day out in a very competitive (not to mention dangerous) environment, and also mixed loyalties when dates clash etc, and the way that the various countries might start applying different specification requirements on the machines, as with the new silencer problem recently.

 

When I am at a road racing track say Brands Hatch for a round of the BSB or Silverstone for WSB if I I walk around the paddock on a Saturday evening and there is a round of a SGP on somewhere, virtually the whole paddock; teams, riders, mechanics, marshals, are all in the hospitality units are watching it. It has a world appeal to people dialled into motor sport as enthusiasts. Many of these people I doubt would watch a League meeting, as there is hardly anything for them to connect with, the teams would mean nothing to most of them, and neither would most of the riders. What would help lift the profile of SGP even more though would be if another Barry Sheene or Valentino Rossi would start to emerge, and maybe a Japanese rider that was good enough to be involved at some stage, which would simply speed up the process.

 

That's a brief summary of things!

Edited April 17, 2011 by kennylane

[spook]

I think you're mixing me up with Parsnips. Where I have I ever said that I want to see a return of the old World Championship, even if I have fonder memories of it than the SGP?

 

My mistake... apologies

 

 

Of course it does, but we've been waiting 15 years for the big money to roll in as promised, and we're yet to see much sign of it. Moreover, the riders' pay has remained the same for years, regardless of how much IMG/BSI takes in television and sponsorship. Considering there wouldn't be a show without them, it doesn't seem very equitable to me.

 

to be fair I'm not sure that there are many of us who know the real extent of their earnings..... as others have pointed out the prizemoney is just the tip of the iceberg..... also Jim rightly points out that there are those in many motor sports who in effect pay to take 'their seat'

 

15 years on paper does seem like a long time .... but then it needs to be broken down into who was at the helm and when....... BSI obviously decided that they were unable to push things forward on their own as much as they could with IMG's umbrella over them..... If IMG have a 5 year plan then I suspect that the profit generated over the last year (in worldwide recession) is encouraging

 

No-one expects IMG/BSI to be a charity, but with the vast majority of sports, the governing bodies and/or leagues contract directly for the television and sponsorship rights, and therefore they receive most or all the money. With the SGP, the rights were sold for a relative pittance by the FIM which is almost completely detached from the day-to-day running of speedway. And as far as anyone can tell, little if any of the money they make from the SGP actually goes back to speedway.

 

It's not that I object to BSI making money as a commercial company, but the system that allows them to do it in the first place.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that if the contract between the FIM and IMG does not take into account a financially growing GP series.... and is instead based on flat fees for the full length of the contract.... then it is a bad piece of business

 

Do any of us really know the ins and outs of the deal though? Surely, unless the FIM have complete disregard for speedway then they would have secured a deal that took into account the obvious potential that was there at the time

 

re: money being put back in then surely it is time to start criticising the FIM for it rather than IMG? The FIM cut the deal and are paid for it

 

It's very easy to quantity. The riders are paid at a fixed rate that's hardly changed in years, and at a level by which many claim to lose money. The tracks staging GPs might make some money from them, although it would seem many require local authority support to make things pay. Speedway as a whole gets absolutely no money at all, although the FIM would probably argue that some of the money paid by IMG/BSI for the rights helps support the other world championships.

 

Does speedway as a whole though, benefit from the exposure that the SGP brings? Difficult to say, but the declining crowds and income of British speedway would suggest not. Okay, it could be argued that the decline might have been even greater without the SGP, but I don't think there's any evidence either way. I also don't really buy the argument that the SGP got British speedway on television - I think it could have happened regardless.

 

others have already covered how much the riders gain from sponsorship....... as far as the leagues? its a difficult one as the British system at least, has been slowly dying now for 4 decades, and seemingly does not know how to help itself..... there could be a whole multitude of opportunities and I believe the BSPA would be blind to it

 

as far as british speedway on tv is concerned though I think it could well be the case that the GP's allowed it to happen....... maybe look at other sports for the likely scenario...... was county cricket on first? british superbike? league football? superleague? etc

 

Yes, but that's my point. When all these millions or Chinese are exposed to the sport on televisions, where are they going to watch it? Speedway is only staged in just over 20 countries, and really only half of those countries have an extensive programme of meetings.

 

yes I see what you mean

well I guess we would hope in that scenario that the Chinese would start a couple of tracks.... but it wouldnt be the end of the world if they didnt ..... just that they watch and it ends up bringing in more and better sponsors........

 

My fantasy is that Japan sits up and takes notice...... because if they did you could bet your last pennies that Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki would start showing interest............. it is great to hear that Ole has been in NZ and working hard...... Japan next please

 

I wasn't always a speedway fan - I had no introduction to the sport by family or friends, and happened to chance upon it. I managed to work out the main rules of team racing long before I ever went to an individual meeting, so I don't believe it's that hard.

 

If simplicity was the key, no-one would ever watch cricket, but for some people the complex nuances of that game are what makes it interesting.

 

lol I cant stand cricket.... and being completely honest one of the reasons for that is the complex nature..... however I am posting on a speedway forum... and enjoy the chess aspects of football so like you I must have a liking for the odd complex thing.......... but I suspect that most speedway fans are able to stomach the complex nature of the rules otherwise they wouldnt still be fans

 

we arent talking about speedway fans though... we are talking about reaching joe bloggs who currently watches MotoGP, and F1

 

I've never claimed to be a commercial or marketing genius, but there are people around who have got decent financial backing for minority sports, significantly in excess of what IMG and BSI have achieved. I also think the approach of getting sponsorship from fans or mates is ultimately a bit of dead end, although in fairness I do think speedway is not a particularly easy sport to market.

 

Nonetheless, what should have happened is the promoters' and league associations in the major speedway countries should have got to together and formed their own company to run the SGP. That way all the profits (whatever the amount) would have accrued to them, and the competitions that actually provide a living wage to the riders would directly benefit.

 

As things stand, the FIM has gone and signed away the rights until 2021, but the speedway countries should certainly be insisting on a share-out of the FIM cash, and the SGP riders should certainly now be demanding an improvement in prize money.

 

yes absolutely there was no need to just put it out to tender and I personally feel very strongly about the sale of the vast majority of out national public companies in the 80's when all it required was correct structuring and planning....... in that way this is quite similar...... maybe we are dinosaurs though Humphrey and the 21st Century requires millions of capital start up money and people working for you who have the necessary contacts

 

2021 is a ridiculous year to allow a contract to run to.... there was nothing wrong in giving 5 years... with some targets to reach to allow a further period to go ahead......... it is kind of the point I was making earlier though..... what do we really know about the deal? Wouldnt the FIM have insisted on some target loopholes with such a long contract? Or indeed the ability to renegotiate things within the deal?

 

 

 

maybe instead we should be talking about the contract that GOspeed signed on behalf of British Speedway with SKY if we are to tread into areas of a lack of trickle down cash?

[spook]

That's a brief summary of things!

 

but a good example of what could be achieved

good post Jim

[Humphrey Appleby]

15 years on paper does seem like a long time .... but then it needs to be broken down into who was at the helm and when....... BSI obviously decided that they were unable to push things forward on their own as much as they could with IMG's umbrella over them.....

 

The original version of BSI and its associated enterprises didn't appear to be in great financial health by the end, so it was possibly as much a case of needs must.

 

Do any of us really know the ins and outs of the deal though?

 

The outline details are provided by BSI themselves in their own accounts. The amounts payable to the FIM are apparently dependent on the number of events staged, but a sum of approximately GBP 1.4 million was stated as due in 2010. It also states that GBP 6 million is due from 2011-2014, and GBP 12.5 million from 2016 until (presumably) 2021. This works out to an approximately similar amount per year, taking into account an inflationary increase. However, the FIM is responsible for the SGP and SWC prize money which presumably comes out of this, and that currently amounts to USD 1,051,500 (just over GBP 644K at current exchange rates) per year.

 

Note though, these figures are according to the minimum number of events according to the agreement, so it's possible the FIM is actually receiving more money than this. It would seem though, that BSI can terminate the agreement if television coverage is insufficient, so much would seem to be in their favour.

 

re: money being put back in then surely it is time to start criticising the FIM for it rather than IMG? The FIM cut the deal and are paid for it.

 

I've never criticised IMG for it. I entirely blame whoever cut the original deal, and the people who allowed those people to do it.

 

its a difficult one as the British system at least, has been slowly dying now for 4 decades, and seemingly does not know how to help itself..... there could be a whole multitude of opportunities and I believe the BSPA would be blind to it

 

That they missed the opportunity of the SGP and allowed a third party to come in and skim the cream, says it all really.

 

as far as british speedway on tv is concerned though I think it could well be the case that the GP's allowed it to happen....... maybe look at other sports for the likely scenario...... was county cricket on first? british superbike? league football? superleague? etc

 

Speedway was relatively late in getting on television, but with a plethora of sports channels crying out for content from the nineties onwards, it seems unlikely that speedway would have been bypassed. If the likes of korfball can get on live television, then there's hope for anything...

 

we arent talking about speedway fans though... we are talking about reaching joe bloggs who currently watches MotoGP, and F1

 

Well even F1 has it's complexities. I turned on to watch the Aussie GP and wondered why there were only 22 cars on the grid, only to discover the HRT-Cosworths had been excluded under the '107% rule'. How does one explain how a team went all the way to Australia not to race...

 

[bTW - I understand why the rule existed in the old days when just about anyone could front up in a car and attempt to qualify, but teams and drivers have to meet all sorts of criteria to race in F1 these days, so it's just plain daft.]

 

2021 is a ridiculous year to allow a contract to run to.... there was nothing wrong in giving 5 years... with some targets to reach to allow a further period to go ahead.

 

Bear in mind that it was something like an 18-year contract, and I think that was on top of an original 5-year contract. I'd have even said 10 years was acceptable, but to simply sign away the rights for so long without any sort of periodic review (assuming that's indeed the case) would seem to be very poor business indeed.

 

maybe instead we should be talking about the contract that GOspeed signed on behalf of British Speedway with SKY if we are to tread into areas of a lack of trickle down cash?

 

That's even harder to fathom for various reasons, but at least the BSPA have sold something they actually owned in the first place. Plus it would seem GoSpeed essentially underwrites some of the BEL tracks, so the arrangement *may* be more benevolent than it might appear.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Humphrey Appleby

[spook]

The outline details are provided by BSI themselves in their own accounts. The amounts payable to the FIM are apparently dependent on the number of events staged, but a sum of approximately GBP 1.4 million was stated as due in 2010. It also states that GBP 6 million is due from 2011-2014, and GBP 12.5 million from 2016 until (presumably) 2021. This works out to an approximately similar amount per year, taking into account an inflationary increase. However, the FIM is responsible for the SGP and SWC prize money which presumably comes out of this, and that currently amounts to USD 1,051,500 (just over GBP 644K at current exchange rates) per year.

 

Note though, these figures are according to the minimum number of events according to the agreement, so it's possible the FIM is actually receiving more money than this. It would seem though, that BSI can terminate the agreement if television coverage is insufficient, so much would seem to be in their favour.

 

thx

ok so the inflation question has been answered (i'm guessing rider prize money will see inflation changes as well at some stage)... and there is a loophole for IMG..... but I dont believe that there wont be loopholes for FIM as well... and it is unlikely that we will see that published by IMG

 

It would also indicate that the fees involved between IMG and FIM are flat(ish) and not based on financial results.... which takes us full circle back to the ball and chain of an 18 year contract.....

 

 

That they missed the opportunity of the SGP and allowed a third party to come in and skim the cream, says it all really.

 

being completely honest now..... would we actually want members of the BSPA to be running the GP's?

 

Aside from the events of this winter just gone they have shown little business acumen over the years..... and fail to recognise year in year out what the strengths of the sport are and how that can relate to bums on seats

 

A mix of world speedway people would have been preferable.... but again as I mentioned before.... where is the start up capital? where is the experience in the modern age of sponsors and working with the media? (please see SKY/GOspeed contract for evidence)

 

I don't think that IMG are a bad thing at all and over the years an identity has been built which is now recognisable for anyone who has watched one before and is flicking through the tv in the future........ handing out an 18 year contract in the first place is pure folly though

 

 

 

Well even F1 has it's complexities. I turned on to watch the Aussie GP and wondered why there were only 22 cars on the grid, only to discover the HRT-Cosworths had been excluded under the '107% rule'. How does one explain how a team went all the way to Australia not to race...

 

[bTW - I understand why the rule existed in the old days when just about anyone could front up in a car and attempt to qualify, but teams and drivers have to meet all sorts of criteria to race in F1 these days, so it's just plain daft.]

 

In a 90min multi lap race I believe it is all about just how slow a moving chicane can be without causing carnage...... not much different to sticking a NL junior in a GP competition that was 20 laps+

 

aside from the technical stuff F1 is actually quite simple for the average viewer to understand........ and I think this is the beauty..... anyone who wants to wear an anorak can delve into the technical side at will ..... but the bottom line of the sport isnt affected for everyone else

 

That's even harder to fathom for various reasons, but at least the BSPA have sold something they actually owned in the first place. Plus it would seem GoSpeed essentially underwrites some of the BEL tracks, so the arrangement *may* be more benevolent than it might appear.

 

again we dont know the real ins and outs of it....... but we do know that compared to other sports who gain LESS viewers on SKY it is completely out of step and SKY must be laughing at the sheer charity................ we also know that far too big a slice go into El Tel's pockets

 

it is my view that if anything was anything approaching professional then we would know where the sport stood as far as the deal is concerned...... we would know how much money is going back into the sport and where........

Edited April 18, 2011 by spook

[ladyluck]

Unfortunately, we are where we are.

There really never was any prospect of the FIM selling the rights to a consortium of governing bodies and the prospects for such a consortium coming into being would be remote. For a start, the Polish authorities seem to stand aloof, although they seem to have been the only ones to try and stifle BSI's "golden goose".

Where the BSPA missed the boat is the British Grand Prix, but no one, it seems, had the vision or the nerve to take a chance in the way that BSI did with Cardiff.

[Humphrey Appleby]

I dont believe that there wont be loopholes for FIM as well... and it is unlikely that we will see that published by IMG

 

Again according to the BSI's own accounts, the FIM can terminate in the event of late payment or a change in the legal control of BSI. Would have therefore thought there was the opportunity to re-negotiate when IMG(UK) took over BSI, but the takeover seems to have passed unmentioned at the FIM.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Humphrey Appleby

[ladyluck]

Again according to the BSI's own accounts, the FIM can terminate in the event of late payment or a change in the legal control of BSI. Would have therefore thought there was the opportunity to re-negotiate when IMG(UK) took over BSI, but the takeover seems to have passed unmentioned at the FIM.

 

Being realistic, when it comes to speedway, the FIM are happy enough being in BSI's pocket. It's secure, long term and makes minimal demands on the FIM.

[The Know]

Being realistic, when it comes to speedway, the FIM are happy enough being in BSI's pocket. It's secure, long term and makes minimal demands on the FIM.

Yep. All good then