2012 Gp Wildcards Announced

[manchesterpaul]

The arguments mentioned on Sky last night made it sound as if Darcy Ward would be unlikely to accept an invitation which in my eyes is a great shame indeed. It would appear he will lose out on far superior earnings if he opts for the Grand Prix series in preference to the Polish League.

 

Maybe the SGP series for the world's best riders should make the payments and prize money for them the best in the world?

 

 

Placing Prize money

per meeting

1 US$ 11’000.- 10 US$ 3’700.-

2 US$ 8’200.- 11 US$ 3’650.-

3 US$ 6’900.- 12 US$ 3’600.-

4 US$ 6’000.- 13 US$ 3’550.-

5 US$ 5’250.- 14 US$ 3’500.-

6 US$ 5’100.- 15 US$ 3’450.-

7 US$ 4’650.- 16 US$ 3’400.-

8 US$ 4’500.- 17 US$ 2’100.-

9 US$ 3’850.- 18 US$ 2’100.-

 

All travel and Hotels costs are included in the above prize money

11000 usd is approx £7000

 

Those are the exact figures i had in mind when i posted the above. Even allowing for speedway not having the financial clout of the World's major sports the rates don't look impressive at all.

 

So the rider has to pay travel and accommodation for himself and his backup team from the prize money.

 

That makes it look pretty paltry, I mean win every round and you'd get £77,000 compare that to what Vettel the F1 world champ gets.

 

Niamh

 

The Speeedway Star have indeed confirmed today that Darcy Ward has merely been invited and it isn't a set fact that he will appear in the series. No wonder if some of the figures suspected for wages from Polish clubs are fairly accurate that he would opt to miss the SGP.

 

Which brings us on to who should be the new nominated Wild Card? Always presuming they would elect a new one and not move up a series reserve!

[The White Knight]

Those are the exact figures i had in mind when i posted the above. Even allowing for speedway not having the financial clout of the World's major sports the rates don't look impressive at all.

 

 

 

The Speeedway Star have indeed confirmed today that Darcy Ward has merely been invited and it isn't a set fact that he will appear in the series. No wonder if some of the figures suspected for wages from Polish clubs are fairly accurate that he would opt to miss the SGP.

 

Which brings us on to who should be the new nominated Wild Card? Always presuming they would elect a new one and not move up a series reserve!

 

This just confirms what I am thinking.

 

How can they say that this is the TRUE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP when possibly some of the very best don't appear because of money. It beggars belief.

 

They should either make the GP's pay good money to the Riders AND make the Championship worth riding in.

Edited October 13, 2011 by The White Knight

[Trees]

they dont make massive changes

They jolly well have done, the format of the meetings for one! Then there's the venues, the preparation of the tracks, the amount of GPs etc

 

And yes I do think that the meetings could be run just as well by the major speedway federations. Poland often run meetings with as many spectators as the GPs anyways, they no doubt have to play host to the Polish companies who sponsor the GPs themselves, BSI have tapped into them nicely ............

 

The main thing, especially in this country, is the fact that speedway badly needs the revenue that must be pouring out of the sport into the IMG coffers, after all they wouldn't be running the series if they weren't making money? This competition wouldn't run if it wasn't for the leagues!

[ImpartialOne]

This just confirms what I am thinking.

 

How can they say that this is the TRUE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP when possibly some of the very best don't appear because of money. It beggars belief.

 

They should either make the GP's pay good money to the Riders AND make the Championship worth riding in.

Like it or not, the World Championship has long been bemoaned for it's "lack of pay." Billy Sanders once threatened not to contest the world championship qualifiers because there was "no money in it." This was in the good old eighties in the "glory days" of your beloved World Finals. I believe the year was 1985, his final year.

[spook]

They jolly well have done, the format of the meetings for one! Then there's the venues, the preparation of the tracks, the amount of GPs etc

 

And yes I do think that the meetings could be run just as well by the major speedway federations. Poland often run meetings with as many spectators as the GPs anyways, they no doubt have to play host to the Polish companies who sponsor the GPs themselves, BSI have tapped into them nicely ............

 

The main thing, especially in this country, is the fact that speedway badly needs the revenue that must be pouring out of the sport into the IMG coffers, after all they wouldn't be running the series if they weren't making money? This competition wouldn't run if it wasn't for the leagues!

 

I think you misunderstood me ... the lack of massive changes are not what you would like them to be... ie changed from before they took over....... the lack of massive changes are since they have taken over... ie the point of that paragraph... consistency................... in a speedway world that changes everything from year to year and extreme to extreme... IMG do a fine job of generally keeping things smoothly consistent and making the changes and improvements gradually

 

If the FIM were happy to run the GP's it wouldnt be farmed out to IMG.........where is this confidence coming from that things would run without a hitch if it was given over to the federations to run? They have hardly had a good track record in recent years............... for example what stance would the Polish federation have taken this season over silencers for their rounds? What kind of explosive and damaging situation could we have seen there with a bit more power in their pocket?

 

What I do see a lot in this section is criticism aimed in IMG's general direction for them not funding grass roots......... I dont see anything about what the FIM are doing with the money that IMG are giving them.......now call me stupid but isnt it the FIM's responsibility to trickle cash down and not IMG's?....... you talk about money pouring out of the sport and into IMG coffers but how much was going into FIM coffers before BSI/IMG got involved? How much has the revenue been raised due to the improvements made?

 

I don't trust promoters or federations to do the right thing ... a generalisation I know but as I outlined in a previous post they hardly cover themselves in glory or indicate that they know how to build the sport into something professional for the modern age.......... I once watched a senior BSPA member at a leading shared events meeting stand watching the turnstyles clicking on his counter everytime someone went through......... it was explained to me that this was because trust was at a minimum and a potential rip off was being avoided... even though the promoter and track had been designated the event................ as the Poole/Coventry farce has shown us this is where we are at in this country and what we would be bringing to the table for our GP rounds

 

..............Now if someone was to say that there are some other interested organisations out there who can bring better media exposure and markets such as America...... then i'd probably be saying that FIM should dump IMG

[GoTigers]

I suspect that the figures just confirm that some riders actually pay to be in the series.

 

But if some people think that negative income is not as bad as those incurring are claiming, then so be it.

 

Niamh

 

If you have any kind of sales talent at all you should be able to make a lot of extra money on sponsors when you are in the GP series and you can guarantee them that their name will be shown to millions of viewers across Europe and Australia every other week.

[fullbore]

If you have any kind of sales talent at all you should be able to make a lot of extra money on sponsors when you are in the GP series and you can guarantee them that their name will be shown to millions of viewers across Europe and Australia every other week.

 

There was an article a while back in MCN analysing Nicki Pedersen's income/expenditure and total income was quoted as £250k of which £125k went out in expenditure.

 

The simple fact that riders are riding in multiple leagues is a good indicator that the rewards are not that great.

 

Niamh

[ImpartialOne]

There was an article a while back in MCN analysing Nicki Pedersen's income/expenditure and total income was quoted as £250k of which £125k went out in expenditure.

 

The simple fact that riders are riding in multiple leagues is a good indicator that the rewards are not that great.

 

Niamh

Don't forget that "expenditure" is always falsely high.

[racers and royals]

There was an article a while back in MCN analysing Nicki Pedersen's income/expenditure and total income was quoted as £250k of which £125k went out in expenditure.

 

The simple fact that riders are riding in multiple leagues is a good indicator that the rewards are not that great.

 

Niamh

I would have thought Nicki`s income is double that quoted.

Most of the top riders are just doing Poland and Sweden alongside the GP`S-and are doing very nicely i would suggest-you only have to look at the leaked contracts of Greg Hancock and Jason Crump to confirm this-however the risks are high.

[fullbore]

Don't forget that "expenditure" is always falsely high.

 

Add it up- wages, equipment, travel costs for oneself and employees etc. Even if you want to say the expenses are inflated by 20% that still means the net income for a sportsman at the top of his profession is peanuts.

 

Niamh

[iris123]

Add it up- wages, equipment, travel costs for oneself and employees etc. Even if you want to say the expenses are inflated by 20% that still means the net income for a sportsman at the top of his profession is peanuts.

 

Niamh

Don't think those figures are anywhere near the true figures.No way.Just have to look at what the riders earn from Poland alone to know that

[PHILIPRISING]

I think you misunderstood me ... the lack of massive changes are not what you would like them to be... ie changed from before they took over....... the lack of massive changes are since they have taken over... ie the point of that paragraph... consistency................... in a speedway world that changes everything from year to year and extreme to extreme... IMG do a fine job of generally keeping things smoothly consistent and making the changes and improvements gradually

 

If the FIM were happy to run the GP's it wouldnt be farmed out to IMG.........where is this confidence coming from that things would run without a hitch if it was given over to the federations to run? They have hardly had a good track record in recent years............... for example what stance would the Polish federation have taken this season over silencers for their rounds? What kind of explosive and damaging situation could we have seen there with a bit more power in their pocket?

 

What I do see a lot in this section is criticism aimed in IMG's general direction for them not funding grass roots......... I dont see anything about what the FIM are doing with the money that IMG are giving them.......now call me stupid but isnt it the FIM's responsibility to trickle cash down and not IMG's?....... you talk about money pouring out of the sport and into IMG coffers but how much was going into FIM coffers before BSI/IMG got involved? How much has the revenue been raised due to the improvements made?

 

I don't trust promoters or federations to do the right thing ... a generalisation I know but as I outlined in a previous post they hardly cover themselves in glory or indicate that they know how to build the sport into something professional for the modern age.......... I once watched a senior BSPA member at a leading shared events meeting stand watching the turnstyles clicking on his counter everytime someone went through......... it was explained to me that this was because trust was at a minimum and a potential rip off was being avoided... even though the promoter and track had been designated the event................ as the Poole/Coventry farce has shown us this is where we are at in this country and what we would be bringing to the table for our GP rounds

 

..............Now if someone was to say that there are some other interested organisations out there who can bring better media exposure and markets such as America...... then i'd probably be saying that FIM should dump IMG

 

VERY good post and you are right that it is the job of the various speedway authorities to cultivate the grass roots. When the BSPA first signed the Sky deal there were promises of money being put into youth development, etc, but where is the evidence of that?

 

Most people have no idea of the huge investment IMG make in the SGP, initially through payments to the FIM and then the events themselves. But does anyone seriously believe the BSPA could run an event like Cardiff? Where would they find the hundreds of thousands of pounds that are spent. Of course IMG are there to make a profit but that is no different to Wimbledon tennis, cricket at Lords and so on.

 

The level of expertise they bring is hugely impressive and admittedly I have a 'grandstand' view of what they do. They have massively increased the exposure of speedway. Yesterday I watched the final SGP highlights programme being edited ready for distribution to over 100 countries. The amount of work behind the scenes that goes into each GP, let alone ones at Cardiff and Copenhagen, is staggering. I make no apology for trumpeting their endeavours because they have taken the level of presentation at SGP events to a new level.

 

America is a target for the SGP series and significant interest is being shown by other countries as well. No one can argue that the financial rewards for riders aren't great in terms of prize money but all 15 of the SGP riders receive an up front bonus and can hope to increase their sponsorship income on the back of the TV and media exposure they receive through riding in the GP. Hopefully if the series continues to grow outside of Europe (where 11 rounds is considered the maximum) the probability of increased prize money will too.

 

 

[racers and royals]

Philip,two Questions please

1 Do BSI pay that up-front bonus to the riders ?

2 Does the world champion 2nd and 3rd recieve any payment for their success in addition to the normal GP prize money.

[PHILIPRISING]

Philip,two Questions please

1 Do BSI pay that up-front bonus to the riders ?

2 Does the world champion 2nd and 3rd recieve any payment for their success in addition to the normal GP prize money.

 

YES and no

[PHILIPRISING]

SORRY, mis-read your second question. World Champion receives extra, as far as I know second and third don't.

[fullbore]

Don't think those figures are anywhere near the true figures.No way.Just have to look at what the riders earn from Poland alone to know that

 

I've given the source, if you want to suggest different figures please do quoting your sources.

 

Niamh

[ImpartialOne]

I would have thought Nicki`s income is double that quoted.

Most of the top riders are just doing Poland and Sweden alongside the GP`S-and are doing very nicely i would suggest-you only have to look at the leaked contracts of Greg Hancock and Jason Crump to confirm this-however the risks are high.

Haven't seen Greg's but Crump's £620,000 isn't far off the mark and that's just for one league. Even if Nicki earns half that in Poland it's already more than the quoted figure for one league alone. If reports of a guarantee of £3,000 per meeting for Peterborough are to be believed, then add £66,000 for Elite League, then there's Swedish League, Danish League, SGP, SWC, extra bookings... And of course, sponsorship. Bearing in mind that sponsorship in Poland is big bucks (Polish reserves can attract sponsorship in excess of £50,000 a time) and all of a sudden it's not looking too shabby.

[PHILIPRISING]

Haven't seen Greg's but Crump's £620,000 isn't far off the mark and that's just for one league. Even if Nicki earns half that in Poland it's already more than the quoted figure for one league alone. If reports of a guarantee of £3,000 per meeting for Peterborough are to be believed, then add £66,000 for Elite League, then there's Swedish League, Danish League, SGP, SWC, extra bookings... And of course, sponsorship. Bearing in mind that sponsorship in Poland is big bucks (Polish reserves can attract sponsorship in excess of £50,000 a time) and all of a sudden it's not looking too shabby.

 

CANNOT verify but Ryan Sullivan has reportedly earned over a million US dollars this year.

[ImpartialOne]

CANNOT verify but Ryan Sullivan has reportedly earned over a million US dollars this year.

I can well believe it. You only have to look at Gollob's reported divorce settlement to see that there is still money to be made in speedway.

[Ghostwalker]

according to this article http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/article12308470.ab Greg had a fixed salary at 60'000 Swedish Kronor (~£5700) per meeting.

This was for 2010 and i think i read somewhere that he had about 70'000 (~£6688) this season.

Greg has done 18 meetings this year for Piraterna which would mean that he would have earned some £120000 this season only from Piraterna.

 

I am pretty sure that riders like Gollob and Nicki have similar salaries.