G.p.series Does The Future Look Good Quality Wise.

[stratton]

The gp series at the moment,looks good quality wise but do people think in the next 2 to 3 years the quality might not be as high?.If Crump,Gollob,Hancock,Pedersen,Holta,[Adams retired]all go does the next batch of stars look good anough at the moment.I no it all goes around in cycles,and riders appear from nowhere but i do think it is a bit worrying.Even the riders who have the ability,have to qualify first which Parsloes has made a good point is hard to do the way it is at the moment.And even if they do you need the financial clout and organisation to be able to compete.I think it is a bit worrying,what are other peoples views longterm.

[MattK]

You've still go the current crop of younger GP stars such as Hampel, Kolodziej, Jonsson, Sayfutdinov, Bjerre, Holder, Lindgren plus exciting fringe riders such as Lindback and Zagar, followed by a crop of youngsters including Ward, Janowski, the Pawlicki brothers, Vaculik, M Jespen Jensen, Dudek, Andersson, THJ, Woffinden and even Batchelor.

 

I'd say the GP looks pretty healthy.

[Midland Red]

Isn't there a separate forum for GP discussion ?

[michaelcroucher]

I was quite upset to see that there is only really one change in GP rider which is ward. He is a great rider and don’t get me wrong, there are great riders in the GP but some of them that was out of the top 8 that are back in for 2012 should not be there. There are new young riders on the scene at the mo that don’t ride in UK that should be there. I hope we have a big change in 2013.

[ImpartialOne]

Had there been such a thing as a forum back in the 1990s, someone would have sat long enough to come up with, "What happens when Nielsen, Hamill, Ernolenko, etc retire? Will the youngsters like Nicki Pedersen, Andreas Jonsson, Jarek Hampel, etc be as good?"

 

Had there been such a thing in 1986 for instance, the question may have been asked, "What happens now we've lost Penhall, Olsen, Carter, Sigalos, Lee, Mauger, etc? Will the new breed of Ermolenko, Pedersen, Jonsson, etc be as good?"

 

No doubt when the likes of Ward, Sayfutdinov, Holder, Woffinden, etc are established stars and coming to the end of their careers the same question will be asked.

 

Absolutely nothing to worry about.

[MattK]

If BSI are really on the ball they could start promoting the world U21 to get it on TV and what not, so that casual viewers are more familiar with the quality of the young riders coming through the system.

[stratton]

Had there been such a thing as a forum back in the 1990s, someone would have sat long enough to come up with, "What happens when Nielsen, Hamill, Ernolenko, etc retire? Will the youngsters like Nicki Pedersen, Andreas Jonsson, Jarek Hampel, etc be as good?"

 

Had there been such a thing in 1986 for instance, the question may have been asked, "What happens now we've lost Penhall, Olsen, Carter, Sigalos, Lee, Mauger, etc? Will the new breed of Ermolenko, Pedersen, Jonsson, etc be as good?"

 

No doubt when the likes of Ward, Sayfutdinov, Holder, Woffinden, etc are established stars and coming to the end of their careers the same question will be asked.

 

Absolutely nothing to worry about.

The numbers are not there now thou are they quality wise.Also to get in the gp series now is difficult.Riders like Lee tested themselves at a young age because he got the chance to.If say 5 pulled out of the series tomorrow out of the established stars ,where are the stars to come in straight away theyre not there not yet anyway.The worrying thing for me at the moment only 2 riders for me good anough to go in the series now they are Ward and Batchelor,[i do think laguta and zagar are good anough to.]The point i am trying to make the numbers in quality are not there like yesterdayyear.

[michaelcroucher]

If BSI are really on the ball they could start promoting the world U21 to get it on TV and what not, so that casual viewers are more familiar with the quality of the young riders coming through the system.

 

Is not down to BSI to show the under 21 on TV. Its down to sky they have the rights to show speedway in the UK. I watch the u21 on tv. THe only reason i watched the u21 on TV is becuase i have international TV so i watched it. I also watched the European Finals and the UK team didnt even qulifi. There were teams i would never of thought of. I dont have sky any more for the reason they only show Monday nights and GP. There are plenty of young riders out there but the brits dont know about them if they just have sky.

[Humphrey Appleby]

The problem is not a lack of riders, but a lack of riders willing to ride in the SGP. A lot of good or potentially good riders simply never bother to go through the qualifying system, whilst other riders that haven't really been good enough have got in for nationality or marketing reasons.

 

If the SGP paid good money then there wouldn't be this issue.

[iris123]

A lot of good or potentially good riders simply never bother to go through the qualifying system,

That's an interesting statement.Can you give us a number of examples?

[ImpartialOne]

That's an interesting statement.Can you give us a number of examples?

I think Dave Watt has opted out for quite a few seasons and only in the last couple of years has shown an interest.

[iris123]

I think Dave Watt has opted out for quite a few seasons and only in the last couple of years has shown an interest.

Yeah sorry.I meant to write "apart from Dave Watt + David Howe"....

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

That's an interesting statement.Can you give us a number of examples?

 

I'm sure Edward Kennett opted not to enter the QRs a few years back.

 

And before I get all the predictable comments, to me the lack of real progress on the world scene of a great talent like Eddie is a classic example of the malaise the 'closed shop' system of the GP (8 to 11 riders only have to compete with 4-8 others for their guaranteed place in the following year) has caused to our World Championship..

 

Yes I believe there IS young talent out there to make for an excellent series.. So throw the balls up in the air by making qualification for 2012 open to ALL. In other words start year with qualifiers and then move onto a GP series comprising those who've qualified from a fully open process IN THE SAMME YEAR - not there historically... That's the only way to restore confidence in the championship and give a fairer route for those trying to get in to have a chance..

[Dave_minall]

You've still go the current crop of younger GP stars such as Hampel, Kolodziej, Jonsson, Sayfutdinov, Bjerre, Holder, Lindgren plus exciting fringe riders such as Lindback and Zagar, followed by a crop of youngsters including Ward, Janowski, the Pawlicki brothers, Vaculik, M Jespen Jensen, Dudek, Andersson, THJ, Woffinden and even Batchelor.

 

I'd say the GP looks pretty healthy.

 

My thoughts exactly. People don't like change you see, so they assume that the current era (or times gone by) are the be all and end all of speedway.

 

Granted the oldest rider in the field won the championship won this year, but regardless of the skill or the age of riders, the GP will still continue to be an exciting product and will be for years to come.

[iris123]

I'm sure Edward Kennett opted not to enter the QRs a few years back.

 

And before I get all the predictable comments, to me the lack of real progress on the world scene of a great talent like Eddie

Well my response might seem predictable to you Parsloes,but here it is..... If i remember right Kennett opted out of the British league for a while as well at one stage.Sure he had some problems and just rode in Sweden if my memory is correct.So personally Kennett isn't a rider who is likely to make it to the top as i think he has problems in his head and maybe other places as well.Rather like another of the young talents who you saw many years back at Plough Lane and predicted he would be a world beater.Don't think you can blame the GPs for young talent not making it to the top.That has happened for donkeys years without any GPs

[stratton]

My thoughts exactly. People don't like change you see, so they assume that the current era (or times gone by) are the be all and end all of speedway.

 

Granted the oldest rider in the field won the championship won this year, but regardless of the skill or the age of riders, the GP will still continue to be an exciting product and will be for years to come.

Change yes all for it if its made the sport as a whole better ,it hasnt.And also dont just presume the gp product will go on for years to come without hard work and improvements because its a hard old world out there with loads of sports rivalling speedway.

[Dave_minall]

Change yes all for it if its made the sport as a whole better ,it hasnt.And also dont just presume the gp product will go on for years to come without hard work and improvements because its a hard old world out there with loads of sports rivalling speedway.

 

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective. We have qualification rounds and one final at a track and that is it - with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors. Just because we have a year when 1 rule by one league has impacted on this years competition we get all and sundry claiming that 'the one off final was better' - at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

My issue is not with riders dropping out, as they've got every right to, My issue is people claiming that the current system is broken and that the one off world final is better. It just isn't.

[stratton]

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective. We have qualification rounds and one final at a track and that is it - with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors. Just because we have a year when 1 rule by one league has impacted on this years competition we get all and sundry claiming that 'the one off final was better' - at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

My issue is not with riders dropping out, as they've got every right to, My issue is people claiming that the current system is broken and that the one off world final is better. It just isn't.

If its that successful why are riders earning peanuts?i want them to get the rewards they deserve.if i hear the riders are getting well rewarded and they are happy then i will agree its been succesful.If you play in the premiership, a high accolade you are well rewarded.Why if the gp series is doing that great why arnt the riders reaping the rewards? i think Darcy ward not entering this year tells you alot.

[alan_boon]

I think this could possibly be a chance for BSI to tweak the formula: have a top 8 assured, and the other 7 to come from 16 riders chosen to appear in two qualifiers. The qualifying rounds further on in the season will decide 9 riders to take part in 2013's qualifiers, alongside the bottom 7.

Edited November 2, 2011 by alan_boon

[Humphrey Appleby]

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective.

 

I'm not the least bit interested in seeing it from BSI's perspective. They're a private company who're looking to profit from the SGP any way they can (as they should do from the perspective of their shareholders).

 

A more relevant question for the sport as a whole to ask, is what it's getting out of the SGP, and more particularly, BSI's involvement.

 

with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors.

 

Bit of a myth that, although I suppose it depends on your definition of 'huge'. When you break it down though, it's really only Cardiff, Copenhagen and Gothenburg that you might describe as 'huge stadiums' and it's really only the first two of these and the Polish rounds that draw any significant crowds. Most of the venues are distinctly small, and the crowds quite indifferent.

 

at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

That's all right then...