Which Is Best: The Old ‘one-off’ World Final Or Sgp.

[g13webb]

I can see the benefits of both ideas, but can also see the problems they create.

 

I believe the SGP is now getting into the thrones of purely, a money making exercise with little regard to the sport in general. I believe 12 rounds is too many, and that by the end of a season the same riders, racing together every other week, it loses the appeal it should have.

 

Interesting to hear other opinions

[Druid]

I would prefer the one off world final to the SGP crap.

[Steve0]

No competition - the SGPs by the proverbial mile

 

The good thing about the SGPs over the old World Final (similar to the league versus play-off) is that the champion is determined over the season rather than on a night - this, for me, provides a true champion as it levels out the track biases.

 

Like the play offs, the organisers need to be careful that it doesn't just become a money making exercise - they should remember it should be the best of the world's riders - no disrespect to Ljung and Bunyan who aren't!

[B.V 72]

The one off finals were the best because it was a few qual rounds and a final.The gp today has to many rounds which in turn has help to destroy British speedway with the top riders to busy to fit the elite league into there to hectic schedules.Rather see one or two of them live at my home track every week than 12 times a year on t.v.

[JCookie]

Novel idea.

[oldace]

I wonder why no one has ever thought of debating this subject ever before

[stratton]

One off finals for me, g.ps going stale same old same old.

[guitar_art]

For Pure drama you just cannott beat the old one of finals. (Would have been even more drama full if they had used the GP formula of a final race tho)

Dont really like SGP. And like others have said I believe it is sucking the life out of British speedway in particular. Whats one of the most talked about subjects in Speedway? Penhall V Carter in Los Angeles. Would not have had the same impact if they then had gone onto another eleven rounds.

[Guest wolfhound]

I personally preferred the one-off World Finals purely for the excitement they generated and the knowledge that a rider had but one serious chance each season to be World Champion but then the one-off final did have its downside if a rider had a fall, an engine failure etc meaning almost certainly his chance had gone but that was the magic of it all.

The current GP’s in my view have become too elongated with too many rounds and with NZ now joining the series it’s becoming even longer. Should the USA ever decide to make an entrance, would there be any time left for domestic fixtures?

Now if there were only 7 rounds, such as Poland, Sweden, UK, Denmark, Australia, the USA plus a.n.other AND each rider was to ‘drop’ his worst score, the series would be more compact, riders would be able to put that disaster night aside and hopefully would also allow them to fulfill domestic fixtures without having such an overcrowded schedule. Unfortunately though I don’t think it will happen, there is too much money involved and the organisers would not contemplate a downsizing of their major attraction.

Regarding the one-off finals, they did require qualifying rounds which for the most part were a waste of time but they did at least offer a rider the opportunity to surpass himself and make further inroads in the competition whereas the GP’s are virtually a closed shop and ‘by invitation only’.

So one-off finals for me under the present GP system but that is just my opinion, others I’m sure have very different views and maybe haven’t experienced a one-off final particularly one at Wembley - now that was THE night fit for crowning a World Champion!

[MrMungo]

When the Grand Prix first began, I would have said GPs 100%. In recent years, however, it's all gotten a little bit silly. They're just putting on GPs for the hell of it. European GP, Nordic GP, etc, etc.

Going back some 15 years, I really, really used to enjoy the GPs. There was about 6 of them, and they were really something to look forward to.

I used to go to GPs quite regularly then. Now I don't bother. I don't think I have been to a GP for 6 or 7 years.

So, for me, I would most definitely say the old World Final.

[stratton]

I personally preferred the one-off World Finals purely for the excitement they generated and the knowledge that a rider had but one serious chance each season to be World Champion but then the one-off final did have its downside if a rider had a fall, an engine failure etc meaning almost certainly his chance had gone but that was the magic of it all.

The current GP’s in my view have become too elongated with too many rounds and with NZ now joining the series it’s becoming even longer. Should the USA ever decide to make an entrance, would there be any time left for domestic fixtures?

Now if there were only 7 rounds, such as Poland, Sweden, UK, Denmark, Australia, the USA plus a.n.other AND each rider was to ‘drop’ his worst score, the series would be more compact, riders would be able to put that disaster night aside and hopefully would also allow them to fulfill domestic fixtures without having such an overcrowded schedule. Unfortunately though I don’t think it will happen, there is too much money involved and the organisers would not contemplate a downsizing of their major attraction.

Regarding the one-off finals, they did require qualifying rounds which for the most part were a waste of time but they did at least offer a rider the opportunity to surpass himself and make further inroads in the competition whereas the GP’s are virtually a closed shop and ‘by invitation only’.

So one-off finals for me under the present GP system but that is just my opinion, others I’m sure have very different views and maybe haven’t experienced a one-off final particularly one at Wembley - now that was THE night fit for crowning a World Champion!

Dont mention that word closed shop Wolfhound.

[Cockney Rebel]

I'm with BV72, Guitar _Art and Sydney on this. I remember coming home from the 1972 (I think) World Final with a sore throat and a thumping headache screaming for Bernie Persson to beat Ivan Mauger, I'd been home for a couple of hours before I realised I didn't even like Bernie Persson. Such was the occasion. The GPs are fairer to the riders but not as exciting for the fans. Knowing the World Champion was going to be crowned that night was absolutely the best feeling a fan could have, seeing a rider win a GP but thinking "well he's got to do that several more times this year" is not the same. I also don't like the " If I ride well this year I might get a chance to ride in the qualifying rounds for the GP next year and ride in the GPs the year after that". Under the old system every rider no matter what his standard could dream of being World Champion that year. Thats'the magic of any sport

[stevebrum]

Its a much better way of finding a true World Champion so obviously the GP is the best.

 

Im amazed this thread was even started. Its not like no one has ever mentioned it before!

[lucifer sam]

I wonder why no one has ever thought of debating this subject ever before

 

[BigFatDave]

Not Again! Is it Groundhog day on here or something? Has anyone heard if Peterboro or Coventry are in the EL this year?

[waiheke1]

AAAARGGGGGGGHHH!!!!!!

 

Its an indisputable FACT thatnthe old one was better because every rider had a chance every year to be world chamion, it was a proper world championship.

also, because the standard was so much higher then, you had riders on 9 point averages who were only 23rd in the standings...

 

(do i need to add an emoticon to this?)

[stratton]

AAAARGGGGGGGHHH!!!!!!

 

Its an indisputable FACT thatnthe old one was better because every rider had a chance every year to be world chamion, it was a proper world championship.

also, because the standard was so much higher then, you had riders on 9 point averages who were only 23rd in the standings...

 

(do i need to add an emoticon to this?)

Better than a closed shop now, ride by INVITATION only AAAARGGGGGGGHHH ,;;;;;;;;

[WIE-JA]

Better than a closed shop now, ride by INVITATION only AAAARGGGGGGGHHH ,;;;;;;;;

 

Except those that qualify!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

I wonder why no one has ever thought of debating this subject ever before

 

Well, indeed! Coz despite this being (as more or less everyone knows!) my favourite subject, even I can't be bothered to join in! Which MUST be a great relief to you all!

[T.N.T.]

Loved the old one day World Final and part of the enjoyment was the qualifying rounds from British Final, Commonwealth Final, Overseas Final and then the Inter Continental Final with the top 11 from that joining the top 5 from the Continental Final. ..... Only problem back then was that the top 5 from the Continental Final were virtually just also rans and never really troubled the score board while quality riders were left watching. .... Now of course riders like Gollob, Zagar, Hampel, Sayfutdinov etc etc would come through those rounds.

 

 

With the GP's you know that whoever is crowned World Champion is the right winner and it also takes it to a wider audience.

 

 

 

It would be great if the GP Qualifying rounds were much more like the old system again with what was the old one day final being the GP Challenge Final

 

 

Also its ok having 2 meetings in one country, but it would be great to see the GP's taken to new countries like Spain where fans could mix it with a holiday. ..... Other rounds in say France, Germany .... maybe even take a round into China or Japan !