Premier League 2013

[CardinalSin]

There has also been talk of Ipswich moving up to the EL again...

Don't you just love silly season?

yes great isn't it I think this scenario is more likely in 2014 rather than next season though. Chris Louis has made no secret of his desire to take Ipswich back up, but he said only two weeks ago that he wants to do that as PL champions and also confirmed his interest in Nielsen and Tressarieu for next year.

 

I would love to see Ipswich back in the top flight and Mildenhall back up to the PL as i would personally get the best of both worlds. I enjoy my trips to Mildy and with the current promotion in charge, i can see Mildenhall being very successful in the PL. NL has been well supported so i'd expect that to continue and some in the PL.

[Steve Irving]

yes great isn't it I think this scenario is more likely in 2014 rather than next season though. Chris Louis has made no secret of his desire to take Ipswich back up, but he said only two weeks ago that he wants to do that as PL champions and also confirmed his interest in Nielsen and Tressarieu for next year.

 

I would love to see Ipswich back in the top flight and Mildenhall back up to the PL as i would personally get the best of both worlds. I enjoy my trips to Mildy and with the current promotion in charge, i can see Mildenhall being very successful in the PL. NL has been well supported so i'd expect that to continue and some in the PL.

Louis could always still sign up Tressarieu and Nielsen....For Mildenhall in the PL next year

[MrMungo]

Chris Louis has a tough task at the moment. If the proposals I heard for next year NL's get the green light, I really can't see Mildenhall (and Dudley for that matter) being in that league. It will be dumbed down far too much for their liking (in my opinion).

Whilst I have no doubt Louis will want to take Ipswich back into the EL, based on the crowds I've seen at Foxhall this year, and the expected steep rent rise, I really can't see EL being a viable option at the moment.

Would Chris Louis be allowed to be a promoter at 2 different clubs? He's not Terry Russell after all! Or even would he want to?

 

As for Messrs Tresarrieu and Nielsen...a lot of things get said at this time of the year. I very much doubt anything is set in stone quite yet

[Dinosaur]

every year promoters trott out the same thing about cutting costs, which basically means lowering the standard of teams to reduce wages. Its a vicious circle, reducing the standards further and further each year means the crowds drop even further, fans arent daft! Promoters need to be brave, set the standards high, attract the best riders back to the Elite league which will then filter some riders back to the premier and make it stronger. Yes it would cost more in wages but how about they try and PROMOTE.

[IronScorpion]

We, at Scunthorpe, are blessed with having promoters that like to see speedway races, yes races, where you don't have to be settled after the 1st 2 corners to know the result of the race(gate & go). It is about giving the riders the chance to race on decent surfaces, to create excitement for the crowds to see. I know of quite a few people that watch the GP's & EL on Sky but have not seen speedway, live, for a few years. I have tried to entice them to the EWR, more so, our double headers at £16 for 2 meetings(normally £14 per meeting). I have noticed this year that other club have raced double headers & charged about £25/£26 for the 2 meetings that could have cost £15 each meeting. What were their crowds like barring the increase of 2 away teams supporters. Did it bring out the increase of home support.

 

Could we promote the sport more by taking DVD's of meetings to schools for dinner time viewing/after school viewing. Getting the kids their means adults have to bring them to the meetings but they have to be watchable/exciting to bring them back. One bad meeting does not help plus the ever changing rules(what a nightmare explaining that to newbies)

[tyretrax]

13 heats plus a second half to bring the youngins on and to teast engines etc. keep the k.o. cup bring back the 4s. qualifying system..statr the season march 1st. the team with the most points at the end of the season are champions end of...

 

I would agree with that apart from the start date. The April 1st. is plenty early. Maybe wont matter to me if Glasgow go to Fridays.

[bamber]

I would agree with that apart from the start date. The April 1st. is plenty early. Maybe wont matter to me if Glasgow go to Fridays.

March 1st. means a full month ahead even if you get a couple of rain/snowed off lol. meetings sill got a few weeks to catch up on fixtures..once the season as it is now gets to october time less and less chance to catch up..just look at workington V ippo last night...

[idanthyrsus]

Don't bring the 13 heat formula back. It was abandoned for a reason.

 

My proposal would be that there should be less change in teams each year.

 

Because of the points values then each team, be it successful or not, has to be broken up each year and new riders signed. It would be surely be cheaper if riders could be brought in for several years, with the knowledge that the vast majority of the riders could be retained without having to break up the team each year. The league winners will have added several points to their team average, so will have to break up the team.

 

Instead of using hard averages, use softer averages, for example, allow each team upto three Class A riders, whose average is above 7.5 or two class a Riders whose average is above 8, with three class B riders whose average is between 4 and 7.5 / 8 and then two reserves whose average is less than four. Allow a team to remain unchanged from the previous year or a rider who remains with his team to remain with his class as originally signed.

 

That way the expense of putting together a new team, signing riders, signing on fee, re-negotiating contracts, etc, etc is done away with. Allowing the promoters to be sure of how much they are going to fork out for the team.

 

Just thoughts, don't get too angry

[Travertine]

Don't bring the 13 heat formula back. It was abandoned for a reason.

 

What was the reason for doing away with 13 heats, and when did it happen? Didn't they use 14 at one time?

 

Because of the points values then each team, be it successful or not, has to be broken up each year and new riders signed.

 

So how did teams manage in the old days before points limits were brought in, was it survival of the fittest, with the richest promoter always getting the best squad?

[Ian]

 

So how did teams manage in the old days before points limits were brought in, was it survival of the fittest, with the richest promoter always getting the best squad?

 

To some extent it was the survival of the fittest, and I believe that Wimbledon won the National leaugue (which was the first tier) for a significant number of consecutive seasons. Was that a problem? Not really. Wimbledon fans seemed happy enough to watch large home wins every week, and the attraction of such a strong visiting team ensured a good payday for the other promoters.

 

The real answer is to allow team-building to a fixed average, but to give discounted averages to riders based on how long they have stayed with the one team. I cannot see the attraction of supporting a team which changes riders every couple of weeks.

[mickthemuppet]

 

Would Chris Louis be allowed to be a promoter at 2 different clubs? He's not Terry Russell after all! Or even would he want to?

 

 

Suggest you look at the history of Speedway- Mike Parker promoted at around 12 Speedway tracks and if it had not been for him Speedway as we know it would have died out. John Berry promoted at Ipswich and Birmingham in the same league. There have numerous promoters who have promoted at more than one track in the same league.

[idanthyrsus]

What was the reason for doing away with 13 heats, and when did it happen? Didn't they use 14 at one time?

 

Late 80's I believe. The reason it was done away with (IMO) was that the top riders didn't face each other enough. This was compensated for by having a "proper" second half with heat leaders competing against each other in things like the Silver Helmet.

 

This was found to cause too many injuries to the top riders, so the 15 heat formula was introduced, which was kind of a half-way house with every rider facing every other rider over the course of the meeeting.

 

There has also been 16 and 18 heat formulas (really didn't like the 18 heat formula) but I think the 15 heat formula is the one I prefer.

[nick]

_{It went in 1987 after they tried out the 15 heats in the KO Cup, I prefer 15 heats but with the original tactical rules so that you can have as many as you like, IMO a lot of the problems this year have been caused by promotions agreeing the restaging dates or cup tie dates between themselves, I believe in the 70's these were organised by the BSPA and they also had designated weeks for the Cup competition. If this had occurred then League fixtures would have been moved back and the League Cup concluded in June/early July and we would not have had the Workington/Ipswich farce or in the Elite League drawn out of the hat option. The playoffs don't help and maybe next year they should just revert to home and away ties for the top four and do away with the round robin groups.}

[scaramanga]

Late 80's I believe. The reason it was done away with (IMO) was that the top riders didn't face each other enough. This was compensated for by having a "proper" second half with heat leaders competing against each other in things like the Silver Helmet.

 

This was found to cause too many injuries to the top riders, so the 15 heat formula was introduced, which was kind of a half-way house with every rider facing every other rider over the course of the meeeting.

 

There has also been 16 and 18 heat formulas (really didn't like the 18 heat formula) but I think the 15 heat formula is the one I prefer.

cant remember too much about the 13 ht formula but i do like proper 2nd halves be it just juniors having there first laps or proper junior racing i like watching riders develop like i did with richard lawson and craig cook at workington can also remeber a young william lawson coming down to workington

 

we now have kyle bickley at workington still very young but looks to have potential to go far

[stemoc]

cant remember too much about the 13 ht formula but i do like proper 2nd halves be it just juniors having there first laps or proper junior racing i like watching riders develop like i did with richard lawson and craig cook at workington can also remeber a young william lawson coming down to workington

 

we now have kyle bickley at workington still very young but looks to have potential to go far

Your right Scarra the young lads need the opportunity to come through which the 2nd halves used to give to them. that said Northside are doing a great job in both promoting the sport and giving opportunities to the next generation of riders and long may that continue.

[jenga]

now then, now then, now then. with workington being the fall guys for the missing 5 heats or so in last weeks meet v ippo. a return to the old 13 heat formula would be the way forward.(back to the future).. the shortened heats would give the chance for the meeting to run its full course and not have the stupid decision of names out of a hat or a team backing out of the comp, ala , worky.

the second half should still be run as it was in the 70s . everyone still gets the extra ride and the up n comers would get a chance to race just before the rider of the night race. plus the public are getting the same entertainment in the time they are there.

BRING BACK 13 HEATS PLUS 2ND HALF/++

Edited October 16, 2012 by jenga

[scaramanga]

Your right Scarra the young lads need the opportunity to come through which the 2nd halves used to give to them. that said Northside are doing a great job in both promoting the sport and giving opportunities to the next generation of riders and long may that continue.

yes i have to agree the new set up at northside has worked brilliantly not only for the ones who are starting out but it has even brought the odd after meeting riders to derwent park some of which have imporoved a lot from when they rode in the past

[seanmuffe]

Suggest you look at the history of Speedway- Mike Parker promoted at around 12 Speedway tracks and if it had not been for him Speedway as we know it would have died out. John Berry promoted at Ipswich and Birmingham in the same league. There have numerous promoters who have promoted at more than one track in the same league.

 

 

was he at Doncaster at the same time as well?

 

Late 80's I believe. The reason it was done away with (IMO) was that the top riders didn't face each other enough. This was compensated for by having a "proper" second half with heat leaders competing against each other in things like the Silver Helmet.

 

This was found to cause too many injuries to the top riders, so the 15 heat formula was introduced, which was kind of a half-way house with every rider facing every other rider over the course of the meeeting.

 

There has also been 16 and 18 heat formulas (really didn't like the 18 heat formula) but I think the 15 heat formula is the one I prefer.

 

Think it was because riders couldnt be arsed to stay for 2nd half they would rather go abroad to earn...wouldnt happen now !!!!!!! They came up with reason to replace the original!!!!!!!!!

[ShadowCaptain]

Regional competition at the start of the season, to allow the promotions to benefit from increased crowds due to travelling support. Points not to be included in averages, to prevent any suspicion of average 'fixing'.

 

Premier League to be single round, home and away.

 

Bring back the four team tournament mid-season, regionally-based, as qualifier for Peterborough.

 

Knock-out Cup, based on aggregate scores, and no tactical rides.

 

Play-offs, properly named to avoid aggravation!

 

With a couple of challenge matches to start the campaign, this should mean, in a 12-team league:-

 

2 challenge matches

3 regional cup matches

11 league matches

1 fours qualifier

1 knockout cup match

2 play-off matches

 

A season of 20 matches, with hardly any filler, and extra cup matches for the more successful teams. Less successful teams attract fewer supporters, generally, and would not need to drag the season on. More successful teams have more supporters, generally, and could benefit from extra meetings.