Uk Speedway Series

[E I Addio]

. The events are being run by the Courtney Brothers

 

Ah, well, that explains a lot. I wish someone had said that on page 1 of the thread and it would have saved a lot of questions. Least said the better. No wonder the SCB don't want to touch it with a barge pole.

 

Really? I have never organised a Speedway meeting but have been around enough to see how things are run and even helped out a bit at times.

 

I have been involved in a large number of MX meetings with up to 300 riders taking part. That's 300 riders who need to have entry forms filled out and acceptances sent before the meeting, 300 bikes to scrutineer, a track to build within specific guidelines with posts, rope, start gates, signing on/lap scoring facilities all needing to be transported to the site. Insurance cover to be sorted, medical cover arranged, toilets put in place, lapscorers and anything up to 50 marshalls arranged. Then there are the results from 20 to 30 races to be sorted and posted before finally awarding the trophies (that somebody had to arrange before the meeting) and dismantling everything to be transported back to where it came from.

 

I doubt getting 14 riders into a purpose built stadium with a permanent track is infinitely more complicated.

 

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work can do it. It is the actual meeting officials whose jobs are more onerous at a speedway meeting IMO i.e referee. clerk of the course, pit marshal machine examiners etc and I don't see how you can get untrained, unqualified people to do those jobs at the drop of a hat.

Anyway its a bit of a moot point now as it has just been mentioned that the Courtney Brothers are organising it and that says all I need to know. Personally I don't want to waste my time discussing or even thinking about anything they are involved in. Somehow I don't quite see them as speedway's fairy godmothers.

Edited February 11, 2013 by E I Addio

[berwick31]

 

 

Ah, well, that explains a lot. I wish someone had said that on page 1 of the thread and it would have saved a lot of questions. Least said the better. No wonder the SCB don't want to touch it with a barge pole.

 

 

 

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work those jobs at the drop of a hat.

Anyway its a bit of a moot point now as it has just been mentioned that the Courtney Brothers are organising it and that says all I need to know. Personally I don't want to waste my time discussing or even thinking about anything they are involved in. Somehow I don't quite see them as speedway's fairy godmothers.

 

 

Meaning?

[E I Addio]

Meaning?

 

Draw your own conclusions. Not that I would wish to influence others but it says all I need to know.

[Whisperer]

I think some people are getting confused. These events are not being run by the MCF or Events 22 who run the Arena Cross and Red Bull events. The events are being run by the Courtney Brothers who have sidestepped the BSPA and got their insurance from the MCF. The MCF are just the governing body for MX & Enduro clubs.

 

With the very capable Jamie R obertson too

[berwick31]

 

 

With the very capable Jamie R obertson too

 

 

 

 

Not sure what you mean by that really... But I would like to say I DON'T have anything to do with the running of the UK Speedway Series!

[Long Eye]

They are credited with being in charge of motor sports, and speedway is controlled by the BSPA acting under the auspices of the ACU with the SCB. They are the organisation that is deemed to be running motor sports, and who the government for example would consult with regarding motor sport matters. They may have an involvement with the issue of work permits, but that may have changed now, I'm not sure.

 

For many decades the ACU were the only recognised governing body for motorcycle sports in this country. This is no longer the case. The MCF and AMCA are also recognised as official governing bodies. Monopolies are no longer allowed.

[Vince]

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work can do it. It is the actual meeting officials whose jobs are more onerous at a speedway meeting IMO i.e referee. clerk of the course, pit marshal machine examiners etc and I don't see how you can get untrained, unqualified people to do those jobs at the drop of a hat.

 

Strangely enough I had to go on courses to get certificated as a Clerk of the Course and another as a Scrutineer and yet another as an instructor for Motocross. I was given a machine examiners licence by the SCB because an amateur club asked for it, no testing or tuition of any sort.

 

I would say that both the clerk of the course and scrutineers jobs at MX are at least as difficult than their Speedway counterparts. Anybody who has been around Speedway a while could cope as a pit marshall quite easily so that leaves the ref. I would agree that good referee's wouldn't be easy to find but that seems to apply to all Speedway up to GP level. I could certainly find several experienced Speedway people who could do a decent job and none of whom would do what a qualified ref did at Weymouth a few years back when the announcer had to put the red light on because she hadn't noticed the rider laid in the middle of the track a few yards from the start line as the rest were coming round for their next lap.

 

All in I would say that it wouldn't be very hard for somebody like the Courtneys who have plenty of contacts within Speedway to assemble a crew as good as any.

[uk_martin]

This thread has been on the boil now for just over 2 weeks. In that time, we have moved 2 weeks closer to the first stated event date, however we are no closer to knowing any more about the riders who will be making up the rest of the field, nor where the remaining events will be taking place. The only developments have been the possible withdrawal (depending on who you believe) of Leicester as a founding father venue of the series, possibly as a reaction to the other main occurence, which was the famous SCB statement.

 

The "temporary" web site is still holding the fort, however no new news has broken out about who what when or where...etc...anyone else booking their holidays for this year yet? Anyone else likely to find it difficult to take time off work at short notice to travel to a track on a Tuesday night to help make a success of these meetings? Whoever these Chuckle Brothers are who are running this series, they aren't doing themselves any favours by slowing information down.

 

And another question for the organisers, bearing in mind that speedway teams generally lose money, for instance, Peterborough lost, it was said, £140,000 for running a 14-meeting season, so about £10,000 per meeting, what will the Chuckle brothers do for 2014 if they lose that kind of cash in 2013? Because even if the events take place, if they make it hard for the fans to support these events, then they will lose money, and then what?

 

Oh, and finally, looking at the Rye House and Leicester web sites, their fixture lists include the likes of British Youth Championship rounds, Flat Track meetings etc, but no mention of this UK Speedway Series...why not?

[iris123]

A slow release of info isn't a bad thing in itself.That is exactly the strategy that Sittingbourne are using to keep things on the boil.The thing here is, i suspect things have ground to a halt and we won't hear much else from this group/pair.I was thinking they can't be so naive to expect an easy ride and just come in and promote their own series,they must have one or two tricks up their sleeve to answer the shot across their bows from the SCB.Maybe though,they were that naive

[Deano]

A slow release of info isn't a bad thing in itself.That is exactly the strategy that Sittingbourne are using to keep things on the boil.The thing here is, i suspect things have ground to a halt and we won't hear much else from this group/pair.I was thinking they can't be so naive to expect an easy ride and just come in and promote their own series,they must have one or two tricks up their sleeve to answer the shot across their bows from the SCB.Maybe though,they were that naive

 

Although, the family has graced the sport for 30 years and more, also isn't Mark Courtney one of Harris's mechanics??? Perhaps that is the last we'll hear from it.

 

Back to speedway as we know it then.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Deano

[iris123]

It is hard(for me at least)to really work out just what has gone on or is going on.Rye House as a venue?Len Silver has been around since the days of the previous pirate league.Hardly anyone in the sport knows more than he does.I can't work out how he agreed to this if he knew it was a speedway meeting outside of SCB control.Maybe he didn't know all the details and maybe hadn't agreed to anything.At the moment it doesn't all add up

[Whisperer]

It is hard(for me at least)to really work out just what has gone on or is going on.Rye House as a venue?Len Silver has been around since the days of the previous pirate league.Hardly anyone in the sport knows more than he does.I can't work out how he agreed to this if he knew it was a speedway meeting outside of SCB control.Maybe he didn't know all the details and maybe hadn't agreed to anything.At the moment it doesn't all add up

 

Len can be very naive too (if it suits him)

[yoda]

From what i heard, Len silver agreed to "lease" the stadium to the Courtney bros for this event, but did state i don't think you will get permission to run the event, however, they went ahead and announced this without an agreement with the BSPA/ACU.

 

If you ask your girlfriend to marry you and she say's i'll give you an answer on wednesday do you change your facebook status to engaged on the friday before it ????

 

Jumping the gun comes to mind.

 

If speedway clubs are losing money each week, how does a couple of (ex superstar riders) ? think that a competition with basically second stringers and reserves going to attract loads of fans on a tuesday night is beyond me.

 

I think the BSPA/ACU have done them a favour.

[5thPlace]

Gone quiet! Is this dead in the water or are the brothers sorting out things to make them official?

[stevehone]

i thought this sort of idea was a waste of time last time it was tried in the 80s as the Grand Slam

[MattK]

If speedway clubs are losing money each week, how does a couple of (ex superstar riders) ? think that a competition with basically second stringers and reserves going to attract loads of fans on a tuesday night is beyond me.

 

 

I've seen more on Twitter and Facebook about this series than I have the start of the league, so maybe these guys were planning on actually promoting their events rather than simply sitting in their ivory towers and expecting customers to turn up?

[orion]

I've seen more on Twitter and Facebook about this series than I have the start of the league, so maybe these guys were planning on actually promoting their events rather than simply sitting in their ivory towers and expecting customers to turn up?

 

Promoting an a event you can't run ....priceless .

[Hunty]

Not Happening...UKSpeedwaySeries Annoucement

 

UKSpeedwaySeries Press Release 28/02/13

 

In response to the SCB press release dated 06.02.13 regarding the MCF affiliated UKSpeedwayseries we would like to shed light on our side of the situation,

 

Naturally we are disappointed to feel we have been left with no option but to pull the plug on the 6 event 2013 series under the understanding that the venues, of which 5 of the 6 Venues were confirmed, feel they have been left with very little freedom in the situation regarding rules put in place by their league club governing body, the ACU affiliated SCB.

 

The UKSpeedwayseries being governed by rules and regulations created and enforced by the MCF felt an individual series in the UK would be a welcomed addition to the motorcycle racing calendar with the firm vision to attract new fans to the sport and inspire some of the large MCF database of members a chance to check out Speedway racing and arrange opportunities to try the sport for themselves.

 

A forerunning youth production scheme and series, designed to work in close co-operation with the UKSpeedwayseries has also been jeopardized due to the restrictions placed.

 

On the understanding that owned venues actively sublet to generate extra income, in many cases current British Speedway clubs indeed rent out venues on only other than on the evenings of club meetings taking place, the UKSpeedwayseries was going to be a unique product focused purely on an individual series throughout the country organised on a night purposely chosen not to clash with any other professional Speedway club and should have been a welcome addition to the 2013 calendars of the venues involved.

 

Sadly the venues felt they could not commit to the confirmed bookings after the aforementioned SCB press release came to light, we understand their position and sympathize with the obvious restrictions enforced upon the tracks, ultimately restricting their oppertunity to earn them extra revenue in 2013.

 

At each event, fundraising projects for financial contributions to the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund and a well-known spinal cord research charity were also firmly in place and welcomed by the charities concerned, senior members of both the SCB and BSPA were made aware of this proposition and all other aspects of the UKSpeedwayseries at very early stages.

 

The UKSpeedwayseries was financially designed to sustain all 6 events, giving added support to the riders who themselves have been victims of enforced limited payment structures, and most importantly set out to serve the sport and raise it’s awareness nationally.

 

Taking the response from SCB into consideration, our intentions have either been misunderstood or our product for whatever reason was seen to threaten the current SGB product in some way, however our enthusiasms have not been dampened and we look forward to working closely with the MCF on some exciting upcoming projects in 2013.

 

“This is a real shame that the narrow-mindedness of some people has stalled the launch of this series” commented MCF General Manager Roy Barton “The promoters of the series worked really hard to ensure that there was no encroachment on current activities and were looking into bringing new blood in to the sport through their connection with the MCF and the introduction of a youth feeder series, an area where the MC Federation work hard throughout the year, we will obviously continue to support the series in any way we can”

[Brujas Espanolas]

Great shame, but no great surprise.

 

Let's face it the BSPA & SCB have successfully steered speedway in this country to the powerful and best selling attraction that it is today. Why on earth would they allow to upset the apple cart, and possibly allow the sport to fall into disrepair!

[foamfence]

It is both sad and typical that a compromise or agreement couldn't be reached, I think those riders who had committed to this should feel very aggrieved.