Sky. A Wasted Opportunity

[rob tatum]

Blimey moxey that was a quality post I agree with all that. Well done sir just a shame them in charge seem to be happy p****** in the wind

[moxey63]

Another question: after SKY's initial investment (was it £5 million?) how come the sport's brains banished the tac-sub rule four years after the investment and brought in the Golden Double, to help save costs. Tracks were given a small fortune but were still struggling with costs.

Edited August 18, 2013 by moxey63

[stratton]

Speedway has for so long had a short-term mentality, spend the money as quick as… and not bother about the future.

 

The first few years of SKY saw the kids for a quid thing, and crowds looked healthy. But, even that couldn’t retain an interest, a league lacking enough teams to offer variety. Fans weren’t swayed to come more often.

 

There is only so much of this team versus that one we can put up with, and choice of small track against sides from big tracks was often a miss-match. Whoever chose the fixtures needs sectioning.

 

Speedway, and it is 14 years’ worth of money that will never come again, will always be its worst enemy… the men we allow to run the sport, there here today gone tomorrow, anorak-wearing, track offices confined in porta-cabins... the sort building sites and scrap yards use…

 

I think after the investment SKY brought, the sport should have progressed from its position of hanging by a thread.

 

Speedway shouldn’t demand sympathy.

 

Imagine helping out a friend or a family member financially, trying to give them a nudge up the ladder after years of struggle. Despite this, you found them wearing the same clothes they were in years before, all your benevolence... you still found no food in the cupboard. The money you were giving was obviously going elsewhere.

 

Speedway is that person, with no long-term strategy in place to help itself, instead just frustrate the people that stand by its side.

 

The hoped for change just didn’t materialise, the chance-of-a-lifetime not taken.

Great post Moxey spot on with everything,i go to Swindon everyweek and since 1969 has given me so much enjoyment.But when i look around what you have said is so true it is now looking like a tired old Abbey stadium.It has not changed one bit a lick of paint here and there no investment whatsoever great track still though and we won't mention the legendary bogs.!!

[orion]

Said many time before the problem with empty stadiums was showing matches only on Monday nights meaning that many of the matches were run on off nights . Speedway tv matches should have been any night and on a teams race night rather than Mondays only. To me that was a massive mistake .

[moxey63]

Said many time before the problem with empty stadiums was showing matches only on Monday nights meaning that many of the matches were run on off nights . Speedway tv matches should have been any night and on a teams race night rather than Mondays only. To me that was a massive mistake .

 

I'm sorry but I don't agree. Speedway for me... no matter at Hyde Road on a Saturday, or the dump on Friday, Mondays or a Sunday, I would still be there.

 

I think the actual problem was, after the initial novelty of it being live on SKY and people wanted to be there (possibly in case they were on TV and to see what SKY was all about), the thrill of live speedway soon wore off and fans decided to pick and choose the matches they coughed up for.

 

Often, I suspect some fans chose not to attend SKY matches for the simple reason that it was dragged out for too long, with adverts every few races.

 

The problem was that matches were live. Another problem, and perhaps it is just simply coincidence, but the Play-Offs took away the importance of the regular league match, making it just a qualifying peg for the end-of-season Play-Offs.

 

For example, when teams used to meet before the Play-Off system, every fixture was vital and teams needed points to push them to whatever position in the table they could attain.

 

Unless you are chasing a P/O spot, the final standings are of no importance.

 

I also think a league of just eight sides isn't enough to warrant a 30 week campaign.

 

It doesn't make sense, filling up every week of the season, crowds are then diluted, when a once-home and away meeting would give punters just the one opportunity to see those seven men against the other seven.

 

I used to be more eager to attend matches knowing, say, Anders Michanek with Reading was the only chance I'd see him. The problem is nowadays, there are less teams to pad out the same weeks we had to fill in a season when the league was twice the size.

 

For example, Cardiff gets about 45,000 every year. Give that stadium three GPs each summer... and we'd probably get 55,000 in total. People wouldn't be as eager to attend three as they are just the once... less is more, so they say.

 

Perhaps we all began taking SKY's coverage for granted, even the promoters, and a lot of fans on here with their critical ways of the organisation, Kelv and Nige an' all.

 

Perhaps it is time now for a proposal to be made to SKY regarding showing a match, which isn't a live one, every now and again.

 

The 14-year marriage hasn't done either speedway or SKY any favours.

Edited August 18, 2013 by moxey63

[slickmick]

Moxey 63, makes a good point, why have all live meetings. An hours programme, say 45-50 minutes with ads. It would be possible to show all races, plus interviews, without delays between races, riders taking 5min plus to come to tapes, time it takes to rebuild the airfence etc.

Okay we will know the result already, but we will not have seen the racing. They could also do an omnibus edition showing extracts from various meetings, interviews and analysis, so we have something to totally disagree with on this forum.

I am quite looking forward to it!!!

[stratton]

Moxey 63, makes a good point, why have all live meetings. An hours programme, say 45-50 minutes with ads. It would be possible to show all races, plus interviews, without delays between races, riders taking 5min plus to come to tapes, time it takes to rebuild the airfence etc.

Okay we will know the result already, but we will not have seen the racing. They could also do an omnibus edition showing extracts from various meetings, interviews and analysis, so we have something to totally disagree with on this forum.

I am quite looking forward to it!!!

I would prefer this to live racing when central covered it they still managed most times to still show 13 heats.Even now unless it is a meeting that i really want to see i often watch later anyway.

[orion]

I'm sorry but I don't agree. Speedway for me... no matter at Hyde Road on a Saturday, or the dump on Friday, Mondays or a Sunday, I would still be there.

 

 

 

 

 

For example, when teams used to meet before the Play-Off system, every fixture was vital and teams needed points to push them to whatever position in the table they could attain.

 

Unless you are chasing a P/O spot, the final standings are of no importance.

 

 

Pretty stupid logic on both points ...first because you would go any day does not mean that everyone else would Also it is a fact that more people go to a regular race night rather than a off night that is just common sense . As for you second point why was it important to finish as high before the play offs than it is now ? 6th was still 6th then as 6th is still 6th today ..did you get into Europe in the old days for being 6th or have missed something ? the system now means that Lakeside and ,Poole's seasons are still alive unlike the old days where they would only have only pride to ride for .

[moxey63]

 

Pretty stupid logic on both points ...first because you would go any day does not mean that everyone else would Also it is a fact that more people go to a regular race night rather than a off night that is just common sense . As for you second point why was it important to finish as high before the play offs than it is now ? 6th was still 6th then as 6th is still 6th today ..did you get into Europe in the old days for being 6th or have missed something ? the system now means that Lakeside and ,Poole's seasons are still alive unlike the old days where they would only have only pride to ride for .

 

So, you are saying every match in the league qualifying series is meaningful, when teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term and mount a serious Play-Off challenge?

 

I feel SKY will be interested in screening the Play-Offs only - once they have ditched the Elite League coverage, the round-robin league programme where the terraces are bare. The Play-Offs mean something, at least, as the crowds seem to appear. But big crowds in the P/Os are at the cost of what comes before.

Edited August 18, 2013 by moxey63

[orion]

So, you are saying every match in the league qualifying series is meaningful, when teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term and mount a serious Play-Off challenge?

 

I feel SKY will be interested in screening the Play-Offs only - once they have ditched the Elite League coverage, the round-robin league programme where the terraces are bare. The Play-Offs mean something, at least, as the crowds seem to appear. But big crowds in the P/Os are at the cost of what comes before.

Never said that at all ...you said that teams try harder in the old days at the end of the season because there was no play offs and I I ask you why that was ..as far as I can see 6th was 6th then and 6th was 6th now and riders still rode for points money ..so just explain why it was so important as you said about where your team came before the play offs ? By the way teams dropping points to strengthen up it's nothing new it's happen all the time in the good old days as well .

Edited August 18, 2013 by orion

[theblueboy]

So, you are saying every match in the league qualifying series is meaningful, when teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term and mount a serious Play-Off challenge?

 

I feel SKY will be interested in screening the Play-Offs only - once they have ditched the Elite League coverage, the round-robin league programme where the terraces are bare. The Play-Offs mean something, at least, as the crowds seem to appear. But big crowds in the P/Os are at the cost of what comes before.

 

It's a pity Belle Vue didn't think of that

[E I Addio]

So, you are saying every match in the league qualifying series is meaningful, when teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term and mount a serious Play-Off challenge?

 

 

Really ? Can you tell us which teams were purposely throwing matches mid season in order to strengthen up, and which matches were they doing it in ?

 

Or is that something you can't prove and just made up to suit your argument ?

[moxey63]

Never said that at all ...you said that teams try harder in the old days at the end of the season because there was no play offs and I I ask you why that was ..as far as I can see 6th was 6th then and 6th was 6th now and riders still rode for points money ..so just explain why it was so important as you said about where your team came before the play offs ? By the way teams dropping points to strengthen up it's nothing new it's happen all the time in the good old days as well .

 

Sorry, orion, I thought I was discussing with someone who knew about the frailties of speedway. Please let me apologise.

 

The old league system was like a one-off world final, every point scored placed you a certain place higher than you may have been, and so it told in the final analysis. The main pot of gold in EL now is the Play-Offs. The old system of straight league matches was about how high you finished.

 

Now, the current league structure, it is like the Grand Prix (and we all recall young Iversen doing nowt (was it 7 he scored to reach the top eight in that meeting two weeks ago?) and then going on to win the Final that night).

 

Well, the current EL set up allows certain "strange" drifts of form to occur over the lengthy qualifying matches before the semis and final. It aint what you do, it’s the way that you do it. Speedway is like wrestling - a lot of play before the serious guy and main contender pulls through.

 

I recall one particular midland outfit being rubbish early season a several years ago, had a 20-minute makeover somewhere mid-term, and then - Da-Da! - They were a completely different proposition, no longer an ugly duckling, and a team that had been as scary as that weenie kid on the beach, the sand in face lad that the bullies picked on.

 

I also remember, more recent, a plush side from somewhere near Dorset being under scrutiny regarding some mysterious engine failures they were suddenly beset by.

 

I know things used to happen in the old days, but that doesn't make an argument for them continuing. We should have found solutions to halt this sort of thing. When we do, perhaps people won't laugh at speedway and may actually see it as a worthwhile sport to latch on to.

 

There'll be no need for a “Kid's for a quid night” or a “Bring a friend with you next time… or we'll be closed by September” advertising slogan.

Edited August 19, 2013 by moxey63

[E I Addio]

Well, the current EL set up allows certain "strange" drifts of form to occur over the lengthy qualifying matches before the semis and final. It aint what you do, it’s the way that you do it. Speedway is like wrestling - a lot of play before the serious guy and main contender pulls through.

 

I recall one particular midland outfit being rubbish early season a several years ago, had a 20-minute makeover somewhere mid-term, and then - Da-Da! - They were a completely different proposition, no longer an ugly duckling, and a team that had been as scary as that weenie kid on the beach, the sand in face lad that the bullies picked on.

 

I also remember, more recent, a plush side from somewhere near Dorset being under scrutiny regarding some mysterious engine failures they were suddenly beset by.

 

 

 

So, in support of your claim that "teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term", the best you can do is to mention a well known episode involving Poole 4 years ago, and an unidentified Midland club strengthening up several years ago, although you can't tell us which matches they were throwing. That's hardly teams throwing points all over the place is it ?

You are not doing very well with the point so far, but lets have another try, so specifically :-

 

CAN YOU TELL US WHICH IF ANY TEAMS IN THE 2013 SEASON HAVE DELIBERATELY THROWN POINTS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN UP AND WHICH MATCHES THEY DID IT IN ?

[speedibee]

No -one has mentioned the huge amounts of money syphoned off by the likes of go-speed before the promoters even got a look in , every single penny of the sky money should have been used to promote speedway as a sport and help the clubs to keep running ,but as ever someone gets a second home in the sun and the sport is left to limp along

[KevtheRev]

How is Terry Russell these days :mad:

[SCB]

No -one has mentioned the huge amounts of money syphoned off by the likes of go-speed before the promoters even got a look in , every single penny of the sky money should have been used to promote speedway as a sport and help the clubs to keep running ,but as ever someone gets a second home in the sun and the sport is left to limp along

TBF, Terry Russell for the money in the first place. Without him British Speedway would have 100% of nothing rather than the alleged 80% of something. I don't see how his cut would make any difference to the sport, don't you think the promoters would just buy a newer Jag, or having nice toilet paper at the BSPA offices, or the riders would ask for a few ££ more? It would never have been "invested" would it?

[moxey63]

So, in support of your claim that "teams are purposely throwing points all over the place in order to strengthen up mid-term", the best you can do is to mention a well known episode involving Poole 4 years ago, and an unidentified Midland club strengthening up several years ago, although you can't tell us which matches they were throwing. That's hardly teams throwing points all over the place is it ?

You are not doing very well with the point so far, but lets have another try, so specifically :-

 

CAN YOU TELL US WHICH IF ANY TEAMS IN THE 2013 SEASON HAVE DELIBERATELY THROWN POINTS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN UP AND WHICH MATCHES THEY DID IT IN ?

 

Oh dear, wait until you hear Father Crimbo doesn't really exist.

The Sunday People ran a host of stories in the mid-eighties that damaged speedway's reputation, a few teammates giving a few tyres in world championship meetings... and it caused irreparable damage when people actually used to care. I remember the piece featured on New At Ten, it was that much of a headline, and people in the pub I was in (I remember two guys stopped playing snooker to listen) were really interested in the item.

Now, 30 years down the line, speedway fans deny it still happens... despite seeing riders slowing in world championship meetings to give their team an advantage. I have proof, cos I seen it with my own eyes.

I don't have dates, times or names... but do you have proof it doesn't happen.

It's the blinkered view, similar to those sad individuals who, say, follow Irish crooner Denial O' Donnell on every date he does, under the illusion everything he does is bloody wonderful and not believing for one moment he farts like the rest of us, or, he does but it smells like freshly cut grass.

 

 

Of course I can't supply a full list of when it happened... I am not daft enough to go that far, and that's why we differ. Even if I told you I had concrete evidence you wouldn't believe it. You see what you want to, believe what makes you feel comfy. I saw something suspicious in the World Cup, I'm sure of that. I am sure other fans have seen suspicious things which, as they have happened in the past, make them ok to be happening today.

 

I have my views, you have yours. I deal in what I see, digest it over time and use my knowledge when I suspect something smelly may be happening. It is life, not just speedway.

 

You, on the other hand, may believe there are mobile phone inspectors that want to test your device from 200 yards away... and then wonder why your number is no longer available in the days you try to claim it back, thinking that it was in fact actually broke!

 

I had a chuckle then, remembering a story of individuals who actually purchased what they believed was a laptop from the boot of a car that had just pulled up on the street they were walking. After handing over the money, the person was gobsmacked when they discovered it was just a few bricks in a laptop bag!

 

[Derwent]

No -one has mentioned the huge amounts of money syphoned off by the likes of go-speed before the promoters even got a look in , every single penny of the sky money should have been used to promote speedway as a sport and help the clubs to keep running ,but as ever someone gets a second home in the sun and the sport is left to limp along

 

Go Speed are in liquidation according to Companies House.

[BluPanther]

Would love to know who chose's the Sky meetings, some of the choices this year have been abysmal...

Go Speed are in liquidation according to Companies House.

Obviously bailing out knowing that the Sky deal is no more... Edited August 19, 2013 by blupanther