secsy1 Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 With the silly system of play offs and choosing who you want to ride against, it suddenly occured to me that another silly sport also has a very similar silly system. Is it possible that the BSPA and the RFL are one and the same, are they linked to each other like Siamese twins? Silly rule changes year in year out, double up riders mascerading as dual registration players, rule changes half way through the season to suit who should be doing well and who isnt and a end of season Grand final which ensures maximum television coverage and the teams nominated by a certain television company who are made sure they get them in the final. Funny how both leagues are covered by Sky and veiwing and interest figures waning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) You can't beat ice hockey. Last season the 8th placed team got to pick their opponents for the play-offs while 3rd and 4th we're not even in tbe play-offs! Edited September 19, 2013 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballinger Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 You can't beat ice hockey. Last season the 8th placed team got to pick their opponents for the play-offs while 3rd and 4th we're not even in tbe play-offs! Which level of hockey ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) You can't beat ice hockey. Last season the 8th placed team got to pick their opponents for the play-offs while 3rd and 4th we're not even in tbe play-offs! That looks a good idea to be considered by the speedway promoters when they meet this year. They could expand on it - bottom team in the National League AWAY only to the Elite League champions. They could be a real crowd puller - at least "one man and his dog" sort of attendance? Edited September 19, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) Which level of hockey ? The Elite League (the top one in the UK). Braehead finished 8th(ish, I may be a position or two out) in the league yet made the play-offs. Yet at the time despite looking online and asking on facebook I could see no explanation as to why, just left me thinking the sport was more stupid than anything speedway can come up with - and probably the way many people think about speedway. Edited September 19, 2013 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballinger Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) Braehead finished 8th in the 2012/13 EIHL, yet got second choice in the PO because they topped their conference. The 10 team EIHL is split into 2 conferences, each team playing the others in their conference 4 times home and away, and they also play teams in the other conference twice home and away. Nottingham topped the league and were therefore Champions, and had first pick in the play offs, choosing Fife. Braehead topped their conference, and had second pick, choosing Cardiff Second in the league Belfast had third pick, and chose Edinburgh That left Third in the league Sheffield to play fourth placed in the league Coventry. Nottingham defeated Belfast in the Play Off Final to be crowned Play Off Winners, having already won the league and the Challenge Cup Edited September 19, 2013 by ballinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 Just looked into this on Wikipedia and it looks like when I looked at the play-offs I just looks at the finals (should have notice Braehead were not there) hence my confusion about teams not qualifying. But surely it's utter madness that a team in 8th place gets a good seeding in the play-offs? And 8 of 10 teams in the play-offs? Yikes. I understand the need for play-offs in a commercial era but 8 teams? I don't mind watching a bit of ice hockey from a naïve, it's a game POV but it's rules do seem to be pretty barmy, just like speedway. In fact most sports have some sort of quirk, F1 has the "slower car boost" (DRS to give it it's F1 name) that was being used on computer games in the 90s (oh how I loved passing people off the last bend on Sega Rally and Daytona USA)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secsy1 Posted September 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 That looks a good idea to be considered by the promoters when they meet this year. They could expand on it - bottom team in the National League AWAY only to the Elite League champions. They could be a real crowd puller - at least "one man and his dog" sort of attendance? Lets not down play the fixture that you assume would be poorly attended, Birmingham Brummies v Stoke Potters . This fixture would possibly be one of the best attended meetings of the season purely for the novelty factor Many people on the forum actually prefer National League racing to Elite and I for one would be there. Dont knock it as with any speedway rule change that comes from the jokers conference or is it conference of jokers anything is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballinger Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) I dont think 8 teams from 10 matters given that it doesn't determine the league champions. The Quarter Final ties are played at each teams venues, the 4 quarter final winners playing in 2 semis and the Final at the NIC in Nottingham on Play Off Finals weekend. Ofcourse, with tickets sold well in advance for the weekend, fans from 8 teams (plus no doubt some from the other two) will have purchased them. Its sold as the 'big weekend'of the season. Edited September 19, 2013 by ballinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 So the 'big weekend' was in Nottingham - and Nottingham won the final(s)? mmmm??! As a matter of interest, whats the attendance capacity and price for the 'big weekend'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballinger Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) About 10,000 and I think around £70 a ticket EDIT : from eliteleague.co.uk Ticket prices Early bird (from Monday 14th January to Thursday 28th February 2013) Weekend: Adult £74 - Concession/student £54 - Family [2+2] £224 Saturday or Sunday only: Adult £40 - Concession/student £32 General sale (from Friday 1st March 2013 onwards) Weekend: Adult £85 - Concession/student £60 - Family [2+2] £250 Saturday or Sunday only: Adult £47 - Concession/students £38 Edited September 19, 2013 by ballinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) Cheers. Any indication of how the attendance compares to a normal Nottingham EL match? Edited September 19, 2013 by Skidder1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) With the silly system of play offs and choosing who you want to ride against, it suddenly occured to me that another silly sport also has a very similar silly system. Is it possible that the BSPA and the RFL are one and the same, are they linked to each other like Siamese twins? Silly rule changes year in year out, double up riders mascerading as dual registration players, rule changes half way through the season to suit who should be doing well and who isnt and a end of season Grand final which ensures maximum television coverage and the teams nominated by a certain television company who are made sure they get them in the final. Funny how both leagues are covered by Sky and veiwing and interest figures waning. ...................... and there's the rub. :rolleyes: Edited September 20, 2013 by The White Knight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.