No Sky Or League Sponsorship Money Etc...

[Fourentee]

 

I disagree, We need super star riders.

The likes of Ward, Woffinden and Holder need to stay in the UK at all costs.

 

They are the ones who draw crowds, Get people talking.

 

 

It would have been better if we hadn't allowed them in the League in the first place . then the elite league would be needing British riders .

 

I wasn't aware that the People's Republic of Scunthorpe had seceded from the UK.

[Gemini]

Just my thoughts.For good close racing of which the sport needs to keep fans wanting to watch, you need EVERY club to be able to field at least 2 top line riders for one reason or another this is not going to happen.(ie cost not wanting to ride over here etc .)So let them all go.Hopefully form a 12 team league.Introduce a wage cap, meet twice home and away with no doubleing up.Have riders like Harris,King,Nicholls etc as your top men.Then offer the better riders in the Prem league a little more money than they can earn in said league to encourage them to move leagues. Have 6 men teams so that you don't need as many riders with there being less riders to fill team places.The idea of all this is to hopefully form teams that the riders from nos 1 to 6 don't have a massive gap in ability like we have now and in hope create closer racing.As I said earlier if things are to change we all have our own ideas of how we would like things to go these are mine.

 

Good post and I agree with it apart from the bit about having 6 riders per team because we all know how that will end up - rider replacement and only 5 riders.

[packerman]

I think it was related to the comments that Woffy might not be racing here next year & not that he is a foreigner.

Too true Gemini

[INCOGNITO]

The only way you will get the likes of Pedersen, Hancock, Gollob and Hampel to ride in Britain again is to have a maximum of 18 matches and all on a set night. Trouble is that this country can't afford to pay riders like these unless they double the entrance fee and get crowds of over 2000 at least which isn't going to happen.

 

You will not attract new fans if tickets are over £30 and you won't find sponsors willing to put in a six figure sum if they are not getting the media coverage to compensate for such an outlay of money.

 

Plus Matt Ford or CVS will not want to have just 9 meetings a season and the lower riders would have to double up to make it worthwhile which means half a team would be doubling up riders who may not be available for some meetings and with such a strong line up they would need a minimum wage for each meeting knowing they can't rely on just points money.

 

The time has come when we have to say that we are no longer a major league compared to other countries and we must make the product on offer one that will see tracks making money even if it means the top riders are Bomber or Scott. At least this would mean a more balanced line up where a reserve can beat a number one even on an away track.

 

 

Maybe one solution is for all tracks to be one league and tracks that wants to hold EL meetings would hold them on a set night and the other tracks would hold another event to make up fixtures if they needed too. Frankly I would see the next season as being a step closer to moving to one big league in 2015.

[Cockney Rebel]

There was a fierce debate and in the end, after much heated debate, it was decided to have Hob Nobs rather than Custard Creams at the coffee breaks (coffee having been voted in by a casting vote from the chairman)

I believe there was one South Coast promoter who could afford a secret supply of his own Hob Nobs in case the others ganged up on him and voted for custard creams. Two others threatened not to take part because they were promised Ginger Nuts and wanted an independent body to make a decision on the choice of biscuits.

On a more serious note the two biggest events to affect British Speedway in the past twenty years are the rise of the Polish League, once the shackles of communism were removed, and secondly the increase in the number of GPs. Financially we can't compete with Poland but we did have Friday and Saturday tracks where the riders could earn a few bob. Since we now have a GP every other week it's no longer practical to run in the Elite League on one of those nights so these tracks have moved to midweek where they obviously don't attract the same number of spectators. Of these two I would say the GPs have had the biggest affect as no Elite league track raced on a Sunday anyway so that didn't affect anyone riding in Poland.

 

The suggestion that this is just an Elite League problem and nothing to do with the Premier League is a bit short sighted. If the Elite League was to fold what would happen to the clubs, no real Speedway fan would want a club to close down so they would apply to join the Premier League which would then by default become the top league. As riders developed they would qualify for the GPs and want every other Fri/Sat off so we'd be back to square one. I really have no idea how this conundrum can be solved, lots of fans have put forward suggestions on this forum all of them worthy of consideration, but equally some other fans would be thinking "If that happens I'm not going anymore" The wrong thing is for the BSPA to do nothing and let things get worse but doing the right thing might just prove to be very tricky.

[SteveEvans]

9 matches not enough.

 

How about a squad system?

 

Example, team uses Hancock and a 3 pointer for 9 home matches, two 6 pointers for the other 9. Its a bit clunky I admit but you can get top names in without cutting down on dates.

[Steve0]

I don't get the focus on top riders! Value for money is what the BSPA should be looking at and not just tinkering with the rules as they have during the Sky sponsorship period. I think the Sky sponsorship has made promoters complacent and losing them will be a kick up the backside they need! Cutting costs is important and it makes sense that they look at ways of reducing these - air fares, fuel costs, points money etc.

 

At the end of the day - if they just tinker they will lose more fans and fail to attract new ones!

[T.N.T.]

9 matches not enough.

 

How about a squad system?

 

Example, team uses Hancock and a 3 pointer for 9 home matches, two 6 pointers for the other 9. Its a bit clunky I admit but you can get top names in without cutting down on dates.

 

Why should a star rider like Greg get to ride just the home meetings ?

 

How would the 6 point riders make a living if they only get to ride the away meetings ?

 

 

Steve you now have to see more than ever how the TNT Plan I have been on about for years is needed now if there is going to be any sort of top quality riders still riding in Britain or any chance of SKY staying on board with the much needed backing.

[Kester]

I don't get the focus on top riders! Value for money is what the BSPA should be looking at and not just tinkering with the rules as they have during the Sky sponsorship period. I think the Sky sponsorship has made promoters complacent and losing them will be a kick up the backside they need! Cutting costs is important and it makes sense that they look at ways of reducing these - air fares, fuel costs, points money etc.

 

At the end of the day - if they just tinker they will lose more fans and fail to attract new ones!

I agree. What British speedway needs is fans that are new to the sport. What they will want is a well-priced, enjoyable product.

 

I genuinely believe that even if every GP rider was in the EL next season gates would not rise dramatically for a sustained period of time.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Kester

[one of clubs]

The solution to the EL's woes are relatively simple.Have an independent body to run the sport and not just a handful of people that pull the strings.This independent body would be paid for by getting rid of the Russells and all their cronies,who cream off 20% from EVERY tracks Sky money.In real terms these parasites take well over half the Sky money.For doing what exactly?.This is a fact.I know.Last week I "bumped into" a ex high ranking official from a EL club and we had a chat.He confirmed what I already knew.The sports golden years,which I know as being the 70-80's was not governed by 2/3 people but a collective who were only interested in the good of the sport,not their own selfish ends.

[Steve0]

The solution to the EL's woes are relatively simple.Have an independent body to run the sport and not just a handful of people that pull the strings.This independent body would be paid for by getting rid of the Russells and all their cronies,who cream off 20% from EVERY tracks Sky money.In real terms these parasites take well over half the Sky money.For doing what exactly?.This is a fact.I know.Last week I "bumped into" a ex high ranking official from a EL club and we had a chat.He confirmed what I already knew.The sports golden years,which I know as being the 70-80's was not governed by 2/3 people but a collective who were only interested in the good of the sport,not their own selfish ends.

Don't sugar coat it

 

I think parasites is a bit strong but the BSPA agreed to the deal so what does that say about them? I'm not a Tango brothers fan but they are successful businessmen and were instrumental in setting up the sky deal with the BSPA support

[pandorum]

The bottom line is that the clowns who run our sport are incapable of doing anything other than panic when they realise the golden goose has buggered off somewhere else to lay it's eggs.

This idea of one night for speedway with crowds of over 2000 because all the top riders race here is sadly laughable.

The top riders will race in the top leagues for the top money unless like Hancock they have to slum it because they get dumped by thier Polish team.

Even with some of the top stars the sport can't attract a crowd and is bleeding money on useless foreigners so the idea that the rest of the GP lot will start to fill stadia is amusing at best.

 

The sport needs to get back to basics.

Weekly speedway, weekend racing, teams of comparable ability to produce decent racing on decent surfaces at a decent price. VFM and decent promotion and presentation. New stars will arise as they always did. Forget GP riders and forget big stars as we can't afford them.

Become insular and invest in British riders and those foreign riders who commit to UK racing.

 

Simplify the rules a bit more, work as one body to promote the sport and help each other to achieve a decent standard of racing surface and competitive teams. Try new ideas to give the sport a buzz. Maybe a KOC competition involving everyone and based on the Danish model of 5 man teams. Talk to your customers and take a bit of notice of what they say.

 

Cut costs but enhance entertainment as that is the reason people go to sporting events to be entertained. The POs are a good idea so keep them but reward the team that finishes top as league champions and have the POs as perhaps The Lee Richardson Shield in the top league and something similar in the other leagues. So many little things which will be achievable for a small amount of effort and cost could transform the sport.

 

But of course we will see the usual.

Panic when the SKY talks collapse.

Darcy Ward refusing to ride in the UK unless he can ride with his mate Chris.

A poorer product at a higher price when prices rise by at least a quid.

 

Speedway the lemming of the sporting world.

Edited November 2, 2013 by pandorum

[Rider Replacement]

Just a thought, and forgive me if this has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

 

What about pay per view speedway? Would the lack of speedway being broadcast openly (media subscription excluded) increase the crowds?

[MattK]

Just a thought, and forgive me if this has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

 

What about pay per view speedway? Would the lack of speedway being broadcast openly (media subscription excluded) increase the crowds?

 

There is a good thread about it here.

 

Common sense would suggest that having your product beamed into millions of households would boost crowds, but this obviously hasn't happened. So maybe less speedway on TV might encourage people off their sofas?

[Gemini]

 

 

.....pandorum......

The sport needs to get back to basics.

Weekly speedway, weekend racing, teams of comparable ability to produce decent racing on decent surfaces at a decent price. VFM and decent promotion and presentation. New stars will arise as they always did. Forget GP riders and forget big stars as we can't afford them.

Become insular and invest in British riders and those foreign riders who commit to UK racing.

 

If only promoters would take notice it would be quite simple to turn things around! They won't though will they? Same old. same old and struggle on for yet another season losing more and more fans. But all's well with the sport because Ford will be able to put together a good team and Poole will be champions again.

[Alan_Jones]

...

The best riders wont ride here in the (elite league) the name alone suggests thats what it should contain.... The Elite ( THE BEST RIDERS)

...

 

Of course the Elite League should consist of elite riders, in the same way that in the Gulf Oil British League the bikes ran on petrol and in the Sunbrite League they were coal fired.

 

Unfortunately, finding enough prime ministers to fill the Premier League is still proving problematical...

[stevebrum]

There is a good thread about it here.

 

Common sense would suggest that having your product beamed into millions of households would boost crowds, but this obviously hasn't happened. So maybe less speedway on TV might encourage people off their sofas?

IMHO the only thing that will tempt people off their sofas is a STRONG EL. The TV coverage is vital but i doubt it would change the viewing figures by having it pay per view.

[Hunty]

Posted it before

 

For the Elite League it needs a better league structure! It makes no sence to race some teams more than others!

 

Elite League North Division

Elitle League South Division

 

5 Teams in each league who race each other home and away twice = 12meetings

 

Then

 

You race the other leagues teams home and away once = 8 meetings

 

20 Meeting Season where you dont have to travel to far to watch away meetings to much and save petrol for many riders with less fixtures!

 

Then the Play Offs

 

Top of North plays 2nd of South and Visa Versa

 

Then the final

 

So all in all the maximum a team could ride in the league would be 24 matches instead of the 32 that happens now if a team gets through.

 

Just a Thought!

[T.N.T.]

Elite League North Division = Elitle League South Division

 

5 Teams in each league who race each other home and away twice = 12meetings

 

Then you race the other leagues teams home and away once = 8 meetings

 

20 Meeting Season where you dont have to travel to far to watch away meetings to much and save petrol for many riders with less fixtures!

 

Then the Play Offs

 

Top of North plays 2nd of South and Visa Versa

 

Then the final

 

So all in all the maximum a team could ride in the league would be 24 matches instead of the 32 that happens now if a team gets through.

 

Just a Thought!

 

 

First of all the North / South riding each other twice would mean 16 meetings and not 12 ....... You then race the other divisions teams which gives you 10 meetings not 8

 

Trouble is then, who is in the North ? ..... Belle Vue, Birmingham, Wolves, Coventry and Kings Lynn ?

 

So Kings Lynn don't get to ride their closest rivals (Peterborough) in the same division

 

What happens if Leicester are moving up ..... do they go in the North to make 6 teams which gives the North 4 more meetings than the South !!

 

Don't have to travel so far for away meetings ? ....... So Swindon have to ride Peterborough but don't get to ride Coventry, Birmingham, Wolves or Leicester which are closer !! ..... same for Poole

 

 

 

However the South then get 16 meetings in their group then 10 against the North teams giving you 26 meetings ..... thats just 13 home meetings all season !!

 

 

 

 

Get back to basics and get 11 or 12 teams, ride each other twice giving you 20 or 22 home meetings and the same amount away. End of the season the top four play off and the Champions are then crowned in the first week of October.

Forget the Midland Trophy .... the Anglia Trophy ..... The South Coast Challege etc ...... just ride the league meetings and let each track hold one or two of their own meetings in October like the Olympique, the Pride of the East, Brandonapolis etc

If the top riders or foreign riders that ride week in eek out in Poland, Sweden, Denmark and other competitions can't make some fixtures then they don't feature and we go with the riders like Doyle, Batchelor, Ward, Holder, Woffinden etc that are based here and only ride on Tuesdays in Sweden and the weekends in Poland or GP's.

Cut your cloth to suit what you have and don't bow to the needs of the big guns who make the most of their earnings away from these shores and only ride here for extra cash, testing bikes or the variety of tracks from Lakeside to Peterborough,

Cut back on doubling up riders and only allow riders to double up that have a starting average under five points a meeting and each team can have a maximum of just two. (2015 cut it to just one each). Remember that riders like Barker, Doyle, Cook etc who hold good EL averages will now be getting a minimum of 40 meetings in the EL compared to 28 at present and the PL look to be losing Leicester so less meetings there any way.

If they want more meetings then let them gain experience in Poland or Sweden where they will learn more to compete in the bigger meetings or move their careers forward towards the GP's or SEC should they be able to.

Look after British Speedway first and make it a product worth watching with a regular fixture list and not have to wait three weeks for the next home match. This doesn't mean you need Pedersen v Gollob or Hancock v Hampel as Doyle v Cook or Harris v Batchelor can be just as good and for considerably less pay !!

Edited November 2, 2013 by T.N.T.

[Hunty]

Blinking heck my maths was bad!

 

I did rush it!!

 

Oh dear but that would be 16 + 10 so 26 meetings with 30 if you get to play offs