Winter Thoughts

[penchev]

Well what will happen to the sport this winter then?

 

Will Sky t.v entertain us, seems that latest reports in the speedway star that all the money has been going to the riders is this right?

 

Freddie Lindgren saying unless the money is there he will not ride in the U.K next season.

 

The thought of the British World Champion not riding in this country is simply unthinkable (but has been rumoured).

 

Poole have probably been getting more than there fair share of the sky money, but seems they could still get the top riders without the sky money?

 

Seems that no other club in the country can compete with them financially or in fact Somerset in the premier league.

 

IMO the Sky money has been squandered or poorly invested (no in all cases though) Jet 2, Ryan Air etc must be laughing, why did they not invest the money into the infrastructure of stadiums, setting up feeder times for the elite league for example plymouth riders doubling up for say Poole, must be a cost saver? invest it into the grass roots of british speedway, for example more training facilities being made available etc. maybe some of this is already being done maybe it is not or we have foolishly wasted all the money on the riders?

 

The debate will go on...................................................................

[Guest]

Well what will happen to the sport this winter then?

 

Will Sky t.v entertain us, seems that latest reports in the speedway star that all the money has been going to the riders is this right?

 

Freddie Lindgren saying unless the money is there he will not ride in the U.K next season.

 

The thought of the British World Champion not riding in this country is simply unthinkable (but has been rumoured).

 

Poole have probably been getting more than there fair share of the sky money, but seems they could still get the top riders without the sky money?

 

Seems that no other club in the country can compete with them financially or in fact Somerset in the premier league.

 

IMO the Sky money has been squandered or poorly invested (no in all cases though) Jet 2, Ryan Air etc must be laughing, why did they not invest the money into the infrastructure of stadiums, setting up feeder times for the elite league for example plymouth riders doubling up for say Poole, must be a cost saver? invest it into the grass roots of british speedway, for example more training facilities being made available etc. maybe some of this is already being done maybe it is not or we have foolishly wasted all the money on the riders?

 

The debate will go on...................................................................

 

And so will debate and dreams that sadly are unlikely to be realised.

[Robinh88]

The Sport is dying over here ever so slowly...

 

Enjoy what we have now, because in 5 or 10 years time I can't see the Sport in UK improving personally

[foamfence]

There are some clubs (even in the Elite League)who are running at a loss, one of the most famous clubs in the country was thought to be near to folding in mid season. Situations like that (where you can't guarantee all clubs completing their fixtures and even paying their riders properly)shouldn't be risked, the sport here should be on a stable footing, it doesn't matter what the standard of the riders is, these things have happened in the past and the sport either downsized or cut back on expenditure. It survived and many people thought it was actually better, as young British hopefuls moved into vacant places and bettered themselves as a result. The best thing would be for clubs and riders who couldn't or wouldn't accept or manage a more affordable package, should be sacrificed in favour of a more sound set up. Back to the real world! Nothing much like that will happen and things will get even more precarious.

Just my thoughts of course.

[ivanhoward]

Maybe we will soon have some idea about what is going to happen in 2014 after the annual conference. Does anyone know when it is? Has there been any preliminary meeting?

[A ORLOV]

Maybe we will soon have some idea about what is going to happen in 2014 after the annual conference. Does anyone know when it is? Has there been any preliminary meeting?

AGM Nov 14th - 16th

[penchev]

And Matt Ford has stated he wants to build Poole's Asset base even further, nothing wrong with that?

 

But British Speedway will not survive with one or two clubs that is a fact!

 

Back to basics like i said let the premier league feed the elite league with doubling up riders, has to be cost saving surely?

 

Save a lot on flying riders backwards and forwards.

 

Time to look after ourselves imo.

[Mike.Butler]

Poole are in danger of becoming the equivalent of Glasgow Celtic..

Poole's relative wealth is bad for British Speedway. (discuss)

[penchev]

you are right, it is bad, speedway is not like football where it is run by money.

 

They are going to get a massive reality check one of these days!

 

I would rather Matt Ford looked after the sport in a better light rather than being so narrow minded about his own club and winning trophies at no matter what cost!

[topsoil]

If things in the sport are as dire as the promoters are making it out to be (and we will never know the truth as Annual Accounts are never published, unlike in Sweden and Denmark, where clubs are run as clubs, with AGMs, elected members and Accounts are open to all members to see) then you would think the promoters would come up with some radical changes at the AGM to try and look after the future of the sport. A bit of long term thinking like investing in juniors and young riders. You wont see the benefit straight away but if they are given the chance then perhaps in five or ten years time promoters wont have to spend as much on flying foreign riders into the country.

But I fear it could be the usual story. Reduce the points limit, water down the product, put admission prices up a £1, watch numbers dwindle because standards are going down and this time next year the same noises will be heard.

My own personal thought would be that every club should have a junior team and have regionalised competitions like the old SJL / AJL and the current Midlands Development League. It gives more racing to a meeting as well. Even a return of the second halves? Riders are continually going on about "testing equipment". This gives then the perfect opportunity. And any riders out of form get more track time. Fans want more racing and fewer gaps between races. It is after all an entertainment business.

[Team Man]

Speedway is 2 years older than me, will it reach it's Centenary, it's got 15 years to achieve that, will I out live it, or will I go before it does........Sobering thought.

[pandorum]

Poole are in danger of becoming the equivalent of Glasgow Celtic..

Poole's relative wealth is bad for British Speedway. (discuss)

Without bashing Poole I think you are indeed right.

 

As Topsoil points out people go to be entertained at sporting events and want more for thier pound not less.

 

Speedway has too little value for money nowadays as all the money seems to be spent on travel for foreign riders and wasted on the Hancocks of the world who use our racing as a bolt hole when they are dumped in the top leagues.

You won't see hide nor hair of the Grin in 2014 unless he wants a few meets before the GP or has a few problems like this year with his Swedish and Polish teams.

 

Becoming Insular is the only answer. Invest in UK riders and those foreign lads who show commitment to our leagues and put what money there is into UK speedway instead of Ryan Air dragging Europes rubbish back and forward a couple of times a week and training them.

 

I say, if Freddie Lindgren does not want to ride here, bye Freddie.

Let UK speedway find it's own stars by putting in the effort to a) attract them and b ) let them earn a living from the sport.

I can remember so many young kids starting off in 2nd halfs and becoming big names.

I remember one lad in particular who used to ride for Rochdale as a reserve who did rather well for himself.

 

It won't be easy but nothing worthwhile ever is.

[The White Knight]

Without bashing Poole I think you are indeed right.

 

As Topsoil points out people go to be entertained at sporting events and want more for thier pound not less.

 

Speedway has too little value for money nowadays as all the money seems to be spent on travel for foreign riders and wasted on the Hancocks of the world who use our racing as a bolt hole when they are dumped in the top leagues.

You won't see hide nor hair of the Grin in 2014 unless he wants a few meets before the GP or has a few problems like this year with his Swedish and Polish teams.

 

Becoming Insular is the only answer. Invest in UK riders and those foreign lads who show commitment to our leagues and put what money there is into UK speedway instead of Ryan Air dragging Europes rubbish back and forward a couple of times a week and training them.

 

I say, if Freddie Lindgren does not want to ride here, bye Freddie.

Let UK speedway find it's own stars by putting in the effort to a) attract them and b ) let them earn a living from the sport.

I can remember so many young kids starting off in 2nd halfs and becoming big names.

I remember one lad in particular who used to ride for Rochdale as a reserve who did rather well for himself.

 

It won't be easy but nothing worthwhile ever is.

 

 

Yes - I remember him too. Went on to do GREAT things. Still one of my Heroes.

[fliss44]

The White Knight --- excuse my ignorance but who was that rider? (Was it you?)

[pandorum]

The White Knight --- excuse my ignorance but who was that rider? (Was it you?)

I will give you a clue. His brother was NOT the drummer with Genesis.

[Cockney Rebel]

Without bashing Poole I think you are indeed right.

 

As Topsoil points out people go to be entertained at sporting events and want more for thier pound not less.

 

Speedway has too little value for money nowadays as all the money seems to be spent on travel for foreign riders and wasted on the Hancocks of the world who use our racing as a bolt hole when they are dumped in the top leagues.

You won't see hide nor hair of the Grin in 2014 unless he wants a few meets before the GP or has a few problems like this year with his Swedish and Polish teams.

 

Becoming Insular is the only answer. Invest in UK riders and those foreign lads who show commitment to our leagues and put what money there is into UK speedway instead of Ryan Air dragging Europes rubbish back and forward a couple of times a week and training them.

 

I say, if Freddie Lindgren does not want to ride here, bye Freddie.

Let UK speedway find it's own stars by putting in the effort to a) attract them and b ) let them earn a living from the sport.

I can remember so many young kids starting off in 2nd halfs and becoming big names.

I remember one lad in particular who used to ride for Rochdale as a reserve who did rather well for himself.

 

It won't be easy but nothing worthwhile ever is.

Well said Pandorum, unfortunately there are some fans amongst us who won't watch Speedway unless they can see the superstars of the sport every week. Depending on how many of these fans there are can we afford to run the sport without them? This balancing act of star riders on a low budget is like trying to balance a jelly on a drumstick.

[Guest]

I will give you a clue. His brother was NOT the drummer with Genesis.

 

Wasn't the drummer Phil Collins?

[jimmy jimmy]

The White Knight --- excuse my ignorance but who was that rider? (Was it you?)

Peter Collins

[Ray Stadia]

Peter Collins

But there you are, in the days of Peter Collins and all his riding brothers, we had so many British born riders, home grown, riders who rode in Britain year in year out. With so many foreign riders in both the major leagues, there are so few good riders who are British. The promoters really do need to look at the bigger picture, but I am afraid they won't.

[pandorum]

But there you are, in the days of Peter Collins and all his riding brothers, we had so many British born riders, home grown, riders who rode in Britain year in year out. With so many foreign riders in both the major leagues, there are so few good riders who are British. The promoters really do need to look at the bigger picture, but I am afraid they won't.

But look at the rosters of UK teams and they are filled with young upandcoming riders from Sweden, Denmark, Poland etc.

Why is it these countries can produce a never ending stream of Pawel Przedpelski's and Rasmus Jensen's.

They must be doing something different to us?

 

Maybe having a look at how these countries do this and then starting to put the mechanisms in place to emulate them would be a better idea than wasting fortunes on allowing the Hancock's of this world to use our leagues as bolt holes when the opportunities in the lucrative league systems dry up.

 

No PL or EL #6 or #7 in any circumstances whatsoever to be non British would be a start.

Give our lads a chance and see what they can do.

 

See if we can produce a few new Collins, Louis, Wyer, Wilson, Grahame, Wigg, Cross, Jackson, Finch, Owen, Wilcock, Garrad, Perks, Jessup, Courtney, Havelock, Tatum etc. These lads started at the bottom and did pretty well

Edited November 4, 2013 by pandorum