British Speedway Promoters Meeting

[500cc]

 

TERRY Russell cannot set the agenda for negotiations with Sky... they do. Trust me, he has been knocking on the door for months but nobody was answering until very recently.

Do you have any insight on the BSPA's strategy. To me there are to issues at play here. Television Coverage and Sponsorship. There is some correlation between the two, and currently of course they are totally entwined.

 

Virtually all the sound bites from within the sport highlight the financial part. But is everything focused on a single egg in an old basket. If a deal can't be reached then what? If a deal is reached but simply for coverage (no sponsorship) then what?

 

Yes BT Sport gets a mention, but again, if it isn't accompanied by sponsorship then what? It is quite likely possible Sky will offer coverage but at cost to the sport. Is TV coverage in its own right a target, or is the sport simply looking for money? If its coverage is a highlights package of interest or only live.

 

I suspect its money that's what the sport wants (especially as clubs say they lose income when their matches are covered). To be honest that's the wrong way round. Building from the platform of media coverage should be the target, but I think the promoters are beyond that point. The very interesting interview with John Cook in todays Speedway Star touched on how promoters viewed an increase in meetings as just a further reduction in the amount of money per meeting from sponsorship. That is a very worrying trend for a business, let alone a sport. Very, very worrying.

 

So are the BSPA actively looking for a new source of sponsorship, or is this a one trick pony; TV Coverage including sponsorship. I said in the past, Sky renewal may be the worst thing for the sport as they just seem to hemorrhage it. To have any chance of survival, speedway must build from the foundations. Another large influx of money without a coherent strategy to use it would be a disaster.

[screm]

 

Injuries? Surely all weren't.

No obviously all the changes Poole made last season werent because of injuries but in most cases they were,when you lose your top rider that necessitates more than one change and Poole lost both of Ward & Holder as well as others during the season.Maybe it is to their credit that they made so many changes and they still won the play-off final.

[macinter]

Regarding the posts concerning cricket. Yes the County Championship is in a mess but the limited over versions are thriving, although traditionalists still don't like it. Bells are ringing here.

[Alan_Jones]

On the other hand i would be open minded about some 1 lap races from the tapes.Never seen such a thing, and it might be interesting.

 

 

The '1 lap dash' was in vogue for a season or so in the 80s with riders rotating gate positions for each of 4 laps, but the novelty soon wore off.

[TMW]

TERRY Russell cannot set the agenda for negotiations with Sky... they do. Trust me, he has been knocking on the door for months but nobody was answering until very recently.

If they could come up with a plan that would reinvigorate the sport TV would be knocking on his door

[Fromafar]

Can you name a successful weekly professional sport that operates without a TV deal ?

One live match/week is hardly mind boggling coverage irrespective how much the deal is worth,like some one pointed out it has just make the Promoters complacent. IMO .

[skthecat]

 

 

How about going back to concrete starts,that will take away any advantage in the gates,and take away any delays in gardening.

No, you would have to sweep loose shale off the concrete every race, then sweep individual gates as riders would demand (shale falling off starting gate operatives boots) (more sweeping, riders bikes getting settled at start gate, more shale falling onto concrete gate = more sweeping........... same delays, different situation!!!!!!

[Mike.Butler]

can anyone remember when an agm wasn't 'The the most important for years'? - i can't.

[skthecat]

Regarding the posts concerning cricket. Yes the County Championship is in a mess but the limited over versions are thriving, although traditionalists still don't like it. Bells are ringing here.

Wonder if you could have a short speedway match at top level ??

 

Say 8 heats, 4 man teams, no restrictions if behind, perhaps have 2 meetings a night, #restrict riders to 1 bike, but have a track spare or 2?#

 

#That would ease pits congestion# with 2 sets of riders in away pit....

 

Have 3 lap races, or have 6 race mini meeting after 15ht meeting, start all square, race for a bonus point or something that counts to the league to keep people interested......... any other ideas......

[greyhoundp]

The shortened version of cricket is real money spinner, maybe NOT for the purists, but its what Joe public wants to see, County Cricket produces the Test match players,but very few want to watch it. Speedway has to look at ideas like this, 13 Main Heats for the usual points, 5 Single lap races, and then perhaps we could look at a way of producing Tag racing, ie similar to relay racing, Maybe a stupid idea, but something has to be done to GET excitement back, and crowds through the doors, lets all try to think outside the box. The tried and tested formula, is failing..

[Mike.Butler]

its easy. 2 valve upright machines.

[Starman2006]

Is he the man for the job then ,should be looking elsewhere for the benefit of the Sport .Imo Live TV coverage in itself is not concern they are only thinking of the large sum of Sky money he can pocket for himself .

Be a bit careful what you say mate. Mr Russell does a lot of work on behalf of British speedway. Without him Sky would not have taken speedway on in the first place, and Speedway would have been in a dam cite poorer state than it is now.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Starman2006

[skthecat]

its easy. 2 valve upright machines.

And how much would that cost?? Say a million or two for every rider to get kitted out with new stuff? And thats a gross underestimate. 168 riders x average 3 bikes each, thats 504 new everythings at say £4,000 each bike... thats 2 million and 16 thousand for the bikes staight off, not including the cost of the re development of the old parts!!!

 

Wheres all that dosh come from?????

[HenryW]

On the other hand i would be open minded about some 1 lap races from the tapes.Never seen such a thing, and it might be interesting.

 

Way back...maybe 1989, Edinburgh ran a little 2nd half competition where each week the top 5 riders from the meeting (or maybe just top 5 home riders) went into a 1 lap dash race. Last man dropped out and the other 4 came straight back round to go again. Repeat until you have a 2 man match race for 1 lap and a winner is found.

 

That actually proved to be pretty entertaining but got dropped after a while...Shame.

 

It would be fun to see that return.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

And how much would that cost?? Say a million or two for every rider to get kitted out with new stuff? And thats a gross underestimate. 168 riders x average 3 bikes each, thats 504 new everythings at say £4,000 each bike... thats 2 million and 16 thousand for the bikes staight off, not including the cost of the re development of the old parts!!!

 

 

jawa/jrm already make a 2 valve engine in upright and laydown form ,it is used for ice racing.

[New Science]

The shortened version of cricket is real money spinner, maybe NOT for the purists, but its what Joe public wants to see, County Cricket produces the Test match players,but very few want to watch it. Speedway has to look at ideas like this, 13 Main Heats for the usual points, 5 Single lap races, and then perhaps we could look at a way of producing Tag racing, ie similar to relay racing, Maybe a stupid idea, but something has to be done to GET excitement back, and crowds through the doors, lets all try to think outside the box. The tried and tested formula, is failing..

When you get good racing and a pretty even scoreline there is nothing at all wrong with the 15 heat formula.If the racing is poor it doesn't matter if its over 1 lap ,10 laps or tag team / relay racing.Speedway will not get back on its feet until the product improves,ie the racing.Forget stadia,forget double points,forget 4 points for a large away win,we can worry about the fine details when we regularly churn out good speedway racing on a weekly basis.This is why fans have stopped going,the only way to get them back is to give them good racing,none of us agree on all the rules but this is not the reason we stop going. Speedway needs to work from the bottom up to get the core product right (THE RACING) and the rest will follow,thats what will get the fans back !

[SCB]

Way back...maybe 1989, Edinburgh ran a little 2nd half competition where each week the top 5 riders from the meeting (or maybe just top 5 home riders) went into a 1 lap dash race. Last man dropped out and the other 4 came straight back round to go again. Repeat until you have a 2 man match race for 1 lap and a winner is found.

 

That actually proved to be pretty entertaining but got dropped after a while...Shame.

 

It would be fun to see that return.

get all teams to do something similar and you could have a national speedway 1 lap dash champion.

[New Science]

I am just updating some stats for a book I last did about four years back, a companion for the Peter Oakes' British Speedway Leagues. Out of interest, mine covers 1991-09 (hopefully it will be up to date shortly). However, cutting to the chase, having not really taken much interest in different competitions in recent years, I am left head-scratching at some of the antics employed to try and sprinkle a little sparkle into speedway.

We have the end-of-season Play-Off for the Play Offs... The four points for a big win, three for a big win but with a full team... it is too confusing for a casual bystander who wants to just watch a sport for what it is. If I knew what a sugar rush was, I would say all the fixtures - all the Cup Finals - at one main point in the season is too much.

Weather being what it is, why have so many prime matches in October? It is too much to take.

Have we got so many competitions so, a bit like being at junior school, all the kids have chance to win something?

And don't get me started on what rider belongs to whcih team... At times I think we're back in WW2 years, when any rider that turned up would get a ride at active tracks.

The sliding scale brought in for match points was one of best ideas the promoters have come up with.I know the playoffs divide opinion but fans and viewers vote with their feet,they are the best attended meetings of the year and attract the largest TV viewing figures

[skthecat]

When you get good racing and a pretty even scoreline there is nothing at all wrong with the 15 heat formula.If the racing is poor it doesn't matter if its over 1 lap ,10 laps or tag team / relay racing.Speedway will not get back on its feet until the product improves,ie the racing.Forget stadia,forget double points,forget 4 points for a large away win,we can worry about the fine details when we regularly churn out good speedway racing on a weekly basis.This is why fans have stopped going,the only way to get them back is to give them good racing,none of us agree on all the rules but this is not the reason we stop going. Speedway needs to work from the bottom up to get the core product right (THE RACING) and the rest will follow,thats what will get the fans back !

So, we're talking bikes and track surfaces yes?

The modern day laydown does not handle dirt very well, now worse with the tyre compound and new exhausts (so I have been told by someone in the know)

 

So, how do we fix these issues without upsetting local councils (exhaust noise) tyres (not suitable for engine revs) track surface (bikes with the above components cannot handle a lot of dirt)

 

Its a bit chicken/egg or egg/chicken isn't it.......?

 

By the way, could a laydown engine be converted to a 2 valve laydown engine?

 

Can a laydown engine be ran upright?

 

Can a laydown configured diamond be converted to take the laydown in upright config cheaply?

Edited November 16, 2013 by Never to old

[Cornishfisherman]

The problem with TV Speedway is that someone like myself will miss going to speedway for any minor reason as I can get my weekly 'fix' on Sky. If there was no TV Speedway I might just go each week -perhaps I'm not the only person who thinks this way.

 

Oh by the way I did cancel my Sky Sports subscription and when asked why I was cancelling I did say that I am only interested in Speedway and should they decide to show the sport next season I would be re-subscribing.

 

Also on the Subject of the Terry Russell dealings with Sky, I just wonder if someone else knows something of an alternative Company who might just be interested in screening the sport next season.

 

Compared with Soccer Speedway is cheap for any Broadcaster particularly taking into account the viewing figures.