manchesterpaul Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) So long as they don't get to choose helmet colours or designs then i'm happy. Some traditions should be kept such as being able to see which rider is which pretty instantly. (most of the time). I never try and catch a glimpse of a race jacket to see where each rider is in a race, especially in wet conditions. I don't like it when in the US the race commentator will often refer to riders numbers. Plus i really can't be bothered building up a computer bank style memory in my brain of which numbers belong to which rider lol. Edited January 11, 2014 by manchesterpaul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 But on a serious note where exactly is this lot of sense in letting riders choose thier own number.? Obviously the highly confusing numbering system the GP currently uses needs looking at. I mean the utterly insane method of numbering riders in sequencial order from 1 to however number of riders are in a meeting based on some kind of merit system must cause tremendous confusion. For decades riders raced in individual World Championship meetings with a number that defined what races they appeared in and what gate positions they received in these races. When the GP came along they decided that riders should retain the same number for the entire season rather than using the previous numbering format at each of the individual rounds. Presumably this was done to provide some consistency and avoid the confusion for viewers when a rider appears with one number in one meeting and a different one in the next. To me it makes perfect sense that you follow this to its logical conclusion where riders retain the same number between seasons. The system used until now in the GP series didn't really offer anything. The closest thing it did was that it sort of told you where the rider finished the year before but didn't really, so if another system provides any benefit at all then it makes sense to go with it. The new system where riders can select their own numbers aids recognition for the occasional viewer between seasons and allows riders to provide numbered merchandise that doesn't become totally redundant at the end of the season. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandorum Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) To me it makes perfect sense that you follow this to its logical conclusion where riders retain the same number between seasons. The system used until now in the GP series didn't really offer anything. The closest thing it did was that it sort of told you where the rider finished the year before but didn't really, so if another system provides any benefit at all then it makes sense to go with it. The new system where riders can select their own numbers aids recognition for the occasional viewer between seasons and allows riders to provide numbered merchandise that doesn't become totally redundant at the end of the season. As you are addressing it this to me Henry I will respond to it. What exactly is the logic in allowing riders to retain some random number for the GP series. The old system you deride made 'perfect sense' as it identified the riders in some kind of order from year to year. If anyone watching a SGP meeting was CONFUSED by the numbers 1 to 16 as a way of identifying the field then may I suggest that that person was what is commonly referred to as an 'idiot'. But now we will see random numbers between 1 and infinity appear during these meetings therefore complicating something that was inherently simple before. Your point about the merchandising is bogus as these random numbers can be used for merchandising purposes anyway as a Greg Hancock T Shirt or commemorative ashtray can easily use the riders favourite number and anyone buying this will know what the number refers to surely. The merchandising would hardly promote SGP Greg at #3 one year and #5 the next as the only # worth promoting from the point of view of the SGP 1-16 numbering system would surely be #1 in the world. So the idea that somehow these 1-16 numbers prevent a rider from taking advantage of merchandising opportunities is frankly ludicrous. Riders would be free to promote themselves on the merchandising front regardless of which number they gain from thier SGP sojourn as that number would not need to come into the merchandising. As surely who cares if you are #7 in the world? I presume riders sell T Shirts of themselves and seriously doubt they use the number they are allocated in a GP. This random numbering system is nothing more than a vanity project for the likes of Hancock and should have been crushed mercilessly underfoot at birth. Hancock will wear #45. Now I have no idea why Hancock is wearing #45 and also not the slightest interest so seeing him with #45 on his back in an SGP will seem stupid to me and I bet the majority of those watching on TV or in the stadium. There is no logic in using this system for SGP or SEC at all and certainly not the slightest bit of advantage to the audience for the SGP. What happens if rider X with #81 (year of his birth) is eliminated and rider Y who also craves #81 (as it is the year his favourite album was released) qualifies via the challenge. There is nothing to stop him being #81 as rider X is no longer there. Imagine what confusion it will create when fans of rider X turn up to see X but find Y riding instead. No point to it, no logic to it and certainly no sense to it. And people whine about the Joker in SWC making the sport look Mickey Mouse ### The recent US Monster challenge meeting showed the pitfalls of such a system when in the junior class we had a race featuring TWO #1s. I wonder how many watching were confused by this and how many WOULD have been confused by a simple sequential numbering syatem. To me it makes perfect sense that you follow this to its logical conclusion where riders retain the same number between seasons. The system used until now in the GP series didn't really offer anything. The closest thing it did was that it sort of told you where the rider finished the year before but didn't really, so if another system provides any benefit at all then it makes sense to go with it. So Tai next year with #1 on his back would not indicate he was #1 last year? Of course this only applied to the 1-8 so your point has a touch of validity when it comes to picks etc. But what will the number #105 or #273 indicate to the majority of viewers that don't know that 273 was the bus a rider took to school everyday when he was a kid? Edited January 12, 2014 by pandorum 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflyingkiwi Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 In my opinion I also believed that it made the GP series more professional. I think that for the casual fan to see any number on the back of a race jacket or in the program looks a little mickey-mouse. What happens in the Grand Prix Challenge qualifiers or the World Cup!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattK Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Lots of bollocks Whatever you do, don't watch MotoGP, otherwise you'll have a brain haemorrhage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandorum Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Whatever you do, don't watch MotoGP, otherwise you'll have a brain haemorrhage. Hilarious Matt. I bet you are popular in a pub around closing time But then your comment is just total bollocks as I have watched Moto GP lots of times and did not get one Edited January 12, 2014 by pandorum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.m Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Wonder which rider most deserves 69? Perhaps, collectively, the GP start girls can decide. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Im only amazed this has had so much discussion. Does it really matter one way or the other to us fans? Will it make the sport better or worse? Will it make one fan either watch or stop watching? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Biggest problem for me will be rider recognition for the people who are new or dont go often. The given numbers made it wasy to tell who was who unless you watch regularly could become very confusing really - do you think the causal fan could tell you ho will be riding at say number 13 next season under the old system? in fact, most on here could tell you 1-3 straight away, 4-8 with a bit of thinking, and would struggle to name 9-15 (except perhaps Harris at 15?). if anything, surely it makes is easier? I'm not sure whether you are being sarcastic or serious...There is certainly a lot of sense in allowing riders to select their own number. Really? Surely it makes no difference if you are new, all the numbers are new. As someone who doesn't attend regularly it is surely far better... Consider Tomasz Gollob...Since 1999 he has been number 3, 2, 7, 3, 7, 6, 6, 7, 8, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5 and 4. Then consider Valentino Rossi. Since 1996 he has been number 46. Or maybe Jeff Gordon. Since 1993 he has been number 24. Which one of those do you think is more confusing for an occasional fan? exactly. look at other sports, 23 will always be associated with Micahel Jordan/Shane Warne, Beckham, C Ronaldo, Suarez, Dalglish will always be associated with 7 (and 23 in Beckhams case), Rossi as you point out with 46. I think it's a great idea. Hopefully the Elite League will also carry the numbers across and allow riders to use them in league meetings. tbh, i can see the logic in using 1-7 for league meetings, here number defines the race which the rider will appear in. Well it surely does not take much brain matter to figure out which one. But on a serious note where exactly is this lot of sense in letting riders choose thier own number.? Obviously the highly confusing numbering system the GP currently uses needs looking at. I mean the utterly insane method of numbering riders in sequencial order from 1 to however number of riders are in a meeting based on some kind of merit system must cause tremendous confusion. It must be Hell for people to try and figure out who the four blokes in a race are over the minute of the race with confusing numbers between 1 and 16 so obviously allowing riders to choose any number that takes thier fancy will resolve that situation and make it far easier to recognise riders in races. It looks like the lunatics really have taken over the SGP asylum. the point wasn't to make the system simpler. I's surely to give merchndising benefits, and make riders more recognisable - perhaps the latter ont be immediate, but in a fe seasons wqhen people have seen riders earing the same numbner for a fe seasons, you'll be able to turn on and say there's Nicki in 666, rather than trying to think who finished seventh the pervious season . I am still struggling to see the point of this, does any rider really make so much on merchandising that his number that he is associated with needs to be that of his number in the GP? Surely this is all made redundant by the fact that he does not get to choose what number he rides under for his club. but GPs is surely where a rider is in the spotlight in terms of sponsorship and merchandising. Maybe it wont make a big difference, but even a few extra sales surely help, and i can't see anyway in which it would make things worse. Your point about the merchandising is bogus as these random numbers can be used for merchandising purposes anyway as a Greg Hancock T Shirt or commemorative ashtray can easily use the riders favourite number and anyone buying this will know what the number refers to surely. The merchandising would hardly promote SGP Greg at #3 one year and #5 the next as the only # worth promoting from the point of view of the SGP 1-16 numbering system would surely be #1 in the world. So the idea that somehow these 1-16 numbers prevent a rider from taking advantage of merchandising opportunities is frankly ludicrous. ### The recent US Monster challenge meeting showed the pitfalls of such a system when in the junior class we had a race featuring TWO #1s. I wonder how many watching were confused by this and how many WOULD have been confused by a simple sequential numbering syatem. So Tai next year with #1 on his back would not indicate he was #1 last year? Of course this only applied to the 1-8 so your point has a touch of validity when it comes to picks etc. re: merchandise claim being bogus. Have you ever noticed how a lot of sports fans get the number of their favourite player on their shirt? Do you think it possible someone like Michael Jordan got merchandising benefit from "23". Clearly having to riders with the same number is ludicrous, i'd imagine onlt one rider can have a number, and they hold that number until they retire? In case of multiple riders wanting the same number, surely its "first in first served", and in case of two riders already qualified for next year wanting the same number, then just give it to whoever qualified top. that was the whole point - yes for number 1-8 it showed where the rider finished last year (or 1-7 last year, as Jonsson didn't finish 8th in 2012), but for the other half of the field it didn't have a lot of meaning. anyone, agree with SCB can't believe its generated so much discussion, its a number, its not going to change the entertainment factor, the racing etc for better or worse, but if there are some small benefits, then why not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topaz325 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 http://www.sr-speedperformance.com/84-rockt-den-speedway-grand-prix/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 I think Nicki may go with 666 to play on his reputation! wink. He he that was exactly my thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDY69 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 This seems a rather pointless change to me. As others have said before, the old 1-16 did give an indication of the riders ranking which will be lost. The main reason I think it's pointless is that the riders who compete change - fine that Hancock will be number 45 but will he be in the GP next year? Helmet colour and livery identify riders, not the number - unless they're planning to remove helmet colours I can't see how this adds anything for the spectator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 I would choose a low number, because in the event of a complete tie between several riders in a GP, the one with the lowest number goes through. All the best Rob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theknow 2 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Is harris 0 to reflect his scoring ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theknow 2 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 I would choose a low number, because in the event of a complete tie between several riders in a GP, the one with the lowest number goes through. All the best Rob Harris -100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Should see him in for a few years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) look at other sports, 23 will always be associated with Micahel Jordan/Shane Warne, Beckham, C Ronaldo, Suarez, Dalglish will always be associated with 7 (and 23 in Beckhams case), Rossi as you point out with 46. tbh, That is the whole point.....look at other sports.Do any of them play or ride for 3 or 4 different teams?Dalglish had no.7 on his back week in week out.Darcy Ward might have no.1 on his back week in week out for Poole and then have no.354 for the GPs.Now personally if i was a Poole fan i would want Darcy Ward/Poole merchandise rather than just Darcy Ward #354 and the same i would imagine goes for Swedish and Polish fans with their teams.Speedway is a team sport and you tend to see team merchandise.Having said that,you can buy Nicki Pedersen or NKI merchandise and people have done for years without having some number on a cap or t-shirt..... Like you say,look at other sports.It might work for F1,although i just know Schumacher or Vettel and have no idea which number they have on their cars.But speedway isn't "other sports" and doesn't operate like "other sports" and seems to get itself tied in knots trying to be "other sports"....speedway champions league a good example All this talk brings to mind another famous #7.....Patrick McGoohan Edited January 13, 2014 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Central Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Has there ever been a thread that has generated so much hot air about such a piffling subject? As a measure of just how bored we all must be this winter this thread should be viewed as our collective 'cry for help'. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 That's about it....although no-one is forced to look at a thread about a piffling subject ;-) There are enough proper threads like "Who was the best rider of 2013" or we can always revisit some of the old classics like "have you ever met a rider in a supermarket?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazeaway Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 I see The Know has chosen number 2! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 All this talk brings to mind another famous #7.....Patrick McGoohan Ermmm... he was No 6 All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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