Fast Track Riders

[Aaron Reuben Smith]

I think the fast track is a brilliant idea personally and highlights which clubs have worked hard over the years to develop young riders. I think it's fantastic!!

 

(Slightly biased Stars fan)

[Tom Turner]

 

 

Feel free to. The vast majority of posts i`ve read and people i have spoken to this season feel it adds to the league. Its nonsense to ignore that opinion.

 

You appear to have failed to read my message properly. I didn't say the league will ever be strong again, in fact i gave reasons why it wont be. You highlighted one part but ignored the reasons why i said it wouldn't happen again.. I will take that as an error on your part. I am already sad the EL is a much watered down product but at least we still have some of the top riders in the World here.

 

By the way we will STILL be having this debate about the demise of British Speedway in many years to come.

It will be the usual moaners who want to knock our top league year in year out.

 

If the product continues to be watered down, as you mentioned, then there cannot possibly be many years to come.

 

It add's to the league for a very small few, whilst damaging the league for the vast majority. I love speedway but I have not paid to go attend a single match this year. I know I am not the only fan who feels this way. And before somebody kicks off, I am not any less of a fan by not attending matches this season, I am not paying an expensive entry fee to attend a sport that I have watched get worse and worse every year whilst the ticket prices continue to rise.

 

I am not talking about a forum of obsessed fans, I am talking about real people I have spoken to in the real world. Unfortunately the overwhelming opinion is that people are no longer happy to pay to watch sport of this standard. Next time you go to speedway take a look at the crowd. The vast majority of attendees are of an older generation.

 

A poor product, getting worse and worse in quality, getting more and more expensive, losing more and more customers and failing to make any impact whatsoever on the younger generation is a recipe for disaster. Many clubs are already on or past the brink of viability and will simply be unable to continue and developing a handful of substandard British riders to elite league second string level isn't going to change that.

[JonHWeiner]

Jason Garrity (Coventry fast track rider) had a fantastic night in the British Final last night including a thrilling win over Tai Woffinden. He is probably the best example of what these guys are capable of, with a bit of experience riding in the Elite League.

 

There are other examples - I have seen Ben Morley ride for the Kent Kings and for Lakeside against the Bees and I have been very impressed with him at both levels. It is quite interesting seeing these young riders in both scenarios. Another example is Stefan Nielsen for Belle Vue and the Coventry Storm.

 

I for one like the idea of these young British riders getting Elite League experience.

[stevebrum]

The usual moaners will say that the Draft isn't working or demeaning the League.

Back in the real World it is working and might yet be its saviour.

[BluPanther]

The usual moaners will say that the Draft isn't working or demeaning the League.

Back in the real World it is working and might yet be its saviour.

Its a shame Jason will never get the chance to beat Tai and the other top guys in league racing..

[weatherwatcher]

I think the way that Jason Garrity is going he will be signed up by an EL side in thier main team he has come on a lot this year. Give him and a few of the others a chance I don't mean the ones who have been hanging around the PL and EL for a few years now. But lads that are starting out in the game and you will see some class riders taking thier place in our EL. If he rides as well as he did last night he will be beeting far more riders than just Tai.

[mdmc82]

I'm loving the fast track as get to see Garrity most weeks with Coventry.

Hoping we can sign him again next season as a d/u rider

[Aces51]

The only fair way and the best way to give the riders the most experience is to do again next year what happened this year. That is for assets to be assigned to the clubs that own them and then for the bottom club to have first pick and then the next to the bottom and so on. It would be wrong for Coventry or any other club to be able to retain riders and thereby continue to have an advantage, simply because they finished bottom in 2013.

 

The whole system of selection for the FTR needs to be reviewed, hopefully with a more even selection of riders being available.

 

As I have said before, most I speak to think the system is a success. I find it difficult to know how anyone who has not attended any meetings can express a valid opinion on the entertainment that had been provided.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Aces51

[Hodgy]

The usual moaners will say that the Draft isn't working or demeaning the League.

Back in the real World it is working and might yet be its saviour.

You must be joking. Throwing a few novices / amateurs at the big league will be its saviour! In my opinion it's a lost opportunity. You often compare the structure to Sweden - many of their required Swedish reserves have been EL/PL heat leaders. That's what we need, all teams must include Brit reserves, irrelevant of. But back in the real world.....

[stevebrum]

 

If the product continues to be watered down, as you mentioned, then there cannot possibly be many years to come.

 

It add's to the league for a very small few, whilst damaging the league for the vast majority. I love speedway but I have not paid to go attend a single match this year. I know I am not the only fan who feels this way. And before somebody kicks off, I am not any less of a fan by not attending matches this season, I am not paying an expensive entry fee to attend a sport that I have watched get worse and worse every year whilst the ticket prices continue to rise.

 

I am not talking about a forum of obsessed fans, I am talking about real people I have spoken to in the real world. Unfortunately the overwhelming opinion is that people are no longer happy to pay to watch sport of this standard. Next time you go to speedway take a look at the crowd. The vast majority of attendees are of an older generation.

 

A poor product, getting worse and worse in quality, getting more and more expensive, losing more and more customers and failing to make any impact whatsoever on the younger generation is a recipe for disaster. Many clubs are already on or past the brink of viability and will simply be unable to continue and developing a handful of substandard British riders to elite league second string level isn't going to change that.

 

 

Obviously there are fans lost to the sport because its watering down but what is the option? If riders wont come and commit a full season then its always going to be a struggle maintaining any high level or standard. Unfortunately we are so far down the pecking order these days we aren't an automatic choice for foreign riders to come to anymore.

Maybe we seriously need same one day EL racing as they do in Poland/Sweden et al.

We still have a league containing some of the best riders in World. I cant see a day that will end any time soon. Despite the bleak picture you and others might paint. Like i have said many see the benefit of the draft system and actually enjoy the racing more because of it.

They certainly aren't wrong and nor am i.

Some choose not to pay for what they see as `sub standard` EL product. That is also there choice.

 

 

 

 

You must be joking. Throwing a few novices / amateurs at the big league will be its saviour! In my opinion it's a lost opportunity. You often compare the structure to Sweden - many of their required Swedish reserves have been EL/PL heat leaders. That's what we need, all teams must include Brit reserves, irrelevant of. But back in the real world.....

 

 

Do i?? But yes i agree that its OK for Sweden so its OK for us.

[Hodgy]

Obviously there are fans lost to the sport because its watering down but what is the option? If riders wont come and commit a full season then its always going to be a struggle maintaining any high level or standard. Unfortunately we are so far down the pecking order these days we aren't an automatic choice for foreign riders to come to anymore.

Maybe we seriously need same one day EL racing as they do in Poland/Sweden et al.

We still have a league containing some of the best riders in World. I cant see a day that will end any time soon. Despite the bleak picture you and others might paint. Like i have said many see the benefit of the draft system and actually enjoy the racing more because of it.

They certainly aren't wrong and nor am i.

Some choose not to pay for what they see as `sub standard` EL product. That is also there choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do i?? But yes i agree that its OK for Sweden so its OK for us.

You are missing the comparison I was referring to. However, having just watched the next instalment of The Swedish League, as far as entertainment goes - give me heats 2 and 9 of The EL over that processional borathon. It just will not sell, it's too drastic - GB riders 6 & 7 would be my call.

[Tom Turner]

 

 

Obviously there are fans lost to the sport because its watering down but what is the option? If riders wont come and commit a full season then its always going to be a struggle maintaining any high level or standard. Unfortunately we are so far down the pecking order these days we aren't an automatic choice for foreign riders to come to anymore.

Maybe we seriously need same one day EL racing as they do in Poland/Sweden et al.

We still have a league containing some of the best riders in World. I cant see a day that will end any time soon. Despite the bleak picture you and others might paint. Like i have said many see the benefit of the draft system and actually enjoy the racing more because of it.

They certainly aren't wrong and nor am i.

Some choose not to pay for what they see as `sub standard` EL product. That is also there choice.

 

The point of the fast track system (I don't for one second believe it was really to support British youngsters) is to operate speedway in the UK at a lower cost so that clubs can run at a profit. Sure this has probably saved the clubs a fair bit of money but when you offset that against the fans lost they are making as little, if not less, than before.

 

"Some of the best riders in the world" isn't enough, every year more and more of them are turning their backs to us. You hear riders talking in interviews all the time about how riders abroad have tried to persuade them not to waste their time with our country.

 

Diluting the product is not the way forward, innovation is. First and foremost we need to sort out our tracks. The number 1 complaint from foreign riders is that our tracks are dangerous. When they ride here they get injured, and they never give it 100% like they do abroad. 9 times out of 10 they will simply hold their gate position because it is not worth trying anything anymore adventurous with track surfaces like a neglected gravel car park.

 

If it were my decision at GSI, BSPA or whomever is in charge, I would of focused my attention on several key areas of development:

 

1) Investing in the development of quality race surfaces across the UK so that riders can ride to their ability without fear of injury.

 

2) Investing in the development of high quality speedway websites, with a strong social media presence. Making an abundance of speedway videos and materials available online. 85% of youngsters aged between 13 - 21 in the UK go online every single day and It is those we need to be targeting, showing them just how brilliant and nail biting British speedway can be. The best heats or moments from every match, jazzed up and stuck online. Like a Ken Block video (Google Ken Block Gymkhana and look at the video style). Sticking a couple of bikes in a shopping centre once a year won't do a thing. This responsiblity should be given to young, uni students who want to prove themselves, not the old fogies who currently manage speedways abysmal online presence.

 

3) Injecting additional entertainment in to speedway to give more bang for your buck. For example, my grandfather would talk of golden heats at the end of a meeting in which the number one of each team would run off against each other in a 1v1 race. That is something I would love to be a part of.

 

4) Getting rid of stupid rules. Why do we still have double points? It doesn't make a meeting more entertaining, it leaves fans feeling robbed and crestfallen when their hard earned leads are stolen by one or two decent riders. Everytime I watch my team win with double points I can't help but feel we didn't deserve it. (And I'm a Pirates fan!)

 

I'm not saying this is a golden fix for speedway, but it's a hell of a lot better than the current proposition. When you have taken these steps you have:

 

1) Given riders a surface they can race confidently on. There will be less processional racing, and therefore a more entertaining product with more appeal to the world class riders that have abandoned our shores.

 

2) Generated a new fan base to replace the older generation that is currently propping up the sport. They will not be there forever and if we don't replace them soon, there will be very few left to attend speedway at all.

 

3) There will be more to look forward to in a match, a little extra zing for your buck.

 

4) The sport will start to make more sense. I have introduced speedway to many friends and spent the whole time trying to explain and justify the overly complicated rules. Their faces alone speak a thousand words.

[stevebrum]

 

The point of the fast track system (I don't for one second believe it was really to support British youngsters) is to operate speedway in the UK at a lower cost so that clubs can run at a profit. Sure this has probably saved the clubs a fair bit of money but when you offset that against the fans lost they are making as little, if not less, than before.

 

"Some of the best riders in the world" isn't enough, every year more and more of them are turning their backs to us. You hear riders talking in interviews all the time about how riders abroad have tried to persuade them not to waste their time with our country.

 

Diluting the product is not the way forward, innovation is. First and foremost we need to sort out our tracks. The number 1 complaint from foreign riders is that our tracks are dangerous. When they ride here they get injured, and they never give it 100% like they do abroad. 9 times out of 10 they will simply hold their gate position because it is not worth trying anything anymore adventurous with track surfaces like a neglected gravel car park.

 

If it were my decision at GSI, BSPA or whomever is in charge, I would of focused my attention on several key areas of development:

 

1) Investing in the development of quality race surfaces across the UK so that riders can ride to their ability without fear of injury.

 

2) Investing in the development of high quality speedway websites, with a strong social media presence. Making an abundance of speedway videos and materials available online. 85% of youngsters aged between 13 - 21 in the UK go online every single day and It is those we need to be targeting, showing them just how brilliant and nail biting British speedway can be. The best heats or moments from every match, jazzed up and stuck online. Like a Ken Block video (Google Ken Block Gymkhana and look at the video style). Sticking a couple of bikes in a shopping centre once a year won't do a thing. This responsiblity should be given to young, uni students who want to prove themselves, not the old fogies who currently manage speedways abysmal online presence.

 

3) Injecting additional entertainment in to speedway to give more bang for your buck. For example, my grandfather would talk of golden heats at the end of a meeting in which the number one of each team would run off against each other in a 1v1 race. That is something I would love to be a part of.

 

4) Getting rid of stupid rules. Why do we still have double points? It doesn't make a meeting more entertaining, it leaves fans feeling robbed and crestfallen when their hard earned leads are stolen by one or two decent riders. Everytime I watch my team win with double points I can't help but feel we didn't deserve it. (And I'm a Pirates fan!)

 

I'm not saying this is a golden fix for speedway, but it's a hell of a lot better than the current proposition. When you have taken these steps you have:

 

1) Given riders a surface they can race confidently on. There will be less processional racing, and therefore a more entertaining product with more appeal to the world class riders that have abandoned our shores.

 

2) Generated a new fan base to replace the older generation that is currently propping up the sport. They will not be there forever and if we don't replace them soon, there will be very few left to attend speedway at all.

 

3) There will be more to look forward to in a match, a little extra zing for your buck.

 

4) The sport will start to make more sense. I have introduced speedway to many friends and spent the whole time trying to explain and justify the overly complicated rules. Their faces alone speak a thousand words.

 

 

You make some fair points, and yes there is a much bigger picture. Investment in its future should have been paramount years ago.

We know what the point of the fast track system was first and foremost for and myself, and others that praise it, are under no illusions it was introduced to save clubs money.

The point tho now is that i reckon it is here to stay and for the future of our next generation it has to be a good thing in the long term (long term isn't something the BSPA can ever be accused of thinking of!).

 

Whilst i am sure the point you make about `dangerous tracks` has some merit (cant say i have heard it in any interviews however) lets not kid ourselves the PRIME reasons are Too many meetings/ too many race nights & not enough money.

 

You can bet your last pound that if those riders were lacking in meetings abroad the UK is the first place they would turn to for extra meetings despite all those other reasons.

 

I have also recently introduced families (with Children) to our great sport and from a pure perspective they have become fans. You don't have to over complicate things straight away with all the rules - they will get that if they are keen to continue to come.

They are and they now understand the rules are complicated.

But guess what?? They love the racing!!!! THE most important factor of getting the product right!

[JonHWeiner]

Settings mentioned generating a younger fan base. My 9 year-old granddaughter has loved speedway since she was 5. She started watching it with me on TV in 2010, when the Bees were in the payoffs.

 

She now watches speedway every week on TV including the GP's. Living in Kent, we try to get to Bees away matches and to Cov when we can. We also go to Sittingbourne to see the Kent Kings. Ben Morley is another good example of the Fast Track. As well as being a fans' favourite at Sittingbourne, he has performed well at reserve for Lakeside.

 

One aspect of speedway which has not changed since I started going to Brandon as a teenager is that it is a family-friendly sport. My granddaughter has met quite a few riders and I have been impressed with the way they relate to the younger fans. It is nice to see so many children at meetings.

[Tom Turner]

Settings mentioned generating a younger fan base. My 9 year-old granddaughter has loved speedway since she was 5. She started watching it with me on TV in 2010, when the Bees were in the payoffs.

 

She now watches speedway every week on TV including the GP's. Living in Kent, we try to get to Bees away matches and to Cov when we can. We also go to Sittingbourne to see the Kent Kings. Ben Morley is another good example of the Fast Track. As well as being a fans' favourite at Sittingbourne, he has performed well at reserve for Lakeside.

 

One aspect of speedway which has not changed since I started going to Brandon as a teenager is that it is a family-friendly sport. My granddaughter has met quite a few riders and I have been impressed with the way they relate to the younger fans. It is nice to see so many children at meetings.

 

I didn't say there were no young fans, that is the exact same way I was introduced to the sport by my parents. I am saying there is not enough being done to attract younger fans and would say a large majority of fans must be 50+. Even if somehow every single adult fan had a child, introduced them to speedway, and ensured they like it and attended weekly it would still only match the current attendance rates.

[stevebrum]

Settings mentioned generating a younger fan base. My 9 year-old granddaughter has loved speedway since she was 5. She started watching it with me on TV in 2010, when the Bees were in the payoffs.

 

She now watches speedway every week on TV including the GP's. Living in Kent, we try to get to Bees away matches and to Cov when we can. We also go to Sittingbourne to see the Kent Kings. Ben Morley is another good example of the Fast Track. As well as being a fans' favourite at Sittingbourne, he has performed well at reserve for Lakeside.

 

One aspect of speedway which has not changed since I started going to Brandon as a teenager is that it is a family-friendly sport. My granddaughter has met quite a few riders and I have been impressed with the way they relate to the younger fans. It is nice to see so many children at meetings.

 

 

I have introduced 11, 12, 13 and 14 year olds to the sport this year and they love it and go most weeks.

Some of us are doing our part to spread the good word of Speedway.

Edited June 18, 2014 by stevebrum

[weatherwatcher]

No moans on the fast track system. Other than they way they have set it up. All the riders of both groups riders 6 and 7 should be of the same quility of rider. Not what we have been given this year with 5 or 6 riders that are way above the level of the others with PL leage experience and not just at reserve and some that have been riding in the EL in a reserve potion. This is unfair to the the other riders that have only riden in the NL. I think the only riders that should come into the FTR places are riders that have only ever and do ride in the NL to make these reserve place from becoming a complete farce.

[JonHWeiner]

 

 

I have introduced 11, 12, 13 and 14 year olds to the sport this year and they love it and go most weeks.

Some of us are doing our part to spread the good word of Speedway.

 

We try to - I am always telling people about speedway being family friendly.

 

My granddaughter took her 10 year-old friend to Kent Kings v Coventry Storm recently and her friend really enjoyed it. That was a strange match for us, as we have sort of adopted the Kings as our local team but when it's against the Storm then of course we support Coventry :-)

[Shale Searcher]

The fast track reserves draft system in its essence is a superb idea and worth pursuing, but, it was poorly implemented in its maiden season.. As other posters have said on here there's some riders in the system who were included that shouldn't have been included..

We need to find a defined ability level for these guys, a sort of goldilocks zone, just right for the system, some have been to week and indeed some have been to strong which has caused a big difference in the team's reserve strength..

If that "goldilocks" ability level can be reached and agreed, then the fast track draft reserves system can and will be a success..

[MrMungo]

The only real problem with that Draft List is that there was not sufficient numbers to really have enough strength in depth for all teams. There were probably 15 strong contenders, a few who have been around for a while, and the rest not quite up to that standard and required another 12 months.

Even so, I think it has been largely a success, and with a few tweaks, it'll be even better next season and beyond. Assuming it's here to stay.