Ghostwalker Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Do we need Sky live league meetings? We're trying to get people through the turnstiles, whilst Sky live broadcast encourages stay-at-home fans No more live Sky as a starter! It depends how many spectators they loose from it in relation to how many sponsors who wouldn't be interesting in sponsoring without tv-coverage. Also IMO a sport without TV-coverage will struggle to get new fans since they might not find out about the sport without it. In Sweden we have a saying that goes like this "syns du inte så finns du inte", translated it means about "if you are not seen, you do not exist". Meaning that you need to have the sport exposed on tv and in media in general to make fans aware of the sport. A good tv-meeting can be a fantastic good advert for the sport, but obviously on days when it feels like the rain is about to start falling in any second, some people will stay at home and watch it on tv. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Smith Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 It depends how many spectators they loose from it in relation to how many sponsors who wouldn't be interesting in sponsoring without tv-coverage. Also IMO a sport without TV-coverage will struggle to get new fans since they might not find out about the sport without it. In Sweden we have a saying that goes like this "syns du inte så finns du inte", translated it means about "if you are not seen, you do not exist". Meaning that you need to have the sport exposed on tv and in media in general to make fans aware of the sport. A good tv-meeting can be a fantastic good advert for the sport, but obviously on days when it feels like the rain is about to start falling in any second, some people will stay at home and watch it on tv. You are correct but what we tend to find in the UK is that the fixture selection for TV meetings are horrendous. Wrong tracks, wrong away teams etc. TV matches should be a showcase but far too many times Elite League TV matches are laughing stocks yet when they pick Premier League meetings for TV they're the best meetings on the best tracks. I just don't get it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Do we need Sky live league meetings? We're trying to get people through the turnstiles, whilst Sky live broadcast encourages stay-at-home fans No more live Sky as a starter! You could say that about any TV sport . A lot of new fans no doubt got into speedway by first watching a Sky match You are correct but what we tend to find in the UK is that the fixture selection for TV meetings are horrendous. Wrong tracks, wrong away teams etc. TV matches should be a showcase but far too many times Elite League TV matches are laughing stocks yet when they pick Premier League meetings for TV they're the best meetings on the best tracks. I just don't get it To be fair I think they have made a much better effort in terms of picking matches this year ...more matches on normal race nights a nice mix of El and Pl etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.N.T. Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 To be fair I think they have made a much better effort in terms of picking matches this year ...more matches on normal race nights a nice mix of El and Pl etc EL matches would be mainly or always Mondays All other leagues would be on any night that track wishes apart from Mondays due to doubling up riders and at present there are no Monday PL tracks any way 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffdiamond Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) 'Fraid so!! However we could go back to Saturday Night Racing. For those who want to watch the GPs (Circus) - they are only on Eurosport - so - why can't folks set up and record their GP. They can then go to their Club Meeting on a Saturday Night. Watch the GP when you get home, fast forward through the adverts and 'Bob's your Uncle - problem solved. Plus side of that - you don't have to watch the adverts - RESULT!!! Worth a thought anyway. that's all well and good, if you have the facilities to do it, dunno if all fans have tho ???,,, :-( Do we need Sky live league meetings? We're trying to get people through the turnstiles, whilst Sky live broadcast encourages stay-at-home fans No more live Sky as a starter! does speedway not apprieciate the money from sky,,, and the sponsorship that comes with it ??? surely, speedway could'nt survive with people coming thru the gates :-( Edited July 20, 2014 by ruffdiamond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) British speedway will never be able to race on one night a week. There are too many obstacles. For all these Here, There and Everywhere riders, I would say... if you don't like it, leave British speedway and earn your crust elsewhere. I think it is about time British Speedway got some rollocks and began the first step on the rung of reclaiming its lost identity and muscle. Begin by limiting the likes of riders who dash off to foreign shores straight after a disappointing meeting in Britain, only to regain their lost scoring ability 24 hours later (or earlier, wherever they are racing, Poland or Sweden). British speedway has always been an everyday being, from March through to October, and why should some request it changing... just to suit their hectic lifestyles? One big league, rid itself of those riders who feel the Swedish, Polish and Danish leagues are more attuned to their diary, and let's build from scratch. Britain has become boring for speedway. We need a bigger league, with riders racing for one team only (not abroad, doubling up or down), where teams race on average thrice a week. A rider wearing his jacket with pride, not feeling a bad night for so-and-so will be forgotten 24 hours later with a big-score posting in Sweden. Reading Jon Armstrong in the Star, I am impressed what he says. a 13-year-old motor in his set up, an old banger van. He is doing it for enjoyment. Can we ask whether the like of our World Champion, for example, is feeling the same? I heard Tai say recently, that he looks forward to the start of a season but by mid-point can't wait for its conclusion. My impression of that... I think... Tai, you are putting all your chocolate eggs down your mouth on Easter morning, and spending the rest of your day whining about not touching another. It takes away your hunger and need for choccie eggs when you have too many positioned at you. British speedway shouldn't be scared of losing its star riders (what is left of them). Middle-order men of today would become the new top men of a one-big league, as long as you stick to the rule that makes it difficult for them to ride outside of Britain for another club. If they have too many fixture in Britain, why would they want to venture abroad? Ban the thoughts that speedway wouldn't survive without its star riders. They are so full of themselves most of the time, chasing individual glory. I think league, domestic matters... bread and butter stuff, well, that is nowadays best served by men with hunger and passion for a simple diet - not one of bellyaching after scoffing all those chocolate eggs. Promoters and supporters would say, "Ooh, you couldn't by law ban anyone from earning a living." What I'd say, is you aren't forced to offer one to those with other commitments. Let this law, if one exist, prove a speedway team would have offered a Wandering Star a team place, the reason being because he raced for another club etc. Can't expect fans to remain loyal and support a club, when the riders they are supposed to be attending and supporting, can't wait to whizz off the first opportunity... and pull on someone else's colours. They are human TomCats. Edited July 21, 2014 by moxey63 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.N.T. Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 that's all well and good, if you have the facilities to do it, dunno if all fans have tho ???,,, :-( does speedway not apprieciate the money from sky,,, and the sponsorship that comes with it ??? surely, speedway could'nt survive with people coming thru the gates :-( Speedway in Britain could only survive with people coming through the gates but in other countries, especially Poland some have very good sponsors and those that turn up to watch is virtually the profit margin which explains why some teams have so many big earners in like Torun. Speedway in Britain needs people coming through the turnstiles but it most certainly needs the money from Sky to field riders of a certain standard and wage demands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavan Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 I really dont get why people on here do not realise that one race night WONT AND CANT happen. It would not be viable to a lot of clubs and it gives no guarantee whatsoever that the top boys would come back. It would be a massive risk to try and it could kill the sport completly. The only way forward is a squad system and it doesnt need to be evry rider catered for. The top 2 in the averages in each team could be filled by 2 riders each. i.e the riders at 1 and 5. For example Poole could have Ward/Holder and say Lindback/Pawlicki This means that the top boys and the management could get together to ensure who rides where (horses for courses) thus stopping burn out of the top boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 You are correct but what we tend to find in the UK is that the fixture selection for TV meetings are horrendous. Wrong tracks, wrong away teams etc. TV matches should be a showcase but far too many times Elite League TV matches are laughing stocks yet when they pick Premier League meetings for TV they're the best meetings on the best tracks. I just don't get it Don't worry we have the same problem far from all tv-meetings are good but obviously Cmore have to variate which track they visit or else a few teams would be much more affected then others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAST GATER Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) While the GP's are run in the present manner British s/way will always suffer whether it is run on one night or not and I for one can live without the glory boys .The sport is not suffering because people can't see Tia ( and his league scoring at times leaves a lot to be desired IMO) it is because the powers that be will not improve or invest in a better product and decent advertising . New fans would not know who was riding in races as long as they were competively match riders and presented in a manner that caught their attention the sport should sell itself . Edited July 21, 2014 by FAST GATER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 While the GP's are run in the present manner British s/way will always suffer whether it is run on one night or not and I for one can live without the glory boys .The sport is not suffering because people can't see Tia ( and his league scoring at times leaves a lot to be desired IMO) it is because the powers that be will not improve or invest in a better product and decent advertising . New fans would not know who was riding in races as long as they were competively match riders and presented in a manner that caught their attention the sport should sell itself . Who is Tia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 I really dont get why people on here do not realise that one race night WONT AND CANT happen. It would not be viable to a lot of clubs and it gives no guarantee whatsoever that the top boys would come back. It would be a massive risk to try and it could kill the sport completly. The only way forward is a squad system and it doesnt need to be evry rider catered for. The top 2 in the averages in each team could be filled by 2 riders each. i.e the riders at 1 and 5. For example Poole could have Ward/Holder and say Lindback/Pawlicki This means that the top boys and the management could get together to ensure who rides where (horses for courses) thus stopping burn out of the top boys Who would foot the Bill for the two Riders not actually Racing in the Team? I also Posted somewhere that you could not expect your two Riders to hang about for six weeks until someone got injured and expect them to hit top form straight away - it would not happen. Who is Tia? Maria. :rofl: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPNY Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 The writing was on the wall regarding the chaos of EL fixutes in 1995 when Hans quit British Speedway for Poland/Sweden/GP's. Yet here we are 20 years later and they still basically did very little to make it an attractive place to race. It's the worst league for the riders finacially, hectic schedule, stupid rule changes, the BSPA really don't help themselves. Also, they never secured a major sponsor for the league (Im not counting SkyBet thats just Sky tv using free advertising on their own channel) again, not helping the finacial plight. Theyve been complaining about costs for so long, but to my mind theyve never gone with simple solutions. 6 rider teams, less foreigners - ie only employ the best dont fill teams up with the Skornikis of the world.Team kevlars are a pointless expensive exercise as it's rarely a team without a guest. That's just 3 very basic ideas. Anywway we all know Until the EL is taken over by independent professionals with no self interest it'll never be as succesful as it could or should be. With regards to a single race night, yes it is pretty much impossible but they should try and narrow it to say Mondays and Fridays if possible 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Tai said, "he knows for a fact that 20 of the top riders they have had here this year are thinking about stopping because they are just too busy, there are too many meetings here." If that's true then great, let them go and we can have one big, cheaper to run, Premier League. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillipsr Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 And less fans to watch it. I wouldnt go if it wasnt for the top names as i have no interest in watching a lower standard rider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 British speedway will never be able to race on one night a week. There are too many obstacles. For all these Here, There and Everywhere riders, I would say... if you don't like it, leave British speedway and earn your crust elsewhere. I think it is about time British Speedway got some rollocks and began the first step on the rung of reclaiming its lost identity and muscle. Begin by limiting the likes of riders who dash off to foreign shores straight after a disappointing meeting in Britain, only to regain their lost scoring ability 24 hours later (or earlier, wherever they are racing, Poland or Sweden). British speedway has always been an everyday being, from March through to October, and why should some request it changing... just to suit their hectic lifestyles? One big league, rid itself of those riders who feel the Swedish, Polish and Danish leagues are more attuned to their diary, and let's build from scratch. Britain has become boring for speedway. We need a bigger league, with riders racing for one team only (not abroad, doubling up or down), where teams race on average thrice a week. A rider wearing his jacket with pride, not feeling a bad night for so-and-so will be forgotten 24 hours later with a big-score posting in Sweden. Reading Jon Armstrong in the Star, I am impressed what he says. a 13-year-old motor in his set up, an old banger van. He is doing it for enjoyment. Can we ask whether the like of our World Champion, for example, is feeling the same? I heard Tai say recently, that he looks forward to the start of a season but by mid-point can't wait for its conclusion. My impression of that... I think... Tai, you are putting all your chocolate eggs down your mouth on Easter morning, and spending the rest of your day whining about not touching another. It takes away your hunger and need for choccie eggs when you have too many positioned at you. British speedway shouldn't be scared of losing its star riders (what is left of them). Middle-order men of today would become the new top men of a one-big league, as long as you stick to the rule that makes it difficult for them to ride outside of Britain for another club. If they have too many fixture in Britain, why would they want to venture abroad? Ban the thoughts that speedway wouldn't survive without its star riders. They are so full of themselves most of the time, chasing individual glory. I think league, domestic matters... bread and butter stuff, well, that is nowadays best served by men with hunger and passion for a simple diet - not one of bellyaching after scoffing all those chocolate eggs. Promoters and supporters would say, "Ooh, you couldn't by law ban anyone from earning a living." What I'd say, is you aren't forced to offer one to those with other commitments. Let this law, if one exist, prove a speedway team would have offered a Wandering Star a team place, the reason being because he raced for another club etc. Can't expect fans to remain loyal and support a club, when the riders they are supposed to be attending and supporting, can't wait to whizz off the first opportunity... and pull on someone else's colours. They are human TomCats. Exactly my feelings,great post IMO . Tai said, "he knows for a fact that 20 of the top riders they have had here this year are thinking about stopping because they are just too busy, there are too many meetings here." If that's true then great, let them go and we can have one big, cheaper to run, Premier League. 20 top riders I have told him a million times not to exaggerate . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) And less fans to watch it. I wouldnt go if it wasnt for the top names as i have no interest in watching a lower standard rider I am a speedway fan first and just wish the sport would get itself back in order. Call me a big softy, but I really do prefer men that love speedway and wish to race... not tootle their way round, knowing a play-safe strategy will get them enough points, as long as they are airport bound by a certain time, Sweden or Poland beckoning. Compared to several years ago, when the likes of Rickardsson and Adams were in the same line-up; and Gollob, Louis and Rickardsson, you are unwittingly watching a lower-standard product, but paying more than you ever have.. I am sorry... but you have been dime-barred. Perhaps without you knowing, this year's Elite League is riddled with more "lower standard" riders than ever it has. In fact, 2014 Elite League top names only exist... simply because the real top names don't. They have already sought pastures better suited to their earning potential and lifestyle balance. I would rather have a league of, say 17 teams full of riders who are prepared to feel part of the fabric of the team they ride for, someone fans can relate to. New names will make their own way to the top of the scoring list, somebody has to... as, at the same time, there has to be a lowest scorer. Edited July 21, 2014 by moxey63 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 And less fans to watch it. I wouldnt go if it wasnt for the top names as i have no interest in watching a lower standard rider We'll with all due respect it would be your loss Pl racing is actually superior to el and one big pl would put the sport in this country back on its feet 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 If that's true then great, let them go and we can have one big, cheaper to run, Premier League. Cheper to run but with less fans and income ...a big league has been done before and it never worked We'll with all due respect it would be your loss Pl racing is actually superior to el and one big pl would put the sport in this country back on its feet There are good and bad meetings in all leagues and in all Speedway ..What I would say is that the Pl has the better tracks at the moment and that is the key thing ..A big Pl might please a few but there will always a massive amount fans you will want to watch the best riders and with all due respect we can't afford to lose them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Cheper to run but with less fans and income ...a big league has been done before and it never worked Cheaper to run for a time.. then the top riders in that league will start wanting more money, certain clubs will pay it, others will try to compete, they'll lose money so they'll cut the costs and yet more fans will walk. It's simply a never ending cycle, only been going on now for around 10 years but still folk are too blind to see it. Pl racing is actually superior to el and one big pl would put the sport in this country back on its feet So we keep hearing, but I haven't seen the multitudes flocking to Premier League speedway yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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