The Future Of The Elite League

[HAMMER57]

riders depending on doubling up for income?....NO..the majority of speedway fans dont want to see riders flip from one team to another night after night, and quite frankly i dont give 2 hoots if a rider cant make a living riding for just 1 team. this is a TEAM sport.. it may sound harsh, but riders can always get a part time job elsewhere!....its what happened in the past, the days of doubling up has simply got to end, its pathetic how many racejackets these riders are wearing every night

 

Agree with what you say.

As I said a while back a friend within speedway said it will go back too a pro/am sport even for the top clubs.

I think he maybe right

[SteveLyric2]

 

Yes, but this time we MUST ensure that the amalgamation is at Premier League level and that the clubs in that competition do not suffer as a result, unlike the BL/NL merger of the early 90s when the NL clubs were royally shafted. Sadly promotions like Poole's will never, ever allow this solution to happen.

Surely that 'merger' in the early 90s was led by the then NL Poole Pirates. Agree that the NL at that time were royally shafted, and agree wholeheartedly that the then NL were the best administered league in UK Speedway - thanks in the main to Alan Hodder and Mervyn Stewkesbury!!

[pandorum]

riders depending on doubling up for income?....NO..the majority of speedway fans dont want to see riders flip from one team to another night after night, and quite frankly i dont give 2 hoots if a rider cant make a living riding for just 1 team. this is a TEAM sport.. it may sound harsh, but riders can always get a part time job elsewhere!....its what happened in the past, the days of doubling up has simply got to end, its pathetic how many racejackets these riders are wearing every night

It does sound harsh and also sounds pretty stupid.

People accuse us oldies of living in the past.

Speedway moved on a decade or so back and riders began to make a living from the sport.

Riding for several teams is part of the zeitgeist of the new era.

It still is a TEAM sport as riders can't ride for two teams in the same league (guesting apart which is another issue)

 

'riders can always get a part time job elsewhere!'

Who the hell do you think you are?

We fans have no right to tell a speedway rider how he plies his trade!

If he can earn money from several leagues good luck to him.

It's an expensive sport and doubling up/down like it or not is with us and won't go away anytime soon.

 

What we need to get rid of is guests and endless R/R for that we that needs squads but again that will involve doubling up/down as those squad members not in play will need to earn a crust somewhere else,

 

In the old NNL days riders rode for both NNL teams and BL teams and nobody saw a problem then.

A heat leader at NNL could turn out as a reserve in the BL. He gained experience and a bit of cash.

Doubling up is nothing new.

 

You should go and tell a rider face to face that he should get a part time job as his racing for more than one team offends you and you don't give two hoots whether he struggles to get by as long as he only turns out for your team.

Have a good dentist on standby though

[Fromafar]

It does sound harsh and also sounds pretty stupid.

People accuse us oldies of living in the past.

Speedway moved on a decade or so back and riders began to make a living from the sport.

Riding for several teams is part of the zeitgeist of the new era.

It still is a TEAM sport as riders can't ride for two teams in the same league (guesting apart which is another issue)

 

'riders can always get a part time job elsewhere!'

Who the hell do you think you are?

We fans have no right to tell a speedway rider how he plies his trade!

If he can earn money from several leagues good luck to him.

It's an expensive sport and doubling up/down like it or not is with us and won't go away anytime soon.

 

What we need to get rid of is guests and endless R/R for that we that needs squads but again that will involve doubling up/down as those squad members not in play will need to earn a crust somewhere else,

 

In the old NNL days riders rode for both NNL teams and BL teams and nobody saw a problem then.

A heat leader at NNL could turn out as a reserve in the BL. He gained experience and a bit of cash.

Doubling up is nothing new.

 

You should go and tell a rider face to face that he should get a part time job as his racing for more than one team offends you and you don't give two hoots whether he struggles to get by as long as he only turns out for your team.

Have a good dentist on standby though

The way things are going a rider might be better off riding for One Teamwith a Part time job than Full time Job and no team to ride for.

[philfromcov]

if you take the in fighting between the leagues away, all the products are not good lets be honest!

 

to halt the decline, the first thing is that you need to stabilize the situation, so that no more teams go under. This has to mean a wage structure, based on the average attendance and 90 points a match. If this means the bigger riders cant be afforded, so be it, its just die hard fans left, so will have a minimal impact. i get no pleasure in seeing a top rider half a lap ahead, its pointless.

 

The next phase, is to be blunt ignoring all the recommendations on here because everyone has a vested interest, how to get YOUNG new fans through the gates and families, it is no longer a family sport due to the high cots of entry.

The question is what do young/families want?

 

as the average age i would suggest is at least 50+ at meetings, we need someone to answer that my kids no longer come because:

its too expensive

its too boring, nothing happens and when it does it from the gate

the facilities are appalling,

 

and here's the rub, they do not want to be surrounded by old people! because how un hip is that?

 

i know the question about a single night always comes up, and not surprisingly those who suggest a night, normally its there normal night and no longer work!

The last time i suggested it should be a weekend because of schools, i was rounded on "late nights will do kids no harm" which isnt the point, if the families believe that too be the case, that's all that matters.

 

why cant it be at the weekend, like most sports and during the day? why does it have to be at night?

 

Clearly it needs to be slicker presentation, all the delays farting around need to stop. Three hours for 15 minutes racing how boring is that.

 

but the key question in my mind is what has to happen to encourage new supporters?

 

clearly we cannot answer that and some of the analysis might be un comfortable for many on here

Edited August 25, 2014 by philfromcov

[marko]

Doubling up is a bitter sweet scenario, we all want to see less guest riders and teams to be formed with as many regulars as possible but for the younger brigade the only way they will get better is to ride, there have been British riders in the Elite who choose not to double up and it clearly affected them because they simply were not able to ride enough to maintain race fitness or sharpness.

 

Some sort of squad system might help but even going back to the shared doubling positions would help, so if rider "A" was not available maybe rider "B" would be, either way they are both riders who the fans can align with as their own.

 

Also with the fast track system i would like it to be scaled down to one rider per team who's position would also be shared or maybe go back to the 8 man 18 heat heat format where riders 7 & 8 were always protected but the remainder in the main rode against each other quite equally.

The problem with that format though would be it would cost more as you have eight riders to pay out on both in terms of travelling and points money.

 

Regardless of the amount of fixtures, a squad system of some sort really needs to be looked at because currently within the EL you have some riders riding in three or four countries and others who maybe only riding here on a semi regular basis.

[ColinMills]

It does sound harsh and also sounds pretty stupid.

People accuse us oldies of living in the past.

Speedway moved on a decade or so back and riders began to make a living from the sport.

Riding for several teams is part of the zeitgeist of the new era.

It still is a TEAM sport as riders can't ride for two teams in the same league (guesting apart which is another issue)

 

'riders can always get a part time job elsewhere!'

Who the hell do you think you are?

We fans have no right to tell a speedway rider how he plies his trade!

If he can earn money from several leagues good luck to him.

It's an expensive sport and doubling up/down like it or not is with us and won't go away anytime soon.

 

What we need to get rid of is guests and endless R/R for that we that needs squads but again that will involve doubling up/down as those squad members not in play will need to earn a crust somewhere else,

 

In the old NNL days riders rode for both NNL teams and BL teams and nobody saw a problem then.

A heat leader at NNL could turn out as a reserve in the BL. He gained experience and a bit of cash.

Doubling up is nothing new.

 

You should go and tell a rider face to face that he should get a part time job as his racing for more than one team offends you and you don't give two hoots whether he struggles to get by as long as he only turns out for your team.

Have a good dentist on standby though

i will tell you WHO THE HELL I AM..im someone who like loads of others on here, is fed up with seeing our once great sport decline into a laughing stock. if you are happy to pay your wages watching mix n match speedway, you are very welcome to do so, good luck, enjoy it. quite clearly loads of people have walked away from this merry go round, and can see it for what it is. yes, i did say it may sound HARSH. if i wasnt good enough at my job,i may have to do 2 jobs!....why is a speedway rider any different?? lifes not easy in any form of profession...my god, 2 jobs, how harsh i am!!

[Shale Searcher]

A set day (Monday) is an absolute priority. It feels like Bees have had about one home match since who knows when. World cup would only effect one week and there would be no doubling up or international absences. Teams could race each other home & away on Bank hols. inc Easter Sunday.We don't need 5 GP riders per team but not the ludicrous fast track either. You only really get 12 heats for your money now with not only ht 2 + 9 a joke but the ludicrous heat 5 which must have resulted in home 5:1's in about 50% of meetings. Set a sensible points limit and have 3 GB riders per team. Get rid of the farcical tactical ride. Instead allow team 6 points down choice of gates and leave the current match points scoring system to do the rest. And for pities sake scale back aforementioned doubling up - for the umpteenth time this is the real reason Team GB are so bad. No one since Bridger offer than Woffy and Lambert have gone full time EL. It' s not rocket science!

 

That about sums it up, [have 3 GB riders per team]

That is not progress!!

 

PL is a self serving league, (no to fast track)

 

If 7 rider teams, you need more than 50% UK born (difficult to enforce any limits with Euro law) but hey ho, would foreign riders really bother to complain?

 

So,

 

3 UK born team proper riders

2 Non UK European or 1 Euro and 1 Non Euro rider

2 UK born fast track scheme riders at reserve

[waiheke1]

That about sums it up, [have 3 GB riders per team]

That is not progress!!

 

PL is a self serving league, (no to fast track)

 

If 7 rider teams, you need more than 50% UK born (difficult to enforce any limits with Euro law) but hey ho, would foreign riders really bother to complain?

 

So,

 

3 UK born team proper riders

2 Non UK European or 1 Euro and 1 Non Euro rider

2 UK born fast track scheme riders at reserve

Where are you finding all these british riders?

[ch958]

Where are you finding all these british riders?

well what then??

[The White Knight]

That about sums it up, [have 3 GB riders per team]

That is not progress!!

 

PL is a self serving league, (no to fast track)

 

If 7 rider teams, you need more than 50% UK born (difficult to enforce any limits with Euro law) but hey ho, would foreign riders really bother to complain?

 

So,

 

3 UK born team proper riders

2 Non UK European or 1 Euro and 1 Non Euro rider

2 UK born fast track scheme riders at reserve

Yes - the Premier League looks after itself - just as well - it would be downright silly to do anything else.

 

As regards 'self serving' - I don't see the Elite League handing out Cheques to Premier League Clubs from the SKY money.

 

So - who is self serving now?

Edited August 26, 2014 by The White Knight

[Chadster]

If the NL can insist on British riders only, why not other leagues?

[Tsunami]

If the NL can insist on British riders only, why not other leagues?

Cos there aren't enough British riders around. Does no-one read other people's posts.

[cowboy cookie returns?]

I'm looking forward to winter 2014/15 its gonna be the big wake up call to UK speedway bosses & the steps taken to kick start a bright future shall be taken.......

[fatface]

i will tell you WHO THE HELL I AM..im someone who like loads of others on here, is fed up with seeing our once great sport decline into a laughing stock. if you are happy to pay your wages watching mix n match speedway, you are very welcome to do so, good luck, enjoy it. quite clearly loads of people have walked away from this merry go round, and can see it for what it is. yes, i did say it may sound HARSH. if i wasnt good enough at my job,i may have to do 2 jobs!....why is a speedway rider any different?? lifes not easy in any form of profession...my god, 2 jobs, how harsh i am!!

I like your passion and I agree with you entirely. I would hope riders at any level don't have the attitude that speedway owes them a living as it certainly doesn't. Riders should have one team in the UK only. All they are doing is hogging an extra team place that could go to someone else and contributing hugely to the Mickey Mouse image of the sport. If they want extra income then by all means pick up what you can abroad. If not, then get a job to support your speedway! There's a few things that puzzle me in this area, particularly in relation to young British riders...

 

1) Maybe somebody has a good reason for this. But I can't understand why the grass-track scene isn't buzzing like it used to with promising British riders. We all know track time is limited for speedway, so why aren't our up and coming riders out there racing on the grass at weekends? Alright its not exactly the same as speedway, but there's many cross-over skills acquired on the grass. For the talented, there is also the chance of prize money and perhaps extra sponsorship. Is grass-track beneath the modern rider? It certainly wasn't for Collins, Wigg, Doncaster, Cross, Loram, Morton, Screen, Smith, Schofield. A higher quality of rider racing grass may also pull up the standards of other grassers, maybe unearthing a few more speedway riders?

 

2) I have doubts the doubling up rule is benefitting our riders. To me, someone like Craig Cook has potential. But he has stalled this year. It seems to me that his easier pickings in the PL are a comfort blanket for him. Wouldn't he be more likely to progress if his only focus were on one club racing in the EL? Wouldn't he be hungrier and more motivated to improve at the top level if his income depended on it?

 

3) Interesting interview with Mike Lee in the Speedway Star about him rebuilding his life (again). But what jumped out at me is that he was tuning for NL riders. Hang on a minute, what are NL riders doing spending their money on one of the world's most renowned tuners to get a little extra out of their machine? Firstly, shouldn't they concentrate on getting better before seeking this tiny percentage improvement in their equipment? Secondly, if they are so keen to eek out some extra, why don't they have a go it themselves and actually learn something about a speedway engine as part of their apprenticeship? Is it really rocket science?

Edited August 26, 2014 by falcace

[New Science]

I'm looking forward to winter 2014/15 its gonna be the big wake up call to UK speedway bosses & the steps taken to kick start a bright future shall be taken.......

Any suggestions !

[cowboy cookie returns?]

Any suggestions !

I've put my views forward within this topic & on many other topics over the past few years and its not so different to many others.

[orderly]

I am still of the opinion that for the Elite League to survive then the promoters must start to negotiate with their landlords with the view that we have Monday nights for all Elite League meetings, But I can hear them shouting that it is impossible, but it’s not impossible at the moment if Sky want to televise their meeting.

It will also be beneficial for the fans that will be able to watch top English & continental riders in their teams and paying Elite League prices to see genuine top class speedway instead of paying top rates to watch mostly Premier & National League riders.

The fast track system is not working except for the few riders that were going to make it anyway, but from what I have seen there are a lot of national league riders tied up in this fast track system that are losing their confidence and their heads are beginning to hang very low which proves that this is a step too far.

In my opinion the fast track could have worked with both leagues by giving two British premier league riders the chance to prove themselves as reserves in the elite league and two national league riders as reserves in the premier league which is the way rider progression should work.

[Bruiser McHuge]

The fast track rule is one of the most ridiculous rules ever and really doesn't do anything to actually help the progress of riders,,,people might say it does, but it doesn't....it is purely a cost cutting watering down rule and the fast track riders themselves generally get harder rides in the Premier League which will bring them on quicker than this false fast track rule brought in

 

I don't think the top stars will flock back to Britain even if the Elite goes one night only, which I can't see happening anyway....this isn't just the Grand Prix but mainly due to the growth of the European leagues...whilst the Polish and Swedish leagues are there then the British League is always going to be third for a lot of top riders regardless of race days , one race night etc

 

Unfortunately I don't think people are going to be attracted back to speedway , there are too many counter attractions now and the product isn't strong enough....I don't know what the answer is...answers should have been found a long time ago but weren't

[Trees]

Might as well give it all up now then in your mind Bruiser!! lol