SCB Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 The problem with reginalisation is that what are in reality local teams get split away. So take the list in post 2, Coventry lose local trips to Swindon and Peterborough (both about an hour away) and even Scunny, Lakeside and Rye House are well within the 2 hours but end up with Berwick, Workington, Glasgow and Edinburgh that are miles away. I don't know the answer, but thats not it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Man Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 Are you going to stipulate that a rider can only ride in a team within a certain distance of his home otherwise there won't be much savings to the riders costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 I don't know the answer, but thats not it. At least have a bash at it - otherwise you're endorsing the current structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy2706 Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Are you going to stipulate that a rider can only ride in a team within a certain distance of his home otherwise there won't be much savings to the riders costs. Manchester riders riding for Somerset, East coast riders riding for Workington, the list is endless. Riders travelling costs in todays Britain with fuel at high prices, motorways that don't flow and vehicle expenses added to the ridiculous costs of machinery maintenance ensure that only engine builders and speedway equipment dealers make a good living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Are you going to stipulate that a rider can only ride in a team within a certain distance of his home otherwise there won't be much savings to the riders costs. Don't think anybody would be stipulating. But you might have unearthed another benefit. There'd be a greater incentive for riders to be based near to their club and if promoters are paying travel fees for riders, greater incentive to employ local riders and (gulp) maybe even develop some local talent? No matter the sport, fans always have a special bond with members of their club that are local boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Smith Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 As a King's Lynn Stars fan and I'd hope our promotion would feel the same too, I'd only want regional leagues providing we're in the Southern region with Peterborough, Ipswich and Rye House. Our biggest rivals during our previous Elite & Premier League history. If we were in with them, a massive thumbs up There will be a huge rider availability problem though as nearly all will want the Southern Region League also I have no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 (edited) At least have a bash at it - otherwise you're endorsing the current structure. Is there anything wrong with an EL and a PL? Or a League 1 and a League 2 with League 1 being stronger? We know speedway in this country is getting a bit crap but I dont think the league format is the issue. For me it's the constant guests, the never ending doubling up which only leads to more guests, the changing fixture on a whim, riding missing because they're riding in the "Joe Blogs Invitational Pairs" in New Delhi. I'm sure half of speedway problems would be fixed just by having a strictly adhered to fixture list where meeting were arranged so that riders were not missing - done properly you could probably keep doubling up too Edited September 1, 2014 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 Spot on. Most of this years problems have been caused by a toilet fixture list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 (edited) Is there anything wrong with an EL and a PL? Or a League 1 and a League 2 with League 1 being stronger? We know speedway in this country is getting a bit crap but I dont think the league format is the issue. For me it's the constant guests, the never ending doubling up which only leads to more guests, the changing fixture on a whim, riding missing because they're riding in the "Joe Blogs Invitational Pairs" in New Delhi. I'm sure half of speedway problems would be fixed just by having a strictly adhered to fixture list where meeting were arranged so that riders were not missing - done properly you could probably keep doubling up too I agree that doubling up and constant guests are a problem. Pretty much everyone does. That's the reason for this suggested re-structure. By taking away GP riders and putting the leagues together in a regional structure you would have less guests and no doubling up. Plus, the added bonuses of costs saved and more local matches. Currently promoters are having to structure a fixture list around Swedish League, Polish League, GPs and - most ridiculously - when one of your riders might be riding for another club in the UK. There's not much we can do about Sweden and Poland, but we can make some decisions to eliminate the difficulties caused by the lattter two. Edited September 1, 2014 by falcace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 However when it comes to dividing the teams its quite tricky with so many midlands teams. Would Peterboro and Kings Lynn be north for example? And if so they would miss out on local matches v Leicester unless they were north too in which case they'd miss out on Wolves and Birmingham (if back) Not that I am suggesting things are often fixed in some ways, I remember when a very strong Long Eaton were put into a northern group 4TT qualification group, but Sheffield (a good 50 miles further north) in a much weaker central group with the likes of Stoke and Peterborough as I recall. Team wise it may not have been that much of a problem but they did not think about the fans, with LE fans facing 300+ trips to Glasgow and Edinburgh. But what is clear in speedway, the top league always messes up, and the second tier is shagged to save the top tier. It happened when the BL and NL were merged and the promise of equal share of the top riders never happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 But what is clear in speedway, the top league always messes up, and the second tier is shagged to save the top tier. It happened when the BL and NL were merged and the promise of equal share of the top riders never happened. That's a very fair point and historically very true. But I think in this instance, there would be more on the table to appeal to PL clubs. The gap between the two divisions in terms of quality has never been closer, so it wouldn't require radical surgery of each team. I also think that the PL clubs will relish some of their fixtures a lot more. For Somerset and Plymouth for example, meetings against Swindon and Poole would be a really big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 That's a very fair point and historically very true. But I think in this instance, there would be more on the table to appeal to PL clubs. The gap between the two divisions in terms of quality has never been closer, so it wouldn't require radical surgery of each team. I also think that the PL clubs will relish some of their fixtures a lot more. For Somerset and Plymouth for example, meetings against Swindon and Poole would be a really big deal. Yes you are right, the Elite League is anything but Elite, so I imagine some of the Premier League teams right now could give some of the Elite League teams a good run for their money. Of course, if that happened it would remove the likelihood of a single race night I assume so many of the GP boys would be unlikely to commit anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted September 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 That's a very fair point and historically very true. But I think in this instance, there would be more on the table to appeal to PL clubs. The gap between the two divisions in terms of quality has never been closer, so it wouldn't require radical surgery of each team. I also think that the PL clubs will relish some of their fixtures a lot more. For Somerset and Plymouth for example, meetings against Swindon and Poole would be a really big deal. Belle Vue for exampl would probably only have to lose Zagar and Cook to remain with Edinburgh for them to be a PL team albeit with a very tasty no 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 I agree that doubling up and constant guests are a problem. Pretty much everyone does. That's the reason for this suggested re-structure. By taking away GP riders and putting the leagues together in a regional structure you would have less guests and no doubling up. Plus, the added bonuses of costs saved and more local matches. Currently promoters are having to structure a fixture list around Swedish League, Polish League, GPs and - most ridiculously - when one of your riders might be riding for another club in the UK. There's not much we can do about Sweden and Poland, but we can make some decisions to eliminate the difficulties caused by the lattter two. Good Post. Add to that you might get your Local Team staying together for a bit more than a single Season - you might even get to know your Riders - perhaps have a drink in the Bar with them. Happy days!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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