Tai Woffinden Misses Next Years El

[Conkers in Gravy]

I doubt it. Most thought he was a joke pick TBH. It's not like he did anything in 2012 to merit a pick.

 

I think that's fair - it was a surprise he was picked and an even bigger surprise he thrived.

 

What some seem to be suggesting is that his decision to commit to Britain was all a sinister, long-term plot to get a free ride into the GPs. He got lucky in 2013 and made the most of it - I find it strange some people in this country want to moan about it.

[stevebrum]

It's kind of hard to believe the Woffinden Aussie/Brit thing is still an issue with some people. What exactly does he have to do to prove he's British?

 

He was born in Scunthorpe, to British parents. It wasn't his choice to move to Australia - like so many Poms, his family moved out there for a better lifestyle. Tai could have stuck with the (arguably more successful) Aussie system, but worked his way up through the system here, committed himself to Great Britain and has served his clubs well (maybe with the exception of last season's unhappy time at Monmore).

 

If you think he somehow owes British speedway something, what about the hundreds of matches he has ridden here? What about holding a fairly weak national side together? What about bringing a world championship back to Britain and being so obviously proud to win it for Britain. Does none of that count for anything?

 

Woffinden would pass Norman Tebbit's cricket test with flying colours, but, of course, if you think his accent, the fact he fancies a bit of sunshine when he retires or his tattoos are more important than his undoubted achievements in a GB racejacket, then I'm sure you know better.

 

 

Well said CIG

[orion]

I think that's fair - it was a surprise he was picked and an even bigger surprise he thrived.

 

What some seem to be suggesting is that his decision to commit to Britain was all a sinister, long-term plot to get a free ride into the GPs. He got lucky in 2013 and made the most of it - I find it strange some people in this country want to moan about it.

Good to see a fair point of view at least you understand like nearly everyone that he only got a Wildcard because he was a Brit .

[stevebrum]

orion, on 02 Dec 2014 - 12:01 PM, said:

Good to see a fair point of view at least you understand like nearly everyone that he only got a Wildcard because he was a Brit .

 

 

We all understand that point. We all get that. You can only speak for yourself - not everyone by the way.

However its open to debate if he had earned the chance as a Brit or not.

[orion]

We all understand that point. We all get that. You can only speak for yourself - not everyone by the way.

However its open to debate if he had earned the chance as a Brit or not.

I said nearly everyone . I said that after reading the majority of views once Tai got his wildcard a point that has been agree with most people on this topic .

Edited December 2, 2014 by orion

[1 valve]

Tai is not the tip of the iceburg, but its not good that none of the past or current world champions still riding will not be there will not be with a EL club in 2015 (Chris H may hopefully prove me wrong) most prob we will be lucky to have 50% of GP riders at best?

 

I still think the big question is what has british spedway got to do so that it attracts the best speedway riders to ride every week in the El so that the sport can attract more supporters, more media coverage and more sponsorship etc etc..in other words make it a more appealing product.

 

Meanwhile I just do not understand why folk are having a go at Tai over his decision not to ride in the UK. Putting the fact that he is a Brit then clearly in orde to make best use of his time to earn a (decent) living and have some time to enjoy it he neds to have some time off during the week and the UK is the least best option when taking into account time involved in travel and earnings...Bit like we all do when agreeing on where we we work and who for.

 

I dont think we can expect UK speedway to organise itself around one rider, (though hats off to TW for the amount of work and effort he put in promoting UK speedway whilst being World Champ) but we should expect promoters (BSPA) to work towards developing top flight speedway so that the top rideers do see the benefit (as they use to do) of commiting to riding in the UK on a regular basis.

Edited December 2, 2014 by 1 valve

[stratton]

Well all the Somalians, Poles, Hungarians etc want to live in the UK according to Sidney and UKIP, does that make them British?

Whats your point get to the point quickly.

That's the issue. Fans of EL want MORE not less top boys.

The gap is closer and the sport is shedding more and more fans.

Amalgamation would kill off any credibility we have in Europe and it failed last time it was tried.

Its an even bigger no no this time around.

 

EL fans don't want a dumbed down product and don't want PL standard league racing. Likewise PL fans aren't keen on the EL.

 

The irony of course is those that think amalgamation is the way forward fail to see there aren't enough riders to go around as it is.

It would be a disaster IMHO.

 

And would turn more and more away from Speedway.

 

You are not in the real world, the last attempt was in the 90s different circumstances different times.The two leagues whether you like it or not are getting ever closer that is reality except it.I see it for my own eyes everyweek it is only a matter of time EL is dying on its feet and that is with the SKY money.I want a top league like you,but something has to change, and soon and new answers i haven't got them but plodding on with an inferior EL product is not the best choice.

[stevebrum]

Whats your point get to the point quickly.

You are not in the real world, the last attempt was in the 90s different circumstances different times.The two leagues whether you like it or not are getting ever closer that is reality except it.I see it for my own eyes everyweek it is only a matter of time EL is dying on its feet and that is with the SKY money.I want a top league like you,but something has to change, and soon and new answers i haven't got them but plodding on with an inferior EL product is not the best choice.

 

Think its you not in the real world.

Just where are all these extra riders going to come from for this amalgamation? No double uppers or downers and the majority of the riders wouldn't want it and id guess same as the promoters because if it was such a good idea it would have been voted in.

I already stated the gap is closer between the 2 leagues, and one of the reasons why EL supporters are turning away from a weaker product. If the PL is in such a healthy state why have the likes of Glasgow, Peterborough, Plymouth, Scunthorpe are struggling to make ends meet with threats of closure?? Or are just blinkered to the problems outside the EL??

 

The sport is in a worse state than in the 90`s for such an amalgamation to work or be viable.

 

What EL fans want is a stronger product and more top riders.

Is it feasible or viable? If I was a promoter I might have better answers to that.

Would it mean more on the admission?? Highly likely yes. But I reckon more would pay up to £20 if it meant we had stronger EL teams again.

 

SPEEDWAY has to change, not just one league.

Edited December 2, 2014 by stevebrum

[Shale Searcher]

This is all relative as well.. Do you think that the Premier League is now the strongest it's ever been? Is it to strong? I guess this is the met result of no promotion/relegation.. The Premier League is not a bona fida Division 2, can't really remember the last time it was. Promotion and relegation is a form of natural selection, you have a strong top division, and much weaker lower divisions, but with Speedway, at the end of the season, teams virtually choose which division to ply there trade in, successful teams are broken up, but not redistributed to the lesser teams in the league because they can't afford the top dollar riders, and some are lost to the EL for the next season because they can't ride for the top team that next season because of the team building restrictions... So the top league haemorrhages quality virtually year on year, meanwhile, the PL carries on regardless.... One thing that needs to stop is always weakening the product to the lowest denominator, sure fire way to disaster.. But I don't know what a painless solution to this problem would be..... Discuss.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Shale Searcher

[stratton]

Think its you not in the real world.

Just where are all these extra riders going to come from for this amalgamation? No double uppers or downers and the majority of the riders wouldn't want it and id guess same as the promoters because if it was such a good idea it would have been voted in.

I already stated the gap is closer between the 2 leagues, and one of the reasons why EL supporters are turning away from a weaker product. If the PL is in such a healthy state why have the likes of Glasgow, Peterborough, Plymouth, Scunthorpe are struggling to make ends meet with threats of closure?? Or are just blinkered to the problems outside the EL??

 

The sport is in a worse state than in the 90`s for such an amalgamation to work or be viable.

 

What EL fans want is a stronger product and more top riders.

Is it feasible or viable? If I was a promoter I might have better answers to that.

Would it mean more on the admission?? Highly likely yes. But I reckon more would pay up to £20 if it meant we had stronger EL teams again.

 

SPEEDWAY has to change, not just one league.

Speedway is not a twenty pound sport that is for certain,and where you are not in the real world is SKY will not be around for ever.So they are supporting clubs at the moment keeping them going when they go what then for some of the clubs.I think we have to get real alot of the real top boys will never ride Britain again full time,so why not get a longterm plan together (clubs it won't happen).Balance the books and try and get the product right ,speedway is not all about watching GP riders i have enjoyed watching a lower level all i want is for speedway to be around in twenty years time.

[stevebrum]

Speedway is not a twenty pound sport that is for certain,and where you are not in the real world is SKY will not be around for ever.So they are supporting clubs at the moment keeping them going when they go what then for some of the clubs.I think we have to get real alot of the real top boys will never ride Britain again full time,so why not get a longterm plan together (clubs it won't happen).Balance the books and try and get the product right ,speedway is not all about watching GP riders i have enjoyed watching a lower level all i want is for speedway to be around in twenty years time.

 

Speedway in its current state isn't a £20 sport that's for sure.

The apparent temptation by some (namely Coventry) to put the prices up without any real strengthen of the top riders is likely to see yet more turn their back on Speedway.

Who says SKY wont be around for ever? Do you have a crystal ball or have inside knowledge to SKY`s long term plans?

SKY have put less into the EL from this season and yet we have the likes of Freddie, AJ and looking like Holder are returning. So how are clubs managing to get more top riders over if SKY are paying less??

As I have already stated Speedway is becoming an expensive sport for ALL levels of British racing.

No, Speedway is not all about GP riders however what about those that attend Cardiff and hardly any other meetings??

 

Speedway at ALL levels is struggling, yet you put the fault firmly at the EL. Which is narrow minded IMHO.

[stratton]

Speedway in its current state isn't a £20 sport that's for sure.

The apparent temptation by some (namely Coventry) to put the prices up without any real strengthen of the top riders is likely to see yet more turn their back on Speedway.

Who says SKY wont be around for ever? Do you have a crystal ball or have inside knowledge to SKY`s long term plans?

SKY have put less into the EL from this season and yet we have the likes of Freddie, AJ and looking like Holder are returning. So how are clubs managing to get more top riders over if SKY are paying less??

As I have already stated Speedway is becoming an expensive sport for ALL levels of British racing.

No, Speedway is not all about GP riders however what about those that attend Cardiff and hardly any other meetings??

 

Speedway at ALL levels is struggling, yet you put the fault firmly at the EL. Which is narrow minded IMHO.

I don't fault the EL,i watch it everyweek i want it to prosper but i am being realistic 20 pounds a head going with a family is to much that could be a deathwish.We both want the same thing,the only difference is you are more bullish/positive than what i am about the future.

[stevebrum]

I don't fault the EL,i watch it everyweek i want it to prosper but i am being realistic 20 pounds a head going with a family is to much that could be a deathwish.We both want the same thing,the only difference is you are more bullish/positive than what i am about the future.

 

I prefer positive - which sums up my character.

The premiership is more expensive and often less exciting and families go.

Supporters and families flock to Cardiff for a more costly experience.

So I don't buy this `too expensive` line. Its too expensive for what we have now I agree.

We need our governing body to start thinking outside the box and looking at ways of being `bigger` and not trying to please the few.

We need to attract major advertisers/sponsors to fund this.

It works in Sweden and Poland so its possible if we look `bigger`.

We need big changes and not little tinkering`s each season.

 

 

[stratton]

I prefer positive - which sums up my character.

The premiership is more expensive and often less exciting and families go.

Supporters and families flock to Cardiff for a more costly experience.

So I don't buy this `too expensive` line. Its too expensive for what we have now I agree.

We need our governing body to start thinking outside the box and looking at ways of being `bigger` and not trying to please the few.

We need to attract major advertisers/sponsors to fund this.

It works in Sweden and Poland so its possible if we look `bigger`.

We need big changes and not little tinkering`s each season.

 

A couple of people i know who are keen speedway people are picking and choosing there meeting's.Because they see it as an expensive night out to get in parking and a programme nearly 25 pounds the prices certainly can't go up.

[stevebrum]

sidney, on 03 Dec 2014 - 10:01 PM, said:

A couple of people i know who are keen speedway people are picking and choosing there meeting's.Because they see it as an expensive night out to get in parking and a programme nearly 25 pounds the prices certainly can't go up.

 

I know a lot that are doing the same too.

Likewise a lot of people I speak to would pay a couple of quid more to watch the top boys back.

[Aces51]

It's all relative and subjective but if you are talking about value for money and not whether people can afford it then, to me, it isn't, as some say, 15 minutes of entertainment, I enjoy the whole 2 hour experience. Attending speedway is an event made up of the racing, enjoying the anticipation waiting for the match to start and then each race, the atmosphere, the banter with other fans, meeting friends and then remembering the most enjoyable parts afterwards. With travel, admission, programme and parking each home match costs me about £60 and the only time I usually think that I have not got value for money is when I have been in the stadium or, arrived at the stadium and a match has been called off when the decision was obvious much earlier.

 

I would like to see the world's best on a regular basis but my test is whether the racing has been good and whether I have enjoyed the other aspects detailed above.

 

Those who want more stars back have to consider that, as presently structured, the EL cannot run on one night a week. I also suspect that a reduction in matches to the level some of these riders want would probably lose more fans, who would get out of the habit of attending, than the extra stars would draw in. Crowds were falling long before some of the stars departed these shores and although their return would bring in some extra fans the financial gamble is whether the increase in crowds would cover the increased running costs. The evidence of my own eyes is that neither the loss of Crump or, the arrival of Zagar had a dramatic affect on the crowd size at Kirky Lane. Similar financial considerations and gambles also arise with job sharing to get the stars back. It is common sense that the costs of two riders setting themselves up to ride here is going to be greater than it is for one and it is the clubs who would have to pay those costs.

 

We have to be looking to clubs living within their means as the only certain way to guarantee the long term future of the sport.

[SteveLyric2]

It's all relative and subjective but if you are talking about value for money and not whether people can afford it then, to me, it isn't, as some say, 15 minutes of entertainment, I enjoy the whole 2 hour experience. Attending speedway is an event made up of the racing, enjoying the anticipation waiting for the match to start and then each race, the atmosphere, the banter with other fans, meeting friends and then remembering the most enjoyable parts afterwards. With travel, admission, programme and parking each home match costs me about £60 and the only time I usually think that I have not got value for money is when I have been in the stadium or, arrived at the stadium and a match has been called off when the decision was obvious much earlier.

 

I would like to see the world's best on a regular basis but my test is whether the racing has been good and whether I have enjoyed the other aspects detailed above.

 

Those who want more stars back have to consider that, as presently structured, the EL cannot run on one night a week. I also suspect that a reduction in matches to the level some of these riders want would probably lose more fans, who would get out of the habit of attending, than the extra stars would draw in. Crowds were falling long before some of the stars departed these shores and although their return would bring in some extra fans the financial gamble is whether the increase in crowds would cover the increased running costs. The evidence of my own eyes is that neither the loss of Crump or, the arrival of Zagar had a dramatic affect on the crowd size at Kirky Lane. Similar financial considerations and gambles also arise with job sharing to get the stars back. It is common sense that the costs of two riders setting themselves up to ride here is going to be greater than it is for one and it is the clubs who would have to pay those costs.

 

We have to be looking to clubs living within their means as the only certain way to guarantee the long term future of the sport.

Agree 100%.

 

Could I please have your permission to replicate your post to some on the Poole forum!!!

[Aces51]

Agree 100%.

 

Could I please have your permission to replicate your post to some on the Poole forum!!!

Of course. No problem.

[Trees]

Yep good post Aces, agreed, and so that tells the promoters that every aspect of our night is important.

[E I Addio]

A couple of people i know who are keen speedway people are picking and choosing there meeting's.Because they see it as an expensive night out to get in parking and a programme nearly 25 pounds the prices certainly can't go up.

Tens of thousands of people pay £30 or £40 to watch a football match over a much longer season than speedway. Personally I wouldn't pay 5p to see a football match but the fact that so many people do shows that people will pay the money if they like what they see.

 

If people went to 10 home matches at an outlay of say £25 per match that's £250 spread over a season. Not a lot of money to spend on a hobby. Plenty of people spend more than that on beer and fags.