League Top Three

[Michael Ceglio]

Phillipsr is going to have a nice dinner 😂

[Ben91]

Phillipsr is going to have a nice dinner 😂

 

Of course he will, Eastbourne aren't going to win the league.

[Alex2000]

Of course he will, Eastbourne aren't going to win the league.

how do you know have you got a stupid haircut and a car that takes you back to the future?

[uk_martin]

1. The team that finished the season with it's starting 7 riders

2. The team that loses no more than 1 of it's starting 7 riders to the PL

3. The team that loses no more than 2 of it's starting 7 riders to the PL

 

In a league that is all about the taking part and not the winning, who actually cares where they finish up in the league? At this level, success brings with it the "leveler" of a riders elevation to a higher league, So whilst it's great to have a knockout team in March, by May or June there may be nothing of that team left if they all do as well as predicted. No point raising hopes that are bound to be dashed, Just be grateful that you see some good racing. (which is where Eastbourne fans will suffer thanks to that 50p shaped trick track of theirs)

[pete cc]

agree with most of this(never been to eastbourne)

1. The team that finished the season with it's starting 7 riders

2. The team that loses no more than 1 of it's starting 7 riders to the PL

3. The team that loses no more than 2 of it's starting 7 riders to the PL

 

In a league that is all about the taking part and not the winning, who actually cares where they finish up in the league? At this level, success brings with it the "leveler" of a riders elevation to a higher league, So whilst it's great to have a knockout team in March, by May or June there may be nothing of that team left if they all do as well as predicted. No point raising hopes that are bound to be dashed, Just be grateful that you see some good racing. (which is where Eastbourne fans will suffer thanks to that 50p shaped trick track of theirs)

[Ben91]

how do you know have you got a stupid haircut and a car that takes you back to the future?

How did you know? Helps me get a decent parking space at meetings and I'm not alone in having stupid haircut being a speedway fan

[Alex2000]

How did you know? Helps me get a decent parking space at meetings and I'm not alone in having stupid haircut being a speedway fan

Hahahaha nothing wrong with a stupid haircut

[21st century heathen]

Alphabetically, Birmingham, Cradley and Mildenhall are my favourites to take the top three places.

 

There's usually a team that's tipped to go well that for some reason or another falls short and for no other reason than a gut feeling I think it may be Rye this season. On paper they equally strong contenders for a top three place though.

 

If a team is to step up and do better than many expect I think that could be Coventry, but there's a lot of pressure on Ritchings to hit the ground running after almost an entire season out and Knuckey to have a whole season in the form he showed in the latter part of 2014.

 

There are lots of unknown quantities though so for the first time since 2010 when we joined the league I don't have a huge amount of confidence in my own predictions for the season ahead. It should be a very competitive season and I'm very much looking forward to it.

[Hunters]

I struggle to understand why people fancy Birmingham to win this league,

 

I tend to look at numbers and with the League set up on a 36 GSA point level but with 42 points available on average, it means that given equality all teams would improve by 6 points. They will not of course all finish equal so to reach the top four probably requires an improvement of 7 to 8 points and to win the league 8 to 9.

 

Looking at Birmingham I think they are too top heavy with their 2 heat leaders. They are probably going to partner each other at least twice in each meeting so must drop a couple of points between them as Bonus Points have no bearing on GSA or team score. This would mean that they can only average 11 each even if they beat everyone else every time. Extra rides could ease that average up a little but is likely to result in another ride together and could be more deleterious than advantageous.

 

Given that they are sure to have their share of motor failures, mishaps and bad gates, it is dubious whether they can put more than a point on their combined average. This should put too great a strain on what looks like a long and weak tail. If one of the top two goes off the boil or has an injury they could be in trouble.

 

At this stage an all round team with no big star and no weakness in the top 5 should be favourites. As regards the reserves they all seem pretty new to this level and to try and differentiate would simply be guesswork.

I don't like to forecast because something invariably happens to turn it upside down but I do have my top 4 candidates in mind and Brum are not one of them. I will confess to a sneaky feeling that Stoke may be the team with the right blend to go all the way but I wont be putting money on any of them.

 

Whatever happens this looks like being a very interesting and competitive league and the winner will probably be the side that produces the unexpected 'Little Gem' or gets the lucky breaks (perhaps that should be avoids the unlucky breaks).

[Sings4Speedway]

I completely agree on this one. I really don't see the Birmingham hype. I look at the team and see two heat leaders who could up and go at any point if the right PL offer comes along and one who is doubling up questionably.

Of the other four three are largely unproven however any could step up and be "the find" and Adam has proved time and time again just what he is capable of!

 

I think there will be stark contrast at Perry Barr this year with Birmingham & Cradley at opposite ends of the table.

[Brummie Kev]

I can understand people saying we lack strength in depth bearing in mind Zach, Alex and Harvie are new to league but why don't you give them a chance. Its a bit harsh in my opinion to make a judgment on them before a wheel has been turned.

 

About a year a go I saw a very poor side being built that everyone including most brummies fans would say bottom of the league without doubt. Its a different league but honestly I think Phil Morris has done a good job.

 

We shall see maybe your all right and wooden spoon for us but I'm just glad we have a side back wouldn't want to wish what happen to us on anyone.

[greyhoundp]

Brummie Kev, looking at your signature, is that how you expect your team to line up, or is it as the signings were announced ?. Thinking back to Drury & Moles past experience at CL level Speedway with Mildenhall, and if i remember they always had a pretty strong Team. I expect Zach to start as reserve as he will probably be the stronger of the 3, and therefore at reserve he will be able to take extra rides if needed. I dont for one minute believe The Brummies will be wooden spoon contenders, but any Team picking up an unfortunate injury could leave the most well laid of plans in tatters. BDJ is the rider thats been left on the sidelines by everyone and is the obvious cover should a Team pick up an injury, but Im sure there are rabbits to be found out there should there be a need. This will be the most competitive NL for several seasons and can only be good for the League, hopefully everyone steers clear of serious injury and we see some more competitive and fair racing. Bring it on, the season is upon us lets hope the weather stays fair and we avoid the usual back end log jam of fixtures.

[uk_martin]

How about more important things, like which will be the top 3 teams for adding numbers to their home attendances over the course of the season? This above all else will determine who survives and who folds. At Birmingham we've seen blockbuster teams that the fans got bored of (2010 any one?) and we've finished top of the Elite League, but crowds have dwindled. Maybe we should determine the "winners" on the promoters skills in promoting the team and not the riders skills on the track?

 

Maybe, and this is an open question, the racing and the winning and the league positions should not be an end in themselves, but more a means to an end? Maybe Stoke will be the winners if they start the season with 200 fans and end the year with 300? That way they are sure to survive into 2016. What would Eastbourne Birmingham or Cradley need to do to compete with that?

[Hunters]

An interesting point. Promoters are not too forthcoming about how the costs are arrived at but from what I have read it seems that they pay £10 a point in NL, which would indicate about £2000 per meeting excluding Stadium Rent or costs.

This would make sense of a statement from one of the Dugards when they announced they were going NL. They said they needed a 200 gate to break even and at 400 they could give extra help to the riders. Presumably the difference between 200 and 400 would go towards Stadium Rent or in Eastbourne's case costs as even a self owned track still has a lot of cost and of course Council Tax will be quite high on an area and structure of that size.

 

They struggled for survival in the Elite but there was a hard core of 600 or 700 each meeting and the final date last season looked to be well over 1000 as people came to see what was expected to be the end of Arlington. Unfortunately we never know the real figures as attendances are never revealed. The main problems were geographical spread of fans ruling out the viability of mid week fixtures and GP's / Individual Championships ruling out far too many Saturdays.

 

Significantly there were still the usual 200 enthusiasts at the Annual Meeting and I have only heard of one or two others not wishing to see NL. Instead of Falling gates I can see a real possibility of an increase because of the return to the always favoured Sunday Afternoons plus the added bonus of reduced admission prices.

I will stick my neck out and forecast 750 average this season but once again we will not be told.

 

.

[Ben91]

There seems to be a lot of expectation on Zach at Birmingham, he'll have to live up to it or the Brummies will have a long tail.

 

Surprised to see not many people fancy Stoke. Two strong heatleaders, experienced reserves and one of the best engine rooms in the division on paper.

[TMW]

Surprised to see not many people fancy Stoke. Two strong heatleaders, experienced reserves and one of the best engine rooms in the division on paper.

Lets hope it stays like that. The early season was brilliant last year. Hope they can keep it going all season this year and go one better

[Hector Austin]

 

Surprised to see not many people fancy Stoke. Two strong heatleaders, experienced reserves and one ok, of the best engine rooms in the division on paper.

Stoke are da only team not to enter da spirit of young unknown 3 pointers, so yeah mite be but sumthing always goes wrong there lol

[greyhoundp]

How about more important things, like which will be the top 3 teams for adding numbers to their home attendances over the course of the season? This above all else will determine who survives and who folds. At Birmingham we've seen blockbuster teams that the fans got bored of (2010 any one?) and we've finished top of the Elite League, but crowds have dwindled. Maybe we should determine the "winners" on the promoters skills in promoting the team and not the riders skills on the track?

 

Maybe, and this is an open question, the racing and the winning and the league positions should not be an end in themselves, but more a means to an end? Maybe Stoke will be the winners if they start the season with 200 fans and end the year with 300? That way they are sure to survive into 2016. What would Eastbourne Birmingham or Cradley need to do to compete with that?

 

Hmmm, i would think its far easier to promote a Team thats succesful ON Track than trying to promote from the bottom up, dont get me wrong i take your point but in Joe Mclaughlin (you have one of the best) you have a good commercial manager, and if Birmingham as the 2nd city dont support Speedway in enough numbers to sustain NL racing then you dont deserve Speedway. As for promoters saying what the attendances are, you have more chance of being struck by lightening. If Buxton could average 200 fans per meeting they would win any League on a % increase Table as this would probably be an 125% increase or something of that ilk.

From what i have seen at attending Brum Speedway they need to target schools in the area, forgive me for saying so but i am coming 63 and appeared to be one of the youngest at the meetings i attended. You have a local guy as Captain he is very good at PR i would suggest ask him to visit 1 local School per week, and take his bikes with him get him to practice a few Doughnuts at the Schools (H&S permitting) and give out a few hundred even up to a 1000 free Tickets for the following Brummie meeting, we all know this is the age where the bug usually bites, Compare Cradley fans with Brummie fans (age wise) you will often see 3 generations of a family at a Cradley meeting, whereas with Brummies its often 1 man and his Zimmerframe.

 

Am i correct in thinking UK martin that you were one of the stay aways, will you be attending the born again Brummies ?. I appologise if i am mixing you up with another regular poster on here.

Edited March 11, 2015 by greyhoundp

[uk_martin]

 

Hmmm, i would think its far easier to promote a Team thats succesful ON Track than trying to promote from the bottom up, dont get me wrong i take your point but in Joe Mclaughlin (you have one of the best) you have a good commercial manager, and if Birmingham as the 2nd city dont support Speedway in enough numbers to sustain NL racing then you dont deserve Speedway. As for promoters saying what the attendances are, you have more chance of being struck by lightening. If Buxton could average 200 fans per meeting they would win any League on a % increase Table as this would probably be an 125% increase or something of that ilk.

From what i have seen at attending Brum Speedway they need to target schools in the area, forgive me for saying so but i am coming 63 and appeared to be one of the youngest at the meetings i attended. You have a local guy as Captain he is very good at PR i would suggest ask him to visit 1 local School per week, and take his bikes with him get him to practice a few Doughnuts at the Schools (H&S permitting) and give out a few hundred even up to a 1000 free Tickets for the following Brummie meeting, we all know this is the age where the bug usually bites, Compare Cradley fans with Brummie fans (age wise) you will often see 3 generations of a family at a Cradley meeting, whereas with Brummies its often 1 man and his Zimmerframe.

 

Am i correct in thinking UK martin that you were one of the stay aways, will you be attending the born again Brummies ?. I appologise if i am mixing you up with another regular poster on here.

 

I agree with pretty much all you are saying there. I've been saying for months that a dramatic overhaul in what we have in Birmingham is needed, and that an all out effort is needed to attract in the next generation of supporters. I've said repeatedly that the Brummies need to do what it takes to get the people in their late teens and early 20's into the sport. People who pay can at the gate and who have the money still in their pockets when they get hooked on the sport so that they can keep on spending, before they get mixed up with partners, kids, mortgages etc. Like you, I come away from Perry Barr feeling like I'm one of the "New Kids On The Block" when, being in my 50's I ought to be feeling like the "Oldest Swigner In Town" when I leave the stadium. That has to be wrong.

 

Unfortunately, at the moment, all I see is "same old same old"...with the emphasis on OLD! It's like, promoting speedway is all about "open the doors and the people will come". It's like 2007 all over again, only the crowd is now all 8 years older per person than they were in 2007. Dammit, one of the riders at P&P today was even wearing a set of Lee Smart's old kevlars.

 

And yes you're right. I wasn't around much at the start of last year, and only came back when they signed Bartosz Zmarzlik (which lasted all of 2 meetings). In the PL days, I went home and away and for the years 2007-2012 I missed a grand total of 6 meetings in all that time, even after the Brummies went into the EL. Sadly, the EL, the petty politics, some of the personalities involved, and all the shenanigans that were encountered meant that I seriously fell out of love with British Speedway, it's organisers and those responsible for making it, at the highest level, a Poole Pirates love-in. That said you may still be confusing me with other past stalwart fans who have fallen out of love with British Speedway, as there are other previous ever-presents in who stopped attending in recent years, and pretty much for the same reasons. One or two of these who I speak to may also be making a return, others I know for a fact won't. They've been lost for good. They've found other things to do with their time and money.

 

Now that the Brummies have dropped down out of the Poole Pirates sphere of influence and associated corruption, I'm going to give this NL venture the benefit of the doubt, and let it win me over or lose me for good on its own merits. Let's see how we go.

[bluejam]

 

I agree with pretty much all you are saying there. I've been saying for months that a dramatic overhaul in what we have in Birmingham is needed, and that an all out effort is needed to attract in the next generation of supporters. I've said repeatedly that the Brummies need to do what it takes to get the people in their late teens and early 20's into the sport. People who pay can at the gate and who have the money still in their pockets when they get hooked on the sport so that they can keep on spending, before they get mixed up with partners, kids, mortgages etc. Like you, I come away from Perry Barr feeling like I'm one of the "New Kids On The Block" when, being in my 50's I ought to be feeling like the "Oldest Swigner In Town" when I leave the stadium. That has to be wrong.

 

Unfortunately, at the moment, all I see is "same old same old"...with the emphasis on OLD! It's like, promoting speedway is all about "open the doors and the people will come". It's like 2007 all over again, only the crowd is now all 8 years older per person than they were in 2007. Dammit, one of the riders at P&P today was even wearing a set of Lee Smart's old kevlars.

 

And yes you're right. I wasn't around much at the start of last year, and only came back when they signed Bartosz Zmarzlik (which lasted all of 2 meetings). In the PL days, I went home and away and for the years 2007-2012 I missed a grand total of 6 meetings in all that time, even after the Brummies went into the EL. Sadly, the EL, the petty politics, some of the personalities involved, and all the shenanigans that were encountered meant that I seriously fell out of love with British Speedway, it's organisers and those responsible for making it, at the highest level, a Poole Pirates love-in. That said you may still be confusing me with other past stalwart fans who have fallen out of love with British Speedway, as there are other previous ever-presents in who stopped attending in recent years, and pretty much for the same reasons. One or two of these who I speak to may also be making a return, others I know for a fact won't. They've been lost for good. They've found other things to do with their time and money.

 

Now that the Brummies have dropped down out of the Poole Pirates sphere of influence and associated corruption, I'm going to give this NL venture the benefit of the doubt, and let it win me over or lose me for good on its own merits. Let's see how we go.

Spot on post UKM!As you well know,I gave my all to supporting my team (yet the same old faces still remain behind the scenes).I do hope we regain our enthusiasm for the sport that we both put first and foremost I'll do my best(or maybe give it a complete miss),but it's difficult to get motivated when the Chairman of the BSPA takes a gamble on boarding a passenger service without a valid ticket to travel and expects a discount!!

Edited March 12, 2015 by bluejam