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Go Speed International Statement.


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Skidder1, on 05 Jun 2015 - 3:25 PM, said:

I have some sympathy with Horton having missed out on a big payday that undoubtedly was built into this season's business plan. I also think its right to issue a reply to the GSI statement and request an enquiry into that aspect of 'who calls the shots on Sky meetings?'

 

However if they do get a meeting with BSPA/SCB and 'all concerned' and they do produce all the relevant statements of fact, how are they going to explain away both Horton and Havelock stating on TV, Podcast and in print that there was absolutely no fault on the part of Poole!! So any attempt to deduct Poole's points and restage the meeting should rightly be ignored.

 

Maybe if Mick/Havvy ask Matt/Middlo nicely, both clubs can stage a home leg of a Challenge meeting for the 2015 version of the 'Hokey Cokey Cup' , previously competed for by the Bees and Panthers some years ago?!

 

Promote it as a real grudge match - throw in some mud-wrestling for the Brandon leg - watch the crowds flood in @ a tenner per head - everyone's a winner!! :P

Don't think the match should be re-run & would like to think Coventry have a case for being compensated for loss of revenue .. But the powers that be don't have a pot to p**s in .. so forget that !

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Fair play to Coventry for having a back bone and sticking up for themselves. There aren't many people in British speedway with the guts to stand up against GSI and Sky. Kudos.

 

I do however hope they don't let this affect their focus for the rest of the season and don't get too caught up on the points lost in that meeting.

 

There are a lot of very good Coventry supporters out there who deserve better than to be robbed of their hard earned money, which they chose to spend supporting a sport that needs every bit of help it can get.

👍🏻 good post.

It will be a shame if this meeting has a say in who finishes top of the table by the end of the season. However unlike other sports, the league isn't won by who finishes top of the table.

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STATEMENT: GO SPEED INTERNATIONAL

Thursday June 04, 2015
gospeed_international.jpg

GO Speed International Ltd (GSI), the company responsible for managing British Speedway’s contract with Sky Sports, would like to make the following comments following Monday’s Elite League meeting between Coventry and Poole.

 

Go Speed International Managing Director, Terry Russell, said: “Our role is to try and keep all parties happy whenever possible – Sky Sports, the individual clubs, the British Speedway Promoters’ Association and more.

 

“We were concerned by the weather forecast for Monday and informed the Coventry management we needed to speak to them on Saturday morning to potentially postpone the meeting. Unfortunately, we could not get hold of the Coventry management at that time.

 

“Our agreement with Sky Sports is that, in the event of a poor forecast, we can give them the option to postpone 48-hours in advance at little or no cost to the broadcaster – and at the same time we would offer the staging club another TV date. Win, win.

 

“However, once the 48-hour threshold had passed, every effort was made to stage the meeting as Sky were committed to the broadcast.

 

“The track was fine at the start but deteriorated because the rain finally arrived – rain which had been forecast earlier in the day.

 

“At no time did Sky Sports have a say in whether the meeting went ahead, if the track had been waterlogged during the day it would have been postponed there and then – but it wasn’t.

 

“Sky were quite prepared to run a ‘filler’ show in the event of no racing, but when it was obvious the track was fine, both teams were happy to race.

 

“During the meeting, the steward and co-ordinator liase with the managers and captains and the meeting went to the end of Heat 10, admittedly in far from ideal circumstances. Once again, Sky Sports had nothing to do with this decision.

 

“It’s a delicate balancing act trying to keep everyone happy – and the fans inside the stadium were obviously disappointed for which we apologise.

 

“We sincerely hope this situation never arises again – but I would add rain has always been the sport’s biggest enemy.”

 

Just for those that cannot ESP!!! ;)

 

 

I'm never been enthralled with GSI involvement with British Speedway, especially at league level. I fail to see their relevance in a sport that struggles financially to survive. To me GSI just another hand in the pot.

The main issue I see from the scenario that the statement refers to, is the bit about the '48 hrs notice'. Speaking with personnel employed by Sky, to rig out the stadium on these outside broadcast, in readiness for a meeting would cost approx. £25K. The live show costs are additional to this. When a meeting is cancelled on the day, Sky still have that massive installation bill to find. So yes, in that instance 48 hrs notice is understandable.

 

My query is: If the weather for a planned meeting was suspect, why cant the SKY transmission be cancelled and replaced by another in the future. BUT still give the Club the opportunity to still run that meeting IF the weather so allowed. Just because Sky, understandingly, wanted 48 hrs assurance of weather problems, doesn't mean the meeting can't be run??

 

Seems to me BSPA have handed over the sport, and now SKY and GSI hold all the Aces.

 

 

 

Edit: Corrected.

Edited by GRW123
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Blimey the more i look into mr Russell the worst it gets!!!,Think i should be more busy at work but just look at the number of companies hes been involved in.Thers one SCB halfway down on the left that makes interesting viewing.

Im going to do some work now but ill be back!!!http://companycheck.co.uk/director/903932746

Shocking...Reminds me of the poem 'Crooked Barrow Boy' :neutral:

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Mick Horton, you have critics, including me, but be careful trying to put the bad good. These are the Russell brothers you playing with, modern day Kray twins IMO, M25 improvements and a concrete overcoat if you not careful.

Blimey the more i look into mr Russell the worst it gets!!!,Think i should be more busy at work but just look at the number of companies hes been involved in.Thers one SCB halfway down on the left that makes interesting viewing.

Im going to do some work now but ill be back!!!http://companycheck.co.uk/director/903932746

Fascinating !!!!!!!

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Just when you thought the GSI couldn't come across anymore of an idiot, they release that piece of crap statement.

 

Be interesting to see what happens if the weather is shocking again on a sky night now they are no longer allowed to call it off less than 48 hours in advance.

Must be a very new rule as we had lots of on the day rain offs last year. if I remember rightly, king's Lynn & Poole's final was postponed on the night when it had rained and made the track tricky but without the strong wind.

 

They are allowed to postpone a meeting within 48 hrs, it's just that Sky will want to recoup their expenses, which GSI/BSPA will have to stump up for - that's why they were keen for it to be on, money.

Edited by SPEEDY69
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What a lot of rubbish with Sky trying to cover their own backs. How many meetings have been cancelled once the weather became bad on the day not just 48 hours before when televised.

I see they did not state why Coventry were not allowed a say in the track prep or that the weather conditions were shocking from early on.

They have no regard for riders safety and it's disgusting that riders were fined for not wanting to risk injuries.

Edited by tsc1
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