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BSI don't pay the riders other than a one-off at the start of the season ... pay rates are set by and paid by the FIM

Yes, but that's a cop out as I'm sure you're aware. BSI and the FIM were collectively making a couple of million quid in profit, and the riders should be insisting on a bigger cut of that. They are the show and in other competitions typically receive 20-40% of the revenue, whereas they get about 6% in the SGP.

Edited by Humphrey Appleby
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Yes, but that's a cop out as I'm sure you're aware. BSI and the FIM were collectively making a couple of million quid in profit, and the riders should be insisting on a bigger cut of that. They are the show and in other competitions typically receive 20-40% of the revenue, whereas they get about 6% in the SGP.

WHAT other competitions?

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WE'RE talking about motorcycle racing surely?

What difference does that make? Of course we know that speedway doesn't have anything like the revenue of other sports, but we're talking about percentage of revenue, not absolute amounts.

 

Paying the riders under 7% of revenue is extremely low by the standards of most sports, and I'm surprised you should seek to justify it as an allegedly impartial observer.

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It is certainly neither edifying, or just, either for the wild card for the Australian GP to have to resort to public begging just to fund his costs of getting to the GP.

 

Even the most incompetent media-conscious organisation could have dealt with that better.

 

Surely there is a 'spare' member of the Olsen family who could see that is sorted out.

PDQ.

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It's unjust isn't it, Phil? But it's business and you're part of it aren't you, providing programmes and being paid spokesperson?

I AM not their spokesperson and have never been paid by BSI and don't see what Pinegen producing some of their programmes has to do with it.

 

I have never tried to justify what the riders are paid. Actually agree that it is on the low side. But from the first time BSI (then under control of John Postlethwaite) secured the commerce rights it was made clear to riders that while prize money would be decided by the FIM, the TV exposure provided by the series would open doors to sponsorship deals that might otherwise be closed.

 

That has certainly worked better for some riders (Rickardsson, Pedersen would be top of the pile) than others.

 

No doubt if the FIM demanded less money for the commercial rights or, indeed, the subscription fees more could go to the riders.

 

With regard to Masters: not sure what he was offered but as the 'local wild card' he would obviously not be eligible for the same as the permanent riders as far as air fares are concerned.

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With regard to Masters: not sure what he was offered but as the 'local wild card' he would obviously not be eligible for the same as the permanent riders as far as air fares are concerned.

I don't get the 'obviously' point here.

 

It seems ''obvious' to me that he should be given the same terms on transport as the permanent guys.

Other words I could use would be 'decent', 'right' and 'proper'.

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BECAUSE he is deemed to be based in Australia just as Jason Bunyan was in New Zealand

Again just terminology and semantics.

'Deemed' to be based in Australia.

 

He is travelling from the Uk just like Holder, Bachelor and Doyle.

Just a poor show not to take his gear the same way as them, gratis.

 

Penny pinching, tight and just a bit nasty on the part of BSI.

Whatever the excuse.

 

.

Edited by Grand Central
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I have never tried to justify what the riders are paid. Actually agree that it is on the low side. But from the first time BSI (then under control of John Postlethwaite) secured the commerce rights it was made clear to riders that while prize money would be decided by the FIM, the TV exposure provided by the series would open doors to sponsorship deals that might otherwise be closed.

That was 15 years ago before the financial 'success' of the SGP was established. It seems everyone involved with the organisation has got 'pay rises' down the years, whilst the riders have I think had only one or two modest incremental increases.

 

I also think it's easy to hide behind the fact that the FIM set the prize money, but really it shouldn't be like that and I'm not that's the arrangement even with most other FIM competitions.

 

BTW - making a wildcard pay their expenses to get to a GP is pathetic and embarrassing.

Edited by Humphrey Appleby
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Very surprising to realise there has been no increase in prize money since 2012. Agree that all riders competing should recieve the same travel arrangements, including Masters, and the reserves. More prize money would give the series more credibility for riders and in the market place.

 

The Aussie GP major sponsor is Australia's largest smallgoods manufacturing company. The GP is sponsored by salami. It says something about how the promoters of the speedway see the sport. Maybe that reflects why there has been no prize money increase, or why BSI can tell the wc to make his own arrangements for the trip to Australia.

 

Any wonder the sport appears to be stagnating. How can anyone else take it seriously when the organising group, and the governance authority don't.

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Masters should just tell them to "poke it" instead of begging for money,that is the one thing the riders are good at.If he can't afford don't do it.Might even cost him earnings from Edinburgh meetings,if weather turns bad.He is also complaining about a "bad shoulder".

But Masters has to get Sedgmen and Fricke to agree to to do the same. BSI probably don't give a crap which "second rate" (by that I simply mean not GP rider already) rider gets the place and will happily let a couple of locals ride.

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Don't see what the big deal is regarding being wildcard,if it's going to cost you a fortune .BSI are only thinking in THEIR INTERESTS to get some local interest with the Aussies.Lets face it Fricke is the only one with GP aspirations in the future.

Edited by Fromafar
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