Gemini Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I think you are wrong on two points. First, when it was announced the Lions were moving to the EL I believe the majority of supporters welcomed this development because a. PL racing was not particularly exciting (despite what some may think) & b. it represented a chance to see a better class of rider, even GP stars. Secondly the track is now half way through being altered, and yes it has taken longer than it needed to have taken but at least its now being done. Okay fair enough. Perhaps I should change my comment to all the Leicester fans I know would have preferred to stay in the Premier League and even more so now after the last couple of years. Maybe PL racing wasn't particularly exciting because of the shape of the track more than the standard of rider? I've watched loads of matches at Peterborough and 9 times out of 10 the racing is on a par with E.L. if not better. Anyway, glad something has been done about the track now. Better late than never. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 What I do think DH is wrong to presume is that Saturday night is the preferred night for Lions fans and crowds will drop if Saturday is not an option. I can see some folk will not attend during mid week, but this will be offset by better riders being available to form a stronger and more competitive team which will attract more fans to meetings. So I suggest the future for the Lions should be to remain in the EL and move to a midweek race night and build a stronger team from the wider pool of available riders that would become available. Lakeside have for years tended to race Coventry at home on a Saturday and always seem to get bigger than average crowds on those nights, although it's difficult to say whether it's because people are more willing to go out on a Saturday or whether it's becsuse Coventry are usually a pretty decent side to watch (well they often are at Lakeside anyway ). Jon Cook has said that he would always have a Saturday race night if he could but obviously recognises the impracticability of it all the time if he wants top foreign riders. Probably the crowds would be better on a Saturday than a Friday, all things bring equal, but throw Jason Doyle into the equation and build a half decent side and I dare say more would be tempted to see that sort of team on a Friday than a losing side on a Saturday. Surely the logical thing would be to try a mix of Fridays and Saturdays and see if there is much difference. Lakeside have always managed to find a couple of Saturday's when riders committed to Poland on a Sunday could ride. The problem arises when they are all Saturdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedibee Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Lakeside have for years tended to race Coventry at home on a Saturday and always seem to get bigger than average crowds on those nights, although it's difficult to say whether it's because people are more willing to go out on a Saturday or whether it's becsuse Coventry are usually a pretty decent side to watch (well they often are at Lakeside anyway ). Jon Cook has said that he would always have a Saturday race night if he could but obviously recognises the impracticability of it all the time if he wants top foreign riders. Probably the crowds would be better on a Saturday than a Friday, all things bring equal, but throw Jason Doyle into the equation and build a half decent side and I dare say more would be tempted to see that sort of team on a Friday than a losing side on a Saturday. Surely the logical thing would be to try a mix of Fridays and Saturdays and see if there is much difference. Lakeside have always managed to find a couple of Saturday's when riders committed to Poland on a Sunday could ride. The problem arises when they are all Saturdays. I think main difference is that more people have the time to travel on Saturdays and no need to rush to get home for work the next day , going to lakeside from Coventry area on a Friday means leaving at lunchtime , back in the days before BSI and a few riders heading for the big bucks , quite a few teams ran on Saturdays with no problem . Oh and leicester can't run on fridays .thats Coventry's priority night at the moment until they close this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted April 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Okay fair enough. Perhaps I should change my comment to all the Leicester fans I know would have preferred to stay in the Premier League and even more so now after the last couple of years. Maybe PL racing wasn't particularly exciting because of the shape of the track more than the standard of rider? I've watched loads of matches at Peterborough and 9 times out of 10 the racing is on a par with E.L. if not better. Anyway, glad something has been done about the track now. Better late than never. I think in the PL, the track proved to be too technical for the lesser able and experienced riders to master, and this had a substantial impact on the quality of the racing. Thats how Magnus, when fully fit and in the right mood, could be invincible there, plus of course the all-important gating ability. If the early comments are anything to go by, the alterations made so far to the track may have made it less difficult, and providing the other bends get done, maybe it will become less of a daunting prospect for the less able and experienced guys, and enable them to ride it with more confidence (and I'm talking here about NL level and lower order PL level riders) and so offer better racing than was previously the case in the PL. The Elite League is struggling to maintain credibility, not helped by the atrocious decisions made during the winter by the promoters. Sky are (undertandably) apparently getting cold feet, and when Leicester joined the league in 2014, it was already on the slide. A bit like boarding the Titanic when the iceberg was already in view. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrow boy Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I actually toyed with the idea of venturing to Lakeside tonight! Great decision to sit on my *rse instead it would seem. Two away meetings running and the reserves embarrass the others, one of which is a guest who comes out for Heat 15! Our heat leaders have managed two heat wins between them in these two meetings, in which we have fallen apart in the latter halves. It's early doors I know but we've been here many times before and I would like to hear any comments that club representatives may wish to make. Another tricky away track with four bends and two straights it would seem. I don't think it is a matter of them falling apart in the latter races. They are not good enough to compete in the latter races. Every other team has at least one big hitter, some have 2 and on a good night a couple may have 3. Leicester do not have one so they will always come unstuck after heat 12 against the other team's big hitters in heats 13 & 15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyderd Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I think you are wrong on two points. First, when it was announced the Lions were moving to the EL I believe the majority of supporters welcomed this development because a. PL racing was not particularly exciting (despite what some may think) & b. it represented a chance to see a better class of rider, even GP stars. I am the first to admit the second aspect has tailed off, though it was good to see Jason D in the Lions colours and to see a Lion appear in the GP's, but we still do see better riders at BP than when in the PL, unfortunately we haven't seen a fair share of them sign for the Lions. Secondly the track is now half way through being altered, and yes it has taken longer than it needed to have taken but at least its now being done. What I do think DH is wrong to presume is that Saturday night is the preferred night for Lions fans and crowds will drop if Saturday is not an option. I can see some folk will not attend during mid week, but this will be offset by better riders being available to form a stronger and more competitive team which will attract more fans to meetings. So I suggest the future for the Lions should be to remain in the EL and move to a midweek race night and build a stronger team from the wider pool of available riders that would become available. Leicester are like Belle Vue they own there own track, therefore could negotiate with better riders/GP riders and have 2 race nights. A Friday/Saturday when there's no GP and a midweek night when there is. Speedway can ill afford another Birmingham, wake up Mr Helmsley and smell the coffee. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted April 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Leicester are like Belle Vue they own there own track, therefore could negotiate with better riders/GP riders and have 2 race nights. A Friday/Saturday when there's no GP and a midweek night when there is. Speedway can ill afford another Birmingham, wake up Mr Helmsley and smell the coffee. Not strictly true, it is on land leased from the council but there is probably quite a bit of leeway over race night although I understand that Cov still have a covenant over Fridays, and there could be issues with the nearby shopping centre over parking on certain nights. But yes, you'd think that a more pragmatic approach could have been tried, rather than the ostrich method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedflash Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Belle Vue dont own their stadium. They are rent/lease it with other sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouch Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Belle Vue do own the stadium in the same way you would own a mortgaged house. They are currently paying it back. Any takings from bar, food, car parking or when the venue is hired for other events goes to Belle Vue Speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish McRaker Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Is Cameron Woodward fit and riding again yet? And does anyone know if Seb Ulamek is just over here to get in a bit of practice before Poland gets properly underway? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Is Cameron Woodward fit and riding again yet? And does anyone know if Seb Ulamek is just over here to get in a bit of practice before Poland gets properly underway? I'd say the answers to those 2 questions are 'No' and 'Yes'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckettlion Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Is Cameron Woodward fit and riding again yet? And does anyone know if Seb Ulamek is just over here to get in a bit of practice before Poland gets properly underway? Ulamek was in different Kevlars to the other members of the septet at Coventry... Don't know if that was just me reading between the lines, but I thought it might mean he's not intent to hang around for long 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neb Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I think in the PL, the track proved to be too technical for the lesser able and experienced riders to master, and this had a substantial impact on the quality of the racing. Thats how Magnus, when fully fit and in the right mood, could be invincible there, plus of course the all-important gating ability. If the early comments are anything to go by, the alterations made so far to the track may have made it less difficult, and providing the other bends get done, maybe it will become less of a daunting prospect for the less able and experienced guys, and enable them to ride it with more confidence (and I'm talking here about NL level and lower order PL level riders) and so offer better racing than was previously the case in the PL. The Elite League is struggling to maintain credibility, not helped by the atrocious decisions made during the winter by the promoters. Sky are (undertandably) apparently getting cold feet, and when Leicester joined the league in 2014, it was already on the slide. A bit like boarding the Titanic when the iceberg was already in view. that beggers the question why was magnus never asked back if only to fill a second string role at bp because like you say could and can beat anyone around there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Eye Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Is Cameron Woodward fit and riding again yet? And does anyone know if Seb Ulamek is just over here to get in a bit of practice before Poland gets properly underway? Seb's over here for the season. Not riding in Poland this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honey Monster Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 How does that explain his 9 points for Leszno yesterday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Eye Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 How does that explain his 9 points for Leszno yesterday. Because I was thinking of Greg instead. D'oh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebrum Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Seb's over here for the season. Not riding in Poland this year. Wrong he is named in the Wroclaw squad. Because I was thinking of Greg instead. D'oh! Because I was thinking of Greg instead. D'oh! Wrong, he is named in the Torun squad! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Eye Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Wrong, he is named in the Torun squad! Only so he can practice out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebrum Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Only so he can practice out there. Really? I doubt that! It will be when not if he rides in his Polish team IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagrag Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 If there is many more performances like so far this season I can see Wozniak considering his options as he will be fully aware that Wroclaw are watching his form in the UK closely to decide whether to pick him for their matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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