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Play Offs Should They Be Scrapped.?


stratton

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That's been my point all along though - for their play-offs, ice hockey can put out a meaningful competition which is well attended, and successful that doesn't need to deprive the table-toppers of their deserved title. Why can't speedway do the same. Yes, make it different, make it worth going to and it should work. All I've had back is that speedway folk won't go unless it's for the title, seemingly end of....

 

We could even try the 'same weekend' bit - we'll have our very own National Stadium from next year to stage the competition.

Thing is it seems Ice Hockey can involve a number of teams and have a good number of games over a weekend.You know one big difference is that in a Hockey game in the break a machine goes over the ice and it is as good as new and they are ready for the next part and I bet after one game they might have a 15 minute or more break where the crowd can refresh themselves and the ice is as good as new for the next game.And you can do that ad infinitum over a long weekend and you are sure of the games going on whatever the weather.In speedway it is just different.............

Edited by iris123
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Thing is it seems Ice Hockey can involve a number of teams and have a good number of games over a weekend.You know one big difference is that in a Hockey game in the break a machine goes over the ice and it is as good as new and they are ready for the next part and I bet after one game they might have a 15 minute or more break where the crowd can refresh themselves and the ice is as good as new for the next game.And you can do that ad infinitum over a long weekend and you are sure of the games going on whatever the weather.In speedway it is just different.............

 

Yes, you can't even guarantee one complete meeting on an indoor speedway track... ;)

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Thing is it seems Ice Hockey can involve a number of teams and have a good number of games over a weekend.You know one big difference is that in a Hockey game in the break a machine goes over the ice and it is as good as new and they are ready for the next part and I bet after one game they might have a 15 minute or more break where the crowd can refresh themselves and the ice is as good as new for the next game.And you can do that ad infinitum over a long weekend and you are sure of the games going on whatever the weather.In speedway it is just different.............

 

As far as I can gather, the ice hockey finals weekend is the semi-finals one day, the final the next. A double header followed by a single match the next day. Shouldn't be a problem for a National Stadium, surely.

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Sorry not sure what your point is ? Sweden ,Poland ,PL all have play offs all not shown by sky . so the bottom line is we don't just have play offs because of sky that is clear to see .

 

OK, let's go back to November 2001. Play-offs will be introduced into the EL (only the EL) next season.

 

Why do you think this move was instigated?

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OK, let's go back to November 2001. Play-offs will be introduced into the EL (only the EL) next season.

 

Why do you think this move was instigated?

Who instigated in Poland and Sweden ? who instigated in Ice hockey ..as I said most sports have decided to use play offs tv or no tv sky or no sky . The fact remains if we only had play offs in uk speedway because of sky then Pl would not be having them .Back in 2001 just like any other rule I expected there would been a vote among the clubs and clearly they voted for them .

Edited by orion
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Who instigated in Poland and Sweden ? who instigated in Ice hockey ..as I said most sports have decided to use play offs tv or no tv sky or no sky . The fact remains if we only had play offs in uk speedway because of sky then Pl would not be having them .

 

Can't you just answer a simple question?

 

In your opinion, why were play-offs introduced into the EL to start with the 2002 season?

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Can't you just answer a simple question?

 

In your opinion, why were play-offs introduced into the EL to start with the 2002 season?

I have answer your question with or without Sky plays offs would be in speedway and proved by the pl having them even thou sky don't show them . for 2002 season there was a vote on the plays offs and they were voted in .

Edited by orion
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Can't you just answer a simple question?

 

In your opinion, why were play-offs introduced into the EL to start with the 2002 season?

 

To give you the answer you are looking for, Sky may have suggested the playoffs to the BSPA, given as they are so successful in every other sport they are used in. That then would have gone to a vote and the Elite League promoters voted to adopt them.

 

Clearly the Premier League promoters, under no pressure from Sky whatsoever decided that the playoffs would be beneficial to them too. Indeed, as has been recounted earlier in the thread, they did drop them for one year before reinserting them for the following year as they realised their mistake.

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As far as I can gather, the ice hockey finals weekend is the semi-finals one day, the final the next. A double header followed by a single match the next day. Shouldn't be a problem for a National Stadium, surely.

From what I gather there are 8 teams in the league.All teams are in the quarter finals,then they have semi finals and a final.So they have 8 teams with 8 loads of fans with 7 games over a weekend.Don't think that is possible in speedway at one track.The comp is in April and indoors.Now have an end of season fiesta for speedway and it is in end of Sept or October.Who thinks standing outside for hours on end at that time of year in all sorts of weather is some sort of sporting bonanza?

 

Must have looked at old info.It is now 4 games

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/playoff-finals-weekend--p195911

Edited by iris123
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From what I gather there are 8 teams in the league.All teams are in the quarter finals,then they have semi finals and a final.So they have 8 teams with 8 loads of fans with 7 games over a weekend.Don't think that is possible in speedway at one track.The comp is in April and indoors.Now have an end of season fiesta for speedway and it is in end of Sept or October.Who thinks standing outside for hours on end at that time of year in all sorts of weather is some sort of sporting bonanza?

 

Must have looked at old info.It is now 4 games

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/playoff-finals-weekend--p195911

 

Ah, I missed the 3rd/4th place play-off - two double headers, then.

 

Could strike lucky, weather's been glorious this past fortnight. :)

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Ah, I missed the 3rd/4th place play-off - two double headers, then.

 

Could strike lucky, weather's been glorious this past fortnight. :)

Yes as you say it all depends on a large amount of luck.Ice Hockey and speedway are living in different worlds and I am a fan of both.But Ice Hockey thrives(if you can say that,as it seems even in the Uk some teams are struggling)in modern indoor stadia where everything is very comfortable with good seating and viewing,decent restaurants and food/drink outlets and importantly decent toilet facilities and usually a good sound system.Speedway isn't like that.Plus Ice Hockey generally has a season long of league games(now they have started a Champions League,but the UK teams play little part in that) with little else interspersed.Speedway isn't like that.

 

10 years ago in Germany we used to get an U21 meeting in the morning and a Bundesliga meeting in the afternoon.That ended and a couple of years ago I said how much I enjoyed those days.A rider said the track for the second meeting was very bad.Now while I think it might be possible to run two meetings in one day(not so sure about 4 meetings in one weekend)I doubt the riders would be willing to do it.Junior riders are much more willing.They often have two 80cc meetings in one day in Denmark and I think even maybe 4 or so over a weekend.But try getting senior riders to do it is another matter.There was the case of the junior riders doing their races last season at teterow,but the senior riders refused to go out on the track.......

Edited by iris123
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I have answer your question with or without Sky plays offs would be in speedway and proved by the pl having them even thou sky don't show them . for 2002 season there was a vote on the plays offs and they were voted in .

 

Yes, I see you've edited your post to include an answer. If's that your belief then fine, but we don't know that they would have been voted in and that they'd have been title deciders if the 'suggestion' hadn't been made by Sky. Why a vote to have extra matches may well have failed has been posted before (that's why a lop-sided fixture programme was introduced) and we don't always follow every other sport or speedway league - we have yet to introduce a squad system, we don't have a set racing night and our play-offs are for the championship, many are not. But if you believe they would be in by now, fine, but having heard what some promoters were saying (one or two at first hand) back then I somehow doubt it.

 

 

 

To give you the answer you are looking for, Sky may have suggested the playoffs to the BSPA, given as they are so successful in every other sport they are used in. That then would have gone to a vote and the Elite League promoters voted to adopt them.

 

Clearly the Premier League promoters, under no pressure from Sky whatsoever decided that the playoffs would be beneficial to them too. Indeed, as has been recounted earlier in the thread, they did drop them for one year before reinserting them for the following year as they realised their mistake.

 

Yes, I think we are agreed on Sky's 'suggestion' being the catalyst but I go with the 'we want the title decider so have these play-offs or we're off' suggestion rather than 'we know how four clubs can make a bit of extra cash'. And yes, they would have to be voted in but three-line whip springs to mind.

 

I take the point that the PL introduced play-offs but that was after they proved successful for some clubs in the EL. But, had Sky not introduced them in the first place....

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Yes, I see you've edited your post to include an answer. If's that your belief then fine, but we don't know that they would have been voted in and that they'd have been title deciders if the 'suggestion' hadn't been made by Sky. Why a vote to have extra matches may well have failed has been posted before (that's why a lop-sided fixture programme was introduced) and we don't always follow every other sport or speedway league - we have yet to introduce a squad system, we don't have a set racing night and our play-offs are for the championship, many are not. But if you believe they would be in by now, fine, but having heard what some promoters were saying (one or two at first hand) back then I somehow doubt it.

 

 

 

Yes, I think we are agreed on Sky's 'suggestion' being the catalyst but I go with the 'we want the title decider so have these play-offs or we're off' suggestion rather than 'we know how four clubs can make a bit of extra cash'. And yes, they would have to be voted in but three-line whip springs to mind.

 

I take the point that the PL introduced play-offs but that was after they proved successful for some clubs in the EL. But, had Sky not introduced them in the first place....

??? not sure why you keep going on about the promoters being unhappy ..they voted them in . just like they pl promoters voted them in even thou none of the play off matches were going to be shown on sky .

Edited by orion
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??? not sure why you keep going on about the promoters being unhappy ..they voted them in . just like they pl promoters voted them in even thou none of the play off matches were going to be shown on sky .

 

I've posted why I keep going on about some promoters being unhappy - I found out first hand from a couple! They were voted in by the EL but have you read all of that post you quoted? Can't put it any clearer.

 

You've been going to speedway long enough. you must have read or heard of a couple of the promoters wanting less fixtures, both cup competitions have been dropped, an uneven fixture list was introduced (playing some teams four times, others twice) to reduce matches. Free-choice decisions have all been to reduce fixtures not increase them and, had they not have been introduced, thanks to Sky, their success would never have been discovered and would not have been in their armoury for any discussion on the subject even if the idea of play-offs would have been brought up.

Edited by Barney Rabbit
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The attendances, on TV and live in the PL, are so much higher than any regular meetings that the question is answered.

 

Play-offs are good. Create big crowds. Make money. Keep clubs afloat.

 

Next question, please?

Oh!!!

 

Do all Clubs get a 'cut' of the Play Off money?

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Oh!!!

 

Do all Clubs get a 'cut' of the Play Off money?

No, But they benefit from larger crowds in the race to make the playoffs..The playoffs keep the season alive, just as they do in football and other sports..The fans would soon drift away with nothing to ride/play for....The Play Offs are here to stay and thats great for any sport!

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No, But they benefit from larger crowds in the race to make the playoffs..The playoffs keep the season alive, just as they do in football and other sports..The fans would soon drift away with nothing to ride/play for....The Play Offs are here to stay and thats great for any sport!

In your opinion, to which, of course, you are entitled.

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I can't imagine that the 'race to make he play-off's' created larger crowds at Lakeside, Monmore or Leicester this season. Similar in the PL where probably only Plymouth and Ipswich might have benefited from any added interest in achieving the final play-off berth.

 

At least in other sports that have promotion and relegation, interest can be maintained at both ends of the table, possibly until the final fixtures.

 

In an 8 x team EL, include all 8 x teams in the end of season play-off's to give them all some meaningful end of season fixtures and this would provide the teams at the bottom of the table with an opportunity to host the 'top' teams again and with the chance of a 'giant killing'.

 

I'm sure that Poole's and other fans would find the possibility of the team that finishes 8th being crowned league winners acceptable.

 

(It is odd that the biggest sport in this country still does not embrace the concept of play-off's to decide its league winners (and runners-up) and only considers it necessary to utilise the concept to determine the minor promotion position in each league.)

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