Tapeworm Posted December 13, 2015 Report Share Posted December 13, 2015 Same old, same old……. meeting the same local teams several times each season reduces the excitement of local derbies especially in the relatively unimportant League Cup round robin stages. And I was talking to a supporter of an Elite League team this summer and he said the repetitive nature of their league and cup fixtures, where the same 7 teams are encountered over and over again, led to a significant degree of boredom. Would it not, therefore, be possible to devise a format for the League Cup to involve teams from both Elite and Premier leagues ? Perhaps, for example, the 13 PL clubs could play a brief preliminary format to reduce qualifiers to 8 teams, then have a straight knock out tournament starting with each of these 8 paired against one of the 8 EL teams in a one-off (random home or away) fixture ? Imagine the excitement of possible ‘giant killing’ results and the attraction of travelling to a match at a “new” stadium. If the gulf of ability between EL and PL teams is too great, some system of handicap could be devised……… maybe giving the PL teams 5 of a start at home or 10 if away, or cup-tying double-up riders to their PL team, or something similar. More knowledgeable fans than I could devise a suitable leveller. Or are the EL teams reluctant to venture north of Wolverhampton ? I feel something fresh is required in both leagues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePark Posted December 13, 2015 Report Share Posted December 13, 2015 Same old, same old……. meeting the same local teams several times each season reduces the excitement of local derbies especially in the relatively unimportant League Cup round robin stages. And I was talking to a supporter of an Elite League team this summer and he said the repetitive nature of their league and cup fixtures, where the same 7 teams are encountered over and over again, led to a significant degree of boredom. Would it not, therefore, be possible to devise a format for the League Cup to involve teams from both Elite and Premier leagues ? Perhaps, for example, the 13 PL clubs could play a brief preliminary format to reduce qualifiers to 8 teams, then have a straight knock out tournament starting with each of these 8 paired against one of the 8 EL teams in a one-off (random home or away) fixture ? Imagine the excitement of possible ‘giant killing’ results and the attraction of travelling to a match at a “new” stadium. If the gulf of ability between EL and PL teams is too great, some system of handicap could be devised……… maybe giving the PL teams 5 of a start at home or 10 if away, or cup-tying double-up riders to their PL team, or something similar. More knowledgeable fans than I could devise a suitable leveller. Or are the EL teams reluctant to venture north of Wolverhampton ? I feel something fresh is required in both leagues. It was tried a few years ago (2002) and was called "the British League Cup" and lasted that one season. The Northern Group consisted of PL teams only and therefore a complete waste of time as far as we were concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadrianDog Posted December 13, 2015 Report Share Posted December 13, 2015 (edited) It was tried a few years ago (2002) and was called "the British League Cup" and lasted that one season. The Northern Group consisted of PL teams only and therefore a complete waste of time as far as we were concerned. Yeah, god forbid that the EL 'crème de la crop' have to travel further North than the 'Watford Gap' for a fixture! Edited December 13, 2015 by HadrianDog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tapeworm Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 It was tried a few years ago (2002) and was called "the British League Cup" and lasted that one season. The Northern Group consisted of PL teams only and therefore a complete waste of time as far as we were concerned. In which case, my suggestion has not been tried and just because the flawed format tried 14 years ago didn't work doesn't mean that some other format might nowadays. Times and circumstances change and we know that it's all about getting lots of bums on seats at a profit for both teams, resident and visiting. I think that the prospect of, for example, the Monarchs or the Tigers taking on the Pirates or Robins at Armadale or Ashfield could do just that (if indeed there were any seats at Armadale but you know what I mean !). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comet49 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) There was an Inter League KO Cup or somat in the 70s, Comet's legend Lou Sansom beat Ipswich's John Louis more than once and he's been reminded when he's been back. Yep bums on seats, more media coverage needed. Edited December 14, 2015 by comet49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bash Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Not surprised he beat Chris Louis as he would've only been in the early years of his life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Yes, 1976, remember it well with Workington winning 40-38 and, as comet49 means, Lou Sansom heading home John Louis three times including the decisive Heat 13. The same year Ipswich won the League and Cup double. The Comets went on to beat King's Lynn by the same 40-38 scoreline in the next round if I remember rightly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pob Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Nice idea but what happens if a rider lets say Danny King for example , and the Draw is Ipswich vs Coventry . Who gets his services for the meeting ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Posted December 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Nice idea but what happens if a rider lets say Danny King for example , and the Draw is Ipswich vs Coventry . Who gets his services for the meeting ? Coventry promote their reserve (Sarjeant) and use a Storm rider (Ritchings) at reserve. ....Oh hang on..... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comet49 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Yes, 1976, remember it well with Workington winning 40-38 and, as comet49 means, Lou Sansom heading home John Louis three times including the decisive Heat 13. The same year Ipswich won the League and Cup double. The Comets went on to beat King's Lynn by the same 40-38 scoreline in the next round if I remember rightly. John Louis of course, Chris reminded when he's been. Too early in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePark Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 In which case, my suggestion has not been tried and just because the flawed format tried 14 years ago didn't work doesn't mean that some other format might nowadays. Times and circumstances change and we know that it's all about getting lots of bums on seats at a profit for both teams, resident and visiting. I think that the prospect of, for example, the Monarchs or the Tigers taking on the Pirates or Robins at Armadale or Ashfield could do just that (if indeed there were any seats at Armadale but you know what I mean !). Oh yeah... Swindon with all their EL stars.... Charles Wright, Josh Grajzconek, Justin Sedgmen, Stefan Nielsen and Nick Morris. Far too many PL riders are now in the EL. That's why it won't work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 In which case, my suggestion has not been tried and just because the flawed format tried 14 years ago didn't work doesn't mean that some other format might nowadays. Times and circumstances change and we know that it's all about getting lots of bums on seats at a profit for both teams, resident and visiting. I think that the prospect of, for example, the Monarchs or the Tigers taking on the Pirates or Robins at Armadale or Ashfield could do just that (if indeed there were any seats at Armadale but you know what I mean !). There are seats at Armadale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 If you were going to implement some form of inter-league competition, the 4TT would be a better format. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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