clambo71 Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Some teams are changing their racing day to Wednesday. this is causing a problem in Denmark and possibly in this country too. Its about time the powers that be stood up to the poles. Any thoughts on this from others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) So the UK has clubs racing Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sweden has Tuesday and Thursday but because Poland wants a few more days we have to put our foot down? How about we realise we're 3rd in the pecking order behind Poland and Sweden and accept if they want a Wednesday then we can't do much about it. If we put our foot down just what do you think will happen? The riders will laugh and say, "Poland pay the money, good bye", like a few others have already done. Edited January 31, 2016 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 So the UK has clubs racing Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sweden has Tuesday and Wednesday but because Poland wants a few more days we have to put our foot down? How about we realise we're 3rd in the pecking order behind Poland and Sweden and accept if they want a Wednesday then we can't do much about it. If we put our foot down just what do you think will happen? The riders will laugh and say, "Poland pay the money, good bye", like a few others have already done. According to Philip Risings post in the International section it's not being changed to Wednesday, but some are changing to a Friday. It's not about recognising we are third in the pecking order it's about EL clubs signing riders who confirmed their availability based on a particular Polish fixture list which is now being changed at the whim of a TV company. This could potentially be devasting for Coventry Lakeside and Belle Vue. I don't think we should jump until we have more information about how serious this is . It might be capable of being sorted but IF the worst case scenario arises and top riders go AWOL resulting in guests or r/r it's bound to severely hit attendances and could well be the final nail in the coffin. Let's wait for more information before we get carried away, but potentially it is very serious. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Its about time the powers that be stood up to the poles. Any thoughts on this from others. If it comes down to a choice, then riders will choose who pays them then most, which will likely be Poland. Nigh on time that British promoters only sign riders who can commit to every meeting. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndbendbeerhut Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Poland may offer to pay the most.... but when the rider gets it, that may be another story.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 It's not about recognising we are third in the pecking order it's about EL clubs signing riders who confirmed their availability based on a particular Polish fixture list which is now being changed at the whim of a TV company. Nail on head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 If it comes down to a choice, then riders will choose who pays them then most, which will likely be Poland. Nigh on time that British promoters only sign riders who can commit to every meeting. EASIER said than done. There is a shortage of riders already and if British tracks could only sign riders who could commit to every meeting the situation would be far worse. The bottom line is that the vast majority of riders need to race in more than one league to make a career not a hobby out of speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Lets get one thing right-once and for all. Poland have NOT changed their fixture list- It was issued on 7th January with 7 Friday fixtures and 2 Saturday fixtures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Lets get one thing right-once and for all. Poland have NOT changed their fixture list- It was issued on 7th January with 7 Friday fixtures and 2 Saturday fixtures. Exactly, and the EL/PL fixtures were issued on 21st when it would have been known already about the non-Sunday Polish Ekstraliga fixtures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Presumably though any rider who signed both a British and Polish contract prior to these fixtures being released would have, quite reasonably, assumed that all of their Polish fixtures would be held on Sundays? That said the release dates for the two league's fixtures does put a different complexion on things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) THE release date of the actual fixtures is a bit of a red herring ... it is when tracks signed riders that is the key here. Edited February 1, 2016 by PHILIPRISING 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 THE release date of the actual fixtures is a bit of a red hearing ... it is when tracks signed riders that is the key here. Exactly. Also what dates were given to the riders by the clubs when they signed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 EASIER said than done. There is a shortage of riders already and if British tracks could only sign riders who could commit to every meeting the situation would be far worse. There's a shortage of riders because that situation has been allowed to develop. In fact, it's a shortage of riders of a particular standard - I'm sure there are actually 150 riders in Britain, and you need even fewer if you allow doubling up. It's a self-fulfilling prophesy that if you limit team opportunities then potential riders will find other things to do. The bottom line is that the vast majority of riders need to race in more than one league to make a career not a hobby out of speedway. Then perhaps the British leagues needs to be run on a semi-professional basis. Riders turning-up when they feel like it, and teams putting out cobbled together line-ups week-in week-out is I think the single biggest reason why the sport has become a farce and not taken seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 There's a shortage of riders because that situation has been allowed to develop. In fact, it's a shortage of riders of a particular standard - I'm sure there are actually 150 riders in Britain, and you need even fewer if you allow doubling up. It's a self-fulfilling prophesy that if you limit team opportunities then potential riders will find other things to do. Then perhaps the British leagues needs to be run on a semi-professional basis. Riders turning-up when they feel like it, and teams putting out cobbled together line-ups week-in week-out is I think the single biggest reason why the sport has become a farce and not taken seriously. YOUR second point is probably true but the rider situation would be far worse if tracks only employed semi-professional riders, of which there are very few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Time for British clubs to start looking after themselves, by developing far more British riders, local to each track. This wont be an overnight success, but in the long term will pay a lot of dividends. Then Sweden and Poland can ride on whatever nights they want and the Elite and Premier Leagues will not be affected. Speedway as a sport needs to get to the position where a rider can only ride for one club. If that means they go semi-professional, then so be it. The sport can't support full time professional riders as it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) We're trying aren't we? Edited February 1, 2016 by Trees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Time for British clubs to start looking after themselves, by developing far more British riders, local to each track. This wont be an overnight success, but in the long term will pay a lot of dividends. Then Sweden and Poland can ride on whatever nights they want and the Elite and Premier Leagues will not be affected. Speedway as a sport needs to get to the position where a rider can only ride for one club. If that means they go semi-professional, then so be it. The sport can't support full time professional riders as it is. BUT what would be the incentive for a youngster if he cannot make a living and a career out of it and at the very least cover all his costs? And, of course, once they reach a certain standard the lure of racing elsewhere would still be there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 It's not about recognising we are third in the pecking order it's about EL clubs signing riders who confirmed their availability based on a particular Polish fixture list which is now being changed at the whim of a TV company. 1. How can a rider "commit" to dates before the fixtures are published and the dates are known? 2. This concept of a "whim" - so a TV company wants to put out good programming. It wants to maximise it's viewing figures. It wants to earn some advertising revenue. What the hell are they in business for except to do exactly that? 3. Lucky Polish Speedway fans that they get so much live TV coverage. Do I detect some envy there? 4. And it's not like Sky don't change fixtures around on a whim is it? At least the Polish whims are known about months in advance and not at the last minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyretrax Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Might be better for Glasgow to stay with Sundays, then we could stop Edinburgh wanting to change to Sunday 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Time for British clubs to start looking after themselves, by developing far more British riders, local to each track. This wont be an overnight success, but in the long term will pay a lot of dividends. Then Sweden and Poland can ride on whatever nights they want and the Elite and Premier Leagues will not be affected. Speedway as a sport needs to get to the position where a rider can only ride for one club. If that means they go semi-professional, then so be it. The sport can't support full time professional riders as it is. Agree ,a step back may be required to get the sport to be taken seriously and attendances might improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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