Argos Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 With the announcement that the NL now has a league sponsor, not so long ago there were only 6 teams now there is 12 with big clubs like Eastbourne, Cradley, Birmingham,with theses clubs stating they have very healthy crowds is the NL the league to be in? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 With the announcement that the NL now has a league sponsor, not so long ago there were only 6 teams now there is 12 with big clubs like Eastbourne, Cradley, Birmingham,with theses clubs stating they have very healthy crowds is the NL the league to be in?If we want to make speedway a total amateur sport in this country then yes the National League is the place to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therefused Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 it looks like a really exciting, varied, and in most importantly, in my opinion, even league this year, should be interesting to watch it develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A ORLOV Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Just wish we had a NL Club at or near Swindon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I've loved watching The Storm at Brandon and some of the racing is as good if not better than the Bees matches, which confirms my opinion that you don't need the so called top riders/GP riders to get good racing. I'm really looking forward to the new season as that league looks very healthy and competitive which is more than can be said for the E.L. where it's already looking like Poole will be the most dominant team again. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenspoon Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I agree with Gemini, I have watches all the different Leagues, and there are good meetings in all. The Elite league is dying, it would make no difference if more of the so called top riders rode in it, there is no variety of competition, just 14 home meetings a season, and if you are lucky a couple more play-off meetings. If you do not look like making the play-offs your meaningful season can be over by May. All one can hope for is that someone, anyone, can stop bloody Poole winning the title again. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 If we want to make speedway a total amateur sport in this country then yes the National League is the place to be. I'd rather have a thriving amateur sport than a dying, desperate professional one. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Each to their own really. I think you get good and bad meetings at all levels but personally I've never got much of a buzz from NL speedway despite attending several meetings at Lynn over the twenty odd years its held third division speedway and quite a few at Mildenhall too. The skill level and speed is obviously lower than the two leagues above it and while I accept you may get more passing in what is essentially a training league its not really for me, but it is for many people and good luck to them. It certainly is in better shape than the EL and the lower running costs means clubs may have more security at that level. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Panda Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 If we want to make speedway a total amateur sport in this country then yes the National League is the place to be. When I first started going in 1976 it was still to all intents and purposes an amateur sport.............most of the riders had day jobs they did............ RP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebaron Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 We would settle for any sort of speedway in West Yorkshire. Its staggering that nearly 20 years have idled by without a single turn of a wheel in anger in an area that was once one of the cornerstones of the sport on this Island. But sure the NL looks set for a healthy campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 We would settle for any sort of speedway in West Yorkshire. Its staggering that nearly 20 years have idled by without a single turn of a wheel in anger in an area that was once one of the cornerstones of the sport on this Island. But sure the NL looks set for a healthy campaign. Same here in East Yorkshire where it's been a 'mere' 11 years without speedway but seems much, much longer. Sigh, .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzac Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 When Eastie dropped to the NL last year I really thought about not attending after watching them for 15 years in the so called Elite league. I just feel so lucky I gave it a go, better, more unpredictable racing rather than a procession, mostly young kids who give it their all, and interact with the crowd, and looking a very even league this year. Maybe a lower overall standard of riding, but if Eastie are anything to go, as professionally run as it was in the Elite. The likes of us , Birmingham, Kings Lynn etc will raise the standard even further. Place to be :- National League. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillipsr Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 How is watching a load of wobblers the place to be? Each to there own i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 When Eastie dropped to the NL last year I really thought about not attending after watching them for 15 years in the so called Elite league. I just feel so lucky I gave it a go, better, more unpredictable racing rather than a procession, mostly young kids who give it their all, and interact with the crowd, and looking a very even league this year. Maybe a lower overall standard of riding, but if Eastie are anything to go, as professionally run as it was in the Elite. The likes of us , Birmingham, Kings Lynn etc will raise the standard even further. Place to be :- National League. zzz ...there are more riders than there are fans ....i expect the riders know the crowd by name ....the racing is unprectictable as riders fall off all the time ....most matches don't make it it end as the curfew ends them as there is so many re runs . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*JJ Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 How is watching a load of wobblers the place to be? Each to there own i guess Er ... you have actually seen any NL racing? They are NOT 'wobblers'! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUFC_Brummie Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Some of them are, to be fair, but not nearly as many as the majority of people who have never watched it think. I think Birmingham fans are best placed to tackle this question having been in all 3 leagues over the past 5/6 years, but you will probably still get a mixed bag of answers covering all 3 leagues. Each certainly has their pros and each has their cons. With the NL what was best about it was seeing the young riders develop throughout the season, from watching Zach score one point at reserve in the first meeting to where had had gotten at the end of the season was fantastic and for me, in all sports, is what is best about following a club, seeing "your" guys come through the ranks, and the fact we have such a young team of British riders this year just endorses that further. I enjoyed the condensed fixture list, every rider seemed to put in 100% every meeting, no-one just showing up for their pay cheque as I've seen happen in the other two leagues, and it was a close competitive league which looks like continuing this year, the teams generally are pretty balanced, more so than the higher divisions I found, although that may be easy to say from a fan of the team that finished top. I'm not quite as on board with some others about the quality of racing, of course you get good meetings and good races, and as mentioned before there are certainly less "wobblers" than most people think, but, you do get some very mismatched and strung out races, I'd say that the gap between the top riders and the bottom riders was bigger than any other league, although of course EL reserves didn't face EL heatleaders so not a like-for-like comparison. We also had Adam Ellis who was streaks ahead of everyone else, which probably didn't help that impression. I'd certainly recommend it to people though, maybe not right at the start of the season, because as with Zach it will take some of the younger guys a few meetings to find their feet and get dialled in, but it definitely gets better as the season goes on. Of the 3 my favourite remains the Premier League, for the quality of racing at the time, although the league is a bit too busy for my liking. In an ideal world I'd want to be in a well run, condensed, high quality Elite League over any other. Unlikely to happen though, and whilst I'm more than happy with Birmingham in the NL at the moment, I hope we still have ambitions to go PL in the next couple of years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgy Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 zzz ...there are more riders than there are fans ....i expect the riders know the crowd by name ....the racing is unprectictable as riders fall off all the time ....most matches don't make it it end as the curfew ends them as there is so many re runs . There are not more riders than fans and MOST matches do finish. If you are just going to make things up that's not an opinion. As you often refer. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKYLANE Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 All 3 leagues have their merits. Sadly some supporters are Elite only and miss out having such an attitude. The standard of the league does not matter..... All you need is a well prepared track capable of giving good racing coupled with riders of similar ability. This will produce good entertaining meetings. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 How is watching a load of wobblers the place to be? Each to there own i guess The only wobblers I'm interested in watching would be on one of the Adult Channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.