Future Of British Speedway?

[Gresham]

Don't know but let us know when you find out

I wouldn't know where to start tbh.

 

The startling fact is, if you took the elite and prem leagues...and fill every team with British riders...you'd only have 147.

 

Nuts when you think about it.

 

When you take into account, doubling up in the two 'Professional' leagues...how many riders are actually riding professionally over here?

Edited June 11, 2016 by Gresham

[B.V 72]

Kasprzak, Zagar, Harris, Jonsson, Nilsson, Iversen, Batchelor, Doyle, Holder, Buczkowski, Andersen, Lindgren.

what is your point?

If the point is not as many as 5 years ago then thanks for naming the obvious.

Hi steve like you i would love to see more of the top boys ride over here but the way things are going i can't see it happening.So i am trying to look on the bright side.

If the leagues are forced to amalgamate from the list of riders you have provided i would think we would defo loose 6 of them.But the other 6 could still ride over here as No 1s and be the big stars in a lower league.Nilsson,Batchelor,Buczkowski,Andersen Lindgren and Harris(just a fraction over) + the likes of Kylmakorpi etc all finished last season with a lower Elite league average than Cookie who was the Prem leagues No 1 rider so if he can ride in a lower league then with some sensable average covertions they could still race over here.

Again just trying to give an honest assesment of the other 6 named in your list Iversen and Doyle ride like the super stars they are.Jonsson good steady No 1.Kasprzak,Zagar and Holder have some howlers and often get beaten by the so called lesser riders which makes me think is their heart and sole in riding over here and do they bring over the same class of bike they use elsewhere.

So how do i feel about about an amalgamated league.Well losing the top 6 riders will be a total bumber but i still go now even though we have lost many many more than 6 top class riders over the last few years and i still enjoy the racing.So there loss will not stop me going either i just love the sport of speedway even more big names will be missing but on the whole i would not think that the racing will be that much different to what it is now.

[greyhoundp]

There is no future when the present generation of fans die off. New blood is what this sport desperately needs.

 

I fully agree with this post.

 

I commend the opening post on his time and effort, and also other contributors to the post, getting a new audience is the single most important thing that has to be adressed.

[SteveLyric2]

IMO any 'amalgamation' of EL and PL will not see one big league of all teams neither will it see 2 (or more) regional divisions.

 

There will need to be a 'senior' league which, depending on the format and costs, will consist of those clubs that want to compete at that level. There will always be the 'haves' and the 'have nots' - not always simply down to how good a relationship the promoter has with his bank either as catchment area, fan base, sponsorship and facilities etc will always play a part. Sky Sports (or whoever) will always want a 'senior' league that features some of the top riders. Many (not all) of the current EL club sponsors also want to see top riders in a top league.

 

Whether the current 'top' riders and any others will be attracted to take part will depend as much on the number of fixtures/day(s) of the week as the money on offer.

 

My own preference would be for a mix of the above - a possibly smaller 'senior' league (6-man teams?) with those clubs also running a separate team of PL standard. This would provide a manageable fixture list for those GP standard riders that want it, plus a decent standard and number of fixtures (league and Cup) for other non-GP riders to still earn a living.

 

The 'senior' league fixtures could then be arranged away from the GP weeks and the other fixtures planned for other weeks ie not 2 home fixtures in the same week.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Skidder1

[beckettlion]

I think before attempting a massive restructure of British Speedway, smaller changes could be made. A fixed race night (for the elite league at least) surely must be the starting point, it works in Sweden and Poland. Making ourselves more accessible to the bigger names who have said they would ride here if it was realistically easier for them than it currently would be. The premier league as a product on the whole is good. Implementing the fast tracking of young riders in the second tier (as theyre starting too) is more beneficial than throwing them in at the deep end of the elite league.

 

Fixed race nights, no fast track riders and possibly a salary cap (to try and balance the playing fields somewhat- and whilst encouraging the bigger names, implementing rules to prevent them extracting the urine) would be my first steps to improving the elite league.

[Red Flag]

What is Polands fixed race night now? Sunday? Thursday? Friday? Seems like they feel the need to move away from a fixed race night so does that mean all the top stars won't want to ride there soon?

[stevebrum]

Hi steve like you i would love to see more of the top boys ride over here but the way things are going i can't see it happening.So i am trying to look on the bright side.

If the leagues are forced to amalgamate from the list of riders you have provided i would think we would defo loose 6 of them.But the other 6 could still ride over here as No 1s and be the big stars in a lower league.Nilsson,Batchelor,Buczkowski,Andersen Lindgren and Harris(just a fraction over) + the likes of Kylmakorpi etc all finished last season with a lower Elite league average than Cookie who was the Prem leagues No 1 rider so if he can ride in a lower league then with some sensable average covertions they could still race over here.

Again just trying to give an honest assesment of the other 6 named in your list Iversen and Doyle ride like the super stars they are.Jonsson good steady No 1.Kasprzak,Zagar and Holder have some howlers and often get beaten by the so called lesser riders which makes me think is their heart and sole in riding over here and do they bring over the same class of bike they use elsewhere.

So how do i feel about about an amalgamated league.Well losing the top 6 riders will be a total bumber but i still go now even though we have lost many many more than 6 top class riders over the last few years and i still enjoy the racing.So there loss will not stop me going either i just love the sport of speedway even more big names will be missing but on the whole i would not think that the racing will be that much different to what it is now.

Fair point and it's good to look on the bright side.

The EL whilst the weakest it's probably ever been is still a strong league in comparison to the PL. Despite many over the recent seasons saying that the leagues are getting closer , and they have to an extent, EL teams remain much stronger as they should be - evidenced by inter league challenge matches when the EL side has usually won pretty comfortably.

I agree it's unlikely we will see the top boys back but then I think not enough is being done to assist this becoming a possibility.

Time will tell which way things will go however a league that takes out the big boys is of no interest to me personally.

[GWC]

Kasprzak, Zagar, Harris, Jonsson, Nilsson, Iversen, Batchelor, Doyle, Holder, Buczkowski, Andersen, Lindgren.

what is your point?

If the point is not as many as 5 years ago then thanks for naming the obvious.

 

Goodness the league really has sunk low - I would say that if you had Crump Adams Petersen Hancock in your list then that would qualify as 'Top riders' but the list looks very thin now and of those I can only see 3 who would produce consistent double figure scores as a Number one and that is where the EL

has a problem.

Edited June 11, 2016 by GWC

[stevebrum]

Goodness the league really has sunk low - I would say that if you had Crump Adams Petersen Hancock in your list then that would qualify as 'Top riders' but the list looks very thin now and of those I can only see 3 who would produce consistent double figure scores as a Number one and that is where the EL

has a problem.

Even the top boys aren't producing consistent double figure scores and that's due to the race format hence why we are getting grossly twisted averages.

Time to scrap the format return to the previous one (current PL/NL one) and let riders get true averages like before.

Even tho the rolling averages have helped cut out riders getting fake averages due to poor form it still gives no true reflection of form or true ability.

[Notenoughnerve]

In my opinion a fixed race night will be the final nail in Speedway's coffin.

As somebody else has pointed out, we need a new generation of fans and that starts with families bringing the kids along. That's how I started and I then brought my lads as nippers.

There were several Saturday night tracks, Belle Vue, Coventry, Cradley, Lynn, Bradford and I think Swindon. The GP series has gradually ended that as it increased in size over the years. We now have a situation where barely any of the World stars ride in Britain anyway, so I'd suggest biting the bullet and doing without them. Create new stars.

It seems to me from reading countless comments that what Speedway fans want is regular weekly Speedway at a competitive level with a sustainable crowd in. A decent size fixture list with a bit of variety.

In the name of the star riders, we have sacrificed the ko cup, shrunk the fixture list to nothing, and given up on pairs or 4 team comps.

 

When BV had to move from Friday to Monday nights it was the beginning of a decline in attendances there.

So let's get weekend racing going, with a family crowd, make sure Speedway still exists and if the money runs out in the higher cost foreign leagues then there will be something still going when the stars deign to return.

Keeping Zagar NKI and Holder riding here clearly isn't going to save British Speedway

Edited June 11, 2016 by Notenoughnerve

[topaz325]

No TR in the revised system too.

[orion]

In my opinion a fixed race night will be the final nail in Speedway's coffin.

As somebody else has pointed out, we need a new generation of fans and that starts with families bringing the kids along. That's how I started and I then brought my lads as nippers.

There were several Saturday night tracks, Belle Vue, Coventry, Cradley, Lynn, Bradford and I think Swindon. The GP series has gradually ended that as it increased in size over the years. We now have a situation where barely any of the World stars ride in Britain anyway, so I'd suggest biting the bullet and doing without them. Create new stars.

It seems to me from reading countless comments that what Speedway fans want is regular weekly Speedway at a competitive level with a sustainable crowd in. A decent size fixture list with a bit of variety.

In the name of the star riders, we have sacrificed the ko cup, shrunk the fixture list to nothing, and given up on pairs or 4 team comps.

 

When BV had to move from Friday to Monday nights it was the beginning of a decline in attendances there.

So let's get weekend racing going, with a family crowd, make sure Speedway still exists and if the money runs out in the higher cost foreign leagues then there will be something still going when the stars deign to return.

Keeping Zagar NKI and Holder riding here clearly isn't going to save British Speedway

We got pl speedway at weekends and the crowds are poor ..so quite clearly that not going to help save British speedway ...just anything else in sport etc the bigger the names the better the crowd .

[ColinMills]

yet again i agree with orion...big names create big crowds, whether its a tuesday or a saturday!

[Starman2006]

We got pl speedway at weekends and the crowds are poor ..so quite clearly that not going to help save British speedway ...just anything else in sport etc the bigger the names the better the crowd .

But it will never happen Orion. Clubs are struggling now. For the upteinth time ALL the top boys will not come back and ride here for a pittance compared to what they get in Poland Sweden and the GP's.It will not happen, in your lifetime nor mine. They are not interested..

[ColinMills]

But it will never happen Orion. Clubs are struggling now. For the upteinth time ALL the top boys will not come back and ride here for a pittance compared to what they get in Poland Sweden and the GP's.It will not happen, in your lifetime nor mine. They are not interested..

the GP leader does? but agree, of course they wont all come back

[Notenoughnerve]

We got pl speedway at weekends and the crowds are poor ..so quite clearly that not going to help save British speedway ...just anything else in sport etc the bigger the names the better the crowd .

 

I really can't see once a fortnight meetings on a Thursday being the answer. Just one more step on the road to oblivion.

 

Clubs should run on a night that suits them, but let's not get too hung up on 'big names'. It's not worth it.

[ColinMills]

Cardiff, in fact all gps, shows what people will turn out in force to watch, as did the big indiviuals in our heyday, olympique, blue ribbon etc. the golden helmet match race. public see a watered down product, and they are choosing not to attend

[Humphrey Appleby]

Nos. 5 and 6 are reserves, taking 4 programmed rides. Nos. 1-4 take 5 programmed rides.

The reserves meet each other twice, and the other riders once. The Nos. 1-4 meet each other twice, and the reserves only once.

The reserves have a protected heat (Heat 3), but ride against a reserve in two other heats, and both second-strings in their other heat. The second-strings also have a protected heat (Heat 12).

 

1: 1 & 2 v 1 & 2

2: 3 & 3 v 3 & 4

3: 5 & 6 v 5 & 6

4: 1 & 2 v 3 & 4

5: 3 & 4 v 1 & 2

6: 1 & 5 v 3 & 6

7: 2 & 4 v 1 v 5

8: 3 & 6 v 2 & 4

9: 2 & 4 v 3 & 6

10: 1 & 5 v 2 & 4

11: 3 & 6 v 1 & 5

12: 2 & 4 v 2 & 4

13: 3 & 6 v 3 & 6

14: 1 & 5 v 1 & 5

15: Nominated (optional)

16: Top Scorer (optional)

 

Or just run the 14 heats and have second half with 4 juniors thrown-in:

 

15: Juniors

16: Third-highest averaged home rider, Lowest averaged home reserve, Second-highest averaged away rider, 4th Heat 15

17: Second-highest averaged home rider, 3rd Heat 15, Third-highest averaged away rider, Lowest averaged away reserve

18: Four-highest averaged home rider, Highest averaged home reserve, Highest averaged away rider, 2nd Heat 15

19: Highest averaged home rider, 1st of Heat 15, Four-highest averaged away rider, Highest averaged away reserve

20: Final - Winner of Heats 16-19

 

(Highest scorers in Final over the course of the season qualify for ELRC and British Championship)

Edited June 11, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[weatherwatcher]

It seems to now be a fact that a lot of people are only interested in watching the top riders over here, if that is the case they should put the money up to pay thier wages. How many people are actual speedway fans who would go along to watch teams of any standard, rather than watching no speedway at all. Because if all the clubs brought in the top riders, there would be a lot of EL or what ever top flight of British speedway there is in the next few years, that would be closing down, if they want to ride over here than I am afraid they would have to ride for the sort of money that the clubs could actually afford to pay. After watching the Lakeside meeting on Sky this week, I think it would have been very hard to even pay the tea boy, they where lucky from what I saw if there was 200 people there. You just can't carry on running a club with numbers turning up for meeting like that. What a soory state of affairs we are in now. For a sport that 20 years ago wa standing room and packed like sardines standing room only.

It is now a matter of picking where you want to stand or sit.

[ColinMills]

It seems to now be a fact that a lot of people are only interested in watching the top riders over here, if that is the case they should put the money up to pay thier wages. How many people are actual speedway fans who would go along to watch teams of any standard, rather than watching no speedway at all. Because if all the clubs brought in the top riders, there would be a lot of EL or what ever top flight of British speedway there is in the next few years, that would be closing down, if they want to ride over here than I am afraid they would have to ride for the sort of money that the clubs could actually afford to pay. After watching the Lakeside meeting on Sky this week, I think it would have been very hard to even pay the tea boy, they where lucky from what I saw if there was 200 people there. You just can't carry on running a club with numbers turning up for meeting like that. What a soory state of affairs we are in now. For a sport that 20 years ago wa standing room and packed like sardines standing room only.

It is now a matter of picking where you want to stand or sit.

guilty....I wouldn't watch NL speedway..Honest answer