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Exactly we need more mr nastys like Pedersen the fans love a villain look when he get introduced at Cardiff all you hear are boos. he is a character and probably the only one left. The sport will be worse off when he retires.

 

I agree about characters and the interest provided other than the actual racing - however I do not like dangerous riding, the like which Lindgren dished out last season in the GPs and Pedersen has done in the past. Although I have to say I have not seen anything particularly harsh from Nicki for a few years now.

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Dirty/dangerous riding I agree shouldn't be encouraged.

It's just all of this handshaking, fist-bumping type stuff between opponents on the wind-down lap that needs cutting down on. Riders should be concentrating on interacting with the crowd at those times, not having some on track love-in. Save that for the pits gate.

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Only a few weeks until the season starts and whilst I sincerely hope this does not happen, I think it is worth discussing what would happen if either of the following scenarios developed:

 

1) Sky find a way to exit the 5 year contract without any financial penalties. The broadcasting rights then revert back to the BSPA but they can not agree a deal with BT sport that matches up to what the 8 competing teams had budgeted on receiving.

 

2) Sky decide to simply stop showing speedway to save on production costs, and are happy to honour the payments for broadcasting rights rather than do a deal with BT to broadcast the matches. However the knock on effect to the clubs is that sponsors will want a reduction in their agreed deals or even pull out all together, which I would estimate to be worth just as much to the clubs as the sky payments and would again leave their budget descimated.

 

So in either scenario what would happen to the Premiership? For example would riders take a pay cut or would their be urgent action taken by the clubs and top riders replaced with national league riders. Or is it worth all clubs taking a financial risk and running as they are but possibly cutting the league short after the first 7 home and 7 away?

 

No doubt some forum members will accuse me of doom mongering but who knows what is happening behind the scenes, and surely worth discussing 'what if' openly on a forum for supporters of British Speedway Premiership clubs....

How does the Championship league survive they don't get any sky money(maybe 1 meeting or so a season).The way it is now there are maybe half a dozen riders classed as top riders the rest ride in the championship league or are of that class.I heard that most of the sky money in the past was paid to the top riders to get them to ride over here,these days there are not that many top riders to

pay top wages to.I am not saying that if they loose the sky money it won't be a big blow but the way things are now i don't think it would cripple the sport like it would have done a few years ago.I would think that the weakening of the league(and in my opinion the aim is to have one big championship level league and loose all the top riders)is an attempt to keep speedway running in this country at a cost British promotions can afford without folding and the possibilty of eventually loosing the sky money could be part of their reasoning.So the plan to keep the sport running at a lower cost and maybe without sky money is already in motion.For all our sakes lets hope it works.

Edited by B.V 72
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So you are telling me trees that you did not like Shane Parker antics at when he was at Lynn and you did not use to like buster running up to the refs box or laying on the track ? I'm sure you went home talking about these things as well as good racing it's a show as well as racing

I think your getting Buster mixed up with David Helmsley. You silly billy.

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So you've got to have fights and confrontations to be entertaining? I beg to differ I just want to see great racing with plenty of passes, team riding, crowd interaction, that's how I want the riders to show their passion, not with fisticuffs.

The fans then need to respond, we have to show our passion for our club and riders by raising the roof so to speak after a great race, which I know we do but a little bit extra cheering and not programme filling would add to the night

No - but it all goes to add to the flavour.

 

Of course I would say that - I was a big fan of the late Jack Millen (Crazy Jack, Mad Jack, Millen the Villain). When Jack was riding against Frank Auffret (Teeside) their clashes were legendary. We still talk about them today. There were many more true characters in those days - Taffy Owen, Doug Wyer, Tony Childs, Arthur Browning, George Major - I could go on.

 

Characters are needed in Speedway - Niki Pedersen, as has been said, seems to be the only one left these days.

 

The Sport has become too sanitized - to it's cost.

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I think your getting Buster mixed up with David Helmsley. You silly billy.

He most certainly is not. Buster has gone up the refs box many times, the most amusing was when he cleaned the windows to allow the ref to see better. I also recall him offering his own glasses to a ref (possibly Mick Bates)

 

The crowd loved it, or hated it depending on who they supported, never caused any hassle and kept us entertained during the non racing minutes. Sadly such actions are frowned on nowadays and would probably end up in a fine.

 

One former promoter, a member on here, would gesticulate with the ref from the centre green at least once a meeting and he did it specifically to entertain the fans. He told me several times he would phone the ref from the centre green, throwing his arms about to look annoyed but was simply telling the ref that it was all an act.

Edited by Star Lady
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Losing any television coverage would kill the sport especially at premiership level as clubs and riders use the sky sports association to gain sponsorship this would dramatically decrease in value if there was no coverage, hence why sky will make the offer of just covering their costs but giving speedway its platform

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You are onto something here.

 

The greatest legend in my 47 years of going to speedway was Kelvin Mullarkey, his races with Battling Barney Kennett, "halfer" Browning (if you didn't see him you sure missed out an absolute man mountain), Alan Sage, 4 rides and 4 f/exc against Glasgow (must be a record) and the Muddy hall Fen Tigers are unforgettable memories. I have probably seen 6 track records broken and yet cant remember any of the races.

I completely agree. Any meeting which included Barney and Kelvin used to pull in an additional minimum of 500 fans in my opinion. Jack Millen at Crewe and Tom Owen at Newcastle also fall into the same category as do more than a few old Eastbourne riders.......but the Eagles always seemed to go a little to far.

 

Having said that, pretty much every meeting at Kingsmead when Eastbourne were the visitors, had double the 'average' crowd. Halcyon days.

 

Your very own Tiger Beech always brought along a few extra paying fans too ;)

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I completely agree. Any meeting which included Barney and Kelvin used to pull in an additional minimum of 500 fans in my opinion. Jack Millen at Crewe and Tom Owen at Newcastle also fall into the same category as do more than a few old Eastbourne riders.......but the Eagles always seemed to go a little to far.

 

Having said that, pretty much every meeting at Kingsmead when Eastbourne were the visitors, had double the 'average' crowd. Halcyon days.

 

Your very own Tiger Beech always brought along a few extra paying fans too ;)

Ron Wilson at Teeside always reckoned that Jack Millen put 500 on the Gate whenever he visited Teeside with Sunderland. :t:

 

I know he rode for Crewe - but he had his best years at Sunderland. :)

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Ron Wilson at Teeside always reckoned that Jack Millen put 500 on the Gate whenever he visited Teeside with Sunderland. :t:

 

I know he rode for Crewe - but he had his best years at Sunderland. :)

It was his days at Crewe which stick in my mind.........my memories of Sunderland visits were an easy home win ;)

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It was his days at Crewe which stick in my mind.........my memories of Sunderland visits were an easy home win ;)

How very true. We always lost there. :sad:

 

From memory I don't think Jack ever let us down there. :t::approve: :approve:

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See my point is shared by others no characters in speedway nowadays apart from Pedersen. we ar all talking about the past the promoters should be getting together with the riders and the SCB and looking to allow riders to be able put some fun back into the sport without getting fined for farting !! Let the riders square up too each other, trash talk on the mic, speedway needs to be a show to keep people entertained for 2 hours not 15mins of just racing. Make the derbys proper derbys like the old day instead of inviting the neighbours round for a cup of tea ! The riders are suppose to be gladiators going into a ring not bloody dancers !! BSPA sort it out before it's too late

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See my point is shared by others no characters in speedway nowadays apart from Pedersen. we ar all talking about the past the promoters should be getting together with the riders and the SCB and looking to allow riders to be able put some fun back into the sport without getting fined for farting !! Let the riders square up too each other, trash talk on the mic, speedway needs to be a show to keep people entertained for 2 hours not 15mins of just racing. Make the derbys proper derbys like the old day instead of inviting the neighbours round for a cup of tea ! The riders are suppose to be gladiators going into a ring not bloody dancers !! BSPA sort it out before it's too late

How can Lynn have derbies when we're in different divisions :( I don't need any fisticuffs etc to feel the passion for winning a local derby, Norfolk v Suffolk, Lynn v Peterborough 😊 If only!
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How can Lynn have derbies when we're in different divisions :( I don't need any fisticuffs etc to feel the passion for winning a local derby, Norfolk v Suffolk, Lynn v Peterborough If only!

Trouble is Trees you are almost unique. Most people like the extra entertainment, especially if they don't get charged for it

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