If You Were?

[SomersetBlue]

In control of the BSPA, what changes would you make to British speedway to get it back to what it once was?

[The White Knight]

In control of the BSPA, what changes would you make to British speedway to get it back to what it once was?

A great question that will require a great deal of thought.

[Guest]

In control of the BSPA, what changes would you make to British speedway to get it back to what it once was?

 

 

A great question that will require a great deal of thought.

 

​Sadly Brummie Rebel IMO what you advocate will never happen. What is needed is a plan to salvage what at present remains of British speedway.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Guest

[foamfence]

In control of the BSPA, what changes would you make to British speedway to get it back to what it once was?

I'm not sure that I'd want to. I think we should go our own way with cheaper and more reliable engines and clutches and tyres that last for several meetings. I think we have to take a hard look at what we have and then be realistic in our aspirations. We need to make it cheaper and easier for new riders coming in, I would encourage as many weekend and Bank Holiday meetings as possible and I would shorten the season, the weather at the start and finish is too cold and often too wet. The BSPA are doing more with publicity, particularly with social media, they need to continue and expand their efforts to bring the sport to the attention of the public.

[mikebv]

In control of the BSPA, what changes would you make to British speedway to get it back to what it once was?

Simply..

 

Just run it like a proper sport should be ran...

 

Just run it with integrity like sports with independent governing bodies are ran..

 

Just run it so the Championships are won by bone fide teams, not select teams, thus giving the Championships credibility. Meaning winning one actually is an achievement delivered by the riders of that one club and not down to being delivered by a seasons worth of 'ringers' being used, which ultimately renders any achievement in winning as fabricated...

 

Race on evenings when you can get your best crowds, not when your employees can 'fit you in'..

 

Race on lighter, warmer, evenings during the Summer more often rather than cramming meetings in on cold, dark nights in late March, early April, late September and October..

 

Have as many riders per team as the talent pool and budget allows. And then decide on a meeting format based on this. With the aim of the format to put four similar standard riders out in every heat...

 

In short, (to stop rehashing 1000's of comments on here). Simply unpick almost everything the Sport currently does, make the obvious required changes currently staring everyone in the face, and maybe then it will move forwards..

[The White Knight]

Had you added, where credibility is concerned, get rid of Rules that contrive/fiddle Results ie: Tac Subs and Double Points, that would have been the perfect Post mikebv. :approve:

[Daniel Smith]

Off the top of my head:

Modernise the starting procedure with laser technology​

Laser lighting rigs on the infield

Uptempo modern music at all times

Stadium free WiFi

Club apps which gives live heat by heat scores - riders stats - fans vote for rider of the night - rider / management interviews - after meeting press conferences - more visibility for sponsors

Telemetry and cameras to be fitted as standard to all bikes https://www.instagram.com/p/BSeOfPkARsn/
With this, fans at home watching live matches on TV can pick a rider on the red button to ride on board with.
All telemetry data recorded live onto club app rider database.

 

Admission price example:

£17 (22-69)

£14 (70+)

£10 (16-21)

Free (u15 with adult)

Season tickets prices to be set to 2 home meetings free + away fixture admission half price

[ch958]

to be fair i think there is the beginnings of a plan - bringing the leagues slightly closer to allow for eventual credible promotion and relegation - they seem to be at least investigating new engines with low maintenance. I personally dont have a problem with the old tac sub - the new one is embarrasing and du/dd equally so.

 

As i say - the beginnings

[teaboy279]

Off the top of my head:

 

Modernise the starting procedure with laser technology​

 

Laser lighting rigs on the infield

 

Uptempo modern music at all times

 

Stadium free WiFi

 

Club apps which gives live heat by heat scores - riders stats - fans vote for rider of the night - rider / management interviews - after meeting press conferences - more visibility for sponsors

 

Telemetry and cameras to be fitted as standard to all bikes https://www.instagram.com/p/BSeOfPkARsn/

With this, fans at home watching live matches on TV can pick a rider on the red button to ride on board with.

All telemetry data recorded live onto club app rider database.

 

Admission price example:

£17 (22-69)

£14 (70+)

£10 (16-21)

Free (u15 with adult)

Season tickets prices to be set to 2 home meetings free + away fixture admission half price

You know what, that would cost very little to implement all of that

[Hawk127]

Standard pricing across the board broken down into the three leagues/ tiers - Premiership £16.00 / Championship £12.00 and NL £8.00. All kids under 16 free.

Concessions (60'and over £10.00.

 

Racing commences on start time so any parade takes place fifteen minutes before. Cut out the rider from ntroductionand warm up laps. Introduce each rider who goes out and gets two laps practice

 

Thirteen heats then three heats of any combination of riders but no rider can race more then once in the final three heats.

 

Apps for programmes

 

Riders for the next heat ready by lap three of the current heat.

 

Riders Gardening is prohibited. Automatic 15 mtr start

 

Unsatisfactory start, back to the tapes immediately.

 

Once riders are on track, mechanics etc not allowed on track. If ride leaves the track they are excluded

 

Start Marshall given authority to penalise rides for delaying that start.

 

Reduce the maximum time between races to three minutes to allow for track grading.

 

No interval after heat 9

 

Meetings not completed within 90 minutes (excluding crashes) receive a fine which goes to the Ben Fund.

 

The Ben fund to be turned into a pre season championship chase and every rider attached to a league team in the U.K. Must ride in at least one meeting. Top,sixteen scorers go to a final Ava neutral track

 

Chances of an of the above happening are as remote as a National League team winning the World Cup

[ch958]

great post - full of common sense

[Hawk127]

great post - full of common sense

Apart from the errors re spelling etc.

 

But thanks for the feedback.

 

Unfortunately no one else is listening but at least we can dream (and that is about as good as it gets the way things are run).

 

Mildenhall to beat Poland in World Cup Play off and I respect all the riders and management at the club, the finest in the land. If only.

 

Really you yearn for change but those who run the sport live in cloud cuckoo land so no hope.

[ruffdiamond]

Apart from the errors re spelling etc.

But thanks for the feedback.

Unfortunately no one else is listening but at least we can dream (and that is about as good as it gets the way things are run).

Mildenhall to beat Poland in World Cup Play off and I respect all the riders and management at the club, the finest in the land. If only.

Really you yearn for change but those who run the sport live in cloud cuckoo land so no hope.

bit of a bummer for 'concessions' at a NL match, unless they pretend to be under 60

 

but, obviously far too much 'common' involved,,,

Edited April 10, 2017 by ruffdiamond

[martinmauger]

Standard pricing across the board broken down into the three leagues/ tiers - Premiership £16.00 / Championship £12.00 and NL £8.00. All kids under 16 free.

Concessions (60'and over £10.00.

 

Racing commences on start time so any parade takes place fifteen minutes before. Cut out the rider from ntroductionand warm up laps. Introduce each rider who goes out and gets two laps practice

 

Thirteen heats then three heats of any combination of riders but no rider can race more then once in the final three heats.

 

Apps for programmes

 

Riders for the next heat ready by lap three of the current heat.

 

Riders Gardening is prohibited. Automatic 15 mtr start

 

Unsatisfactory start, back to the tapes immediately.

 

Once riders are on track, mechanics etc not allowed on track. If ride leaves the track they are excluded

 

Start Marshall given authority to penalise rides for delaying that start.

 

Reduce the maximum time between races to three minutes to allow for track grading.

 

No interval after heat 9

 

Meetings not completed within 90 minutes (excluding crashes) receive a fine which goes to the Ben Fund.

 

The Ben fund to be turned into a pre season championship chase and every rider attached to a league team in the U.K. Must ride in at least one meeting. Top,sixteen scorers go to a final Ava neutral track

 

Chances of an of the above happening are as remote as a National League team winning the World Cup

Agree with the above. But keep double up / down, with some regulation. We all want riders to progress but seom riding in 2 Uk leagues whilst others ride in one (or none) is ridiculous. So, similar to the way National League riders are assessed, presumably on ability & experience. E.g. employ some kind of grading system. Allow riders to double up, National to Champs League, Champs to Premiership, but for a limited time (say 2 or 3 season) only riders who express the desire and possess the abilty to progress. Permit doubling down if riders are primarily a higher league rider and / or loaned to one, and only one, lower league, again for a limited time to gain experience. Then allow them to ride in just the one or two leagues, again for a limited time. At some point it could then be 'make you mind up time' for ride to deiced which league they are to ride in. This should gradually free up places in lower leageus and encourage riders to move up to higher leagues.

 

Not THE solution, just my 2p worth.

 

Re; engines, costs need to reduced, we all agree on this. But: say the GTR, new JAWA (or an updated GM) is made compulsory;- would would riders do with their existing engines ? I suggest either a rev limniter, or a power limit, enabling riders to use their existing engines with less cost than been forced to bin them and invest in a new engine(s). Ok, it would still incure some cost as riders will probably need to change camshafts, pistons, con-rods, flywheels, etc to meet any power regulation, but less costly than everyone buying new engines. Possibly employ a mobile 'rolling-road' for random power checks at tracks.

 

Again, not THE solution another 2p worth....

Edited April 10, 2017 by Martin Mauger

[Shale Searcher]

First and foremost, I would ban doubling up/down in any Professional UK leagues.

 

Hard to do over a single season, but do-able over 2 seasons I think..

 

So:

 

Season 2018

 

Only 1 double upper or downer allowed in a teams 1 to 5

Only 1 double upper/downer in the reserve births.

 

However, any team that has NO double uppers/downers in their 1 to 7 will be allowed..

 

Season 2019

 

No double uppers/downers allowed in any teams 1 to 5

 

1 double upper allowed in either reserve birth..

 

Season 2020

 

No Double Uppers/Downers allowed in Professional UK Speedway League/s

 

So, that's double uppers/downers sorted

 

No, what to do with UK leagues and Foreign Leagues...

 

Answers later today.....

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

Get rid of the tapes for something more up to date

Price structure across the leagues

Premiership

adults £16

seniors £10

students £8

u16 free

programme £2.50

 

Championship

adults £15

seniors £10

students £7

u16 free

programme £2

 

NL

adults £11

seniors £7

students £5

u16 free

programme £1

 

BSPA events

adults £18

seniors £12

students £10

u16 free

programme £4

 

In premiership and championship each team has 1 unemployed championship rider and 1 NL rider as 'guests' who they can use (like a squad system). Only allowed to replace a rider with a higher average.

 

Clubs to cater more for kids with kids races and such (look at how Glasgow does it and follow suit)

 

Each club to provide proper heat by heat updates either through twitter/facebook account or through website/app.

 

TR replaced by tac sub (can be used twice maximum and has to be 6 behind then 8 behind)

 

Track covers to be used by every track (they work when there is no rain forecast during meeting!!) this will minimise rain offs

 

Change from 2 Brits required fo 3.

 

Wifi available in stadiums

 

PRC, CRC, NLRC, British final and British U21 final to all be held at National Speedway Stadium

 

Change the tires back!!

[Vince]

I think the move to narrow the gap between the top leagues is a good start as is the single average.

 

It's very difficult to do but I think tracks need to be prepped for good racing rather than home advantage BUT fans want home wins more than good racing it seems so I'm sure promoters would disagree.

 

Like a lot of what Danny Smith says, the laser lighting, good music, WiFi and apps are all things that would be attractive to younger newcomers (I guess!).

 

I would add in that needle among riders creates atmosphere and should be encouraged. Even the odd punch up shouldn't be punished as long as it stays between riders. Anybody else at all who hits a rider, mechanic, track staff, anybody should be banned from the pits for life though.

 

Moving meetings along smartly can only be good. However I would rather a meeting lasted 20 minutes longer if that time is needed to keep moisture in the track or other maintenance to give good racing.

 

Do away with the family friendly image and make a big issue of just how dangerous Speedway is. Unlike most sports it wouldn't need to be exaggerated and again might get people through the gate.

 

I would keep doubling up to British licence holders who have to give preference to our leagues. However stuff like the doubling up and tactical points makes not one bit of difference to getting new people in the gate and in my opinion that is where we should be concentrating. Get them in the gate, make sure it's as exciting as possible and try and create a good atmosphere for starters. They can be on the forum moaning about the details six months down the line but if the atmosphere was good they'll still go and watch.

[Grachan]

_{I don't really see why the Wi-Fi/apps thing is a good idea. Speedway is nerdy enough with its programme filling and so on and this will just make it more so. Do we really want a crowd of people all looking down at their mobile phones when the race finishes? Some might. I wouldn't.}

 

_{As it is, speedway is one of the few occasions when my 13-year-old son doesn't feel the need to be using his phone! Why change that?}

 

_{Two things I would make essential at each club.}

 

_{1 - Have a scoreboard and (here's a novel idea) actually put the score on it and leave it there.}

 

_{2 - Put the phone to the ref back by the start line so everyone can jeer at riders and managers when they use it. Remember when you'd get riders on the phone, looking up at the ref's box and waving their arms about? Great entertainment.}

[Daniel Smith]

Just another thought.

What about the pairs point scoring system in league racing 4-3-2-0?

Could this stop the guy out the gate first from flying off in the distance and force his hand in having to help his teammate who's struggling in 3rd-4th?

Could the rider who wins the race be deducted a paid point for none attempt to help a teammate stuck in 4th?

 

Just maybe little ideas like that will bring the emphasis back to what league racing is all about - 'being a team'.

[ruffdiamond]

Just another thought.

What about the pairs point scoring system in league racing 4-3-2-0?

Could this stop the guy out the gate first from flying off in the distance and force his hand in having to help his teammate who's struggling in 3rd-4th?

Could the rider who wins the race be deducted a paid point for none attempt to help a teammate stuck in 4th?

 

Just maybe little ideas like that will bring the emphasis back to what league racing is all about - 'being a team'.

far too simple idea

can't see a rider being deducted a point for 'none attempt', as who could judge that, the crowd ???