CookieIpswich Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 That's what they said last winter for this season, has anything improved so far this season, has the new leagues worked? Have any issues from previous seasons been resolved and ultimately is the sport in a better place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 There is a saying - "Take one step back to take two steps forward" Hopefully its true.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieIpswich Posted June 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 Ok but what are the steps forward for next season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 That's what they said last winter for this season, has anything improved so far this season, has the new leagues worked? Have any issues from previous seasons been resolved and ultimately is the sport in a better place?No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted June 11, 2017 Report Share Posted June 11, 2017 I think it is in a better place - unfortunately not reflected in attendance growth at the moment Next steps? Reduce the DU/DD to more manageable level and work towards getting rid. NL seems to work for most of its clubs doesn't it? - perhaps this is the level for Championship clubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 11, 2017 Report Share Posted June 11, 2017 Living in the south east The vast majority of the tracks are in the NL. I've got used to watching most of my meetings at this level. Do I miss the top flight, if my visits to rye house This season are anything to go by, no I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieIpswich Posted June 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2017 I think its no better if not worse, I'm sure someone can join this thread and show the % of double uppers compared to last season But that is just one of the major problems with the sport, for me all they've done is rebranded the same turd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted June 11, 2017 Report Share Posted June 11, 2017 I don't think there will be any instant improvements, it could be a long haul, but I honestly do think there are green chutes, because there are some good young riders being introduced to league speedway, who came through the youth championships. Long may this continue. I also think the Championship is a good product this season. Almost every team has a couple of cracking riders. The riders championship, pairs and fours have the potential to be great meetings this year. Personally I don't mind doubling up / down, as long as it doesn't affect too many meetings with absentees. I have nothing against Nick Morris riding for both Berwick and Swindon, I can put up with him missing a couple of meetings a season. In an ideal world you would have every rider having only one team, but until more riders are brought into the sport that might be more difficult. I am also very impressed with the use of covers at Berwick. Hopefully other tracks will follow suit. Yes there is still a lot wrong with the sport and there is a long way to go, but there has definitely been positives coming out of the season so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieIpswich Posted June 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Surely the youngsters coming through would get a championship club anyway because there are not enough riders to go round? Shanes for example should be in the championship not premiership when the likes of Richie Worral have no place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Surely the youngsters coming through would get a championship club anyway because there are not enough riders to go round? Shanes for example should be in the championship not premiership when the likes of Richie Worral have no place Forgetting of course that the youth system is bringing on more riders that before, so the potential to reduce the number of DU's and foreign riders is greater. Develop British Youth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldyman Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Personally I don't think it's ever been so bad. Sky didn't even want it anymore. I didn't even bother going on Thursday, and that's gonna happen more and more. Just a quick look around the crowd will show you how long speedway has left. I would say about 75 percent of an already small crowd is over 60 years of age. So where is the future of speedway? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crump99 Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 That's what they said last winter for this season, has anything improved so far this season, has the new leagues worked? Have any issues from previous seasons been resolved and ultimately is the sport in a better place? The race to the bottom that has been going on for years has just been dressed up as a restructure. It would have been easier to efficiently run the existing system but that's another story: "Promoters feel this dramatic revamp was necessary in a financially challenging climate – and whilst chairman Keith Chapman admits there is an element of cost cutting there is plenty for fans and sponsors to be excited about." I can't say that there's too much excitement about, and British Speedway has less relevance and identity now than I can ever remember. Basically it's still work in progress though so it might turn around but we haven't bottomed out yet and this'll not be the last revamp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Ok but what are the steps forward for next season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Personally I don't think it's ever been so bad. Sky didn't even want it anymore. I didn't even bother going on Thursday, and that's gonna happen more and more. Just a quick look around the crowd will show you how long speedway has left. I would say about 75 percent of an already small crowd is over 60 years of age. So where is the future of speedway? Not true. They could not afford it due to the Football Premier deal, and have now gone for cheaper sports. I believe they paid up to get out of the contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldyman Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 (edited) They probably couldn't afford turning up for all the rain offs. So decided to show other things. Wasn't it in the original agreement that clubs got covers for the tracks? Whatever the reason, speedway is only heading one way, and it's not up. Edited June 12, 2017 by baldyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieIpswich Posted June 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Developing British talent although happening right now will take time for every success story in the prem or championship there is more that struggle, so it will take time to develope riders capable of competing in these leagues, alot more can be done which isn't, a summer series needs developing so kids can compete with ALL costs paid for so BSPA can go to crossers, grasstrackers even road racing kids and say you can earn from speedway come give it a go for nothing. The MotoStar series at british superbike level costs parents ££££'s and there is no prize money, to progress to superbike you need sponsors coz a fraction of the grid are paid to race the rest have to pay themselves, only one or two every few years make it to a level where its worthwhile, why not entice these to speedway? British Speedway will only survive because people are living longer, and if the sport was half decent then sky would have kept it and renegotiated the package, but they want a growing sport, speedway is no more expensive than netball or ice hockey or the british basketball league that's why it lost sky ultimately Only two sets of people can change the sport and its fans and riders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Developing British talent although happening right now will take time for every success story in the prem or championship there is more that struggle, so it will take time to develope riders capable of competing in these leagues, alot more can be done which isn't, a summer series needs developing so kids can compete with ALL costs paid for so BSPA can go to crossers, grasstrackers even road racing kids and say you can earn from speedway come give it a go for nothing. The MotoStar series at british superbike level costs parents ££££'s and there is no prize money, to progress to superbike you need sponsors coz a fraction of the grid are paid to race the rest have to pay themselves, only one or two every few years make it to a level where its worthwhile, why not entice these to speedway? British Speedway will only survive because people are living longer, and if the sport was half decent then sky would have kept it and renegotiated the package, but they want a growing sport, speedway is no more expensive than netball or ice hockey or the british basketball league that's why it lost sky ultimately Only two sets of people can change the sport and its fans and riders Not true. Look at the thread on General Discussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 (edited) Too many teams racing on too many nights... Not enough riders to deliver the above scenario with integrity and credibility.. Fans therefore don't attend regularly enough to watch contrived, cobbled together nonsense masquerading as a Professional Sport. These issues are the starting point/root cause for all the issues the sport has in Britain... Fix those and the sport in this country can move forward.. Does it have the stomach though to make the radical, hard hitting, impactful changes required? And if it does, no point having a clear plan of action when those below you can veto your vision as it personally impacts their business in what they perceive to be a negative way.. Not seen too much in the way of improved integrity or credibility this season. Maybe next year is when Buster and his team's plan of action will start to be more obvious and take effect? Let's be honest, unravelling years and years of an unfit for purpose operating model won't happen overnight... Edited June 12, 2017 by mikebv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieIpswich Posted June 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Its very true, speedway is not more expensive than filming netball, ice hockey or other sports. The problem with sky was the deal they were tied into was not value for money, as the sport is not growing they could not sell it to advertisers which they can with other sports. Sky, if they wanted to could broadcast speedway on a budget, ALOT less than it paid to do so in the past, but it dropped it as the sport did not offer value to its sports mix. Yes they overpaid for football but if speedway had a massive following and was a buzz sport they would not have dropped it for the reduced price they could have got it for it would have been kept as part of their portfolio. Ive been involved with broadcasting in particular sports thats aired on stream and BT Sport, multi camera teams etc and sky could have reduced their cost of filming but they've left it to die and suffer at the same time BT Sport will no doubt do the same in a couple of years when the BSPA talk them into a new deal and then BT realise the lies and pull out Unfortunately the sport cannot sustain two "professional" leagues, it can really only warrant one Super League of 12 clubs maximum with the rest semi professional Thats the direction the BSPA should have done last winter but they've made their beds now must lay in them for a number of years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldyman Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Would you call any of the clubs professional? ?? looks very amateurish from what I see or read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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