Popular Post PHILIPRISING Posted July 12, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 READ this morning that Rye House are staging their second home meeting in eight weeks. No wonder British speedway is in the state it is. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BangerBoy Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Until British speedway use riders who are committed to weekly meetings over here it will get worse. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Third Man Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Until British speedway use riders who are committed to weekly meetings over here it will get worse. Well that is definately in the hands of the BSPA, they can make that happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 (edited) READ this morning that Rye House are staging their second home meeting in eight weeks. No wonder British speedway is in the state it is. But think of all the money they are not losing by not running Phil.....!!😆😕 Edited July 12, 2017 by mikebv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 But think of all the money they are not losing by not running Phil.....!! I THINK Rye House are doing okay at home. Decent crowds (by today's standards). And they own their own stadium. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 READ this morning that Rye House are staging their second home meeting in eight weeks. No wonder British speedway is in the state it is. I find this really concerning.......... You are definitely right about the state of things if that is the case. How can Supporters get a habit of going to the Speedway regularly if there is only Meetings something like once a month? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Swindon have to cram in at least 19 meetings between now and early Sept, 10 at home. We've only had 6 home meetings so far. Crazy fixture planning. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Leicester's last match was on June 17th and their next one on July 17th (which I'll have to miss anyway.) This more than anything is what is killing Speedway as people just get out of the habit of going. Swindon have to cram in at least 19 meetings between now and early Sept, 10 at home.We've only had 6 home meetings so far.Crazy fixture planning. Agree but isn't it Swindon's Colin Pratt who sorts the fixtures out? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Leicester's last match was on June 17th and their next one on July 17th (which I'll have to miss anyway.) This more than anything is what is killing Speedway as people just get out of the habit of going. Agree but isn't it Swindon's Colin Pratt who sorts the fixtures out? HE used to but not sure he does now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 READ this morning that Rye House are staging their second home meeting in eight weeks. No wonder British speedway is in the state it is. Given that the Rockets are theoretically a Saturday track, the Wolverhampton match will be the first meeting on that night since May 20th. The next is scheduled for August 5th which is currently scheduled to be final Saturday meeting of the season, Those healthy crowds came from an opening run of four consecutive Saturdays in April, more than the three other Saturday meetings scheduled for the rest of the season. I respect BMR's ambition but question the wisdom of losing the weekly fixtures. I do hope the support is still there and haven't got out of the habit. Joining the 'elite' has its price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 (edited) Leicester's last match was on June 17th and their next one on July 17th (which I'll have to miss anyway.) This more than anything is what is killing Speedway as people just get out of the habit of going. Agree but isn't it Swindon's Colin Pratt who sorts the fixtures out? Colin does do the fixtures, and it is difficult for promoters, but to have most Thursdays in April May June early July blank, just 5 home meetings in the last 14 Thursdays, and then cram in loads in the last 8 weeks of the season is not showing consideration for the fans. Just have a three month season then. With football starting again soon a lot of peeps won't be able to attend all the home fixtures.No future for the current Premier set up. Edited July 13, 2017 by beefy keefy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Until British speedway use riders who are committed to weekly meetings over here it will get worse. Those riding abroad should only be allowed to be replaced by a NL rider, promoters will soon get the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Those riding abroad should only be allowed to be replaced by a NL rider, promoters will soon get the message. WHAT about the paying fans. Will they accept a NL rider? Just asking the question... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 How many teams will complete their fixtures before cut off date ,very poor planning clubs need a home fixture weekly to keep continuity,or fans will just get out of the habit.BSPA have to take the blame with all their rules regarding teams and riders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Colin does do the fixtures, and it is difficult for promoters, but to have most Thursdays in April May June early July blank, just 5 home meetings in the last 14 Thursdays, and then cram in loads in the last 8 weeks of the season is not showing consideration for the fans. Just have a three month season then. With football starting again soon a lot of peeps won't be able to attend all the home fixtures. No future for the current Premier set up. It's clear that the fixtures are having to be crammed in before and after the main Polish and SGP seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttons Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Absolute chaos no wonder fans are walking away, I for one have found other things to do. Nothing will be done no one takes any notice of the supporters unfortunately, or our sport would not be in the state it is. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Absolute chaos no wonder fans are walking away, I for one have found other things to do. Nothing will be done no one takes any notice of the supporters unfortunately, or our sport would not be in the state it is. I know a few Abbey regulars that have deserted the sport, fed up with lack of racing, weakening line ups, and no progress on the new stadium. We will be there tonight with our 34 quid, but there has to be changes, fans are doing other things now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 I know a few Abbey regulars that have deserted the sport, fed up with lack of racing, weakening line ups, and no progress on the new stadium. We will be there tonight with our 34 quid, but there has to be changes, fans are doing other things now. Do you not think it is already too late? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Do you not think it is already too late? Probably Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 (edited) I think most of us started following a sport that was weekly, and almost always on the same night, with the odd gap or alternate night to accomodate teams running on the same race night. Continuity was the key. In my early days Saturday night was speedway night at Rayleigh, later Fridays at Hackney and Sundays at Rye House. I also knew I could rely on Wimbledon, Crayford, Arena Essex and the likes of Canterbury, Eastbourne and Reading staging meetings I could get to, every week. Now when I do have the chance to go to a meeting, invariably my nearest tracks aren't running. It's not just Poland and the GPs that have caused this situation, it's the rejection of all but league matches by the public. As I've mentioned elsewhere to run weekly from mid-March to mid-October requires about 30 fixtures. At present, doubling-up league matches produces 14 regular season matches in the SGBP and 18 in the SGBC. Add-in the minimum of one cup match and in the case of the SGBP you would fill half your fixtures with league matches and just over half in the SGBC. If you combine the two leagues into an 18 team league you get 17 home regular season fixtures plus at least one cup tie and maybe a playoff match or two. That still leaves about 10 dates to fill to run a full season. Okay, allow for say four blanks. You still have six dates to fill. Perhaps then you have a regional competition to start the season, maybe call it the League Cup. (I know, not exactly original). So, you could have an 18 team league, plus two nine team regional league starters. That would then give you 25 dates which with cup ties and play-offs would fill a season and give most tracks the benefit of still seeing local rivals twice a year. You could run the League Cup in three or four sections to cut back from the minimum 25. Of course you would then need to find the riders to fill the gaps caused by the elimination of doubling-up. One thing is certain, you cannot have continuity with 8 or 10 team leagues unless it's fortnightly or the public stop turning their noses at non league meetings, or as we used to call them, individual, pairs, 4TT, test matches, or as they are now termed, "meaningless". A fortnightly 8 team league on one night of the week will run 14 weeks plus play-offs, or longer with the occasional gap, as in Sweden and Poland currently. Doubling-up on home fixtures would push this close to 30, possibly that bit too long. It's clear that Swedish and Polish fans are happy with 7 match homes season, plus maybe one or two play-offs but would we be here? Do we really want less than ten home meetings a year? I don't have the answers but hopefully some of these questions will get people who might have thinking. In the modern (post-1965) era British Speedway's best years lay in the days of 16-18 team leagues and a mixed fixture list of league and open meetings, but even then those open meetings were a vital part of the schedule. Perhaps it was because the sport was much cheaper in real terms or the racing was more important than the result but the public's needs have clearly changed. A 30 meeting is season is great of course when you're making money. You could smell the rot setting in when one EL track stated they could only afford to pay for a 14 match home league season. We have to find a way back to weekly speedway. A combined 18 team league with extra competitions such as a League Cup would take us a lot closer to that. (Yes it does sound like speedway pre 1985, doesn't it?) .The sport made great strides in reorganisation last winter, which it seems many supporters haven't been able to see. There's one more large step to take. It's not a case of living in the past but learning from it. I don't say we return to an earlier era, just switch over to the path we should have taken from there rather than the ruinous one we're now on. Edited July 13, 2017 by Rob McCaffery 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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