Leicester V Kings Lynn Saturday 5th August

[Star Lady]

i agree with all the comments that this meeting was a farce given all the guests etc but just to put the score in context Lynn got 9 points less away than Rye House got last night and as far as I can see from the updates didn't used a dingly dangly double score doophoops. That's a whole 9 points less than a full team (guest reserve) scored at home.

 

I'm not defending what happened at Leicester but it makes you think a bit.

[waytogo28]

Buster is delusional if he believes "his way" is the right way to restore speedway to anything like it's well supported days. It is spiralling into an "It's a knockout" style of existence where fewer and fewer people will pay money to see it. Where are the other members of the BSPA? Hiding behind Buster while he makes things worse and worse? Under his watch the only positive thing has been to get BT to take on broadcasting the sport after Sky walked away - IF that was his doing. Where are the marketing ideas that were much trumpeted in the winter? Where are any positive ideas from within the BSPA? This winter will be most interesting in terms of what they next come up with to "save the sport".

[Midland Red]

I must be mellowing in my old age as I actually enjoyed hearing Peter York's voice again and thought he did okay.

OMG! Taxi for Gemini!

[Halifaxtiger]

Yes that's true but I got the feeling after Leicester's performances this season it didn't really matter and the fans just enjoyed all the 5-1's. Not often you see team riding these days. Regarding the crowd ~ I think a lot of tracks would be pleased with the amount of people there tonight. Probably not as big as usual but still pretty good.

 

 

Good summing up. Heaven knows what Garrity was up to but definitely something. He couldn't have been that unlucky to start 15 metres back three times.

Thank you Mr McGregor for not allowing a sun break as the match was drawn out enough as it was with just 7 heats gone in an hour and a quarter ~ 8.45 when heat 8 started.

I must be mellowing in my old age as I actually enjoyed hearing Peter York's voice again and thought he did okay.

Either that or you are going deaf, Gem Edited August 6, 2017 by Halifaxtiger

[Daniel Smith]

It's quite simple = Money!

 

Not just money, it's also how erratic the fixtures are.

[The Cheese]

"We head to Leicester on Saturday but my main focus is Monday when we have a very special meeting against Somerset here at the Adrian Flux Arena." That is a direct quote from Buster Chapman (the man in charge of British Speedway) on the KL website and with an attitude like that it's no wonder the sport is in the state that it is. A total disregard for anything other than trying to get fans through his own turnstiles. What he doesn't realise is that if every promoter took that attitude (and most of them do) then there is no real competition (like whoever went tonight witnessed) and the sport (and I use the term loosely) is in a downward spiral into oblivion

 

I'm sure he'd have something to say if Somerset weren't interested in his 'very special meeting' because they have a very important meeting at home on Wednesday.

[Gavan]

So what do you suggest? Cancel? Then Leicester would possibly have to ride two meetings in one week which is never a good idea.

 

Down to Kings Lynn to produce a competitive lineup.

Lol

 

Seem to remember Matt Ford cancelling a meeting due to a poor line up..................guess thats fine then in your eyes.

[Big Al]

Keep the team matches/league going, but have an individual riders league as well with points earned from race points and rides taken throughout the season regardless of whether they come from guest appearances or from own team matches.

Make that the main competition and have a sub-category for under-21 riders.

End of season, two team matches with the teams drawn from the top 14 individuals, staged at the home tracks of the two top points scorers, with double race points on offer. Should also ensure Chris Harris wins something before he retires.

[foamfence]

 

Not just money, it's also how erratic the fixtures are.

I doubt that, if the Poles rode five nights a week they'd still have riders in abundance.

[Gemini]

 

 

......GRW123..................When this situation rises its head, there should be a planB to implement that would safe guard all concerned. Award the points to Leicester by all means and put on an alternative meeting instead. An individual meeting, or a handicap event or a 4 team effort. It wouldn't be hard to substitute this one sided affair and make it more interesting. At least the fans would go home happy and the Sport wouldn't have egg on its face like now.

 

The hundred or so fans who turned up might go home happy but the rest would be sitting at home because they're not interested in any form of racing other than league. Sorry it's a good idea but sadly wouldn't work.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Gemini

[IainB]

the sole purpose of putting on a meeting is to entertain the paying public.

Well this is the question isn't it. Is speedway a sport (i.e. a structured competition to see who is best at a particular discipline) or an entertainment (like a pop concert or comedian )?

 

You can put on a meeting, but should you be charging people to watch it?

 

There are loads of sports around where the organisers stage an event not for any paying public to be entertained but just for the enjoyment of the competitors and to see who is best. If they're lucky and get it right people want to watch and will pay to do so. Football, Cricket & Rugby for example, played on parks around the world with nobody at all watching, though at the same time deemed by some to be entertaining enough on occasion to fill a stadium with thousands.

 

Not every match/event can be entertaining, thousands still turn up every week to watch a losing team because the crowd has some affinity towards it. People will also generally turn up to watch the best exponents of that particular sport operating at the top of their game.

 

It seems to me that the current state of British Speedway, at the top level, is missing the mark on a number of accounts, more often than not it's just not entertaining enough to warrant the admission fee, the teams change with such regularity that it's difficult for most to have any affinity to a team. And the participants (with all due respect to them) are certainly not the best.

[Coventry_Bee]

Keep the team matches/league going, but have an individual riders league as well with points earned from race points and rides taken throughout the season regardless of whether they come from guest appearances or from own team matches.

Make that the main competition and have a sub-category for under-21 riders.

End of season, two team matches with the teams drawn from the top 14 individuals, staged at the home tracks of the two top points scorers, with double race points on offer. Should also ensure Chris Harris wins something before he retires.

I am sure Bomber is happy with his British final victories, Britain GP win and Elite League titles.

[Skodaman]

 

He is a championship No 1 and there isn't much of a difference. Thing is, though, he was utterly pathetic and I hope he was heavily fined. With the Grand Monarch in charge, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

 

 

That score really doesn't go anywhere near justifying just how important he was to this meeting. He fought for every point and his brilliant passing moves turned a ruin of a match into something almost worth watching. Star of the show by miles.

 

Thomas and Lambert weren't interested, Garrity was worse and we had to put with Peter York and his inane drivel, for heavens sake.

 

One interesting point : McGregor apparently refused permission for a sun break which caused several toys to be thrown out in the pits.

All the Lions riders were fined £300 each. There are two riders per team in each race - why were all seven lions fined?

[mikebv]

The very best riders are gone from British Speedway permanently from next year if/when Poland decide "their league plus one" as the rule. Sweden will be the "plus one" for so many I would imagine given the money on offer v Britain...

 

Poland also are now moving out of their traditional Sunday racing day more and more for TV and re-arranged meetings, which means at any given moment their 'lesser' non GP riders who ride over here will invariably miss an increasing number of scheduled Premiership meetings due to their Polish teams adhoc demands. (Already seen this with Jack Holder)..

 

And whats not to say the Second Div in Poland will start soon to do the same.?

 

Looking at the level of riders currently in that League, many are Heat Leaders over here and I can only presume the money on offer is more than acceptable in relation to their British earnings so when faced with "either/or", which way will they jump?

 

Time for Britain to plan for a future of a top league at a "Championship Lite" level I reckon..

 

Five man teams as per the Danish model, made up of a No1 rider currently in a top two Heat Leader slot in a Championship team. Two riders currently at a "third heat leader/second string" Championship level. And Two riders of "Championship Reserve/NL Heat Leader" level...

 

Dilutes the standard? Certainly, but will be affordable, and may result in lower admission fees due to much less outlay.

 

As many of the foreign riders currently riding over here will be effected by Polands rule, it will result in predominantly British riders who take the team places, with the vast majority riding in this Country only. .

 

British riders who just ride over here will mean importantly that they are available each week, meaning (even more importantly) regular weekly meetings for the fans as FIM/Other Leagues meetings won't have any bearing on fixture planning...

 

And more track time for British lads which can never be a bad thing for their development, earnings potential and the National Teams chances of future success!!!

 

Twelve teams, sixty riders needed, two home and two away against each team means 22 home matches, nearly six months of continuous racing..

 

Ten riders per match, all averaging £1k each, (two reserves £750, two middle order riders £1000, and the No1 £1500), one home and one away match per week, meaning 800 fans per match at £15 to pay for it (and the tax man)..

 

Got to be achievable surely..?

Edited August 6, 2017 by mikebv

[Nobblytriers]

All the Lions riders were fined £300 each. There are two riders per team in each race - why were all seven lions fined?

 

When was this? Can you explain please? What lead to Lions riders being fined? I have re read the post you quoted but can't see anything that relates. Thanks

Edited August 6, 2017 by nobblytriers

[Skodaman]

 

When was this? Can you explain please? What lead to Lions riders being fined? I have re read the post you quoted but can't see anything that relates. Thanks

Fined for refusing to ride because of the sun. This was supported by the Leicester management. It would have been for one race only. When the riders came out, Todd Kurtz fdailed to come out and so Leicester used Josh Bates.

[Nobblytriers]

Fined for refusing to ride because of the sun. This was supported by the Leicester management. It would have been for one race only. When the riders came out, Todd Kurtz fdailed to come out and so Leicester used Josh Bates.

 

Thanks for the reply. So only Lions punished? Seems a bit harsh unless the Stars were happy to go the tapes? This sport seems to be lurching from one strange decision to another. I'm struggling to understand the logic behind most of what's going on lately. It's all becoming a bit 'do as you pleasey' make it up as you go along, as in Garrity's three 15m punishments but the last one was let go. Why?

[SteveLyric2]

Lets hope the Stars were also fined for 'fielding a weakened team'!! Its not as if there is no precedent for it!

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

 

Thanks for the reply. So only Lions punished? Seems a bit harsh unless the Stars were happy to go the tapes? This sport seems to be lurching from one strange decision to another. I'm struggling to understand the logic behind most of what's going on lately. It's all becoming a bit 'do as you pleasey' make it up as you go along, as in Garrity's three 15m punishments but the last one was let go. Why?

Do you think any Stars rider would now consider threatening not to ride....

[Nobblytriers]

Do you think any Stars rider would now consider threatening not to ride....

 

Hopefully not, but it would appear, from posts on the Holder thread I think, that there have been a number of number of riders who have refused to ride over the years so it's nothing new. I just get the feeling that a lot of riders seem to have lost their sense of loyalty* and are just following the money - Jack Holder now riding for Torun instead of at Peterborough in a meeting that has been known about for months**.

 

These guys are professionals, it's their job, something they chose to do to make a living and signed contracts committing themselves to ride for a team. Most of them appear dedicated but it seems there's a growing number who forget what it's all about and they are being paid to do a job. I struggle to think of any other employment where what goes on with riders would be tolerated.

 

* Yes, loyalty works both ways and I'm also getting a bit fed up with the seemingly constant merry-go-round of team changes as promoters/managers dump riders going through a bad patch.

** I understand that Holder was allowed to ride for Torun with the promoter/managers blessing and that an arrangement had been agreed. I could be wrong but I'd say that sounds like Torun paid a sum for Holder to ride over there. What about the fans over here? They are now being short changed and the team is weakened by allowing that to happen. (No offence to any rider taking Holders place or the remaining team members.)