Promoters Conference. Why So Late? And Other Thoughts.

[Steve Shovlar]

In the past, a jolly off to Tenerife in November was acceptable after a long season. Promoters let their hair dawn, if they had any, ti ckered a little with the rulez and it was job done.

 

Today such methods don't work. With The British league a distant third behind Poland and Sweden, a November conference is next to useless. Time for thd conference to be brought forward, ideally in the SWC week, so that rules will be in place before Poland or Sweden. Team building can start in ernest, riders signed, rules made and a league structure in place.

 

Whatever Poland do should be none of our concern. They can bring in any rule they wish but we should not kowtow to the whims of the Poles.

 

We have more power in the UK than many on here give credit for. Poles playing hard ball? Don't sign any and use the berths for a young Brit. Poles trying to take Aussies that have learnt their trade in the UK? Solution. Sign them on five year contracts. The Poles will have to buy their contracts out. British teams get Polish money for their riders. Pretty sure a contract can be put in place to stop Polish clubs nicking riders that have been trained up in the UK only to head for the money and then be stopped from riding in the UK because of Polish rules.

 

The British promoters have folded like a pack of cards to their Polish counterparts. No resistance whatsoever bar Matt Ford who told them to get stuffed.

 

It's about time the BSPA stood up to be counted by putting in place rules and regs to stop Poland sucking the lifeblood out of our leagues.

 

Thoughts?

[Perton Wolf]

I do agree that British Speedway needs to be proactive rather than reactive to whatever the Poles bring in, we should be getting our rules sorted in advance as you say.

[racers and royals]

The BSPA can make whatever rules they like but any half decent rider will not sign until he knows what the situation in Sweden and Poland is. Poland is only going to get worse for the UK because Div 1 and 2 over there are becoming more competitive, more riders are riding div 1 and 2 this season than for a long time-eg lambert,Morris,Grasoniak, the Worrall brothers etc etc and soon the clubs are going follow the Extraleague in saying you have to commit your Sunday`s to us.

[Steve Shovlar]

Then the answer is simple. Get in early. Offer the contract. If refused by rider who is holding out for Poland, take away contract and rider misses out until a transfer window comes along on say, June. All teams have to be in place by Dec 31st. If a rider wants to gamble Poland will take him so be it but no perogative to Poland by bspa.

 

These are just thoughts that would need clarity.

[Agrotron]

Shoval your have the same thread up this time next year as it will be the same old bs nothing will change it never does we have the same conversations all the time I get fed up with it tbh and am near too leaving the sorry excuse of a sport.

[waytogo28]

I too like the idea of not kowtowing to Poland ( and Sweden if they begin to exclude in some way riders from the UK ) BUT the truth is we need to make our league as sustainable as possible and as stable as possible. That means asking riders to sign here for a season ( as a priority ). That also means that some will not and we have to go ahead with those who are willing to ride here. It could mean six man teams ( already so often like that ) and a weaker / diluted UK speedway structure. It is that or an even bigger shambles ( now you see him, now you don't as with Jack Holder ).

[Star Lady]

When is the annual conference? Thought last year it was earlier than November.

[Trees]

We so need to find 2 nights a week for racing just like Sweden, Poland and Denmark did when we were top dog. Unfortunately it's not so easy for us ....

 

The riders are self employed, it's pretty difficult to tie them down when they get dropped with a click of a promoter's finger.

[waiheke1]

Not going to requote the lengthy OP but:

There are hardly any poles racing here anyway, so banning them is not going to make any major difference.

The only way a promoter can tie a rider to a 5 year contract is if that commitment works both ways ie. promoter cannot terminate it and commits to pay the rider for the full 5 years. Can u see that happening?

[Steve Shovlar]

Not going to requote the lengthy OP but:

There are hardly any poles racing here anyway, so banning them is not going to make any major difference.

The only way a promoter can tie a rider to a 5 year contract is if that commitment works both ways ie. promoter cannot terminate it and commits to pay the rider for the full 5 years. Can u see that happening?

A club could get around this by loaning the rider to another British club so that his wages continue. Ifhe wishes to ride in Poland, the Polish club have to pay a substantial loan fee to the British club, with the caveat that the rider can continue to ride in the UK if they choose.

 

Time for Britain to cash in on loan fees from Poland. There has to be some financial compensation when a Polish club want an up and coming rider who has learnt his trade in the UK.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Steve Shovlar

[Bryce]

When a rider can earn considerably more money for scoring zero in Poland than he can for a maximum in Britain there really isn't any incentive for them to sign a contract that might prevent them from riding in Poland at any stage. If our league does try to make a stand, it has to be prepared to accept that virtually none of the higher grade riders will choose to ride here.

 

That may be the only long term solution for British speedway. A complete restructure with lesser riders but regular fixtures, settled teams full of riders who have just 1 British club and a willingness to accept that the rebuilding of Britain as a speedway nation will be a very long term project.

[foamfence]

When a rider can earn considerably more money for scoring zero in Poland than he can for a maximum in Britain there really isn't any incentive for them to sign a contract that might prevent them from riding in Poland at any stage. If our league does try to make a stand, it has to be prepared to accept that virtually none of the higher grade riders will choose to ride here.

 

That may be the only long term solution for British speedway. A complete restructure with lesser riders but regular fixtures, settled teams full of riders who have just 1 British club and a willingness to accept that the rebuilding of Britain as a speedway nation will be a very long term project.

Totally agree.

[Tsunami]

When is the annual conference? Thought last year it was earlier than November.

Yes it was SL, and meant to be more in line with other federations trying to get fixtures out earlier. In addition, it is years since the AGM was not held in the UK.

[Steve Shovlar]

A further thought.

 

A rider is signed to a British club under contract. He is loaned out to another British club if not required by the club that owns his contract. A loan fee is paid.

 

What is to stop a British club demanding a loan fee from a Polish club? A contract signed by the rider which ties him to a British club could include a line which states that any club which uses his services demands a loan fee to his parent club. Polish sides would then pay, say £1500 a meeting loan fee. They use the riders services and his British club get payment which benefits them.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Steve Shovlar

[theblueboy]

Aren't you self employed Steve? How would you like restriction in the work you do and what customers you could and could not see.

 

You'd be in meltdown.

 

The riders chase the dollar, which in my mind they are entitled to do. The fact is they chase it across continental Europe and therefore clashes inevitably happen.

 

If your best customer phoned you at short notice would you let them down? I suspect not.

 

The riders are free to choose where they ride, although I accept they sign contracts and that should give the club within that country first call on agreed nights. However, the issue lies with the organisation that has overall control within speedway, which should oversee everything e.g FIFA in European football and they should acknowledge each contract and ensure a rider rides in the country that has first call.

 

Their ineptitude, has allowed the Poles to have, more or less, overall control and until this time is reversed the status quo will remain.

 

I am not sure a self-employed rider should belong to anyone and therefore no loan fee payable. However, the rider signing a contract in the relevant country is his tacit agreement to follow the necessary rules of each speedway nation.

 

If he doesn't, a global ban should follow for the relevant period including all GP's etc

 

Would that change things, who knows but the governance in this sport is appallIing and no one adheres to anything, which is why the riders and the Polish clubs reign supreme.

 

Until that changes the sport will continue to be the same amateurish b@llocks that it has always been.

[Steve Shovlar]

If a rider comes to Britain as a raw Aussie, or is a Brit, there is nothing to stop a club having a contract with the rider which allows the rider to ride elsewhere, but a loan fee is collected by the British club if his services are used in Poland. No restraint of trade.

 

About time British speedway got a soice of the Polish money. What better way to get it?

[Game On]

In the past, a jolly off to Tenerife in November was acceptable after a long season. Promoters let their hair dawn, if they had any, ti ckered a little with the rulez and it was job done.

 

Today such methods don't work. With The British league a distant third behind Poland and Sweden, a November conference is next to useless. Time for thd conference to be brought forward, ideally in the SWC week, so that rules will be in place before Poland or Sweden. Team building can start in ernest, riders signed, rules made and a league structure in place.

 

Whatever Poland do should be none of our concern. They can bring in any rule they wish but we should not kowtow to the whims of the Poles.

 

We have more power in the UK than many on here give credit for. Poles playing hard ball? Don't sign any and use the berths for a young Brit. Poles trying to take Aussies that have learnt their trade in the UK? Solution. Sign them on five year contracts. The Poles will have to buy their contracts out. British teams get Polish money for their riders. Pretty sure a contract can be put in place to stop Polish clubs nicking riders that have been trained up in the UK only to head for the money and then be stopped from riding in the UK because of Polish rules.

 

The British promoters have folded like a pack of cards to their Polish counterparts. No resistance whatsoever bar Matt Ford who told them to get stuffed.

 

It's about time the BSPA stood up to be counted by putting in place rules and regs to stop Poland sucking the lifeblood out of our leagues.

 

Thoughts?

Maybe a jolly to Rome.

[Steve Shovlar]

Maybe a jolly to Rome.

Nice intelligent comment to add to the debate. Perhaps it's better for you to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

[E I Addio]

In the past, a jolly off to Tenerife in November was acceptable after a long season. Promoters let their hair dawn, if they had any, ti ckered a little with the rulez and it was job done.

 

Today such methods don't work. With The British league a distant third behind Poland and Sweden, a November conference is next to useless. Time for thd conference to be brought forward, ideally in the SWC week, so that rules will be in place before Poland or Sweden. Team building can start in ernest, riders signed, rules made and a league structure in place.

 

Whatever Poland do should be none of our concern. They can bring in any rule they wish but we should not kowtow to the whims of the Poles.

 

We have more power in the UK than many on here give credit for. Poles playing hard ball? Don't sign any and use the berths for a young Brit. Poles trying to take Aussies that have learnt their trade in the UK? Solution. Sign them on five year contracts. The Poles will have to buy their contracts out. British teams get Polish money for their riders. Pretty sure a contract can be put in place to stop Polish clubs nicking riders that have been trained up in the UK only to head for the money and then be stopped from riding in the UK because of Polish rules.

 

The British promoters have folded like a pack of cards to their Polish counterparts. No resistance whatsoever bar Matt Ford who told them to get stuffed.

 

It's about time the BSPA stood up to be counted by putting in place rules and regs to stop Poland sucking the lifeblood out of our leagues.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Good idea in theory but one of the problems is that as British speedway staggers from financial crisis to financial crisis a lot of clubs don't know until the season ends whether they will be running the following year, an often never do know until they know what sponsorship they can get. Sometimes it even means getting new owners.

 

The BSPA however do have a pre AGM meeting well before November when a lot of things are ironed out.

 

The other problem is signing riders on 5 year contracts when this season has shown more than any other that contracts are meaningless with riders in and out of clubs through a revolving door.

[BANANAMAN]

Steve Shovlar, on 12 Aug 2017 - 7:05 PM, said:

If a rider comes to Britain as a raw Aussie, or is a Brit, there is nothing to stop a club having a contract with the rider which allows the rider to ride elsewhere, but a loan fee is collected by the British club if his services are used in Poland. No restraint of trade.

 

About time British speedway got a soice of the Polish money. What better way to get it?

What if clubs only signed riders who made BRITISH SPEEDWAY their priority ? I agree that the " superstars " wouldn't come here & also throw into the mix ONE league thus removing all doubling up ? Wow that would be a shake up wouldn't it !! ..........We SUPPORTERS could then watch the same riders every meeting representing our Clubs without fear of being served up what's going on at Leicester tonight .