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Relegation And Promotion Play Offs


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Enjoyed watching the people in tigers uniform getting beat, unfortunately teams don't exist these days, just a group of riders in the same vests, the people in Lions vests rode very well.

Looking forward to a similar thing happening next monday.

 

We're getting closer to the American form of racing than ever, individual events. But when there is a complete lack of personalities, how can you foster a fondness for any one rider? I'd watch Tennis, Golf etc if I liked the man and not the team.

 

I got into speedway because, unlike other motorsports, it was primarily a team sport... with individual events thrown in for good measure.

 

But now it seems to have gone the ways of putting the team ethic second, what riders can come together on one day for the "team." I feel torn. I can't watch a team match because the team thing is no more; I can't do the GPs, as I see no one in it who I see firstly as my club rider, as they have so many clubs. Loyalty to my team is no more. So why should I be interested in these riders racing individual events?

 

I know I rarely have anything positive to say about present-day speedway... but, come on, I am not the only one judging by many posters on here. In fact, many are from fans who know the rulebook cover to cover (yawn) and yet miss the point that it should be, firstly, a simple sport with strong foundations.

 

Another winter of promised dreams will lie in shatters come next Spring.

Edited by moxey63
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Actually I thought the meeting was about par for the course. No better or worse than 100’s of others I have seen both on TV and live. Ask yourself, seriously, looking at the two teams on the night what did you expect. I’m afraid that is the way modern day speedway in the uk is. There is very little or nothing you can do to change it. No one is forcing anyone to go or watch it on TV . It’s your choice, if it upsets you that much go and find another sport to support. If there isn’t sufficient interest and financial return to run teams on a professional basis in the uk, then so be it.

It is what it says on the tin...........it’s up to you if you buy the tin or not.

quite agree i thought it was a decent meeting. we all know the bspa is not fit for purpose i just saw it as another meeting on tv

Edited by ray c
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quite agrre i thought it was a decent meeting. we all know the bspa is not fit for purpose i just saw it as another meeting on tv

 

I also believe not much should be read into the gulf in scores. The so-called Promotion-Relegation match is merely bait for punters to hand over a few more quids. If Sheffield wanted to come up, I suspect there are easier ways than winning a two-legged speedway match. If Leicester wanted to go down, they wouldn't have to lose it. They could just apply.

 

Really... to be honest, there was nothing to race for.

Edited by moxey63
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Maybe I'm being unduly optimistic considering the recent history of the BSPA's attempts to rejuvenate the sport, some might say stupid but I think fixed nights might just solve many of the problems of team identity. Unless of course the BSPA manage to think of something to mess it up!

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For the 2 play-off meetings between Wolves & Swindon, the cameras kept panning the HUGE crowds watching. Last night, I don't remember once the cameras panning the crowd. Could anyone tell me whether the crowd last night was much bigger than a normal Sheffield meeting, as there didn't seem to be a lot there. Or was the crowd that low because everyone realised what a farce of a meeting it was.

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My Mum used to say "sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me". Unfortunately, social media lends itself to anonymous barracking like never before. Leicester should be pleased they have managed to secure their place in the Premiership - it went their way last night and all those conspiracy theorists out there were no doubt waiting for a different result to add weight to their argument. It's a sport and the best team won.

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Well Said

 

WE are approaching the end of a hectic season, one which has placed great demand on both the business and private lives of the club management.

Every effort has been made to promote both Leicester and Sheffield in a positive, professional manner.

It must be pointed out that Leicester were on the brink of closure before we were able to negotiate a satisfactory arrangement with British Speedway Chairman Keith Chapman to take over the club.

Similarly at Sheffield four years ago, had we not taken over as part of a consortium at the time the sport would have been lost to the city.
We are proud and honoured to have played our part in keeping the sport alive at both clubs.

Every hour of every day has been spent channeling our efforts into positive promotion and increasing crowd levels at both clubs despite a torrent of negativity around the sport.

This has been at great expense both financially and privately, with valuable family time in our private lives sacrificed for the benefit of Leicester and Sheffield Speedway clubs.

However, over the last 24 hours we have had to deal with shocking abuse via email and direct messages on social media and we are not prepared to put up with this.

We understand the delicate situation we have been in with the promotion / relegation issue and we have put together both teams in an attempt to provide the best sporting spectacle possible.

The foul language, abuse and shocking allegations made against us are not acceptable and we will now take stock of the season in a much different light.

We would remind the trolls and keyboard warriors to be extremely careful what you wish for. Without us, two clubs would have been defunct.

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I. for one, am grateful that we have back speedway in Leicester. Some so called fans seem hell bent on making sure that we lose our speedway team again. If you don't like what's happening then at least try and be constructive and suggest some improvements!

Couldn't agree more.

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I. for one, am grateful that we have back speedway in Leicester. Some so called fans seem hell bent on making sure that we lose our speedway team again. If you don't like what's happening then at least try and be constructive and suggest some improvements!

quite agree im lucky at the moment at poole we still get reasonable support even it has been going down over the last few years. So i say stop knocking it well you still got it
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To be honest, I'm not at all surprised by some of the abuse.

Fans have been showing their concern for the sport for many years, sometimes it takes a bit of effin' n' jeffin' to get people to start listening.

It's either listen or watch the fans fade further and 100% the promoters are going with the latter.

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All the fans want is a bit of transparency, it's not too much to ask when being encouraged to go along to a Speedway meeting by a co-promoter nobody has ever heard of before being told that potentially your best rider is "unavailable" and that 2 of your team are riding for the opposition!

 

The trouble is a lot of fans are soooooo frustrated by the "Sport" in its current state and it was all so easily avoidable and is easy to start to put right but nobody seems to have the willingness to do it

Edited by iainb
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The statement also appears on the Sheffield website, so I imagine the abuse must have come from fans of both clubs.

The Bates family were on a hiding to nothing over this situation. As can be seen from the post made in this topic many "fans" have voiced their opinion on the "fixing" of the result and or the fact that Leicester would stand no chance in this play off. The worst thing that could have happened re this promotion/relegation decider is the two teams with the same owner were in fact the two teams involved. At the very best only one set of fans (most probably those of the winning team) would ever have been happy, whilst the neutrals adopt either a "told you so" or jump on the "lets kick British Speedway in the teeth again" brigade. The losers of course complain or find an excuse to justify the loss. But did anybody really expect a team based on a 50 point average to lose to a team based on 40??

 

The best that could come out of this "experiment" is:

 

a. The concept of promotion & relegation is consigned to the waste bin.

b. At least four teams are added to the top flight for 2018

c.Fixed race nights on days when the second/third tier do not race therefore allowing doubling up without clashing of fixtures.

d. Somebody remembers to thank the Bates family for their support of British speedway and especially that of Sheffield & Leicester.

e. The BSPA decide that two clubs cannot be owned by the same set of owners - or have directors/shareholders involved in more than one club

f. The Bates family are able to offload one of their clubs to an equally supportive owner in time for the 2018 season.

Edited by 1 valve
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