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NO WORD FROM THE BSPA


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1 hour ago, noaksey said:

Very disappointed with today's Star. Nowhere near enough hard hitting comment and investigation in to the current crisis. I get that Oakes is an accomplished journalist but he's been on the other side of the fence too much here. Quoting a tweet from a fan as the lead article isn't enough in my opinion 

NOT just a fan ... but an extremely experienced sports administrator whose views are very valid. And it's just an opening salvo. More to come.

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23 minutes ago, Byker Biker said:

You're right this will buy 2 seasons unless 5 or 6 clubs close then there will be a reasonable standard of riders available for those that are left.

That sounds about right because the whole house of cards will collapse then, due to lack of support and that is the way of the survival of the fittest / most popular sports - no different to the rest of the evolving universe.

 I quite like the idea of riders racing for a prize money pot, with the right incentives they might really race for it. But how many riders would be up for it? No teams at all. No league speedway. Is there an appetite for that? A speedway circus.

Edited by waytogo28
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1 hour ago, Grand Central said:

Unfortunately a 'one league solution' is only ever taken when there is no real alternative. It is, in itself, an indication of there not being any good answer. Not even a least worse. Just the only, quite pitiful one, we can take.

But just as in the nineties it will only shift the problems from one place to another. There won't be enough riders to go round, there will be unbalanced teams, very uncompetitive races between the best and the worst riders and any extra financial burden placed on the lower tier clubs will kill them. 

Perhaps the only route. But not one to salvation.

 Excellent post. As the Americans would say, "Straight in the Pickle Barrel" . Chapman and co just won't get it though.. They'll just wonder why the turnstiles get quieter and quieter.

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55 minutes ago, spin king said:

I think that by the end of this season the sport in this country will have reach a crossroads, and depending on which way the BSPA turns depends on whether the sport will flourish or quietly die.

For me I think that we now need for the BSPA to relinquish control and hand running and the rules over to either one or two persons.

For me two names jump out that have or have had connections with the sport.

The first 

Jonathon Chapman

Brash, Cocky, massive ego and not everybody's cup of tea, but has a bit of the  entrepreneur about him and for me has the vision to take the sport forward into modern day.

Alongside him

Neil Machin

Steady hand, vastly experienced Speedway Promoter, paid all of his bills, rent and riders on time and never owed any money, would be the perfect foil for Jonathon Chapman.

 

For me that would be the Dream Team, not too sure whether or not the brash Essex Boy and the blunt Yorkshireman would work together but for they are the two that could rescue the sport.    

Existing promoters will never "relinquish control" because they would be giving up control of their own finances and investments. Someone has to put to them a structure that is credible and that they will continue to try to run with. No other options exist ( except that one of winning £150,000,000 on the lottery buying them all out and throwing your winnings away that way ). Only the existing promoters can decide whether to pack it in or re-shuffle the cards again.

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13 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

NOT just a fan ... but an extremely experienced sports administrator whose views are very valid. And it's just an opening salvo. More to come.

Sounds like the end of the world scenario is on the way for UK speedway. And the week after that please print what the BSPA have come up with.

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38 minutes ago, geoff100 said:

Reading the "star" today 2 stories jump out at me , mr woffy going on about  british speedway is a monday night sport and how well poland and sweden do on fixed nights then in the next breath saying he is on stirke in sweden because he isnt getting paid! Then we have mr god( i want this sport to run the way i want or i aint playing)frey refusing to ride at newcastle at 12 on sunday despite being at berwick the  night before, we need someone with balls to lead this sport to stop stupid decisions like this before there is nothing left .

I QUERIED his comment about Monday as a set night. Apart from Wolverhampton, who have a long tried and tested Monday as their racenight, many other tracks won't entertain it. It is financial suicide... the night after a weekend when many will have had their fill of 'entertainment'.

Edited by PHILIPRISING
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definitely coming down to a "survival of the fittest" scenario.

maybe the decisions over the next few months will see that the clubs that survive week by week are forced into closing or running at a NL level, and hoping that the stronger ones become stronger to form that one league that hopefully can then build.

i'm not sure, i'm thinking the damage has already been done and ideas for having stronger clubs will be hit too hard by supporters not playing ball

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29 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

IF they deem to tell us which is far from a given

Phil, you know whatever emerges will be somebodys sanitised interpretation of reality, they still think they can protect themselves from the outside world. They're like elephants hiding behind a lamp post that think no-one can see them, it's corporate denial.

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1 hour ago, PHILIPRISING said:

I QUERIED his comment about Monday as a set night. Apart from Wolverhampton, who have a long tried and tested Monday as their racenight, many other tracks won't entertain it. It is financial suicide... the night after a weekend when many will have had their fill of 'entertainment'.

Do Wolves choose to race Monday/midweek or is it forced on them?

Would they get bigger crowds on Friday/Saturday?

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3 hours ago, Grand Central said:

Unfortunately a 'one league solution' is only ever taken when there is no real alternative. It is, in itself, an indication of there not being any good answer. Not even a least worse. Just the only, quite pitiful one, we can take.

But just as in the nineties it will only shift the problems from one place to another. There won't be enough riders to go round, there will be unbalanced teams, very uncompetitive races between the best and the worst riders and any extra financial burden placed on the lower tier clubs will kill them. 

Perhaps the only route. But not one to salvation.

There is enough riders. 

We had uncompetitive races in the halcyon days of the 70’s as Mauger etc raced away from the oppositions reserves. Even worse they could do it in heat 8. We created rules to stop that and we recently had protected heats where only the administration of averages saw that not work correctly. If we know beforehand that lower league club will be shat on then create a system to stop it. The Aces always got the crappy end of the stick with rider control and we would again but if it suits the sport as a whole, bring it back. 

We don’t have the option to do nothing nor make minor tweaks here and there. A full and comprehensive relaunch or reboot as is the modern term is required. 

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7 minutes ago, ouch said:

There is enough riders. 

We had uncompetitive races in the halcyon days of the 70’s as Mauger etc raced away from the oppositions reserves. Even worse they could do it in heat 8. We created rules to stop that and we recently had protected heats where only the administration of averages saw that not work correctly. If we know beforehand that lower league club will be shat on then create a system to stop it. The Aces always got the crappy end of the stick with rider control and we would again but if it suits the sport as a whole, bring it back. 

We don’t have the option to do nothing nor make minor tweaks here and there. A full and comprehensive relaunch or reboot as is the modern term is required. 

Now you have persuaded me that this will work swimmingly.

I feel thoroughly reassured.

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6 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

THE BSPA General Council met on Tuesday at a time when speedway in the UK is in crisis. 

But, as usual, no word from the inner chambers of ACU House in Rugby. We are not allowed to know what they discussed, what plans they have afoot or any decisions made. They have become the ultimate secret society.

And yet they wonder (maybe they don't) why the paying public, on whom they depend, despair and are deserting the sport in their droves. Are they interested in what British fans, those that are left, are prepared to pay to watch?

Crisis? What crisis?

Everything's great. It's going fine.

David Davies coming in to take over.

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1 minute ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Crisis? What crisis?

Everything's great. It's going fine.

David Davies coming in to take over.

Who's that?

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4 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

Swindon promoter Terry Russell makes some really good points in SS this week, especially about CL tracks living off the backs of PL ones.

Conversely, I find reprehensible Russell's comments a total embarassment that typify why I'm currently so ashamed to have wasted so much of my life on this sport.

It's the 'us and them' mentality that has brought the sport in this country to the brink of despair.

'If they think they're going to get away with it, they're not'.  I mean, what sort of quote is that to be coming out with?  

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2 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

That sounds about right because the whole house of cards will collapse then, due to lack of support and that is the way of the survival of the fittest / most popular sports - no different to the rest of the evolving universe.

 I quite like the idea of riders racing for a prize money pot, with the right incentives they might really race for it. But how many riders would be up for it? No teams at all. No league speedway. Is there an appetite for that? A speedway circus.

Retainers seems to be the way of the speedway world these days. How many tracks can afford to pay these, with so few coming through the gate. Rye house paid the price for such a risky strategy.

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15 minutes ago, Grand Central said:

Now you have persuaded me that this will work swimmingly.

I feel thoroughly reassured.

The thing is it should or can work, only the people running it will prevent this. 

Realistically, I’m not confident. 

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