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One Big League - Problem Solved


Grachan

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Fans who want to see the top boys need to get a grip on reality and realise the more we keep chasing the dream of our league system been respected alongside Poland and Sweden the more trouble clubs over here will get into, we just don't have the fan base to pay these riders and riders over here need to realise the sport here at moment is at a semi professional level so don't expect much more.

Speedway here needs to strip it back and pay what we can afford, improve the product in general and have less drama and bad press releases.

Once the product improves and we can then maybe look at a proper tv deal if we are giving them something they want to pay for, right now they clearly don't value it so clearly something needs to change and not just for them but for us.

I would go with the one league system or one i sent into BSPA was this

North/South Split (with the clubs from top PL & CL currently running) 18 Teams as it stands

North Division would be : Belle Vue, Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Redcar, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Workington.
South Division would be : Kings Lynn, Leicester, Poole, Somerset, Swindon, Wolves, Ipswich, Lakeside, Peterborough.

 

Teams in there respective divisions would face each other home and away twice so that would be 16 home meetings but also i would add in that north v south face each other once to create extra fixtures and would also add variety which would be awesome for fans and riders and how it would work is say next year in 2019 Sheffield travel down to Poole, the year after in 2020 Poole would travel to Sheffield.

So that is 20/21 home league meetings which would be great value for season tickets, you would see how can fit in KO Cup in and then at end of season the top teams in north and south would be divisional champions and get a trophy and then face each other in a two leg tie for playoff champions, give it all advertising you can and a Super Bowl style finale.

I believe this is more radical than a poxy name change they did other year and would help speedway in this country grow, riders would get enough meetings in and if we have to go 5 or 6 riders in a team, create a format that works to make team speedway exactly that again and have a product we can be proud of.

This might not be perfect but surely would be better than staying as we are and struggling along.

Edited by AJK86
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2 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I think you are all taking it far too literally. There's bound to be a few mistakes.

It's just a quick cut and paste job to see if two leagues are viable to join as one league. I think it shows they are, as it shows that the current riders can be spread out over the teams and the league can be run on a Championship level without dumbing down on the top PL riders.

That was my point, and I think that should be the discussion here, not if I accidentally put two averages for a few riders in my haste.

But enjoy doing that if that's what you'd rather do.

Why not use your expertise to put a few imaginary sides together under a CL format instead? Might be more interesting. See how viable this could be.

Guess we won't be needing Birmingham then.

Making mistakes are very relevant to the discussion. When you start removing the duplication the list is smaller.

If it goes 1 big league it has to be 6 man teams, 42 team average, and the No6 can't be an average under 4. This would force teams to go strength in depth and a lot more competitive. 

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Just now, Daniel Smith said:

Making mistakes are very relevant to the discussion. When you start removing the duplication the list is smaller.

If it goes 1 big league it has to be 6 man teams, 42 team average, and the No6 can't be an average under 4. This would force teams to go strength in depth and a lot more competitive. 

With Kerr and Vissing removed, the mean team average comes to 44.54. And is still over 126.

Surely teams can make an effort to bring in riders. Some sides could easily find a replacement for Vaculik/Pieszczek, so they can stay in.

The league can fit 7 riders in a side. There are also NL riders around that could be used at reserve. Swindon, for example, could have Anders Rowe.

No need to bring in some "6 riders a side" set up that would just put some people off.

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6 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

LATEST consensus apparently is two leagues ... no agreement on one.

Two instead of three? Or two plus NL?

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One big league worked in the 60s but it only lasted two yers the last time it was tried. The big difference I see between now and the 60s is that the element of freshness (Provincial League supporters seeing the big NL stars, NL supporters seeing the PL young guns) no longer applies because doubling up has meant that even in one big league the riders would be largely similar to what we've been seeing recently.

Another difference would be that in British speedways last existential crisis, there were promoters about who had the drive, energy and confidence to get through big changes. Are there those sort of people around now?

It's a pity because instinctively, as an old-timer, I like the idea of a big league. Variety of fixtures, continuity and one visit by a team per season so ,if you want to see jason Doyle riding you have to go when Somerset are in town and not shrug your shoulders and put it off until their second visit.

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11 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

NOT sure they have seven! Was suggested that only five have committed ... Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Poole, Swindon and Wolves

 

If they could get one to drop out the top League could run as a four team tournament...

Same four teams constantly riding one home match per week, providing that continuity of fixture list that so many want...

Would only need 16 riders too so lots of replacements available so no need for Guests, adding much needed credibility to the Sport...

Or maybe to spice it up a bit they could have one complete Guest Team per week replacing one of the regulars on a adhoc non conjoined, randomly unplanned basis?

It needs to be made clear though that no Guest Teams would be allowed to gain entry to the end of season playoff,  regardless of performance. As only the four official Premiership teams will be allowed to try and qualify for the four places available...

Bring back the Green Helmet cover to add a bit of colour as well..

Also. Possibly any team six points behind at any stage of the meeting, to any other team at all, could also then have that team (or team's) riders that they are six behind, blindfolded....?

Circa £30 to get in, the increase being down to the fact that you will now get 16 races each meeting, so more than at present, and that only blindfolds officially made by respected ex riders may be endorsed to be used, and this costs money....

Oh, and due to the Polish, Swedish and Danish Leagues race nights, to avoid clashes, all matches will be ran at 1.00am on a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday and Friday morning, so the lads can, the very minute after Heat 16 is completed, drive directly to whichever the nearest airport is that gets them out to Sweden/Denmark and Poland as early as possible.. Thus saving on costly overnight hotel bills.. 

Add in a few K Tels Hits of the Seventies CD's, a centre green presenter who has had experience in hospital radio and an evening full of birthday dedications to fans who have been "coming for 60 years and whose favourite rider of all time is Bjorn Knutsson" and quite frankly we are on to a winner...

Could be a great year for British Speedway 2019...

Edit : Monkey Tennis in the interval? No? Ok but no ideas a bad idea...

 

Edited by mikebv
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1 hour ago, mikebv said:

If they could get one to drop out the top League could run as a four team tournament...

Same four teams constantly riding one home match per week, providing that continuity of fixture list that so many want...

Would only need 16 riders too so lots of replacements available so no need for Guests, adding much needed credibility to the Sport...

Or maybe to spice it up a bit they could have one complete Guest Team per week replacing one of the regulars on a adhoc non conjoined, randomly unplanned basis?

It needs to be made clear though that no Guest Teams would be allowed to gain entry to the end of season playoffs, regardless of performance. As only the four official Premiership teams will be allowed to try and qualify for the four places available...

Bring back the Green Helmet cover to add a bit of colour as well..

Also. Possibly any team six points behind at any stage of the meeting, to any other team at all, could also then have that team (or team's) riders that they are six behind, blindfolded....?

Circa £30 to get in, the increase being down to the fact that you will now get 16 races each meeting, so more than at present, and that only blindfolds officially made by respected ex riders may be endorsed to be used, and this costs money....

Oh, and due to the Polish, Swedish and Danish Leagues race nights, to avoid clashes, all matches will be ran at 1.00am on a Tuesday morning so the lads can after Heat 16, drive directly to whichever the nearest airport is that gets them out to Sweden as early as possible.. Thus saving on costly overnight hotel bills.. 

Add in a few K Tels Hits of the Seventies CD's, a centre green presenter who has had experience in hospital radio and an evening full of birthday dedications to fans who have been "coming for 60 years and whose favourite rider of all time is Bjorn Knutsson" and quite frankly we are on to a winner...

Could be a great year for British Speedway 2019...

Edit : Monkey Tennis in the interval? No? Ok but no ideas a bad idea...

 

BRING it on:party:

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Much as I'd like to see the top division remaining strong, a league of 5 team is ridiculous. Given the choice of a strong top league of 5 sides or a big top league of 18, with the current riders spread out, plus a possible bit of space for some new overseas stars, I'd go with the second option every time.

I wonder why Somerset won't commit, as they've had a successful season. Has using the World Champion caused financial hardships, I wonder.

 

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