AGM November 2018

[Uluru]

49 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

A far better analogy would be ice hockey, which seems to have achieved a relatively stable existence of late, after years of also being a shambolic mess. 

Here's a thought, how come at least half, probably more, of the British Elite ice hockey teams are staffed by foreign, mostly Canadian or American, journeyman players?

How do they get the visas that are denied to kids like Jaimon Lidsey? 

[Crump99]

22 hours ago, Skidder1 said:

Things can change over the course of the 3 days. What someone says on day 1 can change dramatically by day 3.  Thats why in the past someone has supposedly 'leaked' some detail which then turns out to be inaccurate

I'm all for a well-worded, fully informative press statement at the end of the AGM.

Reminds me of this when one person asked for something agreed to be recorded in the minutes but it was left off so that there was apparently no record of the fact that the point had been agreed at the meeting:

Sir Humphrey Appleby: It is characteristic of all committee discussions and decisions that every member has a vivid recollection of them and that every member's recollection of them differs violently from every other member's recollection. Consequently we accept the convention that the official decisions are those and only those which have officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, from which it emerges with an elegant inevitability that any decision which has been officially reached will have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials and any decision which is not recorded in the minutes has not been officially reached even if one or more members believe they can recollect it, so in this particular case if the decision had been officially reached it would have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials. And it isn't so it wasn't

Having said that, I doubt they minute anything, or it'll be in very feint pencil.

[Humphrey Appleby]

1 hour ago, Uluru said:

Here's a thought, how come at least half, probably more, of the British Elite ice hockey teams are staffed by foreign, mostly Canadian or American, journeyman players? How do they get the visas that are denied to kids like Jaimon Lidsey? 

Presumably because those players meet the criteria for being granted UK work visas (which are clearly specified for ice hockey), and Jaimon Lidsey does not.

Maybe ice hockey is better at lobbying UK immigration than speedway, not to mention that speedway abused the rules a few years ago and has probably lost the trust of the authorities. However, the visa rules for speedway have been pretty much the same for years, and are fairly generous towards Australians in terms of allowing the top 4 (maybe top 3 now?) in the National Senior Championship or a state championship to qualify.  

Probably also comes down to the fact that UK population (including many speedway fans on here) wanted to reduce the number of immigrants, speedway contributes little or nothing to the economy or social fabric of the UK, and there's therefore absolutely no reason to give the sport any special treatment. I personally think it's a shame for young Australian riders, but Australia has their rules for Brits wanting to go there too, and it's a reflection of the way our respective wider populations want things to be at this moment in time.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Humphrey Appleby

[Big Al]

3 hours ago, JC! said:

Looking at a vast majority of the issues that are regularly raised (averages, guests, rules, team strengths etc), I feel that Speedway is no longer sustainable as a team sport in the UK. The 'team' aspect causes too many problems.

If you take out the team aspects, you take away a lot of the issues.  Each track could hire, say, 3 local favourites (keeps loyalty) to be involved in individual events, with say 9 other invited riders. This would open up the options for a variety of different concepts to keep things interesting to a new public. Off the top of my head, 1 or 2 lap races, pursuits, time trials, side cars, 125cc, 250's, veterans.

Clubs could invite top stars outside of GP calendar, with no need for the riders to be tied to inconvenient schedules, and have a major event (Golden Hammer type thing). Maybe they could tour 2 or 3 tracks while over, reducing cost?

This would mean that each club could run when it was best for their business, with no need to have a specified number of events each year within the league calendar. 

While you will lose some of the 'old guard' I feel that this would be more likely to make things easier for new supporters to get involved - no meetings over by heat 8 with a team running away as all categories would be building through to its own final.

Probably a bit too radical though for our current promoters to even consider

Back to the 1920/30's then?

[wealdstone]

Looks like the Mafia in lockdown, suspect the new batch of " Made Men" will emerge soon if there has not been a cull before.

[wealdstone]

56 minutes ago, Uluru said:

Here's a thought, how come at least half, probably more, of the British Elite ice hockey teams are staffed by foreign, mostly Canadian or American, journeyman players?

How do they get the visas that are denied to kids like Jaimon Lidsey? 

In my youth Speedway and Ice  Hockey were synonymous  . Ice hockey  was always predominantly  Canadian.

[SPEEDY69]

4 hours ago, JC! said:

Looking at a vast majority of the issues that are regularly raised (averages, guests, rules, team strengths etc), I feel that Speedway is no longer sustainable as a team sport in the UK. The 'team' aspect causes too many problems.

If you take out the team aspects, you take away a lot of the issues.  Each track could hire, say, 3 local favourites (keeps loyalty) to be involved in individual events, with say 9 other invited riders. This would open up the options for a variety of different concepts to keep things interesting to a new public. Off the top of my head, 1 or 2 lap races, pursuits, time trials, side cars, 125cc, 250's, veterans.

Clubs could invite top stars outside of GP calendar, with no need for the riders to be tied to inconvenient schedules, and have a major event (Golden Hammer type thing). Maybe they could tour 2 or 3 tracks while over, reducing cost?

This would mean that each club could run when it was best for their business, with no need to have a specified number of events each year within the league calendar. 

While you will lose some of the 'old guard' I feel that this would be more likely to make things easier for new supporters to get involved - no meetings over by heat 8 with a team running away as all categories would be building through to its own final.

Probably a bit too radical though for our current promoters to even consider

What attracted me to and kept me interested in speedway was following my team.  I have very little interest, if any, in individual meetings.  The erosion of the team aspect in the UK has withered my interest. 

As I've said many times before, some existing fans may want to tinker around with the product but I think it far more important that thought is given to improving the night out - then it becomes less important how many overtakes there were.  If people go away having had a good time then they will return.  I liked KTs idea of using interactive aspects - playing to peoples' obsession (particularly the younger ones) with mobile phones/technology.  Standing out in the cold/wet is unpleasant, standing around watching a tractor or listening to 70s music is also not engaging.  There could be other things on the terraces to do e.g. video games, bike simulators, bouncy castles/bungees, party events hosting, free wifi, a big screen - none of these are messing about with the racing but just trying to modernise the experience.  If you then added characters for your team, with nicknames etc. as they do in other sports this could also add some atmosphere - this does need promoters to stop 'pass the rider' games and loyalty can be achieved if handled consistently.

We'll always have the memories I suppose.

[norbold]

56 minutes ago, Big Al said:

Back to the 1920/30's then?

Just the 1920s really. By 1929 (after just one year) people were getting fed up with what was more or less a meaningless succession of races that meant very little or nothing. Spectators were crying out for team speedway so they could get behind their riders and support them. I can't help thinking that would be the same feeling today.

[Bavarian]

Speedway is best as a team Sport, no doubt about it. The League and International Test Matches is what it makes it so unique and very special as a motorsport.  

Nowadays we have a full season of league meetings for the club teams, but what I miss most of all is some meaningfull International teams competition, like there was in the 1970s. When I watch the Rugby Union Autumn Test matches just this month, I realise what Speedway is missing out on big time.

[teaboy279]

2 hours ago, Uluru said:

Here's a thought, how come at least half, probably more, of the British Elite ice hockey teams are staffed by foreign, mostly Canadian or American, journeyman players?

How do they get the visas that are denied to kids like Jaimon Lidsey? 

Having second rate foreigners taking places of equally or more talented Brits is a big issue. How can some foreign riders have 2 teams and many Brits are sat on the sidelines?

[Danny Connor]

48 minutes ago, SPEEDY69 said:

What attracted me to and kept me interested in speedway was following my team.  I have very little interest, if any, in individual meetings.  The erosion of the team aspect in the UK has withered my interest. 

As I've said many times before, some existing fans may want to tinker around with the product but I think it far more important that thought is given to improving the night out - then it becomes less important how many overtakes there were.  If people go away having had a good time then they will return.  I liked KTs idea of using interactive aspects - playing to peoples' obsession (particularly the younger ones) with mobile phones/technology.  Standing out in the cold/wet is unpleasant, standing around watching a tractor or listening to 70s music is also not engaging.  There could be other things on the terraces to do e.g. video games, bike simulators, bouncy castles/bungees, party events hosting, free wifi, a big screen - none of these are messing about with the racing but just trying to modernise the experience.  If you then added characters for your team, with nicknames etc. as they do in other sports this could also add some atmosphere - this does need promoters to stop 'pass the rider' games and loyalty can be achieved if handled consistently.

We'll always have the memories I suppose.

I like this. I love 7 v 7 speedway, I love the team thing and the 3 leagues. This format is secondary to the night out itself. If everything about that night frustrates you then it’s all lost on the new people. If the night is fun then people can overlook some of the other stuff that irks us.

[JC!]

1 hour ago, SPEEDY69 said:

What attracted me to and kept me interested in speedway was following my team.  I have very little interest, if any, in individual meetings.  The erosion of the team aspect in the UK has withered my interest. 

Thanks for your well thought out reply, I understand where you are coming from. Clearly I don't agree, but it's all about opinions.

[Tsunami]

5 minutes ago, BLACKHEART said:

BREAKING NEWS!

The BSPA are delighted to confirm that all parties have reached an agreement on which packet of biscuits will be in operation at this year's AGM. Originally there was a 50/50 split on the decision some promoters voted in favour of Digestive's whilst other promoters voted in favour of Custard Creams after much discussion the BSPA can confirm that a Mcvities selection box containing 10 different types of biscuit will be in operation at this years AGM in the best interests of all promoters.

Stay tuned for further updates. We will bring you more news as soon as we get it.

Grow up.

[wealdstone]

1 minute ago, Tsunami said:

Grow up.

Like it or not this is what many if not most think of the BSPA

[Byker Biker]

Just now, wealdstone said:

Like it or not this is what many if not most think of the BSPA

Which is why they don't take notice of what's on here, anything worth considering get's lost in all the pizz taking

[Arch Stanton]

17 minutes ago, Tsunami said:

Grow up.

We get that tripe EVERY single year. It wasn’t funny when the first biscuits “gag” surfaced years ago, now it’s just downright cringeworthy. 

[JCookie]

25 minutes ago, Tsunami said:

Grow up.

It's been the same joke ever since time began. No it's not a piss up, no it's not a load of clowns and no the biscuits thing isn't funny. 

[wealdstone]

1 hour ago, JCookie said:

It's been the same joke ever since time began. No it's not a piss up, no it's not a load of clowns and no the biscuits thing isn't funny. 

It may be a joke , a repetitive  joke and possibly no longer funny. But BSPA  that is what many think of you . Do something about it!!!

[Speedway28]

Really hope we get some positive news on the sport we all love tomorrow. Fingers crossed 2019 will see the current decline of speedway within the UK stop and the start of some form of recovery beginning.

[old bob at herne bay]

Speedway 28 ...there has been no evidence of any sign of constructive behaviour from any of the promoters in British Speedway throughout the 2018 season, so I don’t see any hope that an away day in Uttoxeter over a few drinks will bring about any changes.

Much like our politicians .... I have no respect for any of them.