Skidder1 Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 (edited) Matt is considering selling because he has a new business interest which requires him to move abroad. The club is on a sound financial footing. Poole,Wolves, Swindon( according to Terry Russell), Belle Vue (according to their commitment to the City Council), Kings Lynn, Somerset plus the rumoured Peterborough and Ipswich would be ok for any top league. Edited November 9, 2018 by Skidder1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificentseven Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 Just now, Skidder1 said: Matt is considering selling because he has a new business interest which requires him to move abroad. The club is on a sound financial footing. Poole,Wolves, Swindon, Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Somerset plus the rumoured Peterborough and Ipswich would be ok for any top league. Peterborough are up for sale - if they are struggling with costs in the Championship I can't see them being interested in additional costs of a Super League. See my comments above re Wolves and Swindon - we will have to agree to disagree on those. Would be hell of an outlay for King's Lynn on their current crowd levels and potential lack of top riders in their asset base so we will have to agree to disagree on that one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INCOGNITO Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 If you run one league at Championship level you will build a foundation that can be built,on for the 2020 season which then could be possible for the few that want to run at a higher level to run in two levels. When end setting up for 2020 you build your team for the one league again but tracks like Belle Vue, Poole, Kings Lynn, Swindon, Sheffield, Glasgow etc may look at riding in a Extra League here on a Monday, meaning Wolves may need to switch race nights, possibly back tomFridays as it was in the seventies. They use use their top five and bring in two star riders regardless of averages to complete the team. Poole would bring in Janowski and Sayfutdinov maybe, Wolves Woffinden and Lindgren, Swindon Doyke and Zengota, Glasgow Hancock and Dudek etc. By running on just 14 Monday's and running on BT Sports the top riders would consider riding here, especially now as Sweden may be Thursday and Poland on a Friday so Monday may not be the rush back it has been. yes they want more money but they won't be after crazy amounts but they would expect an improvement in tracks which apart from a few are the worse they have ever been over here at present and many need a complete relaying of the base not just patching up. A top top league is possible in this way for 2019 but think we need a tear to build the foundation first and look at this option through the next 14 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 48 minutes ago, INCOGNITO said: They don't have a choice as missing a priority fixture such as Sweden or Poland then they will have their licence held and be inline for a 28 day ban. Without a licence they wouldn't be allowed to race anywhere. If we sign up to the ISLB agreement. Maybe we shouldn't do that. Riders would have a choice - they ride in Poland or they ride over here. We need Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. If this year has proven anything, it's that running mid-week (with the notable exception of one or two tracks) is financial suicide. Put speedway on a night when the fans will come, because you need to look after the supporters as your No 1 priority. And then the riders have to fit into that. As I said, no more tail wagging the dog. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aces51 Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 I can't see that a super league structure with a second team at Championship level will work. It doesn't matter how it is dressed up, fans will regard the championship level team as the reserve team and it will not attract fans in sufficient numbers. In 2017 the Aces had an average crowd of over 1400. The Colts averaged less than 500. Arguably, the racing was as good and the facilities, presentation etc., the same but fans wanted to see the best on offer and for that and for some, not being able to afford to attend both, voted with their feet. It would be a big financial gamble to run a super league team. Clubs would no doubt have to increase the admission cost to pay for the super stars and it could be a financial disaster if fans didn't then turn out in sufficient numbers for either, or, both teams. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray c Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 Dont believe for one minute the uk could support a super league at this moment in time 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 6 hours ago, MattK said: What would you do with riders like Dan Bewley? He rode in a GP Challenge qualifier, four World U21 Individual meetings and two Team U21 meetings. That's seven weekends where he was unavailable for a Saturday meeting in Britain. Should he not be signed by any club as he isn't 100% committed to British speedway? Maybe Dan's meetings could be planned in the 20 odd Saturdays over the six months or so that he is available? Or run meetings on Fridays and Sundays when he isn't available Saturday? Speedway clubs run on 'off nights' now so no new process to accommodate riders with other priorities, but the problem is that these nights are invariably mid week and poor crowd pullers... Bottom line is British Speedway tracks need to look after No1... And that means more than any debate about standard of riders, running when they can attract their best crowds.... If riders ambitions lie elsewhere and don't marry up with British Speedways needs then that is unfortunate but British Speedway needs to give itself a chance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattK Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 32 minutes ago, mikebv said: Maybe Dan's meetings could be planned in the 20 odd Saturdays over the six months or so that he is available? Or run meetings on Fridays and Sundays when he isn't available Saturday? Speedway clubs run on 'off nights' now so no new process to accommodate riders with other priorities, but the problem is that these nights are invariably mid week and poor crowd pullers... I don't have a problem with fixtures working around international commitments. The issue I see is where do you draw the line. GPs, GP Challenge, U21s so on? Given that people moan about the break for the SWC/SoN I can see that it wouldn't be long before fans are complaining about so many breaks in the fixture list to accommodate FIM events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 In my opinion the Thursday`s and Sweden rumour is just rubbish. Nine teams in the Eliterserien(Swedish top league) in 2019 so 1 team misses out each round therefore 18 Tuesday`s will be required to run the regular season. Between the beginning of May (7th) and the 3rd September there are 18 Tuesday`s- they shouldn`t even have to lose a Tuesday for the SON in 2019. Yes they tried something new in 2018 when they had a back to back 24 hour Tues/Wed local derby fixture which they maybe will try and do again. The Swedish 2nd div runs Thursday`s and hasn`t caused the UK many problems. In my opinion if GB want Thursday`s they will get priority in 2019. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 54 minutes ago, MattK said: I don't have a problem with fixtures working around international commitments. The issue I see is where do you draw the line. GPs, GP Challenge, U21s so on? Given that people moan about the break for the SWC/SoN I can see that it wouldn't be long before fans are complaining about so many breaks in the fixture list to accommodate FIM events. Could it really be any worse? There are loads of breaks in fixture lists now.. British Speedway cannot run itself like 'proper team sports', we know that, so you might as well run the constantly contrived meetings they put out, with random septets, at weekend when more of the populace can get there... Running on Fixed Nights still didn't deliver any 'bona fide' Championships at any of the three levels, so it really doesn't matter who wins the 'titles'... When 'set in stone' fixtures get changed at a moments notice so there are plenty of 'guests' to be shared around you know the game is pretty much up.. Fixed Race Nights were always doomed from the very outset when Monday/Thursday became Monday/Wednesday/Thursday so you might as well let teams ride whenever they want, using whoever they can.. It can't be any worse and surely can only be a financial improvement..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Smith Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 Sad times for British Speedway when we're not only missing Woffinden but now Robert Lambert is deemed to good for our leagues now. Included Lambert, the door has to be open to everyone else. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 It seems logical to me, under the present situation, that any Brit rider doing well in other countries will give preference to that situation and riding in the UK would not be top of his list of priorities. Its obvious to me that they will go where the opportunity is to better themselves in riding ability and income. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 23 hours ago, Steve0 said: Why would stadiums be empty on GP nights? I watch very few things “live” at transmission time and much prefer to record and watch on delay. This allows me to skip past Adverts , replays and endless studio chats. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way Work it out for yourself, people will not go, but i dont expect you to believe that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 50 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said: Sad times for British Speedway when we're not only missing Woffinden but now Robert Lambert is deemed to good for our leagues now. Included Lambert, the door has to be open to everyone else. Deemed or is ? IMO he's not yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray c Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 1 minute ago, Starman2006 said: Work it out for yourself, people will not go, but i dont expect you to believe that. most clubs do well on a Saturday rye house for one and then had to move to Wednesday where are they now gone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 9 minutes ago, ray c said: most clubs do well on a Saturday rye house for one and then had to move to Wednesday where are they now gone If Speedway was a 'proper team sport' with traditional rivalries, a tribal following, and bona fide Championships which had real kudos in winning, then I would suggest any night would be a possibility.. The sad fact it it hasn't got any of these three key ingredients to encourage fans to invest that so important emotional loyalty to 'their team'.... Therefore, they would be better just focusing on the on track entertainment value of Speedway, ie four riders riding around an oval track at high speed with no brakes.. And do it when a crowd can be enticed to come... Not when it just suits some of the competitors the most... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve0 Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 38 minutes ago, Starman2006 said: Work it out for yourself, people will not go, but i dont expect you to believe that. Given the likes of my post to yours I think it is you that needs to work it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 9 hours ago, MattK said: What would you do with riders like Dan Bewley? He rode in a GP Challenge qualifier, four World U21 Individual meetings and two Team U21 meetings. That's seven weekends where he was unavailable for a Saturday meeting in Britain. Should he not be signed by any club as he isn't 100% committed to British speedway? You can't let clubs go bust to further the careers of a handful of british riders. Woffinden doesn't ride here, despite the fixed race nights. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttons Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 (edited) It's obvious that British Speedway cannot afford the top riders with the wages and the big signing on fees they require, the crowds don't warrant it anymore. Something has to be done to bring the cost down for both promoters and riders alike, although It maybe little late, when all costs starting rising and crowds started dropping years back, action should have been taken then, but nothing of any consequence was done. Speedway in this country wants to take a step back, throw away the rule book and start again . Too many complicated rules for a simple sport that fans cannot understand (or is that the general idea I wonder!) The sport has gone from being a team sport to a team of individuals, riders rushing off soon as the meeting has finished and not mixing with the fans, and the presentation (if you can call it that) is abysmal , the cost is much too expensive to take the family on a regular basis, although Speedway prides itself on being a family sport. The entrance fee, programme, car park, the kids will want drinks and burgers , not forgetting the adults say an average of £60 to £80, how many young families can afford £240 or more a month ? Thoughts. Edited November 9, 2018 by Buttons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, Buttons said: It's obvious that British Speedway cannot afford the top riders with the wages and the big signing on fees they require, the crowds don't warrant it anymore. Something has to be done to bring the cost down for both promoters and riders alike, although It maybe little late, when all costs starting rising and crowds started dropping years back, action should have been taken then, but nothing of any consequence was done. Speedway in this country wants to take a step back, throw away the rule book and start again . Too many complicated rules for a simple sport that fans cannot understand (or is that the general idea I wonder!) The sport has gone from being a team sport to a team of individuals, riders rushing off soon as the meeting has finished and not mixing with the fans, and the presentation (if you can call it that) is abysmal , the cost is much too expensive to take the family on a regular basis, although Speedway prides itself on being a family sport. The entrance fee, programme, the kids will want drinks and burgers , not forgetting the adults say an average of £60 to £80, how many young families can afford £240 or more a month ? Thoughts. My thoughts are what you say is 100% correct... And thousands and thousands of ex fans would read your comments and agree also... Incredible that the Promoters don't see the obvious issues, and continue to ignore feedback from the many who used to go... Makes you wonder how many gaps have to appear on the terraces before they finally cotton on.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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