NL AGM 2018

[Halifaxtiger]

On ‎12‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 11:48 AM, Byker Biker said:

If you look at the medium term plan to increase the conversion rates and the natural aspirations of riders to move up creating a situation where there is no safe haven (not a good choice of words) in the NL then the reliance on overseas riders will diminish. It's not my plan but it has been mooted before when the then PL was the well paid hiding place for many riders capable of doing a job in the then EL. The compromise then was to protect their PL averages for 2 years so that if they didn't make it at the higher level they could resume where they left off in the lower league. That didn't work either and it gave some riders a taste of big money which escalated their demands to come back in the lower league.

What you have to remember with the BSPA is that the Architects are rarely the Labourers 

The way I see it :

There's no guarantee that the riders ditched due to the points limit will be those who have accepted that the NL is their level;

There's every possibility that some of our most talented youngsters will not get a place in the NL because of their average;

There's every possibility that those youngsters confidence will be damaged by riding in the Championship and they will be dropped, then having nowhere to go;

Attendances will almost certainly fall as paying spectators simply refuse to accept a weakened product; 

Sponsorship falls as a result;

The backbone of the NL - the stand alone clubs - existence is placed in jeopardy.

In my opinion, this is a disastrous decision that could have profound consequences for both the NL and the development of British Speedway.

Your last point is the one that sticks in my craw the most. It is quite appalling - if it is the case - that the NL clubs needs and wishes are simply disregarded and they are forced to adhere to rules that run a significant risk of damaging their businesses at the behest of others who have no financial stake in the league whatsoever. 

Edited December 4, 2018 by Halifaxtiger

[Byker Biker]

2 hours ago, Halifaxtiger said:

The way I see it :

There's no guarantee that the riders ditched due to the points limit will be those who have accepted that the NL is their level;

There's every possibility that some of our most talented youngsters will not get a place in the NL because of their average;

There's every possibility that those youngsters confidence will be damaged by riding in the Championship and they will be dropped, then having nowhere to go;

Attendances will almost certainly fall as paying spectators simply refuse to accept a weakened product; 

Sponsorship falls as a result;

The backbone of the NL - the stand alone clubs - existence is placed in jeopardy.

In my opinion, this is a disastrous decision that could have profound consequences for both the NL and the development of British Speedway.

Your last point is the one that sticks in my craw the most. It is quite appalling - if it is the case - that the NL clubs needs and wishes are simply disregarded and they are forced to adhere to rules that run a significant risk of damaging their businesses at the behest of others who have no financial stake in the league whatsoever. 

It's easy for me, the closest we had to sustainable and entertaining Speedway five to ten years ago was the then Premier League now this has changed today to the National League. It can survive without tinkering or surgery but the other leagues clearly can't and to plunder it with lower team building averages and whatever else is to come renders it far too vulnerable for my liking. If it was a true development league it would be sacrosanct .

[GWC]

Simply need more clubs in the NL and considering the dearth of clubs in the south Rye House should be allowed to join.

[Chris116]

41 minutes ago, GWC said:

Simply need more clubs in the NL and considering the dearth of clubs in the south Rye House should be allowed to join.

While this is a reasonable sentiment, BMR who own Rye House are not flavour of the month with the BSPA so very unlikely to happen sadly as Rye is the only track I can really get to, to watch racing. 

[Halifaxtiger]

On ‎12‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 8:06 PM, Halifaxtiger said:

The way I see it :

There's no guarantee that the riders ditched due to the points limit will be those who have accepted that the NL is their level;

There's every possibility that some of our most talented youngsters will not get a place in the NL because of their average;

 

Ayres, Wallinger, Coles, Perry, Chessell, Priest, Campos & Halsey all signed. Smith & Lawlor out. 

Its not often I get it right, but I just might have here. 

[justobsessedwithspeedway]

Chris116

I reside but a few miles from you, and like your goodself am very unhappy to see that Rye aren't racing next season.

With the demise of Lakeside also (although not that much missed as I thought the place was a dump), Eastbourne is now the only viable option for me.

If you are willing to share petrol costs I'm more than willing to pick a few meetings there next season and drive you.

Somehow hopefully we can share e-mail details.

[Sings4Speedway]

15 hours ago, Halifaxtiger said:

Ayres, Wallinger, Coles, Perry, Chessell, Priest, Campos & Halsey all signed. Smith & Lawlor out. 

Its not often I get it right, but I just might have here. 

Largely agree although in Ayres case he still adds to the Nl plus would be competitive at a higher level had the averages not been fiddled with/2 point rules been brought in. Smith missing out is a loss but he over stretched himself last year and failed to cut it at either higher tier, not to say he couldn't in the future but sadly speedway is as much about timing as it is about ability.

[IronScorpion]

I thought I had read somewhere where certain riders could not get spots because of their average. I was not sure if he/she was surmising that these riders could not get spots because of the reduced team average or because of their own high average but what was posted was that a rider could not ride in the NL if he had achieved a 4+ average in the CL in the past even saying if it was 25 years ago. Was this a wind up post or is it true for 2019?

[arnieg]

53 minutes ago, IronScorpion said:

I thought I had read somewhere where certain riders could not get spots because of their average. I was not sure if he/she was surmising that these riders could not get spots because of the reduced team average or because of their own high average but what was posted was that a rider could not ride in the NL if he had achieved a 4+ average in the CL in the past even saying if it was 25 years ago. Was this a wind up post or is it true for 2019?

It appears to be a new rule that wasn't in the post AGM press release.

However it is not a ban on such riders, but a restriction to ONE per team.

( at least that is my understanding of the situation today)

[iand]

43 minutes ago, arnieg said:

It appears to be a new rule that wasn't in the post AGM press release.

However it is not a ban on such riders, but a restriction to ONE per team.

( at least that is my understanding of the situation today)

That's my understanding as well, not sure how many riders it affects, Armstrong, Bowen, Bacon, Shane's,Wilson, Ayres, Hurry,Baseby  and Roynon I would have thought reached that level at one time. Not sure on Clegg, Morley or Perks.

[Islander15]

1 hour ago, iand said:

That's my understanding as well, not sure how many riders it affects, Armstrong, Bowen, Bacon, Shane's,Wilson, Ayres, Hurry,Baseby  and Roynon I would have thought reached that level at one time. Not sure on Clegg, Morley or Perks.

Yes to all 3. 

[teaboy279]

Clifton, Ledwith, Ayres,

[IronScorpion]

Cheers for the clarification as I wondered about the Perks signing & announcing he had achieved a 5 point average in 2017.

[Sings4Speedway]

I assume Perry is on the 4+ list as well ? Going to make things interesting in 2020 if the rule stays the same and all those doubling up this year do alright for a period of time.

[Woz01]

After the AGM it said there was a possibility of more teams joining, is that not going to happen? Plenty of riders still available.

[TurnTwo]

Rye House possibly? Looking at riders who haven’t been signed and ones I think wouldn’t already be signed. 

1  Kemp 9.15

2 Dugard 3.35

3 Hurry 6.75 

4 Hampshire 5.11

5 Kingsley 7.54 

6 butcher 2.01

7 Ablitt 2

 

[iand]

1 hour ago, TurnTwo said:

Rye House possibly? Looking at riders who haven’t been signed and ones I think wouldn’t already be signed. 

1  Kemp 9.15

2 Dugard 3.35

3 Hurry 6.75 

4 Hampshire 5.11

5 Kingsley 7.54 

6 butcher 2.01

7 Ablitt 2

 

Read somewhere that Hampshire not riding next year

[Sings4Speedway]

2 hours ago, TurnTwo said:

Rye House possibly? Looking at riders who haven’t been signed and ones I think wouldn’t already be signed. 

1  Kemp 9.15

2 Dugard 3.35

3 Hurry 6.75 

4 Hampshire 5.11

5 Kingsley 7.54 

6 butcher 2.01

7 Ablitt 2

 

Thought id heard that Rye House is no longer SCB licenced......certainly plenty to be sorted out before a team gets on track.... plus i hope the Dugard you are referring to is Martin as Kelsey isn't worth 0.35.

[Islander15]

10 hours ago, Woz01 said:

After the AGM it said there was a possibility of more teams joining, is that not going to happen? Plenty of riders still available.

I think that was said more to cover Birmingham (and to an extent Eastbourne) than open the door to Rye. 

[iand]

Kemp has signed for Kent. Who would qualify to take his place if he was to miss a match through injury? Could it be As an example Morley , average wise fits but can he because of this new ruling about only 1 rider with the over 4 average. Does the ruling only effect start of the season team building?