Lakeside and the BSPA

[Daytripper]

Just back from the Lakeside fans forum. Well attended. Someone said around 200 there but I didn't count them myself.

The meeting lasted about 1hr 45 min and a lot of detail was given which I am not going to repeat on here. 

Suffice to say there is hope . Lots still to be done but there was an hour long meeting with the developers a week of two back, and the Thurtock Council are tangibly supportive . There are sponsors interested in giving support if things come to fruition and at the moment at least there seem to be funds available to build a basic Leicester style track. 

The council are doing their assessment/planning of sports facilities in a few months and Speedwáy seems to be on the agenda.

The behaviour of the BSPA towards Stuart Douglas has been atrocious, and wrangling are still going on. No criticism was made of Rye House who did there best to help but reading between the lines it seems the BSPA's treatment of them has been abysmal as well. It just seems incredible to me that given the present state of speedway the BSPA are not bending over backwards to keep Speedwáy at that facility instead of obstructing it .

All the riders will be paid by Stuart but it is the BSPA that are preventing it at the moment. 

It seems to me that that, the BSPA continue to believe that it is they , not they riders, nor the fans, that are the most important people in  Speedwáy.  

[Reliant Robin]

10 hours ago, Daytripper said:

Just back from the Lakeside fans forum. Well attended. Someone said around 200 there but I didn't count them myself.

The meeting lasted about 1hr 45 min and a lot of detail was given which I am not going to repeat on here. 

Suffice to say there is hope . Lots still to be done but there was an hour long meeting with the developers a week of two back, and the Thurtock Council are tangibly supportive . There are sponsors interested in giving support if things come to fruition and at the moment at least there seem to be funds available to build a basic Leicester style track. 

The council are doing their assessment/planning of sports facilities in a few months and Speedwáy seems to be on the agenda.

The behaviour of the BSPA towards Stuart Douglas has been atrocious, and wrangling are still going on. No criticism was made of Rye House who did there best to help but reading between the lines it seems the BSPA's treatment of them has been abysmal as well. It just seems incredible to me that given the present state of speedway the BSPA are not bending over backwards to keep Speedwáy at that facility instead of obstructing it .

All the riders will be paid by Stuart but it is the BSPA that are preventing it at the moment. 

It seems to me that that, the BSPA continue to believe that it is they , not they riders, nor the fans, that are the most important people in  Speedwáy.  

How is it that BSPA are preventing Stuart Douglas from making payments to riders? Surely even the mighty BSPA aren't that powerful? 

I hope Lakeside can get something sorted soon and we can see the Hammers back in competitive action in the not too distant future

Edited December 11, 2018 by Reliant Robin

[racers and royals]

On 12/5/2018 at 10:23 AM, bigcatdiary said:

Your not wrong, certainly in the case of the Championship it was in the hands of the BSPA office for a while but they passed it on and arranged a meeting of respective promoters and you all know what followed.

It should be easier in the Premiership this year with just two days to chose from but I dare say someone will make it as difficult as possible.

As regards the last line- the someone is already there "Sweden" and Thursday`s. Before anyone says" but we have priority" if anyone thinks that Doyle, Fricke Lambert ete etc will be happy missing a Swedish Thursday league match because they are riding here( for half the money) they they don`t know the modern Speedway rider very well !!!

[bigcatdiary]

30 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

As regards the last line- the someone is already there "Sweden" and Thursday`s. Before anyone says" but we have priority" if anyone thinks that Doyle, Fricke Lambert ete etc will be happy missing a Swedish Thursday league match because they are riding here( for half the money) they they don`t know the modern Speedway rider very well !!!

So who gets priority on Thursdays us or Sweden.

[racers and royals]

6 minutes ago, bigcatdiary said:

So who gets priority on Thursdays us or Sweden.

Us - but with the Swedish  clubs having up to 5 Thursday meetings(see fixtures on the "Elitserien fixtures" thread in the international section) my point about riders who are doing both leagues will not be happy riding over here and them missing a pay day in Sweden.

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/87333-2019-swedish-eliteserien-fixtures/

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by racers and royals

[HAMMER180]

52 minutes ago, Reliant Robin said:

How is it that BSPA are preventing Stuart Douglas from making payments to riders? Surely even the mighty BSPA aren't that powerful? 

I hope Lakeside can get something sorted soon and we can see the Hammers back in competitive action in the not too distant future

they insist that any fines or charges are paid first sod the riders this is what they are all about

re rye that's why they had to close as bmr were happy to settle all debts but the bspa were just interested in fines and snatching

the 50 grand bond when rye could not fullfill their fixtures

[HAMMER180]

could not make it last night but pleased there was a good turn out

if things are that rosy looking then I will back it all the way

waiting for the update of the site

but if I win the euro millions in the meantime I will build me own ( if only)

lets just hope in a couple of years we can all look back and say what was all the fuss COYH.

[Reliant Robin]

5 minutes ago, HAMMER180 said:

they insist that any fines or charges are paid first sod the riders this is what they are all about

re rye that's why they had to close as bmr were happy to settle all debts but the bspa were just interested in fines and snatching

the 50 grand bond when rye could not fullfill their fixtures

Fines and charges for what? Late payment of riders? Doesn't ring true to me and sounds like a smoke screen for non payment

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

1 hour ago, racers and royals said:

Us - but with the Swedish  clubs having up to 5 Thursday meetings(see fixtures on the "Elitserien fixtures" thread in the international section) my point about riders who are doing both leagues will not be happy riding over here and them missing a pay day in Sweden.

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/87333-2019-swedish-eliteserien-fixtures/

 

Then tell them to do one and miss out on 30 British pay days instead

[2ndbendbeerhut]

Exactly... if a rider misses a PL fixture because of riding elsewhere they should be let go and no facilty given to the club in the mean time. 

[Sings4Speedway]

3 minutes ago, 2ndbendbeerhut said:

Exactly... if a rider misses a PL fixture because of riding elsewhere they should be let go and no facilty given to the club in the mean time. 

Would count as withholding services surely? 28 day ban (which should include Poland too), no facility and might as well be sacked as most fans would turn their back on them anyway. 

[2ndbendbeerhut]

Depends if club used a facility for the meeting they missed... 

[Najjer]

3 hours ago, racers and royals said:

As regards the last line- the someone is already there "Sweden" and Thursday`s. Before anyone says" but we have priority" if anyone thinks that Doyle, Fricke Lambert ete etc will be happy missing a Swedish Thursday league match because they are riding here( for half the money) they they don`t know the modern Speedway rider very well !!!

Isn't that the point - There is a lack of fixtures so with decent planning and communications between us and Sweden, then nobody should miss meetings in either country.

[Daytripper]

It's rather more complicated  than that. As I said we were given a lot of background to a lot of matters, which I am not going splash out all over the forum. You can either believe it or not believe it , but take it from me the BSPA have treated  Stuart. Douglas apallingly, and  although I dont  have all the facts about Rye House, it does seem they have had a rough deal as well.

Ask yourself this :. With the state of speedway in this country why have we lost two promotions and an existing track without the BSPA bending over backwards to keep everyone on board?  

Last season three clubs, Lakeside , Peterborough, and Workington had serious financial problems and the sport was made a laughing stock because Rob Godfrey pulled the plug on fixtures that had previously been approved . When Godfrey was asked about it in Speedwáy Star he just kept on about his protocols. That's the mentality of these people. Never mind the fans, never mind the riders let's stick to the protocols. In any other business the customers are paramount. If you start losing customers you make changes to accommodate them. In BSPA world you stick to the protocols and if the paying public don't like it they can lump it. Crowds at almost every club are down. How many fans have been lost to the sport in the last 5 years alone. They call themselves an "Association" but some of those at the helm don't even know the meaning of the word. 

[bigcatdiary]

9 minutes ago, Najjer said:

Isn't that the point - There is a lack of fixtures so with decent planning and communications between us and Sweden, then nobody should miss meetings in either country.

You would like to think so but when was decent planning and communications ever associated with the BSPA.

[IronScorpion]

38 minutes ago, bigcatdiary said:

You would like to think so but when was decent planning and communications ever associated with the BSPA.

Decent planning & communication over fixtures was normally in the hands of the fixture compiler but I read that last year it was down to the teams promotions. The original fixtures should NOT have been allowed as it was against what was proposed at the AGM & when problems arose in getting decent guests, some fixtures were cancelled & rulings applied to what was agreed at the AGM. 

[bigcatdiary]

1 hour ago, IronScorpion said:

Decent planning & communication over fixtures was normally in the hands of the fixture compiler but I read that last year it was down to the teams promotions. The original fixtures should NOT have been allowed as it was against what was proposed at the AGM & when problems arose in getting decent guests, some fixtures were cancelled & rulings applied to what was agreed at the AGM. 

Yes I am aware what Rob Godfrey quoted, the difference is not everyone believes it.

 

[IronScorpion]

Just the 3 teams that were affected by it!

[DitchLev]

3 hours ago, Daytripper said:

It's rather more complicated  than that. As I said we were given a lot of background to a lot of matters, which I am not going splash out all over the forum. You can either believe it or not believe it , but take it from me the BSPA have treated  Stuart. Douglas apallingly, and  although I dont  have all the facts about Rye House, it does seem they have had a rough deal as well.

Ask yourself this :. With the state of speedway in this country why have we lost two promotions and an existing track without the BSPA bending over backwards to keep everyone on board?  

Last season three clubs, Lakeside , Peterborough, and Workington had serious financial problems and the sport was made a laughing stock because Rob Godfrey pulled the plug on fixtures that had previously been approved . When Godfrey was asked about it in Speedwáy Star he just kept on about his protocols. That's the mentality of these people. Never mind the fans, never mind the riders let's stick to the protocols. In any other business the customers are paramount. If you start losing customers you make changes to accommodate them. In BSPA world you stick to the protocols and if the paying public don't like it they can lump it. Crowds at almost every club are down. How many fans have been lost to the sport in the last 5 years alone. They call themselves an "Association" but some of those at the helm don't even know the meaning of the word. 

We had a whole Speedway Star magazine trying to discuss the "state" of British Speedway, and the above post just about sums everything up. Will the BSPA just read the above.

[Daytripper]

4 hours ago, IronScorpion said:

Decent planning & communication over fixtures was normally in the hands of the fixture compiler but I read that last year it was down to the teams promotions. The original fixtures should NOT have been allowed as it was against what was proposed at the AGM & when problems arose in getting decent guests, some fixtures were cancelled & rulings applied to what was agreed at the AGM. 

Whether they should or should not have been allowed is not the point.  The fact is they WERE allowed and approved by the same Mr Godfrey who later pulled the plug. Once the figures were approved and published season tickets were bought on the strength of it, holidays and other arrangements were booked around it, clubs and more inportantly some members of the paying public were out of pocket or inconvenienced because of it. When Speedwáy Star published the interview with Godfrey, spread over two pages there was not a single word, not even a hint of apology to the fans whose money keeps the sport alive, just columns of self justification and banging on about protocols . As ever the BSPA behave as if the customers are just an inconvenience they  could  do without.