Spl77 Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Can't blame Doyle or anyone else who throws their hat in the ring to live and ride in Poland exclusively. Their top league at least is going to run so a chance for the riders to earn some money. At the moment it's 50/50 at best that the UK will run a league program. We know unlike Poland we can't afford to run behind closed doors so are at the mercy of the government allowing fans into stadia which at the moment seems a long way off. I've read in a couple of football articles in the last day or two suggesting it maybe January before crowds are permitted back into stadia. Now I know speedway might be in a different position due to the low level of support which makes social distancing easier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerRopes Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 If it's true that BV have lost 4 of their riders to Poland, I can't see how the PL can run this year, other PL team riders are heading east too.. Subject to easing of the lockdown, no reason why CL and NL can't run though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, YerRopes said: If it's true that BV have lost 4 of their riders to Poland, I can't see how the PL can run this year, other PL team riders are heading east too.. Subject to easing of the lockdown, no reason why CL and NL can't run though.. Do you think six man teams may be an option, and a reduction of the points limit ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerRopes Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Or even 5 man teams.. Will there be enough time, given the ongoing current uncertainty to get new teams together.. If the lockdown allows - a small group of us hope to do a mini tour, especially as we've cancelled 2 trips to Poland in May and June.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishRoundabout Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, YerRopes said: Or even 5 man teams.. Will there be enough time, given the ongoing current uncertainty to get new teams together.. If the lockdown allows - a small group of us hope to do a mini tour, especially as we've cancelled 2 trips to Poland in May and June.. Don’t want to put a damper on what is already incredibly tough times, but personally, can’t see a speedway season in the UK this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerRopes Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 1 minute ago, EnglishRoundabout said: Don’t want to put a damper on what is already incredibly tough times, but personally, can’t see a speedway season in the UK this year. Tbh, you're probably right.. Depending, there may be a few individual meetings here and there, hope so anyway.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) If we get anything, I can't see it being more than a few open/challenge matches around August/September time. Teams could easily be made up with guests as they will be purely for entertainment purposes. I can't see there being any league. Matches like that would normally be very sparsely attended, but if they were the only speedway this year they'd probably attract pretty decent crowds. Poland is way ahead of the UK with Corona Virus and even they aren't starting until June - and even then without crowds, which the UK have said they won't do. So Poland will also be having crowds before they are viable in the UK. We'll be lucky to get anything at all. Jason has gone to Poland with Swindon's blessing, according to the website, as they couldn't guarantee him a start this year. Any rider who can get a place in Poland and is happy to stay there for 6 months will be a fool not to take it if they want a ride this year. Edited May 2, 2020 by Grachan 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, YerRopes said: Tbh, you're probably right.. Depending, there may be a few individual meetings here and there, hope so anyway.. Maybe they could get 16 riders together and have a British "Grand Prix" series or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerRopes Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, Grachan said: Maybe they could get 16 riders together and have a British "Grand Prix" series or something like that. I'd go, feel a bit starved atm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, YerRopes said: I'd go, feel a bit starved atm.. Me too. I think they would attract good crowds as the only choice for this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YerRopes Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 7 minutes ago, Grachan said: Me too. I think they would attract good crowds as the only choice for this year. Even if it was just one such meeting at every track, I'd travel.. No restrictions on race nights either, subject to stadia contracts.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishRoundabout Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Maybe this whole godamn awful thing will trigger a resurgence In British Speedway? Wouldn’t that be marvellous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 5 minutes ago, EnglishRoundabout said: Maybe this whole godamn awful thing will trigger a resurgence In British Speedway? Wouldn’t that be marvellous? An interesting comment but how do you visualise 'trigger a resurgence in British Speedway?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishRoundabout Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 I guess something similar to early nineties football when their crowds were at an all time low. Suddenly there was a spike in interest ( I accept that was probably due to Sky money) but sometimes in life you only realise how you miss something when it isn’t there. So maybe Sky or someone else will provide the financial assistance the sport deserves and desperately needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spl77 Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 10 hours ago, EnglishRoundabout said: I guess something similar to early nineties football when their crowds were at an all time low. Suddenly there was a spike in interest ( I accept that was probably due to Sky money) but sometimes in life you only realise how you miss something when it isn’t there. So maybe Sky or someone else will provide the financial assistance the sport deserves and desperately needs. Sadly sky have already provided massive (in speedway terms) financial assistance in the early days of their TV coverage. Sadly like most things connected to the BSPA that golden egg was dropped and smashed in pieces. Hence the poor revenue for later contracts and then the almost give away to BT sport. From 1999 to mid noughies speedway had the media partner and the money coming in to really turn the sport around... The rest as they say is history! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Spl77 said: Sadly sky have already provided massive (in speedway terms) financial assistance in the early days of their TV coverage. Sadly like most things connected to the BSPA that golden egg was dropped and smashed in pieces. Hence the poor revenue for later contracts and then the almost give away to BT sport. From 1999 to mid noughies speedway had the media partner and the money coming in to really turn the sport around... The rest as they say is history! Used the money, in the main, to pay for the team's world class GP riders.. Whose presence didnt prevent annually dwindling crowds... And then the vast majority of them dropped UK Speedway like a stone... All that money and zero development of the sport in the UK? In fact, it delivered actual regression in terms of fan numbers... Amazing... Another one of UK Speedway's fantastic, well thought out, long term, visionary business plans, which they have appeared so marvellously adept at making over the years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 On 4/30/2020 at 9:57 AM, mikebv said: Been that way for donkeys years though hasn't it? All to try and win something that hardly anyone gives a monkey's about, with the vast majority, who still attend, there each week whether you win or lose because they are die hards of the sport. Spending an incredible amount on riders who spend an incredible amount on their machinery, with hardly a penny spent on marketing and publicity? An incredible business model.. Not sure about that . Swindon fans loved doing well and loved winning the title it was still a big thing for the fans and the crowds would good because of that . Doing well and winning things will nearly always have a positive effect on crowd levels . Spending money on marketing and publicity with a crap team near the bottom is a incredible poor business model 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC2 Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 The best marketing and publicity comes from personal recommendations, the word of mouth from fans. It’s obviously us who have failed the sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 1 hour ago, DC2 said: The best marketing and publicity comes from personal recommendations, the word of mouth from fans. It’s obviously us who have failed the sport! You laugh, but in a way it is true. If anybody were to look at this forum to get an idea about the sport, they wouldn't go near it. The general consensus is that the sport is either, dead, dying or not the way it used to be in the good old days 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 Even if there is speedway from say July/August, the Premiership only needs 6 home and 6 away meetings to satisfy a 'league' commitment - with or without any play-offs - as well as providing something for Eurosport. Clearly there would need to be some rationalisation of season ticket costs for those fans already committed to them. It would appear that Lee Kilby is this season's fixture guru for the BSPL and has already worked on several different fixture formats depending on any resumption date!! Although not relevant for this section, the Championship could also resort to North and South division fixtures with the winner of each division meeting in a Final. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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