Season Cancelled

[OldHawk]

30 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

 It is just the leagues that have been binned. Clubs have an option to run challenge matches in October, if crowds are allowed. 

Yes agreed but my track Kent has already stated no matches at all. I hope others don't follow suit but lets see.

I still wonder if the BSPA have done anything like enough. but who knows!

After posting this I wrote a strong mail to my MP. Of course that wont change anything but I try at least to understand the logic even if I dont agree with it.

[iris123]

Is there any evidence at all the the cars have done any lobbying ? Or have they got through a loophole because of the strange nature of the ‘sport’ ? 

[StevePark]

1 hour ago, OldHawk said:

I may be doing the BSPA a massive disservice and there may be factors I am not aware of but I am wondering if they have simply sat back and waited for things to happen or if they have engaged actively with the sports and culture minister.

 

I say this because it has stunned me that speedway is not involved in the so call trial detailed below:

 

'The two-day county cricket match between Surrey and Middlesex, scheduled for July 26 and 27, will be the first event to feature crowds, followed by the delayed World Snooker Championship which begins in Sheffield on July 31 and the final day of Goodwood on August 1, when 5,000 spectators are set to attend.'

 

Given this, I cant see why speedway has not returned. As a shielder now for 4 months because of asthma, I have taken safety very seriously.

But down the road from me is Bluewater. A large indoor shopping centre which attracts thousands.

Of course they have the advantage of the E word...the 'Economy'

 

So why hasn't the BSPA been able to at least run a trial match?

 

I may be wrong but it worries me that the BSPA have just not done enough.

It seems to me that even a month of challenge matches in October as at pre war Belle Vue would be better than nothing.

Maybe they asked, but were rejected?  

[IainB]

22 hours ago, Pinny said:

And I am no lover of Rory Scheiln, but I read somewhere that he is working as a delivery driver to bring in money.

I just hope you're not sat at home waiting for a delivery when it's raining 

22 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Let’s face it nobody can really work out the logic in all this,but Speedway without normal attendances was never going to be viable, the Glasgow Promotion worked that out long before the rest,which tells me something,they’re smarter.!!

To be fair, you're saying that with the benefit of hindsight, it could quite easily have gone the other way and they could have been sat there with the shutters down while all other clubs were playing to bumper summer crowds.

20 hours ago, MattK said:

I can only assume that speedway classes itself as an elite sport and therefore is following these guidelines:

Maybe it's not down to the sport to classify itself but the authorities class the sport and tell them what guidelines to work to?

[Fromafar]

6 hours ago, iainb said:

I just hope you're not sat at home waiting for a delivery when it's raining 

To be fair, you're saying that with the benefit of hindsight, it could quite easily have gone the other way and they could have been sat there with the shutters down while all other clubs were playing to bumper summer crowds.

Maybe it's not down to the sport to classify itself but the authorities class the sport and tell them what guidelines to work to?

Don’t think there was a lot of hindsight involved, when Glasgow pulled out and gave their reasons it sounded justified to me(possibly a few others).The pandemic was not yet at its peak and people were being told lockdown would last till at least end July beginning of August.There decision was justified IMO.Given the crowd situation that had been mentioned and the average age of speedway supporters.To be honest would you fancy  travelling and standing at aSpeedway Match in Oct/ Nov if they had got something set- up.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Fromafar

[cityrebel]

1 hour ago, iris123 said:

Is there any evidence at all the the cars have done any lobbying ? Or have they got through a loophole because of the strange nature of the ‘sport’ ? 

At the end of the day regardless of the sport, why is it safe to let people into stadiums to watch cars, but not bikes. The virus can't tell the two sports apart, or maybe it can!

[arthur cross]

1 hour ago, OldHawk said:

Yes agreed but my track Kent has already stated no matches at all. I hope others don't follow suit but lets see.

I still wonder if the BSPA have done anything like enough. but who knows!

After posting this I wrote a strong mail to my MP. Of course that wont change anything but I try at least to understand the logic even if I dont agree with it.

Kent's one of the seven speedway tracks (Birmingham, Newcastle, Poole, Sheffield, Swindon & Wolverhampton being the other six) who rent their tracks from greyhound landlords and at least some of that list of tracks have faced a very awkward situation (with Poole in a category of its own as its greyhounds haven't resumed behind closed doors for televised betting whereas the other six all have).

Where the dogs have resumed, it's for between 3-and-6-times a week all year long (unlike speedway's 7-month season), heavily covid-regulated for stadium staff or trainers/kennelhands and with each of those meetings worth far more in betting shop media rights than any single speedway rent or the food/drink profit the speedway generates.

But if any of those tracks go "open-door" for a speedway crowd and is then notified of a covid-positive spectator soon after doing so, it's just about guaranteed to be quarantined for a fortnight with the consequent loss of betting shop media rights.

Now put yourself in a greyhound landlord's position - would you gamble between 6-to-12 closed-door greyhound media fees on 1 smaller speedway rent/profit ? !!

In Kent's case that you refer to, it's the top end of the range - 6 dog meetings a week (mid-mornings-into-lunchtime all of Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu plus Friday/Sunday nights) so a 12-meeting cost of being quarantined.

 It's difficult (and understandable) for many speedway fans who only use their home track's stadium for speedway to grasp just how small a chunk of the overall stadium turnover their action provides in a shared greyhound/speedway situation but you'd do well to at least respect the overall situation even if you don't like it.

 

 

[Fromafar]

39 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

At the end of the day regardless of the sport, why is it safe to let people into stadiums to watch cars, but not bikes. The virus can't tell the two sports apart, or maybe it can!

I really think there is more to it than that don’t you.!

[OldHawk]

30 minutes ago, arthur cross said:

Kent's one of the seven speedway tracks (Birmingham, Newcastle, Poole, Sheffield, Swindon & Wolverhampton being the other six) who rent their tracks from greyhound landlords and at least some of that list of tracks have faced a very awkward situation (with Poole in a category of its own as its greyhounds haven't resumed behind closed doors for televised betting whereas the other six all have).

Where the dogs have resumed, it's for between 3-and-6-times a week all year long (unlike speedway's 7-month season), heavily covid-regulated for stadium staff or trainers/kennelhands and with each of those meetings worth far more in betting shop media rights than any single speedway rent or the food/drink profit the speedway generates.

But if any of those tracks go "open-door" for a speedway crowd and is then notified of a covid-positive spectator soon after doing so, it's just about guaranteed to be quarantined for a fortnight with the consequent loss of betting shop media rights.

Now put yourself in a greyhound landlord's position - would you gamble between 6-to-12 closed-door greyhound media fees on 1 smaller speedway rent/profit ? !!

In Kent's case that you refer to, it's the top end of the range - 6 dog meetings a week (mid-mornings-into-lunchtime all of Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu plus Friday/Sunday nights) so a 12-meeting cost of being quarantined.

 It's difficult (and understandable) for many speedway fans who only use their home track's stadium for speedway to grasp just how small a chunk of the overall stadium turnover their action provides in a shared greyhound/speedway situation but you'd do well to at least respect the overall situation even if you don't like it.

 

 

I thought Kent greyhounds and Speedway was both run by the same person, Cearns? But in any event my thought is to make sure even more people drift away from speedway than have already a match, any match, to retain interest would be a good idea regardless of the revenue of that one meeting.

[ruckerroo]

3 hours ago, cityrebel said:

Absolutely. I feel the powers that be sat back and waited for the government to make the decision for them. The stock car promotors have probably been lobbying non stop to get to the position they are now.

I agree 100%, they had to force the issue , there is no way speedway can be graded an elite sport alongside football, rugby and racing.

 

[ruckerroo]

5 minutes ago, OldHawk said:

I thought Kent greyhounds and Speedway was both run by the same person, Cearns? But in any event my thought is to make sure even more people drift away from speedway than have already a match, any match, to retain interest would be a good idea regardless of the revenue of that one meeting.

Central park dogs get plenty of cash from the greyhounds being streamed all over the world via media rights, .that would have been the issue for all greyhound /speedway stadiums even if they got an august start. Poole were a million to one to race this season once they shut the dawgs down.

[IainB]

1 hour ago, Fromafar said:

Don’t think there was a lot of hindsight involved, when Glasgow pulled out and gave there reasons it sounded justified to me(possibly a few others).The pandemic was not yet at its peak and people were being told lockdown would last till at least end July beginning of August.There decision was justified IMO.Given the crowd situation that had been mentioned and the average age of speedway supporters.To be honest would you fancy  travelling and standing at aSpeedway Match in Oct/ Nov if they had got something set- up.

I suppose it's a bit like the calling off of a meeting based on the weather forecast, if the rain comes you look smart, if the sun is blazing down you look a bit foolish. Obviously Glasgow had their own reasons for calling their season off so early but at the beginning of June with the prospect of Speedway starting up in Poland and for 25% capacity being allowed in a few weeks later it seemed like the sensible thing to do for Britain to hold off until August at the latest.

Far be it from me to defend the BSPA, as I'm normally one of the first to criticise, but on this occasion I think they've done exactly the right thing. It also sounds as if there may have been issues with Eurosport as well, which Glasgow obviously didn't have to take into account.

What do you think they should do about the GP series?

Edited July 23, 2020 by iainb

[Fromafar]

I think they should run the GP if they are going to get the 8 rounds they were anticipating ,but there again if they get a positive test during season it puts a whole new different complexion on it.Difficult one IMO. Think it as the right decision to cancel British season,as most Promotion don’t have the back up finances to cope with reduced crowds or the measures which might mean more expense.

[cityrebel]

1 hour ago, Fromafar said:

I really think there is more to it than that don’t you.!

Well you tell me the reason, and don't give me the amateur/ professional excuse. It's the same amount of people entering the same stadium. What makes it safer for stock cars than speedway.

[SteveLyric2]

At least there appears to be consistency from the various club statements concerning retaining the same 1-7s for 2021. Obviously there will be further discussion and deliberation at BSPL Board level and ultimately it will depend on rider availability.

I wonder if the AGM will be brought forward from November? Or is it in a fixed month according to the sport's constitution?  The usual explanation is to allow all clubs to finalise their season's financial balance sheet so they can declare their intentions to run (or not) the following year. Surely those decisions can be made much earlier this year?!

[Fromafar]

46 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

Well you tell me the reason, and don't give me the amateur/ professional excuse. It's the same amount of people entering the same stadium. What makes it safer for stock cars than speedway.

Promotions are skint ,don’t have cash flow, spare cash for PPE requirements,most don’t own stadiums, and the greyhound situation will not help in a few cases,That’s only my opinion though.

[cityrebel]

1 minute ago, Fromafar said:

Promotions are skint ,don’t have cash flow, spare cash for PPE requirements,most don’t own stadiums, and the greyhound situation will not help in a few cases,That’s only my opinion though.

I agree with you. That is the real reason.

[Speedtiger]

If the form of the BSPA over past few years is anything to go by you can safe bet they did zero to get the season going. The Chief Clown Godfrey and his co clown Chapman haven’t the intelligence to lobby and enthuse loyal fans let alone the UK government. If they had lobbied why haven’t they informed fans about the situation? The BSPA have lazily sat back and hoped things would happen and nothing has. Frankly they are totally useless. No wonder the sport is in the derelict state it is in.

[Fromafar]

29 minutes ago, Speedtiger said:

If the form of the BSPA over past few years is anything to go by you can safe bet they did zero to get the season going. The Chief Clown Godfrey and his co clown Chapman haven’t the intelligence to lobby and enthuse loyal fans let alone the UK government. If they had lobbied why haven’t they informed fans about the situation? The BSPA have lazily sat back and hoped things would happen and nothing has. Frankly they are totally useless. No wonder the sport is in the derelict state it is in.

Godfrey doesn’t come across to well on the latest interview.His Scunthorpe track will be making good money on the track days and Practice Sessions no doubt.

[screm]

57 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Godfrey doesn’t come across to well on the latest interview.His Scunthorpe track will be making good money on the track days and Practice Sessions no doubt.

Now that the season is over I would imagine Godfrey`s income from practice sessions will dry up as for the vast majority of riders there`s nothing to practice for.