Spl77 Posted November 11, 2020 Report Share Posted November 11, 2020 The sport in Poland has always been very supported and has manged to keep its self in the public eye, changing and adapting as time moves on to always stay relevant. The poles are trying to protect their product and in sure that it continues to evolve. The argument that if the poles monopolise the sport the GPS become nothing more than a polish championship and the world cup competition stops due to lack of competing nations probably doesn't worry them. The domestic league is far more important to them than the GPS etc these are just a sideshow in comparison. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 17 hours ago, Spl77 said: The sport in Poland has always been very supported and has manged to keep its self in the public eye, changing and adapting as time moves on to always stay relevant. The poles are trying to protect their product and in sure that it continues to evolve. The argument that if the poles monopolise the sport the GPS become nothing more than a polish championship and the world cup competition stops due to lack of competing nations probably doesn't worry them. The domestic league is far more important to them than the GPS etc these are just a sideshow in comparison. Spot on.. Does anyone think that the top teams in the Premier League give a monkeys about the UEFA Nations Cup, The EURO's or indeed FIFA's World Cup? They would gladly see them all scrapped tomorrow as it would mean "their" players only play for them, thus less fatigue and potential injury.. Poland's infrastructure, with TV companies out bidding each other for TV rights, and blue chip companies wanting to be associated with it so prepared to pay big money on sponsorship, will be protected at all costs I would think as much of its success is down to the very best in the world being there every week.. For some communities, Speedway is seen by them as the No1 sport in their area, so they too will expect their teams to do everything within their power to remain a powerful force.. If Jason Doyle and Jaimon Lidsey can't line up on a Thursday night against each other in a Swindon v Belle Vue meeting, no one in Poland will be losing any sleep over it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 18 hours ago, Spl77 said: The sport in Poland has always been very supported and has manged to keep its self in the public eye, changing and adapting as time moves on to always stay relevant. The poles are trying to protect their product and in sure that it continues to evolve. The argument that if the poles monopolise the sport the GPS become nothing more than a polish championship and the world cup competition stops due to lack of competing nations probably doesn't worry them. The domestic league is far more important to them than the GPS etc these are just a sideshow in comparison. They may not care, you’re right. But it is short sighted if they don’t. That short sightedness and self-interest could come back to bite them. If Poland is suddenly the only country where the Speedway is good the knock on effect is that over time Poland will be the only country where people care about Speedway. It is easier to kill the popularity of something than increase it. They may have always been well supported but looking to the past is a sure fire way to ruin the future. Look at football, England won the World Cup using a 4-4-2 formation in 1966 and it tooK the best part of 40 years for the national team and those at club level to stop being stubborn and realise this wasn’t the only, nor the best way to be successful any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 I believe that their realisation of self interest and short sightedness only having a negative long term affect on Polish Speedway was the key reason they pulled back from this when they threatened to introduce iot a couple of seasons ago. I'm sure there was a lengthy interview/article at the time in the Speedway Star with one of the senior Ekstraleague owners?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Clemens Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 We will have to accept that speedway has come to the end of the road when it comes to being regarded as an international sport. It will become a sport that will be regarded as something Polish motorbike riders do. But you can't knock them for looking after their own interest. Doesn't matter how long this thread goes on for it won't change the natural outcome of their diktats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 On 11/9/2020 at 3:11 PM, Daniel Smith said: Polish Speedway is very very different to British Speedway of the 70's. Everything from then to now is nothing of the same. For a start, Speedway was a hobby compared to today. So much money from sponsorship, TV, etc today where then it was heavily reliant on people through the turnstiles. Polish Speedway, like Premier League football have proven they can continue & adapted to less or no fans in the grounds. People talk about Speedway in Poland as some sort of new phenomenon but it's been massive their since the 70's too. What they've managed to do is progress & adapt to fit each decade. British Speedway's biggest & the only thing that's killed the sport here was the selling off of stadia to greyhounds, stockcars, rugby clubs etc. This single handedly set the decline. Whereas Poland have managed to keep & build new stadia for themselves. Yes we have Belle Vue but that has come at least 30 years to late. British Speedway stadia has gotten so bad they're places today's people just don't want to be. Sorry but I disagree with a couple of your points. I don’t think you realise how many high profile sponsors British Speedway had in the 1970’s. From the national papers (Daily & Sunday Mirror, Daily Express) through to Volkswagen, Skol, Golden Wonder and Wills, the majority of the prestige meetings benefited from blue chip backers and back page coverage. As someone else posted, I’m not aware of stadia being sold off to greyhounds etc. In most cases the speedway promotors were tenants and had little say in the matter. I think Poland have significantly benefited from civic support to bankroll or permit new stadia. The only equivalent case in the UK is with the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Najjer Posted November 12, 2020 Report Share Posted November 12, 2020 It’s also worth noting, that regardless of the money actually on offer, Poland and Sweden ran league seasons in 2020 whereas over here we didn’t because it wasn’t viable. That probably tells you all you need to know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 10 hours ago, prodons said: ...I don’t think you realise how many high profile sponsors British Speedway had in the 1970’s. From the national papers (Daily & Sunday Mirror, Daily Express) through to Volkswagen, Skol, Golden Wonder and Wills, the majority of the prestige meetings benefited from blue chip backers and back page coverage... You forgot your Durex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 34 minutes ago, uk_martin said: You forgot your Durex ... If only James Sarjeant was riding in those days, he could have, erm... cleaned up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 1 hour ago, iainb said: ... If only James Sarjeant was riding in those days, he could have, erm... cleaned up Well he does go a 'little early'... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 20 minutes ago, mikebv said: Well he does go a 'little early'... He often finishes last too though, the ladies appreciate that... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagonshocker Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 Sarjeant generally average at Foreplay.....oh sorry typo....meant averages four points.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzac Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) Think they'll be a lot of 'riders' who've started at the back and get to the front before the finish. Also probably a lot do the reverse as well. Edited November 15, 2020 by gazzac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 Great to see all the Polish interference in helping develop some of our youngest and best talent, with several lads being given contracts.... And recognition too for the work put in by those leading the development of those lads over here.. Can only be good for British Speedway for these lads to develop within the biggest Speedway nation, and get to experience what it's like to perform under true pressure every week like their Polish peer group sample from such an early age.. Let's hope Poland's interference stretches to a few more team spaces being made available... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tellboy Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 2 hours ago, mikebv said: Great to see all the Polish interference in helping develop some of our youngest and best talent, with several lads being given contracts.... And recognition too for the work put in by those leading the development of those lads over here.. Can only be good for British Speedway for these lads to develop within the biggest Speedway nation, and get to experience what it's like to perform under true pressure every week like their Polish peer group sample from such an early age.. Let's hope Poland's interference stretches to a few more team spaces being made available... Is it good for British speedway? What if the top tier in Poland stick with only being able to ride in two leagues.Once Poland develop these riders they will be riding in the top league there ,then they won't be racing in England.That isn't good for British Speedway in my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 Just now, tellboy said: Is it good for British speedway? What if the top tier in Poland stick with only being able to ride in two leagues.Once Poland develop these riders they will be riding in the top league there ,then they won't be racing in England.That isn't good for British Speedway in my eyes. A strong national team kept the sport in the wider public eye in the seventies which the domestic leagues then benefitted from.. I believe that the sport would get much more coverage if consistent GB teams' success was being delivered... The sport over here should see itself as a 'breeding ground' for riders who then naturally move on to the bigger leagues and plan accordingly for their departure with talent coming through to replace them.. Maybe a successful GB team over a few years would then help grow the domestic leagues and mean they can then meet the expectations of their very best riders again, thus meaning riders not having to see Poland as their 'golden ticket'.. It wasn't too long ago that the UK was THE place to ride, unfortunately we ended up training everyone else up to take our position at the top table and gave loads of team spots to foreign riders. Poland won't make the same mistake and will maintain a team structure that has a minimum amount of Poles in them, therefore the UK should do the same and protect places for the young British lads in particular and provide them with as much track time as possible.. If a conveyer belt of talent is coming through then the best can move on accordingly and the sport can still thrive over here, and a very successful GB team can only be a good thing, and the chances of that happening are increased the earlier our lads are tested and stretched riding in leagues that actually have kudos, under the huge weight of expectation from clubs and their fans that exists in Poland.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesHarris Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) I've said it once before and I'll say it again. Now is the perfect time to create one or two British franchise teams to race in the Polish League. Any smart business minded promoter would realise this. If Poland are going to call the shots (and who can blame them) it's better to co-operate than fight against it. Edited November 15, 2020 by JamesHarris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 4 minutes ago, JamesHarris said: I've said it once before and I'll say it again. Now is the perfect time to create one or two British franchise teams to race in the Polish League. Any smart business minded promoter would realise this. If Poland are going to call the shots (and who can blame them) it's better to co-operate than fight against it. Can see some potential in that but I think it would need to be the top league to make it work and that isn't allowed by the PZM.. The lower leagues have pretty much the same riders we already see over here now so wouldnt be a crowd puller for me.. A team made up of the two best U21 riders and the five best British riders, could be a decent product to sell though, but whether any such club with that team could pay the required salaries to entice Woffinden and Lambert for example is very doubtful I would suggest.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Najjer Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 3 hours ago, mikebv said: Great to see all the Polish interference in helping develop some of our youngest and best talent, with several lads being given contracts.... And recognition too for the work put in by those leading the development of those lads over here.. Can only be good for British Speedway for these lads to develop within the biggest Speedway nation, and get to experience what it's like to perform under true pressure every week like their Polish peer group sample from such an early age.. Let's hope Poland's interference stretches to a few more team spaces being made available... Couldn’t agree more. That is now Dan Bewley, Anders Rowe, Drew Kemp, Jack Thomas, Tom Brennan and Leon Flint from the U21s this year, all with contracts in Poland for next year - plus obviously Robert Lambert and Tai Woffinden. That can only be good news for British Speedway even if they don’t feature in regular league matches. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 17 hours ago, mikebv said: Great to see all the Polish interference in helping develop some of our youngest and best talent, with several lads being given contracts.... Great... unless they're treated like Batch, Kurtz, KK and to a lesser extent Bewley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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