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Whats actually going on?


HGould

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44 minutes ago, Dandelion said:

The 'Berwick Bullets'

To be lead by leon flint and Kyle Bickley

I also imagine harry mcgurk, Greg Blair and mason watson will be in the team... and sam mcgurk? If hes old enough yet... will luke ruddick for as the final signing then?

1. Leon flint

2. Mason watson

3. Luke ruddick

4. Greg blair

5. Kyle bickley

6. Harry mcgurk

7. Sam mcgurk

they only have 17.5 pts for 5 riders as leon and kyle announced already 

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1 minute ago, Bagpuss said:

What are these ‘new rules’ which have resulted in the IOW not running? 

The published ones being a cut in team building limit , no play offs and no cup comps. As a stand alone club facing potentially 6 home fixtures with a diluted product due to how teams are being built looks a harder sell. 

Throw in the removal of ghost teams its equally unlikely any MSDL will take place either . I can only appauld IOW for being the only ones brave enough to do the right thing.

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3 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

The published ones being a cut in team building limit , no play offs and no cup comps. As a stand alone club facing potentially 6 home fixtures with a diluted product due to how teams are being built looks a harder sell. 

Throw in the removal of ghost teams its equally unlikely any MSDL will take place either . I can only appauld IOW for being the only ones brave enough to do the right thing.

I’m guessing you won’t be attending any Development League matches as you have such a downer on it now?

The NL outgrew itself, paying riders who should have moved up too much to encourage them to stay and stagnate, big fish in a  little pond.

Now the sport needs to develop its own and bring on the youth which is what the new points limit is intended to do. The racing will be fine just a few seconds slower and a few more fallers perhaps. They have to start somewhere changing the sport and they’ve started here. It’s a shame that I.O.W. have pulled out but that’s their decision.

 

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1 hour ago, barrybishop said:
Club Statement: ‘Wightlink’ Warriors Withdraw from the National League and the British Speedway Promoters Limited (BSPL)
 
It is with much regret that Isle of Wight speedway promoters, Barry Bishop and Martin Widman, have made the unpalatable and heart-breaking decision to withdraw its Associate Membership of the BSPL and as a result the ‘Wightlink’ Warriors and Wizards will not be participating in the National League or Midland & Southern Development League this year.
 
The decision wasn’t an easy one to make but after much correspondence, it became clear that the new rules being imposed by the BSPL Board of Directors on to the National League were not right for the ‘Wightlink’ Warriors in 2021.
 
It is terrible news for everyone associated with the club and for those at Smallbrook Stadium. So many volunteers, sponsors, officials and riders have worked tirelessly together to ensure that speedway on the Isle of Wight became the multi-award winning fun family experience and a pleasure to visit.
 
Now the promoters need some time to focus their thoughts about the future and whilst the decision will mean no league speedway at Smallbrook for this year, it does not signal the end of motor cycling activities, initially starting with speedway training as soon as the current restrictions allow.
 
Finally, Martin and Barry want to thank you all for the tremendous support you have given the club since speedway returned to the Isle of Wight and they look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

award 5.jpg

A shame...

Could they still run some 'open meetings'?

One thing that the team on the IOW seems to grasp is that if you need 'X' hundred per week to remain profitable, you don't necessarily need the same 'X' hundred per week...

And with such a transient population on a 'holiday island' promoting their 'product' to people who might only be there for seven days or so is vital...

Every promoter should promote every meeting like the IOW do, ie just like it is their last...

Because one day, for them all, it might be...

The IOW team seem to understand this better than the vast majority of all the rest I would suggest..

Best of Luck to everyone down there...

 

Edited by mikebv
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2 minutes ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

I’m guessing you won’t be attending any Development League matches as you have such a downer on it now?

The NL outgrew itself, paying riders who should have moved up too much to encourage them to stay and stagnate, big fish in a  little pond.

Now the sport needs to develop its own and bring on the youth which is what the new points limit is intended to do. The racing will be fine just a few seconds slower and a few more fallers perhaps. They have to start somewhere changing the sport and they’ve started here. It’s a shame that I.O.W. have pulled out but that’s their decision.

 

I will attend the well balanced meetings just like i have past few seasons but take no joy watching poorly matched sides and riders at any level. 

Im not against the points limit reduction but there should have been a cap on the top averages to help build more strength in depth sides. New 3 pointers vs clegg and flint will offer little in viewing.  It will just be about which of the newbies improves. 

Im again all for offering chances to riders and getting rid of dead wood but only riders who are good enough and not just for the sake ofi t as they are young and have a bike.

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11 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

I will attend the well balanced meetings just like i have past few seasons but take no joy watching poorly matched sides and riders at any level. 

Im not against the points limit reduction but there should have been a cap on the top averages to help build more strength in depth sides. New 3 pointers vs clegg and flint will offer little in viewing.  It will just be about which of the newbies improves. 

Im again all for offering chances to riders and getting rid of dead wood but only riders who are good enough and not just for the sake ofi t as they are young and have a bike.

The type of team a club puts out, top heavy or balanced, is down to the participating clubs the rule allows it anyway they chose. 
I would have thought the clubs sensible enough to select riders on skill rather than just because they have a bike !

You appear to change your stance from one post to another.

Good luck to only going to ‘ well balanced meetings ‘ .

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Well thank you those in power at the BSPL for ruining what is the most interesting League in British speedway!

 

This smells very similar to the BSPA's attempts to water down the 1997 3rd tier and try and force standalone clubs to move up by restricting the amount of fixtures which wasn't overly productive.

 

Having top up and coming riders beating novices by half a lap isn't going make them World class riders and will also cause fans to lose interest!

 

Wobblers already had the Junior Leagues to start in and any rider with some potential would soon get a NL spot!

 

Standalone tracks that don't want the expense of higher League racing were content in the 3rd tier including the IoW who've been one of the most go ahead clubs in recent years, now sadly lost to League racing.  

 

The BSPL have short memories cause a few years ago the NL was the saviour of current Championship sides Birmingham and Eastbourne. If a similar scenario occurred now would the likes of Eastbourne and Birmingham have dropped into the new watered down limited NL? - After all the IoW have opted out! 

 

As a Mildenhall regular I fear for the club in this new set up and the lovely Sunday afternoon racing at West Row which more often than not was better value for money than its higher League neighbours!

 

I respect Rob Godfrey for what hes achieved at Scunthorpe but as chairman of the BSPL hes made dreadful decisions like the set race days, forcing other Friday night clubs to postpone home meeting at late notice a few years back and now this all of which have resulted in club closures. 

 

 

Edited by 25yearfan
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Hopefully Mildenhall can run some challenges/ individuals to fill out the fixture list and generate income. I wonder if thier fees have been reduced to accommodate ?

I genuinely believe the BSPL cares not for the lower leagues and has proven once again that they view them as 2nd best. 

With NDL gone fans would be forced to follow a higher level or walk away.

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Sad to see the Island not running but in fairness having read a lot of these posts I wonder if Berwick Eastbourne and Newcastle would of joined under the previous rules and committed to a full season . Saying it is the fault of the Bspl is the usual line poured out by those usual suspects, something  had to be done and decisions had to be made by the individual clubs one has said no others said yes . Always liked the vibe Martin and Barry put out and the way they promoted the sport and will be a big loss to the league but do feel what is happening at Berwick and Newcastle with clear and precise paths from juniors to seniors is there to be seen and long may it continue 

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Watering down and restricting the best League in the Country which has caused a club to close, will severely affect another standalone club and will cause fans to walk away isn't a good move!

 

Add in the factor of the unbalanced nature of rider standards with more spread out races which will dilute the entertainment value and the potential of producing World class riders then things don't look very good.

Edited by 25yearfan
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17 minutes ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

Sad to see the Island not running but in fairness having read a lot of these posts I wonder if Berwick Eastbourne and Newcastle would of joined under the previous rules and committed to a full season . Saying it is the fault of the Bspl is the usual line poured out by those usual suspects, something  had to be done and decisions had to be made by the individual clubs one has said no others said yes . Always liked the vibe Martin and Barry put out and the way they promoted the sport and will be a big loss to the league but do feel what is happening at Berwick and Newcastle with clear and precise paths from juniors to seniors is there to be seen and long may it continue 

With respect you are in full support as the path suits your own family agenda. If things change in a year or so would you remain so supportive? 

There is no doubt that IF the rising star system remains then clubs will need to show a bigger interest in developing quality riders than they have in recent years be that on thier own or forming club alliances. But if the standard isnt maintained the gap between the leagues will only grow.

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15 minutes ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

Sad to see the Island not running but in fairness having read a lot of these posts I wonder if Berwick Eastbourne and Newcastle would of joined under the previous rules and committed to a full season . Saying it is the fault of the Bspl is the usual line poured out by those usual suspects, something  had to be done and decisions had to be made by the individual clubs one has said no others said yes . Always liked the vibe Martin and Barry put out and the way they promoted the sport and will be a big loss to the league but do feel what is happening at Berwick and Newcastle with clear and precise paths from juniors to seniors is there to be seen and long may it continue 

Without knowing the reason for IOW not competing I'll not attempt to apportion any blame but it does seem a massive shame that in a year when there'll be (hopefully) lots more people holidaying in the UK it would have been great to have had (a well run by all accounts) speedway as an attraction to potentially new supporters.

Without knowing too much about the NL the 2019 IOW team didn't appear to be full of 'old hands'. Only Ben Morley had extensive CL experience.  So perhaps it was the limited fixture list?  If so I'm sure some other shared events could have been awarded.  It sounds like it would be a great place for all the young riders to spend their six weeks holiday (if that still exists) getting track time every day.  

Shame.

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Just now, Ringitsneck said:

Yes it has, Berwick and Newcastle. The makeup of the division has been announced with just Belle Vue to confirm.

There will be no Bradford or any other club.

No, the new Team would have been new to League racing, but we have lost a Track due to the imposition of rules by those that had previously had no interest in the National League, there only interest up until now was what Overseas rider they could find on a false low average that they could turn into an asset for their own benefit, now they have lost another Track for 2021 and i suspect that another could well follow in 2022, there are ways this could have been achieved other than the route that they have gone down, strict adherance to pay limits would have been one way to achieve this.. and we probably wouldnt have lost another track for 2021, now i suspect the NDL will be nothing more than a glorified second half with one man/woman and his dog watching, but hey its what the BSPL want so it must be right, not.

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5 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

With respect you are in full support as the path suits your own family agenda. If things change in a year or so would you remain so supportive? 

There is no doubt that IF the rising star system remains then clubs will need to show a bigger interest in developing quality riders than they have in recent years be that on thier own or forming club alliances. But if the standard isnt maintained the gap between the leagues will only grow.

First and foremost I'm supportive because I see the opportunities going forward not just for my lad but also every other junior riding coming through the system.

Our family agenda so you are clear is to use the system to the best of our ability and progress through it. We don't want to be a team that blocks the system for other riders to be able to get a team place. If the boy don't make the standard then so be it but if he then misses out it's not the system that's failed it will be him . I do believe that no rider should have 3 spots and if a rider reaches a certain average he should be not be allowed 2 spots and definitely not one in NDL 

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