IainB Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 31 minutes ago, mikebv said: Having been in Manchester over the weekend to watch United, I did spend a fair few hours, with thousands of others, in and around the city centre.... I was a little surprised to be honest to not see any promotion of this event in the host city, especially with it being THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP of one of those "Elite" sports mentioned during lockdown... Today however, I now realise why no one had time to run a fan zone, or get some local TV coverage for the meeting... Clearly holding talks around banning a second reserve from the meeting was the most important thing to sort out... Quite right too. I am sure all Speedway fans would agree that this was far more of a priority than actually actively marketing their own competition to a conurbation of 2.5 million people... What is the first prize tonight to help hype up the meeting and attract a huge crowd? £30k, £40k, £50k? Or maybe its one of those GTR bikes they bought a few years ago? Have you for one minute considered that it may be a sell out? No! You just come on here and moan I guess we'll find out at 7:15 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 13 minutes ago, iainb said: Have you for one minute considered that it may be a sell out? No! You just come on here and moan I guess we'll find out at 7:15 Looking at the number of seats in the Grandstand still showing 'Red', I presume everyone is having their tea before going along.. I am currently stood outside in the queue with Sir Kier and chrismorton .... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 Can this meeting be seen via BT sport Or Sky Sports? if so what channel........ Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyke Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 Just now, Ghosty said: Can this meeting be seen via BT sport Or Sky Sports? if so what channel........ Many thanks. Eurosport- Sky channel 411 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 15 minutes ago, mikebv said: Looking at the number of seats in the Grandstand still showing 'Red', I presume everyone is having their tea before going along.. I am currently stood outside in the queue with Sir Kier and chrismorton .... Looks like you were right, please accept my unreserved apologies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, uk_martin said: Without trying to sound like I'm justifying the pathetic BSPL decision, I don't think you can apply "restriction of trade" here. If they have the summary powers to impose disciplinary action for breaches of their rules, then so be it. No different to a footballer being suspended by the FA for bringing the game into disrepute etc etc. It still doesn't make their decision, based on whatever grounds "in the best interests of British Speedway" though. More nails for the coffin, anyone? BSPL "rules" still have to abide by the law, whether Employment or Restraint of Trade laws. As Vince said, the ACU have previously tried to ban riders who've rode under other organising bodies, when taken to court they lost. Are the BSPL trying to deter other riders by making an example of Connor? Edited August 16, 2021 by Rich Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 30 minutes ago, iainb said: Looks like you were right, please accept my unreserved apologies Lucky guess.... At least they have got some decent camera angles at the start, for once, and maybe have prioritised the seats to be sold which are to be in shot the most? Hence it looks a 'decent' crowd if you take away the far right of the grandstand as you look... Standing looks a bit 'socially distanced'.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 18 minutes ago, mikebv said: Lucky guess.... At least they have got some decent camera angles at the start, for once, and maybe have prioritised the seats to be sold which are to be in shot the most? Hence it looks a 'decent' crowd if you take away the far right of the grandstand as you look... Standing looks a bit 'socially distanced'.... There ain't many in the south stand either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydog Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 4 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said: Has there been anything ‘official’ from ‘official’ sources to say that this is the case ? or is it just hearsay ? The reason I ask is that he’s a Belle Vue rider and I don't suppose they would be happy at a ‘ban’ for their rider and the BSPL have gone public saying they are happy for riders to appear at the I.O.W. so this does not make sense. I think the way BSPL worded it was that they fully supported "amateur" racing on the IOW... then decided that it isnt amateur if you are paying riders and charging people to get in (that's why Lydd are exempt from all this). So what about the NDL? Suddenly they dont class it as amateur, even though they had always previously said it was. A vendetta? Surely not! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Skid Posted August 17, 2021 Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 The BSPL don't have to abide by employment law, they simply don't offer a rider a team place anywhere, this has occoured many times in recent years to riders who were , lets say, off dubious character. , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piotr Pyszny Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 (edited) On 8/16/2021 at 7:56 PM, mikebv said: Hence it looks a 'decent' crowd if you take away the far right of the grandstand as you look... Standing looks a bit 'socially distanced'.... Our party of three sat on the second-to-back row of the main stand. Second visit to the NSS. I haven't seen an attendance announced. Any idea what it looked like? How much bigger than Belle Vue's usual turnout? Edited August 18, 2021 by Piotr Pyszny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 46 minutes ago, Piotr Pyszny said: Our party of three sat on the second-to-back row of the main stand. Second visit to the NSS. I haven't seen an attendance announced. Any idea what it looked like? How much bigger than Belle Vue's usual turnout? Only anecdotal obviously from what I saw on TV, but.. The main stand looked a bit more than two thirds, but not quite three quarters, full, and holds almost 1800, so 1300 to 1400 in there I would say.. Back straight looked a bit spread out so 300 to 400 tops I would have thought.. If 1800 then that is (i think) around 400 more than a "Good Crowd" to watch the Aces... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 8 minutes ago, mikebv said: Only anecdotal obviously from what I saw on TV, but.. The main stand looked a bit more than two thirds, but not quite three quarters, full, and holds almost 1800, so 1300 to 1400 in there I would say.. Back straight looked a bit spread out so 300 to 400 tops I would have thought.. If 1800 then that is (i think) around 400 more than a "Good Crowd" to watch the Aces... And I watched the 1974 British Final on YouTube last night, and Coventry was packed to the rafters... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, chunky said: And I watched the 1974 British Final on YouTube last night, and Coventry was packed to the rafters... Indeed... But to be fair. ... If that 1974 final was ran on a Monday night... And shown live on TV.... With a line up that (apart from one rider), was made up of 2nd Division heat leaders and second strings... Like this year's British Final was... I don't think it would have been 'packed to the rafters'... The way the NSS wasnt the other night... Edited August 18, 2021 by mikebv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 15 minutes ago, mikebv said: Indeed... But to be fair. ... If that 1974 final was ran on a Monday night... And shown live on TV.... With a line up that (apart from one rider), was made up of 2nd Division heat leaders and second strings... Like this year's British Final was... I don't think it would have been 'packed to the rafters'... The way the NSS wasnt the other night... Well, it was on a Wednesday, and I don't think that Wednesdays are that much better than Mondays. I went to several British Finals on a Wednesday, and they all had WAY more than 2000 people. Even were it shown on live TV, the place would have been packed. Maybe a diluted lineup would have had an effect, but realistically, would Woffinden and Lambert had that much of an effect at the NSS? Back in the day, people attended as much for the occasion, as they did for the interest in who was riding... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piotr Pyszny Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 (edited) On 8/18/2021 at 5:56 PM, mikebv said: Indeed... But to be fair. ... If that 1974 final was ran on a Monday night... And shown live on TV.... With a line up that (apart from one rider), was made up of 2nd Division heat leaders and second strings... Like this year's British Final was... I don't think it would have been 'packed to the rafters'... The way the NSS wasnt the other night... Having attended on Monday, shortly after going to Scunthorpe on Friday (my first meetings since 2017), I couldn't help marvelling at how unlikely - not all that long ago - it would have been for a British Final to feature second tier riders. Several of those who appeared in Friday's Scunthorpe-Redcar meeting rode at Belle Vue on Monday. Imagine, say, Kevin Teager or Steve Wilcock making a British Final! No disrespect to those who rode in the 2021 British Final but the quality of the field is a clear indication of British speedway's decline. Edited August 21, 2021 by Piotr Pyszny 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 Just now, Piotr Pyszny said: Having attended on Monday, shortly after going to Scunthorpe on Friday (my first meetings since 2017), I couldn't help marvelling at how unlikely - not all that long ago - it have would have been for a British Final to feature second tier riders. Several of those who appeared in Friday's Scunthorpe-Redcar meeting rode at Belle Vue on Monday. Imagine, say, Kevin Teager or Steve Wilcock making a British Final! No disrespect to those who rode in the 2021 British Final but the quality of the field is a clear indication of British speedway's decline. Yet both those lads would be "fans favourites" at their respective tracks and could stand out in meetings at that level... Every track in the 2nd tier seemed to have one 'main man', one young up and coming rider as a heat leader, and then five willing "ok" lads joining them.. All 'semi pro' who had day jobs.. Now the 2nd Division has three Division One heat leaders in several teams... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Central Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 3 hours ago, mikebv said: Indeed... But to be fair. ... If that 1974 final was ran on a Monday night... And shown live on TV.... With a line up that (apart from one rider), was made up of 2nd Division heat leaders and second strings... Like this year's British Final was... I don't think it would have been 'packed to the rafters'... The way the NSS wasnt the other night... Weird argument. If 1974 had been exactly like 2021 then 1974 wouldn't have been the same as it was then ! No sh!t Sherlock ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 2 hours ago, Piotr Pyszny said: No disrespect to those who rode in the 2021 British Final but the quality of the field is a clear indication of British speedway's decline. I remember the big deal made when Yeatesy made the British Final! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, Grand Central said: Weird argument. If 1974 had been exactly like 2021 then 1974 wouldn't have been the same as it was then ! No sh!t Sherlock ! ??? My point is in 1974, if the British Final was held full of 2nd Diviison heat leaders and second strings riding, (like this years was), would it have been "as packed" as it was that year, watching genuine world class talent? Of course it wouldnt have been.. And even if the racing had been just "ok" and not as good as the NSS on Monday, its obvious the night will live longer in the memory purely down to the sense of occasion... A sense of occasion delivered by a prize that truly meant something given the amount of talent in those days who could genuinely feel they were in with a chance, and the fact failure meant no World Championship that year.. And also, a sense of occasion brought on by the huge crowd... THE most important factor by far to deliver an atmosphere at a sporting event that makes you look back and remember it fondly.. Many remember the 70's in particular through rose coloured specs.. In reality the racing at some tracks today is at least on a par, and for me, even better at some tracks, than what was delivered then.. And many meetings I saw at Hyde Rd were hammerings with PC and Ivan often miles in front of the other three.. The differences were the operating model that ensured a greater emotional attachment to your team, and, most importantly, packed terraces that made every race, never mind every meeting, seem like "an event"... Edited August 19, 2021 by mikebv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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