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Strongest second tier ever?


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It’s pretty clear that the gap between the first & second tier of British speedway is as close as it has ever been. And to state the blindingly obvious this is hardly surprising given the number of riders who ride in both leagues. 
For some time pure economics have dictated the sport needs clear differentiation between professional, semi professional & amateur yet those in charge have thus far failed to act accordingly. 
British speedway simply cannot afford the GP type/level of rider & frankly it’s not important enough for that to be anything to be concerned about. The far more reaching & relevant questions are, what can uk speedway afford and how many riders would be available to support a three tier system?
Although not using an exact science, judging by the numbers & caliber of riders currently racing in the UK it looks like 8 teams could run professionally offering a minimum of two meetings per week 6teams operating on a semi professional basis on one or two meetings per week. 
the assumption being no doubling up/down except where a pro team needs a guest to cover for injury which would come from the semi pro ranks. Similarly this would apply to amateurs coming into semi pro teams. 
Whilst this basic restart would fundamentally address the current rider availability & economical viability given that such changes would impact on most current thinking by today’s promoters it’s nigh on certain the only thing that will change next season will be the team points limits & thereby ensuring the disease eating away at British speedway continues unabated. - scandalous!!

 

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Think the tirle "premiership" is a misnomer seeing as so many teams top riders are the same in both leagues!!  Makes me wonder why a rider can justorfy being paid more in the "premiership2 than in the Championship. The heat leaders in particular race againsteh same riders in both leagues. What other reason is the "premiership" a more expensve league to operate in ? Or are we all be taken for mugs (again)

Wonder what the post covid plan of the BSPL looks like for 2022 ? More rising stars ? lower team CMA's ?

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6 hours ago, 1 valve said:

It’s pretty clear that the gap between the first & second tier of British speedway is as close as it has ever been. And to state the blindingly obvious this is hardly surprising given the number of riders who ride in both leagues. 
For some time pure economics have dictated the sport needs clear differentiation between professional, semi professional & amateur yet those in charge have thus far failed to act accordingly. 
British speedway simply cannot afford the GP type/level of rider & frankly it’s not important enough for that to be anything to be concerned about. The far more reaching & relevant questions are, what can uk speedway afford and how many riders would be available to support a three tier system?
Although not using an exact science, judging by the numbers & caliber of riders currently racing in the UK it looks like 8 teams could run professionally offering a minimum of two meetings per week 6teams operating on a semi professional basis on one or two meetings per week. 
the assumption being no doubling up/down except where a pro team needs a guest to cover for injury which would come from the semi pro ranks. Similarly this would apply to amateurs coming into semi pro teams. 
Whilst this basic restart would fundamentally address the current rider availability & economical viability given that such changes would impact on most current thinking by today’s promoters it’s nigh on certain the only thing that will change next season will be the team points limits & thereby ensuring the disease eating away at British speedway continues unabated. - scandalous!!

 

Self interest means change will be highly unlikely. The NDL will probably end up as a 6 heat second half event, which will die a slow death.

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For me the strongest second tier was the old National League up until it was broken up to save the top flight during the winter of 90/91.

All those riders only rode in that one league & you had the benefit of a fully functioning junior League to keep the reserves on their toes.

It was also a professionally ran league to ie no guests.....in fact probably Everything speedway needs today.

The overall strength of UK speedway was stronger then too. The British championship had quarter finals in the qualifying process due to the number riders.

Oh happy days!

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Can’t agree the 2nd division is a lot weaker than a few years ago.The Somerset team of 2016 wouldn’t be out of place in the current top tier:

Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate, Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Paul Starke, Zach Wajtknexht 

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8 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

For me the strongest second tier was the old National League up until it was broken up to save the top flight during the winter of 90/91.

All those riders only rode in that one league & you had the benefit of a fully functioning junior League to keep the reserves on their toes.

It was also a professionally ran league to ie no guests.....in fact probably Everything speedway needs today.

The overall strength of UK speedway was stronger then too. The British championship had quarter finals in the qualifying process due to the number riders.

Oh happy days!

I would agree. Not only did you have the likes of Les Collins (2nd World Final) Dave Jessup  (2nd World Final) Gordon Kennett (2nd World Final) and Malcom Simmons ( 2nd World final) riding in the National League. (To be fair the riders above were at the tail end of their careers,) but were still very competitive. Then you had the young up and comers. Wiggy, Cross, Loram, Adams, Havlock, Boyce, Wiltshire, who all went on to be genuine World class riders. With Loram and Havvy going on to be World Champions, Wigg and Wiltshire 2nd in World Finals Adams coming 2nd in grand prix series and Boyce getting on the rostrum in the last ever one off World Final after a run off. So you had a great mix of experience and youth Plus some bloody good journey men in the middle in what was a very competitive league. As others have said, todays 2nd tier is arguably not as strong, but that does not diminish from the racing which is very good. 

Edited by tyler42
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49 minutes ago, RebelDan said:

Can’t agree the 2nd division is a lot weaker than a few years ago.The Somerset team of 2016 wouldn’t be out of place in the current top tier:

Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate, Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Paul Starke, Zach Wajtknexht 

Or Somerset's 2015 side: Josh Grajczonek, Richie Worrall, Charles Wright, Brady Kurtz, Rasmus Jensen, Paul Starke & Oliver Greenwood!

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19 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Makes me wonder why a rider can justorfy being paid more in the "premiership2 than in the Championship.

TV money?

10 hours ago, RebelDan said:

Can’t agree the 2nd division is a lot weaker than a few years ago.The Somerset team of 2016 wouldn’t be out of place in the current top tier:

Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate, Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Paul Starke, Zach Wajtknexht 

 

9 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

Or Somerset's 2015 side: Josh Grajczonek, Richie Worrall, Charles Wright, Brady Kurtz, Rasmus Jensen, Paul Starke & Oliver Greenwood!

Those teams and riders are of 5 and 6 years ago though and none of those riders were of the quality then as they are now.

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12 hours ago, iainb said:

TV money?

 

Those teams and riders are of 5 and 6 years ago though and none of those riders were of the quality then as they are now.

 

10 hours ago, GWC said:

People see a name from 5 years ago and compare them to today thinking they have the same ability which is clearly not.

Dan Bewley is a case in point!

I don’t think many of the Somerset team from 2016 have improved that much IMO in the last few years, there will generally always be exceptions like Bewley ,Lambert etc and riders on an upward trajectory. Allen, Tungate, Wright, Josh G, Strake from 2016 have all broadly found their level mainly doubling up between the two leagues over many years and aren’t significantly improved riders from 2016, but granted perhaps a little more consistent and naturally experienced.

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