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British speedway is a joke.


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After the dismal last match at Peterborough where we had to stand around for over an hour to watch tractors going round then crap racing to follow and then the shambles last night am I the only one who's lost the plot with British speedway...it's a joke. We have a ridiculous 6 team league thats seen the top 4 decided by July with essentially nothing to ride for until the play offs, I've seen teams tracking nearly full teams of guests, I've seen rules made up as they go along and then that ridiculous call made at the British Final...I could go on but the future is not looking good with Peterborough potentially dropping out next year and the same set of fools at the BSPA continuing to make a mockery of what has the potential to be a great sport (like in Poland)... Dont you think a huge shake up is required!?...I do because I am rapidly losing interest..it's not just a Peterborough thing either as I can't get excited for any of the TV matches anymore..they have nothing riding on them and it's just not interesting anymore. Oh and the guest situation needs looking at also with Pickering (as an example) pretty much riding for 2 teams now which is laughable and only in the UK do we have this stupid situation.

Edited by chrismorton
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44 minutes ago, chrismorton said:

After the dismal last match at Peterborough where we had to stand around for over an hour to watch tractors going round then crap racing to follow and then the shambles last night am I the only one who's lost the plot with British speedway...it's a joke. We have a ridiculous 6 team league thats seen the top 4 decided by July with essentially nothing to ride for until the play offs, I've seen teams tracking nearly full teams of guests, I've seen rules made up as they go along and then that ridiculous call made at the British Final...I could go on but the future is not looking good with Peterborough potentially dropping out next year and the same set of fools at the BSPA continuing to make a mockery of what has the potential to be a great sport (like in Poland)... Dont you think a huge shake up is required!?...I do because I am rapidly losing interest..it's not just a Peterborough thing either as I can't get excited for any of the TV matches anymore..they have nothing riding on them and it's just not interesting anymore.

It is ran as a hobby by promoters...

Who build ambigous rules as all can then benefit from them whenever they may need them..

The main purpose of UK Speedway is to provide riders with rides so they can justify their outlay on kit, and hopefully, earn enough to work six months of the year and not have to work the other six... 

The secondary purpose is to give promoters a sense of achievement when their teams win competitions of minimal kudos, recognition and financial value. With the lack of recognition all directly down to the ludicrous operating model that they personally design and follow..

However, it is still a very good night out on certain tracks, with the right personnel on view...

Just enjoy the racing and dont take it seriously in any way shape or form from a "team sport" perspective..

 

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What do you want the promoters to do? Bearing in mind we don't have enough riders or money to have 10 teams in the BPL with no doubling up in the BCL?  We don't have enough teams who want to race BPL, there's no big TV money to encourage teams up plus they are happy with their current race nights ....

 

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12 minutes ago, chrismorton said:

Oh, ok then keep it as it is..a tinpot product that other countries laugh at with 3 British GP riders who can't even be arsed with it...speaks volumes.

And only one of the 3 can be bothered to race in the National championship meeting. 

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13 hours ago, Trees said:

What do you want the promoters to do? Bearing in mind we don't have enough riders or money to have 10 teams in the BPL with no doubling up in the BCL?  We don't have enough teams who want to race BPL, there's no big TV money to encourage teams up plus they are happy with their current race nights ....

 

For me...

As I say, for the promoters it is a hobby and fair play to them as without them there isn't any UK Speedway..

However, the reason there isnt any big money in the sport from sponsors or TV is all down to their own leadership of the sport through their own designed operating model...

Ironically, by their actions, they both laudiblly keep the sport going, whilst at the same time, are gradually, slowly eroding it away...

An excellent product to sell though, as is shown when this country hosts FIM events, with the large crowd numbers who attend these events showing that there is still a fair old market out there for Speedway when done "properly"..

Sadly domestic Speedway is surrounded by a poor infrastructure which ultimately dissauades thousands of followers of the sport from attending it on a regular basis..

Who knows, should the promoters ever decide to run it "properly" it may entice the many thousands back who currently follow the sport closely via other media, but choose to stay away from paying money to watch it live domestically...

The honest truth though is I fear we will never find that out..

Edited by mikebv
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Go down the route of Isle of Wight and bring back Upright bikes, with riders from the 70s, or Flatrack racing. That should bring on the youngsters. It's all about the future. Or maybe just pick brambles while the racing is on.

Or maybe copy Poland and bring in the Lucky Loser concept to spice up the playoffs and "make every heat count" (or not as it turns out).

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For me get rid of riders who cannot commit full time to UK.Form 1 league with the riders left including NDL riders,start at the bottom and build speedway in GB up again.Basically do what happened in 1968 when the formed the 2nd Division,the entertainment will be just as good ,reduced admission on the basis that you are not giving silly money to riders that are mainly riding here for pocket money to supplement their foreign wages.All the fans that want too watch the Superstars can get cheap flight to Poland for the money they need to fork out nowadays to attend British Speedway( at least they will see a full match for their admission fee).The sport cannot survive the way it’s being run down just now.

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I choose to forget about about all the politics, embrace it for what it is, support the team I love, watch the sport I love, and above all, think that this could be our year to win again. If not there’s always next year. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be on a Monday night. Who knows, one day all the top riders may return, maybe or maybe not, but we could be watching the future world champion without even realising.

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2 hours ago, Fromafar said:

For me get rid of riders who cannot commit full time to UK.Form 1 league with the riders left...

So just going through the averages, and "weeding out" those riders who are European and who would struggle to pledge unconditional allegiance to the British leagues, and those British and Australian riders with foreign league commitments, and allocating the double-downers to the most senior club that they ride for, we would be left with:

BELLE VUE - Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Jye Ethridge & Connor Bailey  = 4
IPSWICH - Danny King, Aaron Summers, Danyon Hume, Ben Barker (!) & Cameron Heeps  = 5
KINGS LYNN - Josh Pickering, Richard Lawson, Richie Worrall, Jason Edwards, Jake Mulford, Lewis Kerr, Jack Thomas  = 7
PETERBGOROUGH - Chris Harris, Scott Nicholls, Jordan Palin  = 3
SHEFFIELD - Kyle Howarth, Connor Mountain, Lewis Kerr, Dan Thompson, Craig Cook, Stefan Nielsen, Justin Sedgmen  = 7
WOLVERHAMPTON - Ryan Douglas, Luke Becker, Steve Worrall, Drew Kemp, Leon Flint, Joe Thompson  = 6
BERWICK 1 - Ricky Wells, Nathan Stoneman, Ty Proctor, Kyle Bickley  = 4
BIRMINGHAM - Josh Auty (!), Ashley Morris, James Shanes,  = 3
EDINBURGH - Jacob Hook, James Sarjeant  = 2
GLASGOW - Broc Nicholl  = 1
LEICESTER - Max Clegg  = 1
OXFORD - Dillon Ruml, Josh MacDonald, Paul Starke, Kyle Newman  = 4
POOLE - Ben Cook, Nathan Ablitt  = 2
PLYMOUTH - Eddie Kennett (!) Connor Coles, Ben Morley, Lee Complin, Daniel Gilkes, Alfie Bowtell, Harry McGurk, Henry Atkins  = 8
REDCAR - Jason Edwards, Adam Roynon  = 2
SCUNTHORPE - Simon Lambert, James Wright, Zaine Kennedy, Ryan Kinsley  = 4
ARMADALE - Tom Woolley, Danny Phillips, Elliott Kelly, Josh Embleton, Gregor Millar, Kyran Lyden, Willian Lawson, George Rothery, Lewis Millar  = 9
BELLE VUE 2 - Sam McGurk, Archie Freeman, Freddy Hodder, Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (!)  = 4
BERWICK 2 - Greg Blair, Luke Crang, Ace Pijper, Mason Watson, Ben Rathbone, Kieran Douglas  = 6
KENT - Danno Verge, Connor King, Jamie Halder, Sam Wooley, Chris Watts, Joe Alcock  = 6
LEICESTER 2 - Max Perry, Tom Spencer, Mickie Simpson, Vinnie Foord, Kai Ward  = 5
MILDENHALL - Jack Kingston, Alex Spooner, Sam Bebee, Josh Warren, Luke Muff, Matt Marson  = 6
OXFORD 2 - Jody Scott, Sam Hagon, Arran Butcher, Jacob Clouting, Luke Killeen, Ben Hopwood, Sam Woods  = 7
PLYMOUTH 2 - Ben Trigger, Adam Extance, David Abraham, Rhys Naylor, Ben Phillips, Eli Meadows  = 6

So that's a total of 112 riders who you can count on, from 24 teams located at 18 tracks. And I'm being very sympathetic in that definition as I'm including Eddie Kennett, Josh Auty, Ben Barker and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn in there, even though these riders are hardly the kind that you can actually "count on". Other riders like Lee Complin, Adam Roynon, Aaron Summers and James Wright are also in the mix, despite only being on the verge of (re-)retirement.

Anyway, optimistically divide 112 by 7 and you have just enough for 16 teams.  Go radical and choose 6-man teams, and you'll have enough for just over 18 teams.

Not enough to go around, is it? And woe betide the 8 riders who I mentioned don't come to the tapes next year. That'll be one less team that can be fielded.

So, if you had your way, which teams would you instruct to shut down? Would you tell the clubs that they can only have one team going forward, so that those clubs with 2 teams will have to get rid of their CL team?
 

Edited by uk_martin
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2 hours ago, uk_martin said:

So just going through the averages, and "weeding out" those riders who are European and who would struggle to pledge unconditional allegiance to the British leagues, and those British and Australian riders with foreign league commitments, and allocating the double-downers to the most senior club that they ride for, we would be left with:

BELLE VUE - Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Jye Ethridge & Connor Bailey  = 4
IPSWICH - Danny King, Aaron Summers, Danyon Hume, Ben Barker (!) & Cameron Heeps  = 5
KINGS LYNN - Josh Pickering, Richard Lawson, Richie Worrall, Jason Edwards, Jake Mulford, Lewis Kerr, Jack Thomas  = 7
PETERBGOROUGH - Chris Harris, Scott Nicholls, Jordan Palin  = 3
SHEFFIELD - Kyle Howarth, Connor Mountain, Lewis Kerr, Dan Thompson, Craig Cook, Stefan Nielsen, Justin Sedgmen  = 7
WOLVERHAMPTON - Ryan Douglas, Luke Becker, Steve Worrall, Drew Kemp, Leon Flint, Joe Thompson  = 6
BERWICK 1 - Ricky Wells, Nathan Stoneman, Ty Proctor, Kyle Bickley  = 4
BIRMINGHAM - Josh Auty (!), Ashley Morris, James Shanes,  = 3
EDINBURGH - Jacob Hook, James Sarjeant  = 2
GLASGOW - Broc Nicholl  = 1
LEICESTER - Max Clegg  = 1
OXFORD - Dillon Ruml, Josh MacDonald, Paul Starke, Kyle Newman  = 4
POOLE - Ben Cook, Nathan Ablitt  = 2
PLYMOUTH - Eddie Kennett (!) Connor Coles, Ben Morley, Lee Complin, Daniel Gilkes, Alfie Bowtell, Harry McGurk, Henry Atkins  = 8
REDCAR - Jason Edwards, Adam Roynon  = 2
SCUNTHORPE - Simon Lambert, James Wright, Zaine Kennedy, Ryan Kinsley  = 4
ARMADALE - Tom Woolley, Danny Phillips, Elliott Kelly, Josh Embleton, Gregor Millar, Kyran Lyden, Willian Lawson, George Rothery, Lewis Millar  = 9
BELLE VUE 2 - Sam McGurk, Archie Freeman, Freddy Hodder, Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (!)  = 4
BERWICK 2 - Greg Blair, Luke Crang, Ace Pijper, Mason Watson, Ben Rathbone, Kieran Douglas  = 6
KENT - Danno Verge, Connor King, Jamie Halder, Sam Wooley, Chris Watts, Joe Alcock  = 6
LEICESTER 2 - Max Perry, Tom Spencer, Mickie Simpson, Vinnie Foord, Kai Ward  = 5
MILDENHALL - Jack Kingston, Alex Spooner, Sam Bebee, Josh Warren, Luke Muff, Matt Marson  = 6
OXFORD 2 - Jody Scott, Sam Hagon, Arran Butcher, Jacob Clouting, Luke Killeen, Ben Hopwood, Sam Woods  = 7
PLYMOUTH 2 - Ben Trigger, Adam Extance, David Abraham, Rhys Naylor, Ben Phillips, Eli Meadows  = 6

So that's a total of 112 riders who you can count on, from 24 teams located at 18 tracks. And I'm being very sympathetic in that definition as I'm including Eddie Kennett, Josh Auty, Ben Barker and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn in there, even though these riders are hardly the kind that you can actually "count on". Other riders like Lee Complin, Adam Roynon, Aaron Summers and James Wright are also in the mix, despite only being on the verge of (re-)retirement.

Anyway, optimistically divide 112 by 7 and you have just enough for 16 teams.  Go radical and choose 6-man teams, and you'll have enough for just over 18 teams.

Not enough to go around, is it? And woe betide the 8 riders who I mentioned don't come to the tapes next year. That'll be one less team that can be fielded.

So, if you had your way, which teams would you instruct to shut down? Would you tell the clubs that they can only have one team going forward, so that those clubs with 2 teams will have to get rid of their CL team?
 

You can knock off another 2 as you have Lewis Kerr twice & Ryan Douglas also rides in Poland.

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If the sport is going to survive in the country other than at a fully amateur level at a hand full of tracks then something dramatic has got to happen.

The equipment has got to change the rule book& the regulations have got to be torn up & started again. The tracks have got to be improved to help produce better racing.

Costs reduced for all those involved.

In short a route & branch rebuild from the bottom up.

There will be resistance & those who say that it can't be done, the short answer is that its vital that it is done.

There are several tracks with question marks over them already. however the expensive venues to run like Belle Vue, Birmingham, Wolverhampton,Glasgow & Ipswich possibly King's Lynn could they really keep running speedway on an ad-hoc basis while charging minimum admission to watch amateur racing?

It's time to smell the espresso regular coffee is no longer strong enough!

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3 minutes ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

If the sport is going to survive in the country other than at a fully amateur level at a hand full of tracks then something dramatic has got to happen.

The equipment has got to change the rule book& the regulations have got to be torn up & started again. The tracks have got to be improved to help produce better racing.

Costs reduced for all those involved.

In short a route & branch rebuild from the bottom up.

There will be resistance & those who say that it can't be done, the short answer is that its vital that it is done.

There are several tracks with question marks over them already. however the expensive venues to run like Belle Vue, Birmingham, Wolverhampton,Glasgow & Ipswich possibly King's Lynn could they really keep running speedway on an ad-hoc basis while charging minimum admission to watch amateur racing?

It's time to smell the espresso regular coffee is no longer strong enough!

Think most agree changes are needed to how the sport is run - a PL with only 6 teams in it with top 4 known in July more or less means many league meetings are meaningless - £20 for what’s on offer is to expensive drop it to £15 I think more people would attend meetings. And more thought needs to be given to fans not take them for granted - the word promotors should be dropped to club owners as other than Glasgow none of them promotions promote the sport . Speedway in its present form is terminal with cost of living crisis getting worse next season will be even harder for clubs . Change needs to happen and fast .

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12 hours ago, Trees said:

What do you want the promoters to do? Bearing in mind we don't have enough riders or money to have 10 teams in the BPL with no doubling up in the BCL?  We don't have enough teams who want to race BPL, there's no big TV money to encourage teams up plus they are happy with their current race nights ....

 

Just because it's been 7 man teams for as long as I can remember doesn't mean it always has to be that way. You alter the model to suit the circumstances, if there aren't enough riders to run a credible league you go to 6 or even 5 man teams... it ain't rocket science

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13 hours ago, chrismorton said:

After the dismal last match at Peterborough where we had to stand around for over an hour to watch tractors going round then crap racing to follow and then the shambles last night am I the only one who's lost the plot with British speedway...it's a joke. We have a ridiculous 6 team league thats seen the top 4 decided by July with essentially nothing to ride for until the play offs, I've seen teams tracking nearly full teams of guests, I've seen rules made up as they go along and then that ridiculous call made at the British Final...I could go on but the future is not looking good with Peterborough potentially dropping out next year and the same set of fools at the BSPA continuing to make a mockery of what has the potential to be a great sport (like in Poland)... Dont you think a huge shake up is required!?...I do because I am rapidly losing interest..it's not just a Peterborough thing either as I can't get excited for any of the TV matches anymore..they have nothing riding on them and it's just not interesting anymore. Oh and the guest situation needs looking at also with Pickering (as an example) pretty much riding for 2 teams now which is laughable and only in the UK do we have this stupid situation.

The British Final decision was not ridiculous, it was correct - they actually followed the relevant SCB Regulation.

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3 minutes ago, iainb said:

Just because it's been 7 man teams for as long as I can remember doesn't mean it always has to be that way. You alter the model to suit the circumstances, if there aren't enough riders to run a credible league you go to 6 or even 5 man teams... it ain't rocket science

British Speedway has been shrinking to fit for a few years now ...

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2 minutes ago, Roger Jacobs said:

The British Final decision was not ridiculous, it was correct - they actually followed the relevant SCB Regulation.

What was ridiculous was why run it so close to Cardiff GP ? If it had been run early July and weather was bad plenty of time to restage it before Cardiff

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1 hour ago, iainb said:

Just because it's been 7 man teams for as long as I can remember doesn't mean it always has to be that way. You alter the model to suit the circumstances, if there aren't enough riders to run a credible league you go to 6 or even 5 man teams... it ain't rocket science

Spot on...

And remember, even in the "halcyon days" when the tracks were often rammed with spectators, most tracks only had two or three fully professional riders...

And that was only in the top league...

One or two "superstars" and another "potential superstar/wunderkind" was what only the very top clubs mainly had...

The rest of the riders making up the teams had "day jobs" and were very pleased to earn quite a bit more than a weeks pay from that job in just one night riding Speedway...

Ride 20 times a month and you could have half a years salary every 30 days or so..

Do that from March to October and then  work through the winter, or go on tour to Austalia if you were a full time pro, and a very, very good living could be had...

Now we have "professionals" barely out of school, who cannot even hold down a place in the Championship, needing paying to fund their dreams...

What a ridiculous system to have designed...

Edited by mikebv
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Seems like the sport has entered a new era…. Exploding tyres (P boro), setting light to the tracks (Glasgow) added the the reasons I stopped going endless delays and teams of gusts and r/r , my only surprise is that there are people still paying £20 each plus travel to watch the smouldering embers of a once great sport. 
Nothing I read would tempt me back to watch. 

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