tomhaines

Random question, are Polish meetings generally well run in terms of timing or can they be long drawn out affairs like some of our meetings? (Granted incidents can happen to delay) Asking as it looks like Częstochowa may be at home the day after Wrocław GP with a 7.15 start for all the 2nd legs of the quarter finals and trying to see if I can fit it in and get to Krakow afterwards easily for hotel and early Monday flight.

Good old British Speedway

A good entertaining meeting with some exciting talents on show - future looks bright for Czechia and Latvia on that showing if the likes of Gusts and Kvech can kick on. Adding to the likes of Salonen for Finland. Concerning future for Sweden - where is their next GP rider coming from? None of their 3 looked like potential world beaters or special talents. Positive outcome for GB but like the senior team, felt the body language on the podium said a lot about the mood in the camp - Flint particularly looking very hard done by to have gone all the way for no rides! Questionable decision on gates and lack of Flint rides - why pay TMs if you are just going to go as per programme (and GB have 3!). Looking forward to tomorrow but for the pinnacle of the sport and ‘new era’ the coverage is at times embarrassing - can somebody please give Kelvin and Chris a calculator or programme… it isn’t difficult to follow and professional commentators should be able to tell us the implications of a race! Secondly they should have some knowledge of the riders to add a bit of colour to their commentary - “I don’t know a lot about him” isn’t a great look with all the detail easily available online. And finally, Abi… please ask one question at a time with simpler words when speaking to riders who don’t speak a word of English… the poor Poles had a glazed look as she asked multiple questions in one!

Not suggesting Wrocław is the place to hold the qualifiers… but if Germany are in the qualifier and it’s held at the right German track and marketed correctly surely the crowd would be ok? Likewise Latvia, Czechia, Hungary who all get decent crowds for one off meetings. Replace the weird and wonderful UEM meetings with a meaningful pathway and market it as such.

Seems strange to seed all 9 straight to the World Cup when the alleged mission of Discovery+ is to develop Speedway (yer right). Surely a qualifying round or two for the smaller nations outside of the World Cup cycle to make it to the competition should be in place - the likes of USA, Latvia and Slovenia could outqualify a Finland, Germany or France on their day…. Let alone the question of what to do if Russia re-join the fold in 2023 (albeit unlikely). Ideally a ‘tiered’ solution should be in place allowing nations to ride meaningful competition against others of a similar level - with a pathway to the ‘World Cup’ and promotion/relegation between the tiers. (Almost like the UEFA Nations League). For example: World Cup Poland, Sweden, Russia*, GB, Australia, Denmark, 2 x Qualifier from T1 Tier 1 Finland, Germany, France, Czech Tier 2 Slovenia, USA, Latvia, Ukraine Tier 3 (run as pairs) Norway, Italy, Hungary, Argentina, Slovakia, New Zealand + others (Estonia/Romania/Austria/Netherlands?

Any news on this yet? I can see from Wrocław ticket site the Final is due to start at 4pm but no news on the 2 x Semi Finals on the Thursday in terms of tickets or timings? Let alone line ups?

Thanks R&R where did you see this and any idea if it’ll be open to the public (can’t see why it wouldn’t be but nothing on GP or Wrocław websites!)

At least it’s a couple of week… Riga was 24 hour swap to Daugavpils one year wasn’t it!! All jokes aside, it’s a bit of a shocker and glad I dodged it after almost booking like arnieg has. Zero thought for fans by the organisers.

Hi All, Any ideas where I might find 2022 - 2020 averages and stats (or failing that, results) from the lesser known nations leagues and national championships? UK, Poland, Sweden, Denmark are very easy to find from official sources but struggling to find the other leagues and national championships now that sites like speedway.org don't exist. Thanks in advance, Tom

Tuesday it is then

Not surprised at it only being half full… was tempted to go this year but didn’t (haven’t watched tonight yet - though sounds like I should wait and watch paint dry instead). From memory when we looked the tickets we normally book were around £40… when Warsaw was £20 for a decent seat it’s no surprise people are beginning to vote with their feet. Time for Pardubice. Think ill Wait for the Monday ‘highlights’ this week

Great news for those going to Heerenveen… https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/majority-remaining-covid-19-restrictions-lift-march-23

Not sure where I’ve suggested ‘penalising the promoters’. I agree they’ll be out of pocket more than anyone. What I’m saying is that any company in any industry cannot be sustainable relying on the goodwill of the hardcore fan/customer/supporter and will fail if they don’t improve their product and offer a good customer experience - there’s far too much competition for time and money nowadays to be as complacent (or is it sheer arrogance/stupidity/naivety?!) as Speedway promoters are about their product and customers.

“So called fans” are paying customers. This notion that “fans” owe the tracks something is a problem with speedway… if the product is poor then “so called fans” become former fans. If McDonalds consistently served you cold food would you keep going back just because of goodwill? Of course not, a Speedway club is a business and businesses need to do all they can to retain and increase their customer base - not rely on that goodwill which will run out eventually and not sustain your business.

Having been to Belle Vue on Friday for a very well run Colts and BYC meeting I agree - not all tracks are bad! If I were a ‘good’ promoter with a well run track I’d be having a word with these ‘poor’ promoters as every farce has an impact on the image of the whole sport and visiting attendances… am I going to try and talk my partner into going to Plymouth now when we are down in Devon after a couple of shambles elsewhere… probably not as their perception is it’s gonna be crap and it’s too much of a risk to waste an evening of holiday. It’s a lose lose for the sport I’m afraid.

Firstly thoughts with Jordan. Looked an absolute shocker. This was my first and probably last time at Birmingham tonight. Having moved to the city at the end of 2019 I was pretty excited to have a track on my doorstep again having not had a local track since Reading - plus Wolves and Leicester not too far away… but I won’t be back! An utter shambles with 5.5 hours to prepare the track, yet as 7.30 rolled around there was a lot of standing around and not a lot of track work…. Absolute contempt for the paying customers. Not sure what happened there but it’s unacceptable - before anyone accuses me of being a ‘keyboard warrior’ and praising the promotion… I’m a paying customer and I didn’t pay to stand around for over an hour listening to music that is older than me whilst being told we’ll be underway shortly again and again. Speedway in the UK just doesn’t get it. As a mid 30s fan of almost 24 years with disposable income I’m exactly the type of fan Speedway should be trying to attract and maintain. But there is very little thought for the fans and nothing to attract newbies to stay. I was planning on attending at least 2 meetings a week across Brum, Wolves and Leicester. But having endured Wolves opening abandonment, Birmingham tonight and a very slow delayed first Lion Cubs meeting I think I’m finally done… there are better things to waste my time and money on I’m afraid. The sport needs an absolute revolution in this country to drag it kicking and screaming into this century.

Fair play to CVS for confirming full refunds for everyone but whilst respecting the hard work of the promotion and track staff… what a shambles. Could sense something wasn’t right with track work going on past half past. I’m no track expert, but we knew the weather forecast was dodgy so why was the track so heavy?! Could barely hear the PA so unsure of the reasons but to have only 3 riders in Heat 1 isn’t a great advert for £19 a ticket …. Was there really nobody from the Championship or National League who fancied a go?! Big opportunity lost with a decent crowd, how many will be back next week?

Oh dear, speedways foray into online ticket booking is going well… just had an email from the company Wolves are using to say my ticket will be cancelled and reissued due to a technical issue… rechecked my original confirmation email and they’d sent me 6 different tickets in 6 different names… oooops!

If anyone wants my Bydgoszcz vs Ostrow ticket (pdf) let me know. Paid £5 but not going now due to the quarantine rules... shame for it to go to waste

Like many others, now not making the trip. If anyone is after a single Saturday ticket then let me know - pay whatever you feel is right think it was a £35 one Also a Bydgoszcz vs Ostrow ticket going to waste if anyone wants it!

Anyone who was planning Toruń... just had notification that Ryanair have cancelled my return Bydgoszcz to Birmingham flight on the Monday edit - looks like that route is now only Saturday and Thursday

Anybody had any success with this yet? Doesn’t like my credit card number or iban - nor does it let you leave it blank. Tried phoning kupbilet but they only spoke enough English to say ‘sorry I don’t speak English’

Makes sense. Absolutely great piece of work - really enjoying

Amazing work! issues I’ve noticed is a few elite league riders without a premier league average - anders Rowe and broc nicol being examples. Is this a game issue or data issue? similar to welwyn I’ve noticed a few duplicated riders (anders Rowe and Chris Harris as examples) regardless of the little niggles it’s great work thank you!

@Spooky I’m getting the run around from BSI with Warsaw tickets. T&Cs state no refund but the cancellation email said this was waived and PZM would be in touch with how to refund - this was weeks ago. Having contacted BSI numerous times they seem to be abdicating any responsibility and telling me to go back to kupbilet who in turn tell me to contact the PZM who you can’t contact! To be honest it’s put me off buying future GP tickets (particularly seeing them hide behind the no refunds for the rearranged Prague and SoN finals - yes it’s in T&Cs but already here in the UK the CMA has ruled this is illegal and unjust.