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mikebv

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Everything posted by mikebv

  1. Not meaning to he unfair to the bloke in anyway shape or form, he is though in a CEO position of a National Organisation..... And was obviously there in person due to his "head person" capacity to show those decision makers just how important those in charge of the sport see Cov Speedway returning... A laudable attempt, but, for me, missing the opportunity to show the "reach" of the sport via the amount of viewers, attendance's and income in particular, which would go a long way to debunk the "dying sport" narrative which the opponents seem to be leading with... Adding in the environment and diversity strategy ticks the "flavour of the month" boxes too... As I say, fair play to the man, but I feel it was too narrow a remit and missed a trick in informing those there just how big the sport actually is... Eg several million quid income will be earned this season across the tracks, and tens of millions will have watched or attended Speedway domestically and globally this season,... That's the key message to kill the "dying sport" narrative that should be used, allied to a "History of Cov Speedway" and their importance to the local community's mental health and well being via a new stadium with fitness facilities and its importance to the local economy..
  2. I disagree... He should have talked far more "bigger picture" stuff, using approximate details around size, structure, revenue, attendences, viewing figures, environmental plans, diversity plans, etc etc to beat down the "dying sport" message and detail the future growth strategy... Any CEO of a National Business would have minutiae details at their disposal to paint the picture of the overall generic business position... How many trophies he won, how long he rode for etc, for example just muddies the waters and strays off topic... To validate why he was there, he should solely have mentioned his role in the UK and his global role, using size and structure of the sport domestically and globally to add gravitas to his position.. Any CEO of a business tied into a TV deal, would fundamentally be expected to have real time data as to viewing numbers as they should be working alongside their partners very closely to deliver the mutual successful outcome for both parties.. The way Phil came across was a microcosm of where the sport sits, skill set wise.. Well meaning, but with a very narrow low level strategic plan of action... The sport in the UK has millions of viewers, has millions who attend over a season, brings in millions of pounds through sponsorship and fan attendance, is pursuing an environmentally friendly policy via ebikes and already uses "green fuel", and is running a Ladies Championship and has s National Academy for female riders, GB is now comfortably in the top two nations in the world, etc etc etc... All that, allied to his future strategy for the sport, including Cov, their history, and the huge positive impact the community project would bring to the people of Cov, with a dissection of Clarke's history in the sport, should have been the message... With his final summary including his vision for the future built using the success of Oxford and Workington, to demonstrate how this " dying sport" still has plenty to offer.. That positive message should have been ringing in the ears of all there upon conclusion of his speech..
  3. Hope he stays fit... Box office..
  4. Could they set fire to the track?
  5. mikebv

    2023 Playoffs

    The sport was massive due to the individual comps going out on one of just three channels throughout the summer on TV.. Tens of millions literally watched it... Then turned up at the tracks to watch those riders.. And in those days when PC was "somewhere else" (with Larry Ross, Pete Smith, John Titman, or Martin Ashby), replacing him, you found out when you were there, not on the internet a couple of days before... A completely different time... Time, which has moved on... Speedway (n the UK) hasn't.. "But guests are a necessary evil"... "Dribble, Dribble".... .
  6. mikebv

    2023 Playoffs

    Then it should... Simple, straight forward, and clear... Not ambiguous, not subjective... Reading that then two different "track ringers" could be brought in... Its nonsense using guests anyway if you ever want the sport to be ever taken seriously, but at least they should try and make it as least Mickey Mouse as is possible...
  7. mikebv

    2023 Playoffs

    So finally, we can all agree he didnt break any rules then.... As they were "poorly written" they were open to "interpretation" and, therefore, "challenge"... Just like all the "poorly written rules" have been brilliantly challenged and used down the years, ad nauseam, to gain an advantage by the likes of Ian Thomas, Len Silver, Matt Ford and probably many, many more... If you dont want subjectivity and ambiguity, then make the rules up using clarity and precision... . Not hard to do....
  8. mikebv

    2023 Playoffs

    But having two Swindon riders riding in the Poole v KL final in the first place was considered absolutely fine.... I wonder why companies who are none Speedway related dont sponsor the leagues..?
  9. Hope so... 50/50 for me at the moment... 4hrs drive and will probably book a hotel rather than the four hours back in one day.... Decisions. Decisions....
  10. One rider did tell me a few years ago that guesting in a play off can be "very good" for the bank balance... With a decent "guarantee" but an "excellent" incentive for scoring "x" number of points... Dont know if that is still the case, but you would imagine teams would want to motivate their guest to the maximum...
  11. mikebv

    2023 Playoffs

    Are they all being shown live?
  12. You would hope that they have to use Harris as he was down for BV away too.. Guests are bad enough without a "Horses for Courses" approach being allowed.. Once more though, a fit for purpose RR facility would mean no guests required.. Eg. As Doyle second in the averages all riders can take his rides up to a max of seven each.. Who rides when is then down to the manager..
  13. mikebv

    Glasgow 2023

    One guest destroys any real credibility of the competition, therefore, you might as well have as many as you need to get regular racing on and get the league completed... They end up doing it anyway, all the time, so they can complete the season, (was it four for Plymouth last week?), therefore, what difference does it make when they do it? Just do it all season and get regular racing, and a completed fixture list before the colder dark nights of late September and October hit...
  14. I get that, however, nowadays a good many in attendance at tracks only "slightly bother" about the result (given the often "not really your team is there tonight" scenario), and are there mainly for the racing... Therefore, if any sport can possibly make it happen it is Speedway I would suggest... A team made up of the likes of R Lambert, Laguta, and Tarasenko for example would get plenty of "floating support" I would think, particularly on the nights that Emil, Woffy, Bewley, Doyle and the other GP riders turn up... If the league was a "weak one" though then it almost definitely wouldn't attract too many to keep following the sport in person... They would still watch on TV though and keep that interest in it...
  15. I read that imagining Alan Partridge saying it....
  16. That's the idea.. So it can be made up... And if you cannot find an "open goal"?... Then the "in the interest of Speedway" card is played.. Seem barmy trying to cobble everything else together when you can just use that "catch all" as the only regulation...
  17. Didn't watch the meeting as flying back from hols, but just seen the result.. Wow, a 3 man team, and only beaten by 12.. Kowalski could be the key next week as his 1 point tonight would have been four or five less than he and Wroclaw would have expected, and he has the beating of plenty of "top riders" around there.. Sets up a great Sunday next week... Wroclaw packed to the rafters will make some noise and the atmosphere will be electric if theyy start to claw back poiints early on... Who said they should use guests in Poland?
  18. The top 3 need to get around 70 over the two legs to have any chance... They will get around 33/34 rides with Tacs so cannot run too many thirds or lasts... And when together in races, they need a heat advantage... Kowalski will be busy too I would think with 12 rides at least, and he will need 15 off them as a minimum... They they need six from the rest to win... A very tall order...
  19. They "may take action"... And in this case they did... So perfectly acceptable... Did the punishment fit the crime? Maybe not .. But. Maybe it did if all riders are clear as to the expectations and the financial reasons behind it.... And, as it has never been an issue with anyone else, or anywhere else, all season, you would have to think they clearly do...
  20. Hanna-Barbera might have done him for Copyright..
  21. I can see this easily happening again.. Dark room, poor lighting, open the wardrobe and grab the nearest set of kevlars to you... We've all done it.... Oh. And forget all about the rules around wearing the official kevlars, plus your team forgetting the same as well... And the race director needs to forget the rules too as they let you onto the track... Amazed it doesnt happen in every GP to be honest...
  22. Incredible that no one told him to not go out in those kevlars... So many must have known... Including him, his team and all the meeting officials, as all will be privvy to the rules, and any consequences.... All very strange...
  23. Usually because a "few riders" seem to be in the play off mix in several countries... Dan has possibly 8 matches plus two GP's all of which have something riding on them.. Meaning the level of racing becomes far more intense..
  24. Jack Smith could maybe ride for both teams...
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