Phil 303 Posted November 19, 2003 EL 10 EL clubs 2 home 2 away = 36 meetings Grading system Elite League teams will sign two Premier League riders as squad members to cover for injured reserves. Double up riders will only be for ACU permit holders riders and who have not previously achieved an EL average of 5 or above. PL 15 clubs. 45 points limit Premier Trophy is back Both Leagues No Tac Subs! Golden Joker. Riders nominated to score double points when 8 points down. Can only be used twice. Guest Rules Only the top rider can be replaced by a guest the other riders will be replaced by Rider Replacement Full Report. *BRITISH Speedway's top flight will have 10 clubs next season - after Swindon and Arena Essex were confirmed as Elite League members at the sport's AGM. The race for the Sky Sports Elite League play-offs will be over two home and two away meetings which means 36 outings per club. Premier League fans will have a minimum of 15 clubs, possibly 16 depending on Trelawny's bid for a new site and they have been given until January 14 to declare. And in what is sure to be a popular move the Premier Trophy has been re-introduced to start next season with a north and south group which will then see the top two from each group go into the semi-finals. The Sky Sports Elite League will also feature a revolutionary new grading system to determine team strengths after promoters voted to scrap the points limit. And that means newcomers Swindon and Arena will have a pick of riders to build competitive teams as movement in the transfer market is inevitable. Averages will still come into effect for team building purposes but a grading system allows more flexibility and for the 2005 campaign bonus points will not be taken into account. Both leagues have scrapped the traditional tactical substitute regulation in favour of a new ruling which allows team managers to nominate two riders whose points can count as double if a team is eight points behind. They have also retained the use of a golden double tactical substitute in both leagues when a rider is nominated to start off a 15-metre handicap for double points. The move comes as a result of a successful experiment in this year's Premier League Knockout Cup when ties were kept alive by intelligent work from team bosses. Premier League clubs have retained the 45-point limit but will keep a close eye on how the new grading system works for their Elite League counterparts in 2004. Promoters have also decided to restrict the use of guest riders in response to confusion amongst a new generation of fans brought into the sport by increased media and TV coverage. A guest rider will only be allowed for the top rider in a team with the rider-replacement facility in operation elsewhere and the Elite League teams will sign two Premier League riders as squad members to cover for injured reserves. Another thorny issue was the doubling up and doubling down which saw several riders enjoy riding for two clubs. Doubling down has now been scrapped and the doubling up facility will only be allowed for ACU permit holders who have not achieved an Elite League average of five-points and above. This will apply for only one team position per club and not two like last season. Great Britain boss Neil Middleditch remains in office for another season - realistically there was never any doubt as long as Middleditch wanted the job - and the Under-21 job is between Alun Rossiter and Louis Carr who have both applied. The management committee will interview both ex-riders regarding the position at the first available oppourtunity before a final decision is made regarding Graham Reeve's successor. On the subject of management committee, it's a case of as you were with chairman Chris Van Straaten joined by new Somerset promoter Peter Toogood as vice chairman alongside Jon Cook of Eastbourne, Coventry's Colin Pratt and Sheffield chief Neil Machin http://www.british-speedway.co.uk/ No Tac Subs! Golden Joker. Riders nominated to score double points when 8 points down. Can only be used twice. Please vote and discuss the “golden joker” here…. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...?showtopic=5596 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sleepy 0 Posted November 19, 2003 One thought - any news on how the gradin system will work? Have they made any decisions on which riders are in which grade? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil 303 Posted November 19, 2003 No news on how grading system will work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Davis 156 Posted November 19, 2003 Both LeaguesNo Tac Subs! Golden Joker. Riders nominated to score double points when 8 points down. What Bullsh*t Oh well, it is the BSPA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star Lady 5,400 Posted November 19, 2003 Well done for knocking doubling down on the head and for limiting guest riders, and sort of implementing a squad system of sorts. As for the rest, what a load of Horlicks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dmac1969 0 Posted November 19, 2003 Well , apart from the fact i know nothing about this Grading system , i totally agree with Speedy Star's comments about next years changes! But i guess were stuck with them now i suppose! One thing that strikes me is what happens if we get a wet year and a lot of EL meetings get rained off?....will we still be watching 2004 meetings in 2005??? Glad about the PL points limit tho! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
suzuki star 882 0 Posted November 19, 2003 Mostly good so far Not sure about grading, we will have to see how that works out But why on earth are they keeping the golden double whammy ***p, and not only that , they have introduced another golden whammy tac sub ***p, didnt they pack their brains when they flew out !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrwulfAndy Posted November 19, 2003 According to wolvo speedway the karlssons must be split so it looks like th grading works from around 8.50 upwards only 1 rider. WHAT A TOTAL DISCRACE. They have done extreamly well in destroying british speedway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight_Lady 2 Posted November 19, 2003 (edited) So it's as you were with the ridiculous golden dingly danglies...pathetic I am pleased to see the Premier Trophy back but do not like the fact it will be over many more matches and gives teams the opportunity to fiddle averages again before the league campaign starts Just when you thought it couldn't have been any worse than last season we get this load of crap It's time the bar facility was removed at these conferences as I am certain most of these decisions were made when they were under the influence Edited November 19, 2003 by Midnight_Lady Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dekker 239 Posted November 19, 2003 No news on how grading system will work. In effect its basically rider control all over again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Davis 156 Posted November 19, 2003 According to wolvo speedway the karlssons must be split so it looks like th grading works from around 8.50 upwards only 1 rider. WHAT A TOTAL DISCRACE. They have done extreamly well in destroying british speedway CVS thinks well then Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dekker 239 Posted November 19, 2003 Just when you thought it couldn't have been any worse than last season we get this load of crap Agreed 110% lets watch all the teams sign assessed riders who mysteriously struggle then suddenly regain their form when their team strengthens up. There will be more teams to add to the scroll of dishonour like Hull 2001, Newcastle 2000 to 2003, and all the usual suspects in the EL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star Lady 5,400 Posted November 19, 2003 So it's as you were with the ridiculous golden dingly danglies...pathetic ML I agree totally. Gem's posts on another thread lead me to believe the promoters had far too much time dwelling on their own golden dingly danglies to use their brains has this just started my warning bar on a journey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 441 Posted November 19, 2003 Double points in place of tac subs- what a F****** joke! Lets look forward to all teams trying to be ahead by six points going into heat 15! Is the Young shield back for the PL? It better be after having to put up with double points all season. We really do have wallys running our sport. Get an independent person in charge or better someone from this forum as they understand what the majority of fans want. Absolute joke! Mod note.......please be careful with the language..i know its frustrating but we have youngsters reading the forum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrwulfAndy Posted November 19, 2003 cant contain my anger at this. IT IS UNBERLIEVABLE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
