Speedway Gp In Tatters !

[stratton 1,491]

Sorry? What "success" has the GP series brought to speedway in England, Scotland and Wales?

30-40,000 crowds at the Millenium Stadium have not benefitted speedway in the Principality

The other rounds of the series have seriously disrupted the domestic programme in the UK and probably taken away from the British paying public a number of "the better" riders who might otherwise have ridden over here in our league

No, sorry, I don't buy this "GP series good for (British) speedway" at all

Totally right,league speedway is crumbling around us, gps run the show.Wheres the money made going i dont see it going back into british league speedway.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Who said i could?, but if the trend of declining rider interest continues, then the riders themselves are showing you what the answer is.

 

F1 drivers get paid by the teams to compete or buy a ride, but by and large speedway riders are self employed and have to make money, as the clubs across Europe seem less inclined to stump up apart from a select few the days of free junkets for the FIM/BSI on the backs of riders paid peanuts looks like it might be ending.

 

The FIM are very happy no doubt with BSI, all year round junkets at 5 star hotels for free, whole floors booked out, fine banquets and free travel to europe's capitals at someone else's penny.

 

FAR be it for me to defend the FIM but re your last comment: what planet are you on?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Youve seen both sides of it,gps isnt everyones cup of tea one off finals never failed in my eyes anyway.people always harp on about one off finals unfair ect.Watched one gp this year think Crump had 5 wins then he got unlucky in the semi was out.That shows there are things wrong with the gps.

 

THAT'S why they work ... the drama that goes right to the end. I saw many World Finals when the title was all but won before the last race, quite often they ended in an anti-climax. And these days, like it or not, TV is the major consideration. They way everything to go to the wire whether it be GP speedway or one-day cricket. Speedway on TV has to try and appeal to non-afficiendos as well as the diehard fans. When I wrote daily newspaper stories for the Express a million years ago I was constantly told by the Sports Editor that they weren't simply going in fort the benefit of speedway fans. That's why household names mean everything and why, at present, speedway in the UK is ignored while in Poland it (Gollob) is headline news.

[stratton 1,491]

FAR be it for me to defend the FIM but re your last comment: what planet are you on?

I think his point is valid,some people in privaliged positions lording it up first class ect.if people like Ward are thinking twice about gps,surely that tells you something rewards not there when they should be.Think the gp series might have some thinking to do.

[stratton 1,491]

THAT'S why they work ... the drama that goes right to the end. I saw many World Finals when the title was all but won before the last race, quite often they ended in an anti-climax. And these days, like it or not, TV is the major consideration. They way everything to go to the wire whether it be GP speedway or one-day cricket. Speedway on TV has to try and appeal to non-afficiendos as well as the diehard fans. When I wrote daily newspaper stories for the Express a million years ago I was constantly told by the Sports Editor that they weren't simply going in fort the benefit of speedway fans. That's why household names mean everything and why, at present, speedway in the UK is ignored while in Poland it (Gollob) is headline news.

Do they work ?that point i made on crump,was by far the best rider on the night by a mile and didnt even reach the final.And comparing speedway in england to Poland is a silly comparison in england we have loads more going on Football[national game] cricket, ect as much as i love speedway its always going to be down the pecking order.And is never going to get loads of press

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

I think his point is valid,some people in privaliged positions lording it up first class ect.if people like Ward are thinking twice about gps,surely that tells you something rewards not there when they should be.Think the gp series might have some thinking to do.

 

 

 

AND your evidence of these privileged people lording it up in first class is?

 

Have you spoken to Ward? Probably not. He is a young man, actually quite sensible beneath his Aussie Jack the Lad veneer. Of course he is tempted by an offer from Torun worth a lot of money. But there is more to it than that. Riding in the SGP demands a lot of organisation, extra responsibilities for mechanics, more bikes, etc, etc. He believes that at present he may not be quite ready for that side of the GP and that he needs more sponsorship too. He knows he is good enough on the track. It is possible, though less likely, that he would have declined an invitation for 2012 even if he had also been able to accept a contract from Torun.

 

He has time on his side. He witnessed what happened to Woffinden. He will get his chance again and deservedly so. Far great judges that I could ever aspire to be, including ex and current top, top riders, believe him to be an exceptional talent. We should be grateful that he has emerged and that isn't wholly down to Britain. He spent days and days riding round the Torun track improving his technique. It will be a great shame if he doesn't compete in the SGP next year but it will only heighten the anticipation of when he does.

 

Before long hopefully he will be joined by riders like the Pawlicki brothers, Janowski, Sundstrom, young Danes and (fingers crossed) a rejuvenated and reformed Woffinden who has it within his grasp to become a World class rider.

[BigFatDave 258]

AND your evidence of these privileged people lording it up in first class is?

Have you ever spoken to Dave Lander re the Sydney GP, Philip? A fair few FIM Snouts in the trough for that one; one of the reasons for Dave taking a financial bath.

Have you spoken to Ward? Probably not. He is a young man, actually quite sensible beneath his Aussie Jack the Lad veneer. Of course he is tempted by an offer from Torun worth a lot of money. But there is more to it than that. Riding in the SGP demands a lot of organisation, extra responsibilities for mechanics, more bikes, etc, etc. He believes that at present he may not be quite ready for that side of the GP and that he needs more sponsorship too. He knows he is good enough on the track. It is possible, though less likely, that he would have declined an invitation for 2012 even if he had also been able to accept a contract from Torun.

 

He has time on his side. He witnessed what happened to Woffinden. He will get his chance again and deservedly so. Far great judges that I could ever aspire to be, including ex and current top, top riders, believe him to be an exceptional talent. We should be grateful that he has emerged and that isn't wholly down to Britain. He spent days and days riding round the Torun track improving his technique. It will be a great shame if he doesn't compete in the SGP next year but it will only heighten the anticipation of when he does.

 

Before long hopefully he will be joined by riders like the Pawlicki brothers, Janowski, Sundstrom, young Danes and (fingers crossed) a rejuvenated and reformed Woffinden who has it within his grasp to become a World class rider.

 

Good Post.

[stratton 1,491]

AND your evidence of these privileged people lording it up in first class is?

 

Have you spoken to Ward? Probably not. He is a young man, actually quite sensible beneath his Aussie Jack the Lad veneer. Of course he is tempted by an offer from Torun worth a lot of money. But there is more to it than that. Riding in the SGP demands a lot of organisation, extra responsibilities for mechanics, more bikes, etc, etc. He believes that at present he may not be quite ready for that side of the GP and that he needs more sponsorship too. He knows he is good enough on the track. It is possible, though less likely, that he would have declined an invitation for 2012 even if he had also been able to accept a contract from Torun.

 

He has time on his side. He witnessed what happened to Woffinden. He will get his chance again and deservedly so. Far great judges that I could ever aspire to be, including ex and current top, top riders, believe him to be an exceptional talent. We should be grateful that he has emerged and that isn't wholly down to Britain. He spent days and days riding round the Torun track improving his technique. It will be a great shame if he doesn't compete in the SGP next year but it will only heighten the anticipation of when he does.

 

Before long hopefully he will be joined by riders like the Pawlicki brothers, Janowski, Sundstrom, young Danes and (fingers crossed) a rejuvenated and reformed Woffinden who has it within his grasp to become a World class rider.

Do you think the rewards are good anough? The riders i think deserve them,risk there lives to bring us the great sport we love.Maybe the money isnt there you were write on ward i no to properly enter the series and win it[Which he can] takes alot of organising.

[Grachan 7,362]

Do they work ?that point i made on crump,was by far the best rider on the night by a mile and didnt even reach the final.

 

I don't buy that argument at all as a defence of a one-off final. If anything, it's more an argument against it.

 

I don't know which meeting you refer to, but if Crump didn't make the final then he wasn't the best rider of the night.

 

You could say the same about Jack Biggs in 1952 (or whenever it was)who messed up his final ride or Carter in 1982 whose fate was possibly decided on one refereeing decision. Difference being, Crump would have a whole series to get the points.

[stratton 1,491]

I don't buy that argument at all as a defence of a one-off final. If anything, it's more an argument against it.

 

I don't know which meeting you refer to, but if Crump didn't make the final then he wasn't the best rider of the night.

 

You could say the same about Jack Biggs in 1952 (or whenever it was)who messed up his final ride or Carter in 1982 whose fate was possibly decided on one refereeing decision. Difference being, Crump would have a whole series to get the points.

No what i mean,is if it had of been a one off final he would of had a 15 pt max won it.The point really was, the gps,are not always fair could maybe improve certain aspects.I no the one off finals were unfair exclusion ef,.bad ref decision maybe thats what made it exciting.

[Deano 1,318]

No what i mean,is if it had of been a one off final he would of had a 15 pt max won it.The point really was, the gps,are not always fair could maybe improve certain aspects.I no the one off finals were unfair exclusion ef,.bad ref decision maybe thats what made it exciting.

 

The one off's used to wide me up. If the guy I was cheering for lost out because of a bad decision, I then had to wait until next year.... and he may not have qualified for that one. Secondly, when I sat down to watch it once, it was won by a complete obscure German I thought was a pop singer!

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Have you ever spoken to Dave Lander re the Sydney GP, Philip? A fair few FIM Snouts in the trough for that one; one of the reasons for Dave taking a financial bath.

 

I SPENT a lot of time with David Lander before during and after the GP in Sydney. So, yes.

 

I would have thought that more relevant to his taking a financial bath was the unusually cold weather in Sydney that weekend and the fact that the meeting was live on television, which use have prompted many to stay at home.

 

The shame is that Lander and Postlethwaite fell out big time. Had they not, and a second Aussie GP been held the year after - at a less imposing and costly venue than the Olympic Stadium and one nearer to the centre of town - the series might still have been going there now.

Good Post.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Do you think the rewards are good anough? The riders i think deserve them,risk there lives to bring us the great sport we love.Maybe the money isnt there you were write on ward i no to properly enter the series and win it[Which he can] takes alot of organising.

 

OF course the rewards are not enough. How can they be when prima donna footballers get £250,000 (tax free) a week to stay on the bench. But that sort of money isn't available in speedway. And, as argued previously, racing n the SGP isn't all about the money. Crump is one of many who believes that their careers have been considerably enhanced and enriched by racing at stadiums like the Millennium in Cardiff and competing in such a series and that memories will be worth much in later years.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,953]

OF course the rewards are not enough. How can they be when prima donna footballers get £250,000 (tax free) a week to stay on the bench. But that sort of money isn't available in speedway.

 

No-one is suggesting paying football-type money to speedway riders. Quite clearly you can only pay what the sport can sustain at any given level.

 

I don't however, think it unreasonable for the riders to expect a more equitable share of the profits that IMG and the FIM are making.

 

It's great for Jason Crump if he can find supplemental income from riding in the SGP, but he's a multi World Champion. Most riders are not and never will be, and it would seem they're having to subsidise their participation from league racing. I suppose such as it always was, but the SGP is much bigger commitment than the old World Championship and if it comes to down to making a living for myself or the BSI shareholders, well frankly I know what I'd choose.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Humphrey Appleby

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

No-one is suggesting paying football-type money to speedway riders. Quite clearly you can only pay what the sport can sustain at any given level.

 

I don't however, think it unreasonable for the riders to expect a more equitable share of the profits that IMG and the FIM are making.

 

It's great for Jason Crump if he can find supplemental income from riding in the SGP, but he's a multi World Champion. Most riders are not and never will be, and it would seem they're having to subsidise their participation from league racing. I suppose such as it always was, but the SGP is much bigger commitment than the old World Championship and if it comes to down to making a living for myself or the BSI shareholders, well frankly I know what I'd choose.

 

BUT then you are not an aspiring young rider hoping to become World Champion. There are lots of examples of other sports where contestants place winning before financial gain. It's called something like ambition. The world will be a poorer place without it.