Lewis 76 Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) If you run on alternate weeks, then have a rain-off to be re-arranged later in the season, you can quickly end up with 4 weeks of no matches & that to me will affect attendance, as people will get out of the habit or lose interest, every week for me is the way to go. I agree that the league split last year was daft as nobody could forward plan, if you fix the split at the start of the season geographically then you will get enough fixtures, minimise travel costs & people can plan there travels, work shifts etc well in advance. We have to remember that this must go down as one of the worst seasons for rain offs. Edited October 12, 2012 by Lewis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
homer 165 Posted October 12, 2012 no end of season play-offs to decide league champions I wonder why Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted October 13, 2012 There has been a lot of muttering about major changes for the NL with rumours abounding about Dudley & Mildenhall moving up. I know there has been a meeting with all NL clubs present but unfortunately don't know the outcome . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CardinalSin 346 Posted October 13, 2012 There has been a lot of muttering about major changes for the NL with rumours abounding about Dudley & Mildenhall moving up. I know there has been a meeting with all NL clubs present but unfortunately don't know the outcome . Sorry if it's a daft question, but can you be a promoter of two different clubs in the same league? I say this as Chris Louis is already making plans for Ipswich' assault in the PL next season. Maybe a little awkward if Mildenhall moved up to the PL as well? I have heard mutterings several times now that Chris Louis does indeed want to take Mildenhall back up to the PL, but when he feels Ipswich are ready to return to the EL and the "partnership" between the two will continue. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrMungo 708 Posted October 13, 2012 There has also been talk of Ipswich moving up to the EL again... Don't you just love silly season? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CardinalSin 346 Posted October 13, 2012 There has also been talk of Ipswich moving up to the EL again... Don't you just love silly season? yes great isn't it I think this scenario is more likely in 2014 rather than next season though. Chris Louis has made no secret of his desire to take Ipswich back up, but he said only two weeks ago that he wants to do that as PL champions and also confirmed his interest in Nielsen and Tressarieu for next year. I would love to see Ipswich back in the top flight and Mildenhall back up to the PL as i would personally get the best of both worlds. I enjoy my trips to Mildy and with the current promotion in charge, i can see Mildenhall being very successful in the PL. NL has been well supported so i'd expect that to continue and some in the PL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Irving 393 Posted October 13, 2012 yes great isn't it I think this scenario is more likely in 2014 rather than next season though. Chris Louis has made no secret of his desire to take Ipswich back up, but he said only two weeks ago that he wants to do that as PL champions and also confirmed his interest in Nielsen and Tressarieu for next year. I would love to see Ipswich back in the top flight and Mildenhall back up to the PL as i would personally get the best of both worlds. I enjoy my trips to Mildy and with the current promotion in charge, i can see Mildenhall being very successful in the PL. NL has been well supported so i'd expect that to continue and some in the PL. Louis could always still sign up Tressarieu and Nielsen....For Mildenhall in the PL next year Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrMungo 708 Posted October 13, 2012 Chris Louis has a tough task at the moment. If the proposals I heard for next year NL's get the green light, I really can't see Mildenhall (and Dudley for that matter) being in that league. It will be dumbed down far too much for their liking (in my opinion). Whilst I have no doubt Louis will want to take Ipswich back into the EL, based on the crowds I've seen at Foxhall this year, and the expected steep rent rise, I really can't see EL being a viable option at the moment. Would Chris Louis be allowed to be a promoter at 2 different clubs? He's not Terry Russell after all! Or even would he want to? As for Messrs Tresarrieu and Nielsen...a lot of things get said at this time of the year. I very much doubt anything is set in stone quite yet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dinosaur 31 Posted October 13, 2012 every year promoters trott out the same thing about cutting costs, which basically means lowering the standard of teams to reduce wages. Its a vicious circle, reducing the standards further and further each year means the crowds drop even further, fans arent daft! Promoters need to be brave, set the standards high, attract the best riders back to the Elite league which will then filter some riders back to the premier and make it stronger. Yes it would cost more in wages but how about they try and PROMOTE. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronScorpion 1,407 Posted October 14, 2012 We, at Scunthorpe, are blessed with having promoters that like to see speedway races, yes races, where you don't have to be settled after the 1st 2 corners to know the result of the race(gate & go). It is about giving the riders the chance to race on decent surfaces, to create excitement for the crowds to see. I know of quite a few people that watch the GP's & EL on Sky but have not seen speedway, live, for a few years. I have tried to entice them to the EWR, more so, our double headers at £16 for 2 meetings(normally £14 per meeting). I have noticed this year that other club have raced double headers & charged about £25/£26 for the 2 meetings that could have cost £15 each meeting. What were their crowds like barring the increase of 2 away teams supporters. Did it bring out the increase of home support. Could we promote the sport more by taking DVD's of meetings to schools for dinner time viewing/after school viewing. Getting the kids their means adults have to bring them to the meetings but they have to be watchable/exciting to bring them back. One bad meeting does not help plus the ever changing rules(what a nightmare explaining that to newbies) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tyretrax 2,253 Posted October 14, 2012 13 heats plus a second half to bring the youngins on and to teast engines etc. keep the k.o. cup bring back the 4s. qualifying system..statr the season march 1st. the team with the most points at the end of the season are champions end of... I would agree with that apart from the start date. The April 1st. is plenty early. Maybe wont matter to me if Glasgow go to Fridays. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bamber 53 Posted October 14, 2012 I would agree with that apart from the start date. The April 1st. is plenty early. Maybe wont matter to me if Glasgow go to Fridays. March 1st. means a full month ahead even if you get a couple of rain/snowed off lol. meetings sill got a few weeks to catch up on fixtures..once the season as it is now gets to october time less and less chance to catch up..just look at workington V ippo last night... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idanthyrsus 96 Posted October 14, 2012 Don't bring the 13 heat formula back. It was abandoned for a reason. My proposal would be that there should be less change in teams each year. Because of the points values then each team, be it successful or not, has to be broken up each year and new riders signed. It would be surely be cheaper if riders could be brought in for several years, with the knowledge that the vast majority of the riders could be retained without having to break up the team each year. The league winners will have added several points to their team average, so will have to break up the team. Instead of using hard averages, use softer averages, for example, allow each team upto three Class A riders, whose average is above 7.5 or two class a Riders whose average is above 8, with three class B riders whose average is between 4 and 7.5 / 8 and then two reserves whose average is less than four. Allow a team to remain unchanged from the previous year or a rider who remains with his team to remain with his class as originally signed. That way the expense of putting together a new team, signing riders, signing on fee, re-negotiating contracts, etc, etc is done away with. Allowing the promoters to be sure of how much they are going to fork out for the team. Just thoughts, don't get too angry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travertine 34 Posted October 15, 2012 Don't bring the 13 heat formula back. It was abandoned for a reason. What was the reason for doing away with 13 heats, and when did it happen? Didn't they use 14 at one time? Because of the points values then each team, be it successful or not, has to be broken up each year and new riders signed. So how did teams manage in the old days before points limits were brought in, was it survival of the fittest, with the richest promoter always getting the best squad? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 24 Posted October 15, 2012 So how did teams manage in the old days before points limits were brought in, was it survival of the fittest, with the richest promoter always getting the best squad? To some extent it was the survival of the fittest, and I believe that Wimbledon won the National leaugue (which was the first tier) for a significant number of consecutive seasons. Was that a problem? Not really. Wimbledon fans seemed happy enough to watch large home wins every week, and the attraction of such a strong visiting team ensured a good payday for the other promoters. The real answer is to allow team-building to a fixed average, but to give discounted averages to riders based on how long they have stayed with the one team. I cannot see the attraction of supporting a team which changes riders every couple of weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
