Noodles 1,337 Posted March 4, 2013 What a shame and not for the want of a lot of hard work by Alex Harkess amongst others. Mainly down to pay rates, I gather, as it had been decided which teams riders would represent, based upon either their country of origin or the team they had been signed to the longest. To even up team strengths, the British teams could have dropped their 6 and 7 and replaced them with other club assets - in Poole's case eg Lindback and Walesek. For Swindon, not sure, as they don't seem to do assets!! Anyway all a bit academic now, but an even bigger disaster for retaining the Sky contract!!!! Think patchett had bjerre and linus lined up. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 766 Posted March 4, 2013 Thank god, it's off (for now). A champions league in speedway sounds good in theory, but would not be such a good thing in reality for our sport. As long as it isn't one man / one club as in football, this will always cause problems. Different rules in the respective nations domestic league competitions does not make it any easier (Denmark for example has five-man teams in their league). What would work is a tournament for national teams, eg. England v Sweden, Poland v Denmark, Australia v Russia. Each rider would know where he belongs. But that would generate TV money only for the national bodies in those countries, and not for the club bosses, so the BSPA would probably not be interested. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PHILIPRISING 7,298 Posted March 4, 2013 Strange you didn't share this opinion before it was cancelled ! MY opinion hasn't changed at all. A European Cup or league, call it what you will, is great in theory but not in practice for all the reasons stated here. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted March 4, 2013 Thank god, it's off (for now). A champions league in speedway sounds good in theory, but would not be such a good thing in reality for our sport. As long as it isn't one man / one club as in football, this will always cause problems. Different rules in the respective nations domestic league competitions does not make it any easier (Denmark for example has five-man teams in their league). What would work is a tournament for national teams, eg. England v Sweden, Poland v Denmark, Australia v Russia. Each rider would know where he belongs. But that would generate TV money only for the national bodies in those countries, and not for the club bosses, so the BSPA would probably not be interested. thats what id like to see happen, with each of those six nations taking on each other home and away over a two year period (so needing to find space in the calendar for 5 tests per nation each year), with a "best of three" series for the top two teams to find the word test champion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,821 Posted March 5, 2013 MY opinion hasn't changed at all. A European Cup or league, call it what you will, is great in theory but not in practice for all the reasons stated here. Shame really. But cannot disagree with that at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted March 5, 2013 Was never going to happen. Ive never heard of a more farcial idea, it sounded like TNT or stevebrum had made it up!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hackett 220 Posted March 5, 2013 Never took this Champions League concept seriously , it was never going to work ... Farcical. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Backless 538 Posted March 5, 2013 MCF and UK Speedway Series people take note: your attempt to get something up & running apparently failed due to lack of planning & agreement with the authorities. Pretty half hearted effort guys - THIS is how to TOTALLY screw things up - but this ability only comes with years of experience lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsunami 10,219 Posted March 5, 2013 MCF and UK Speedway Series people take note: your attempt to get something up & running apparently failed due to lack of planning & agreement with the authorities. Pretty half hearted effort guys - THIS is how to TOTALLY screw things up - but this ability only comes with years of experience lol. Not true. They did try and the concept was flawed that's all. They did communicate with each other as that's how they found out it was flawed. Not fair criticism. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Know 221 Posted March 5, 2013 DENMARK have now joined Sweden in pulling out of the proposed Champions League for 2013 which just leaves Great Britain. Nothing wrong with the basic concept but until all the practicalities are resolved it will remain a pipe dream in my opinion. Yep, thats speedway Maybe should of tried to get France in it, heard Mickey has a bit spare time these days Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob tatum 175 Posted March 5, 2013 What an embarrassing shambles seems to sum up the way our sport is run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted March 5, 2013 Would have been far better to have kept schtum about the whole thing until everything was ironed out. Two winters in a row we have had to read about how it's going to be a great addition to the calendar, then twice its been knocked on the head. Pitiful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer 340 Posted March 5, 2013 At last a win for GB! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
500cc 309 Posted March 5, 2013 Would have been far better to have kept schtum about the whole thing until everything was ironed out. Two winters in a row we have had to read about how it's going to be a great addition to the calendar, then twice its been knocked on the head. Pitiful. That's what is frustrating. Not that the discussions were known about, but the impression two years running that it was going to happen. Did I hear that Sky were going to broadcast the matches. If true another nail ..... The concept was obviously flawed, but I have no problems with the discussions, just the fact it was announced as happening. For Swindon, not sure, as they don't seem to do assets!! What about Adrian Miedzinski, or were Poole going to use him on loan as he was only needed for part of the season !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
f-s-p 832 Posted March 5, 2013 Next on the FIM agenda is re-introducing FIM Best pairs. It's already in this years rulebook. Another noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
