British Speedway Promoters Meeting

[Hamish McRaker 601]

What I suspect (and hope), is they have had to state the reserves should be "NL riders" to avoid getting into trouble with EU Employment Laws.

The definition of "NL rider" will, I expect, be a wide one, and include any rider who has ever ridden in NL, BUT with exclusions based on age limit and established PL average (eg. under 24 and not having a PL average of over 7.50). Hopefully this will widen the potential field a bit.

Any British rider who is,say, over 24 and has earned a PL average over 7.50 would be expected to occupy a 1-5 EL team place.

 

The problems are going to be for some NL/lower PL level guys being unable to combine midweek racing dates with work; and what are the doubling-up (and even trebling-up) rules going to be? Unless the EL-bound guys can ride PL too, that will just result in the PL being too full of lower-grade foreigners again.

 

Also, the AGM statement was notable for the asbsence (unless I missed something) of statements about the NL. How many will be running?

I'd also expect that one or two tracks suppposedly running in 2014 per the AGM statement, don't actually operate.

[The White Knight 9,039]

What I suspect (and hope), is they have had to state the reserves should be "NL riders" to avoid getting into trouble with EU Employment Laws.

The definition of "NL rider" will, I expect, be a wide one, and include any rider who has ever ridden in NL, BUT with exclusions based on age limit and established PL average (eg. under 24 and not having a PL average of over 7.50). Hopefully this will widen the potential field a bit.

Any British rider who is,say, over 24 and has earned a PL average over 7.50 would be expected to occupy a 1-5 EL team place.

 

The problems are going to be for some NL/lower PL level guys being unable to combine midweek racing dates with work; and what are the doubling-up (and even trebling-up) rules going to be? Unless the EL-bound guys can ride PL too, that will just result in the PL being too full of lower-grade foreigners again.

 

Also, the AGM statement was notable for the asbsence (unless I missed something) of statements about the NL. How many will be running?

I'd also expect that one or two tracks suppposedly running in 2014 per the AGM statement, don't actually operate.

 

 

The National League has it's own AGM.

[Tsunami 10,219]

Well - I have read the Announcement - and that is what it was put out there for, so that we could read it. Why do the BSPA bring out an Announcement that is not complete - it's just plain silly. I read and digested their Statement, I then read and digested Jon Cooke's Statement where a little bit more information dribbled out.

 

Question:

 

Why on earth can the BSPA not wait until they have ALL the facts and implications of what they are doing, and only THEN produce a Statement for us, the Public, to digest?

 

I applaud the attempt to bring on British Riders, I think that is a great idea. I do though think that the WAY that they have done it is not well enough thought through - not least the availability and ability of at the very least twenty Riders. With injuries that number could rise to THIRTY Riders required. That is not so far fetched as it sounds. These young Lads will be coming out to ride in front of big (for them) crowds. Naturally they will want to impress. This will possibly lead to over riding by some and, consequently accidents. There will be accidents anyway sadly - that is the nature of our Sport.

 

Nobody, least of all me, wants to see any more injuries in our Sport - we want less, not more - it seems that the way this is being implemented will not help on that particular front.

 

This should have been done through a logical progression. ie. National League to Premier League THIS new Season and then National League to Premier League and from Premier League to Elite League possibly the year after. THAT would give these young Riders a chance to acclimatise themselves to a different and tougher environment.

 

As it is - I get the feeling that they are being chucked in at the deep end to either sink or swim. Why? Because it is the CHEAP option to save the Elite League.

 

If I am proved wrong, I will admit it, but, sadly I don't think I will be.

 

And if they didn't shove something out straight away, you would be one of the first to moan about not informing the fans.

 

 

 

Never been hidden it was also to help with the costs. So what alternative would you want :-

Op 1 - Same again not doing their job, no idea what to do, not promoting,etc. Teams go bust mid season and "I told you so".

Op 2 - Reduce the points limit to say 35 and which reduces the standard of racing. "Do they think we are fools"

Op 3 - Maintain top riders and introduce some form of progression, the same as two of the biggest and successful nations are doing. Better attraction to SKY to keep them on board. "Cheap option"

 

Very difficult to win either way isn't it.

So they have copied a system popular, that works in Poland and Sweden, maintains the stars and gives youngsters a bit of a step up in addition to all the other paths available now. Moan Moan.

[The White Knight 9,039]

 

And if they didn't shove something out straight away, you would be one of the first to moan about not informing the fans.

 

 

 

Never been hidden it was also to help with the costs. So what alternative would you want :-

Op 1 - Same again not doing their job, no idea what to do, not promoting,etc. Teams go bust mid season and "I told you so".

Op 2 - Reduce the points limit to say 35 and which reduces the standard of racing. "Do they think we are fools"

Op 3 - Maintain top riders and introduce some form of progression, the same as two of the biggest and successful nations are doing. Better attraction to SKY to keep them on board. "Cheap option"

 

Very difficult to win either way isn't it.

So they have copied a system popular, that works in Poland and Sweden, maintains the stars and gives youngsters a bit of a step up in addition to all the other paths available now. Moan Moan.

 

 

We shall see.

[Hamish McRaker 601]

 

 

The National League has it's own AGM.

Cheers WK - sounds daft to have a separate AGM for NL but must be some rationale!

[The White Knight 9,039]

Cheers WK - sounds daft to have a separate AGM for NL but must be some rationale!

 

 

I guess there must be. I just don't know why myself.

 

Anyone help?

[TMW 533]

Anyone who thinks this decision about the reserves was to aid their development is deluded.... They are being used as a tool to cut costs pure and simple.

 

It would be a travesty should Kings Lynn not get Lambert and Kerr.... I just can't see how the Bspa can allocate clubs assets or those that they've helped develop for years to another club??

 

It's like going to work, doing a cracking job and your company director punching your lights out....

 

Say Belle Vue get Lewis Kerr, why the hell should the lad have to travel to travel every week, costing him a fortune when his local track is round the corner.... It's a whitewash I think

It could be to even things out. Maybe some of the EL teams just don't have the home grown talent, yet!!!so for this season and possibly next teams will be allocated riders then in subsequent years they will have to develop their own. KL have the pick of the YS. Wolves have the pick of Dudley, Cov have the Storm and Birmingham could maybe make a pair out of the 2 but where would Lakeside, for example, draw from? This needs to be taken in the wider context not just the here and now. You need to give things time to work. I would be interested in weather the experiment stands the test of time. I hope it does. You'd think that the sharing out of riders would be done sensibly. It will be interesting to see what the riders 'on the list' think

Edited November 18, 2013 by TMW

[foamfence 2,917]

It could be to even things out. Maybe some of the EL teams just don't have the home grown talent, yet!!!so for this season and possibly next teams will be allocated riders then in subsequent years they will have to develop their own. KL have the pick of the YS. Wolves have the pick of Dudley, Cov have the Storm and Birmingham could maybe make a pair out of the 2 but where would Lakeside, for example, draw from? This needs to be taken in the wider context not just the here and now. You need to give things time to work. I would be interested in weather the experiment stands the test of time. I hope it does. You'd think that the sharing out of riders would be done sensibly. It will be interesting to see what the riders 'on the list' think

The riders (who agree to take part) are allocated to the teams, the clubs don't go searching for them.

[seanmuffe 105]

but kerr travels to newcastle each sunday doesnt that potentially cost him?

 

maybe he doesn't work sundays

[milky 4]

Don,t care what the bspa call it or how they word it, I wont be going to watch, what is meant to be the top league to watch, 5 riders with averages adding up to 32, and two nl riders. Sorry but a premier league team would be able to beat that sort of team.

[mikebv 10,275]

I do find the posts around the travelling for the 'young brits' somewhat amusing....

 

Awww bless.... ...

 

In Aussie in their 'formative years' riders travel days to get rides, and teenage danes and swedes uproot and live in another country to gain experience...

 

If our precious boys cannot travel a few hours to better themselves in their chosen career then maybe a 9 - 5 existence in an office would be more their calling?

 

Maybe what they need is a bit of 'hardship' to toughen themselves up to meet the challenge of their foreign counterparts??

[Soul Crew 87]

People need to forget about the term "Elite League" the "Elite League" is no more, I think you will see it rebranded as the "British League" in the upcoming weeks.

 

My first impressions on Sunday evening was that this would be the death of top flight speedway, but as more and more comes out I am excited by the start of a new era, it was only 20 odd years ago that Numbers 6 and 7 were occupied from lads who were part of the Junior sides competing in the 2nd halves, back then we had the British League and the National League, alongside the aforementioned Junior teams that every British League side had (4 man teams, 6 heats in a match).

 

Seems like we are potentially heading back to those days, and will be refreshing to see reserves scoring less than double figures rather than the ridiculous situation last season where Birmingham dragged themselves to the play off final with a reserve taking 7 rides a night.

 

Only thing that puzzles me is how do the reserves ever move into the 1-5 positions in future seasons if they have manipulated averages?

 

And got to feel sorry for riders in the 7.00 average bracket, not exactly enticing to team building with the new regulations.

[Jonny the spud 2,281]

Allegedly Hancock was on 5 grand a meeting...... how many young brits would that have helped out ?

[A ORLOV 8,628]

I would imagine the majority of NL riders have jobs as do their mechanics/parents. Those riders who are drafted into the EL reserve positions will then have to ride another 36 meetings in a season in addition to their NL meetings and for some of them PL meetings as well.

The money they will need to be paid will have to replace their income, pay for the mechanic and provide for better or extra equipment. This should be cheaper than flying in foreign riders and it is good that young Brits are given this opportunity but will 20+ riders be able to commit to this number of meetings. If it is the case that certain PL riders will be included this would ease the burden on the NL

Edited November 18, 2013 by A ORLOV

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

So one more saving has been made ... no team managers needed!

 

I guess that Phil Morris was the first redundancy ...