British Speedway Promoters Meeting

[manchesterpaul 447]

The four points for a big win, three for a big win but with a full team... it is too confusing for a casual bystander who wants to just watch a sport for what it is. If I knew what a sugar rush was, I would say all the fixtures - all the Cup Finals - at one main point in the season is too much.

 

 

You've lost me totally on the 'with a full team' business. Anyway, the new points system, which HAS kept tons of meetings alive and does reward good performances, particularly away from home where previously teams would give up after going behind early or mid-meeting, is not complicated compared to several sports and competitions. Have you seen the points for a cricket match? Depending on what stage of the match it is there are a multitude of things to remember. Get your head around this...

 

"The county championship works on a points system, the winner being the team with most points in the first division. The points are currently awarded as follows:

Win: 16 points + bonus points.

Tie: 8 points + bonus points.

Draw: 3 points + bonus points.

Loss: Bonus points.

Bonus points are collected for batting and bowling. These points can only be obtained from the first 110 overs of each team's first innings.[8] The bonus points are retained regardless of the outcome of the match.

Batting

200-249 runs: 1 point

250-299 runs: 2 points

300-349 runs: 3 points

350-399 runs: 4 points

400+ runs: 5 points

Bowling

3-5 wickets taken: 1 point

6-8 wickets taken: 2 points

9-10 wickets taken: 3 points"

I'd still like clubs to allow the away team a chance to get out on track before a meeting, giving those riders a chance to get set up, for the start of the meeting anyway!

 

I've been suggesting that for years and years and if we don't then maybe they should follow cricket's example and introduce a swathe of weighted bonus points to be earned on the first half dozen races and to counter the home track advantage more for the away team etc lol lol

Edited November 15, 2013 by manchesterpaul

[moxey63 1,785]

Just saw one headline in this week's Star... Poole used 31 riders this season. That's one of the problems... too many short term measures.

 

You've lost me totally on the 'with a full team' business. Anyway, the new points system, which HAS kept tons of meetings alive and does reward good performances, particularly away from home where previously teams would give up after going behind early or mid-meeting, is not complicated compared to several sports and competitions. Have you seen the points for a cricket match? Depending on what stage of the match it is there are a multitude of things to remember. Get your head around this...

 

"The county championship works on a points system, the winner being the team with most points in the first division. The points are currently awarded as follows:

Win: 16 points + bonus points.

Tie: 8 points + bonus points.

Draw: 3 points + bonus points.

Loss: Bonus points.

Bonus points are collected for batting and bowling. These points can only be obtained from the first 110 overs of each team's first innings.[8] The bonus points are retained regardless of the outcome of the match.

Batting

200-249 runs: 1 point

250-299 runs: 2 points

300-349 runs: 3 points

350-399 runs: 4 points

400+ runs: 5 points

Bowling

3-5 wickets taken: 1 point

6-8 wickets taken: 2 points

9-10 wickets taken: 3 points"

 

I've been suggesting that for years and years and if we don't then maybe they should follow cricket's example and introduce a swathe of weighted bonus points to be earned on the first half dozen races and to counter the home track advantage more for the away team etc lol lol

 

 

Yes... and cricket is about as dead on its arse as speedway. Look at a football table and you know how many matches a team has to win to take a certain position. Speedway used to be the same... you could work out the matches in hand and see, if you got so many points, where you'd be. It was simple.

Edited November 15, 2013 by moxey63

[Tsunami 10,219]

Just saw one headline in this week's Star... Poole used 31 riders this season. That's one of the problems... too many short term measures.

 

 

Yes... and cricket is about as dead on its arse as speedway. Look at a football table and you know how many matches a team has to win to take a certain position. Speedway used to be the same... you could work out the matches in hand and see where, if you got so many points, where you'd be. It was simple.

Or as others call them …injuries.

[moxey63 1,785]

Or as others call them …injuries.

 

 

Injuries? Surely all weren't.

[iris123 20,972]

I meant one rider one lap, a season long comp perhaps sponsored by whoever, perhaps a comp where the winning pot could grow over the season with sponsors adding to it over a season :-)

Not something that would interest me in the slightest.Like i say,there is nothing in a rider doing 59.1 and a rider doing 59.7.Quite likely the only difference is the bloke stopping the watch,but even if it was really digitaly accurate you wouldn't notice the difference.It is just a statistical thing.

 

On the other hand i would be open minded about some 1 lap races from the tapes.Never seen such a thing, and it might be interesting.

 

Ok make that 12.1 + 12.7 or something for 1 lap lol

Edited November 15, 2013 by iris123

[500cc 309]

 

TERRY Russell cannot set the agenda for negotiations with Sky... they do. Trust me, he has been knocking on the door for months but nobody was answering until very recently.

Do you have any insight on the BSPA's strategy. To me there are to issues at play here. Television Coverage and Sponsorship. There is some correlation between the two, and currently of course they are totally entwined.

 

Virtually all the sound bites from within the sport highlight the financial part. But is everything focused on a single egg in an old basket. If a deal can't be reached then what? If a deal is reached but simply for coverage (no sponsorship) then what?

 

Yes BT Sport gets a mention, but again, if it isn't accompanied by sponsorship then what? It is quite likely possible Sky will offer coverage but at cost to the sport. Is TV coverage in its own right a target, or is the sport simply looking for money? If its coverage is a highlights package of interest or only live.

 

I suspect its money that's what the sport wants (especially as clubs say they lose income when their matches are covered). To be honest that's the wrong way round. Building from the platform of media coverage should be the target, but I think the promoters are beyond that point. The very interesting interview with John Cook in todays Speedway Star touched on how promoters viewed an increase in meetings as just a further reduction in the amount of money per meeting from sponsorship. That is a very worrying trend for a business, let alone a sport. Very, very worrying.

 

So are the BSPA actively looking for a new source of sponsorship, or is this a one trick pony; TV Coverage including sponsorship. I said in the past, Sky renewal may be the worst thing for the sport as they just seem to hemorrhage it. To have any chance of survival, speedway must build from the foundations. Another large influx of money without a coherent strategy to use it would be a disaster.

[screm 8,054]

 

Injuries? Surely all weren't.

No obviously all the changes Poole made last season werent because of injuries but in most cases they were,when you lose your top rider that necessitates more than one change and Poole lost both of Ward & Holder as well as others during the season.Maybe it is to their credit that they made so many changes and they still won the play-off final.

[macinter 158]

Regarding the posts concerning cricket. Yes the County Championship is in a mess but the limited over versions are thriving, although traditionalists still don't like it. Bells are ringing here.

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

On the other hand i would be open minded about some 1 lap races from the tapes.Never seen such a thing, and it might be interesting.

 

 

The '1 lap dash' was in vogue for a season or so in the 80s with riders rotating gate positions for each of 4 laps, but the novelty soon wore off.

[TMW 533]

TERRY Russell cannot set the agenda for negotiations with Sky... they do. Trust me, he has been knocking on the door for months but nobody was answering until very recently.

If they could come up with a plan that would reinvigorate the sport TV would be knocking on his door

[Fromafar 10,359]

Can you name a successful weekly professional sport that operates without a TV deal ?

One live match/week is hardly mind boggling coverage irrespective how much the deal is worth,like some one pointed out it has just make the Promoters complacent. IMO .

[skthecat 90]

 

 

How about going back to concrete starts,that will take away any advantage in the gates,and take away any delays in gardening.

No, you would have to sweep loose shale off the concrete every race, then sweep individual gates as riders would demand (shale falling off starting gate operatives boots) (more sweeping, riders bikes getting settled at start gate, more shale falling onto concrete gate = more sweeping........... same delays, different situation!!!!!!

[Mike.Butler 601]

can anyone remember when an agm wasn't 'The the most important for years'? - i can't.

[skthecat 90]

Regarding the posts concerning cricket. Yes the County Championship is in a mess but the limited over versions are thriving, although traditionalists still don't like it. Bells are ringing here.

Wonder if you could have a short speedway match at top level ??

 

Say 8 heats, 4 man teams, no restrictions if behind, perhaps have 2 meetings a night, #restrict riders to 1 bike, but have a track spare or 2?#

 

#That would ease pits congestion# with 2 sets of riders in away pit....

 

Have 3 lap races, or have 6 race mini meeting after 15ht meeting, start all square, race for a bonus point or something that counts to the league to keep people interested......... any other ideas......

[greyhoundp 990]

The shortened version of cricket is real money spinner, maybe NOT for the purists, but its what Joe public wants to see, County Cricket produces the Test match players,but very few want to watch it. Speedway has to look at ideas like this, 13 Main Heats for the usual points, 5 Single lap races, and then perhaps we could look at a way of producing Tag racing, ie similar to relay racing, Maybe a stupid idea, but something has to be done to GET excitement back, and crowds through the doors, lets all try to think outside the box. The tried and tested formula, is failing..