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Barrycuda

Squads For Elite League Teams ?

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Read on Speedway GP site Greg Hancock advocating having rider squads for the Elite League. He thinks it is a brilliant idea from a riders point of view


Ya or Na anyone

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Cant see how clubs could afford it as presumably riders would require some sort of retainer to cover them setting up a set of equipment, workshop etc. For their uk racing.

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Exactly. Poole the only team who could afford a squad.

 

Saying that, I'm not sure what competitive advantage they would gain from it.

 

If it means a rider like Hancock makes a dozen appearances in the Elite League per season, then I don't see why not.

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Hancock said they wouldn't have to base themselves here. So probably would cost to much. Virtually said for 6 or so meetings they can drive over.

 

Too riders will come if we had squads. Think we should try it one day but it's if the promotors have the balls to do it. I don't think they do

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Have said squads should've been tried ages ago as how can Darcy & Chris for example sharing a slot be more expensive.

 

Speedway has to do something to stop R/R being in so many meetings & they certainly havn't done that so far.

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It'll never catch on because Matt Ford suggested it about 3 seasons ago!! :D:P

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"a brilliant idea from a riders' point of view" - I'd suggest only for a few very well off riders who won't commit for a season. If they can't do it then stick with riders who will. Only then will British Speedway have a route to grow again. A squad system reduces the affinity of fans to their team and allows all sorts of horses for courses fixture planning etc. It also means less opportunity for other riders to get a team place.

Edited by SPEEDY69
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Always believed a squad system was a great idea. No need for guests and RR when you have other riders you can call on.

 

Obviously the practicalities of getting bikes, equipment here would be an issue unless all foreign riders signed have at least one bike kept in the UK.

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A good idea as long as the richer clubs don't hoover up all the best riders and pay them more to appear sparodically than the smaller clubs can to ride a whole season.

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Always believed a squad system was a great idea. No need for guests and RR when you have other riders you can call on.

 

Open to far too much abuse. How do you govern what average the team/squad is built up to? What happens if your only 7 available riders for a fixture exceed the team average limit?

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It is about time that British Speedway stopped pandering to the wishes of some of the better off riders who only want to ride over here at their convenience, if they cannot commit then tough, stay where you are.

Our Elite League has virtually been destroyed by the GPs,& Sky TV, John Perrin was right when he made the same comment some years ago.

We are left with just one competition, a qualifying league and then a KO competition to decide the title, If you are not in with a chance of making the play offs, your season can effectively be over in June, as there is nothing else to ride for.

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Open to far too much abuse. How do you govern what average the team/squad is built up to? What happens if your only 7 available riders for a fixture exceed the team average limit?

Of course it is.

But its better than RR, guests, riders missing meetings in dubious circumstances at a track they don't usually like.

 

Average would have to be fixed to top rider in that position - ie Woffinden and Lindgren as number ones - Woffinden`s average used for average calculation.

 

Same for other team positions.

 

The system works well in Sweden and Poland where they are less hung up on averages.

 

But i agree in the EL there has to be a much stricter and tighter use of averages and ensure perhaps only maximum 2 riders can share one position.

 

Some teams obviously will still attract the better riders as do teams currently and similar to that in Sweden and Poland but i have always thought whilst it might be a nightmare to govern and ensure fairness it has to better than watching a poor mans substitute for a number one or RR and no top rider at all.

 

I think if governed properly we would have an influx of riders only too happy to ride here 6-15 times a year.

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I like the idea.

 

Perhaps you could name two or three number 1's who could share the meetings between them, a number of doubling up riders to fill any of the rest of the team and a number of NL riders for the reserve positions (two main ones and others as cover for injury or fixture clashes).

 

There must be a way of working out the averages?

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I like the idea.Perhaps you could name two or three number 1's who could share the meetings between them, a number of doubling up riders to fill any of the rest of the team and a number of NL riders for the reserve positions (two main ones and others as cover for injury or fixture clashes).There must be a way of working out the averages?

Just use the averages the riders started the season with and everytime a side is named from it cant exceed a points limit. It could be so simple to sort out. Name a squad of ten but promoters will have to bear in mind a points limit has to be adhered to for every meeting so the standard of rider in a squad would vary. Id also say each rider named would have to ride in at least 6 meetings. The logistics of bikes and mechanics etc could be an issue.

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There are enough debates on her about fiddling as it is without opening up this can of worms. Janowski would never ride at Wolves or Cook never at Poole, additional Kevlars, how to restrict numbers/riders etc. all to pander to a few top riders who just want a bit of extra bunce & publicity. Rider commitments abroad have already had a detrimental impact on the top league here, why change everything again to suit the same few riders. Those comitted to a full season here should be the ones we reward. This could be the tipping point for me attending.

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