Rye House 2017

[Shadders 4,134]

The lack of home meetings is the biggest problem, not just for rye, but for every top flight track. When rye do get a run of fixtures, the football season will have started, which brings it's own problems for those of us that follow both sports.

Our last scheduled home meeting is on 28th August, so there will be minimal overlap between football & speedway.

[cityrebel 2,960]

28th August, just like lakeside in the last few seasons. Wimbledon ran 38 home meetings in 1980, and I went to them all!

[Guest]

RYE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

http://www.ryehouserockets.co/news.php?extend.1441

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

28th August, just like lakeside in the last few seasons. Wimbledon ran 38 home meetings in 1980, and I went to them all!

I can certainly remember that people were worried about tracks running less than 26 home fixtures a year and real concerns about those that were shut by mid-September. Like the Dons Hackney ran a very full season, usually every Friday from the very first officially permitted in March (and sometimes prior) right though to October, and occasionally well into November. I recall Belle Vue being booked in for a challenge in November! The one away Friday evening trip for the Hawks, usually to Wolverhampton was covered by the all-star 'Superama' individual.

 

Of course, it helped if you were making money on each meeting rather than just running enough meetings that you can afford to subsidise

 

Now unless you make the play-offs it's 14-16 meetings and you're lucky to be running after the August Bank Holiday.

 

Progress?

 

Yes the past is the past, but it doesn't mean we should put up with the shabby mess we have now. The lack of continuity may well be a far greater problem for the sport than many would choose to believe.

[cityrebel 2,960]

Uncle Len runs speedway every week at Kent, even if the kings are riding away. Love him or loathe him, he is the last of his kind.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Uncle Len runs speedway every week at Kent, even if the kings are riding away. Love him or loathe him, he is the last of his kind.

If there's anyone left in the sport who appreciates the importance of continuity it's him. It would be interesting to know if the crowds for the filler events reward those principles, or has time left him behind?

 

The big problem is that too many spectators now want 'meaningful' matches rather than just a good night's speedway racing, irrespective of the result, and you cannot achieve that and run weekly speedway with 8-12 team leagues, only able to operate when other leagues/international events allow them to run. Len's success at Hackney was built on the 'good night's racing' rather than the intensity of chasing league titles. Times have very sadly changed.

 

Now, it appears that the initial crowds at Rye House rewarded the BMR ambition. There was a fair continuity, but that was before the Polish and SGP seasons were fully underway. The real test will be the crowds for the occasional Wednesday meetings, especially when they become the norm later on.

 

Right now, there is a realistic chance that the last racing at Rye this year will be the first Wednesday in September. I do hope the #quality' of the SGBP outweighs the quantity of the past. I used to find four month close seasons unbearable, let alone six months, or seven months in the case of some overseas leagues that we are now being driven into conforming with.

 

If the SGBP switches to a fixed night of fortnightly home meetings, as its being encouraged (see F.I.M.'s Armando Castagna's comments in the Speedway Star this week), it will take about 30 weeks to run a 14 home match sea\son, plus another month for the play-offs. The pressure to then to just 1 home and 1 away as in Poland and Sweden will grow and a lot of people will be praying 'less is more'.

 

The Rockets may have leapt onto a very slippery slope. Anyway, there's always the SGP every fortnight to fill in the gaps between the meetings....

Edited June 27, 2017 by Rob McCaffery

[cityrebel 2,960]

Especially if the TV money for domestic speedway runs out.

[ouch 1,191]

Belle Vue run pretty much every week with all bar 5 or 6 being Fridays, Wednesday being the alternative Day for those weeks. It helps running the Colts and the fact NSS isn't prone to many rain offs. Regular speedway does help fans keep the habit.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Belle Vue run pretty much every week with all bar 5 or 6 being Fridays, Wednesday being the alternative Day for those weeks. It helps running the Colts and the fact NSS isn't prone to many rain offs. Regular speedway does help fans keep the habit.

After all those years next door you're reaping the benefits of loyalty. Now you have two exciting teams racing on the best speedway track in Britain in what looks like an excellent stadium. Plugging the gaps with NL is ideal but fans have to reward this by actually giving it a try and not turning their noses up. It is perhaps rather telling that the Colts are the last remaining reserve team.

 

Despite the jealousy shown in some quarters, you are living the dream and long may it last. I wonder if Rockets fans are missing the extra matches created by the Raiders?

[cityrebel 2,960]

With the demise of the raiders, storm and young stars. Belle vue are the only club running two teams. It would take a brave promoter to increase that number.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

With the demise of the raiders, storm and young stars. Belle vue are the only club running two teams. It would take a brave promoter to increase that number.

Very true, and also very sad. Too many people seem to have turned their noses up without even giving it a try.

 

I used to work at Iwade in the mid-2000s when they were running below the present NL level. I saw plenty of great speedway. The trick was to make sure riders were racing others of similar standard. Let them learn to ride, give them a decent track and the racing follows.

 

Too many were happier trying to sound clever clever by saying "I only watch the best riders". I prefer to watch the best racing, which can come at ANY level. It would be tempting to say 'more fool them' but sadly their attitude deprived others of the enjoyment.

 

As someone once said (lord knows who - never been good at attributing quotes) - "Go on, give it a try, you might LIKE it".

[hawks 1975 69]

As Rob says, 'The trick was to make sure riders were racing others of similar standard.'

 

Is that not the definition of what makes for the best speedway at any level?!

 

Oh that our promoters/powers that be would try harder to achieve this in all the leagues.

 

Monday night at Kent watching the very attractive USA four was spoilt for me by having three lads thrown in who before the meeting started anyone could have told you that they would be off the pace. They scored 9 between them....but 7 were gifted due to falls!

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

As Rob says, 'The trick was to make sure riders were racing others of similar standard.'

 

Is that not the definition of what makes for the best speedway at any level?!

 

Oh that our promoters/powers that be would try harder to achieve this in all the leagues.

 

Monday night at Kent watching the very attractive USA four was spoilt for me by having three lads thrown in who before the meeting started anyone could have told you that they would be off the pace. They scored 9 between them....but 7 were gifted due to falls!

It's the difference between planning and just hoping for the best.

 

Of course you can't just rely on absolute equality - otherwise you won't get surprises. Given your name I suspect you might remember the night Dave Morton, riding at number 7 for Hackney beat Ole Olsen at Waterden Road. The fact that I do might give a hint as to the reaction that night.

 

All sport needs the element of surprise.

 

I saw a very interesting example of rider grading at Scunthorpe on Sunday in an NJL match between Halifax (I think we started something back in 1999) and Berwick. Heats 1, 3 and 5 featured the same four riders, all on standard 500ccs with the even-numbered heats containing much younger riders on 250s. I understand it would normally have been 150s but those kids were riding abroad, yes riding ABROAD.

 

It was a good second half match, no endless falls and delays and a last heat decider for the younger riders.

 

To me you've got the team strengths right if a number seven can occasionally beat a number one, and not spend the meeting trailing round half a lap behind.

 

That's one fault of the Polish system. While you do get some really talented kids come through their reserve berths there's a heck of a lot of kids whose only competitive race is heat two. The 'sink or swim' approach must be soul-destroying for the majority and prematurely put paid to quite a few careers. Still, with the money in the sport there they'll always attract the cream of young motorcycle racers there into speedway who will just soar through it like Bartosz Zmarzlik.

 

I do get worried though here when I read of a rider like Parkinson-Blackburn averaging over 10 in the NL but can't make the leaep to the Championship.

 

Anyway, those concerns aren't for the Premiership Rockets.

 

Apologies for wittering on again - it's like writing for the programme again.......similar pay rates too.....

Edited June 27, 2017 by Rob McCaffery

[Shadders 4,134]

Of course you can't just rely on absolute equality - otherwise you won't get surprises. Given your name I suspect you might remember the night Dave Morton, riding at number 7 for Hackney beat Ole Olsen at Waterden Road. The fact that I do might give a hint as to the reaction that night.

 

All sport needs the element of surprise.

 

Peter Karger (absolutely hopeless on a sub 1 point average) rounding Sam Masters on bend 2 and hanging on for the win was probably the highlight of last season for me

[cityrebel 2,960]

It seems like a lifetime ago shads. So much has changed rider wise at the launch pad. Unfortunately the 'stadium' hasn't changed at all.