Too Much Change?

[SPEEDY69 1,254]

I mainly follow team speedway in the top league in the UK. I was thinking of one thing I don't enjoy and that is the unforced changes in line-ups. Now I realise this is controversial and I may be on my own but I used to like following a team and its ups and downs over a season and the anticipation over who signed who in the off season.

 

Now that's almost irrelevant as teams replace riders all through the season. We've seen teams win the title by changing riders right at the end - this for me makes many of the early encounters rather meaningless and devalues it. Would Wolves be where they are now with the same team they started with? No, but Leicester and Somerset may be nearer to them.

 

Is there really much evidence to suggest this constant search for better riders improves crowd levels? Or is it the way of things these days? Sedgeman must feel a little hard done by right now.

 

[The White Knight 9,039]

I mainly follow team speedway in the top league in the UK. I was thinking of one thing I don't enjoy and that is the unforced changes in line-ups. Now I realise this is controversial and I may be on my own but I used to like following a team and its ups and downs over a season and the anticipation over who signed who in the off season.

 

Now that's almost irrelevant as teams replace riders all through the season. We've seen teams win the title by changing riders right at the end - this for me makes many of the early encounters rather meaningless and devalues it. Would Wolves be where they are now with the same team they started with? No, but Leicester and Somerset may be nearer to them.

 

Is there really much evidence to suggest this constant search for better riders improves crowd levels? Or is it the way of things these days? Sedgeman must feel a little hard done by right now.

 

Sometimes it makes you wonder if there is any such thing as a Speedway 'Team'.

 

Your Town, City or whatever nowadays is represented by a group of journeyman Riders and not by a Team as we used to understand the word.

[Paulco 7,075]

Sometimes it makes you wonder if there is any such thing as a Speedway 'Team'.

 

Your Town, City or whatever nowadays is represented by a group of journeyman Riders and not by a Team as we used to understand the word.

They're self employed speedway riders , they ride for as many teams as possible , whether it's their one , two or three clubs or as a guest booking .

[SPEEDY69 1,254]

They're self employed speedway riders , they ride for as many teams as possible , whether it's their one , two or three clubs or as a guest booking .

 

I know but I'm talking about the teams who start the year where the riders sign a contract for the season - they are not the ones deciding to step down in this case, the club makes that decision for them.

[The White Knight 9,039]

They're self employed speedway riders , they ride for as many teams as possible , whether it's their one , two or three clubs or as a guest booking .

Very true - but what happened to the old Team ethic. You know - the days when our Riders were just that - our Riders.

 

Riders who we got to know and socialised with. All gone now sadly.

[AlanF 295]

 

I know but I'm talking about the teams who start the year where the riders sign a contract for the season - they are not the ones deciding to step down in this case, the club makes that decision for them.

 

Everybody says they want the team to stay the same so they can identify with the riders. As soon as they lose a home match, everybody wants changes made. Promoters can't win on this one.

Edited June 22, 2017 by AlanF

[Paulco 7,075]

 

I know but I'm talking about the teams who start the year where the riders sign a contract for the season - they are not the ones deciding to step down in this case, the club makes that decision for them.

It happens , maybe more now than before , but it happens . 25 years ago I remember the shock at Glasgow when Kenny McKinna got dropped and replaced by Mark Courtney . If a rider underperforms , then he gets replaced . That's sport , not just speedway .

[The White Knight 9,039]

 

Everybody says they want the team to stay the same so they can identify with the riders. As soon as they lose a home match, everybody wants changes made. Promoters can't win on this one.

NOT everybody. My Team through thick or thin used to be my motto.

[SPEEDY69 1,254]

 

Everybody says they want the team to stay the same so they can identify with the riders. As soon as they lose a home match, everybody wants changes made. Promoters can't win on this one.

 

Were all the Aces fans calling for JS to go - and I don't mean armchair fans? (this is just an example and I'm not a JS or Aces fan)

[speedibee 3,091]

NOT everybody. My Team through thick or thin used to be my motto.

nor me . In the National League there's a couple of team managers , who are desperate to find the next big thing , convinced they know better even than the rider themselves ,they make promises such as no pressure just enjoy yourself and improve as you go .(" I know you are the next big thing even if you don't" ) 2 or 3 matches and there's no sign of a Dan Bewley and it's , sorry but we have to win matches and we have to let you go .

[Bryce 349]

Does anybody know the last time a team rode a whole season with the same 7 riders all year? Must be a while ago I reckon.

[ch958 2,395]

Leicester - 68 or 69 i think made one single change in a single match

[Cj69 333]

Does anybody know the last time a team rode a whole season with the same 7 riders all year? Must be a while ago I reckon.

 

Can only speak for my team but Edinburgh started and finished with the same 7 in 2015 and in 2014 (both league winning teams)

[The Cheese 2,022]

Belle Vue, Swindon, Somerset, Workington, Birmingham and Kent all kept the same declared side last year.

[Bryce 349]

Wow, that's surprisingly more teams than I imagined; though it's still only a small percentage of all the teams racing overall.