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God !!! What a mess :shock:

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God !!! What a mess :shock:

 

Dont see a mess at all. I deal with similar situations on an almost daily basis. Its called negotiations and its clear most on this forum would be pretty rubbish at it. Calm, steady, determination to succeed and get the best deal is the order of the day.

 

Many on here would take what they are offered and be happy with their lot. To be a successful negotiator you have to be able to push it to the nth degree without the deal collapsing in a complete disaster.

 

There is bound to be some form of intransigence but both parties want a deal. BT to fill a gap in their summer schedules which will allow them to sell advertising and subscriptions, and the BSPA to showcase their product.

 

BT have started negotiations with a ridiculously low offer, in the hope the majority of promoters will bite and take the deal. Luckily there are some promoters with business savvy minds who can see this is not a fair deal. Like in any deal, from buying a used car to buying a house, we dont offer the asking price on the windscreen or in the estate agents window. We come in low and study the reaction. BT negotiators are doing exactly this. They have made an offer, stepped back and waited. They know, before negotiations have actually started, what price they will be prepared to go up to. Anything less than this is good. The closer it gets to this price the less good it gets. They are lucky that Sky are not also bidding, as that would be a completely different scenario.

 

Another point not brought up is that Polish tv take the feed and broadcast the meetings. They dont get this for free. They also pay for the privilege. Where does that money go? BT or BSPA?

 

The BSPA want the best possible price, full stop. It will probably end up at a price all members will agree on, but it has to be a lot better than the current pitiful offer.

 

I hope a deal can be struck. I enjoy the bonus of watching an extra speedway meeting a week on to of the Swedish and Polish meetings and the live meetings I attend.

Edited by Steve Shovlar

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Sorry but I think you are missing the point. Never mind.

 

Of course I'm not missing the point as this is EXACTLY what I said would happen over ten years ago.

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Steve Shovlar wrote "There is bound to be some form of intransigence but both parties want a deal. BT to fill a gap in their summer schedules which will allow them to sell advertising and subscriptions, and the BSPA to showcase their product."

 

and " They know, before negotiations have actually started, what price they will be prepared to go up to. Anything less than this is good."

 

​There is much more at stake for the BSPA and I feel certain that BT will not up the offer by very much. I know we'll see. but I think any increase will be less 25%. IF there is an increased offer. And the BSPA would be lucky to get that, for what they have on offer.

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Hardly surprising.

 

Many of us predicted this over ten years ago. NO business survives by constantly cutting the standard.

 

Not enough fans.. cut the standard.. fans walk away..

 

AGM..

 

Not enough fans.. cut the standard.. fans walk away..

 

AGM..

 

Not enough fans.. cut the standard.. fans walk away.

 

Season after season.

 

Eventually you get to a point where it's just not viable to operate anymore as you can't cut any further.. we're approaching that point.

Not to mention as standards went down, admission prices went up. A recipe for business disaster if ever there was one.

 

Whilst the speedway dinosaurs lumbered on, refusing to change, the nimble and forward thinking alternative destinations for fans money snuck in through the gate, strolled up the garden path, walked through the back door and nicked the family silver.

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JChapman- No what I was referring to in 2017 was that the BSPA received 128k total to be shared amongst all clubs/Premiership.

 

As they wanted to keep Speedway on tv they asked BT to broadcast some meetings and BSPA paid towards the production costs each week out of the fund they got from Sky at the start of the season.

 

What I have found interesting in these current circumstances is that Go Speed & BSPA have not tried to get Sky back on board other than a brief email to say the rights were available. To me I would have followed this up with emails and set out a deal that Speedway would accept along the lines of what BT have offered with broadcaster paying production costs and a small fee per meeting.

 

I am not saying it would have been approved but just seems very laid back especially as the acquisition team have said door is not permanently closed on Speedway it may have at least got an increased offer out of BT.

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For anyone that attended the Tatum and Pearson show this week, did BT's Natalie Quirk give any comment/clues on 2018 coverage? I know she's only a presenter but every time I've heard her speak she has been positive about 2018 coverage and particularly keen to continue to cross-promote their UK coverage and their SGP schedule.

Edited by Skidder1

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Steve Shovlar wrote "There is bound to be some form of intransigence but both parties want a deal. BT to fill a gap in their summer schedules which will allow them to sell advertising and subscriptions, and the BSPA to showcase their product."

 

and " They know, before negotiations have actually started, what price they will be prepared to go up to. Anything less than this is good."

 

​There is much more at stake for the BSPA and I feel certain that BT will not up the offer by very much. I know we'll see. but I think any increase will be less 25%. IF there is an increased offer. And the BSPA would be lucky to get that, for what they have on offer.

If BT up their offer by 25%, that would mean a further £750 per meeting. And I guess they would throw in some stickers and pens with bt logo on them as well as a show of goodwill?

 

The bspa should turn such a derisory offer down flat. Rather refuse the contract than actually lose money on a deal which would only benefit one party. Clubs would just lose too much money on the deal.

 

Better to walk away and set up a ppv internet channel. Whilst I understand that the internet connections would certainly not be good enough for a tv channel, it should be good enough for the internet. We are not talking 1080p hd streaming. Bspa could then tap into the Polish market as well as the uk fanbase. A fiver to watch a selected Premiership meeting or 20 a month for 4 or 5 live streams would be decent value to fans. 100 subscriptions, which is nothing, would bring in £2000 more than what BT are offering. 200 watching and 7000 pounds more. Obviously costs need to come out but a fast Virgin broadband stream would be adequate.

 

Makes far more sense than BT taking the P.

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Steve Shovlar

wrote " Better to walk away and set up a ppv internet channel. Whilst I understand that the internet connections would certainly not be good enough for a tv channel, it should be good enough for the internet. We are not talking 1080p hd streaming. Bspa could then tap into the Polish market as well as the uk fanbase. A fiver to watch a selected Premiership meeting or 20 a month for 4 or 5 live streams would be decent value to fans. 100 subscriptions, which is nothing, would bring in £2000 more than what BT are offering. 200 watching and 7000 pounds more. Obviously costs need to come out but a fast Virgin broadband stream would be adequate."

 

I agree with setting up a PPV internet channel and have done for at least three years. I have my sub ready! I just don't feel that BT are bothered if the BSPA take the original idea or not. It was merely my "guess" of BT upping it - by say 25%, just to give the BSPA a feeling that they fought for and got an increase ( however "derisory" ). It could be enough to satisfy the Commission Seeker's fee.

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Perhaps I am being a little dumb.But everyone is saying how close the two leagues are getting because most of the riders ride in both leagues.

Now my point is as said apart from a few GP riders and a few top European riders a lot of the riders in both leagues are the same.So how does the championship pay all these doubleing up riders with no TV money.Just going off the 2017 season do the likes of Cook,Lambert.Masters,Morris,Harris and many more Premier league class heat leaders ride for less money in the Champ league.

If not how has the Championship survived all these years without the help of TV money.

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With those numbers on PPV you would not even break even

Of course you wouny but highlighting just how tiny the BT offer is.

 

Really getting 1000 subscriptions worldwide shouldnt be impossible.

Edited by Steve Shovlar

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Interesting quotes from Lindgren on speedway GP.

 

He said: "Obviously I know about the TV deal and theyre still working on it I think. At the moment, it looks like they dont have a TV deal for next season, which means theyll have less to spend. The budgets for all the clubs will be lower.

 

For me, I love being able to race in Britain, but I have to look at all aspects is it worth it money-wise? I also have a budget to go with my race team, so well see."

 

No surprises for me to hear, and as I have previously said costs will need to be cut to keep the clubs in business this season.

Edited by jchapman

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Interesting quotes from Lindgren on speedway GP.

 

He said: "Obviously I know about the TV deal and theyre still working on it I think. At the moment, it looks like they dont have a TV deal for next season, which means theyll have less to spend. The budgets for all the clubs will be lower.

 

For me, I love being able to race in Britain, but I have to look at all aspects is it worth it money-wise? I also have a budget to go with my race team, so well see."

 

No surprises for me to hear, and as I have previously said costs will need to be cut to keep the clubs in business this season.

 

Could be Thorssell at No.1 then.

 

Shame but clubs must do what's best financially for them.

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