Time To Scrap Doubling Up?

[moxey63 1,785]

not swindon fans but my Mrs her dad , my mum and to a point me and a few mates all don't go anymore to domestic speedway because we feel we don't have a "team" to support even though the team is still there and that is the same all over the country, riders become hero's not because of their success it's because the fans form a bond with them ,when a fan thinks back we can always think of a rider who we thought was great and they became one of our hero's when in reality the were rubbish but it didn't matter they were our rubbish ,not all fans have walked away cause of doubling up but until the terraces are packed we have got to change the sport and looking at the responses on this thread doubling up seem high on the agenda

 

We have the so-called moaners, going on about the good old days, being told by the quite happy present day fan that there is nothing wrong with speedway. The moaners often just flit away from the sport, never to be heard again. We don't know a reason, but we are told by the present-day fans, the few that remain, that speedway is great. Nothing wrong with it... because they still attend. But the gaps on the terraces tell another tale... of spaces vacated by regular fans from days of yore... many who, like me, just lost interest but was told, by the happy day fans, that my non-attending is because, in my case, I had to start paying to get in. The fans who still attend, the ones who think the sport is fine, they call anyone who tells them otherwise. "Why come on a speedway website.. if you are criticising speedway?" they ask. Luckily the few who are still interested but don't attend are leaving some kind of feedback, promoters should heed. I mean, even the new chippy has a mad rush early on... but then the owners are confused when customers are few and far between. Don't listen to the moaners, and we are where we are. I never thought I'd be a "I used to go to speedway" kind... and it could happen to anyone. Feedback, good or bad, is important. How many lost fans just weren't listened to. Now the few that remain will take anything thrown at them. I bet they no little different.

Edited August 15, 2017 by moxey63

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

 

I don't agree. Fans don't care that a rider races for two clubs. Find me a single Swindon fan who thinks Nick Morris is less of a Swindon rider now he doubles-up for Berwick, for example.

 

What fans dislike is riders missing due to their doubling-up commitments. The solution to this isn't to ban doubling-up, it is to have better fixture planning and ideally fixed race nights.

I think you are way off the mark Matt changing race night's for alot of clubs will never happen loads of issues to resolve to get that to be achieved.My personal preference is to have a regular 1 to 7 and you have that side all year barring injury no changes at all then you will see the skill in team building.

[Ghosty 500]

What we have now is "almost" any 12 to 14 riders turn up on race night, then divided them into 2 teams, call one the home team the other the away team & it's on with the racing!

 

One solution: UK top league race nights Wednesdays & Fridays. Middle league Thursdays & Saturdays. Training league Sundays.

 

Middle league should be only for riders UK based for the season.

 

Training league for riders learning their trade with ONE old hand/coach per team.

[Gresham 928]

Well the doubling up system is stopping me going to Swindon on Thursday.

 

Sorry...I'm not going to pay my hard earned, to watch Poole rider Paul Starke ride against Somerset for Leicester last night, then ride for Poole Wednesday night against Wolves, then ride for Somerset against Swindon on Thursday.

 

With 4th place up for grabs, this makes a whole mockery of the sport.

 

I'm sure other fans will feel the same way.

[keef robin 551]

But how many fans have stopped attending because the likes of Nick Morris are racing for two clubs. You won't find them, cos they ain't attending!

Swindon attendances have risen because they're top of the league. I would rather it be like the 60s and 70s with local riders, riding for years, but it aint, so have to make most of how it is now, unfortunately that involves doubling up. I dont like it, and would prefer one league and better fixture planning.

[TheReturn 1,724]

I don't agree. Fans don't care that a rider races for two clubs.

I would..... I wanted to know the rider was 'ours' and committed to my club and team. In the old days doubling up was not for every meeting, Perks main commitment would be Long Eaton and then he would do the odd doubling up for Cradley. It was never doubted that he Long Eaton committed first and foremost. (well at least it felt that way, I hope that was the case).

 

These days I am not sure I would know if a rider who rode for a different club most nights was really bothered about my team or if this was just another earning opportunity for them. If I had a club, I know to some extent it's an earning opportunity, but I would want to feel that those 7 riders were committed to my club and team and that was their number one speedway priority.

Edited August 15, 2017 by TheReturn

[MattK 3,447]

Well the doubling up system is stopping me going to Swindon on Thursday.

 

Sorry...I'm not going to pay my hard earned, to watch Poole rider Paul Starke ride against Somerset for Leicester last night, then ride for Poole Wednesday night against Wolves, then ride for Somerset against Swindon on Thursday.

 

With 4th place up for grabs, this makes a whole mockery of the sport.

 

I'm sure other fans will feel the same way.

 

Paul Starke is riding in place of Jake Allen, who is injured.

[Gresham 928]

 

Paul Starke is riding in place of Jake Allen, who is injured.

I know...but in the space of a week, he's riding for three teams, all competing for the same points in a league made up of only 8 teams. It's madness imo, and shouldn't be allowed.

 

How can you have a rider who's side is in 4th place, riding for a team who's trying to take that 4th place from you?

 

Easy to pay off, so as not to score as well.

 

It's a joke.

[t1tmt 3]

I have not posted on this forum for such a long time, but finding this thread has just brought me back.

 

Surely the point of Doubling Up is to help develop riders so......

1. There need to be a 'qualifying' criteria for a rider to be able to double up - it really should not be a free for all.
2. Double up yes, double down no. Why is it right for a rider at the upper tier of the sport, step down for a few easy paydays, what does this do for the future of the sport, and the riders who are looking to progress? If that upper tier rider thinks they should be in the championship, then move down completely.
3. A double up space in a team should be shared by two (or more) lower league riders, The team should consider unavailability when selecting these riders so that the majority of meetings are covered by these riders and not be necessary to bring in additional cover every week.

I would find it a joke, to be honest, to find a rider declared in a team and pretty much never see them in my team's race jacket. The Jack Holder situation at Peterborough could have been avoided had something like my third point been in place. Doubling up is a gamble because there will always be clashes, this is why sharing the team spot would be far more engaging for the fans as it would be their riders on track rather than whoever was available on the day.

 

Thoughts?

[keef robin 551]

Regardless of doubling up and weaker league have seen some great racing and unpredictable results, and I've been watching on and off since 1963.

This is one of the best seasons racing since then for me. Still love attending to watch four blokes tearing around a track.

[iris123 20,959]

Well the doubling up system is stopping me going to Swindon on Thursday.

 

Sorry...I'm not going to pay my hard earned, to watch Poole rider Paul Starke ride against Somerset for Leicester last night, then ride for Poole Wednesday night against Wolves, then ride for Somerset against Swindon on Thursday.

 

With 4th place up for grabs, this makes a whole mockery of the sport.

 

I'm sure other fans will feel the same way.

But that is nothing to do with doubling up!!!

 

You are talking about guests and we have had them even back in the good old days of the 70s,just as we had doubling up.I think there was at least one case of a rider who's team was going for the title riding as a guest for their rivals back in the 70s.Was Ivan Mauger i think one?

[TheReturn 1,724]

I know...but in the space of a week, he's riding for three teams, all competing for the same points in a league made up of only 8 teams. It's madness imo, and shouldn't be allowed.

I do wonder how much credibility this gives us to the casual BT Sport viewer when the presenters talk about this, and how a rider is riding for XYZ clubs during the next few days.

[Grachan 7,359]

But that is nothing to do with doubling up!!!

 

You are talking about guests and we have had them even back in the good old days of the 70s,just as we had doubling up.I think there was at least one case of a rider who's team was going for the title riding as a guest for their rivals back in the 70s.Was Ivan Mauger i think one?

 

One of the first meetings I attended was a double header at Swindon in 1974, with Swindon taking on Hackney first and then Belle Vue.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Hackney was... Bob Kilby.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Belle Vue was... Bob Kilby.

 

Biggest crowd I ever saw at Swindon. Could barely move.

Edited August 15, 2017 by grachan

[iris123 20,959]

 

One of the first meetings I attended was a double header at Swindon in 1974, with Swindon taking on Hackney first and then Belle Vue.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Hackney was... Bob Kilby.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Belle Vue was... Bob Kilby.

 

Biggest crowd I ever saw at Swindon. Could barely move.

That is quite funny.Bet most of the crowd left shaking their heads in disbelief...........

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,736]

 

One of the first meetings I attended was a double header at Swindon in 1974, with Swindon taking on Hackney first and then Belle Vue.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Hackney was... Bob Kilby.

 

Guesting at no 1 for Belle Vue was... Bob Kilby.

 

Biggest crowd I ever saw at Swindon. Could barely move.

while guest are a neccerary evil for covering injury although there has got to be a better way doubling up is an evil that is neither wanted or needed , there is enough riders who would commit to ride here there is no excuse