There Can Be Beauty In Simplicity...

[Chairboy 77]

...and possibly a degree of sporting integrity, too.

 

Do you watch football? Whatever you may think of the sport, I think we would all love speedway to enjoy just a small percentage of the popularity that football generates. Football seems to operate well enough with 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw. Can you imagine football awarding an extra league point if you don't lose by too much? Or giving the away team an extra point for a draw? The league tables in speedway are a mess.

 

Also, if you are watching Man Utd against Bournemouth and United go 3-0 up, do you think it would be a good idea for Bournemouth's next goal to count double "to make it interesting"?

 

Some may say you can't compare speedway to football - but I (obviously!) think you can - and should.

[oldace 1,678]

...and possibly a degree of sporting integrity, too.

 

Do you watch football? Whatever you may think of the sport, I think we would all love speedway to enjoy just a small percentage of the popularity that football generates. Football seems to operate well enough with 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw. Can you imagine football awarding an extra league point if you don't lose by too much? Or giving the away team an extra point for a draw? The league tables in speedway are a mess.

 

Also, if you are watching Man Utd against Bournemouth and United go 3-0 up, do you think it would be a good idea for Bournemouth's next goal to count double "to make it interesting"?

 

Some may say you can't compare speedway to football - but I (obviously!) think you can - and should.

 

No need to imagine it. It has been the case for years in football, long before speedway thought of it.

[arnieg 3,620]

Of course the FA would never do anything as ludicrous as this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_cup/544737.stm

[waytogo28 2,054]

...and possibly a degree of sporting integrity, too.

 

Do you watch football? Whatever you may think of the sport, I think we would all love speedway to enjoy just a small percentage of the popularity that football generates. Football seems to operate well enough with 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw. Can you imagine football awarding an extra league point if you don't lose by too much? Or giving the away team an extra point for a draw? The league tables in speedway are a mess.

 

Also, if you are watching Man Utd against Bournemouth and United go 3-0 up, do you think it would be a good idea for Bournemouth's next goal to count double "to make it interesting"?

 

Some may say you can't compare speedway to football - but I (obviously!) think you can - and should.

 

The BSPA has evolved over many years and like all processes of evolution, things become more and more complex and are loved and enjoyed ( internally ) as being so intricate. That is why the rule book is such a glorious thing.

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan 199]

Imagine a sport where 2 teams can meet in a Cup draw the first game 1-1 then draw the second game 2-2 – both score 3 goals over the 2 games but 1 one side goes through and the other doesn’t…..ow wait.

 

All sports need their own alterations and modifications to add to the value of the product, the additional points for a competitive meeting is one of the good ones speedway has come up with, and in all honesty is about as basic and simple a rule as you can get.

[Chairboy 77]

Imagine a sport where 2 teams can meet in a Cup draw the first game 1-1 then draw the second game 2-2 – both score 3 goals over the 2 games but 1 one side goes through and the other doesn’t…..ow wait.

 

All sports need their own alterations and modifications to add to the value of the product, the additional points for a competitive meeting is one of the good ones speedway has come up with, and in all honesty is about as basic and simple a rule as you can get.

Fair play, HJD. For what it's worth, I don't like the Away Goals rule in football either! Thanks for a reasonable response to my comments though.

[Grand Central 2,654]

You were on safer ground arguing against the double point TR.

Which is an abomination.

 

Not the match points issue

Which is a one of British Speedway's few modern-day advancements.

 

Whilst I think there is almost unanimous support to eradicate tthe double point nonsense.

It just needs a couple of dozen promoters to actually listen and respond.

[moxey63 1,785]

You were on safer ground arguing against the double point TR.

Which is an abomination.

 

Not the match points issue

Which is a one of British Speedway's few modern-day advancements.

 

Whilst I think there is almost unanimous support to eradicate tthe double point nonsense.

It just needs a couple of dozen promoters to actually listen and respond.

 

Speedway's rule makers just cause confusion. I knew I couldn't keep up, 12 years ago when a fan beside me asked rule-linked question. A fan of of 30 years then, feeling embarrassed because I had no clue to the answer, I just pointed to someone with chips. "Those chips look nice," I said. Thankfully I swiftly kicked the question into the long grass. But I felt a fake in not knowing the answer.

 

By the way, it was a Golden Double question....

 

Simple is best... aggregate bonus points, 4 points for a win over a certain amount of points, 10 if you use all your own riders... keep it simple.

[steve roberts 9,242]

As a matter of interest why was the 'bonus point' dropped based on the home and away aggregate score?

[Chairboy 77]

As a matter of interest why was the 'bonus point' dropped based on the home and away aggregate score?

So glad you brought that one up - that genuinely was an excellent idea

[Theboss 727]

So glad you brought that one up - that genuinely was an excellent idea

It was dropped to stop teams being built focused purely on home performance. For example lakeside.

[Grand Central 2,654]

So glad you brought that one up - that genuinely was an excellent idea

 

It was a good idea.

 

Until it was superceded by an even better one.

The current match points system.

 

This keeps interest going in both first and second matches brilliantly.

Irrespective of the aggregate score which may be very one sided; and only ever really came into play in the second meeting.

Edited September 15, 2017 by Grand Central

[steve roberts 9,242]

It was dropped to stop teams being built focused purely on home performance. For example lakeside.

I seem to recall that Exeter won the league once based on their very strong home performances and picked up all the bonus points although their away record wasn't particularly great.

[Chairboy 77]

 

It was a good idea.

 

Until it was superceded by an even better one.

The current match points system.

 

This keeps interest going in both first and second matches brilliantly.

Irrespective of the aggregate score which may be very one sided; and only ever really came into play in the second meeting.

It may sound perverse -as most contributors on here have disagreed with my views - but I am actually pleased to see that the current system clearly has support from 'the fans'!

[False dawn 2,294]

I like the league points system.

But I have always been uncomfortable with the TR idea. Preferring instead something akin to the old TR rule as well as choice of gate positions when you're behind. The choice of gate positions might get clubs to grade the gates more fairly. The advantage gained by being out of certain gates at some circuits is very noticeable.