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poolebolton

Is the league stronger in 2018?

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On 26 January 2018 at 7:47 PM, BWitcher said:

You are comparing the end of last season I assume? That's a false comparison if so.

 

 

Pas the post states, Stats can be looked at in different ways and last year the teams started stronger than in 2016 and you could say that it will be just as strong in 2018 however you do really need to compare how teams finish one year to how they start the following year.

 

Has the league got stronger or weaker this season ? 

 

I would say say it's got slightly weaker which shows with the amount of points not returning and new riders coming in and the amount of low averages starting this season compared to those that finished last season. However you have to include Dan Bewley for example returning this year on a near five average but started last season on a 2.00 average.so some riders improved making the gap smaller in comparison. 

 

Overall its its not a case of is the league stronger or not, it's is the sport any more interesting to current fans or attracting new fans and in that catergory it has to be down as its not however tracks are increasing admission prices because they are losing out on TV deals and trying to get the fans to match the difference. 

 

Chasing your our loses is not something most successful businesses do in trying to increase sales and would rather lower prices to increase sales

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20 minutes ago, INCOGNITO said:

 

Pas the post states, Stats can be looked at in different ways and last year the teams started stronger than in 2016 and you could say that it will be just as strong in 2018 however you do really need to compare how teams finish one year to how they start the following year.

 

Has the league got stronger or weaker this season ? 

 

I would say say it's got slightly weaker which shows with the amount of points not returning and new riders coming in and the amount of low averages starting this season compared to those that finished last season. However you have to include Dan Bewley for example returning this year on a near five average but started last season on a 2.00 average.so some riders improved making the gap smaller in comparison. 

 

Overall its its not a case of is the league stronger or not, it's is the sport any more interesting to current fans or attracting new fans and in that catergory it has to be down as its not however tracks are increasing admission prices because they are losing out on TV deals and trying to get the fans to match the difference. 

 

Chasing your our loses is not something most successful businesses do in trying to increase sales and would rather lower prices to increase sales

Not all tracks have increased their prices, Wolves remains at £18

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On 26/01/2018 at 1:56 PM, Chris116 said:

Having watched speedway all my life and over the past 20 years or so seen racing at all three levels that have run under different names to keep eveyone guessing what the names mean I have come to the conclusion that good speedway only needs teams that are matched evenly.

Some of the worst racing I have seen has been in the top league (I have also seen some magic meetings in the top league) and some of the most exciting meetings have been in the third division. Yes, the riders in the top league are faster, more skillful and make fewer mistakes. Sometimes that makes for excellent racing but it can also make for matches where no one overtakes anyone after the first half lap of each race. In the third league the riders are slower and make mistakes which means that you can have overtaking on every lap or they can get strung out with the crowd yawning! 

Balanced teams where all the riders are able to beat all the others will give exciting racing. A team with two 8+ riders, three 5 to 7 point riders and two reserves of 4 and 3.5 would be inside the 42.5 but most races would end up being two match races. If the top riders have a lower average that leaves room for higher scoring reserves and so makes each race more likely to be close. 

The big problem with all of this is that at the end of the season some of the 6 and 7 point riders will have gone up to being 8.5 point riders and under current rules they could be lost to British racing which will then bring even more upset during the following winter. Do I have any answers? Probably not but I do have a few ideas which I think might help the sport in this country.

1) Premiership to allow two 8+ riders in a team. Championship to allow one 8+ rider in a team. This makes the two leagues different instead of the situation we have where the standard is nearly the same.

2) Riders who have not ridden in this country for the previous twelve months to have the averages of the countries where they have raced added up for the previous season that they raced in this country and for the last season compared. You then find the multiplier and use this on their last British average to find their new British average. For example a rider had a 6 point average in 2014 in British racing. In 2014 his Polish and Swedish averages added up and then divided by 2 comes to 5.8 and in 2017 his Polish, Swedish and Danish averages added up and then divided by 3 came to 6.5 which produces a multiplier of 1.12068966 and applying that to his old British average gives him a starting average of 6.72.

3) At all meetings the visiting team should be allowed a 15 minute practice session before the meeting. How often do you find that the away team only start to compete in the second half of the meeting. Allowing them to get their set up right will give closer racing from the start of the meeting. I realise that some home track only fans only want to see their team win all their home meetings but for me I want to see a close meeting with close racing. I enjoy being on the losing side of a 44-46 meeting than on the winning side of a 60-30 meeting.

Let's hope we have lots of close racing and close scores, enjoy your racing.

Chris

Point 3 - do as they do in Poland. 15/30mins before the schedule start time and rider presentation. Each team coach selects 2 of his riders to practice. Home team 2 riders have 1minute practice, return to pits and away team selected riders have their 1minute. All 4 riders then change to their 2nd bike and this is repeated with riders having another 1minute each.

Another Polish Practice, I’d like to see also is one fuel point. Home team supply the methanol and Mechanics takes their bike to be filled before their riders next race. Riders are not allowed their own methanol in the pits. 

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It's a very unappetising league and product this year...doesn't really make me want to make the effort to go every week I'm afraid

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On 1/26/2018 at 1:56 PM, Chris116 said:

3) At all meetings the visiting team should be allowed a 15 minute practice session before the meeting. How often do you find that the away team only start to compete in the second half of the meeting. Allowing them to get their set up right will give closer racing from the start of the meeting. I realise that some home track only fans only want to see their team win all their home meetings but for me I want to see a close meeting with close racing. I enjoy being on the losing side of a 44-46 meeting than on the winning side of a 60-30 meeting.

Let's hope we have lots of close racing and close scores, enjoy your racing.

Chris

An excellent idea that won't be taken up anytime soon - sadly. Yes I hope we will have lots of close racing with close scores but I am not holding my breath for hope of the same, at the one track where I can watch speedway. When they do write the book on the demise of UK speedway, such ideas as the practice sessions as above will be held up as something that was never tried but might have turned things round..

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11 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

An excellent idea that won't be taken up anytime soon - sadly. Yes I hope we will have lots of close racing with close scores but I am not holding my breath for hope of the same, at the one track where I can watch speedway. When they do write the book on the demise of UK speedway, such ideas as the practice sessions as above will be held up as something that was never tried but might have turned things round..

 

11 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

....When they do write the book on the demise of UK speedway,....

Something I have mused on doing, even if it is just for the title:

 

"Gibbons Decline and Fall (of British Speedway)"

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13 hours ago, DWP said:

 

Another Polish Practice, I’d like to see also is one fuel point. Home team supply the methanol and Mechanics takes their bike to be filled before their riders next race. Riders are not allowed their own methanol in the pits. 

I'd be interested to know why?

not sure if you meant it this way but the implication is some riders might be less than honest.

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2 hours ago, arnieg said:

"Gibbons Decline and Fall (of British Speedway)"

Not a very complimentary description of the BSPA :shock:

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6 hours ago, Star Lady said:

I'd be interested to know why?

not sure if you meant it this way but the implication is some riders might be less than honest.

No was not implying that. But this system prevents any rider who may think they can bend any fuel rules. 

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Looking at each team individually:

Belle Vue look weaker in the top 5 but the reserves are stronger so i would say look equal to last season. 

King's Lynn tbh do look stronger than the end of last season with Puk at no. 1 and Kerr/ Andersen at reserve. 

Leicester look stronger enough said really. 

Poole same as Leicester. 

Rye House if Kasprzak is the last rider then equal to last season with Kennett equal to Wells. 

Somerset look stronger with Doyle coming in at no. 1

Swindon look weaker imo with losing Doyle and BWD at reserve. 

Wolverhampton look weaker with no Lindgren. 

So all in all 2 teams have weakened but 4 teams have strengthened with 2 teams looking equal so imo the team looks stronger. 

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20 minutes ago, rebelwonderkid said:

Looking at each team individually:

Belle Vue look weaker in the top 5 but the reserves are stronger so i would say look equal to last season. 

King's Lynn tbh do look stronger than the end of last season with Puk at no. 1 and Kerr/ Andersen at reserve. 

Leicester look stronger enough said really. 

Poole same as Leicester. 

Rye House if Kasprzak is the last rider then equal to last season with Kennett equal to Wells. 

Somerset look stronger with Doyle coming in at no. 1

Swindon look weaker imo with losing Doyle and BWD at reserve. 

Wolverhampton look weaker with no Lindgren. 

So all in all 2 teams have weakened but 4 teams have strengthened with 2 teams looking equal so imo the team looks stronger. 

Of course Wolves and Swindon look weaker because they had the highest averaged teams at the end of last season and were forced to lose one of their top 2 - as have BV. 

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To answer the question "Is the league stronger in 2018?"well mathematically an average team any year would be 42 point average, with this years points average limit set @ 42.5 I think this year puts teams pretty much the same as last year!   However allowing for E/Fs, exclusions & DNF in 2017 on balance then 2018 would be stronger teams overall. Also with the 1 over 8 rule in place more balanced teams in theory. 

Just may be the BSPA where not so pi__ed after all @ the AGM.

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Averages will actually tend to a little under 42 due to the impact of heat 15. But agree, a points limit of 42.5 should make this years league a little stronger. Esoecially when poole have a couple of poles on bargain averages.

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Not wishing to insult the posters or person who opened this thread,  but looking at averages to equate a team's strength is not compelling enough to access its strength.  Individually  averages goes up and down and are dependant on the competition of which he races.    So to answer the thread title, asking is this the league stronger the answer is a definite NO.    To evaluate the strength we need to look at the quality of the riders, and  like the years before,  this year we have seen a decline of the very top stars that grace our sport.  

In a sport, governed by personal gain rather than common sense,  our league will continue  to weaken  until the people in charge, starts puts the sport first...

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