NO WORD FROM THE BSPA

[Danny Connor 351]

6 minutes ago, The Third Man said:

That's what leagues are about, there can only be one winner, what happened at this time of year when there were no playoffs and 19 teams in the league.

Lots of meaningless meetings

So why the push for 1 big league? Lots of meaningless fixtures. Smaller leagues with bigger, medium and small clubs as it currently is minimises it. I can see what ever happens there will be just as many doubters if not more with the larger league. 

 

[topaz325 1,853]

After many spare weekends of no racing at Derwent Park, the news tonight is we may have to run meetings on Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend to complete the home fixtures.

[waytogo28 2,054]

What Mr Godfrey says, goes. Apparently. Should it be inconvenient it's your problem. "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".

[Big Al 708]

So if (as the leaks and rumours are indicating) there is to be amalgamation between the current three leagues into two leagues with the "top" one having around 14 teams, a playoff (for want of a better word) involving the top 8 finishers would be likely. I'm sure there are many other examples around, but Super League and Australian Rules (AFL) come to mind as both of these have an 8 team playoff although the formats differ quite a bit.

The problem is what happens to the 8 teams not making the playoffs, their seasons come to a complete halt if there isn't a competition for them, as happens I think with AFL but not Super League. So would we be looking at, in effect, a Second Division being formed by those 8 teams (and maybe decided by playoff system which assures at least 2 further home matches). So you begin the season with two leagues/titles and you end it with three? Or maybe even four, if the original second league also does a similar split?

Doubling up would of course still be necessary, and probably a lot of Danish and German riders! ( who should be allowed into the second tier providing of course that the UK hasn't closed it's borders to foreigners by then).

 

 

[Grachan 7,314]

6 minutes ago, Big Al said:

So if (as the leaks and rumours are indicating) there is to be amalgamation between the current three leagues into two leagues with the "top" one having around 14 teams, a playoff (for want of a better word) involving the top 8 finishers would be likely. I'm sure there are many other examples around, but Super League and Australian Rules (AFL) come to mind as both of these have an 8 team playoff although the formats differ quite a bit.

The problem is what happens to the 8 teams not making the playoffs, their seasons come to a complete halt if there isn't a competition for them, as happens I think with AFL but not Super League. So would we be looking at, in effect, a Second Division being formed by those 8 teams (and maybe decided by playoff system which assures at least 2 further home matches). So you begin the season with two leagues/titles and you end it with three? Or maybe even four, if the original second league also does a similar split?

Doubling up would of course still be necessary, and probably a lot of Danish and German riders! ( who should be allowed into the second tier providing of course that the UK hasn't closed it's borders to foreigners by then).

 

 

So, basically, forcing the top teams from the CL into the top league as they won't do it themselves, and then having a proper second division instead of "top league lite".

Sounds good to me.

[foamfence 2,917]

12 minutes ago, Big Al said:

So if (as the leaks and rumours are indicating) there is to be amalgamation between the current three leagues into two leagues with the "top" one having around 14 teams, a playoff (for want of a better word) involving the top 8 finishers would be likely. I'm sure there are many other examples around, but Super League and Australian Rules (AFL) come to mind as both of these have an 8 team playoff although the formats differ quite a bit.

The problem is what happens to the 8 teams not making the playoffs, their seasons come to a complete halt if there isn't a competition for them, as happens I think with AFL but not Super League. So would we be looking at, in effect, a Second Division being formed by those 8 teams (and maybe decided by playoff system which assures at least 2 further home matches). So you begin the season with two leagues/titles and you end it with three? Or maybe even four, if the original second league also does a similar split?

Doubling up would of course still be necessary, and probably a lot of Danish and German riders! ( who should be allowed into the second tier providing of course that the UK hasn't closed it's borders to foreigners by then).

 

 

Doubling up with riders from the lower league would of course be necessary (that's how young riders progress) there is no indication the foreign riders would be allowed into our bottom tier. The lower group of teams could have a play off of their own (hasn't there been different levels of play off before?) Let us see how many teams are actually running next year, the likelihood is that quite a few will throw the towel in.

[Byker Biker 468]

2 hours ago, Big Al said:

So if (as the leaks and rumours are indicating) there is to be amalgamation between the current three leagues into two leagues with the "top" one having around 14 teams, a playoff (for want of a better word) involving the top 8 finishers would be likely. I'm sure there are many other examples around, but Super League and Australian Rules (AFL) come to mind as both of these have an 8 team playoff although the formats differ quite a bit.

The problem is what happens to the 8 teams not making the playoffs, their seasons come to a complete halt if there isn't a competition for them, as happens I think with AFL but not Super League. So would we be looking at, in effect, a Second Division being formed by those 8 teams (and maybe decided by playoff system which assures at least 2 further home matches). So you begin the season with two leagues/titles and you end it with three? Or maybe even four, if the original second league also does a similar split?

Doubling up would of course still be necessary, and probably a lot of Danish and German riders! ( who should be allowed into the second tier providing of course that the UK hasn't closed it's borders to foreigners by then).

 

 

The bottom 8 will supply the guests for the top 8 when they race on Fridays as Friday will be Guest day, always used to be fish on Fridays when I was a lad now it's just fishy. So the riders from the bottom 8 will get to ride in the Play Offs anyway 

[old bob at herne bay 828]

None of this tinkering will save UK speedway on its downhill spiral. More fans are needed at the turnstiles.

Cricket saved itself by inventing 20 over crash bang wallop “T20 “ . Purists hate it but it gets the punters paying to watch.  

Maybe Speedway needs a kick up the bum and change the 4lap 15 heat format for every meeting

So maybe have 3 lap races ..... no race stoppages - if you fall off get off the track or you will be excluded .... do as you like at the tapes but if you touch em you are excluded. No first bend bunching - if you fall and don’t get off the track or remount you are excluded.2 minute rule shortened to one minute. Fail to make the warning you are excluded no replacements allowed . 

 

[waytogo28 2,054]

18 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

None of this tinkering will save UK speedway on its downhill spiral. More fans are needed at the turnstiles.

Cricket saved itself by inventing 20 over crash bang wallop “T20 “ . Purists hate it but it gets the punters paying to watch.  

Maybe Speedway needs a kick up the bum and change the 4lap 15 heat format for every meeting

So maybe have 3 lap races ..... no race stoppages - if you fall off get off the track or you will be excluded .... do as you like at the tapes but if you touch em you are excluded. No first bend bunching - if you fall and don’t get off the track or remount you are excluded.2 minute rule shortened to one minute. Fail to make the warning you are excluded no replacements allowed . 

 

Speedway in the UK does need a huge change to bring thrills and excitement back and attract a lot more punters. It may well be something like this. Or even more radical - Le mans push starts, standardised - untuned bikes, it has to meld into something people will pay to see.

[foamfence 2,917]

19 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

None of this tinkering will save UK speedway on its downhill spiral. More fans are needed at the turnstiles.

Cricket saved itself by inventing 20 over crash bang wallop “T20 “ . Purists hate it but it gets the punters paying to watch.  

Maybe Speedway needs a kick up the bum and change the 4lap 15 heat format for every meeting

So maybe have 3 lap races ..... no race stoppages - if you fall off get off the track or you will be excluded .... do as you like at the tapes but if you touch em you are excluded. No first bend bunching - if you fall and don’t get off the track or remount you are excluded.2 minute rule shortened to one minute. Fail to make the warning you are excluded no replacements allowed . 

 

Sounds like the 50s, except for the three laps.

[Ray Stadia 1,064]

1 hour ago, old bob at herne bay said:

None of this tinkering will save UK speedway on its downhill spiral. More fans are needed at the turnstiles.

Cricket saved itself by inventing 20 over crash bang wallop “T20 “ . Purists hate it but it gets the punters paying to watch.  

Maybe Speedway needs a kick up the bum and change the 4lap 15 heat format for every meeting

So maybe have 3 lap races ..... no race stoppages - if you fall off get off the track or you will be excluded .... do as you like at the tapes but if you touch em you are excluded. No first bend bunching - if you fall and don’t get off the track or remount you are excluded.2 minute rule shortened to one minute. Fail to make the warning you are excluded no replacements allowed . 

 

A number of people have mentioned on here that they want value for money. I know most tracks have a curfew and can't operate beyond a certain time, so something like a second half is difficult. However, is there any reason why speedway couldn't have a pre-match half that started say at 6.30 pm and had races for the juniors, which would perhaps encourage local would be riders the chance to ride and be future team riders. Now, not all speedway fans want to see the 'wobblers', but for those that want to see more speedway in an evening, they will have it and it may just entice youngsters in the surrounding towns to come and watch their mates going round. 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Ray Stadia
Typo!

[moxey63 1,785]

1 hour ago, old bob at herne bay said:

None of this tinkering will save UK speedway on its downhill spiral. More fans are needed at the turnstiles.

Cricket saved itself by inventing 20 over crash bang wallop “T20 “ . Purists hate it but it gets the punters paying to watch.  

Maybe Speedway needs a kick up the bum and change the 4lap 15 heat format for every meeting

So maybe have 3 lap races ..... no race stoppages - if you fall off get off the track or you will be excluded .... do as you like at the tapes but if you touch em you are excluded. No first bend bunching - if you fall and don’t get off the track or remount you are excluded.2 minute rule shortened to one minute. Fail to make the warning you are excluded no replacements allowed . 

 

Kill me... now.

[moxey63 1,785]

I'd have police chasing the riders in helicopters screened live on TV. Imagine it for fans watching at home. And the losing team manager can use one of those "stinger" implements to throw across the track and puncture opponents' tyres. And, what about this one... the top rider from the leading team actually transferring to the losing team mid-match to keep scores close and fans interested. If the match ends as a draw, how about a tug-of-war between rival fans for an extra tug-off bonus point?

[Big Al 708]

5 hours ago, Grachan said:

So, basically, forcing the top teams from the CL into the top league as they won't do it themselves, and then having a proper second division instead of "top league lite".

Sounds good to me.

More like those left in the (now) PL downshifting a few notches, and some CL teams upshifting by one notch!

[cityrebel 2,960]

2 hours ago, Ray Stadia said:

A number of people have mentioned on here that they want value for money. I know most tracks have a curfew and can't operate beyond a certain time, so something like a second half is difficult. However, is there any reason why speedway couldn't have a pre-match half that started say at 6.30 pm and had races for the juniors, which would perhaps encourage local would be riders the chance to ride and be future team riders. Now, not all speedway fans want to see the 'wobblers', but for those that want to see more speedway in an evening, they will have it and it may just entice youngsters in the surrounding towns to come and watch their mates going round. 

The problem I have with pre meeting junior racing is, what if there is an incident that requires the ambulance to leave the stadium. This could have a serious impact on the main event, especially if the track has a curfew in place.