orion 7,615 Posted July 27, 2018 One big league would close a few more clubs down quite quickly ..but no matter what they do I am sad to say nothing can save UK speedway anymore from the slow death as one by one clubs close .people want to see the best but sadly we have not got the money or the crowds to do that .The moment they drop the standard again and we lose the last few good riders worth watching the end will be near .of course the die hards who go every week and will be happy to watch a lowest of the low but the fans they need to get back will be lost forever . 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunner85 603 Posted July 27, 2018 No... the finances to have one league are not there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted July 27, 2018 7 minutes ago, Gunner85 said: No... the finances to have one league are not there The finances to run the current set-up aren't there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted July 27, 2018 If the present system with the PL dies as it appears to be doing then yes lets have one big combined one rather than none at all or a PL with 3 or 4 clubs in it. The PL has reduced in numbers and with the buffoons that have run it for the past few years it and some of the present clubs cannot afford to carry on losing money at the rate they have been so things have got to change. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g13webb 4,254 Posted July 27, 2018 2 hours ago, mikebv said: A good template to use may be something based on the US Conference system...? Maybe 16 teams, five riders per team? = 80 riders needed.. (Meaning plenty of subs on the bench for injuries).. North and South Conferences 8 teams in each... Home and Away twice in your own Conference (more local opposition) delivers 28 Matches, and then one match home and away v each team in the other Conference (16 Matches)... Meaning 22 Home matches and 44 Matches in Total per team.. A max of £5k per night, per team, salary ranging from £1500 to the No1 to £500 to the No5.. Meaning £220k income needed to pay riders for the regular season. An average crowd of 900 adults would deliver £297,000 (inc vat) at £15 admission... Top four in each Conference play off v the other Conference top four Home and Away, eg First in North v Fourth in South, First in South v Fourth in North etc.. Using the Top Fours should hopefully keep most teams interested for most of their Season.. Finalists would have therefore a total of 50 matches, with effectively Three play off home matches to hopefully generate 'better than 900' crowds... Maybe run each meeting with an advertised £10k Prize rather than just paying out the £10k in Salary to both teams..? Much better for marketing purposes... In fact advertise the Prize Money for the League as the TOTAL of ALL the matches that make the League up, (it will run into MILLIONS)... Not 'small time' that level of Prize Money!... Now THAT would make people sit up and take notice of the Sport!! And more 'proper' matches against local opposition has to be the way forward surely if 'team speedway' is going to continue? And plenty of 'subs on the bench' can replace injured riders or off form riders (just like other Sports do) which can only deliver the credibility oh so lacking when 'guestfests' take place. Two Conferences would bring variety too... Who knows? Maybe the 16 teams could market themselves collectively like the US Conference Leagues do? eg, Sharing all production costs of a range of bespoke branded merchandising nationally and therefore share the sales income too? Producing merchandise for 16 teams will deliver a mucn better purchase cost price and profit margin than each track doing it individually and each product can be 'branded' the same apart from the Club Insignia.... Whatever the way forward.. Each club will need to recognise that their business can only be successful if the businesses of their opponents are at least sustainable, and egos may need to be reigned in somewhat too when it comes to aligning yourself with certain levels of riders. The level of rider YOU may want to have in your team may not be affordable for the collective so compromise will be needed... 16 teams coming to the tapes at the start of the season all with a reasonable shout of the 8 play off places would be the utopian outlook I would suggest... Whether it can be worked out as a collective, honestly and fairly, and without anyone getting 'stiched up' is obviously open to debate... Probably as good a suggestion I have read. No doubt a lot of time has been devoted to recognise the issues that are bound to exist, but overall pretty good. I have always thought there is very little to choose between the strength of the two leagues, and have said before, nothing will ever prosper while promoters have different agendas. for this sport to works we have to all want the same thing... I find it amazing that our closest rivals are in the other league elimination many local derby clashes. Having a North and South divide would allow more spectators to travel and generate a more intense local rivalries.. A win, win situation.. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
771neil 31 Posted July 27, 2018 Don t see the one league myself as apart from rye house which other pl club is saying crowds are down in big numbers ??? I know wolves is about same as last 4-5 yrs hear good crowds at nss, kings Lynn and Swindon. Are crowds at Somerset Leicester and Poole that bad ?? Also heard from very good source that bt are very happy with viewing figures for both gp and pl. Think they need to sort race nights as fixed nights not really worked that well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bald Bloke 3,287 Posted July 27, 2018 (edited) Pretty sure the Prem and the Champ won't be happening in 2019. Everyone needs to do the best for the sport in the UK. Times of thinking "I'm alright Jack" needs to go out of the window. All the promotors need to be singing from the same hymn sheet. Somehow I don't see that happening..We shall see. Edited July 27, 2018 by Bald Bloke 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,821 Posted July 27, 2018 2 hours ago, ouch said: There’s no way Championship clubs are going to track the likes of Cook, Morris, Schlein & Nicholls at number one as it would sink them. They already are so it’s not an issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted July 27, 2018 10 minutes ago, 771neil said: Don t see the one league myself as apart from rye house which other pl club is saying crowds are down in big numbers ??? I know wolves is about same as last 4-5 yrs hear good crowds at nss, kings Lynn and Swindon. Are crowds at Somerset Leicester and Poole that bad ?? Also heard from very good source that bt are very happy with viewing figures for both gp and pl. Think they need to sort race nights as fixed nights not really worked that well. Is this a joke? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foamfence 2,917 Posted July 27, 2018 28 minutes ago, A ORLOV said: If the present system with the PL dies as it appears to be doing then yes lets have one big combined one rather than none at all or a PL with 3 or 4 clubs in it. The PL has reduced in numbers and with the buffoons that have run it for the past few years it and some of the present clubs cannot afford to carry on losing money at the rate they have been so things have got to change. There are three clubs in the Championship very near to closing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topsoil 2,498 Posted July 27, 2018 7 minutes ago, foamfence said: There are three clubs in the Championship very near to closing. Which ones are these? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waytogo28 2,054 Posted July 27, 2018 23 minutes ago, 771neil said: Don t see the one league myself as apart from rye house which other pl club is saying crowds are down in big numbers ??? I know wolves is about same as last 4-5 yrs hear good crowds at nss, kings Lynn and Swindon. Are crowds at Somerset Leicester and Poole that bad ?? Also heard from very good source that bt are very happy with viewing figures for both gp and pl. Think they need to sort race nights as fixed nights not really worked that well. BSPA press release? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bald Bloke 3,287 Posted July 27, 2018 16 minutes ago, 771neil said: Don t see the one league myself as apart from rye house which other pl club is saying crowds are down in big numbers ??? I know wolves is about same as last 4-5 yrs hear good crowds at nss, kings Lynn and Swindon. Are crowds at Somerset Leicester and Poole that bad ?? Also heard from very good source that bt are very happy with viewing figures for both gp and pl. Think they need to sort race nights as fixed nights not really worked that well. http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive Have a look here. Look at the teams in each league.Compare each year. How low can we go ???? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted July 27, 2018 (edited) 33 minutes ago, foamfence said: There are three clubs in the Championship very near to closing. It seems to be the case that at least one in the Premier might not be far off that or dropping to the CL as well, mainly to do with awful fan numbers attending on a monday night, now some of this is due to habit of running on a different night and some is due to being able to sit down on a monday and watch speedway on the tv. Edited July 27, 2018 by A ORLOV Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa-colette 6,030 Posted July 27, 2018 2 hours ago, 771neil said: Don t see the one league myself as apart from rye house which other pl club is saying crowds are down in big numbers ??? I know wolves is about same as last 4-5 yrs hear good crowds at nss, kings Lynn and Swindon. Are crowds at Somerset Leicester and Poole that bad ?? Also heard from very good source that bt are very happy with viewing figures for both gp and pl. Think they need to sort race nights as fixed nights not really worked that well. The crowd at Poole was good the other night but you look on youtube at the Speedway Portal account and choose Poole vs BV and look at the crowd especially in the grandstand and in front of it, probably a quarter to a third less. Though having Chris Harris will put a fair few on the gate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
