Plan to save the Sport

[BWitcher 12,453]

It's clear big changes need to be made to arrest the decline in the sport's fortunes in the UK and some outside of the box thinking is required. I've put together a plan to revamp both the league and cup competitions that should bring all the ingredients we, as fans, crave. Drama, excitement, tension, unpredictability.

LEAGUE

4 regional leagues, 5 teams in each, each team has two home matches and one away. One of the home matches results won't count. A coin toss decides, all the coin tosses are done live online in the final week of the season to give it an exciting climax.

Top team from each league and the bottom team qualify for the playoffs. The top teams race each other three times, one at home, one away and another at one of each others track decided by a coin toss.. Boy the live coin toss could revolutionise the sport.

The bottom teams do the same.

3rd place in the top team play-off league races 2nd place in the bottom teams play-off league in the Grand Final. 15 heats, neutral track to be decided by the National Lottery draw on the first Saturday following the conclusion of the final fixture. The THIRD number drawn will count. If this number is not 1-20 then the FIFTH number is used followed by the 4th, 2nd, 6th and 1st if necessary. In the unlikely event no number of 1-20 is drawn, the track allocation is postponed till the following Saturday's lottery.  

Now onto the Grand Final itself. At the conclusion of Heat 15 a live coin toss. Whomever wins it can either 'keep the score'.. or reverse it! What a twist! i.e. you lose 38-52 but win the coin toss, you reverse and win 52-38! TV will love it and the match is kept alive till the very end. It gives team managers a valuable role to play and the tension as they make their decision will be palpable. It will create great online discussion as fans debate if their manager made the right call.

CUP

I think for the Cup Competition it needs to offer something different. 16 teams to take part, 4 will miss out. Take the combined starting averages of teach team and then divide by their average age, the closest teams to 2.22 are entered, the others miss out. Seems the fairest way.

Standard 15 heat matches, but the races begin in the pits, all riders have to be pushed to the pit gate, they must NOT start their engines prior. At Wolves the action would be frantic for example as they have a long way to go around the back of the pits. Fitness of your mechanic is crucial in this respect.

Once they hit the track the bikes can start as quickly and efficiently as possible and the race begins. The four laps begin once they cross the start line for the first time.

Points are awarded as 4 2 0.5 0 for the initial race to the pits gate. Then the standard 3 2 1 0 for the actual race.

Anyone finishing more than 0.37 seconds ahead of the first opponent (not a team mate) immediately behind them gains extra pts equivalent to the number of seconds (to 2 decimal places) they beat them by over the 0.37 seconds.. If the opposing team has both riders excluded both remaining riders score an extra 0.86pts. This will encourage riders not to give up and just cruise round and provide gripping racing for the fans. 

Barry Briggs homologated stop watches can be sold at track shops to enable the fans to participate in the timing.

For example Thorssell wins 0.50 seconds ahead of the second placed rider he'd score an extra 0.13pts. Plus his 3 for winning. If he won the race to pit gate he'd score 7.13pts for that heat.

Tactical substitutes are allowed for both rider AND mechanic and can be used when a team is 8.64 pts or more behind. They can be used as many times as they wish but if you use a rider more than once he must begin the race with his helmet unfastened. Only when the green light comes on can he begin to fasten and it must be fastened before he can be pushed away by his mechanic.

All mechanics must wear standard footwear. However, if a mechanic is used as a tac sub for a second time he must wear only one shoe.

Mechanics must wear Barry Briggs homologated footwear.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by BWitcher

[Fromafar 10,331]

27 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

It's clear big changes need to be made to arrest the decline in the sport's fortunes in the UK and some outside of the box thinking is required. I've put together a plan to revamp both the league and cup competitions that should bring all the ingredients we, as fans, crave. Drama, excitement, tension, unpredictability.

LEAGUE

4 regional leagues, 5 teams in each, each team has two home matches and one away. One of the home matches results won't count. A coin toss decides, all the coin tosses are done live online in the final week of the season to give it an exciting climax.

Top team from each league and the bottom team qualify for the playoffs. The top teams race each other three times, one at home, one away and another at one of each others track decided by a coin toss.. Boy the live coin toss could revolutionise the sport.

The bottom teams do the same.

3rd place in the top team play-off league races 2nd place in the bottom teams play-off league in the Grand Final. 15 heats, neutral track to be decided by the National Lottery draw on the first Saturday following the conclusion of the final fixture. The THIRD number drawn will count. If this number is not 1-20 then the FIFTH number is used followed by the 4th, 2nd, 6th and 1st if necessary. In the unlikely event no number of 1-20 is drawn, the track allocation is postponed till the following Saturday's lottery.  

Now onto the Grand Final itself. At the conclusion of Heat 15 a live coin toss. Whomever wins it can either 'keep the score'.. or reverse it! What a twist! i.e. you lose 38-52 but win the coin toss, you reverse and win 52-38! TV will love it and the match is kept alive till the very end. It gives team managers a valuable role to play and the tension as they make their decision will be palpable. It will create great online discussion as fans debate if their manager made the right call.

CUP

I think for the Cup Competition it needs to offer something different. 16 teams to take part, 4 will miss out. Take the combined starting averages of teach team and then divide by their average age, the closest teams to 2.22 are entered, the others miss out. Seems the fairest way.

Standard 15 heat matches, but the races begin in the pits, all riders have to be pushed to the pit gate, they must NOT start their engines prior. At Wolves the action would be frantic for example as they have a long way to go around the back of the pits. Fitness of your mechanic is crucial in this respect.

Once they hit the track the bikes can start as quickly and efficiently as possible and the race begins. The four laps begin once they cross the start line for the first time.

Points are awarded as 4 2 0.5 0 for the initial race to the pits gate. Then the standard 3 2 1 0 for the actual race.

Anyone finishing more than 0.37 seconds ahead of the first opponent (not a team mate) immediately behind them gains extra pts equivalent to the number of seconds (to 2 decimal places) they beat them by over the 0.37 seconds.. If the opposing team has both riders excluded both remaining riders score an extra 0.86pts. This will encourage riders not to give up and just cruise round and provide gripping racing for the fans. 

Barry Briggs homologated stop watches can be sold at track shops to enable the fans to participate in the timing.

For example Thorssell wins 0.50 seconds ahead of the second placed rider he'd score an extra 0.13pts. Plus his 3 for winning. If he won the race to pit gate he'd score 7.13pts for that heat.

Tactical substitutes are allowed for both rider AND mechanic and can be used when a team is 8.64 pts or more behind. They can be used as many times as they wish but if you use a rider more than once he must begin the race with his helmet unfastened. Only when the green light comes on can he begin to fasten and it must be fastened before he can be pushed away by his mechanic.

All mechanics must wear standard footwear. However, if a mechanic is used as a tac sub for a second time he must wear only one shoe.

Mechanics must wear Barry Briggs homologated footwear.

 

 

Too simple where would you get all the coins!

[BWitcher 12,453]

23 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Too simple where would you get all the coins!

Where do you think?

Only Barry Briggs homogolated coins to be used. £300 each. Each coin can only be used once.

[moxey63 1,785]

1 hour ago, BWitcher said:

It's clear big changes need to be made to arrest the decline in the sport's fortunes in the UK and some outside of the box thinking is required. I've put together a plan to revamp both the league and cup competitions that should bring all the ingredients we, as fans, crave. Drama, excitement, tension, unpredictability.

LEAGUE

4 regional leagues, 5 teams in each, each team has two home matches and one away. One of the home matches results won't count. A coin toss decides, all the coin tosses are done live online in the final week of the season to give it an exciting climax.

Top team from each league and the bottom team qualify for the playoffs. The top teams race each other three times, one at home, one away and another at one of each others track decided by a coin toss.. Boy the live coin toss could revolutionise the sport.

The bottom teams do the same.

3rd place in the top team play-off league races 2nd place in the bottom teams play-off league in the Grand Final. 15 heats, neutral track to be decided by the National Lottery draw on the first Saturday following the conclusion of the final fixture. The THIRD number drawn will count. If this number is not 1-20 then the FIFTH number is used followed by the 4th, 2nd, 6th and 1st if necessary. In the unlikely event no number of 1-20 is drawn, the track allocation is postponed till the following Saturday's lottery.  

Now onto the Grand Final itself. At the conclusion of Heat 15 a live coin toss. Whomever wins it can either 'keep the score'.. or reverse it! What a twist! i.e. you lose 38-52 but win the coin toss, you reverse and win 52-38! TV will love it and the match is kept alive till the very end. It gives team managers a valuable role to play and the tension as they make their decision will be palpable. It will create great online discussion as fans debate if their manager made the right call.

CUP

I think for the Cup Competition it needs to offer something different. 16 teams to take part, 4 will miss out. Take the combined starting averages of teach adopt the and then divide by their average age, the closest teams to 2.22 are entered, the others miss out. Seems the fairest way.

Standard 15 heat matches, but the races begin in the pits, all riders have to be pushed to the pit gate, they must NOT start their engines prior. At Wolves the action would be frantic for example as they have a long way to go around the back of the pits. Fitness of your mechanic is crucial in this respect.

Once they hit the track the bikes can start as quickly and efficiently as possible and the race begins. The four laps begin once they cross the start line for the first time.

Points are awarded as 4 2 0.5 0 for the initial race to the pits gate. Then the standard 3 2 1 0 for the actual race.

Anyone finishing more than 0.37 seconds ahead of the first opponent (not a team mate) immediately behind them gains extra pts equivalent to the number of seconds (to 2 decimal places) they beat them by over the 0.37 seconds.. If the opposing team has both riders excluded both remaining riders score an extra 0.86pts. This will encourage riders not to give up and just cruise round and provide gripping racing for the fans. 

Barry Briggs homologated stop watches can be sold at track shops to enable the fans to participate in the timing.

For example Thorssell wins 0.50 seconds ahead of the second placed rider he'd score an extra 0.13pts. Plus his 3 for winning. If he won the race to pit gate he'd score 7.13pts for that heat.

Tactical substitutes are allowed for both rider AND mechanic and can be used when a team is 8.64 pts or more behind. They can be used as many times as they wish but if you use a rider more than once he must begin the race with his helmet unfastened. Only when the green light comes on can he begin to fasten and it must be fastened before he can be pushed away by his mechanic.

All mechanics must wear standard footwear. However, if a mechanic is used as a tac sub for a second time he must wear only one shoe.

Mechanics must wear Barry Briggs homologated footwear.

 

 

16

Please... I just hope, just pray, the promoters aren't reading this. Oh, please say not.

But it's trending on Twiter... they're currently voting on whether to adopt the complete proposal. 

Edited August 23, 2018 by moxey63

[Ray Stadia 1,064]

1 hour ago, BWitcher said:

It's clear big changes need to be made to arrest the decline in the sport's fortunes in the UK and some outside of the box thinking is required. I've put together a plan to revamp both the league and cup competitions that should bring all the ingredients we, as fans, crave. Drama, excitement, tension, unpredictability.

LEAGUE

4 regional leagues, 5 teams in each, each team has two home matches and one away. One of the home matches results won't count. A coin toss decides, all the coin tosses are done live online in the final week of the season to give it an exciting climax.

Top team from each league and the bottom team qualify for the playoffs. The top teams race each other three times, one at home, one away and another at one of each others track decided by a coin toss.. Boy the live coin toss could revolutionise the sport.

The bottom teams do the same.

3rd place in the top team play-off league races 2nd place in the bottom teams play-off league in the Grand Final. 15 heats, neutral track to be decided by the National Lottery draw on the first Saturday following the conclusion of the final fixture. The THIRD number drawn will count. If this number is not 1-20 then the FIFTH number is used followed by the 4th, 2nd, 6th and 1st if necessary. In the unlikely event no number of 1-20 is drawn, the track allocation is postponed till the following Saturday's lottery.  

Now onto the Grand Final itself. At the conclusion of Heat 15 a live coin toss. Whomever wins it can either 'keep the score'.. or reverse it! What a twist! i.e. you lose 38-52 but win the coin toss, you reverse and win 52-38! TV will love it and the match is kept alive till the very end. It gives team managers a valuable role to play and the tension as they make their decision will be palpable. It will create great online discussion as fans debate if their manager made the right call.

CUP

I think for the Cup Competition it needs to offer something different. 16 teams to take part, 4 will miss out. Take the combined starting averages of teach team and then divide by their average age, the closest teams to 2.22 are entered, the others miss out. Seems the fairest way.

Standard 15 heat matches, but the races begin in the pits, all riders have to be pushed to the pit gate, they must NOT start their engines prior. At Wolves the action would be frantic for example as they have a long way to go around the back of the pits. Fitness of your mechanic is crucial in this respect.

Once they hit the track the bikes can start as quickly and efficiently as possible and the race begins. The four laps begin once they cross the start line for the first time.

Points are awarded as 4 2 0.5 0 for the initial race to the pits gate. Then the standard 3 2 1 0 for the actual race.

Anyone finishing more than 0.37 seconds ahead of the first opponent (not a team mate) immediately behind them gains extra pts equivalent to the number of seconds (to 2 decimal places) they beat them by over the 0.37 seconds.. If the opposing team has both riders excluded both remaining riders score an extra 0.86pts. This will encourage riders not to give up and just cruise round and provide gripping racing for the fans. 

Barry Briggs homologated stop watches can be sold at track shops to enable the fans to participate in the timing.

For example Thorssell wins 0.50 seconds ahead of the second placed rider he'd score an extra 0.13pts. Plus his 3 for winning. If he won the race to pit gate he'd score 7.13pts for that heat.

Tactical substitutes are allowed for both rider AND mechanic and can be used when a team is 8.64 pts or more behind. They can be used as many times as they wish but if you use a rider more than once he must begin the race with his helmet unfastened. Only when the green light comes on can he begin to fasten and it must be fastened before he can be pushed away by his mechanic.

All mechanics must wear standard footwear. However, if a mechanic is used as a tac sub for a second time he must wear only one shoe.

Mechanics must wear Barry Briggs homologated footwear.

 

 

Where does Slough Speedway fit in, with the above plans? 

[BWitcher 12,453]

12 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

Where does Slough Speedway fit in, with the above plans? 

I was keeping it under wraps, but the proposal is in January 19 tracks will be named, leaving one vacant space. Slough, Melbourne, Los Angeles and Mogadishu will face off in a Kerplunk challenge with the runners up taking the final place in the league.

In a further twist the pts limit will be set by the average number of marbles that fall into the fourth places teams slot during their matches.

[Fromafar 10,331]

44 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

Where does Slough Speedway fit in, with the above plans? 

They have signed Woffy,Hancock& Cook for next season in NL.Looking for Promotion in 1st season.

[chunky 6,081]

2 hours ago, BWitcher said:

Top team from each league and the bottom team qualify for the playoffs. The top teams race each other three times, one at home, one away and another at one of each others track decided by a coin toss.. Boy the live coin toss could revolutionise the sport.

 

I think the third meeting should be at a neutral track, perhaps in Poland to keep them happy?

I think it would also help to use a three-team format for this meeting, so you could introduce a wild-card team of riders from 1975 to keep us old'uns interested...

Steve

[BWitcher 12,453]

17 minutes ago, chunky said:

I think the third meeting should be at a neutral track, perhaps in Poland to keep them happy?

I think it would also help to use a three-team format for this meeting, so you could introduce a wild-card team of riders from 1975 to keep us old'uns interested...

Steve

I'm liking it. 

Perhaps a good old second half as well in that three team 3rd leg in Poland?

[chunky 6,081]

6 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

I'm liking it. 

Perhaps a good old second half as well in that three team 3rd leg in Poland?

 Yeah, sounds good! All second-half points earned by non-Commonwealth riders with a CMA between 2.37 and 4.74 will be awarded either to Poole, or a team of your choice, based on another coin toss!

Steve

[bruno 1,790]

I've just got back from the pub and agree with everything

[mikebv 10,234]

2 hours ago, BWitcher said:

Where do you think?

Only Barry Briggs homogolated coins to be used. £300 each. Each coin can only be used once.

Will there be 'Guest Coins' allowed should any not be able to be used due to being needed elsewhere?

If so what would be the allowed level? Up to +10p differential can be used for the Coin when away from home and maybe +20p differential at home? 

Or would a C/R (Coin Replacement) Facilty be granted? eg Rock, Paper, Scissors?

Some great ideas BW, no doubt completely dismissed by those who run the Sport as nonsense..

(But I bet they have taken screen shots and announce some as their own).. 

 

[chunky 6,081]

2 hours ago, mikebv said:

If so what would be the allowed level? Up to +10p differential can be used for the Coin when away from home and maybe +20p differential at home?

In an effort to attract the 96 year old speedway fans back to the sport, it might be better to go pre-decimal. If that is the case, Rob Godfrey and Buster Chapman would be replaced by Ivor Shilling and Arfur Crown.

The BSPA would adopt the new war cry of: 

"Go on luv, show us your thrupennies!!!!!"

Steve

[waytogo28 2,054]

This is the most progressive work on How the Future of UK Speedway might look like in only 7 months time and needs to be as revolutionary as possible as it coincides with the Give Us a B political upheaval V Momentum "new season / era". Much will change in the UK and much will not in order to maintain stability and as the Speedway Star says " managed decline awaits". With these proposals both old faded fans AND the new, young hordes can be fitted in. Perhaps in separate areas of the stadiums? In order to attract maximum numbers of over 75-year-old returnees, I am sure that special dispensation for them to pay for admission in pre-decimal coins or even old £5, £1 or even 10 shilling notes. Splendid glories await the brave!

 

Start "ladies" in mini skirts and bee hive hairdos a must. Alongside some androgynous unsure or in transition role models in order to accommodate all kinds.

Edited August 24, 2018 by waytogo28
additional point made

[Grachan 7,314]

They'll never adopt it. Far too much common sense for the Bloomin' Stupid Pillocks Association (ha ha - see what I did there?).