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15 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

PHIL riders have juggled jobs and riding in the past as they realised that for many it was at best a paying hobbie ,I also think that they were less bothered about the latest bolt on's .I know the sport has moved on and costs have escalated beyound reason,riders need at least two bikes etc ,there is a need for this machinery to last more than a season which would surely  make it more viable  .

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15 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

They need to either have their own businesses that can run without them or have a trade I guess .......

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18 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

Nope, riders will then look to make two livings

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20 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

The sport doesn't own these riders a living ,it's a sport if the riders are not making enough money at it they need to do something else to top up their earnings,it's pretty obvious the sport is in trouble by paying more than they can afford.Realism needs to kick in.

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22 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

It seems to go unnoticed but there are actually five months from the end of October to the start of April..

A long, long time to work...

I pay my night lads (inc premium, NI and Pension) £11 an hour..

Thats £380 a week or a total of £7600 for 20 weeks work..

That's to fill shelves in a Supermarket..

I am sure there are probably other 'basic skilled' jobs out there that may pay even more..?

Who knows, seven lads all earning this amount might collectively mean they don't have to then request over £50k between them off a Speedway promoter..?

Would buy at least one very decent bike that I reckon and a good few quid left over for plenty of spares...

The penny will need to drop soon that riding Speedway in GB isn't a full time role which gives you the opportunity to put your feet up at Forty years of age and spend your earnings for the rest of your life..

Similar to all Sports very, very few make it to the very top.  

British Speedway seems to be starting to realise that paying out EFL League One and Two wages on Bostik League attendance income simply doesn't add up..

It may be difficult to get people to ride Speedway now, but it will be a damn sight harder when no places exist to ply that trade..

Edited by mikebv
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46 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

When I decided to ride speedway it was because I wanted to be a speedway rider (still do in my head )I didn’t care about the money, it was a nice bonus but just the Privalige of being a rider was everything to me, I run my own business along side speedway for most of my career often working around 60 hours a week and doing all the bike washing myself, yes there were times I was shattered and just wanted my bed but would I do it all again? Hell yes, I would often drive from Wolverhampton on a Friday do a couple of deliveries in London or Kent then on to Weymouth or Plymouth to race that night get back home at 2am and I loved it ,but I just don’t see that desire anymore from riders , it’s all about the money, I read “I’m putting my life on the line so I want big money “ I never thought I was putting my life on the line(except when I raced against roman matousek) I was just loving being a rider and racing my bike and to do that for a team was just amazing, where has that love for racing gone ?

Superb post!

Remember reading that George Hunter, when based in the midlands, would drive his lorry to Immingham Docks (Yorkshire) and drive back home to pick up his bike and then drive upto Edinburgh to ride that same night when he was a member of the 'Monarchs' during the latter part of his career.

Edited by steve roberts
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8 hours ago, DJWolves said:

If there were plenty of meetings available for riders at one track then doubling up would not be an issue. And in the 60s and 70s when my track at Wolverhampton used to regularly have over 30 home meetings a season then that might have applied. But now I see that CVS is guaranteeing only 15 meetings there next season (if Wolves fail to make the play offs), and that was how many meetings they had last season.

 

I've recently been looking at the first 3 BL seasons (1965-7). Some things are the same; Fixtures incomplete, arguments over team make-up, new rules introduced mid season and flagrant breaking of rules, but one of the big differences is that most tracks ran the best part of 30 meetings. Given that there were only a maximum of 18 home league matches and one World Championship qualifier, it's obvious that there were a lot of challenge matches, Individual meetings etc. Yet people say they aren't interested in such meetings these days and most tracks, especially in the top two divisions won't put them on. Is this a failure of promotion or is it a wise recognition that in an era where many tracks see teams twice a season, such meeting represent overkill. Is a solution to devise more meaningful competitions, e.g regionalised cup competitions, Fours qualifiers etc?

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2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Superb post!

Remember reading that George Hunter, when based in the midlands, would drive his lorry to Immingham Docks (Yorkshire) and drive back home to pick up his bike and then drive upto Edinburgh to ride that same night when he was a member of the 'Monarchs' during the latter part of his career.

In the early 60's when George was becoming the star at Meadowbank he drove a Cattle Lorry for his uncle most of the days he wasn't riding, as a lad used to wait for him stopping at the Chippy most nights ,great guy always had a chat.Times have changed ,if you have a bike you think you are a superstar nowadays.

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1 hour ago, Chadster said:

I've recently been looking at the first 3 BL seasons (1965-7). Some things are the same; Fixtures incomplete, arguments over team make-up, new rules introduced mid season and flagrant breaking of rules, but one of the big differences is that most tracks ran the best part of 30 meetings. Given that there were only a maximum of 18 home league matches and one World Championship qualifier, it's obvious that there were a lot of challenge matches, Individual meetings etc. Yet people say they aren't interested in such meetings these days and most tracks, especially in the top two divisions won't put them on. Is this a failure of promotion or is it a wise recognition that in an era where many tracks see teams twice a season, such meeting represent overkill. Is a solution to devise more meaningful competitions, e.g regionalised cup competitions, Fours qualifiers etc?

The attraction in those days was the racing - the spectacle of speedway - and a challenge match was no different from a league match, it was a night at the speedway

It wasn't about winning at all costs - that didn't seem to matter anything like it does today - yes, happiness was 40-38, but results weren't the be all and end all

There were regional fixtures - eg Midland League, Midland Riders Championship - and as said over 30 meetings in a season

if it rained a bit, the sawdust went down and the riders donned overalls over their leathers, so there seemed to be less rain offs

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1 hour ago, Chadster said:

I've recently been looking at the first 3 BL seasons (1965-7). Some things are the same; Fixtures incomplete, arguments over team make-up, new rules introduced mid season and flagrant breaking of rules, but one of the big differences is that most tracks ran the best part of 30 meetings. Given that there were only a maximum of 18 home league matches and one World Championship qualifier, it's obvious that there were a lot of challenge matches, Individual meetings etc. Yet people say they aren't interested in such meetings these days and most tracks, especially in the top two divisions won't put them on. Is this a failure of promotion or is it a wise recognition that in an era where many tracks see teams twice a season, such meeting represent overkill. Is a solution to devise more meaningful competitions, e.g regionalised cup competitions, Fours qualifiers etc?

Unfortunately the decline in League crowds has become pro rata with other deemed seemingly less important matches such as KO Cup, 4 team tournament, individuals and friendlies. Which in large make these matches not financially viable.  I remember 20 years ago there was as many at Wolves on press / practise night as there are for some league matches last year.

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when i was a kid going to Wimbledon Stadium, so much of the evening was the excitement and anticipation of the racing, and it's things like that that have me hooked, but where is there ANYTHING to get the kids interest and keep it these days? Logic says it should be the racing, but so much more needs to be done.

the anticipation bit at Wimbledon was when the track lights were on but all the stadium lights went off so just a lit up track for attention.

why doesn't that happen now, is it health and safety, or is it that the track lighting at so many places is so bad if the stadium lights went out we'd ALL be in darkness.

 

and something Dean & Les mentioned .. riding speedway should be about enjoyment a lot more than it obviously is, so much is about money. when i rode in the first team i had no idea what i was getting and just took the envelope and that was that. i WANTED to race, simple as that.

bike on the rack on the back of the car Sunday night, early to work for BT Monday morning, half day holiday and off for a 3 hour drive to Exeter in the afternoon

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On 11/18/2018 at 7:23 PM, PHILIPRISING said:

AND what other job outside of speedway would allow them the variable time off required to get to and from tracks let alone actually race? It is hard enough as it is to see why any one would want to be a speedway rider these days without making it even more unviable than it already is. The way to stop doubling up is to ensure that riders can make a living riding from just one team and that will only come about with more and regular meetings for the track they are actually attached to.

 

23 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

THINGS were very different then. Lots of riders were part time mechanics, often with their own small businesses servicing cars etc. They barely exist now. And the basic costs for riders is off the scale compared to 40 plus years ago.

Nick Morris is owed £28k by Rzeszow.

I am not sure how many people on this forum could afford not to be paid £28k and continue to do the job they are doing.

Suggests to me certain speedway riders aren’t doing so badly out of this game...

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2 hours ago, stevehone said:

why doesn't that happen now, is it health and safety, or is it that the track lighting at so many places is so bad if the stadium lights went out we'd ALL be in darkness.

Leicester's track lighting is pretty dismal. :cry:

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