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Has there been an AGM ?, Nothing done to help reduce machinery costs, nothing to reduce wage costs, nothing to stop the end of season rush to complete fixtures, a little tweak to reduce doubling down, and worst of all nothing to attract new fans to the Sport. I know it was always going to be a difficult AGM but not to have done anything beggars belief.. obviously Somerset and Leicester were not happy in the Premiership, why didnt they just form a breakaway from the PL/BSPA, and go there own way, its pretty clever how Buster has allegedly brought into Peterboro & Ipswich it keeps the Premiership alive for now, but its only alive for as long as Buster wants it to be. The number of Championship clubs that were/are for sale sums up the problems Speedway has, little if anything has been done to sort out those deep rooted problems.. good luck for 2019 its going to be needed if British Speedway is to have 2 senior Leagues in 2020..

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9 hours ago, Big Al said:

So maybe in that case, when the BSPA becomes a limited company some time in the next few weeks/months, the ownership of these clubs will be transferred onwards to it. If that happens, Chapman will have once again acted as an interim owner. 

Perhaps the aim is for the BSPA to own the entire league, in due course, and so Poole could indeed by next in line??

I think that's exactly the reason for this. Much as I dislike Chapman if he can get control of a 4th club he has majority control he can at least make and implement decisions as opposed to the current paralysis in the sport and I see this as being the first step. It could be a very shrewd investment as if he can then actually make the sport into something he'll have a very saleable asset. It's a big IF though!

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some one probably knows  different...BUT   ...gotta be the only  country  and  or  the only  sport  where its a choice  if you get promoted  or relegated

and not on where you finish in the league,...

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It is a total joke, can you imagine a team in footballs Premiership, finishing 2nd in the league, and winning the cup, and then  relegating themselves, no wonder speedway and its league structures have no credibility.

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Are things that bad? Yes its a bit iffy that Buster owns 3 clubs but there are two excellent tracks moving into the top flight, plans to clearly define the 3 tiers with points limits and therefore overall standard making it clearer to insiders & outsiders alike that there are different levels. The clubs that have stepped down a tier have done so to protect themselves financially and return to race nights that suit them best.

There are plans in place to produce a feeding system from Nl up to higher leagues and to reduce the amount of doubling up/down. Its naive to think that everything can be resolved in one season/AGM but for once there is actually a plan for the future so potentially the sport might have one. 

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One thing I don't quite get is the 3.00 minimum average - and no assessments.

What happens if a rider is under 3.00 and gets injured, thus needing a replacement. Can a 2.47 rider be replaced with a 3.00 rider as 3.00 is the minimum? And as no rider can be assessed at 3.00 do you need to find a rider that is averaging exactly 3.00 to stop going over the limit?

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Not read all of this thread so forgive if it's already been mentioned.

does Buster having financial clout with almost 50% of PL clubs bring about the possibility that some rider wage demands will have to be curbed? He is known for not paying out silly money, so maybe just maybe this might mean riders have to be more realistic. They certainly will have fewer options.

Before  anyone shouts at me, yes riders deserve good money but not at the expense of clubs folding.

 

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23 minutes ago, woodenspoon said:

It is a total joke, can you imagine a team in footballs Premiership, finishing 2nd in the league, and winning the cup, and then  relegating themselves, no wonder speedway and its league structures have no credibility.

Better than going bankrupt and closing down though IMO.The sport is a joke .

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12 minutes ago, Grachan said:

One thing I don't quite get is the 3.00 minimum average - and no assessments.

What happens if a rider is under 3.00 and gets injured, thus needing a replacement. Can a 2.47 rider be replaced with a 3.00 rider as 3.00 is the minimum? And as no rider can be assessed at 3.00 do you need to find a rider that is averaging exactly 3.00 to stop going over the limit?

Assessed averages have always proved problematical and have been open to all sorts of abuse and manipulation down the years.

You raise a very good observation however.

Edited by steve roberts

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The AGM has merely re arranged the deck chairs as the sinking ship goes down.  There’s none so blind as those that cannot see.  That group of so called promoters couldn’t run a Bath.  The whole product and presentation of speedway needs a fundamental makeover.  The sport needs its credibility restoring - guest riders, fiddling averages, raping clubs that fold - it’s an utter joke and I doubt there will be many more AGMs - the sport in the UK is in its death throws - with the loyal dedicated followers in terminal decline and absolutely no plan to recruit a new generation of supporters. This was the final missed opportunity and the future looks bleaker than ever.  Hope I’m wrong but 2 or 3 more seasons and league racing will fold I’m afraid.  

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It all looks a bit of a non event AGM with the main discussions probably focusing on the composition of the Ltd company being formed to run the sport in the UK.

A 42.5 average for the top flight gives a bit of breathing space to develop a team, but if the lower end riders are assessed at at least 3 then that will eat into that flexibility. 

My main concern is a 7 club top flight which to me just isn't enough. Last season at Monmore Green, as Wolves didn't qualify for the play offs, there were only 15 meetings. When I started attending speedway there were regularly over 30 meetings a season. It could be argued that affordability for supporters is helped by having less meetings, but I always thought that the healthy crowds of the good old days was partly because people knew there would be a meeting on every Monday night and planned their time accordingly. Now there can be meetings three weeks running then nothing for the next three weeks. And people get out of the habit of going.

I don't personally have too many concerns about doubling up as long as its clear which club has priority when fixtures clash. The top riders will ride for two or three clubs a season in different countries, why shouldn't lesser riders have the opportunity to increase their income by having more than one track in this country in different leagues.

And I don't think promotion and relegation is something that will ever work in speedway. Teams that get relegated would probably go out of business as attendances would suffer from the lower standard. And promoted teams would probably not have the financial clout to develop a competitive team. So in principle although it would be nice to see, I think its an idea that needs to be put to one side.

 

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30 minutes ago, Grachan said:

One thing I don't quite get is the 3.00 minimum average - and no assessments.

What happens if a rider is under 3.00 and gets injured, thus needing a replacement. Can a 2.47 rider be replaced with a 3.00 rider as 3.00 is the minimum? And as no rider can be assessed at 3.00 do you need to find a rider that is averaging exactly 3.00 to stop going over the limit?

I would think no rider can drop below 3.00? Although where that leaves riders already sub 3 im not sure. Im guessing that with the conversion rate you need to be a 4.50 or above rider in the Championship to be able to move up into the Prem which isn't the worst decision in the world.

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1 hour ago, capone said:

some one probably knows  different...BUT   ...gotta be the only  country  and  or  the only  sport  where its a choice  if you get promoted  or relegated

and not on where you finish in the league,...

Happens in other countries and other sports. Football (Soccer) in America operates the same way for one

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Seeing the team points limit reduced presume admission prices will be likewise reduced

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