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Rob Godfrey interview in Speedway Star

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9 hours ago, Grachan said:

I think tracks like Swindon, Sheffield and King's Lynn are not so well suited to the modern bikes as they were for the old ones.

I remember at Swindon you would get riders lying on the tanks long-track style down the straights and squeezing past riders, but not it seems that a lot of the time everyone just rides on the one, fastest, line.

However Grand Prix and World Cup (RIP?) racing is as good, if not better, than any racing from the past.

I'd say its more down to preparation. 

If a track like Swindon has one line, that's the fault of the curator (although he maybe under orders). 

Size and shape is crucial (that's why the NSS is as good as it is) but its not the be all and end all. 

The way I see it, if Scunthorpe can be good for racing there's no reason why Swindon - and others - can't be. 

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13 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I'd say its more down to preparation. 

If a track like Swindon has one line, that's the fault of the curator (although he maybe under orders). 

Size and shape is crucial (that's why the NSS is as good as it is) but its not the be all and end all. 

The way I see it, if Scunthorpe can be good for racing there's no reason why Swindon - and others - can't be. 

it's a tricky one ...my memories of years gone by at Swindon was that  the track was very deep to start with . These days it's risk free and very slick from the start . There can be no doubt it's been a poor track for quite a while now and not  only that quite dangerous with holes etc ..One of the reasons Nick Morris left  was because of it .

A school of thought might that the lack of money in speedway is also effecting how the tracks are being set up .

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13 minutes ago, orion said:

it's a tricky one ...my memories of years gone by at Swindon was that  the track was very deep to start with . These days it's risk free and very slick from the start . There can be no doubt it's been a poor track for quite a while now and not  only that quite dangerous with holes etc ..One of the reasons Nick Morris left  was because of it .

A school of thought might that the lack of money in speedway is also effecting how the tracks are being set up .

I really believe even in the good old days Swindon could be slick and dusty especially afternoon meeting's.I can remember a England v USA test match being very slick my memory from the late 60s early 70s the track was good and renowned as one of the best tracks in the Country and had dirt on it.Riders like Briggs,Crump, Ashby, Adams  over the years knew you could always pass at the Abbey but i would say since Leigh's last year the demise of the quality of racing has deteriorated badly at the Abbey.I think now possibly with the set up of the bikes now  with more speed and  more unpredictable ( etc) the straights are now to long for that track?  Swindon now has become quite a technical track.

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11 hours ago, The Third Man said:

If the track is prepared correctly, Sheffield can be as good as it has ever been.

I think there is no difference in the standard of racing over the years, 

 

Why aren't  people turning up in their droves  like they used to then ? 

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I love this thread, 6 pages of comments, criticism and downright slagging so far. I'd rather have read 6 pages of solutions to the crisis. Posters are confirming that they have no more idea than the BSPA who at least have tried, if the BSPA had the benefit of hindsight like the rest of us they would have undoubtedly made a better fist of it.

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8 minutes ago, Byker Biker said:

I love this thread, 6 pages of comments, criticism and downright slagging so far. I'd rather have read 6 pages of solutions to the crisis. Posters are confirming that they have no more idea than the BSPA who at least have tried, if the BSPA had the benefit of hindsight like the rest of us they would have undoubtedly made a better fist of it.

There are no solutions .if  you had  read the six pages you would understand most people feel the same .

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6 hours ago, Byker Biker said:

I love this thread, 6 pages of comments, criticism and downright slagging so far. I'd rather have read 6 pages of solutions to the crisis. Posters are confirming that they have no more idea than the BSPA who at least have tried, if the BSPA had the benefit of hindsight like the rest of us they would have undoubtedly made a better fist of it.

Most of us just feel frustrated because we know just how good the sport can be.And let's be honest Biker is there any evidence to suggest the two frontman of British speedway listened to  anyone  anyway.

Edited by Sidney the robin

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if the BSPA pay set rates when paying part of debts, why can't ALL clubs use those same set rates to run? 

that way clubs can more or less keep to budget allowing for home and away results.

if clubs are found to go over the rates then there's a penalty, whether it be league points or position.

also riders know that others aren't getting more than them (on a points basis) and might do away with some animosity in the pits.

and if a club closes owing riders, they won't be out of pocket because the BSPA will pay that set rate.

individual sponsors can make up any shortfall for riders, and if the riders still can't get what they want then maybe the UK isn't for them in a time when ALL clubs need to be stable financially.

Edited by stevehone

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8 hours ago, mikebv said:

The benefit of hindsight? 

Really?

Do you really need hindsight to see that spending vast amounts more than you are bringing in, and racing on nights dictated to by your employees, rather than for the benefit of your customers, is anything other than a ludicrous business plan?..

Do you really need hindsight to see that trying to run a bona fide Sporting Championship, whilst sharing competitors with your rivals on an adhoc basis, is laughable and brings zero credibility to the very competition you are spending ridiculous sums trying to win?

Do you really need hindsight to see that you have, annually, lost thousands of fans due to your operating model and business plan and replaced them with very, very few new fans?

I would suggest anyone who didn't spot the current shambles being the obvious conclusion of their actions, must have very, very poor vision indeed, and not having hindsight is the least of their worries...

 

Until the sport is one business there will never be a common business plan, each club has differing levels of investment/expense/needs so the model for say Belle Vue will not fit Stoke and vice versa. A former Promoter who was losing a 6 figure some each season told me he wouldn't miss it yet by the same token a club that lost £40k over 3 seasons at the same time couldn't continue and chose to race in the NL. Such a huge disparity in financial resource will never bring the agendas together and there is always somebody who will run off to their legal counsel and threaten the members with "this is a cartel of businesses making rules and agreements to threaten my trade" which if proven has unlimited fines in law. (Coventry and Peterborough anyone).

The point I am making is that it is clear from all the comments on all the threads that all the members of this forum and all the members of the BSPA are in the same situation, they haven't a solution not withstanding the BSPA are beaten at every turn. I agree wholeheartedly with the nature of many of the criticisms and i don't agree with Rob's bull headed approach to most matters but his answers to the questions that were published clearly demonstrates an understanding of the mess even if he is trying to shut the door after the horse has bolted. What he has done in response to many of the critics is acknowledge the situation in stark contrast to the "everything in the garden is rosy" statements from the past that the BSPA has been vilified for by many or the same who are criticising now, but I respect your comments and response, thank you.

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15 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

It certainly isn't at King's Lynn where I have been so turned off by the poor quality of racing over the last three seasons ( except for Robert Lambert - the only rider to make me want to go and watch there ) that I am unlikely to attend, on other than the odd occasion in 2019. Gate and Go, all over by half way round the first lap, Riders chasing ( with little hope of or interest in catching the man in front - processional mostly ).  And I have watched at Saddlebow Rd every year since it opened ) For me the racing in recent years is not a patch on what was on offer 10 - 40 years ago.

The track surface has changed a great deal the past few years at Kings Lynn, it used to be so grippy that plenty of decent riders really struggled to get turned. But those riders who could deal with it had lots of passing lines. It's a lot looser now and I think that is why the racing isn't as good. Whether the change is due to the track man, the shale available and/or the cost I have no idea but it's most definitely different.

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3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Most of us just feel frustrated because we know just how good the sport can be.And let's be honest Biker is there any evidence to suggest the two frontman of British speedway listened to  anyone  anyway.

IT is very easy to lay the blame at the door of Chapman or Godfrey alone. They are part of an organisation and do not have autonomy. Other promoters have an equal vote at the AGM or other meetings so what we have now is a collective decision not what either Chapman or Godfrey decided on their own. 

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1 hour ago, PHILIPRISING said:

IT is very easy to lay the blame at the door of Chapman or Godfrey alone. They are part of an organisation and do not have autonomy. Other promoters have an equal vote at the AGM or other meetings so what we have now is a collective decision not what either Chapman or Godfrey decided on their own. 

I agree but why is speedway so different to other industries ( ie) not listening to the paying customer.? Alot of fans want different things so i know it is not a simple thing to address.But there are a few things in recent years that could of been changed that supporters wanted and would not of cost any money yet nothing changed.( 3 examples) 1.     7.30 start means a 7.30 start meeting to go through promptly.    2.If a rider does not touch the tapes referee made to release the tapes no call backs.     3. Kids get to see the riders before the start and mingle with them hopefully persuading them to be the next generation to replace the oldies.

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27 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I agree but why is speedway so different to other industries ( ie) not listening to the paying customer.? Alot of fans want different things so i know it is not a simple thing to address.But there are a few things in recent years that could of been changed that supporters wanted and would not of cost any money yet nothing changed.( 3 examples) 1.     7.30 start means a 7.30 start meeting to go through promptly.    2.If a rider does not touch the tapes referee made to release the tapes no call backs.     3. Kids get to see the riders before the start and mingle with them hopefully persuading them to be the next generation to replace the oldies.

Sidney, you are much too revolutionary - such ideas as even contemplating taking up fans ideas ( even the inexpensive or free ones ). And we now know from Philip Rising that Chapman and Godfrey are really only "good old boys" deciding things with their speedway business pals. They are not to blame ( even after promising before they came to positions of "power" they could orchestrate a return to the glory days with their sound ideas ). Ah well, that did sound too good to be true. Only when the UK sport is prostrate ( having fallen from it's knees ) will they try one big league as many fans have proposed before Chapman & Godfrey were other than "rebel" voices inside the BSPA. Some do like to claim that no-one is too blame. Perhaps poltergeists in old stadiums? 

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5 hours ago, stevehone said:

if the BSPA pay set rates when paying part of debts, why can't ALL clubs use those same set rates to run? 

that way clubs can more or less keep to budget allowing for home and away results.

if clubs are found to go over the rates then there's a penalty, whether it be league points or position.

also riders know that others aren't getting more than them (on a points basis) and might do away with some animosity in the pits.

and if a club closes owing riders, they won't be out of pocket because the BSPA will pay that set rate.

individual sponsors can make up any shortfall for riders, and if the riders still can't get what they want then maybe the UK isn't for them in a time when ALL clubs need to be stable financially.

Steve this will never work.. it's all to simple! set pay rates for each league, teams choose the league they can afford to pay the set pay rates, riders choose which league they want to race in. If a teams top rider scores 15 points & a lesser rider scores 5 points the the top rider will earn 3 times the points money of the lesser rider all to simple. You would also expect top riders & popular riders to pick up extra sponsorship both locally & nationally. Why should riders in the same team (excluding reserves races) be on different rates? All riders should be paid on the night by the HOME TEAM......Like I said all to simple so will never happen,,,,,,,,  P.S. Happy Snappen..

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