TonyMac 720 Posted February 12, 2019 13 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. Well, as I suggested, IMMEDIATELY reducing team numbers from seven to six would be a good place to start to address the chronic rider shortage, so there's one short-term way of easing a major problem. No riders worthy of a team place would be out of work - not for long anyway. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted February 12, 2019 14 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. The difference between the promoters and the fans is that they have all the information available at their fingertips to come up with a solution, whereas the fans have nothing. Share profit and loss, attendances, wages costs and so on with the fans and we can come up with a detailed, costed model for British speedway. Until then, fans are merely shooting in the dark. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, waytogo28 said: 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? All i really wanted waytogo28 was the three thing's i mentioned, and getting a structure in place that give us a continual string of fixtures with at least 20 home fixtures.For me one of the problems speedway has is the fixture list is sparse and when fans get used to not going and do other activities it is very hard for the sport to entice some fans back. Edited February 12, 2019 by Sidney the robin 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Speedtiger 327 Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) 5 hours 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. Agreed, of course the BSPA/Promoters, past and present, are ultimately responsible and to blame for the mess...and are paying a heavy price for their compliancy...BUT I feel your view, albeit technically correct, is rather protecting the guilty. Chairman Chapman and VC Godfrey are culpable as they are the two who should be driving the sport forward...BUT sadly they are driving speedway off a cliff. The BSPA administration of speedway is top down management and Chapman, in particular, is responsible for more than his fair share of catastrophic (engines to name but one) blunders. He is clearly a megalomaniac with the attention span and acumen of a goldfish along with Godfrey, his equally 'not so bright' sidekick. It is a fact that badly managed businesses eventually go bankrupted and the clueless twosome have disastrously presided over the speedways biggest decline for years and that has now seen the sport to be financially unsustainable with Clubs disastrously going bust each year, Clubs consistently loosing 6 figures sums per season, more Clubs (than is made public) are up for sale with zero chance of attracting a buyer...even Poole, arguably the most successful club in recent history, can not find a buyer. Seeing the crumbling state of speedway it is understandable that many promoters want to jump ship...as sadly the time to 'sort this mess out' lifeboat has sailed long-ago. Edited February 12, 2019 by Speedtiger 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,257 Posted February 12, 2019 10 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. Stop it! Stop it now!... We will have none of that common sense talk on here... The BSPA also pay set rates out for their shared events.. Again, why are those rates OK to be paid then but that rate times several fold is paid for a League meeting? A strange conundrum... One day the rider is worth 'x', the next the same rider is worth 'y'... For doing the same thing under the same organisation.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,257 Posted February 12, 2019 5 hours ago, tmc said: Well, as I suggested, IMMEDIATELY reducing team numbers from seven to six would be a good place to start to address the chronic rider shortage, so there's one short-term way of easing a major problem. No riders worthy of a team place would be out of work - not for long anyway. Spot on.. A shortage of riders? Then create less team places.. It isn't difficult to change supply and demand dynamics.. I would have gone as far as running with five man teams for this year to turn the 'tanker' around, and try and get 12 teams involved.. Home and Away twice (44 matches, 22 at Home).. At a Championship level standard (from last year)) but removing one heat leader and one second string from last seasons teams.. With One reserve, at least, a two point Brit 'junior'.. The rest of the teams could have run at NL level.. Plenty of replacements generated for injuries and loss of form, just like 'proper' sports have. (Without rivals sharing competitors)! £5k Max per team per night salary cap... Maybe no superstars but credibility and affordable? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Third Man 2,214 Posted February 12, 2019 19 hours ago, iwright71 said: Why aren't people turning up in their droves like they used to then ? No idea, but I don't think its the standard of racing, I cant see a major difference between now and 50 years ago Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Weasel 306 Posted February 12, 2019 5 hours ago, tmc said: Well, as I suggested, IMMEDIATELY reducing team numbers from seven to six would be a good place to start to address the chronic rider shortage, so there's one short-term way of easing a major problem. No riders worthy of a team place would be out of work - not for long anyway. It'll upset a few on here but we actually need less teams, too many can't afford to race at any sort of reasonable level and the sport cannot move forward whilst it panders to these clubs, you are only as strong as your weakest link. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iwright71 206 Posted February 12, 2019 13 minutes ago, The Third Man said: No idea, but I don't think its the standard of racing, I cant see a major difference between now and 50 years ago It seems we have a brilliant product that nobody wants to pay to watch. The mystery deepens 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) 20 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. While this thread maybe full of aggression, the forum as a whole is packed with ideas from long standing, thinking and committed fans about how to improve the sport. Some are ridiculous, some are unworkable and some require the injection of unfeasibly huge amounts of cash. Some, however, might just be worth a try. Problem is, with the exception of Barry Bishop, Neil Watson, Jayne Moss & Laurence Rogers not one single promoter or team manager engages with fans on this forum. Indeed, most of them treat it with utter contempt and even loathing. I should point out that Barry attracts 4 likes for every post he makes, a truly remarkable reflection of just how much his contribution is valued. Even if paying customers make constructive comment or suggestion, then, they aren't even read. Its also indicative of just how those who run the sport view the fan who pays every week. The number of accounts of the quite dreadful way paying customers are treated is damning - I know, I have had some of that. I'd say that much of the vilification is deserved. For me, the worst is the cheating, one-upmanship and culture of favours and corruption at the heart of the sport that leaves fans totally disillusioned. Its a bit of a long shot to say that without the decision to prevent Workington riding on Fridays last season the Comets might have survived - a decision motivated by the most appalling self interest - but it certainly didn't do them any favours. I could probably name half a dozen occasions when rulings have been made that were completely contrary to the rules of the sport at the behest of one promoter or another. The BSPA can legitimately blame the weather, landlords, riders, the press and heaven knows who else for the problems that the sport faces. But they can't get away from that one and I don't think the damage it has done can be overestimated. Edited February 12, 2019 by Halifaxtiger 14 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,958 Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) As ever Halifax makes some very good points One thing comes to mind.Going back to 2004 or 2005,we had fans criticising things going on.They were getting posts on here telling them it was the Promoters who were putting in the money and because of that were above criticism and those criticising should put substantial amounts into the sport and then maybe they would have a different opinion.Even worse,they were told by certain Promoters to bugger off More than a decade later,many fans have done........ You have to engage with fans,no matter how hard it might seem.You have to try and explain your position even if some won' accept the answer.You have to fight like a champion to make your business successful,because all of your competitors,whoever they may be,will take advantage if you don't.Telling fans to p off or ban them from forums isn't the way forward Edited February 12, 2019 by iris123 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted February 12, 2019 53 minutes ago, iwright71 said: It seems we have a brilliant product that nobody wants to pay to watch. The mystery deepens It's not the racing.. it's all about perception. Formula One is awful racing.. but look at the popularity and the glamour. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,089 Posted February 12, 2019 56 minutes ago, The Weasel said: It'll upset a few on here but we actually need less teams, too many can't afford to race at any sort of reasonable level and the sport cannot move forward whilst it panders to these clubs, you are only as strong as your weakest link. You're not upsetting me, but I just don't agree. One of the reasons that British speedway has gone stale - or at least, the paying public feels it has gone stale - is a lack of variety. Being in a league with just eight or ten teams - and the same handful of riders - leads to tedium when you are watching them five or six times a year. Back when we had eighteen or nineteen teams, you only got to see most teams just the once - maybe twice if you met them in the cup; that gave us something to look forward to, even if you hated Mauger, Olsen or whoever! Sure, at Plough Lane, we saw Hackney three or four times, but as our arch-enemies, that was okay. We had variety of formats, with best pairs, four team tournaments, individual events, and even three-team tournaments. As far as individual events, most tracks would have at least two, and you tended to get pretty different line-ups for each. There was also a variety of track sizes, shapes, and surfaces (and banking). They didn't always provide the closest meetings (like Wimbledon against Halifax, or Crayford against Exeter), but you got to see some of the lesser lights shining because they were more of a small-track or large-track rider. That's why we at Wimbledon always looked forward to seeing new Americans; even if they weren't THAT good, they usually were when they visited South London! Steve 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted February 12, 2019 Chunky makes a good point. The other major aspect of a bigger league is it simply creates more 'stars'. The bigger the league, the more heat leaders there are and the less often you see the top riders in the league beaten.. which adds to their 'mystique' and makes you want to see them when they visit. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, BWitcher said: Chunky makes a good point. The other major aspect of a bigger league is it simply creates more 'stars'. The bigger the league, the more heat leaders there are and the less often you see the top riders in the league beaten.. which adds to their 'mystique' and makes you want to see them when they visit. I actually think now apart from Doyle /Lambert if you had a bigger league and more teams the riders now are quite evenly matched.Therefore there would be different results in alot of heats that is why people now believe the one big league should be tried again now the level between the first and second tiers are closer than it has ever been. Look at it whatever way you want to but my instinct tells me that Fundin,Craven, Briggs, Mauger, Olsen,Michanek,Nielsen,Lee,Collins,Gundersen, Ricko, Jason.etc) would be top stars in any era and in whatever format. Edited February 12, 2019 by Sidney the robin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites