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Falcon1983

Should we scrap Team Speedway?

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I've been thinking about this for a while, team speedway is not really a viable option at the moment in terms of riders doubling up etc across 2 or 3 divisions.

I understand they are trying to do away with it over 5 years and that there are a crop of youngsters whom in 5 years time may be able to boost numbers.

However, what state will the sport be in when 5 years is up, will there be a sport left?

Personally i think team speedway is already on it's way out, it's only the fans whom cling on to team speedway purely as they have already built a relationship and affection with their chosen club.

I think individual speedway is the way forward for the Sport perhaps not the way forward for clubs.

I can see there being perhaps 4 divisions of 16 riders call it a Premier League, Division One, Division Two and Three

Potentially ran to the same format as the speedway grand prix, with a broadcaster like Sky TV doing something big with the main league where the prize money can be something quite attractive to riders.

Run from April - August covering 10 championship rounds, with some form of promotion/relegation bottom 4 riders in the premiership going down top 4 from Division One going up etc. All the way down to Division 3

Rounds ran on Friday, Saturday or Sundays to boost attendances 

Just for fun, which 16 would be in your premiership? Mine would be

1. Jason Doyle

2. Max Fricke

3. Troy Batchelor

4. Robert Lambert

5. Craig Cook

6. Kenneth Bjerre

7. Rory Schlein

8. Jacob Thorsell

9. Brady Kurtz

10. Jack Holder

11. Hans Andersen

12. Chris Harris

13. Danny King

14. Scott Nicholls

15. Richard Lawson

16. Dan Bewley

 

Ten Rounds at

Belle Vue

Swindon

Glasgow

Ipswich

Olympic Stadium 

Sheffield

Poole

Kings Lynn

Birmingham 

Peterborough 

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10 minutes ago, Falcon1983 said:

I think individual speedway is the way forward for the Sport perhaps not the way forward for clubs.

Yes, go for it. Will make my decision so much easier.

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6 hours ago, ray c said:

that's me out then

And many others, I suspect.

Individual meetings have their place during the course of the season, but team speedway is what's it all about.

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Is it April 1st already ? 

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So the tracks open for how many meetings a season ?  :rofl: 4 times, one for each ‘League’ ?

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There is not enough racing in any of the leagues. Lots of high-speed processions which are a turn off for most people. Whether team or individual racing it must be giving the opportunity to work out how best to use a variety of lines to carry out or make a good effort at passing.

Edited by waytogo28
correction

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1 hour ago, StoneTheCrows said:

.

Individual meetings have their place during the course of the season,

NOT sure that is even true any more. Plenty of vacant dates for any track to stage an individual meeting but none do because they know it will lose money.

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1 minute ago, PHILIPRISING said:

NOT sure that is even true any more. Plenty of vacant dates for any track to stage an individual meeting but none do because they know it will lose money.

Is that because promoters have lost the skill of promoting the product to would be sponsors. Years back many tracks staged individual meetings with local companies putting up prize money. However I think it is impossible to get it right, some fans want to watch a format of league racing only which is almost unsustainable from a financial perspective with allegedly insufficient riders to fill team places. To fill the teams you need a cross section of skills because of rider shortage but many moan about the NL quality riders and all they want to watch is fully fledged riders in their team but do not have the patience to support those riders who need to hone their skills and learn track craft. I believe you either have a mix of meetings or go back to the 13 lap format and a second half open to reserves and second strings. What I don’t understand is that most will watch a GP or European championship meeting but not an individual meeting at your local track, they may not be GP riders but the quality of racing is just as good.

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8 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

There is not enough racing in any of the leagues. Lots of high-speed processions which are a turn off for most people. Whether team or individual racing it must be giving the opportunity to work out how best to use a variety of lines to carry out or make a good effort at passing.

Well after a rocky gate and go start at Chapman's EoES circuit where a fast time seemed to be the indicator of quality, things have settled down and the last three meetings have produced some of the best racing you'll see anywhere. The only bit that affects us is not enough racing but that's pretty standard for us over the last 15 years.

Individuals outside of the GP don't interest me and without significant finance to focus rider's minds (which speedway doesn't have and would only use unwisely if it did) then a cheapo GP inspired format would be doomed to failure IMO.

Edited by Crump99
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Killing off team speedway would axe another 3rd of all supporters. Yea good idea. :nono:

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Stop team speedway and that's me done with the sport.

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It will scrap itself...

Those who say they wouldn't go if team speedway was scrapped surely cannot take what they watch now (masquerading as a team sport), seriously can they?

The sport should just try and sell the spectacle in whatever guise it can do credibly..

If it can do Team Speedway 'properly', then go for it, if it can't then try something else to get the punters interested..

I went to the Colts v Kent meeting in Thursday and I would say the crowd was around 400, yet hardly any of them were under the age of 18...

And it is completely free for them...

Yet the crowd was made up of literally hundreds of Mum's, Dad's, Grans, Grandads, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters etc etc with relatives under 18 years of age

Yet they cannot seem to get these relatives to come along..

The racing is great at the NSS, therefore is it the concept that doesn't interest the younger generation? 

My lad watches with pretty much zero affinity to the Aces or Colts, as even at 16 he finds the rules used ridiculous, but loves watching Speedway both live and on TV..

Presume there must be similar of the younger generation out there who would follow the 'sport' if ran from 'event to event' but not necessarily bother about following a team?

If even free entry doesn't get them in to watch 'their team' then maybe it is time to try something else..?

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The tracks that are able to stage other events etc could put on other types of meetings such as perhaps the likes of Ipswich, Lynn, Boro and Mildenhall staging their own mini series of the Star of East Anglia.

Obviously what I am saying is that perhaps someone like Sky Sports and a branded sponsor can make a 10 round series work financially for riders, let's be honest here also the "Super 16" in what would be the top flight many get income from riding in other countries.

If promoted well you could get 4,000 to 5000 spectators at Foxhall alone for one round, I know alot of speedway supporters are over a certain age where routine is everything and team speedway means everything but this is my point, team speedway only means it to fans, it doesn't mean it to riders

Go back years where there were genuine rivalries between clubs, fans and riders, now in a fans head rivalries still exist however for clubs and riders they do not..

 

Riders due to doubling up and social media are all mates, how do you feel when your team in the championship tweet that Rory Schlein scored 9 points tonight for Wolverhampton (as an example) why would YOUR club tweet about your rider scoring points for another team? Because he is not your rider is he, that's not a team sport

Then how much team riding is there anyway in this gate and go, win at all costs no matter where your team mate is because winning maximises my own income.

Personally I'm one who prefers individual meetings and can see speedway has no way of coming back from where it is now despite how many times the BSPA gloss over it every season 

 

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