Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Sign in to follow this  
ruckerroo

Strongest second tier ever?

Recommended Posts

Just now, allthegearbutnaeidea said:

Bring back the early 2000’s era

Create a new modern era..

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Without a doubt the Polish restrictions on how many countries you can compete in and the money they can pay the riders has had an impact on British Speedway. It would be interesting to see how many riders would come back to the Premiership if Poland lifted their restrictions.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Owenbros said:

Without a doubt the Polish restrictions on how many countries you can compete in and the money they can pay the riders has had an impact on British Speedway. It would be interesting to see how many riders would come back to the Premiership if Poland lifted their restrictions.

 

Poland only imposed these restrictions this season. Speedway in the UK has been dying a slow painful death for years. Nothing to do with the Polish restrictions in my opinion, all to do with mainly greedy promotions ripping off the punters over a period of years. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, emilali said:

Poland only imposed these restrictions this season. Speedway in the UK has been dying a slow painful death for years. Nothing to do with the Polish restrictions in my opinion, all to do with mainly greedy promotions ripping off the punters over a period of years. 

I think the reality lies somewhere in the middle...

When riders can only ride in their own country, (due to the rules imposed to get a licence), Poland, and one other, it will make it difficult...

As all the riders that this will apply to are the "second and third level" riders rather than the top ones who can only ride in one league outside Poland, (with only Dan Bewley and Jack Holder the only ones choosing the UK), it means exactly the calibre of rider needed (and equally the ones who are affordable), are the ones that the UK are missing out on....

Many Swedes will choose Denmark as their third league, and vice versa, with many of the Northern European riders of France and Germany also doing the same...

There is no doubt though that even with the issues that exist out of their control, much of the current malaise is very much self inflicted....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
24 minutes ago, emilali said:

Poland only imposed these restrictions this season. Speedway in the UK has been dying a slow painful death for years. Nothing to do with the Polish restrictions in my opinion, all to do with mainly greedy promotions ripping off the punters over a period of years. 

Agree,the best riders were long gone before any Polish restrictions.We have just not responded and took measures to improve our product.Just expecting the punters to roll up.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Agree,the best riders were long gone before any Polish restrictions.We have just not responded and took measures to improve our product.Just expecting the punters to roll up.

100%. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
31 minutes ago, mikebv said:

I think the reality lies somewhere in the middle...

When riders can only ride in their own country, (due to the rules imposed to get a licence), Poland, and one other, it will make it difficult...

As all the riders that this will apply to are the "second and third level" riders rather than the top ones who can only ride in one league outside Poland, (with only Dan Bewley and Jack Holder the only ones choosing the UK), it means exactly the calibre of rider needed (and equally the ones who are affordable), are the ones that the UK are missing out on....

Many Swedes will choose Denmark as their third league, and vice versa, with many of the Northern European riders of France and Germany also doing the same...

There is no doubt though that even with the issues that exist out of their control, much of the current malaise is very much self inflicted....

I agree with the basis of what you are saying, however, as I said above the whole being limited to a certain amount of leagues has only came about this season. The top riders haven’t ridden over here for quite a number of years now so surely you have to ask why that was. Again, I think the fault lays firmly at the door of the numerous cowboy promotions we’ve seen here over the last 20 years.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 minutes ago, emilali said:

I agree with the basis of what you are saying, however, as I said above the whole being limited to a certain amount of leagues has only came about this season. The top riders haven’t ridden over here for quite a number of years now so surely you have to ask why that was. Again, I think the fault lays firmly at the door of the numerous cowboy promotions we’ve seen here over the last 20 years.

The main reasons the top guys no longer ride over here are several fold I would say...

The Sky money, which went a long way in paying the No1 dried up...

And Poland started paying multi hundred thousand euro contracts which meant riders could put their feet up for most of every week and not be required to spend hours at airports and in hotels flying back and too to the UK..

And then the GP's extended in number, and the SEC became worth taking part in, meaning that riders could have most of the week to prepare for them (after they had rode in Sweden on the Tuesday).. And, given there isn't a huge amount of prize money in the GP or SEC, you can only presume that the worldwide coverage provides their sponsors with enough of a profile to keep pumping in money to the riders...

I am not sure Promoters are 'cowboys' to be honest, but more likely just not capable of running the sport..

eg When they should have cut adrift the GP riders and made their own destiny, they instead changed race nights, moved around fixtures ad  nauseum to accomodate them, and ran Guestfest after Guestfest without them when eventtally they simply had to run to fit meetings in..

Crowds were dwindling whilst the top stars were here so to keep paying out massive money to them was pure folly....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I feel this year has been the strongest season for a few years. Stronger than 20 years ago….. probably not using Glasgow again for e.g in 2002 finishing bottom (I think), with a top 3 of Stancl Grieves and Powell.

Do also agree with the comment about it being the most expensive.

 

Edited by Robinh88

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
25 minutes ago, mikebv said:

The main reasons the top guys no longer ride over here are several fold I would say...

The Sky money, which went a long way in paying the No1 dried up...

And Poland started paying multi hundred thousand euro contracts which meant riders could put their feet up for most of every week and not be required to spend hours at airports and in hotels flying back and too to the UK..

And then the GP's extended in number, and the SEC became worth taking part in, meaning that riders could have most of the week to prepare for them (after they had rode in Sweden on the Tuesday).. And, given there isn't a huge amount of prize money in the GP or SEC, you can only presume that the worldwide coverage provides their sponsors with enough of a profile to keep pumping in money to the riders...

I am not sure Promoters are 'cowboys' to be honest, but more likely just not capable of running the sport..

eg When they should have cut adrift the GP riders and made their own destiny, they instead changed race nights, moved around fixtures ad  nauseum to accomodate them, and ran Guestfest after Guestfest without them when eventtally they simply had to run to fit meetings in..

Crowds were dwindling whilst the top stars were here so to keep paying out massive money to them was pure folly....

100% regarding the GP  riders.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It’s pretty clear that the gap between the first & second tier of British speedway is as close as it has ever been. And to state the blindingly obvious this is hardly surprising given the number of riders who ride in both leagues. 
For some time pure economics have dictated the sport needs clear differentiation between professional, semi professional & amateur yet those in charge have thus far failed to act accordingly. 
British speedway simply cannot afford the GP type/level of rider & frankly it’s not important enough for that to be anything to be concerned about. The far more reaching & relevant questions are, what can uk speedway afford and how many riders would be available to support a three tier system?
Although not using an exact science, judging by the numbers & caliber of riders currently racing in the UK it looks like 8 teams could run professionally offering a minimum of two meetings per week 6teams operating on a semi professional basis on one or two meetings per week. 
the assumption being no doubling up/down except where a pro team needs a guest to cover for injury which would come from the semi pro ranks. Similarly this would apply to amateurs coming into semi pro teams. 
Whilst this basic restart would fundamentally address the current rider availability & economical viability given that such changes would impact on most current thinking by today’s promoters it’s nigh on certain the only thing that will change next season will be the team points limits & thereby ensuring the disease eating away at British speedway continues unabated. - scandalous!!

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Think the tirle "premiership" is a misnomer seeing as so many teams top riders are the same in both leagues!!  Makes me wonder why a rider can justorfy being paid more in the "premiership2 than in the Championship. The heat leaders in particular race againsteh same riders in both leagues. What other reason is the "premiership" a more expensve league to operate in ? Or are we all be taken for mugs (again)

Wonder what the post covid plan of the BSPL looks like for 2022 ? More rising stars ? lower team CMA's ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, 1 valve said:

It’s pretty clear that the gap between the first & second tier of British speedway is as close as it has ever been. And to state the blindingly obvious this is hardly surprising given the number of riders who ride in both leagues. 
For some time pure economics have dictated the sport needs clear differentiation between professional, semi professional & amateur yet those in charge have thus far failed to act accordingly. 
British speedway simply cannot afford the GP type/level of rider & frankly it’s not important enough for that to be anything to be concerned about. The far more reaching & relevant questions are, what can uk speedway afford and how many riders would be available to support a three tier system?
Although not using an exact science, judging by the numbers & caliber of riders currently racing in the UK it looks like 8 teams could run professionally offering a minimum of two meetings per week 6teams operating on a semi professional basis on one or two meetings per week. 
the assumption being no doubling up/down except where a pro team needs a guest to cover for injury which would come from the semi pro ranks. Similarly this would apply to amateurs coming into semi pro teams. 
Whilst this basic restart would fundamentally address the current rider availability & economical viability given that such changes would impact on most current thinking by today’s promoters it’s nigh on certain the only thing that will change next season will be the team points limits & thereby ensuring the disease eating away at British speedway continues unabated. - scandalous!!

 

Self interest means change will be highly unlikely. The NDL will probably end up as a 6 heat second half event, which will die a slow death.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For me the strongest second tier was the old National League up until it was broken up to save the top flight during the winter of 90/91.

All those riders only rode in that one league & you had the benefit of a fully functioning junior League to keep the reserves on their toes.

It was also a professionally ran league to ie no guests.....in fact probably Everything speedway needs today.

The overall strength of UK speedway was stronger then too. The British championship had quarter finals in the qualifying process due to the number riders.

Oh happy days!

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can’t agree the 2nd division is a lot weaker than a few years ago.The Somerset team of 2016 wouldn’t be out of place in the current top tier:

Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate, Charles Wright, Jake Allen, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Paul Starke, Zach Wajtknexht 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy