[TwoMinuteWarning]

From Sussex local press ...

Season could be cut in half unless Sky answer SOS
10:00am Friday 13th February 2009

By Brian Owen »

Eastbourne Eagles chief Bob Dugard has revealed how top-flight speedway clubs could cut their league fixture lists in half if they fail to improve their TV deal in the next few days.

Elite League tracks are ready to scrap the second half of the 2009 campaign if Sky Sports do not offer them a helping hand through the recession.

Clubs believe they can maximise gate revenue and minimise costs by only racing each other twice in the coming season, once at home and once away, rather than the usual four times.

Now promoters have asked Sky Sports, who screen league speedway live on Monday evenings, to allow them to stage TV meetings on their usual race nights, which is Saturday in Eastbourne’s case.

If that is not possible, promoters will call on Sky to compensate not only the clubs who have to move meetings to Mondays but also those tracks for whom Monday is the preferred race night and who therefore have to go up against live speedway on TV.

Sky bosses are considering their position but, if they cannot help, clubs are ready to take drastic action.

At the moment, each team races an A and B set of fixtures, the letter referring to whether it is the first or second time they have met at each track that season.

The contingency plan is to scrap the B fixtures in 2009.

That would mean just eight home league fixtures for each team, plus at least one Knockout Cup tie and, hopefully, play-off action for fans to enjoy next term.

As cup holders, Eastbourne will have an early-season home meeting in the Elite Shield, the equivalent of football’s Community Shield.

The Dean Barker Farewell, on March 15, and the EL Pairs, on August 8, will also take place at Arlington.

Eagles lost about £30,000 last season but other tracks fared worse.

Now Dugard has broken his silence on what has been going on in meetings behind the scenes recently and revealed to The Argus: “We have asked Sky to revisit our deal with them.

“It costs money to race on another night. At Eastbourne, it costs us at least £10,000 per meeting in lost gate revenue when we switch from Saturday to Monday for TV.

“Sky have gone away to think about our proposals but we need a quick decision.

“I’ve got 62 flights to arrange for riders and I want to do it soon to get more competitive fares.

“I’m also sitting on 12,000 flyers to send out through the Eastbourne Tourist Board so we need to know how the season will work.

“We are falling behind with our pre-season stuff.

“There is a meeting next Tuesday between promoters when this will all be settled.”

The BSPA have already released a full set of Elite League fixtures for 2009 which have been published in various quarters, including the popular Speedway Star magazine.

Dugard, however, has always been reluctant to give The Argus a fixture list when asked, warning it could change drastically.

He also advised us against printing the schedule put out by the BSPA. The furthest Eagles are going for now is a draft fixture list, which has been on the club’s own website for some time.

Dugard said: “There are five tracks that could not race a full season this year without further funds from Sky. If we don’t get the money we would probably just race the A fixtures and we would need to refund some season ticket money.

“The biggest fear is some tracks would start the season and not finish it.

“More people will come to meetings if there are fewer of them.

“I already think people are fed up with us racing teams twice at home and twice away in the league. You see the same riders too often.

“My personal preference for Eastbourne is to have the A fixtures only plus some other form of competition.

“If we had about 14 fixtures that could suit us and the riders because they have a crowded fixture list although it would make it very difficult for riders who only compete in Britain.”

Whatever happens, it appears unlikely Eagles will stage a meeting on the eve of the British Grand Prix.

They were listed by the BSPA to host Swindon on Friday, June 26, but Dugard is convinced there will be no racing at Eastbourne that night.

[wjm]

He really is a dick

[Son of Shaleman]

No B matches will leave a big hole in the fixture list. The idea/hope of having weekly speedway will further disappear from view for the Elite League supporter.

It will mean even longer gaps in the fixture list could arise. On the other hand, it should be easier to market the fixtures. Under the present system of A and B fixtures EL tracks have seen some team four or five teams in a season. A change to one fixture should make that match more attractive to fans - it will be a case of miss it and you'll miss out.

However, the fact that the promoters are considering such a drastic move shows how much they fear plunging attendances due to the recession.

It doesn't bode well for the EL only riders - they are certainly going to be semi-professional. Nor will it offer much of a window for those riders giving the EL a miss. Looks as if there will be few opportunities for them to get back into British action if their continental activites do not pay off.

The other thing to remember is that this a world recession - so it is likely speedway in Poland, Sweden and Russia may also be hit.

[Hazzman]

As someone predicted on here, all is not well between SKY and the BSPA.

[orion]

In other words if we don't get any more money from sky we are going to take our ball home no guessing who the five are no doubt John cook is behind this .

[Rob B]

This has been brewing with SKY for a while but all this should have been sorted back in November, well before the fixture lists were released.

[KevtheRev]

In other words if we don't get any more money from sky we are going to take our ball home no guessing who the five are no doubt John cook is behind this .

The above confirms dugard is an idiot, don't join him with stupid comments about Cookie.

[orion]

The above confirms dugard is an idiot, don't join him with stupid comments about Cookie.

Well there 5 idiots then ....your saying cookie not one of those 5 ?

[sussex bulldog]

Are you saying that if you were the promoter you would happily lose larger sums of money each year ?

I think not.

If the promoters were happy to keep losing large sums I think calling them dicks might be more appropriate.

Incidentally the full text of the article can be found here http://www.whereeaglesdaretofly.com

[foreverblue]

Do we believe everything Dugard says.After the Kennett fiasco i dont think we can.what about fans who have bought season tickets and why tell the press,i am sure sky will be well impressed t v deals are being discussed in the argus.

[BWitcher]

Do we believe everything Dugard says.After the Kennett fiasco i dont think we can.what about fans who have bought season tickets and why tell the press,i am sure sky will be well impressed t v deals are being discussed in the argus.

Correct. Blurting details to the press will not impress Sky.

Do Sky need speedway? No.

Does EL speedway need Sky? It seems the answer now is yes.

All of this boils down to the ineptitude of Terry Russell when he negotiated the TV agreement.

[Rob B]

All of this boils down to the ineptitude of Terry Russell when he negotiated the TV agreement.

Exactly

[21st century heathen]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!! Surely British Speedway must have shot its foot off completely by now?! What makes Mr Dugard think that Sky are suddenly going offer three times the current deal? I can see Sky walking away from league action at this rate. They've largely been interested in just the GP riders anyway, and most of them are missing now. Adams is not likely to keep riding in Britain long term now so that will only leave Harris and Lindgren and they may not qualify for '10.

[7oakseagle]

I don't think ineptitude would be the word I would use, but yes the original deal was fundamentally flawed, unless of course you are the one taking a cut of the dosh.
As for Bob being a 'dick', well it is another example of him perhaps being too available to speak to the press. Again, this is not a decision taken unilaterally by Eastbourne but is a result of a meeting of the BSPA....all of them!
Ever heard the expresiion 'dont shoot the messenger'.

[21st century heathen]

Ever heard "Don't wash your dirty laundry in public"?

Going to the press about ongoing negociations is, at best, extremely foolish.