mikebv

He certainly was.. Can't quite remember who it was who used to do it though. .

To be fair to any rider.. If anyone had two job opportunities at the same time, you will usually go where you will get paid the most.. Even more so I would think if you had only a restricted time in which to earn as much as you can..

When you watch on Eleven sports it is very similar to watching the domestic UK racing we have followed on BT, and Sky before them.. ie rider Interviews, two presenters discussing incidents, replays of key points in previous races etc.. Therefore you hardly notice the length of the gap between races, even when you haven't a clue what they are saying half the time.. (I am talking about the Eleven Sports coverage not Nigel and Kelvin's) The gaps are very much appearing prolonged due to there being nothing but replay after replay of what you have just seen, (and the endless tweets being read out), sorry Dave... And as we have said Dave does a fair old job trying to fill the dead space whilst he waits for something to happen.. It is though a small price to pay for the coverage of the best league in the world, and you can always record and watch later, fast forwarding through, or do as I do, and make a brew.....

Do the likes of Milik bring big sponsorship to the club? Meaning financially they benefit the club by being there? He was poor most weeks last year, and has been the same this.. Yet not replaced..? The likes of Cook and Wright (amongst many others globally) are more than a match for riders of Milik's level.. Another excellent evening for Robert Lambert again, easily in the top 10 in the world at the moment I would suggest..

I think it all boils down to the same result.. And that bottom line result is (unpalatable as it may be for some), Speedway (in the UK) cannot support the number of pro riders it currently has.. The 'alternative source of income' should actually be the Speedway racing for many.. Many, many riders over the past years have adopted that philosophy and ended their speedway careers, whilst not millionaires, with a fair few quid to show for their on track endeavours, and still have a 'proper job' to carry on their lives with.. It really should be only those who want to reach World Class level that should invest tens and tens of thousands in the level of machinery needed to assist them in their quest.. And that is a wholly individual, not team, quest it should be pointed out.. Therefore they should be prepared to 'self fund' this quest for super stardom, rather than expect clubs to help subsidise their individual aims and aspirations, through unaffordable (and sometimes business risking), salary levels. For me, only if you are in the Top 50 or so in the world you should be a pro.. Anyone Heat Leader level in the top division of the UK (so will invariably DU), should consider being at that level, as well as those at Heat Leader level in Denmark.... And anyone in the top five in Swedens and Polands top divisions, and probably Heat Leader level in Poland Div 2, should be pro level.. Apart from that, then 'semi pro' has to be the way forward surely for everyone else until they organically grow to the next level through performance... And if all you are doing (without sounding disrespectful) is riding domestic Speedway in your own country at 'mid level and lower' then you really shouldn't be spending tens of thousands of pounds on kit which will then require a commensurate level of income to finance not only that, but your life outside Speedway..

Sadly I think a great many around the globe will not get the chance to get their salaries reduced as they will lose their salary completely... Many companies who were already under pressure will take this opportunity to restructure, and change terms and conditions, whilst blaming Covid 19.. With some of those losing, or getting reduced income, being fans of the sport, which can only mean less revenue as 'recession' bites.. I think the most telling line is the one around how much riders pay out getting ready for the season, and it truly is a staggering amount given they get watched performing on their expensive equipment, in many places, by just a few hundred people every week.. It really is a vicious circle that needs to be broken as everyone, it appears, make nothing like the money they should (and deserve), for what they do. Unless, of course, Poland comes knocking and you become an elite rider, with the salary and individual sponsorship that reflects your position in the high profile sport that Speedway is over there.. Unfortunately, over here we do seem to have a continual race to the bottom, where everyone pays out fortunes, whilst clubs close as they can't make ends meet.. You have to feel for the riders, and the vast majority of fans do genuinely appreciate and admire what they do, but sadly, if the money isn't there to pay them they can't have it.. Just like many millions of others will unfortunately find out the same. .

And the best of it was... After saying for around 2 laps that Emil was riding within himself, he then watched him fly around Laguta... And then summarised Emil's victory with......? "I rest my case"...

Wow... Speedway when done so well is truly breathtaking..

Is he/she a relative of KK? Seems to be getting quite a bit of coverage for someone at the back of two races. .

No chance will Poland go down the route of UK with regards to guests.. Too much of a tribal emotional following to accept any of their riders representing any other team on an ad hoc basis.. Such is the depth of feeling, a few years ago, ZG fans were initially not happy to accept Darcy Ward as their own rider after coming from Torun, they even had very 'unfriendly' banners to 'welcome him', such was their dislike for him when he represented Torun.. Sponsors too wouldn't allow it. Imagine Woffy top scoring for another team and costing Betard their chance to be a sponsor of a play off team because Wroclaw didn't make it? They wouldn't touch the sport again with a barge pole.. The media also wouldnt allow it, far too much detailed coverage of the sport to try and pass off something as Mickey Mouse as Woffy, for example, being shared around the league.. And finally the governing body wouldn't allow it as it completely devalues their (currently) very important, and financially rewarding sporting competition. And no doubt at the same time blowing their own sponsorship of the leagues themselves by national companies, who wouldnt want to align themselves with something so contrived..

Counciils do support their local teams but its TV where the money comes in big.. The TV companies have to put in tenders over there to win the rights to show the sport.. Similar to the way the TV companies do over here to win the football contracts... Some very big money is offered, such is the armchair audience potential for the meetings they show.. And with the big audience comes the advertising revenue that fills the TV companies coffers.. The TV companies even run 'magazine' type programmes on the sport on Sunday evenings, during the week, and in the lead up to the weekends action, such is the demand for the sport... Add in a major national company to sponsor the league, and you see how it's a world away from the UK's version of the same sport..

Think "Trees" is a she (if we can still use gender pro nouns), and follows Kings Lynn, so watches the gate and go fest in the clay at Saddlebow Road's stock car track..

Chugunov didn't hang around for the apology..

And Speedway that means something..

And he has won exactly the same number of individual World Titles as every Polish rider who has ever ridden since the sport began...

Not bad that was it? Woffys gating for over 12 months now has been pretty poor.. Which is a good thing sometimes..

Kaspers name has always been problematic to him.. At least this year Vaculik isn't in it.. As when he rides with Milik we get.. Milich, Millichich, Vaculich, and Vacooolik....

ITV showed every major event for years when England were having success and I dont think it was coincidence that this was a boom time for the sport. Virtually every fortnight there was a meeting beamed into literally millions of homes. Riders were household names, standing alongside the most famous sportsmen of the day... As a kid growing up in the 70"s, weekly magazines like 'Tiger' and their annuals, had full pages dedicated to the likes of Peter Collins, with posters and interviews.. When PC won the World Title in 76, the Sunday Mirror (for one) ran the story on their back page sharing the lead headlines with the football.. In fact, as an 8 year old kid, I remember being in Rhyl on a day out the day later, where outside one of the newsagents was one of those 'A frame' boards advertising certain papers and "PC lands World Title" was the message on it..(Things you remember as a kid).. But that very advertising board showed (just by being there), the awareness level of the sport in the nation at that time, and would have been replicated all over the country in front of newsagents premises that morning as it was the lead corporate advertising from that newspaper.. However, when any domestic team won their league, hardly any coverage was given to it nationally, and I can guarantee that many of those who attended domestic speedway in those days did so because of the national team's success, and subsequent major coverage in both written and visual media. In fact, I know we had the race fixing scandal which would have had some impact but, for me, the stranglehold of the Danes and the Yanks in the 80's did the most damage to the sport in the UK, as no longer was there a 'success story' to be shown on TV or written about in the Newspapers, hence their coverage reduced massively.. And when World Of Sport went, ITV obviously didnt see any mileage in keeping showing Speedway as a 'stand alone' sport nationally like they did with others.. As I said before, the media love a national success story, (its good for viewing and readership numbers), and both rugby and cricket realised this and radically changed their focus to ensuring their national teams became successful. Because they realised that it didnt matter how many times the likes of Leicester or Saracens won their rugby titles, or Middelsex or Essex were County Champs in cricket, it would only deliver 'local coverage' in a major way, and that it was only by having success globally as a national team that their domestic leagues would benefit from that 'feel good' factor.. This blueprint has subsequently been attempted to be followed by Basketball and Ice Hockey who have both tried to increase the number of 'genuine not flag of convenience' UK participants to try and improve their national teams standing, in the hope more coverage and money comes their way, which can then filter down into the domestic game.. Speedway wont become successful again whilst promotions all do their own separate things in splendid isolation, all trying to out do each other in trying to win competitions hardly anyone cares about.. However. Win the SWC three years on the bounce, and have three or four riders in the top 10 in the World for 10 years or so, and I can guarantee domestic Speedway would benefit..

Someone put a 50 zloty piece into the meter...

Excellent.. Look forward to lots of different surnames for the riders.. If you listen to Sam, you would think there must be approximately 36 riders on view..

24 points difference going into the last heat and they all race their knackers off. . Got to love Polish Speedway haven't you?

Very impressed with Lambert this year.. Especially considering he got excluded for the Lebedevs crash which resulted in him getting injured.. He has showed great resilience , maturity and belief to seemingly put that out of his mind, and not let it impact his racing, which isn't easy considering it's a team mate.. And whilst never a 'big lad' by any means, he looks like he has trimmed down a couple of kilos or so too.. Heading towards the top level without a doubt..

Track looks fine...

And the Promoters over here understand that one day, regardless of how much they have 'invested' in the riders development, that they will 'lose them' to Poland, but realise that the more GB riders 'lost' to domestic UK Speedway means the more successful the GB team will inevitably become.. Bringing far more wider media coverage, as the newspapers and TV do love a GB success story.. No disrespect to any team in this country, but not one (however successful) can 'sell' GB Speedway nationally like a winning GB team can..

Craig Cook said a few years ago in an interview that it cost £35k to set yourself up over there... And I presume the British lads (effectively initially on trial), won't be getting big signing on fees and 'top money' until they prove themselves. Also, by doing Poland, they lose the DU potential (and money) as they will be required to ride Fri, Sat or Sun in a normal season.. And then of course you can get replaced very quickly after just a couple of bad meetings, meaning your investment is now bringing in no money at all.. It is a big risk for those who do it, and truly a world away from the 'comfort zone' of riding in the UK, where when you get to a certain level you become 'bomb proof', with absolutely zero chance of losing your place in the top division, and you also get the opportunity to pick up lots of race win money in the 2nd Division.. There is no doubt though that if your ambition is to reach the top, then you do have to race out there as it gives you a true barometer of what level you actually are at, and where you need to improve, as well as delivering true pressure to perform against the world best.. You can only sink or swim, hence those who swim are the ones who move on to the highest level..