mikebv

I remember watching someone ride in the 2nd half at Belle Vue called "Charlie Brown"... His real name turned out to be Giuseppe Marzotto, and rather than being an animated American cartoon character, he was actually an Italian fella.... Wonder what happened to him? Couldn't see him making a career in Speedway to be honest...

Wasn't it 20% "finder's fee"? To be fair to him, no one else "pushed against that open door", and all got well over a six figure guarantee each season for many years... What they actually did with that money sadly is the legacy....

Bomber....

All working independently to try and win something that they themselves devalue to the point of almost worthlessness, (by their own operating model) is almost madness isnt it? Laughable if it wasn't so sad to see the negative impact that the operating model has had on crowds.. Maybe one day they will pool resources, put up some big prize money, and relaunch the sport collectively with some professional marketeers involved.. Or maybe they wont....

Watched it again on YT not long ago.. A lack of a clear vision of travel as to where they saw the sport was the ultimate issue, which meant non stop short term fix, after short term fix.. The Sky millions being the huge opportunity missed... Using that money for example could have allowed squad systems, which would have meant Mickey Mouse didnt have any control over the sport, and the titles then had credibility... And who knows, maybe could have attracted sponsors from "outside" its fanbase.. Instead the sport paid out "the Sky money" to No1's, who then missed the most meetings as the GP's evolved hugely at that time, meaning credibility destroying guestfests after guestfests with inferior riders replacing them, thus peeing off the public.. A public who then got inflation busting increases to admission prices to not only pay for the level of riders, but also to cover the shortfall from disillusioned fans leaving the sport annually... Those left, ultimately paying more to watch less quality as the GP riders had to be "elsewhere" many weeks.. UK Speedway basically bent over backwards to the top riders, often, it appeared so the promoters could bask in the reflective glory of rubbing shoulders with them.. And then of course when the money stopped the No1's showed their loyalty and appreciation to the promoters by foxtrotting and oscaring as quickly as those planes to Poland and Sweden could carry them.. And only came back when the schedule was changed to accommodate their wishes.. Even so many years later, 2024 will see rinse and repeat.. Still no clear direction of travel.. Still no clear leadership.. Still no "outside" sponsorship nor major businesses interested in sponsoring the league or individual clubs.. More opportunities for guest riders though, so, you know, not all bad eh?

The play offs definitely pull in many fans like me, who are not too bothered about who actually wins or not... It provides many "followers" with a night out at a speedway meeting that actually has decent crowds and, therefore, atmosphere... A bit of a throwback to how it used to be when we all started to follow the sport and loved it.... I really enjoyed both meetings last year I attended that the Aces were in, with good crowds at both Ipswich and the NSS.. Peterborough's Captain then turning up for Sheffield so they could defeat Ipswich in the Final, (after he had made such a fundamental impact in putting Ipswich in the Final), summed up perfectly why you shouldn't take league UK racing too seriously.. An excellent night out are the play offs...

The difference nowadays is that there is actually some world class talent that will be visiting virtually every time you have a meeting... A bit of a novelty maybe, and short term potential rather than a long term sustainable plan, but, in Brums case in particular, it may offer some breathing space to go again next year, even if this years team doesnt trouble the play offs..

With Raita Eide as Captain..

Which would be a crying shame given the money the promoter has put in, and the lack of any real kudos in winning the league anyway... Lets hope the novelty of having the likes of Tai, Emil, Dan et al, will keep the Brum fans turning up in sufficient numbers to keep the finances on a reasonably even keel...

The usual BSF debate topic.. ... Ht 15 counts.... Hence Pawlicki, who will come up against the other No1 a possible, (probable) 3 times per meeting, will do well to deliver 10 points from his usual five rides to hit an 8 point average.. Especially when you add in a probable 3 races against some of the No5's on show this year...

Both Pawlicki and Milik are riding one position up from where ideally they should be.. And there isn't a "natural No 3" behind them.. And Brum will know this... But at least they come to the tapes, and, hopefully will still be doing so when the season ends.. Edit. They remind a bit of when the Aces had Stead at No1, you knew where the team would end up, but at least there was a track to visit...

I notice in Poland and in the GP's that the fuel is centralised and all use the same.. (I presume fuel tanks are empty upon arrival? Or it might defeat the objective).. Why dont UK Speedway do it? Surely cheaper to buy in bulk rather than riders all paying indivdually, and it would mean less money paid out to riders to cover this cost they take on.. I seem to remember when I visited the pits a fair few moons ago, that it used to happen in the UK.. What stopped it?

Maybe the top two they ended with were not the top two in the "jigsaw" that they planned when signing Lampart? They may have planned to use all the points available by signing, at least one, top class rider..?

"Well I, for one, am shocked"... Said no one ever.....

Brum look like a team where riders 1, 3, and 5 are all "one up" from where they should be in the team if it is to not finish last.. Steve Worrall does "ok" at 2_or 4, but struggles as a HL.. Milik would be "ok" as a three... And Pawlicki at "5" would be a solid back up to a "proper" No1... Given the HL's usually ride 14 times out of the 30 times that teams come to the tapes, them winning races keeps teams at least in the meeting, even if no heat advantage... Not sure that there will be enough heat wins from those three, given the level of their direct competition at 1, 3 and 5 in pretty much all of the teams.. Which will put pressure on the rest of the side...

The flaw in Baldrick's cunning plan....

As most of us will know, the latest ruling is still a long, long way from Cov coming back, but surely it does offer some leverage which could see then back in the sport? As the council are 100% supportive, as seen by their actions so far, and the company obviously need the land to build their houses on, could it now be the time to get a compromise of another site, funded by the company, and allowed to be used by the council? Surely there must be some suitably sized brown field site somewhere within the locale, which could be initially developed along the Somerset, Workington lines just to get Speedway back?

And you will only open your doors when your best employees tell you they can get into work, as they all have other jobs, rather than when your customers would like you to open... Resulting in inconsistent, sporadic, opening hours, which can sometimes see you close your doors for up to a month... And these best employees will also be given your blessing to go and work for your competition, as and when your competition are short staffed, helping your competitors to actually do better than you in your chosen field of business.. And for that, as you can probably imagine, I am out....

Is it so an 8.25 averaged rider can be used as guest at home? Edit or is it 7.87? Either way, especially for Milik, a good improvement...

Come on now... How long have you been following UK Speedway? You know better than to ask questions like that..

For me. They have to go full on in trying to attract those from the previous "hot beds" of Speedway, Cradley, Wolverhampton and Coventry.. They probably only need 600 or so in total from these "speedway starved" areas and they should be somewhere near its affordable level.. But, as we know, speedway clubs getting an extra 600 of their OWN fans to attend "regularly" is a huge challenge, so Brum will have to use some very aggressive, fit for purpose, marketing... And probably need it to be done by a proper marketing company rather than the usual speedway in house, "well meaning" amateurs, which, again, will mean another cost...

Oxford have had 2000 fans paying to watch.. Brum do well to get 700.... The TV money will subsidise any "big names" I would think.. Personally, cannot see it all adding up given the complete and utter lack of interest in Speedway from the vast majority of people in Birmingham, (regardless of "success" or not over the years), but fair play to NT for giving it a go...

A shame.. Entry level Speedway, which the NDL is, should have lots of opportunities for riders to give the sport a go without the need for many thousands of outlay... Especially given the sport over here require lots of UK lads to take up team spaces.. I always find it truly baffling that promoters expect riders to come with the best (meaning expensive), kit they can, meaning the promoters then need to pay the riders the money to not only afford that kit, but also have enough to live on, and tbey do this to try and win competitions that the very same promoters then completely devalue by their own incredible operating model.. It is a strange business plan isn't it?

Those engines that got bought, (was it a GRS?), would surely be ideal for the NDL?... Let the lads hire them for a season, and maintain them... Then pay them a salary based on not having to fork out a solid five figures for 3 bikes... Would get a few "giving it a go" and seeing if they have the aptitude to ride a speedway bike to a decent level, I would think..

Absolutely, without a doubt... Not many cards left to play you would think, given the almost knee jerk changes to its very existence that it demonstrates each season... A very (self inflicted to be fair in so many ways) thin ice on which to keep skating on, having to build a sport season after season.. Five year plan anyone?