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mikebv

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Posts posted by mikebv

  1. Posted

    2 hours ago, The Doctor... said:

    It's not ridiculous. 

    Not sure why you've even said about being big and clever also. Bit weird that.

    it's massively unlikely that the nhs will have the resources to even discharge the sja and other private firms that will be bailing us out up til probably late summer.  

    i've had to cancel a few weekends away already so i'm gutted too, but it's the reality of the situation. 

    If we're lucky to get a big individual meeting at each track before the clocks go back we will be doing well i think.

     

     

    Thats probably the best to be hoped for I would think..

    Logistically putting together a fixture list will be a nightmare given how many meetings will need to take place in such a short time, (especially with so many riders doubling up)..

    You will end up with teams full of guests which whilst giving the riders time to catch up some of the lost earnings will deter a sizeable number of fans I would think..

    Running individual meetings will at least have credibilty and maybe could be ran using some of the team sponsors' money that hasn't been spent this year? Meaning some decent prize pots?

     

     

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

    My biggest concern for the sport is more to do with how many people will have to take unpaid leave, or business owners suffer as people dont leave their homes..

    You cant help thinking that as their disposal income crumbles then Speedway (and indeed sport in general) will become very, very low down their list of priorities..

    It's fine getting 'payment holidays' but bill's will still need to be paid..

    Premier League football is pretty much bomb proof given their sponsorship and level of season ticket holders, however not sure about the other leagues and sports..

    And you also have to factor in the way several Speedway clubs are often subsidised by the promoters' other business's so these other streams of income may also be impacted, not to mention possible sponsors' other income streams being hit..

    A bit random, but maybe Speedway would he better off writing the season off completely..?

    Many, it is often said, lose money anyway so maybe an hiatus would help the following year?

    A year to regroup, iron out its obvious flaws and start again with some modern publicity/marketing blaze 12 months in the making.. 

    And a 12 month gap might mean the public are in better shape financially next year to attend once more?

     

    • Like 1

  4. Posted

    16 hours ago, scoobydoo said:

    Someone said on the Ben Fund meeting updates that any sport that requires an ambulance to be on stand by wont be permitted to run irrespective of crowd size

    That would make sense..

    I would imagine all ambulances will be instructed to be on standby 'just in case'...

    Having one parked up for the best part of three hours or more wouldn't be seen as being best use I would think..

  5. Posted

    1 hour ago, Blupanther said:

    People have been ringing up 111 because they have been using kitchen appliances made in China, and my local Chinese takeaway is 75% down on customers. Human ignorance has no bounds :rolleyes:

    I had two women literally fighting over the last packet of paracetamol in my shop last night..

    One woman picked it up and another snatched it from her as she had gone for it at virtually the same time.. 

    They kicked off an argument and the one who got there seconds late wouldn't give it to the other woman so the one who had got there first gave the other a proper good right hander to the head, knocking her clean over and she landed like a snotty heap on the floor..

    I would suggest she needed the paracetamol after all..

    A certain irony. .:D

    • Like 2
    • Haha 6

  8. Posted

    1 hour ago, B.V 72 said:

    Looking like I dropped a clanger buying a season ticket this year I could have spent the money on toilet rolls :oops:.

    I was selling Andrex 24 packs yesterday at £10.60!!!:o

    Found one in the back of the warehouse and put it on sale and less than 10 mins it was gone...:D

  9. Posted

    2 hours ago, Spl77 said:

    I think the biggest issue is the death rate. In Italy its running at 6% the 'normal flu' runs at about 0.1% in Europe. Then you have the speed this thing seems to double in cases every 3 to 4 days. Like you I thought its just flu until I read up on it. 

    Then you have to factor in that several countries including Poland are in the process of closing their boarders. 

     

    I can see every country closing their borders.. 

    The W.H.O. have been focused on ensuring the poorer countries that have poor medical care. Eg In Africa, Far East Asia, Sub Continent etc dont get it in great numbers as that will lead to many deaths..

    However, the 'first world' simply dont now/wont going forward, have enough capability to deal with their own people never mind ''visitors'...

  10. Posted

    35 minutes ago, acef said:

    The severity of this virus and the impact it is going to have on British speedway will become clear over the next week or so.

    This is one almighty s##tstorm. There will be a number of clubs, who imo, will not survive this.

    Will have to take stock in March of next and what is left that could/would resemble a sport.

    I think its significant the way 'smaller' sports have reacted..

    eg lower league football and rugby..

    They are still playing domestic games with around 500 to a few thousand watching..

    And for me it's because they dont have massive sponsorship to fall back on and wages need to be paid whether playing or not..

    Speedway may be bomb proof from this if only paying out points money but riders will have spent lots of money on kit, (maybe on finance/credit) so will need income from somewhere.. 

    And landlords will want the agreed rent I am sure..

    Worrying times I would suggest for a sport which many sometimes sees 'survival' as a measure of success even in a 'normal' year...

  11. Posted

    12 minutes ago, Bald Bloke said:

    This isn't good for a struggling speedway country at all. I read Man UTD will loose £2 mil for every home game behind closed doors, but that's nowt to them. But speedway can't afford to ride with no fans.Even 1 meeting would be very  damaging. My worry would be that in a normal season we struggle to get all the fixtures completed. :(

    I suppose with a heavy use of guests and speedway crowds always being sketchy at best, 500 fans might just allow it to go on in some capacity.

    Can't believe they would run any meeting without fans..

    Given the rules they make up, the sport pretty much only exists in this country to allow riders to earn money, rather than be a bona fide sporting competition, so there wouldn't be any point letting them do that with zero income stream. 

    Allied to the fact that most only rent where they race, so many would surely struggle to pay the costs of putting a meeting on without any fanbase paying to attend..

    Maybe some '500 max' individual meetings may get organised in the interim to keep riders earning and venues receiving rent from their Speedway tenants?

  12. Posted

    Can't be long before this country does the same re banning mass gatherings..

    When so many nations are starting to do it then it will leave you open to much criticism if you stay out and do your own thing..

    And could look like a dereliction of duty should it become a major disaster..

  14. Posted

    2 hours ago, iris123 said:

    The important thing there is the bit about Premier League think they might  have to play in an empty stadium within 2 weeks o so depending on the situation. Sure they can get away with it as can  F1 and some other sports. I doubt speedway could though

    Be "devastating" if Liverpool win their first title in 30 years in front of 'nobody'.

    I will be gutted for them....:D

    In reality of course there will be thousands who attend the occasion outside the stadium to celebrate, so not really sure what the point would be?

     

    • Haha 1

  16. Posted

    4 hours ago, TotallyHonestJohn said:

     

    Honestly

    I think you will find that JC fella was around long before the mid 60's!!! Rode a "Jewa Bike" on a Hittite engine with Cow Horn Handlebars and made a good fist of it and was a canny bloke by all accounts but got crucified off the fans in the end.

    Although with Crump and Pedersen making comebacks who knows? come "the end of days" we may see him again with a bit of luck. Like Lazarus (Crump) or the Prodigal Son (Pedersen) there is always an argument; and a space; for a good one coming back and being the true "Son of God"  (not that pretend one from Cumbria who rode for Glasgow) and because it was that JC fella's Dad who said "thou shalt not have any strange gods before me.”  the fans would need to be careful but it wouldn't be long before he was idolised and if he doubled his average (and I am sure he would do that) he could be a steal as three point average rider and what team wouldn't take a chance on him...

    Only thing is would he get a work permit after Brexit?

    Regards
    THJ

    Well he wouldn't have to worry about feeding the 5000....:rolleyes:

    • Haha 1

  18. Posted

    On 2/22/2020 at 8:00 AM, screm said:

    Auty hasn't had a regular gig in the top league for quite a while now, clearly the promoters/managers dont see him as good enough, even on an attractive average. Decent rider at Championship level where he has found his level IMO.

    I think the key words are "even on an attractive average"..

    His average is exactly his level and it's obvious promoters don't see it as one thats likely to be improving any time soon..

    Fans sometimes get blinded by the riding styles of riders and link it to their ability level..

    Coming from last to third or second with a last bend pass after two or three laps of trying to get round your opponent might look great,  but it hasn't won you the race..

    You can run a second and three thirds, passing riders 'around the boards' in every race, and be 'rider of the night' in the eyes of the fans given the 'thrilling way' you did it..

    Its still only five points though, and every heat could still have been a heat advantage to the opposition..

  19. Posted · Edited by mikebv

    7 hours ago, crumpiefan said:

    As the name suggests, I am a big Jason Crump fan. Had no inkling that he was coming back to ride in England so to put it mildly I was over the proverbial.......whatever the reasons its just great to hopefully see him ride again. Same goes for NP.

    Can only be a good thing for the sport.,

    Maybe it can be a catalyst for it similar to the way 'marquee' signings helped the (then) struggling MLS in North America..?

    Top level competitors coming towards the end of their careers, but with still enough talent to compete, and a name and reputation that resonates outside the sport's own followers..

    On the rare occasions I attend GB League Speedway I go to watch 'the speedway' with no regards as to who wins so the odd 'legend or two' on view will definitely stir my interest..

    Hopefully do the same for a few more 'lapsed fans' around the country too..

    • Like 3

  20. Posted

    6 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

    Leigh would be a chip off the old block, a ‘rock’ performer who could ‘skate’ around the opposition and his line up in the ‘roe’ would add ‘sole’ to the team plus he could ‘crab’ the opportunity to ‘tuna’ in to the new ‘line’ up and would no doubt ‘net’ a whole load points on his way to being a ‘dab’ hand at landing a good haul of points. He would have a ‘whale’ of time but could end up ‘shelling’ out so many ‘pilchards’ and possibly could end up as a damp squid. ‘Fingers’ in so many pies and not too many ‘ wrasses’ to rely on an wining catch. 

    All sounds a bit fishy to me that...

  21. Posted

    3 hours ago, EnglishRoundabout said:

    There’s absolutely no doubt he will be getting folk through the turnstile at a rate of knots, especially the first few meetings at Foxhall. 

    500 or so non regulars minimum I would expect.. 

    At every track too, until the novelty wears off..

    If you can get 500 or so on the gate then that's around £10k with the programmes.. 

    Three or four matches of those numbers and it would boost the season.. 

    Presume if not all, a large part of his salary will be sponsored as he wont be cheap I would have thought..?

    Looking forward to the Peter Craven meeting now...

    Always a cracking meeting but now made a 'must go' event..

  22. Posted · Edited by mikebv

    3 hours ago, martinmauger said:

    Forget exactly how many matches Egon rode for Hull 1976 but know he averaged 8.75 so none too shabby, he was a more than decent speedway rider but think he was strongly 'encouraged' to ride speedway in order for his permission to ride to ride longtrack be processed quicker & more hassle free,  long / sand / grass track being his first love.   I have the official VHS video of 1983 Final with Barry Briggs translating Egon's German commentary, recall the start marshall, who got skittled by an Engine Failed rider (Hans Nielsen) - how often did that happen in a World Final, was at school with Egon.  As well as 'road developing' his bike, he took just the one machine - how's that for confidence, Egon later admitted to practising all he wanted on the Norden track prior to the final.  He also appeared to 'advise' on track watering / grading during the actual meeting.  It's true Hull ran R/R for Egon in 1977, Ian Thomas said Hull fans would be required to pay adult entrance (75p ?) + £2.50 each to meet Egon's demands, so maybe today's entrance + £30 ?  Also, anyone who saw Egon ride will recall Egon's super-wide, 'cow horn'-style handlbars. He wasn't a cheap rider but when the mood struck he was dynamite, had speedway been his main thing reckon he would have been unstoppable....

    As you say, Speedway was well down his priority list but he would definitely have been around the top 10 riders in the World so becoming World Champ in a 'one off' final shouldn't have been a massive surprise..

    Probably the fact he didn't ride over here that much meant his name and capability didn't resonate with too many over here..

    Which at the time was the 'only place to be' in the eyes of so many..

    I saw him ride in a World Best Pairs at Hyde Rd, (where him and Hans Wasserman finished 3rd) and got a pair of 'cow horns' for my Raleigh not long after..B)

     

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    5 hours ago, Super Blue said:

    Oh well, having had a couple of hours to mull this news over and without wishing to appear too negative I'm afraid I'm totally underwhelmed. 

    I am seriously hoping I'm wrong with what I'm about to say and I want to be eating humble pie but here goes. 

    A 44 year old long retired 'has been' at No1 , albeit a previous 3 times world champion does not inspire me to believe we will be at all competitive this season. Even he isn't confident of what he's capable of now. 

    Although it's great to see Drew signed up as a full Witch I'm not sure he's ready for the top league of British speedway, he struggled in the Championship last season, again I would love to be proved wrong. 

    Last year I quite enjoyed the Witches being written off as wooden spooners  by everyone but this year I think I'm going to be agreeing with them. 

    My enthusiasm for the coming season is seriously dented. 

    Understand your view..

    From an Aces perspective, and probably fans of all other clubs, it will be great to see him ride...

    However. I understand some Ipswich fans thinking that with over 8 pts worth of average invested they could have got someone 'current'..

    A great signing for the sport as a whole I would suggest, and will help Ipswich (at least initially in the first few matches), financially..

    Just not so sure it will help then make a challenge for the League given the average and his time out..

    Be great to be proved wrong though as it means he will still be box office..

    Personally, cant wait to see him ride around the NSS.

    His presence will definitely will get me there that night.. 

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