Spl77
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Posts
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Posts posted by Spl77
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Let's hope Louis has young Kemp already signed up for 2019 he has to be first name on the list.
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Hopefully Louis has Kemp signed and sealed for next season already..... What a performance.
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Right I went to Ipswich tonight my interest was to see Drew Kemp make his home debut this being my first visit of 2018.
The presentation was OK the racing was enjoyable and the match was kept alive by a mini Ipswich fight back.
The promotions do need to find away of putting more meat on the bone for the money paid at the turnstiles above and beyond 15 heats. There needs to be more crowd interaction this requires having the right presenting team and the willingness of the riders and management to partake.
I still maintain my points on guesting and doubling up. Those 6 Ipswich riders are only hired hands you can tell that the bind between riders and crowd is not what it was.
Its very difficult to build up rivalry between teams when tomorrow night the visitors number one is in your team and next week he riders for you at home.
I came away not bothered by a home loss in the old days i would have been really pi##ed off by a loss at home just because I went to see speedway heats and not a team event.
But I saw enough to believe that something is still there to rescue.
Will I return? Yes I will maybe not until next season who knows but when I fancy a night at speedway.
what I really want is a professionally run sport with a team or riders who only rise for your team so I can get the buzz of following my team again once that's back then yes I would be there every week.
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9 minutes ago, falcace said:
Guests are a problem. Doubling up is a problem. But if both those rules were wiped out overnight, does anyone honestly think the crowds would flood to speedway? The sport needs fundamental change, not fiddling around at the edges.
No they wouldn't. But that's the starting point of making the sport a credible team sport. You then have to get the message out that the sport is changing. After which you have got to undo 25 to 30 years of appalling mismanagement and build from the ground up.
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1 hour ago, Halifaxtiger said:
Nonsense.
Speedway has had guests and doubling up for decades. In 1977 White City won the British League with a rider replacement facility for a rider who did not appear in their colours once that season. In their 1979 Championship winning season, Coventry used 29 guests in 55 matches. In 1980 Belle Vue named Taffy Owen in the line up simply so that they could use the likes of Rob Maxfield, Steve Wilcock, Derek Richardson & Louis Carr (all riding for NL clubs) instead.
I doubt very much if there is a single Belle Vue fan who would want to ditch Dan Bewley, Craig Cook or Steve Worrall simply because they double up and the same would apply ay every other club.
So you're telling me I don't know why myself and my group of friends no longer go? Unbelievable another head stuck in the sand its always been that way chap!
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I wonder if Hartle will get another go next season ? He might do better with Riss in the team...?
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3 hours ago, orion said:
Your going a bit ott in what your saying .Who was missing in last nights matches in the premier league .Who had guests ? as I said before swindon have only made one change this year and kept 5 of the same riders they had from last year .Belle Vue and Wolves have hardly made any changes this year and have a lot of the same riders from last year as well .I think these teams made more changes 30 years ago . Speedway made a effort this year after fans kept moaning about guests, riders missing etc and in a way it's been lot better in terms of teams being the same week in week out .the trouble is all we had then was people wanting go back to riding on Friday night's etc when half the teams would be missing .the bottom line is you really can't win with speedway fans .
Not really the bottom line is that a large group who used to attend as I have said week in week out come rain or shine have stopped going due to doubling up and guests because it is no longer your team but riders on hire.
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6 hours ago, orion said:
Number one will still out of the side and a junior will be coming into the side no matter how you dress it up ...Tell me if people care so much about credibility who would get the biggest crowd ...A. Doyle replaced by a Junior or B Doyle replaced by Woffy
That proves that speedway has lost its team identity with the wider community. If it still had a proper team identity and linked to the local community the gate wouldn't be massively hit as the supporters of the team would attend and get behind it real backs to the wall stuff.
My own personal view and I've seen it many times is your team made weaker by injury pulls together with the crowd and pulls off the result.
The problem is now your riders are not your riders and that tight bond that riders have to a club is lost because tomorrow those team mates could be on the opposite sides of the pits. This in turn reduces the attachment that the fans have to the teams and results in lower crowds.
I know orion doesn't want to hear this but I am on of 15 to 20 guys who used to attend week in week out come rain or shine no matter how strong or week our team or the visitors were.
The reason none of us attend anymore is a direct result of doubling up and the guest fest speedway that is served up.
Possibly the only way to bring attention to the sport now would be that all riders are on central BSPA contracts and on a Sunday afternoon a live draw is made as to what teams those riders ride for in that coming week........ To be fair it's not far off that type of lottery now!
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Just hope the track man doesn't spill his watering can on the track before the meeting otherwise cook will be looking for a call off.
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2 hours ago, Grachan said:
Backlog of fixtures is not a new thing. I once bought the Speedway Stars for the 1967 season, and looking through them, Swindon had a massive backlog of fixtures, and had to add an extra double-header meeting on a Friday in August to try and catch up. Their season also extended into November due to incomplete fixtures.
Other notables from that year that would be seen as "Speedway RIP" now, included a Swindon meeting in pouring rain, with times of over 80 seconds, that was immediately called off after heat 6 (once there were no refunds). The match report commented that there could be no complaints from the fans, as the meeting should never really have started in the first place. Imagine that happening now.
Swindon had the re-run their match at King's Lynn as the first one was declared void because KL used an "illegal" side. Speedway RIP again?
It was also then decided that King's Lynn, despite being bottom of the league, were not allowed to sign Ove Fundin. Then Belle Vue - in contention for the title - were allowed to sign him to boost their title hopes. What? Teams at the top making changes and bringing in top riders to increase their title hopes? Surely that's just because of the play-offs? Speedway RIP again? If there was social media at the time there would have been uproar.
I guess people were more prepared to put up with stuff back then then they are now. That's probably the main difference.
There you have it. Speedway has been making the same mistakes for the last 50 years and seems to have no interest or no idea on how to change. Back then maybe people were prepared to put up with it. Those who weren't walked away. Those that walked away didn't therfore bring their children along so the next generation of fans became smaller and so the trend carried on for 50 years until we reach the point we have today. Its sad that those in charge over all these years have done nothing to try and fix the known problems. Those that have tried and then given up have either concentrated on their own business ie Ford at Poole or walked away ie Berry at Ipswich in the 80s.
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As I have my ticket already from last week let's get this started.
Looking forward to Drew Kemps home debut.
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46 minutes ago, BluPanther said:
Rory 3pts from four rides, did someone spill a cup of tea on the track during the track walk
I think he wore himself out kicking shale and waving his arms around on Thursday! I think he was quicker running from the mic on Thursday than getting out of the starts tonight!
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34 minutes ago, Trees said:
Are you gonna sponsor a second half competition then to make it 22 heats, the promoters don't make enough money it seems to afford to pay the riders for a second half... All these old companies with bosses who supported speedway have retired/died, it's hard to find new companies to chuck their money into speedway?
Honestly no I'm not. However the time has come for the sport to become semi pro and have standard bikes in all UK racing. If the sport wasn't paying wages to full time riders to fund rocketship equipment that the sport clearly cannot afford maybe the promoter's could afford to run a proper programme of entertainment or cut the admission to reflect 15 heats thank you now go home.
It would appear that the time has come for me to accept that the sport will get no better and will ultimately die out in the UK.
While remembering the great times I had following my team and speedway in general from the late 80s to the mid 2000s while going every now and then if i fancy a night at speedway watching the event rather than having a team to get behind. And those like trees who are happy having 7 riders committed to there team for a couple of hours a week well they can still enjoy that.
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33 minutes ago, Trees said:
You said yourself the play off mtg last year was only your second mtg of the year, first for a load of your mates did u not? So why did you all turn up then, cos it was a biggie? Were there any double uppers n guests involved in the mtg, no doubt? Did it spoil the mtg or were you just cheering on the guys in red n blue?
Everyone loves a play off as there is so much at stake but the clubs have to reach the them via the bread and butter mtgs, no doubling up isn't ideal but something I can put out of my mind when supporting the Stars 100% cos for that 2 hours they are my team, they are giving 100% effort for the Stars! There's nothing we can do about guests, injuries are part of the game, like I say what fan would be happy for a heat leaders' races to be taken by a junior?
Yep and the first was a damp nasty evening in April with about 800 others. The nothing we can do about it because it's speedway is the fundamental reason its a mess here.
No its speedway so let's have guests in Poland they have a successful product moved with the times and run professionally.
Regarding the play off final we went for the event rather than select team A or B.
It's great that you can over look doubling up and guest fest and the 7 in the green and yellow are your team for the night. The problem is that myself and an ever increasing number can't.
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Far from it the doubling up and guest fest drove us away in the end! But funny how all I wrote became I only attend big meetings and no mention of why I no loner attend week in week out...... That's speedway issue all over
The promotion are doing a good job especially the tie up with the football club. At the end of the day they can only promote the product which in 2018 is very poor relation of circa 1989. My opinion I know
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14 hours ago, BluPanther said:
Schlein should be stripped of the captaincy, the whinging git needs to grow a backbone ...
Yes he should! Make King none riding captain.
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7 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:
Thought last night was going to be your first meeting of the season - if it wasnt then you would know different
Certainly not defending Rory for his position last night but his overall contribution should not be totally sullied by it
It was going to be my first meeting but I've seen enough of Schlien over the years and had enough conversations with those that do still go to know that his passing skills are not exactly great.
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The point that orion makes about the play offs bringing extra support and keeping the season alive is correct.
However the extra numbers through the turnstiles for the playoffs mask the major issues speedway has. Because of the way the sport is set up to run with doubling up etc those new comers come to see the event and not to support the local team as there is no longer any bond between the riders and club and the wider local community.
The extra numbers don't turn up again until the club reaches the play offs or a cup final again.
Take Ipswich last season Foxhall was packed for the play off final v Peterborough the meeting was fantastic and the atmosphere was superb. That was my 2nd meeting of 2017 I and the old gang and several new comers made our group 21 strong. We couldn't explain to the newcomers that Nicholls had ridden for both teams in the final and that half the Ipswich team also rode for Leicester.
This season none of the 21 have returned with the exception of myself who went along on Thursday with a work colleague to see Drew Kemp make his debut.
After Thursdays going on its quite clear that in 2018 the riders don't give a s##t about the supporters and the clubs they see it just as a pay cheque.
Add that to the shambles the BSPA have made of running the sport in the UK the out of control doubling up and guest situation. The whole thing is a recipe for disaster.
The opinion of several on here is that the moaners and those wanting to turn the clock back have been watching speedway for 60 or 70 years and just want the old days back. Well I first went to Ipswich at the age of 11had years of following the team all over the country.
As I said I attended twice last year and because of the farce of Thursday rain off ( cook and Schlien hold your heads in shame) have yet to see a meeting this year. I want the sport to become a proper team sport with no doubling up eventually no guests but in the mean time tight controls on guests.
I want to see the value for money that used to be 22 or more heats at Ipswich every week circa 1989/1990 so turn the clock back a few years maybe. I'm not some old fuddie Duddie but the guy that the sport needs to win back. I'm 40 years old with 3 kids who I could take to speedway every week that's your next generation right there but I don't have the will to attend or part with my money on a regular basis due to the reasons above. Now those with rose tinted specs who think all is well and that the product is good...... Well there must be thousands like me.
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Schlien can't overtake on a perfect dry track the biggest gating tart going. If it had gone ahead last night he would have been made to look daft.
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7 hours ago, JC! said:
A friend of mine went to Ipswich tonight and messaged me what had happened, it doesn't even surprise or shock people any more, it's a terrible shame.
Glasgow were never interested in riding couldn't even be bothered to change. Ipswich were changed and ready to go but apparently one member of the Ipswich side then refused and got the others to change their minds no guessing who that was! Then when given the chance to go on the Mic to explain both captains ran off off like a pair of school girls.
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Surly not fairweather moaning Schlien? Make King none riding captain. I too was present for the first time this year to see Kemp make his debut. I will be present next week as I have already paid. 10 minutes of practice on that last night and it would have been fine.
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Seems as if it could have been cook refusing to ride that played a major part if twitter is to be believed. You would have thought he would want to see British speedway survive as he has no chance of earning a living from the Grand prix, speedway World Cup or Polish league judging by his performances in these competitions. Very over rated!
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19 minutes ago, Super Blue said:
Well it was blindingly obvious to most in the stadium that the main instigator of the postponement was a certain GP rider (and I use the term loosely) who was waving his arms about while kicking the track . He obviously was doing his best to persuade others not to ride either .
I'm sorry but my personal opinion of him gets lower by the minute !
Soon to be ex GP rider.....
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Louis may have his critics but he sounded genuinely gutted! The captains didn't even have the balls to explain to the crowd why! In the old days someone would have gone out and done a few laps or we would have had 3 or 4 heats to test the track. I've seen much worse in my time just another example of too much rider power. Glasgow didn't ever seem like they even thought about giving it ago never even got changed.
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The continuing decline of Speedway
in Speedway News and Discussions
Posted · Edited by Spl77
The issue is that doubling up is way out of control. At one point this season 6 of the 7 Ipswich riders rode for another UK team. When it was introduced back in the early 2000s then know as the floater Ipswich had 2 riders who rode in the lower league sharing one team place. That is not to bad and a similar system was used in the 80s when Carl Blackbird rode for Ipswich and Mildenhall having a couple of riders sharing one spot probably wouldn't do much harm.
In terms of guests the sport had the boom time of the 70s and 80s to sort that out and at least one forward thinking promotion at the time tried get the BSPA to work on a solution. The the sport in this country had been forward thinking then or have the will now then you could over come the guest Issue Poland seems to manage.
Just supposing for one second that the sport was invited to apply for lottery money or a major investor wanted to get involved in relaunched the leagues with a large sum of money.
Chapman and Godfrey turn up and are asked to explain the basic way the leagues work and the answer is this
We have two main leagues with 16 clubs between them.
A rider can sign for a team in both leagues and if he does then he can more or less ride for every team in either league under our World leading 'guest system' to allow cover for injuries or if a rider missing from a contracted fixture because he is riding in Europe because they pay more.
It's quite possible that a rider could score points as a guest for another team that could put his contracted team out of the league title fight.
It's also possible that in a 2 legged final a rider could ride for both teams.
More over if we find halfway through the season that due to riders riding for their contracted clubs on that clubs agreed race night we can force those clubs to cancel fixtures so that their contracted riders can quest for another team on the same night.
These cancelled fixtures could also mean that those clubs miss the play offs as they won't have completed their fixtures by the agreed cut of date.
At that point the investor finishes the meeting with thank you I'll be in touch.
Mind you they could always pitch that in dragons den now that would make great TV!