BSI Problems?

[SCB 0]

Yet Sweden and Poland taking rider for 20(ish ?) days a year is ok?

 

Yes, because they run on Tuesdays and Sundays respectively, when no BEL has its regular race night. In fact, Sweden chose Tuesdays many years ago precisely because it wouldn't clash with the then British League.

 

By contrast, the SGP is run on prime days for staging league racing, and clashes (or did) with at least four BEL teams. BSI can also re-organise GPs when they wish, without any regard to existing fixtures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

To be fair, BSI took over the runing of the GP's after the Saturday race not was fixed so to blame BSI for the Saturday night is unfair. Can you imagine how un happy people would be if BSI started having GP's on a Monday night? (least used EL day, AFAIK). People would moan GP's were nto run on the weekend like all other major sports. Or we could go with the I'm alright jack attitude and suggets GP's are run on Tuesdays and/or Sundays and so upset EVERY Polish or Swedish team rather than just a few EL teams.

 

The EL should not be so greedy and expect 5 days for it's self, 4 days is more than enough (3 too many!).

 

The reason the Swedish and Polish leagues don't take our rider is because they have there own race day (Tuesday and Sunday) and no EL teams ride that day, so if the EL promoters didn't want the GP's to take riders away do what certain clubs have done and not race on a Sunday. AFAIK, GP's are only run on Saturdays yet the Poles and Swedes do occasionally have meetings on alternative days, so surely they're moe of a hindrance than the GP's? At least if no team made the choice to run on a Saturday the GP's would never interfere, yet by not riding on a Tuesday and Sunday, on occasions the Swedes and Poles have called riders back.

[Kevin Meynell 2]

To be fair, BSI took over the runing of the GP's after the Saturday race not was fixed so to blame BSI for the Saturday night is unfair.

 

I'm not complaining about BSI themselves (although I'd like to know how they wangled a 20-year contract from the FIM). They are a commercial company who were given the rights to the SGP, and it's quite natural they wish to maximise their profitability. I'm merely pointing out the facts of the matter.

 

The EL should not be so greedy and expect 5 days for it's self, 4 days is more than enough (3 too many!).

 

Unfortunately, you're only seeing things from the point of view of a BPL fan who is unaffected by the SGP. The British leagues ran on Saturdays long before BSI came along, so why should they be the ones who have to change, particularly when it doesn't benefit them in any way?

 

GP's are only run on Saturdays

 

In effect, they take three days because practice is on the Friday (and although it's supposedly not compulsory, most riders have to attend), and the restaging date is on the Sunday. That rules out 27 days (plus another 7 days for the SWC) during the season, and during the time of year when the weather is usually good.

[Trees 2,814]

That's what business is all about Trees.

 

It's why I and many others on this forum go to work. Why expect anything different from JP and BSI?

 

Yes they could drop the series in the blink of an eye in just the same way they took it on in the first place but why would they want to as long as it turns a profit and potentially a much bigger profit. They aren't the only ones making a living, or part of one, from the GP's. Think of the hundreds of people involved in staging just the British GP in Cardiff. They all got paid and the money came from where it always does, the paying customers who want to see the show, whether they paid at the turnstyle or paid their Sky subscriptions.

 

We wouldn't think of criticising ITV for employing actors to appear in a drama only to drop them at the end of the series. Same thing really.

Yeah I guess I do expect something different from a company running the premier speedway event in the world and that is put some of the profit back into grassroots

speedway instead of keeping it all to themselves. Yes, speedway is a business but it is a sport as well and especially in this country where we are lacking facilities for youngsters we could do with some monies being put back in from the top.

[Whacko 0]

we need to rellocate the british GP if speedway is to continue to prosper.

If JP contacts George English on sunday evening, I'm sure george would only be too happy to pass on the Landlords of le stade de brough's telephone number.

[fatface 2,554]

quote]

Yeah I guess I do expect something different from a company running the premier speedway event in the world and that is put some of the profit back into grassroots

speedway instead of keeping it all to themselves. Yes, speedway is a business but it is a sport as well and especially in this country where we are lacking facilities for youngsters we could do with some monies being put back in from the top.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Unfortunately you are living cloud cuckoo land if you expect an international private company to plough their profits back into something because it's "the right thing to do".

 

Anyway, why should BSI give any money to the development of British youngsters, just because we have largely sat on our a***s and done nothing about it for all these years. Sweden and Denmark have developed youngsters without BSI money. Why can't we?

 

I would exempt Sheffield from my criticism. They have shown what can be done with a little bit of hard work and imagination. Why can't other promoters follow their lead?

[Kevin Meynell 2]

Unfortunately you are living cloud cuckoo land if you expect an international private company to plough their profits back into something because it's "the right thing to do".

 

I think BSI could rightly claim that they're paying just over GBP 750K per year to FIM for the rights to the SGP, and that it's the FIM who should be apportioning that money amongst its member countries. You might ask the FIM where that money is going.

 

Sweden and Denmark have developed youngsters without BSI money. Why can't we?

 

That's not the issue at all. The national federations should never have given away the rights (and therefore potential profits) to a commercial company with no interests in domestic speedway.

[The Know 221]

All world championship events bike or car have been run under the FIMs control and always will be. Riders will always put this first above any domestic racing as its the only way to become world champion. In the not to distant future SGP will become very much like moto gp where contracted riders only race in this event. This has already started for 05 by dropping the number of riders to increase prize money also only have the best in it. As for having promoters running SGP thats a big no as their are to many of them in it for there own good. Referance bsi putting money into young british riders wait to end of season to see what they have planned ( MORE THAN HAS BEEN SPENT OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS BY ALL THE SO CALLED WORRIED PARTYS )

[SCB 0]

In the not to distant future SGP will become very much like moto gp where contracted riders only race in this event. This has already started for 05 by dropping the number of riders to increase prize money also only have the best in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You're joking right?

 

Not ONE rider would have made money form the GP's this year, either you buy naff bikes and come last and do a Kaj Laukannen but the cost of getting to the gP ois more than he gets for commign last. Alternatively you could win the GP but the cost of getting the bikes is outweighed by th winnings, so the riders lose there as well.

 

No rider makes money from the GP's and by dropping 8 riders, it might help 1 or 2 rider possibly break even (though I doubt it).

 

You're living in a fantasy world there.

 

 

Here's the prize money in dollars.

1st in Heat 25 = 10,250 (£5746 WOW)

2nd in Heat 25 = 7,450

3rd in Heat 25 = 6,250

4th in Heat 25 = 5,750

3rd in Heats 23 & 24 = 5,000

4th in Heats 23 & 24 = 4,400

3rd in Heats 21 & 22 = 3,250

4th in Heats 21 & 22 = 2,850

3rd in Heats 17 & 18 = 2,650

4th in Heats 17 & 18 = 2,600

3rd in Heats 11 & 12 = 1,750

4th in Heats 11 & 12 = 1,700

3rd in Heats 5 & 6 = 1, 600

4th in Heats 5 & 6 = 1,600 (£897, a flight, somewhere to say, tyre, fuel oil and suddenly you're in debt)

 

Thats £32,000, per GP, now assumingthe guy in 8th get average amount of money (£2000 per GP) and there 6 GP's, then he get 12,000 for a season of GP racing. Now lets assume the winner gets £8000 and a rider wins every GP, in a series of 6 GP's then he gets £48,000. Now that looks good BUT no rider will win every GP and the rider who is challenging for the World title has a pit crew, so he pays them all a wage, assuming he pays his top guy £15,000 then his earnings are alwready down to £33,000 and then he buys a bike or 3 (£8,000 so Lee Richardson said on SKy a few weeks back) thats £24,000 on bikes, so the rider now has an amazing Wage of £9,000. Take away oil fuel and tyres, someone to stay and airfares and the rider is probably getting a bit desperate and living on bread and water.

Edited September 9, 2004 by SCB

[Whacko 0]

aren't we forgetting about sponsorship there SCB?

[SCB 0]

Why should rider have to get sponsorship to be able to ride in the GP's, shoudln't BSI pay the rider enough? After all, BSI get the prime advertising spot (front forks) so they shoudl give that money to the riders.

[Whacko 0]

How many of the top riders actually buy their own bikes though?

There are CL riders out there who gets bikes, full gear, vans etc supplied to them via sponsorship, so I can hardly see the poor GP riders splashing out on this equipment!

 

ok just re-read your posting.

I think BSI should supply all riders with a bike each, 20 x £3k is hardly breaking the bank for BSI!

Edited September 9, 2004 by Whacko

[Kevin Meynell 2]

aren't we forgetting about sponsorship there SCB?

 

Yes, but no-one's going to make a living out of SGP alone. Reducing the number of riders from 24 to 16 will save about USD 13,000 per meeting, so every remaining rider will potentially get a pay rise of USD 813 each. It's still not going to pay the bills.

 

In any case, does anyone believe that the SGP riders would actually sit around doing nothing for up to 3 weeks at a time, when they could be out earning more money? I think a dose of reality is needed.

[Whacko 0]

aren't we forgetting about sponsorship there SCB?

 

Yes, but no-one's going to make a living out of SGP alone. Reducing the number of riders from 24 to 16 will save about USD 13,000 per meeting, so every remaining rider will potentially get a pay rise of USD 813 each. It's still not going to pay the bills.

 

In any case, does anyone believe that the SGP riders would actually sit around doing nothing for up to 3 weeks at a time, when they could be out earning more money? I think a dose of reality is needed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well if they were paid more money they would not have to ride elsewhere!

I'm sure the F1 guys dont go racing all over the place during the GP season risking unneccesary injuries.

[iris123 20,994]

Well Coulthard was racing up and down the Reeperbahn last year

[Whacko 0]

he is a prime example of a failure though - he plays harder than he works and will never be win!