Speedway Gp In Tatters !

[Midland Red 2,383]

at present, speedway in the UK is ignored

 

So what's the benefit of GPs to us in the UK ? ? ? ?

[spiegal 294]

So what's the benefit of GPs to us in the UK ? ? ? ?

 

That's a question for the Speedway authorities in the UK.

 

The answer was there/ and it was turned down....if you knew how the GP events were financed and run, then perhaps you would be in a position to answer your own question.It is indeed a huge shame that British Speedway has been by-passed.But look at what it has to offer..not what overseas imports each club has, but what rider base it has developed from its own resources.

[screm 8,057]

At the rate the riders are dropping out,young Scott Nicholls will be back in .

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

I have said previously that GPs are the future and that World Finals are of the past and only for nostalgia.

 

BUT ... this is a little disingeniuous, is it not?

 

You mention the 1974 Final held in the pouring rain at Gothenburg of all places.

Yes it wasn't good but for goodness sake NONE of the GPs held at that place have been any good either have they?

 

AND when talking about the past world championships is the whole year-long story of the qualifying rounds that has to be remembered. Truth is that today there is hardly a person alive who can remember the events of ANY GP qualifying meeting (except for a couple of GP Challneges back in the 90s) but you mention 1974 ... the British Final at an absulutely ram-packed Brandon with Eric Boocock pulling off the win in his last ride, the European Final at Wembley with Peter Collins winning his first big title after beating Mauger and Olsen in a run-off and not to mention the initial rounds around the whole of the UK that, in those days, were genuinely must-go-to meetings.

 

Really Phil, I think you should choose your examples a little more carefully.

 

BUT times have changed and as I said, it's all in the eye of the beholder. There were many, many great meetings under the old system but most of those you have mentioned were qualifying rounds and not the World Final itself. In essence PC winning his first big title (European Championship) was like winning a round of the SGP. But I respect your view, we are not all the same which helps to make the world go round. But the fact is that the wold style championship had become unsustainable in the modern era.

 

I stand to be corrected about the 1974 WF but I don't remember it being anywhere near as wet as 1977 when PC lost out to Ivan Mauger.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

I stand to be corrected about the 1974 WF but I don't remember it being anywhere near as wet as 1977 when PC lost out to Ivan Mauger.

 

I believe it did rain in '74. I wasn't there then but was in '77 and have only just dried out now!! The only time it's EVER been wetter than that night, Noah built his Ark!!

[Dave_minall 232]

I can't believe people are still tarting about the idea of the old world final making a comeback. Talk until you're blue in the face, it will never happen. Deal with what we have because talking about how you can't cope with change won't alter the current system one iota.

[stratton 1,491]

I can't believe people are still tarting about the idea of the old world final making a comeback. Talk until you're blue in the face, it will never happen. Deal with what we have because talking about how you can't cope with change won't alter the current system one iota.

Is it change thats benefited british speedway as a whole, not so sure some people dont seem to realize clubs are really struggling.Change is ok but do i think british speedway as a whole has got stronger no i dont.actually the elite league is pretty average,

[Grand Central 2,654]

BUT times have changed and as I said, it's all in the eye of the beholder. There were many, many great meetings under the old system but most of those you have mentioned were qualifying rounds and not the World Final itself. In essence PC winning his first big title (European Championship) was like winning a round of the SGP. But I respect your view, we are not all the same which helps to make the world go round. But the fact is that the wold style championship had become unsustainable in the modern era.

 

I stand to be corrected about the 1974 WF but I don't remember it being anywhere near as wet as 1977 when PC lost out to Ivan Mauger.

 

Absolutely ... 1977 versus 1974 for wetness ... 1977 wins!

 

I was not decrying the GPs at any point, quite the reverse.

 

But Ullevi happens to be a bit of a leveller, doesn't it. It's one of those places that SHOULD show the best of world speedway but it actually never has, has it?

 

It is not a particularly good example of how the old system was bad any more than it is a good example of how the modern way is any better.

 

Goodness know why BSI keep going back! It's dreadful!

 

But having said that 1974, 1977, 1980, 1984 AND 1991 I was there every year, thoroughly enjoyed my stay in the city including Saturday/Sunday at Liseberg ... but funnily enough I haven't set foot in the place since the GPs took over.

 

I just find it interesting that you chose '74 as an example of the nadir of World Finals. As a modern-day lover of GPs that is the one place that would never get me to leave my seat in front of Nige and Kelv to see a live GP, yet it always drew me to travel to a world final at the place. Funny that, isn't it?

Edited October 29, 2011 by Grand Central

[HenryW 1,178]

The World Final was always staged in September though, so taking the Nordic round is a better example of "had it been a one-off World Final". Had that been the case the winner would have been... Greg Hancock!

Just to be pedantic, the last 4 One off World Finals were all held in August. Since 1980 it was always held on the last weekend in August or first weekend in September, with the exception of the last ever one which was held on the 20th of August.

 

That means the Torun GP is maybe more appropriately timed. At least Greg would have still been in a run off for the title in that one

Edited October 29, 2011 by HenryW

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

So SVEMO receive their money direct from BSI from hiring of the stadia in Sweden?

 

Don't think it works that way. The local organisers pay a staging fee to IMG/BSI for the 'right' to host a GP, but get to keep the gate money and presumably other ancillary income such as refreshments etc.

 

The staging fee is reputedly quite high, so looking at the reported crowd figures for many GPs, it's difficult to see how many host tracks are actually able to turn a profit. However, I think Malilla tends to pretty much sell out, and the local organisers probably have very little in the way of expenses as it's permanent track and Swedish tracks also tend to be leased from local authorities for a peppercorn rent. I'd guess that's why they're able to make a surplus.

 

I could be wrong, but I thought Gothenburg was one of the GPs that IMG/BSI promotes themselves, so the poor crowd numbers and higher expenses are less of an issue.

 

For the smaller GPs, one would think they rely heavily on sponsorship from local authorities and fund-raising to make ends meet. Local authorities are presumably willing to put money up in order to attract tourists who'll spend money in their city, although it's difficult to think the likes of Daugavpils and Krsko would ever develop into masss tourist destinations...

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Whilst I did have much more interest in the World Championship when it was run on knockout lines with a one-off World Final, I think it's unrealistic to expect that it would revert to that format today. The need for television and sponsorship money is now much more significant now than then, and that needs to have some sort of regular series.

 

Nevertheless, there should be a more equitable distribution of the proceeds from such a series, to riders and to the grassroots of the sport.

[Grand Central 2,654]

I could be wrong, but I thought Gothenburg was one of the GPs that IMG/BSI promotes themselves, so the poor crowd numbers and higher expenses are less of an issue.

 

For the smaller GPs, one would think they rely heavily on sponsorship from local authorities and fund-raising to make ends meet. Local authorities are presumably willing to put money up in order to attract tourists who'll spend money in their city, although it's difficult to think the likes of Daugavpils and Krsko would ever develop into masss tourist destinations...

 

Yes, the rather ubiquitous and yet so incongruous appearence of TORUN and LESZNO on race jackets at GPs in other countries for the last couple of years is, I think, testomony to this funding mechanism.

 

Goodness knows what the council tax payers (or their equivalent) in these Polish 'tourist' centres feel about their money being spent in this way is rather open to question.

Edited October 29, 2011 by Grand Central

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Goodness knows what the council tax payers (or their equivalent) in these Polish 'tourist' centres feel about their money being spent in this way is rather open to question.

 

It's uncertainly not uncommon for councils or other public authorities to provide some sponsorship of events that will lead to money being spent in local hotels, restaurants and the like. Indeed, the appearance of 'Visit Cymru' on the list of SGP sponsors would suggest the UK taxpayer is contributing to the cost of the Cardiff GP in some way.

 

However, one would hope these bodies have done their sums when it comes to the amount reputedly being paid by Leszno for the privilege of staging their GP...

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Yes, the rather ubiquitous and yet so incongruous appearence of TORUN and LESZNO on race jackets at GPs in other countries for the last couple of years is, I think, testomony to this funding mechanism.

 

Goodness knows what the council tax payers (or their equivalent) in these Polish 'tourist' centres feel about their money being spent in this way is rather open to question.

 

THE Mayor of Bydgoszcz was voted out of office largely, we are told, because the city lost its GP status. The new mayor of Daugavpils is desperate to get the GP back. The mayors of Torun and Gorzow are heavily involved. I think you misunderstand the prestige enjoyed by these Polish cities being associated with the GPs. There is massive political capital to be gained.

 

The city of Gothenburg is now actively involved, anxious not to lose the GP like other sporting events in Sweden to Stockholm.

[Grand Central 2,654]

THE Mayor of Bydgoszcz was voted out of office largely, we are told, because the city lost its GP status. The new mayor of Daugavpils is desperate to get the GP back. The mayors of Torun and Gorzow are heavily involved. I think you misunderstand the prestige enjoyed by these Polish cities being associated with the GPs. There is massive political capital to be gained.

 

The city of Gothenburg is now actively involved, anxious not to lose the GP like other sporting events in Sweden to Stockholm.

 

That is good for the GP, no doubt.

 

It is just difficult to appreciate that the people of these cities actually approve of this way of spending public money ... it would be a very difficult sell for a directly elected UK City Mayor, wouldn't it?

It is only unelected QANGOS in the UK that can get away with doing this sort of thing isn't it?

Edited October 29, 2011 by Grand Central