G.p.series Does The Future Look Good Quality Wise.

[stratton 1,491]

My thoughts exactly. People don't like change you see, so they assume that the current era (or times gone by) are the be all and end all of speedway.

 

Granted the oldest rider in the field won the championship won this year, but regardless of the skill or the age of riders, the GP will still continue to be an exciting product and will be for years to come.

Change yes all for it if its made the sport as a whole better ,it hasnt.And also dont just presume the gp product will go on for years to come without hard work and improvements because its a hard old world out there with loads of sports rivalling speedway.

[Dave_minall 232]

Change yes all for it if its made the sport as a whole better ,it hasnt.And also dont just presume the gp product will go on for years to come without hard work and improvements because its a hard old world out there with loads of sports rivalling speedway.

 

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective. We have qualification rounds and one final at a track and that is it - with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors. Just because we have a year when 1 rule by one league has impacted on this years competition we get all and sundry claiming that 'the one off final was better' - at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

My issue is not with riders dropping out, as they've got every right to, My issue is people claiming that the current system is broken and that the one off world final is better. It just isn't.

[stratton 1,491]

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective. We have qualification rounds and one final at a track and that is it - with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors. Just because we have a year when 1 rule by one league has impacted on this years competition we get all and sundry claiming that 'the one off final was better' - at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

My issue is not with riders dropping out, as they've got every right to, My issue is people claiming that the current system is broken and that the one off world final is better. It just isn't.

If its that successful why are riders earning peanuts?i want them to get the rewards they deserve.if i hear the riders are getting well rewarded and they are happy then i will agree its been succesful.If you play in the premiership, a high accolade you are well rewarded.Why if the gp series is doing that great why arnt the riders reaping the rewards? i think Darcy ward not entering this year tells you alot.

[alan_boon 1]

I think this could possibly be a chance for BSI to tweak the formula: have a top 8 assured, and the other 7 to come from 16 riders chosen to appear in two qualifiers. The qualifying rounds further on in the season will decide 9 riders to take part in 2013's qualifiers, alongside the bottom 7.

Edited November 2, 2011 by alan_boon

[Humphrey Appleby 14,000]

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective.

 

I'm not the least bit interested in seeing it from BSI's perspective. They're a private company who're looking to profit from the SGP any way they can (as they should do from the perspective of their shareholders).

 

A more relevant question for the sport as a whole to ask, is what it's getting out of the SGP, and more particularly, BSI's involvement.

 

with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors.

 

Bit of a myth that, although I suppose it depends on your definition of 'huge'. When you break it down though, it's really only Cardiff, Copenhagen and Gothenburg that you might describe as 'huge stadiums' and it's really only the first two of these and the Polish rounds that draw any significant crowds. Most of the venues are distinctly small, and the crowds quite indifferent.

 

at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay.

 

That's all right then...

[Humphrey Appleby 14,000]

I think this could possibly be a chance for BSI to tweak the formula: have a top 8 assured, and the other 7 to come from 16 riders chosen to appear in two qualifiers. The qualifying rounds further on in the season will decide 9 riders to take part in 2013's qualifiers, alongside the bottom 7.

 

Riders realistically need to know whether they're taking part in the SGP in advance so they can make logistical arrangements and find sponsors. The national leagues also need to know whether they're riding so they can decide whether to sign them or not.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Rather like another of the young talents who you saw many years back at Plough Lane and predicted he would be a world beater.

 

Hmm, I might well have done - as am prone to rash predictions, ( ) but who was it that time..?!

I always thought (and still do!) that Buzz should've been World Champ but surely I never described him as young!!

[waiheke1 4,295]

If its that successful why are riders earning peanuts?i want them to get the rewards they deserve.if i hear the riders are getting well rewarded and they are happy then i will agree its been succesful.If you play in the premiership, a high accolade you are well rewarded.Why if the gp series is doing that great why arnt the riders reaping the rewards? i think Darcy ward not entering this year tells you alot.

 

Firstly, you can't really compare Speedway with Football, the money isn't comparable at all. Secondly, comparing with the premiership isn't really valid - premiership is comparable with club speedway, where riders are paid, from what i understand, reasonable amounts.

A more legitmate comparison would be with the World Cup, where players are paid a pittance compared to what they earn for their clubs. Or the Olympics, where competitors aren't paid at all. However, what those events do is put competitrors in a global window, where if they perform well they can nail the big sponsorship deals, or big club contracts.

 

Re Darcy Ward - unquestionably its a huge shame. But if the EPL put in place a rule that each side could have only say 3 international players, I'd be pretty confident you'd see a spate of international retirements.

[stratton 1,491]

Firstly, you can't really compare Speedway with Football, the money isn't comparable at all. Secondly, comparing with the premiership isn't really valid - premiership is comparable with club speedway, where riders are paid, from what i understand, reasonable amounts.

A more legitmate comparison would be with the World Cup, where players are paid a pittance compared to what they earn for their clubs. Or the Olympics, where competitors aren't paid at all. However, what those events do is put competitrors in a global window, where if they perform well they can nail the big sponsorship deals, or big club contracts.

 

Re Darcy Ward - unquestionably its a huge shame. But if the EPL put in place a rule that each side could have only say 3 international players, I'd be pretty confident you'd see a spate of international retirements.

Football i no the money isnt comparable [the point i was making was the gps should be the pinnacle of a riders career] therefore should be rewarded.If the gps series is doing well,why arnt they being rewarded.Also dont believe that people dont get paid for the olympics,[ie]Messi played in it was well rewarded athletes [supposingly not proffesional]Lord Coe, Ovett; Cram, Gunnell,and numerous others kenyans,ehiopians ect all made shed loads of money appearance money not sponsorship.AN EXAMPLE if say ward had to pay say 30,000 outlay bikes team ect to challenge for the title but see say to get third place on the rostrum would net him 70,000 it wouldnt be so bad would it.Also if the gp series product is so good,surely out of the pool of money 1 million could be put a side for the top 3 prize money.I think the money is there but greedy individuals the wrong people are making money.Us the public have no idea of how much money is there and who gets what.Thats why until i see the prize money go to the correct level, i cant say the series is a success and also the league clubs should be compensated as the gps cause them mega problems.

[Humphrey Appleby 14,000]

A more legitmate comparison would be with the World Cup, where players are paid a pittance compared to what they earn for their clubs. Or the Olympics, where competitors aren't paid at all.

 

I doubt international footballers lose money playing in the World Cup (except by gambling it away), even if their earnings are less than for their clubs. It's a reasonable point with respect to the Olympics, but that's a single event once every four years, not 12 events every year.

 

It's still not a reasonable comparison though, because both the World Cup and the Olympics are run by their own governing bodies for the ultimate benefit of their sports. The participating national associations make money, and surpluses are distributed to other associations that are not directly involved.

[waiheke1 4,295]

I doubt international footballers lose money playing in the World Cup (except by gambling it away), even if their earnings are less than for their clubs. It's a reasonable point with respect to the Olympics, but that's a single event once every four years, not 12 events every year.

 

It's still not a reasonable comparison though, because both the World Cup and the Olympics are run by their own governing bodies for the ultimate benefit of their sports. The participating national associations make money, and surpluses are distributed to other associations that are not directly involved.

 

I'd suggest FIFA executives and associated companies are lining their pcokets far more than IMG!

 

I understand what people are saying, but do we think IMG are making huge amounts from the GP (obviously they are making some). I understand that they pay a licensing fee to FIM, so maybe some of that money should also be filtered back to the riders.

 

But, that said, I'm certainly not disagreeing that riders should be paid a fair "market rate" for competing in the sports' premier event. I certainly support that thy should be. But I'm not sure what the solution is - I'm not sure for example that there's an obvious alternative party to run the series which would result in a better deal for the riders.

[Dave_minall 232]

This has only become an issue since Poland introduced the '1 GP rider per team rule' so I can't see how what the riders earn is relevant - they aren't pulling out because the GP doesn't pay well, they're pulling out because the bulk of their league income is at risk if they ride in the GPs.

 

If Poland never introduced the rule, this debate wouldn't exist. It's pretty simple.

[Humphrey Appleby 14,000]

I'd suggest FIFA executives and associated companies are lining their pcokets far more than IMG!

 

Undoubtedly, and several FIFA officials are quite clearly corrupt. However, many millions still filter down to the grassroots of the sport despite that.

 

I understand what people are saying, but do we think IMG are making huge amounts from the GP (obviously they are making some). I understand that they pay a licensing fee to FIM, so maybe some of that money should also be filtered back to the riders.

 

They currently pay something like GBP 1.4 million per year to the FIM, although the FIM pays the prize money from this. BSI's reported profits a couple of years ago were around GBP 1.6 million on a turnover of GBP 9 million.