Dislike For The Gps?

[Eglese 19 19]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, I'm fairly new here. I was just wondering if there was a lot of dislike for the GP series out there as I've seen in a few topics a lot of negativity towards them. It looks a bit like a lot of people would prefer a return to the world final system. For what it's worth I'm a fan of the GP series, whilst I wish some of the GPs were better I think the series is great. I think it's better at finding the world champion also takes the GPs around the speedway world a bit. Am I in the majority or not? For whatForbnmbf

[Humphrey Appleby 13,974]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, I'm fairly new here. I was just wondering if there was a lot of dislike for the GP series out there as I've seen in a few topics a lot of negativity towards them.

 

Not against it per se, but against the way it's been set up and run so that little or no benefits accrue to the grassroots level.

[severnsider 197]

Personally a big fan of the gps. As well as the racing it has given me the opportunity to visit a lot of places I wouldn't have otherwise so broadening my knowledge.

 

Also been lucky to live in a time when travelling to Eastern Europe is much easier than in the past

 

(null)

[f-s-p 832]

Also been lucky to live in a time when travelling to Eastern Europe is much easier than in the past

Not just with visa's and such. Thanks to Ryanair and Easyjet and whatelse it's affordable and easy.

[New Science 1,059]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, I'm fairly new here. I was just wondering if there was a lot of dislike for the GP series out there as I've seen in a few topics a lot of negativity towards them. It looks a bit like a lot of people would prefer a return to the world final system. For what it's worth I'm a fan of the GP series, whilst I wish some of the GPs were better I think the series is great. I think it's better at finding the world champion also takes the GPs around the speedway world a bit. Am I in the majority or not? For whatForbnmbf

Can't be long before the White Knight gets his teeth into this thread !

[Deano 1,318]

The GP's put speedway back into decent stadiums.

 

If we'd stayed doing the one off, the grand final would probably be held at Rye House or something of a similar size.

[Eglese 19 19]

Not against it per se, but against the way it's been set up and run so that little or no benefits accrue to the grassroots level.

Never really looked at it that way to be honest but I guess that's a fair point

[Humphrey Appleby 13,974]

The GP's put speedway back into decent stadiums.

If we'd stayed doing the one off, the grand final would probably be held at Rye House or something of a similar size.

 

Said it before, but it's a bit of myth that World Finals crowds didn't justify decent venues, but the problem was that rota expanded to less mainstream countries that decided to hold their World Finals in glorified fields (e.g. Pocking. They were not attractive destinations for fans, and it became a self-fulfilling prophesy that crowds would fall.

 

The latter World Finals in Munich, Bradford, Wroclaw and Gothenburg pulled crowds that were comparable or better than the more popular GPs today. I can't see any reason why a one-off final couldn't have been held in the Millennium Stadium and not draw crowds of 40K+ had it been available before 2000.

 

A cynical person might think the old World Finals were run into the ground to justify a GP system that favoured particular interest groups.

[oldace 1,678]

Said it before, but it's a bit of myth that World Finals crowds didn't justify decent venues, but the problem was that rota expanded to less mainstream countries that decided to hold their World Finals in glorified fields (e.g. Pocking. They were not attractive destinations for fans, and it became a self-fulfilling prophesy that crowds would fall.

 

The latter World Finals in Munich, Bradford, Wroclaw and Gothenburg pulled crowds that were comparable or better than the more popular GPs today. I can't see any reason why a one-off final couldn't have been held in the Millennium Stadium and not draw crowds of 40K+ had it been available before 2000.

 

A cynical person might think the old World Finals were run into the ground to justify a GP system that favoured particular interest groups.

 

The LA Coliseum wasnt a track in a field but had a dreadful crowd by the standards of the day. Likewise Gothenburg was an OK stadium in a country with a speedway tradition but struggled to break 30,000 by 1984.

 

One off finals, had they been around today, would be lucky to fill Scunthorpe let alone the millenium Stadium

[Humphrey Appleby 13,974]

Likewise Gothenburg was an OK stadium in a country with a speedway tradition but struggled to break 30,000 by 1984.

 

And how many GPs get more than 30,000 today?

 

Far too many are taken in by the SGP hype, when in reality attendances with maybe one exception are no better than the latter days of the World Finals.

 

For that matter, the last World Final was held at Vojens, and just where was the Nordic GP held last year?

[Dudleywood4eva 15]

Unfortunately whether u like them or not, a revamp of the world championship was needed and the GP's were the way to move the sport forward. To some - myself included - the one off world final was a fantastic event for drama excitement and tension.. but apart from the odd highlight latterly they were never televised. We now have a series held in some brilliant venues which is broadcast live and we are attracting the likes of monster as sponsers. So i dont dislike the GP's at all - its only failing is how riders qualify for it imo

[Humphrey Appleby 13,974]

We now have a series held in some brilliant venues which is broadcast live and we are attracting the likes of monster as sponsers.

 

Broadcasting live? Is that for sure?

 

You also can't really compare what happened 20 years ago with now. Satellite and cable was just taking off in the latter days of the World Finals, whilst now there are hundreds of channels looking for content. I very much doubt World Finals wouldn't have got on some TV channel in the past 10 years.

[Dudleywood4eva 15]

 

 

Broadcasting live? Is that for sure?

 

You also can't really compare what happened 20 years ago with now. Satellite and cable was just taking off in the latter days of the World Finals, whilst now there are hundreds of channels looking for content. I very much doubt World Finals wouldn't have got on some TV channel in the past 10 years.

 

True. Hadnt thought of that. And as for live broadcasts - obviously this has been since 1995 to date - not sure about this year!!

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

One off finals, had they been around today, would be lucky to fill Scunthorpe let alone the millenium Stadium

 

This comment simply makes not one tiny bit of sense...

Why would a World Final held in the UK be held at Scunthorpe...? It would clearly be held at the Millenium Stadium and would without question attract a higher crowd than the SGP round held at that same venue currently gets..

Give me just ONE reason why your 'argument' holds any currency whatsoever!

[waiheke1 4,295]

_{the one off final vs GP debate has been done to death, and I'm firmly in the pro GP camp, but I can't agree with some of the things being argued here.}

 

_{1. I'd certainly expect the attendance at a one off final to exceed that for a GP in that country, and certainly not expect a final to be held in a smaller venue than the GPs currently are}

_{2. I wiould be almost certain that a one off final would be shown live on TV, and assume that the major qualifying rounds would be too under that format}

_{3. That said, I'd be pretty confident that TOTAL ATTENDANCE and TOTAL VIEWING FIGURES for the GP series would exceed those for a one off Final (including qualifiers)}