Sgp/bsi And Sec/one Sport It Is War Now

[PolskiZuzel 329]

 

(...) Despite Emil's success. speedway isn't big in Russia as a whole which is probably why there isn't a TV deal in place.

 

 

Without getting too deeply into this subject I would only say this: Did you see Eurosport coverage of the SEC round in Togliatti?

If you did, perhaps you would have to change your opinion

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

 

Without getting too deeply into this subject I would only say this: Did you see Eurosport coverage of the SEC round in Togliatti?

If you did, perhaps you would have to change your opinion

 

Okay, it's big in Togliatti.....

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

He probably didn't mention he'd be the biggest earner though...

 

And they never will if there's no exposure in Russia. Surely part of the role of a rights holder is to do some promotion and generate some interest?

 

JOHN Postlethwaite saw the potential of the SGP where others, many from far bigger organisations, didn't and had the guts to gamble and pile millions into it. He could just as easily have lost. I don't see any harm in someone making a profit. Presumably whoever you work for, even if it is yourself, tries to do just that. You or I could have taken on the SGP but imagine we had neither the balls nor the finance.

 

BSI/IMG have explored new markets (New Zealand and Finland of late) but you only have to look at a map and see the sheer size of Russia to appreciate that country is a very different ball game. I think they stood a better chance with the SWC - national pride and all that - but Emil and the Laguta brothers pretty well scuppered that last year. Even their own federation doesn't take speedway too seriously...

[Walshy1974 24]

 

JOHN Postlethwaite saw the potential of the SGP where others, many from far bigger organisations, didn't and had the guts to gamble and pile millions into it. He could just as easily have lost. I don't see any harm in someone making a profit. Presumably whoever you work for, even if it is yourself, tries to do just that. You or I could have taken on the SGP but imagine we had neither the balls nor the finance.

 

BSI/IMG have explored new markets (New Zealand and Finland of late) but you only have to look at a map and see the sheer size of Russia to appreciate that country is a very different ball game. I think they stood a better chance with the SWC - national pride and all that - but Emil and the Laguta brothers pretty well scuppered that last year. Even their own federation doesn't take speedway too seriously...

How'd you see this one playing out? With WC riders stating their intentions to ride in the SEC.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

JOHN Postlethwaite saw the potential of the SGP where others, many from far bigger organisations, didn't and had the guts to gamble and pile millions into it.

I don't think much, if any of it, was his money and it wasn't 'millions'. The parent Benfield Group appear to have been the primary backers of the venture, although one can only speculate at the reasons why a re-insurance group should wish to be involved with speedway.

 

Presumably whoever you work for, even if it is yourself, tries to do just that. You or I could have taken on the SGP but imagine we had neither the balls nor the finance.

I actually work for, and always have worked for non-for-profit organisations. Commercial organisations are better at doing many things, but not-for-profits are appropriate for industry collaborations, particularly in sport. It does not mean they cannot or shouldn't make money, but that money should be used for the benefit of their industry stakeholders and not disappear off to shareholders outside of that industry.

 

The national speedway authorities are primarily at fault for not seizing the opportunity of the SGP, but upon their failure to do anything, the FIM should have insisted on a profit-sharing scheme in return for selling off the rights. The FIM has a duty to represent the interests of its stakeholders, in this case speedway, but the revenue it derives from speedway-related activities does not in any way appear to benefit speedway.

 

This aside, I've never had any issue with an individual or company seeing an opportunity and being rewarded for taking the risk. However, the SGP is entirely about the riders, and if I were the stars of the show and saw the shareholders and FIM pocketing more than six times the amount being paid out in prize money, not to mention the CEO being paid multiple times more than what the world champion took home in prize money, then I'd certainly be asking questions about what's a fair split of proceeds.

 

Now I appreciate the SGP did not always make money so there might be an argument about the SGP being a sponsorship vehicle in the early days, but that's become increasingly spurious. As an example, tennis grand slams pay out around 25% of their revenue in prize money, which would be about 2.5 million quid (or 400% more than now) if you applied the same equation to the SGP.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Humphrey Appleby

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

How'd you see this one playing out? With WC riders stating their intentions to ride in the SEC.

 

NOT sure what Emil will do but think the rest will stay with the SGP if they have to ... Nicki Pedersen has made some noises but would his sponsors rather see him at Holsted than PARKEN? He also has Swedish sponsors....

 

It still remains an un-necessary war but the only people who can resolve it are those in Geneva.

 

Matthew Harding, who a Director at Benfield Greig and was involved in Chelsea before his untimely death due to a helicopter crash, was one of the reasons Benfield Sports International (BSI) got off the ground and while it is true that much of the early funding came from Benfield Greig later on JP bought them out.

 

Benfield Greig became involved because Postlethwaite, who had been Commercial Director at Benneton's F1 team and knew many of those at the insurance giant, convinced them of its potential, especially as a TV product.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

Benfield Greig became involved because Postlethwaite, who had been Commercial Director at Benneton's F1 team and knew many of those at the insurance giant, convinced them of its potential, especially as a TV product.

Why then did they put up most of the money, but relinquish their rights to share in the profits?

[Walshy1974 24]

 

NOT sure what Emil will do but think the rest will stay with the SGP if they have to ... Nicki Pedersen has made some noises but would his sponsors rather see him at Holsted than PARKEN? He also has Swedish sponsors....

 

It still remains an un-necessary war but the only people who can resolve it are those in Geneva.

 

Matthew Harding, who a Director at Benfield Greig and was involved in Chelsea before his untimely death due to a helicopter crash, was one of the reasons Benfield Sports International (BSI) got off the ground and while it is true that much of the early funding came from Benfield Greig later on JP bought them out.

 

Benfield Greig became involved because Postlethwaite, who had been Commercial Director at Benneton's F1 team and knew many of those at the insurance giant, convinced them of its potential, especially as a TV product.

Having read some posts on various discussions on here I was under the illusion that riders were earning more from doing SEC than the GP's. Have I misinterpreted that they earn more on SEC, but their sponsors ultimately line the rider's pocket and want their name/brand advertised globally?

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

West Row, price money is bigger in SEC then SGP and regarding the sponsors I think it varies from rider to rider depending

on who the sponsors are and what their main market is,

 

The SEC have probably a wider covering in Europe thanks to that Eurosport broadcasts it all over Europe which

means that sponsors will get exposure on countries that otherwise wouldn't have any speedway on tv.

 

 

SGP on the other hand probably (?) have a bigger coverage outside Europe but on many different broadcasters,

[Walshy1974 24]

West Row, price money is bigger in SEC then SGP and regarding the sponsors I think it varies from rider to rider depending

on who the sponsors are and what their main market is,

 

The SEC have probably a wider covering in Europe thanks to that Eurosport broadcasts it all over Europe which

means that sponsors will get exposure on countries that otherwise wouldn't have any speedway on tv.

 

 

SGP on the other hand probably (?) have a bigger coverage outside Europe but on many different broadcasters,

Thanks. So if I've got this right, the rider has some power in this situation as he knows what benefits him, then his sponsors have quite some say in what he should be doing as we're not talking Terry's Taxis sponsoring him are we, then SEC have the power of the bigger carrot in this case more money, then we have SGP who hold the Trump card in sponsors want their rider in the SGP so to have their image/logo advertised on a larger scale (12 Gp's v 4 SEC), and I'm fairly certain along with any rider in any motorbike discipline any rider worth his salt wants a WC Medal rather than an European medal.. Jeez, what a rather large pickle it seems. One does hope for speedway's sake that common sense prevails and rider's can take part in both. Only time will tell I guess.

[f-s-p 832]

West Row, price money is bigger in SEC then SGP and regarding the sponsors I think it varies from rider to rider depending

on who the sponsors are and what their main market is,

 

The SEC have probably a wider covering in Europe thanks to that Eurosport broadcasts it all over Europe which

means that sponsors will get exposure on countries that otherwise wouldn't have any speedway on tv.

 

 

SGP on the other hand probably (?) have a bigger coverage outside Europe but on many different broadcasters,

on what do you base that SEC pays better that SGP?

[DutchGrasstrack 804]

Indeed... in the SEC you need to score if you want to get big prize money. All riders are guaranteed of 450 euro travel money. Then 450 euro will be paid per point (heat 1 to 20) plus another 650 euro per point in the final. In the SGP you are guaranteed of a 1.000 dollars (735 euros) if you finish last. The winner gets 12.000 dollars (8227 euros). There is no travel money.

If you score max points in the SEC: 15 * 450 plus 3 * 650 = 8700 euro. So it's only a little bit more in the SEC after all (if the rider scores max points) ..... and this only happened one time this year (Vaculik in Rzeszow).

 

 

(all info is based of the latest rules which are published on the FIM and FIM Europe websites)

Edited December 6, 2013 by DutchGrasstrack

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

And there are 12 SGP rounds as opposed to four in the SEC ...

[hydrobob 8]

Common sense, speedway, same sentence....I don't think so.

[crangy 1]

more to the piont who is replacing gollop