BluTiger 21,705 Posted October 27, 2013 A slightly larger league, one home and one away, whats wrong with that? 12 teams, 11 home and 11 away fixtures. Team at the top goes direct to p/o final Teams finishing 2nd & 3rd have a semi, home and away... winner of that then rides against the team that finished top over a home and away final. That still retains the play offs, but shortened and should be easier to fit in at the end of the season. Or maybe drop the play off circus if there is a full league programme... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EnglishRoundabout 1,752 Posted October 27, 2013 Or maybe drop the play off circus if there is a full league programme... Is that your 'mean and moody' look Blu? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BluTiger 21,705 Posted October 27, 2013 Is that your 'mean and moody' look Blu? That's American stand up comedian George Carlin, a big favourite of mine English. Dead now unfortunately, but well worth a look on You Tube. I look like that most of the time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Panthers89 1,922 Posted October 27, 2013 Well with no Sky we wont need the play offs hopefully. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrwulfAndrew 12 Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) Right here is my go at a saviour plan for the elite league.If regular team speedway is going to survive in this country then it has to stop driving away its hardcore fan base along with encouraging new fans to attend meetings. People think it’s all about getting new fans through the door and that is important. However look at the hardcore fan base, look at how it has diminished over the years, it’s quite frightening.Promoters assume those kind of people will keep turning up and some will but an awful lot have drifted away. There are people who don’t go now who used to believe would go to speedway forever. Over the last couple of years I’ve kind of drifted away although I love the GPs and still pop down Monmore occasionally. However it’s not the same anymore. I think at this stage it may be a bit unrealistic to drastically improve things but an improvement or at least stopping the rot isn’t impossible. Every year we say the sport is in crisis but I think it’s in a big mess going into next year. Something has to be done.Although it may be difficult we need to keep as much quality in the league as possible. This means quality throughout the team, not just two big hitters then a load of 3 pointers. People would also like more teams so how about an Elite League of 12 teams each with 1 top rider as a limit. We always talk about strengthening from the top but lets be realistic that isn’t going to happen. So why not strengthen from the bottom. A ban on 3 point riders in the elite league should help. If they have a 3 point average then they are premier league standard. Id try impose a minimum average of 4 on the league. if it can’t be done then start with 3.5. One thing that annoys me is Ward, Woffinden, Iversen etc being half a lap ahead of riders who struggle to turn the bike. There should be no place for that sort of stuff in the Elite. The play offs seem to annoy the old school fans but provide good drama and crowds. My idea would be to not have the place offs. Instead id split the league after the first round of fixtures. So after you have raced everybody home and away once the top 5 should break off into Elite League A and the bottom 7 into Elite League B. Rather than having play offs you then ride home and away again against everyone in your new league. Therefore the winner of Elite League A would be champions. Effectively it’s a longer play off but in a league format. Similar idea to when you had A finals and B finals in the GPs. You could have an Elite League winner and a B league winner (from the bottom 7)This would add up to 30 fixtures for teams who qualify for the A league and 36 fixtures for the B league. Not too few but not loads of fixtures at the same time. This system would keep some of the play off drama but also ensure that the winner of the A league is the best team throughout the season. Id also cancel the tac ride rule and bring back the old school tactical sub. I don’t consider this a biggy but there should be something for the die hards and I think they would like to see double points cancelled. You may think this is a complete pile of rubbish but its just an idea so don’t all shoot me down at once Edited October 27, 2013 by MrwulfAndrew 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted October 27, 2013 By announcing the signing of Chris Harris, Coventry have effectively confirmed that we'll have a severely watered-down Elite League, rather than any kind of serious re-organisation. If no TV deal is forthcoming, I can see three or four Elite clubs folding during the course of next season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted October 27, 2013 In an EL meeting there are 84 points available to calculate the average for 14 riders as heat 15 is not counted. If all the teams draw all their meetings each team has 42 points to calculate the riders average. If the limit is dropped to 36 then each year riders who do well put themselves out of a job and teams get wrecked to get to the next years limit. We want British riders to do well but if they improve they risk not being included the following year. Inorder to save money they should not reduce the team limit but reduce the payment per point and riders costs or reduce the number of riders per team. Riders can then decide if they want to ride for lower pay or not. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706 Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) In an EL meeting there are 84 points available to calculate the average for 14 riders as heat 15 is not counted. If all the teams draw all their meetings each team has 42 points to calculate the riders average. If the limit is dropped to 36 then each year riders who do well put themselves out of a job and teams get wrecked to get to the next years limit. We want British riders to do well but if they improve they risk not being included the following year. Inorder to save money they should not reduce the team limit but reduce the payment per point and riders costs or reduce the number of riders per team. Riders can then decide if they want to ride for lower pay or not. But heat 15 is counted and most likely in theory lowers yhe points limit. At heat 14 all 7 have had 4 rides and the average will be 42. In 15 the riders taking part will normally be the high scorers with 8+ points to their name but between them they can only score 6 points meaning the overall team average will fall. 36 points wont be an overall weakening if adding teams to the league. A Prem teams converted average would be under 30 so if 2 join a lower overall average is needed unless you can pull in an extra dozen 'top end' riders which in todays climate isnt going to happen. Edited October 27, 2013 by dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hornblower 31 Posted October 27, 2013 All the best to Poole in 2014. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,826 Posted October 27, 2013 Well with no Sky we wont need the play offs hopefully. Be financial suicide without them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BluTiger 21,705 Posted October 27, 2013 Be financial suicide without them. With Sky gone and a full league fixture list with a KO Cup, the circus play offs can be binned and the league winners can be crowned champions... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,826 Posted October 27, 2013 With Sky gone and a full league fixture list with a KO Cup, the circus play offs can be binned and the league winners can be crowned champions... Wow, such progress - that will make the crowds flocking back ........not. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted October 27, 2013 With Sky gone and a full league fixture list with a KO Cup, the circus play offs can be binned and the league winners can be crowned champions... But fans aren't interested in the KO Cup, that's why it was binned. The play-offs on the other hand attract the biggest crowds of the season. So, remind me why you want to scrap the play-offs and reinstate the KO Cup? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BluTiger 21,705 Posted October 27, 2013 But fans aren't interested in the KO Cup, that's why it was binned. The play-offs on the other hand attract the biggest crowds of the season. So, remind me why you want to scrap the play-offs and reinstate the KO Cup? Because I want a full fixture list, I don't want clubs finishing in early September. The 'big crowds' only benefit 2 teams once, and 2 teams twice, whilst the rest just stop, that's hardly progress imo. The KOC needs to start and finish earlier, and get rid of the pointless challenge matches. That's my view anyway.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
philfromcov 326 Posted October 28, 2013 who says the fans don't want the KOC? for the majority of teams the season ends first week of September, losing potentially up to 7 home meetings. im guessing they ditched KOC/craven shield to stem the losses. we lost most of the summer due to gp/world cups and we are forced to cram home meetings in either side, which isnt good. league meetings should not be cancelled due to GP's, its then your choice if you want a star in, but the majority of teams can then run un interrupted season. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
