2014

[AlanF 295]

IF you were the boss of Sky and there was just the slightest chance that you might renew the speedway contract, wouldn't you want to know what was on offer NOW...

 

Yes, but equally you can't hang around forever waiting for them to decide. At some point you have to set your budget and plan without it and hope you do get the money.If you plan on getting it and then it doesn't materialize then that could be game over for many tracks.

[enotian 562]

IF you were the boss of Sky and there was just the slightest chance that you might renew the speedway contract, wouldn't you want to know what was on offer NOW...

But isn't that the Catch 22? What's potentially on offer depends upon whether or not Sky renew their contract and for how much. I don't think the promoters could commit to announcing that all 15 gp riders will ride in the 2014 Elite league without knowing they could afford to deliver that product. Something's need to be done behind the curtain.

[ch958 2,395]

I would think that there about 10 'ways forward' being considered by various promotors. The world looks very different from the perspective of , say Poole and Coventry to the perspective of ,say Isle of wight, Glasgow, etc. Whatever plans are made should ensure the survival of all clubs, not just the rich ones.

[kiwi 49]

IF you were the boss of Sky and there was just the slightest chance that you might renew the speedway contract, wouldn't you want to know what was on offer NOW...

 

I think I'd be going to Sky and asking them what they would like to see happen for things to improve and then plan to deliver.

[The White Knight 9,039]

I think I'd be going to Sky and asking them what they would like to see happen for things to improve and then plan to deliver.

 

Are you suggesting Speedway on the Telly at ANY Price.

 

For Heavens sake - we have already had Double Points and the so called Playoffs thanks to SKY - do you want our Sport ruined even more just to keep it on the SKY Platform. Personally I would rather SKY took a hike than they had any more influence on Speedway.

 

I will watch the GPs on EuroSport and visit my Track every week - do that and you don't need SKY. :)

[Daniel Smith 5,666]

In my opinion, there isn't much wrong with the sport or the rules. The issue I have is individual promoter's interpretation.

 

The rules should be managed and controlled by the SCB stringently. Only a small tidy up of the rule book is required and the main one to go for me is the bloody "in the best interest of British Speedway" rule. It's that, that causes so many problems. That alone allows interpretation. There should be one man in charge and that persons interpretation counts, only then will there be less contradiction.

 

The very basics of the sport are still there for us all to love. What I would love though is an introduction of fines for poor track perpetration, that is the biggest killer to our sport

[noaksey 345]

There is a meeting in September at which 2014 will be discussed

[Skidder1 7,637]

I would think that there about 10 'ways forward' being considered by various promotors. The world looks very different from the perspective of , say Poole and Coventry to the perspective of ,say Isle of wight, Glasgow, etc. Whatever plans are made should ensure the survival of all clubs, not just the rich ones.

You are assuming that all the 'rich' EL and PL promoters are in agreement with the way forward - let alone the 'poor' ones. Also that PL promoters are of the same voice as EL clubs!!

 

Also what if the BSPA have broadly agreed what they want to do in 2014 and have informed Sky, but its not yet contracted?! The BSPA will still need their AGM (albeit I agree it should be earlier) to 'rubber-stamp' decisions/proposals. The rumours and hints of what may happen next year, that have been referred to by the likes of Peter Adams, Jon Cook and Bob Dugard, surely indicate that at least some proposals have been discussed, if not yet agreed by all!

 

Whatever is finally proposed will not be unanimously agreed by all promotions, anymore than any proposals are agreed by all the experts on here, so in many respects I wouldn't blame the BSPA for keeping it to themselves until its all finalised - even though this should be before the end of the season!!!

 

I mean hang it all, they'll be expecting fans to pay for season tickets before we know the team's 1-7 and what the fixtures are next.......!!! Ahemmmm.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Skidder1

[StevePark 2,783]

In my opinion, there isn't much wrong with the sport or the rules. The issue I have is individual promoter's interpretation.

 

The rules should be managed and controlled by the SCB stringently. Only a small tidy up of the rule book is required and the main one to go for me is the bloody "in the best interest of British Speedway" rule. It's that, that causes so many problems. That alone allows interpretation. There should be one man in charge and that persons interpretation counts, only then will there be less contradiction.

 

The very basics of the sport are still there for us all to love. What I would love though is an introduction of fines for poor track perpetration, that is the biggest killer to our sport

 

Whilst I agree with most of what you say I would pose a few questions about the poor track preparation.

 

Who would decide if the track is prepared properly? Riders? Referee? Oppostition? Fans? And, would the previous few days weather be taken into account and, also, how long each club has got to prepare the track (Somerset, for example can prepare days in advance, whilst Newcastle have a few hours on the day up to the meeting starting).

 

Not being ar##y. Genuine question. Particularly on the weather/time front, as it is a major factor when trying to produce a good surface.

[Lioness 1,455]

Its a good point Abbot because you will get two riders who disagree on what provides a 'good' track (depending on if they are gaters or not for one thing), and thats before even thinking of anyone else. I'd worry we would get Ole Olsson type tracks everywhere as well

 

Variety helps the cream rise to the top as well imo. we all might have a go at our nearest and dearest for their 'trick track' (and it is) but the bottom line is it is there to be conquered same as any other track and it gives a different test for the riders to other tracks but as equally valid a test (if you see what I mean)

[Stokielee 30]

Track prep is particularly bad throughout the country.

I've been watching speedway over 30 years and I don't think there's a man in the country who knows how to prepare a track 100% properly for a variety of conditions. An example being on a hot day they go round spraying the top surface with water and then the bikes go round digging in the dirt and spraying dry dust in the air!

Track preparation is a subject that should be investigated by Mr Rising and in an ideal world the BSPA should have a track prep school (will never happen) where people are taught how to prepare a track.

[T.N.T. 355]

I'd worry we would get Ole Olsson type tracks everywhere as well

 

 

Is that Ole OLSEN or Tony OLSSON

[Lioness 1,455]

Is that Ole OLSEN or Tony OLSSON

 

I was hedging my bets! lol

[uk_martin 1,606]

... in ALL Business you have to look after your Customers, keep them up to date with the latest Information...

 

If you're running a chocolate business, the customer cares that the bars of chocolate are on the shelves in the shops when they come in to buy them. I don't think that the customer is told, nor do they care twopence about the behind the scenes issues such as transportation, logistics, packing, warehousing, production, raw materials etc.

 

Why is it that in speedway, the "customer" thinks that the product of regular racing isn't enough for them? How come speedway has been turned from a sport into a soap opera, with all the characters, their interactions and relationships as well as all the minutiae of the running of speedway on a daily basis being of such concern? Do football fans care this much about what happens in the boardrooms of the FA etc? The average footie fans I know take a passing interest in what's happening in the transfer market, and after that it's all about "X United" beating "Z City" on the pitch. They can't believe what ultra-anoraks speedway fans are, and if anything that image of the speedway fan is a deterrent against wanting to mix with that kind of person and giving speedway a try.

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

If you're running a chocolate business, the customer cares that the bars of chocolate are on the shelves in the shops when they come in to buy them. I don't think that the customer is told, nor do they care twopence about the behind the scenes issues such as transportation, logistics, packing, warehousing, production, raw materials etc.

 

Why is it that in speedway, the "customer" thinks that the product of regular racing isn't enough for them?

 

If there are no chocolate bars on the shelf or they keep turning up damaged then the customer does want to know what's going on.

 

If we kept turning up to find lots of good quality chocolate bars then I'm sure all but the career whingers that no longer eat chocolate would be happy.