Pirates 2014

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

But Steve your so missing the point. The sport can't afford the riders. We are witnessing the final stages of self destruction by the self centered attitude of the majority of promoters.

 

You are suggesting that if Holder and Ward don't ride at Poole its the fault of other clubs. Now I'm impressed that Matt Ford has an extra £100,000 worth of sponsorship available for next season, but can you expect many or any other teams to generate that kind of increase. I certainly don't see it.

 

Some clubs can afford these riders so why should they be dumbed down to the weakest link? Let the poorest clubs ride on 38. If they face Poole on 45 perhaps they could get strengthened for that meeting with a guest ( the squad system would be ideal here)

 

Poole turning up with Holder and Ward will drag in the crowds when they travel. Will Poole turning up with Janowski and Ruud have the same effect?

 

With hard graft sponsorship can be gained. But not if promoting the sport is opening the gates an hour before tapes up.

We can't run a league with just the three or four clubs that can afford to pay the big riders and we cannot let speedway get lke football where the same teams are always going to compete for the title while othrs just try and avoid bottom place. Speedway is one of a few sports that helps the smaller teams start the following season on a level par and that has to continue.

 

 

No one is saying Matt Ford can't sign both Ward and Holder, but it will mean they will have to sign five very low averaging riders to fit under the limit. If that's they way they want to go, then fine but other teams that have struggled in recent years like Belle Vue, Coventry etc must start 2014 on a level playing field.

 

But regardless of the points limit, Poole will always be challenging, and BV will always be struggling. It's a fact. Reducing the points limit will only affect the big clubs like Poole in bringing in the crowds on their travels. Promoters must look forward to the visit of Poole as they get a large gate. No big guns means the fans won't bother.

 

Makes speedway what?

 

Even though ever team starts with the same points limit, it is fairly obvious which teams will come out top at the end of the season.

 

Makes you wonder if the points limit isn't part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.

This could well be true.

[liam 376]

We all want to see the top riders myself included. I really fail to see the entertainment in turning up to watch a one sided hammering though?

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

No doubt they do but last season there was still some decent racing. You think that will be the case with different point levels for different teams? I'd rather see 15 heats of good racing. It might not benefit Poole speedway but it will hopefully British speedway.

 

You are in the minority of your average speedway fan. Many fans want to see thumping home wins and the top riders. There's a reason why most EL clubs get bigger crowds than PL teams.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Steve Shovlar

[Crump99 4,476]

Why can't other teams generate that amount of sponsorship. I am fed up with people posting Poole are lucky with the amount of sponsors they have. It's quite a coincidence that the harder Matt works the luckier he is in attracting sponsors.

 

Mick Bratley was saying that years ago

 

Sponsors playing a huge part

 

Not the best example given how that era ended but who knows what was going on behind the scenes?

Edited November 17, 2013 by Crump99

[liam 376]

But do these clubs who gets bigger crowds make more money than these premier league clubs??

[MattK 3,447]

 

Mick Bratley was saying that years ago

 

Sponsors playing a huge part

 

Not the best example given how that era ended but who knows what was going on behind the scenes?

 

I'd love to know how much sponsors contribute. I'd be amazed if it's more than about £10,000 per company, per season.

[Woz01 3,589]

People are seem to forgetting how the crowd numbers would dip if their side was built to 38 while the big clubs had a bigger limit. Would I go to a meeting if coventry side wasd 38 points while Poole was 45? I probably would but many more wouldn't. No one wants to see 60-30 every week.

[Skidder1 7,637]

 

I'd love to know how much sponsors contribute. I'd be amazed if it's more than about £10,000 per company, per season.

Be amazed, be very amazed!!!!!

As this is a Poole thread, rather than a 'General Speedway in 2014' thread, I reckon whatever is decided/deferred at the AGM, its unlikely that Poole will go with more than one of Ward, Holder and Janowski next season - and that's despite Ward and Holder being in deep discussion with at least one of Poole's many main sponsors last Wednesday evening at the Awards presentation!!

[hans fan 1,001]

Ward and Holder being in deep discussion with at least one of Poole's many main sponsors last Wednesday evening at the Awards presentation!!

when they've lost 1 of there big sponsors what do you expect ???

Edited November 17, 2013 by hans fan

[Game On 1,117]

Yawn

[rusky 113]

Some clubs can afford these riders so why should they be dumbed down to the weakest link? Let the poorest clubs ride on 38. If they face Poole on 45 perhaps they could get strengthened for that meeting with a guest ( the squad system would be ideal here)

 

Poole turning up with Holder and Ward will drag in the crowds when they travel. Will Poole turning up with Janowski and Ruud have the same effect?

 

With hard graft sponsorship can be gained. But not if promoting the sport is opening the gates an hour before tapes up.

 

But regardless of the points limit, Poole will always be challenging, and BV will always be struggling. It's a fact. Reducing the points limit will only affect the big clubs like Poole in bringing in the crowds on their travels. Promoters must look forward to the visit of Poole as they get a large gate. No big guns means the fans won't bother.

This could well be true.

How about some form of handicap system, whereby a points limit is agreed by all of the promoters, say 38 points as an example. However Poole decide that they can afford to build to 45 points, but Eastbourne (as an example) could only afford to build to 32 points. In each meeting Poole would get a starting figure of -7 (limit - built to so 38 - 45) points whilst Eastbourne would get +6 ( points limit - built to so 38 - 32) so in this example when Poole meet Eastbourne the starting advantage to Eastbourne would be 13 points. The advantage to this idea (as I see it)would be that teams could actually build up an asset base which could actually be used and may well engender some loyalty amongst riders. Obviously there would need to be some regulation around replacements and how they would fit in, and I would also suggest that the average used should be based on a rolling average over say the last 6 meetings. A similar system to that used in Sweden, to keep line ups accurate

[Edward Barrett 83]

Typical response from Shovlar, to hell with the rest, as long as Poole are the best!!

 

Maybe when he finds an "Elite" league of 5 clubs, he may decide different, but then again, if Poole won that league, he won't care!!!

[Crump99 4,476]

 

I'd love to know how much sponsors contribute. I'd be amazed if it's more than about £10,000 per company, per season.

 

11 of those cover our default season losses though & we also make a profit.

[BANANAMAN 330]

You are in the minority of your average speedway fan. Many fans want to see thumping home wins and the top riders. There's a reason why most EL clubs get bigger crowds than PL teams.

Steve , Wouldn't it be more beneficial for a rich club like Poole to keep all its top GP riders & assets & leave British Speedway altogether & join one of the European Leagues ? I'm sure I remember a few seasons ago some sort of European cup was going to be contested with Poole entering . The Pirates could also enter a team in the National League to bring through their home grown riders .

[rikard5150 4]

But Steve your so missing the point. The sport can't afford the riders. We are witnessing the final stages of self destruction by the self centered attitude of the majority of promoters.

 

You are suggesting that if Holder and Ward don't ride at Poole its the fault of other clubs. Now I'm impressed that Matt Ford has an extra £100,000 worth of sponsorship available for next season, but can you expect many or any other teams to generate that kind of increase. I certainly don't see it.

 

Dumbing down the sport will only lead to it's quicker demise! As the stars depart the EL, the attendance will continue to drop. Then the sport will decline further.

 

One solution might be to have say a 42 point limit. Teams can build above that limit but would have to pay a Luxury Tax when they do. The Luxury Tax money can then go to the so called less fortunate clubs. This enables small market clubs to compete will big market clubs.