British Speedway Promoters Meeting

[StevePark 2,783]

 

Way back...maybe 1989, Edinburgh ran a little 2nd half competition where each week the top 5 riders from the meeting (or maybe just top 5 home riders) went into a 1 lap dash race. Last man dropped out and the other 4 came straight back round to go again. Repeat until you have a 2 man match race for 1 lap and a winner is found.

 

That actually proved to be pretty entertaining but got dropped after a while...Shame.

 

It would be fun to see that return.

 

 

Sounds interesting.This is an American idea,isn't it?Didn't they do one or two meetings with this style(not sure if it was just one lap though)a couple of seasons back when on tour?

Don't know when it was first introduced, but this is also used in cycling, Called 'Devil Takes the Hindmost' or 'Miss and Out.'

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

 

Way back...maybe 1989, Edinburgh ran a little 2nd half competition where each week the top 5 riders from the meeting (or maybe just top 5 home riders) went into a 1 lap dash race. Last man dropped out and the other 4 came straight back round to go again. Repeat until you have a 2 man match race for 1 lap and a winner is found.

 

That actually proved to be pretty entertaining but got dropped after a while...Shame.

 

It would be fun to see that return.

 

This was an idea that Barry Klatt tried when he joined Ron Russell at Rye House. Yes, it was an entertaining alternative but ran into opposition from riders who were happy to do one clutch start and four laps but weren't prepared to run to four clutch starts over four laps.

 

Like so much 'post-match/second half' action it was killed as much by rider attitude as spectator apathy. I'd say that when rider apathy was picked up on the terraces that was the killer for not only second halves, but individuals,challenge matches, pairs and four team tournaments - and even the KO Cup in the case of the Elite League, leaving the sport in the desperate situation of only being able to sell league matches.

 

One very serious problem for speedway seems to be the shift from people going out for a night's speedway racing to people going just out to see their team win league points. It's not a shift from white to black though, there were always people who only went to see the team win and there are still people who go for the racing, where it stiill exists - I just feel the balance has shifted, much to the sport's cost.

Edited November 16, 2013 by rmc

[Fromafar 10,375]

Be a bit careful what you say mate. Mr Russell does a lot of work on behalf of British speedway. Without him Sky would not have taken speedway on in the first place, and Speedway would have been in a dam cite poorer state than it is now.

Regarding marketing and Major Sponsers I don't think it could it could be in a poorer state than it is now.Other forms of Bikesport seem to be doing better though.

[Tommy Sweetman 480]

Just listened a re-run of the Alan Phillips interview on WM last night,with him saying "After the end of day one of the AGM,with the new points limit,we would have to lose three riders anyway"

So it seems fairly certain now,that the limit will either be 38 or 36,and that the 42.50 is scrapped,and they are not allowing for a new contract with Sky.

[500cc 309]

rmc has touched on a very important point. Rider apathy.

 

Granted Speedway is probably the most dangerous sport. But is there any sport in which the "players" have such an influence.

 

I can understand where riding conditions are dangerous and why on those occasions riders may object to riding. Fine I get that. But in exchange for that you ride and put in the effort in all meetings. If for example the BSPA choose to run a competitive individual second half you ride. If not, stay away. If your injured, your injured, you don't pick and choose your countries to ride in.

 

Most professional sport is effectively run in a dictatorial manner. Speedway riders are given a lot of slack due to the danger of the sport. In exchange you need to extra committed.

 

This is especially an issue with top riders (not all). Riders need to take responsibility for these issues. Poland may look financially attractive. Somehow I don't think it will last. Not least if ultimately it's Poland or nothing for the big money.

[bigcatdiary 3,165]

Not sure about that BCD. TR was the main man that pursued and eventually gained Speedway coverage on a major sports channel. Unfortunately the responsibility for not succeding must lay with the promotors. They had a great opportunity but didn't take it, but took the money. The product in general was not entertaining - until they covered the odd Premier League match.

No doubt in my mind at all Hodgy

 

When TR started the deal he was a promoter at Swindon.

[Tsunami 10,219]

 

 

Don't know when it was first introduced, but this is also used in cycling, Called 'Devil Takes the Hindmost' or 'Miss and Out.'

 

Last time I saw it was at Edinburgh for Peter Carr's Testimonial meeting. Interesting as a one off spectacle, but it does only have a novelty value.

[Conkers in Gravy 120]

 

 

 

Yes... and cricket is about as dead on its arse as speedway.

 

That's just not true. County championship games on midweek afternoons may be watched by only a handful, but the one-day game is thriving and Test matches in England sell out despite high ticket prices. There were 19 million ticket applications for Sachin Tendulkar's last Test this week. Cricket is a major international sport which Sky are prepared to pay millions for without being begged.

[MattK 3,447]

Just listened a re-run of the Alan Phillips interview on WM last night,with him saying "After the end of day one of the AGM,with the new points limit,we would have to lose three riders anyway"

So it seems fairly certain now,that the limit will either be 38 or 36,and that the 42.50 is scrapped,and they are not allowing for a new contract with Sky.

 

Have you got a link to that interview?

[Skidder1 7,637]

 

 

Don't know when it was first introduced, but this is also used in cycling, Called 'Devil Takes the Hindmost' or 'Miss and Out.'

Was tried at other tracks too, but I seem to recall riders were against it because of the extra cost of too many burnt out clutches!!

[Tommy Sweetman 480]

 

Have you got a link to that interview?

See Birmingham site for details of interview.(Number 127).

Its around 14 mins into the talk with Alan Phillips.

[moxey63 1,785]

 

That's just not true. County championship games on midweek afternoons may be watched by only a handful, but the one-day game is thriving and Test matches in England sell out despite high ticket prices. There were 19 million ticket applications for Sachin Tendulkar's last Test this week. Cricket is a major international sport which Sky are prepared to pay millions for without being begged.

 

But one-day speedway matches are attended by a handful, and yet by contrast GPs and Play-Off Finals are packed out. It's surely similar in the two sports... if the product is worth attending, it's going to attract big crowds.

 

Speedway needs to stay clear of little novelties - one-lap handbag dashes, two extra laps for Poole riders and it gives the rest a chance - these things aren't needed in a sport worth its name. Basic rules - yes, some kind of bonus for a side performing away but losing - but not rules that only baffle the fella who wants a quiet night on the terraces and even to have answers to questions about the rules, when that terrace newcomer asks.

[skthecat 90]

rmc has touched on a very important point. Rider apathy.

 

Granted Speedway is probably the most dangerous sport. But is there any sport in which the "players" have such an influence.

 

I can understand where riding conditions are dangerous and why on those occasions riders may object to riding. Fine I get that. But in exchange for that you ride and put in the effort in all meetings. If for example the BSPA choose to run a competitive individual second half you ride. If not, stay away. If your injured, your injured, you don't pick and choose your countries to ride in.

 

Most professional sport is effectively run in a dictatorial manner. Speedway riders are given a lot of slack due to the danger of the sport. In exchange you need to extra committed.

 

This is especially an issue with top riders (not all). Riders need to take responsibility for these issues. Poland may look financially attractive. Somehow I don't think it will last. Not least if ultimately it's Poland or nothing for the big money.

Reference riders being injured and picking and choosing their meetings.....

You cannot race a speedway bike unless you are attacking the track..

A footballer, after injury can come back on a gentle slope, last 10 mins of a game as a sub, if ok, he does last half hour next game, if still ok he may get a full second half before actually starting a game.

This cannot happen to an injured rider coming back, he may choose a lesser league match or take an invite to an individual meeting, but that really is all he can do after an injury so please cut them some slack on that issue. ..

[racers and royals 8,736]

rmc has touched on a very important point. Rider apathy.

 

Granted Speedway is probably the most dangerous sport. But is there any sport in which the "players" have such an influence.

 

I can understand where riding conditions are dangerous and why on those occasions riders may object to riding. Fine I get that. But in exchange for that you ride and put in the effort in all meetings. If for example the BSPA choose to run a competitive individual second half you ride. If not, stay away. If your injured, your injured, you don't pick and choose your countries to ride in.

 

Most professional sport is effectively run in a dictatorial manner. Speedway riders are given a lot of slack due to the danger of the sport. In exchange you need to extra committed.

 

This is especially an issue with top riders (not all). Riders need to take responsibility for these issues. Poland may look financially attractive. Somehow I don't think it will last. Not least if ultimately it's Poland or nothing for the big money.

Sweden can`t be too far behind Poland in the wages stakes,with the amount of top riders who ride in the country-having said that Tuesday`s are ideal for

any riders schedule.

[DW 11]

The Edinburgh one lap dashes was Devil tak the hindmost. I think it got banned ( surprise surprise) because it had more than 4 riders starting from the gate