E I Addio 15,861 Posted April 15, 2014 What has the draft got to do with riding teams twice home and away. They could have changed that regardless. Work it out. The league is subsidised by the Sky money. That is a fixed sum irrespective of the number of league fixtures. Kings Lynn and Eastbourne said they could only afford 14 home league meetings on the Sky money available. The only way to increase the number of meetings on the same amount of subsidy is to is to cut the cost per meeting. Not difficult to work out. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,365 Posted April 15, 2014 I've not looked at the new format properly, but one thing that struck me watching on Monday was that in some races you had a really strong Poole pair against a weaker Coventry pair. then, in the following race there was a weaker Poole pair against a stronger Coventry pair. so you had a Poole 5-1 banker followed by a Coventry 1-5 banker. That seemed a little out of balance. The draft rider thing seems ok in principle, but having these guys riding in all 3 leagues makes it a bit of a farce because the format makes reserve points vital yet teams will be missing key reserves a lot. Maybe long term, though, it will encourage teams to sign up British juniors as their own assets so it could end up positively as long as the system is stuck with for a long period of time. I think having youngsters at reserve is a good thing. It's reserves, after all. And better than the glory days so many people hark back to, when you used to get fat old baldy guys down at reserve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crazy robin 2,970 Posted April 15, 2014 Got no problem at all with the race format. Better riders meet more often. Who wouldnt want that. But the draft is pure gash. The fact so many love it is the very reason promoters will keep watering down the product. People come back regardless. I bet they are all laughing that they are getting away with it as well. They offer more and more sh1te every year but people are so stupid they buy everything they say about bringing on the brits etc. its absolute bollox. It was bought in to save money. Thats the only reason. But people believe the spiel and will keep paying 17 quid so christ knows what we will have next year. Probably 4 NL riders instead and a price freeze on admission. If it was really to bring on the Brits then the top 10 picks would have been riders like Birks/Roynon/Howarth/Kerr/Newman etc. Next 10 riders like Stevie Worrall who has looked good at our place. Thats the sort of riders it would benefit and pretty sure no one would complain about that system. What a top post & dead right bout how the reserves should've been done as why were Birks, Auty & Roynon left out but Garrity & Newman ok. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,861 Posted April 15, 2014 With less fans attending because of the use of draft riders! You don't know if less fans are attending and won't know that until we see the pattern over a season. Swindon have been struggling with attendances for a long time hence not being able to pay their riders last year, but not all clubs are in that situation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crazy robin 2,970 Posted April 15, 2014 I agree that it would have been better with the riders you list and am not sure why some of them were not included unless it was difficult finding enough numbers of riders at that level. But it's proving hard to find riders to guest when the draft riders are missing anyway so what's the difference if Birks, Auty & Roynon were included. It's not perfect or was never going to be but I really think those lads should've been included & it should've been an open draft this season & then looked into it. It also should've been that both riders had to have 4 rides but could replace one of the top 5 riders rides. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve0 5,517 Posted April 15, 2014 I think having youngsters at reserve is a good thing. It's reserves, after all. And better than the glory days so many people hark back to, when you used to get fat old baldy guys down at reserve. That's not nice talking about Middlo like that 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,631 Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) Work it out. The league is subsidised by the Sky money. That is a fixed sum irrespective of the number of league fixtures. Kings Lynn and Eastbourne said they could only afford 14 home league meetings on the Sky money available. The only way to increase the number of meetings on the same amount of subsidy is to is to cut the cost per meeting. Not difficult to work out. But we don't know if it will save money ...I thought teams were getting less sky money this year ..so based on that I don't understand why teams can now ride each other twice Edited April 15, 2014 by orion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve0 5,517 Posted April 15, 2014 You don't know if less fans are attending and won't know that until we see the pattern over a season. Swindon have been struggling with attendances for a long time hence not being able to pay their riders last year, but not all clubs are in that situation. I do know that a number of fans have stopped going so unless they have managed to attract new supporters in support of the draft then that is less supporters! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thecoombdog 2,367 Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) You don't know if less fans are attending and won't know that until we see the pattern over a season. Swindon have been struggling with attendances for a long time hence not being able to pay their riders last year, but not all clubs are in that situation. Ive been a season ticket holder for 10 years at Swindon. This year I didnt renew due to my doubts about the draft and the quality of the product. 1 meeting and 10 heats of another have made me realise I was right. Seeing riders nearly get lapped is not my idea of entertainment. Edited April 15, 2014 by thecoombdog 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedy bill 154 Posted April 15, 2014 just watched Poole v Coventry still dont know how Kyle Newman got on the National League draft when he did not ride in that league for the last two years also Jason Garrity he was not a National League rider last year answers please. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 15 Posted April 15, 2014 just watched Poole v Coventry still dont know how Kyle Newman got on the National League draft when he did not ride in that league for the last two years also Jason Garrity he was not a National League rider last year answers please. It's not a NL draft. Its the "fast track draft". Do agree though. But then whoever was in it, someone would have been the top rider and people would have complained I guess. Poole certainly got lucky - as did Coventry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,861 Posted April 15, 2014 But we don't know if it will save money ...I thought teams were getting less sky money this year ..so based on that I don't understand why teams can now ride each other twice That's just the point. we don't know and we won't know until well into the season. People can have a view on whether they personally like it or not but its ridiculous for people to pre-judge whether it will be an economic success or not. What we do know is that last year some clubs were making eye-watering losses and it couldn't carry on like that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iand 136 Posted April 15, 2014 just watched Poole v Coventry still dont know how Kyle Newman got on the National League draft when he did not ride in that league for the last two years also Jason Garrity he was not a National League rider last year answers please. Newman had bad accident for Plymouth tonight at Peterborough according to another thread. If kyle is out long term where would that leave Poole ? Using guests for a long period of time. Personally like the new format but watched Ben Morley for Lakeside at kings Lynn last week and all Ben got was his 2 reserve races against the fellow reserves and his 3rd ride was in Heat 13 against the big guns( he replaced a sadly out of touch Lewis Bridger). His 3rd ride was sacrificed to give the other much stronger resrve adam Ellis an extra ride. Seemed harsh but perfectally legal. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,861 Posted April 15, 2014 I do know that a number of fans have stopped going so unless they have managed to attract new supporters in support of the draft then that is less supporters! Maybe that's the case at Swindon but as I said before a lot depends on who the reserves are. In three meetings at Lakeside I would say there have been two good crowds and one average crowd (against Brum). My guess is that it is Adam Ellis ((together with Mikkel Bech ) that is bringing them in. Ellis beating Klindt and Ben Morely beating Adam Skornicki were much more exciting for the crowd than last years standard of reserve racing. From what people have posted on here it seems Swindon fans have been drifting away for some time, not just this year. Looking at the posts on this thread a it seems the majority of fans seem to like the draft riders so you can't judge the whole scheme by whats going on at Swindon. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 15 Posted April 15, 2014 To be fair, Swindon have got the crap end of the stick with their reserves. If they'd had Bates and Waorrall every meeting they'd probably look at it more favourably. Bates has shown tonight he's a decent little rider in the U21s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
