Tai Woffinden's Views On Single Night Racing In Uk

[frigbo 523]

British speedway's relationship with international riders is all but done. They're becoming less and less reliable or interested and clubs can't afford them.

 

I'm starting to convert my opinion and think low-budget settled teams at £10 a go might be the only hope to rebuild.

Edited July 18, 2014 by frigbo

[G the Bee 639]

Well cheerio then. British speedway has to be run in a way that's best for British speedway rather than the top riders.

 

But British Speedway hasn't been run in a way that's best for British Speedway for years! If it had been, the sport would not be on its backside right now. And let's not paint a picture that all is rosy in the PL, because it certainly is not. One only has to read Mick Horton's comments this week in the Speedway Star to see that.

 

The fact is, the sport at Elite League level should have moved to one race night years ago. Instead, they clung to an out-of-date league format which dates from the time when the British League was the only league for riders to race in.

 

The EL promoters should have recognised the threat of Poland and Sweden years ago, accepted the system and worked within it. Instead, they dug their heads in the sand, constantly came up with reasons for a single race night not to work, rather than create a determination to make it work and, as a result, created the watered down, half-way-house of an Elite League we have at the moment.

 

Something's got to change. The Elite League cannot keep going on the way it is. Farcical doubling up rules, fixture clashes, uneven and disjointed fixtures are killing the sport. The EL has either got to go one race night and get the top riders back or simply shut up shop. Every year, it seems to get worse, crowds are lower, the standard of rider is lower... If the promoters do not have a collective determination to do something radical then they are wasting their time and the sport, at least at Elite League level, will die a slow but inevitable death.

[Mike.Butler 601]

If there was a solution it would have been found years ago. A downward spiral of increasing costs (for riders and fans), dwindling crowds, poor facilities, lack of sponsorship and a seriously 'un-elite' elite league I fear means that it's days are numbered. An elite league with less than 8 teams will lose sky sponsorship and that will be the final nail in the coffin for our top flight.

 

The premier league are right to be wary of any amalgamation and instead should be striving to be a £10 sport as I read in the Star only this week. More clubs in the premier would be great but that must exclude top riders since their pay expectations are unaffordable. The race to pay for top machinery must stop as per Jon Armstrong's views in the same issue.

 

Unfortunately that can only be achieved by accepting the UK is no longer a major speedway nation, and run the sport for the (remaining) fans to enjoy at a level the Promoters can afford.

This probably means employing only riders who have jobs and and an income outside of the sport + tracks running weekly on their preferred race day with no doubling up allowed.

 

Until /if the economies of the model change then no BL riders should be permitted to ride in any overseas club/individual meetings with the exception of the world championship.

Put the fans first for a change as without us there will be no UK speedway.

[Chris Brown 542]

 

Put the fans first for a change as without us there will be no UK speedway.

 

Best point made so far tonight but sadly I suspect not one that too many in the sport will take any notice of

[orderly 174]

Mike.Butler, on 18 Jul 2014 - 11:52 PM, said:

Put the fans first for a change as without us there will be no UK speedway.

 

 

Best point made so far tonight but sadly I suspect not one that too many in the sport will take any notice of

 

Put the fans first for a change as without us there will be no UK speedway.

If there were no riders then there would be no speedway & if there is no speedway then there is no point having speedway fans

[Chris Brown 542]

 

Mike.Butler, on 18 Jul 2014 - 11:52 PM, said:

If there were no riders then there would be no speedway & if there is no speedway then there is no point having speedway fans

 

 

Nobody is saying there will be no riders unless the EL goes to one day per week. There will be dozens of riders and I am really not sure there will be less fans. There could be more because without the so called top riders the costs would be reduced and maybe a greater audience could be attracted

 

Anyone would think that a few riders skipping the UK would mean every club is going to close the way you are putting it

 

EVERY single business in the world will fail unless its puts its customer first, doesn't matter if its Sainsburys, Tesco's, the local newsagent or British Speedway. The promoters need to learn that, its scary that as a customer you seem to think the riders should be put first. No wonder the sport is in a mess if people think we need to put the riders first

[E I Addio 15,849]

 

EVERY single business in the world will fail unless its puts its customer first, doesn't matter if its Sainsburys, Tesco's, the local newsagent or British Speedway. The promoters need to learn that, its scary that as a customer you seem to think the riders should be put first. No wonder the sport is in a mess if people think we need to put the riders first

But Sainsbury's, Tesco hand the local newsagent all know they have to stock a range of products from budget to top quality to cater for all tastes. British Speedway needs riders of some degree of quality if not GP riders. If Tesco stocked budget products only they would lose a lot of customers. Same with speedway.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,969]

But Sainsbury's, Tesco hand the local newsagent all know they have to stock a range of products from budget to top quality to cater for all tastes. British Speedway needs riders of some degree of quality if not GP riders. If Tesco stocked budget products only they would lose a lot of customers. Same with speedway.

Yes, but the average local shop is unlikely to stock champagne and caviar because it's too expensive for most of the clientele.

[salty 2,205]

Bigger draw back than the lack of the GP top boys, is, in my opinion, the regular absence of the current contracted riders. All well and good for Leicester and Eastbourne to want to run on Saturday nights, but how often are they able to run without wholesale changes due to clashes with international events?

 

A set race day (say Monday) would be a tough step to take, but I think in the long term it is the only way forward.

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

.....Humphrey Appleby.......British speedway can't afford the top riders anyway.

 

And they'll afford them even less if some tracks change their regular race night.

[Trees 2,814]

why not. its what most would do. and me. you go where the money is best surely

Sometimes you don't chase the money if you like your job, the people you work with or perhaps you feel less pressured, not always about the money.

[topaz325 1,859]

My post from the Birmingham thread:

 

Sad to hear of Birminghams demise, really feel for the Brummies fans ...it seems incredible that a major city cannot support Speedway, about three years ago i visited the stadium for the first time to see a Cradley meeting and the crowd was bigger tha most PL/EL teams can muster!!

 

I usually feel quite optimistic about the future of Speedway in this country but with Birmingham closing and the future of Eastbourne looking very doubtful for next year things do not look good.

 

With many clubs struggling to encourage fans to attend it seems that only Poole and Lakeside are maintaining good attendances, im sure someone will put me right if im wrong.

 

 

 

Things fans are not happy with include double uppers/downers (many teams missing riders virtually every week) no continuity with fixtures (maybe we need to have fortnightly matches instead of every week?), long drawn out meetings, i know crashes cannot be accounted for but sometimes this is no excuse for matches taking nearly three hours for 15 hts of Speedway.....

 

Also many promoters taking supporters for a ride with rained off meetings and no monies being paid back......not really legal...oh and the dreaded Joker/double point rule....get rid of it!

[ruffdiamond 6,115]

only spend what you can afford to,,, if top riders are off elsewhere earning more, let them and give their place to someone who wants it,,, am sure there is plenty of budding riders out there to fill their boots, they might not be very good, but given the chance and if they ride regulally they might make it,,, stop all this doubling up/down, your either in or out, a no some won't agree and speedway might be crap for a while, but in time it will just become the norm :-)

[Tsunami 10,219]

But Sainsbury's, Tesco hand the local newsagent all know they have to stock a range of products from budget to top quality to cater for all tastes. British Speedway needs riders of some degree of quality if not GP riders. If Tesco stocked budget products only they would lose a lot of customers. Same with speedway.

You mean like Aldi and Lidl.

[ruffdiamond 6,115]

You mean like Aldi and Lidl.

dunno about Lidl, (wor lass like's it),,, but there's nowt a marra with Aldi, fair anuf, you gotta do a lot of looking for yourself, the staff are'nt always around to show you where stuff is, ye might wait a while in the que and have gotta be sh!t hot at packing your stuff,,, but some of the food is really good,,, the 'specially-selected' sausages are the dogs bollocks,,, av often wondered what happens to all thier nads when their newted,,, now I know :-)