thebaron 434 Posted July 23, 2014 Does anyone think that the EL in its current format can survive into 2015 and beyond?. Watching the Swedish EL last night that appears to match the criteria for an elite league ie: 7 EL riders in a team. Has the demise of Birmingham been a wake up call to EL promoters as to where the league is going ?. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,829 Posted July 23, 2014 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Another thread we have year after year after year. Of course there will be an EL next season in some format. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adder 94 Posted July 23, 2014 With the futures of Coventry and Eastbourne in considerable doubt and given that Birmingham appear to be unable to sustain support at EL level i'm assuming that there will be no EL next season but an expanded PL, possibly split into North/South divisions. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tsc1 31 Posted July 23, 2014 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Another thread we have year after year after year. Of course there will be an EL next season in some format. . How do you know for sure there will be a EL next year? It may be one big league north a south without the top riders who seam to say there can't cope, LOL you ask most bham fans which league was best and I know it won't be EL............ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,829 Posted July 23, 2014 . How do you know for sure there will be a EL next year? It may be one big league north a south without the top riders who seam to say there can't cope, LOL you ask most bham fans which league was best and I know it won't be EL............ Quote me next year if i`m wrong. How do i know????? Because we have had one since the year dot virtually. As for which league is best - don't even go there. That ISN'T what is being discussed. We all have different views on which league is best - none are correct. For me - if there was no EL i would become a part time supporter and a lot of EL supporters would be the same. There will be an EL next season. A big NO to a split PL standard one league. The death of Speedway in the UK if that was to happen. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FAST GATER 853 Posted July 23, 2014 I hope the EL is able to carry on without a merger with the PL but please lets have 7 or even 6 EL riders and not this "fast Track " farce ,which is only used to save money nothing else . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woz01 3,589 Posted July 23, 2014 Whatever the top league in Britain is it will be the Elite or whatever they decide to call It. I have no idea why people get so hanged up about what the top league is called when the 2nd division is called premier. I'd be happy with a larger top division with less top quality riders, certain PL clubs would be able to support that. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bellevueace 914 Posted July 23, 2014 Well you cant really call this years league ELITE can you? In that sense its already finished. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tellboy 3,670 Posted July 23, 2014 I hope the EL is able to carry on without a merger with the PL but please lets have 7 or even 6 EL riders and not this "fast Track " farce ,which is only used to save money nothing else . Without saving money this year on the fast track riders,how many teams would have started the season in the EL.It's obvious it was bought in to save money but without this where would the EL be. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leicester Hunter 381 Posted July 23, 2014 (edited) Brum have already gone. Coventry and Eastie are in doubt. No point in running a Speedway club If you are not making money and unfortunately that's the case for some at the mo. Birmingham have gone due to the rank ineptitude of their 'promoters' and Bob Dugard has decided that, at the age of 72, he's tired of it all and doesn't want to inject extra cash every year with what is probably the smallest hard core support in the EL as it stands at the moment. Coventry is under threat of redevelopment and therefore not within the remit of not making money. The thing what worries me is that if you are putting up a club for sale how can you convince new buyers? Well, that's the 64 million dollar question, isn't it? Birmingham may have a future, as both Tony Mole and Graham Drury have gone on record as saying speedway can be profitable there, and a buyer may be interested in resurrecting the club next year. Who knows, Eastbourne may also find a buyer over the winter. Whatever the top league in Britain is it will be the Elite or whatever they decide to call It. I have no idea why people get so hanged up about what the top league is called when the 2nd division is called premier. I'd be happy with a larger top division with less top quality riders, certain PL clubs would be able to support that. Yes, I've personally felt the league structure in this country is a little unbalanced - maybe two hybrid leagues may be the way forward. No top names, (ie GP riders) but part amalgamation of the existing EL and PL to operate at the higher level and for those who wish to operate with lower overheads join together the rest of the PL with the National League. Whether that's the answer or not, I honestly don't know. What I do know is that there will always be an upper and lower tier in British Speedway, whatever the leagues are called is immaterial. And a way forward has to be found. As it currently stands, speedway in Britain just seems to lurch from crisis to crisis, while the governing body also appears to just stand by and let it happen. Edited July 23, 2014 by Leicester Hunter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eduds1 48 Posted July 23, 2014 Quote me next year if i`m wrong. How do i know????? Because we have had one since the year dot virtually. As for which league is best - don't even go there. That ISN'T what is being discussed. We all have different views on which league is best - none are correct. For me - if there was no EL i would become a part time supporter and a lot of EL supporters would be the same. There will be an EL next season. A big NO to a split PL standard one league. The death of Speedway in the UK if that was to happen. You say you would be a part-time supporter if there was no EL. but surely what we are watching now isn't much better than what we would be watching if there was a combined league. At Wolves we have 2 EL riders ( although the way Woffy is riding for us for whatever reason it is possibly 1 EL rider ) 3 PL riders ( and not particularly top PL riders ) and 2 NL riders. Taking a balanced view on the above we might be better off with 7 PL riders in a PL league. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spanner47 336 Posted July 23, 2014 A 16 team Division (no GP stars) would be lovely for those that are in it. But what would happen to the clubs that miss out? In every other sport the cream rises to the top, but in Speedway that wont happen. There's no way the BSPA would dump on one of their own members, let alone a few of them. If the cream rose to the top, Glasgow probably wouldn't be in the "biggish" League, and they'd be finished, so it eint gonna happen!!!!! They'll just cobble together something else and we'll be having this discussion for years. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wealdstone 3,454 Posted July 23, 2014 I am not to sure myself 60%/40% that the will be in my opinion. Brum have already gone. Coventry and Eastie are in doubt. No point in running a Speedway club If you are not making money and unfortunately that's the case for some at the mo. The thing what worries me is that if you are putting up a club for sale how can you convince new buyers? Peterborough has the best race track in the country in my opinion and the only reason why they are still running is because of Mick Horton. Mick has stated that he wanted to save the best race track in the country and it wasn't about making money however Mick is a couple of hundred paying adults short every week just to break even. Many feel that MH is the custodian temporary or otherwise for RF. Speculation in some quarters that financial help from the latter is required from time to time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g13webb 4,254 Posted July 23, 2014 I don't like the idea of one league. But if that means the BSPA will be as one, and all the Promoters singing from the same hymn sheet, than that has to be a step in the right direction...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,829 Posted July 23, 2014 Well you cant really call this years league ELITE can you? In that sense its already finished. Likewise nothing premier about the PL. Both in the names are finished if you look at it that way. You say you would be a part-time supporter if there was no EL. but surely what we are watching now isn't much better than what we would be watching if there was a combined league. At Wolves we have 2 EL riders ( although the way Woffy is riding for us for whatever reason it is possibly 1 EL rider ) 3 PL riders ( and not particularly top PL riders ) and 2 NL riders. Taking a balanced view on the above we might be better off with 7 PL riders in a PL league. What we are watching is still the top league in the UK. YES its incredibly weaker than in recent years but take Kings lynn - Heat 13 and 15 Woffy and Piotr and against Iversen and Bjerre. That alone for me is worth my weekly admission price. Id pay a weekly price to watch Pawlicki alone! PL doesn't interest me. Id prefer the NL as the next generation is more interesting. That why the current EL WITH the draft riders is a win win for me. Poland and Sweden use youngsters in their top flight who often struggle so i dont see the issue that some have. Its just a personal choice. PL just doesn't cut it for to watch on a weekly basis. I don't like the idea of one league. But if that means the BSPA will be as one, and all the Promoters singing from the same hymn sheet, than that has to be a step in the right direction...... Me neither. And i bet the PL promotions want nothing to do with it as we all know they only care about their own clubs and league. I certainly hope there is no amalgamation. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
