The White Knight 9,039 Posted August 8, 2014 A set day (Monday) is an absolute priority. It feels like Bees have had about one home match since who knows when. World cup would only effect one week and there would be no doubling up or international absences. Teams could race each other home & away on Bank hols. inc Easter Sunday.We don't need 5 GP riders per team but not the ludicrous fast track either. You only really get 12 heats for your money now with not only ht 2 + 9 a joke but the ludicrous heat 5 which must have resulted in home 5:1's in about 50% of meetings. Set a sensible points limit and have 3 GB riders per team. Get rid of the farcical tactical ride. Instead allow team 6 points down choice of gates and leave the current match points scoring system to do the rest. And for pities sake scale back aforementioned doubling up - for the umpteenth time this is the real reason Team GB are so bad. No one since Bridger offer than Woffy and Lambert have gone full time EL. It' s not rocket science! I've been banging on about this for ages. I 100% agree with you. Good Post tiberon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stephen7 15 Posted August 8, 2014 I would be the first to agree that something needs to be done to improve Speedway, as much as I personally love it, and I have read with interest the various comments. I would however like to ask two questions. Firstly regarding the promotion and relegation. A few years ago when I was new to the sport I raised this very question on this forum, and was told that it would not work because most of the teams in the Premier league would not have the money to pay out to compete in the Elite league, and would therefore refuse to be promoted if they won the league. So my first question is, is this still the case? Secondly the subject brought to the fore with Ty's comments about a single night for all teams to race. I don't have a problem with that in principle, but with the sport being so subject to weather I am wondering how this would work as the season moved on. In football we talk about teams having a game in hand, and sometime even two games in hand, but in Speedway this can be a great deal more. At the moment there is a gap of five games between some teams, and in the Premier league there is a gap of eleven races in one case, and we are talking about a year where the weather has been reasonably kind. Surely as the season moves towards the second half the calendar is going to become packed and other nights will have to be raced to catch up. I notice Belle Vue a week on Monday are having a double meeting, with two races one after the other. I am a Belle Vue fan, and love Speedway, but 30 races in one night is a lot to take especially if we are not on form that particular night, and the fact that I have to travel an hour back home afterwards. So my second question is how would it work especially if we had a particularly wet season. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ch958 2,395 Posted August 8, 2014 The general concensus is that one or two nights is a good idea but unworkable because not enough clubs have control over race nights You are correct about promotion and relegation however if the two leagues get closer in strength as is happening it could be a practical thing I myself would love to see this happen but el clubs would have to weaken to pl standard or thereabouts and that's not a popular idea among el fans I think that just about sums up where we are at the moment Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted August 8, 2014 One race night is not possible. I won't explain why, but most already know why. Promotion and relegation will work. I also believe having teams meet just once home and away would create more interest. Fans wouldn't tend to miss a team if it's the only chance they had of seeing the visiting riders the once. Speedway needs tidying up. Right now it feel as if everything is in the air and the sport has no real direction. Everyone knows it needs a overhaul. With two leagues, promo and relegation, perhaps even SKY could regain their interest. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted August 8, 2014 the thing that would hold back promotion/relegation is the fact certain promoters in prem DONT wanna move up! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted August 9, 2014 the thing that would hold back promotion/relegation is the fact certain promoters in prem DONT wanna move up!Exactly! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R87 476 Posted August 9, 2014 I'd be all in favour of a cup competition being added as long as it didn't start until mid -season. Then teams who have little chance in the league have something to go for. It would reduce the number of meaningless matches. Even the British League Cup of 2003. A good idea and I enjoyed those meetings, but too many clubs didn't take it seriously and, it was given the boot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) Promoters don't want to move up when their team is promoted is an old excuse. They don't feel they can afford the stars on their gates. But the stars have all but gone. The EL is too high as regards its operating costs. Despite the lack of stars, crowds have also dipped in recent years, and so the clubs haven't noticed much of a break even. Though some love the Play-Offs, it has allowed seasons to be directed towards making the final two. I feel all that precedes the Play-Off semis is taken as a take-or-leave proposition by fans. Teams visiting twice a season also reduces the need to attend both matches, especially when money's tight. If the proposed new set-up were were tailored to Premier League standards, both divisions, then what would the problem be? If an EL team is losing £100,000 a year, what objection would it have of the whole league agreeing to reduce its high earners, to help not just save the club but the sport as well. Without the so-called stars, both divisions could be evened out so neither league is that different. Edited August 9, 2014 by moxey63 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted August 9, 2014 I don't think its the EL promoters you have to convince!! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) I don't think its the EL promoters you have to convince!! Perhaps the EL promoters who cry about losing money every time they open their gates, perhaps they should use a bit of common logic and think about stepping down, losing their few remaining star names and secure a rosier future for them and the whole sport. We had the early year problems with GP riders, tracks that had a GP star couldn't race this date or that. Now they, the little princesses, want to hold Britain to ransom, telling track bosses when they should operate. Britain should make a fresh start, a brave one I know, and plan a sport that can rely on boys who actually want to be here. It would certainly begin to create a product that would only grow. Britain could be great again. Edited August 9, 2014 by moxey63 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,615 Posted August 9, 2014 Perhaps the EL promoters who cry about losing money every time they open their gates, perhaps they should use a bit of common logic and think about stepping down, losing their few remaining star names and secure a rosier future for them and the whole sport. ? just as many clubs in the PL cry about losing money . That is the bit don't understand let's all go Pl it's hardly a winning product . A rosier future is to try bring more fans into the sport not drive them away 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Skid 425 Posted August 9, 2014 Kick the top Riders out, one League, and pray it works, cos that's about all there is left to try, if it doesn't then can the last one out turn the lights off!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,615 Posted August 9, 2014 Kick the top Riders out, one League, and pray it works, cos that's about all there is left to try, if it doesn't then can the last one out turn the lights off!!! Pretty of other things to try . As for one big league it's been tried and never worked and never will . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer 340 Posted August 9, 2014 The question was "The future of the Elite League"? The answer is, it has no future, save your money and watch the Swedish League on TV, Zorro and Harris both riding at reserve, that's what you call an Elite League. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted August 9, 2014 The question was "The future of the Elite League"? The answer is, it has no future, save your money and watch the Swedish League on TV, Zorro and Harris both riding at reserve, that's what you call an Elite League. That's another thing Elite League speedway has to contend with... people can watch other racing for free on the internet or satellite. In the old days we wouldn't have noticed how weak, how stale our league was, cos we had no other product to compare it with From what I've witnessed these past few years, Premier League is much better entertainment than EL. We should try to maintain British speedway using the PL pay scale. When a rider chooses to race in three different countries within the space of 48 hours, surely it's not these cherubs we should be asking to show the hunger and loyalty to drag British speedway from the knacker's yard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
