customhouseregular 1,651 Posted September 19, 2014 Others have posted on this forum about the decline/demise of speedway in Britain, with falling attendances and the unwillingness of top Overseas riders to compete regularly for British clubs. Back in the 60's every rider worth his salt wanted to ride in Britain. In fact it was almost mandatory if a rider wanted to progress on the World stage. We had a league that meant something with the chance to see the World's best each week...not a 9-team affair with teams meeting each other 4 times a season. We had great local competitions, e.g. London Cup, London rider's Championship etc. with enough teams to give us eagerly awaited local derbies. During each season there were Tests against Australia, Sweden, USSR and major Open events like the Internationale and Laurels at Wimbledon and the Brandonapolis at Coventry. Then there were the World Championship meetings...various Finals on the way to the big one. Most speedway venues, though far from "state of the art" were not too old or too shabby. Hyde Road, Custom House, Glasgow White City etc. were atmospheric stadia. Plough Lane was considered luxurious in it's day. Compare the above with the situation currently being seen it Britain. Some may feel that as I no longer attend speedway meetings, for a variety of genuine reasons i might add, that I have no right pontificating on the subject. However, as an impartial observer I believe that without the meaningful meetings, with the World's best riders competing, and on tracks in stadiums that are welcoming and comfortable, the decline will only continue. Yes, I understand the money is not in the sport here and top riders can earn more in Sweden and Poland and yes, I know we can not afford to build speedway-specific stadia like Torun, so I do not have an answer.All I do know is that if you don't give the public what they want, they won't come. All comments gratefully received. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunty 189 Posted September 19, 2014 Elite League speedway is pointless, I dont see any point in racing home and away 4 times! Its boring, the same teams come round every week and the results are always simlar between the two teams involved! I think we should have regional groups who race each other 4 times and then race the other groups once if at all...A bit like american football where each season different league play against one another but the divisons are fair because they all race the same teams.Some divisions maybe dont race each other and they could be the cup fixtures so that all teams meet in a season! Then the top two from each divison are paired up with another a 1st plays 2nd so thats the quaters then the top two go through to the semis and we have a big super bowl final where the top two teams from each reigon race off for the title! The leagues would have more derbies so you would get to travel to more away matches and hopefully crowds would incread you would end up with a fixture list around 30 matches... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sussex bulldog 41 Posted September 19, 2014 Well now we have one less team. News today in the local Eastbourne paper that there will be no more speedway at Arlington. Very sad news. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted September 19, 2014 Back in the day the National League and Provincial League amalgamated to form the British League. If the EL is going down to 8 teams maybe it is time for history to repeat itself. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barncooseboy 237 Posted September 19, 2014 Speedway is now unique in the motorsport race world because competitors still expect to be paid to compete, in every other forms of motor cycle sport it costs the riders to compete. In trials, moto X, grasstrack, circuit racing and in the 4 wheeled sport they are even having to pay entry fees to race bangers and it continues right up to Formula one where some seats are paid for. Probablt because Speedway is a team sport it has been locked in with the football everybody has to be paid camp. Todays economics mean, I believe, that more football blubs will soon be forced into semi professional status and economics currently mean that speedway MUST reduce its costs to survive in any form. (In the UK) It will need a gentle move over several years to a semi professional sport with the majority of riders being semi professional British riders and that change must start now with every PL team in 2015 having the 6 and 7 being British resident rather than flying in from Europe or the antipodes and expecting their travel to be paid. After a couple of years this could be extended down through the teams until we arrive at a sustainable cost for teams or there wont be any teams. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted September 19, 2014 I have long been an advocate of all teams irrespective of league having to track British riders at reserve. The notion of paying Overseas riders to improve at the expense of British youngsters is patently absurd. I'm all for Overseas "stars" ( a somewhat loose description in the current climate) enlivening British sides, but in order to increase the British rider pool for the future the foreign 6 or 7 needs to be scrapped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barncooseboy 237 Posted September 19, 2014 extending my cost cutting ideas and enforcing British resident 6 and 7 in order to make it even moore local remove travel payments for HOME matches Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted September 19, 2014 extending my cost cutting ideas and enforcing British resident 6 and 7 in order to make it even moore local remove travel payments for HOME matches With the geographic spread of teams, particularly in PL a reserve may be British but may not be local. As he is unlikely to be too financially sound this could cause hardship, though I understand your point. The days when a rider could push his bike to the track for a home meeting are long gone. In a Utopian world every team would be full of stars, mostly British and all living a stone's throw from the track. If only!. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
THE DEAN MACHINE 4,764 Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) I have posted this elsewhere but i believe this has contributed considably to the decline of speedway. In days gone by riders were ordinary talented blokes that the fans made into superstars ,today riders are ordinary talented blokes that are self proclaimed superstars and the fans are not buying into it. This is not about an individual rider but how fans cant relate to riders anymore Edited September 19, 2014 by THE DEAN MACHINE 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barncooseboy 237 Posted September 19, 2014 how many have vans sign written as INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY RIDER WHEN All that means they have ridden at Glasgow as well as Iwade 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,618 Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) Elite League speedway is pointless, I dont see any point in racing home and away 4 times! Its boring, the same teams come round every week and the results are always simlar between the two teams involved! Why is it boring ? hardly overkill seeing the same side twice at your home track in a season it is ...Why in a nine team league would the team come round every week ? How many times have Berwick been at Edinburgh this year by the way ? As for the scores being the same I went see Swindon v Cov in April and see a cov win then later in the season September ( that's the next week in your world ) and saw Swindon win with Ease .. I see Poole crushed cov in the sky match the other night what was the score first match between the two sides at Brandon by the way ? Edited September 19, 2014 by orion 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cowboy cookie returns? 747 Posted September 19, 2014 Why is it boring ? hardly overkill seeing the same side twice at your home track in a season it is ...Why in a nine team league would the team come round every week ? How many times have Berwick been at Edinburgh this year by the way ? It must be boring if it wasn't the stadiums would be jammed.............................rose tinted glasses need removing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy jimmy 298 Posted September 19, 2014 Replace Eastbourne and Birmingham with Cradley and Ipswichor Sheffield and away we go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,618 Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) It must be boring if it wasn't the stadiums would be jammed.............................rose tinted glasses need removing! It may well be but it's hardly because the same team comes twice in a season is it .... put your brain in gear . Edited September 19, 2014 by orion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cowboy cookie returns? 747 Posted September 19, 2014 It may well be but it's hardly because the same team comes twice in a season is it .... put your brain in gear . I have put my brain in gear and I've been saving £16 a week for the last 3 years....... The sport has been in decline for well over 20 years & in the most part the only thing that has been tried is daft rules & cost cutting this approach as only ment smaller gates & more cost cutting & we now have now got the stage that its almost like 2 select teams riding at times. It would be far better to only meet once home once away & have the clubs own 7 riders on show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
