mdmc82 2,878 Posted June 8, 2016 This week is lovely weather wise & yet no fixtures in place. We have weeks without fixtures & then several squashed together 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemini 4,894 Posted June 8, 2016 We absolutely dont want to lose the el. Pl racing is ok but not el. Where would the top riders go who have averages over 6? Holder v Jake Allen? Nki v Skidmore? That's easy to answer because neither really want to be riding in the UK anyway so back to Poland/Sweden/Denmark - delete as applicable. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BANANAMAN 330 Posted June 8, 2016 The Voice Of Reason, on 08 Jun 2016 - 6:43 PM, said: Words from a man, who's very promotion that he worships, has done more harm to EL Speedway than every other club combined - and that takes some doing! And how utterly laughable that he mentions 'the development of British riders'. Absolute hypocrisy at its finest. I was sure he was on a wind up there too ! Seems to me its going to be a make or break winter for OUR sport .. If there is a amalgamation it will be yet another dilution . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted June 8, 2016 One thing is certain - the PL and to a certain extent NL must not be damaged in order to rescue the EL tracks. Definitely You make it sound like those leagues are perfect and everything is great. IT ISN'T. Speedway in the UK is suffering, not any one league. All leagues have major issues, to claim only one is at fault is blinkered at best. I have to say I am not sure that the NL has major problems. Otherwise, dead right. The EL is in trouble because of loss of stadiums. The PL is where clubs are threatened with closure because of financial losses. The thing is though is the EL is simply not viable if it has about 6 tracks. Under those circumstances, there would have to be an amalgamation on PL level because, as Rob accurately says, you can't destroy the PL in trying to save the EL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,618 Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) The time has clearly come to put the EL out of its misery and to combine into one senior league but with one key proviso. It must be based on current PL team strengths and costs at worst . It would be appalling if the financially weaker PL tracks were thrown out of business in order to bail out the top division, as happened in the 90s. The problem is though that certain influences in the EL have poisoned that league, as can be seen by the reluctance of sane promotions to go anywhere near it and an unworkable rule book, full of clauses inserted to close loopholes exploited by those influences leaving it incoherent, illogical and requiring a degree in statistical research in order to just work out who can ride in a team. That poison must not be allowed to pollute the lower leagues. The PL needs to stand firm and defend what it's got. It and the NL can be the saviour of the sport running at a sane level relative to attendances. Sadly, entrenched attitudes such as "I only DO EL" need to be changed. You either love speedway or names. If you want the names the message sadly has to be in the short to mid term - "There are cheap flights out there to the GPs and Polish League". It's far from ideal but we need regular speedway with workable rules and teams - and certainly not have tracks closing for a month in peak season! Even if by some miracle Coventry, Swindon and Leicester are all able to enter the EL in 2017, and I pray they can, it is only postponing the crisis. Perhaps it does need one year of a single race night, possibly seven home and seven away on the Swedish and Polish model just to prove how that system is unworkable here. One thing is certain - the PL and to a certain extent NL must not be damaged in order to rescue the EL tracks. Another poor post on the subject ...yet again with the view that somehow Pl is going well and is some great role model to follow ..as has said a million times teams in the pl find it just as hard to get by ..the crowds are poor and it's all relative to what is paid to riders ..in the last weeks the El and some big crowds and some great racing . Why anyone what's to go by the rules of the league that fans have little interest in watching is madness ....all you are is just another pl fan who wants your league to better than my league and can't wait for the El to go wrong .. Speedway main problem is people coming up with plans to get less people to watch the sport .yours is another . One day people will wake and understand the Pl is not doing well and it's not a good product . but for some reason that can't be explained they buried there heads in the sand and say the only forward is to be like them ..madness Edited June 8, 2016 by orion 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,827 Posted June 8, 2016 Definitely I have to say I am not sure that the NL has major problems. Otherwise, dead right. The EL is in trouble because of loss of stadiums. The PL is where clubs are threatened with closure because of financial losses. The thing is though is the EL is simply not viable if it has about 6 tracks. Under those circumstances, there would have to be an amalgamation on PL level because, as Rob accurately says, you can't destroy the PL in trying to save the EL. All levels are messed up IMHO. If only all levels would work together there could actually be a much brighter future for all levels. EL relies on the PL, the PL relies on the EL and NL and both leagues need the NL for the future generation. The PL promoters are even more stubborn than the EL ones so they alone have created this mess and nothing will change if the line is "it's our way or no way". By the same token you can't destroy the EL because it's not working. There can be no credibility without a top tier of racing. No doubt PL supporters wouldn't or couldn't care less and sadly that compounds the issue even further as im sure their promoters feel the same. Swindon will continue Whilst the Leicester and Coventry situation I agree is a worrying one. There is a lot of speculation about what may happen with Leicester but in truth no one knows what might happen. There always seems to be a black cloud and doom impending regards the EL if you listen to some. However on the plus side there has been some superb racing reported in the EL this year and the league appears more open due to the oddities of the rules and averages. Having watched EL, PL, NL, Development league, amateur this season I can say there is still great things happening in Speedway. I will always pick EL over all other leagues as my preferred league because I prefer watching the better standard of rider. However it's only the EL that drives my enthusiasm and passion. Without it (EL)I'd become another regular supporter lost along with many others. It's those in charge that seem to make it stink at times. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,618 Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) The teams in trouble have little to do with the rules or the league etc ...Cov and Swindon are in trouble because there home might be taken from them ..that can't happen to any team in any league ...the lions are just poorly ran and I have no doubt they could do really well with right people running them . Edited June 8, 2016 by orion 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrcts 252 Posted June 8, 2016 From what I can see the "Elite League" teams are basically a Premier League team with 1 or even no Elite standard riders....hardly Elite at all! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,618 Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) From what I can see the "Elite League" teams are basically a Premier League team with 1 or even no Elite standard riders....hardly Elite at all! Of course it's elite as it has the strongest teams in the uk hence the name ..unless you think there is a stronger league with better teams in the uk of course ...this has been explained a million times . It's always been the most odd thing in Speedway moaning about the name of the El that that quite clearly has logic why it has it's name , but then nothing about the name of the premier what makes no sense.. using your logic what Premier riders in the world ride in the PL ? Edited June 8, 2016 by orion 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LagutaRacingFan 1,939 Posted June 8, 2016 Premier League brand name is miles stronger than the Elite League. The PL promoters deserve a huge amount of credit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,847 Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) Another poor post on the subject ...yet again with the view that somehow Pl is going well and is some great role model to follow ..as has said a million times teams in the pl find it just as hard to get by ..the crowds are poor and it's all relative to what is paid to riders ..in the last weeks the El and some big crowds and some great racing . Why anyone what's to go by the rules of the league that fans have little interest in watching is madness ....all you are is just another pl fan who wants your league to better than my league and can't wait for the El to go wrong .. Speedway main problem is people coming up with plans to get less people to watch the sport .yours is another . One day people will wake and understand the Pl is not doing well and it's not a good product . but for some reason that can't be explained they buried there heads in the sand and say the only forward is to be like them ..madness Someone said on post 17 that Glasgow are losing substantial sums of money. The new promotion there have come in and spent a fortune on the club , including buying riders like there is no tomorrow yet they are still losing a lot of money. That tells you all you need to know about the PL model. Edited June 8, 2016 by E I Addio 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,827 Posted June 8, 2016 From what I can see the "Elite League" teams are basically a Premier League team with 1 or even no Elite standard riders....hardly Elite at all! And nothing premier about the PL! Without riders doubling up/down both leagues would struggle. You could argue that without the good EL standard riders in the PL it wouldn't be the standard that it is. By name/definition/quality the EL is the appropriately named league. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dump that clutch 630 Posted June 8, 2016 1 large PL would worry me. Personally I would be fine with it. I love the PL racing. But there are alot of people I know and see on social media etc that are EL snobs. The EL clubs fans will half at most. now this i cannot understand, supporters want a weekly fix of speedway, if people decline to watch EL then they are no fan of the sport. Interesting interview on BBC Radio Solent this morning with Matt Ford wishing for more fixtures next season - either from an expanded EL and/or a second competition. Fans to be polled for their opinions and views to be put to the BSPA AGM in October/November!! as above, weekly fix to keep supporters hungry for more. We have too many gaps, such a disjointed season pushes people away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crazy robin 2,966 Posted June 8, 2016 I agree we need the top flight otherwise how do we get good British riders? We need Lambert getting tips from NKI for example and Adam Ellis getting them from Holder and Andersen. Not in a million years will the Elite League close due to two things Matt Ford and Belle Vue new stadium. As a Poole fan, Matt Ford is not going to want Brady Kurtz as his number 1 in the Premier League. Until the richest and biggest club says so well its never going to happen. Maybe, Coventry go but can see Ipswich and Glasgow coming up and Rye House then a league of 10 again which would mean more fixtures which everyone wants. I like seeing Holder, Doyle, Zagar, AJ, NKI, KK and Fast Freddie ride here they will never ride again unless we don't have the EL. Just need a fixed race night and then all of a sudden it will get better. Just for example all it needs is Dudek and Magic to go to Poole which could happen then Holder to Swindon and Doyle to the Lions and the league can get better. Just need Poole, Belle Vue, Swindon and King's Lynn to get better riders and then it will trickle down. Would rather Swindon kept Jason & Chris went to Leicester😀 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted June 8, 2016 Was I said earlier, the EL cannot be dictated to be the PL. There must always be a league in the UK that has top riders. Whilst there are not too many at the moment, that could change. Following a PL model would be suicide for EL clubs whose fans want to see the best on offer, even if many stars are missing. Where would progression happen if there was not the opportunity to race against the best in the sport? What would happen to riders with averages over 6? Out of work? Would we all witness heats where riders are trying to finish at the back so they get below 6? Dont laugh it could happen. Swedish Speedway isnt that much stronger than British. Yes they have stronger teams but judging by the crowds they are not packing them in. Watching every Tuesday shows crowds similar or perhaps slightly bigger to here. But the outlay for the riders must be much higher. Take the opportunity to ride el on a fixed night or two per week, perhaps Wednesday and Thursday, could see top stars heading back. Matt Ford is asking fans what they want. More meetings, absolutely. But having a weaker team on nights when Its not an el fixture will not be supported, as has been proved in the past. Call the agm early. Get the rules mapped out well in advance and put them out to the fans to discuss and mull over. Stupid mistakes like the edr could be avoided. Fans of the sport are just as wise as the promoters and can pick up on likely problems, especially as there are many more of us than the couple of dozen promotions. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
