They Say Never Go Back.

[BWitcher 12,453]

Some went home after Heat 13 at Sunderland - but the majority stayed on to enjoy the Second Half.

 

Personally - I am with scarra on this one BW.

 

You could argue that those going home make their choice - it is up to them.

 

Sunderland.

 

Your argument ends right there.

 

It matters not whether you are with 'Scarra' or not. It's 2017, not 1974.

 

At least 80% of the crowd would be gone at the conclusion of the final race of the league meeting, and that's being generous.

 

Reducing matches to 13 heats is one of the most ridiculous insane ideas possible. Only speedway fans could come up with something so ludicrous.

[foamfence 2,917]

 

Sunderland.

 

Your argument ends right there.

 

It matters not whether you are with 'Scarra' or not. It's 2017, not 1974.

 

At least 80% of the crowd would be gone at the conclusion of the final race of the league meeting, and that's being generous.

 

Reducing matches to 13 heats is one of the most ridiculous insane ideas possible. Only speedway fans could come up with something so ludicrous.

I prefer the 13 heat format, if you added a nominated riders race at the end (making 14 heats) I think that would be OK.

[Guest]

I liked the old 14 heat match formula. Teams eight aside (six riders get four rides, the reserves get two rides and can replaces one of the four team twice if needed).

Teams relied solely on their own riders. And they were real clubs with teams built season-on-season.

The 14 heat match was followed by a six heat second-half, usually a junior race, a reserves race, then three heats and a final for the main team riders.

Edited August 28, 2017 by Guest

[Trees 2,814]

I think we have more pressing issues than stopping the riders 'gardening' before heats! It's all part of their prep to gain advantage from the start.

 

15 heats are good, I'd do away with the TR but allow the managers to choose gate positions if 6 down.

 

They need to go to 2 nights a week racing in Premiership.

Edited August 28, 2017 by Trees

[steve roberts 9,246]

I liked the old 14 heat match formula. Teams eight aside (six riders get four rides, the reserves get two rides and can replaces one of the four team twice if needed).

Teams relied solely on their own riders. And they were real clubs with teams built season-on-season.

The 14 heat match was followed by a six heat second-half, usually a junior race, a reserves races, then three heats and a final for the main team riders.

I personally liked the thirteen heat formula but would be happy to concede that the fourteen heat version had some good merits.

 

I've seen the development of thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen heat variations and all had good and bad points what with nominated riders heats being introduced and an extra reserves race amongst the differing versions...the two leagues once operated different versions for a couple (?) of years, I recall, which was most bizarre.

Edited August 28, 2017 by steve roberts

[Paulco 7,079]

Some went home after Heat 13 at Sunderland - but the majority stayed on to enjoy the Second Half.

 

Personally - I am with scarra on this one BW.

 

You could argue that those going home make their choice - it is up to them.

That included some of the away side a lot of the time

[topsoil 2,498]

The current 15 heat format is fine by me.Certainly no return to the 13 heats and a second half. Can you imagine the riders' response to that? And the excuses that will be served up to avoid riding in the second halves. One thing I would like to see is a junior meeting after every meeting. Force each team to have a junior team of some sort. Try and get a lot more young riders into the system. There's your "second halves" if you want it. Gives the youngsters a lot more track time as well. And the more riders we get into the sport the faster we can phase up doubling up / down.

[waiheke1 4,295]

That however is what speedway needs to do

 

Back to upright engines where throttle control comes in

Stop the gardening at the gate

After a tape infringement straight back to the start

Stop the double ups / Downs

Back to 13 heats & second halves

 

All common sense but dreams I am afraid

No

Yes, but I think it is better now than it used to be

Yes

No, but restrict to Brits and avoid clashes by having fixed race nights.

No

[Aces51 2,778]

Aye the old 13 heat format was a bit jaded , hence the change to 15 , 16 , 18 , then back to 15 . 15 works perfectly well . As for gardening , the holding on to the bike while they stamp on all the spiders at the starting gate looks a bit silly , I believe next season they're not allowed to get off the bike at all once they get to the start .

 

Not being able to get off the bike would make life difficult for those riders who are on the short side. Bjerre, Tungate and Bewley would find their bikes weighed down with spiders they wouldn't be able to stamp on.

[Guest]

There are frequent calls for fixed race nights in British speedway. But it is very much a non-starter. Many speedway clubs are only stadium tenants.

What happens if the night earmarked for speedway clashes with an already alternate sports event at a stadium - for example greyhounds or 'stock car' racing? I doubt these alternative promotions would be prepared to upset their own followers to facilitate speedway.

However, I am would be interested in seeing how the problems in regard to a fixed race night can be resolved. Surely if introduced it would make it near impossible for tracks to stage regular weekly home meetings?

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan 199]

People really need to build a stronghold of opinion of the wider audience before imposing their views of common sense on everyone and assuming all fans wish to see such changes as well..

 

I’d be more inclined to think most fans who have walked away from the sport in recent years couldn’t care less about gardening, upright engines and second half racing – and I doubt altering such things would entice them back – small, minor, quick and easy changes they might be but they are not the kind of thing that will shift the needle attendance wise or how most people now feel about the sport.

 

 

[iainb 5,018]

A one minute warning for restarts

1 minute! 30 seconds for me

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

There are frequent calls for fixed race nights in British speedway. But it is very much a non-starter. Many speedway clubs are only stadium tenants.

What happens if the night earmarked for speedway clashes with an already alternate sports event at a stadium - for example greyhounds or 'stock car' racing? I doubt these alternative promotions would be prepared to upset their own followers to facilitate speedway.

However, I am would be interested in seeing how the problems in regard to a fixed race night can be resolved. Surely if introduced it would make it near impossible for tracks to stage regular weekly home meetings?

THERE seems to be a consensus that Premiership tracks could operate on Mondays and Thursdays. But, if doubling up is to stop, riders especially in the top flight will need sufficient meetings to make speedway viable. That would require at least four current Championship tracks joining the Premiership.

 

Ipswich, Peterborough (with relatively local meetings against King's Lynn and Rye House), Sheffield (Belle Vue) and one more would do the trick.

 

But pay scales would be key if, as expected, there is no TV money coming into the coffers in 2018. It will be a balancing act ensuring that riders can make enough money to make speedway a worthwhile occupation and what tracks can afford out of their revenue.

[foamfence 2,917]

THERE seems to be a consensus that Premiership tracks could operate on Mondays and Thursdays. But, if doubling up is to stop, riders especially in the top flight will need sufficient meetings to make speedway viable. That would require at least four current Championship tracks joining the Premiership.

 

Ipswich, Peterborough (with relatively local meetings against King's Lynn and Rye House), Sheffield (Belle Vue) and one more would do the trick.

 

But pay scales would be key if, as expected, there is no TV money coming into the coffers in 2018. It will be a balancing act ensuring that riders can make enough money to make speedway a worthwhile occupation and what tracks can afford out of their revenue.

Do you mean that the 'four' actually swap with current Premiership clubs, or do you mean that the Championship would be reduced to six clubs? Redcar is another 'Thursday' club. While this might partly address the problems associated with doubling-up (apart from rain-offs and other rearranged fixtures). Another problem is that Poland and Sweden seem to be having more meetings away from their usual days, while we can't do anything about that, it might still promote the need for absences and guests. The time when riders probably don't 'make enough money to make Speedway worthwhile' is probably here and to my mind the 'balancing act' you mention, is actually between clubs going under and riders accepting that they might need a second job (some already have one anyway). It may become inevitable that British Speedway is forced to dump it's delusions of grandeur and go for one big league with mostly part-time riders, unless a huge form of new funding is discovered.

Edited August 28, 2017 by foamfence

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Do you mean that the 'four' actually swap with current Premiership clubs, or do you mean that the Championship would be reduced to six clubs? Redcar is another 'Thursday' club. While this might partly address the problems associated with doubling-up (apart from rain-offs and other rearranged fixtures). Another problem is that Poland and Sweden seem to be having more meetings away from their usual days, while we can't do anything about that, it might still promote the need for absences and guests. The time when riders probably don't 'make enough money to make Speedway worthwhile' is probably here and to my mind the 'balancing act' you mention, is actually between clubs going under and riders accepting that they might need a second job (some already have one anyway). It may become inevitable that British Speedway is forced to dump it's delusions of grandeur and go for one big league with mostly part-time riders, unless a huge form of new funding is discovered.

SWEDEN pretty much stick to Tuesdays and from what I am hearing, not gospel of course, Mondays and Thursday would not be affected by Poland.

 

I understand what you are saying about part-time riders but that is easier said than done these days.

 

As you say, one big league does appear to be the lesser of all evils although the question of team strengths will inevitably be a major bone of contention if the likes of Bjerre, Doyle, Holder and Lindgren continue to race here and some, currently racing in Sweden but possibly not wanted in 2018, wish to come over.