Eastbourne Speedway

[gazzac 1,015]

32 minutes ago, Bear_Bottom said:

Steve ChantlerEastbourne Eagles Group

Steve Chantler  ·FB 

Sorry all. We hoped to get this out last night.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts it is extremely unlikely to happen and we have at this stage, thrown in the towel for 2023. The last hurdle really was the BSPL explaining that they would need our commitment by the end of August, to run next season. We could have asked for more time but it seems, that would have just been delaying the inevitable.

The costs of entering the Championship were simple too much to raise the amount required and the stadium owners were not keen in us running at National League level.

We are devoted fans of the club and although this is most likely over for 2023, we do not want to give up. All the time there is a track at Arlington Stadium, we will want to see speedway there and will be happy to help financially or otherwise, with anyone that wishes to take up the mantel.

We are truly sorry for any hopes that we raised and have now, dropped.

Very sad, but could see it coming as I said before , unfortunately until the BSPL get their heads out of the sand won't be the last to go, or find a relaunch too expensive and unsustainable. 

[iainb 5,018]

What's the objection to NDL does anybody know? I thought the last NDL operation was quite successful wasn't it?

[*JJ 512]

At the time, it was just the National League, in effect a Third Division. The racing was just as good as the higher leagues; indeed the Eastbourne/Birmingham playoff final were some of the best speedway matches I have seen. However, the BSPL in their (?)wisdom have destroyed the (invaluable) MDL/SDL and downgraded the NL to the NDL.

[HGould 2,213]

18 minutes ago, *JJ said:

At the time, it was just the National League, in effect a Third Division. The racing was just as good as the higher leagues; indeed the Eastbourne/Birmingham playoff final were some of the best speedway matches I have seen. However, the BSPL in their (?)wisdom have destroyed the (invaluable) MDL/SDL and downgraded the NL to the NDL.

Indeed

It was clear that us and Eastbourne were forced up by them threatening 6 man teams and a silly points limit in the winter of 2018 , Kent were pretty much forced up too a year later.

For various reasons none have worked out well. In case of Brummies and Eagles too big a financial hit too soon to be able to properly compete seems the issue. 

The NDL by 2018 had become the "Championship lite" many now seek. 

A bit like soccer EFL to PL is a big jump so is NDL to CL - difference in Soccer is you get north of £100,000,000 to soften the blow, in Speedway you go from being a successful team to a struggling one or have to throw huge sums at it and still no guarantee of success, and have to pay disproprtionately large bonds to BSPL for the pleasure.

Admittedly at the other end of the spectrum it did Clubs like Buxton and Stoke no favours and had the same detrimental impact on them, which is very sad.

Not sure what the Dugard family hierarchy fixation with "no NDL is" - may be if its re-branded Championship lite - they may re-think. Balls in their Court I guess?

[eric i 619]

2 hours ago, HGould said:

Indeed

It was clear that us and Eastbourne were forced up by them threatening 6 man teams and a silly points limit in the winter of 2018 , Kent were pretty much forced up too a year later.

For various reasons none have worked out well. In case of Brummies and Eagles too big a financial hit too soon to be able to properly compete seems the issue. 

The NDL by 2018 had become the "Championship lite" many now seek. 

A bit like soccer EFL to PL is a big jump so is NDL to CL - difference in Soccer is you get north of £100,000,000 to soften the blow, in Speedway you go from being a successful team to a struggling one or have to throw huge sums at it and still no guarantee of success, and have to pay disproprtionately large bonds to BSPL for the pleasure.

Admittedly at the other end of the spectrum it did Clubs like Buxton and Stoke no favours and had the same detrimental impact on them, which is very sad.

Not sure what the Dugard family hierarchy fixation with "no NDL is" - may be if its re-branded Championship lite - they may re-think. Balls in their Court I guess?

Its disappointing clubs don't like NDL when I think they would be much more financially sound running at that level. Does anything else go on at the stadium? You would of thought a speedway family would be keen to see some sort of racing, even if they did Isle of Wight sort of thing.

[M.D 463]

7 hours ago, iainb said:

What's the objection to NDL does anybody know? I thought the last NDL operation was quite successful wasn't it?

The Dugard family had their reasons, we listened to them and agreed no NDL..

[iainb 5,018]

33 minutes ago, M.D said:

The Dugard family had their reasons, we listened to them and agreed no NDL..

Yes, I got that from the statement... I was wondering what those reasons were?

[FromBendThree 145]

Won’t be long before people are buying a new house on Dugard Drive or a bungalow in Norris Road

[Skidder1 7,637]

53 minutes ago, FromBendThree said:

Won’t be long before people are buying a new house on Dugard Drive or a bungalow in Norris Road

....or maybe Kennett Krescent?

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

I don’t understand why the Dugards won’t allow NDL speedway at Arlington. As long as the rent is paid what’s the issue? Unless they just want the stadium to go for a period of non use so that planning permission for houses can be put in as no one wants to use the speedway stadium?

[M.D 463]

Just now, Steve Shovlar said:

I don’t understand why the Dugards won’t allow NDL speedway at Arlington. As long as the rent is paid what’s the issue? Unless they just want the stadium to go for a period of non use so that planning permission for houses can be put in as no one wants to use the speedway stadium?

The stadium is in use for cars/stocks.

They want speedway at the stadium but only champ, not NDL or Elite as we can't use the stadium Mondays and Thursdays, so its not that and will remain private out of respect to them..

[Hackett 220]

2 hours ago, Skidder1 said:

....or maybe Kennett Krescent?

Kennett Crescent would have to be a cul-de-sac. 

[Neila 1,162]

On one hand the bspa muppets want more clubs in the top leagues,  but want a bounty of around £40000 for said club to enter the league !!

[arnieg 3,643]

1 hour ago, Neila said:

On one hand the bspa muppets want more clubs in the top leagues,  but want a bounty of around £40000 for said club to enter the league !!

And why is that unreasonable?

[Neila 1,162]

9 hours ago, arnieg said:

And why is that unreasonable?

If you were people at Eastbourne or wherever and planned to revive the sport,  your business plan would be to break even or better, on limited crowds the sport attracts. But the bspa are wanting this figure above the initial costs to start the sport up in a new location,  It does not encourage anyone taking a chance to restart speedway somewhere.