MDL 2023

[RoundTheBoards 271]

1 hour ago, *JJ said:

Yes, it is true; bitter experience.

If it was true you'd be able to provide the list (that I've asked for twice) of 15+ year old who could fill the MDL with a view to progressing to NDL standard.   (You only need 12 riders to staff the 3 teams, which you say isn't enough teams).

First you can't provide the list because you're "out of touch with it all".   Now you contradict yourself that you have "bitter experience" ... but you still can't provide the list! 

The fact remains there are only 3 MDL teams because there aren't enough sub-NDL riders around, aged 15+, to fill 3 MDL teams. 

[Fortythirtyeight 840]

1 hour ago, *JJ said:

Yes, it is true; bitter experience.

You have a short memory. Your ‘protege’ was offered rides at a northern track when you were complaining then of a lack of opportunities, you turned it down as it was too far to travel. That was when there was several teams in the MDL as he rode for most of them at least once, so plenty of rides being offered then.

There was opportunities then and there still is now, Birmingham are crying out for riders to join the MDL !

The riders have simply disappeared, retired as they were never going to ‘ make it ‘, given up, got too old or too skint or simply had enough and have not been replaced by new novices for reasons stated before.

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Fortythirtyeight

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

In the early years of the MDL it was a genuine competitive breeding ground for emerging riders and a genuine route to get noticed by NL promotions and gain opportunities as guests etc. However as the numbers fell so did the interest and there were much fewer graduates through the development league (and those that did were already on the radar anyways). 

At one point teams were well spread throughout the country so a good distribution of teams and riders and variety of tracks to race at provided motivation as lets face it the prospect of 3-4 hours travel at a riders expense on the hope that maybe they would get 20mins at the end of a meeting to hurriedly get 6 heats done was never an incentive.

The league has been on a slide for a good few years and the ghost teams ban drove the last few passionate volunteers away. Its a credit to all those who got it off the ground and have continued to breath some life into it as long as they have as there has never been any backing/support from the BSPL and the steady demise can sit firmly at their self interest/no interest door.

[*JJ 512]

12 hours ago, RoundTheBoards said:

If it was true you'd be able to provide the list (that I've asked for twice) of 15+ year old who could fill the MDL with a view to progressing to NDL standard.   (You only need 12 riders to staff the 3 teams, which you say isn't enough teams).

First you can't provide the list because you're "out of touch with it all".   Now you contradict yourself that you have "bitter experience" ... but you still can't provide the list! 

The fact remains there are only 3 MDL teams because there aren't enough sub-NDL riders around, aged 15+, to fill 3 MDL teams. 

'Provide a list'? This is just a cheap meaningless debating trick. Of course I can't provide a list! My experience was several years ago now, so as I said, I have lost touch whith the scene. And it was bitter: most MDL teams were run by fans and enthusiasts; the promoters were not bothered.

[*JJ 512]

12 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

You have a short memory. Your ‘protege’ was offered rides at a northern track when you were complaining then of a lack of opportunities, you turned it down as it was too far to travel. That was when there was several teams in the MDL as he rode for most of them at least once, so plenty of rides being offered then.

 

Eh? Which track was that? We travelled all over the country - he rode for Weymouth a few times - and I never turned down any rides.

[dukes 19]

20 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Covid meant that no newbies got on a speedway bike, the current issues are due to lack of investment in providing any sort of opportunities for people to try speedway without committing to purchasing a bike and everything else and now we are seeing the results of this, a lack of riders and a lack of opportunities. How many tracks have second half racing outside of the NJL and Birmingham ?

How out of touch can people on here be?

Scunthorpe offers opportunities to all by supplying Bikes, Body Armour, Kevlars, Moto Cross Gear, Helmets, Gloves, Goggles,  Boots and Helmets.

Together with a great tutor for a superb experience.

AMSA, Ride and Skid It and My First Skid are a few more who also offer great opportunities for new riders.

Instead of criticising, why not understand what's out their and promote it and then more will know what's on offer

[Fortythirtyeight 840]

1 hour ago, dukes said:

How out of touch can people on here be?

Scunthorpe offers opportunities to all by supplying Bikes, Body Armour, Kevlars, Moto Cross Gear, Helmets, Gloves, Goggles,  Boots and Helmets.

Together with a great tutor for a superb experience.

AMSA, Ride and Skid It and My First Skid are a few more who also offer great opportunities for new riders.

Instead of criticising, why not understand what's out their and promote it and then more will know what's on offer

Try reading my post again. I have said there are opportunities out there, particularly at the northern tracks who run NJL etc but they are limited. Outside of those , most tracks don’t bother with second half racing, the Premiership junior league never even got started but yes, there is AMSA and the Carter school but what are the rest of the tracks doing ?

 

[Fortythirtyeight 840]

5 hours ago, *JJ said:

Eh? Which track was that? We travelled all over the country - he rode for Weymouth a few times - and I never turned down any rides.

As I said, short memory, you were offered rides at Redcar but said it was too far.

[Fortythirtyeight 840]

6 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

In the early years of the MDL it was a genuine competitive breeding ground for emerging riders and a genuine route to get noticed by NL promotions and gain opportunities as guests etc. However as the numbers fell so did the interest and there were much fewer graduates through the development league (and those that did were already on the radar anyways). 

At one point teams were well spread throughout the country so a good distribution of teams and riders and variety of tracks to race at provided motivation as lets face it the prospect of 3-4 hours travel at a riders expense on the hope that maybe they would get 20mins at the end of a meeting to hurriedly get 6 heats done was never an incentive.

The league has been on a slide for a good few years and the ghost teams ban drove the last few passionate volunteers away. Its a credit to all those who got it off the ground and have continued to breath some life into it as long as they have as there has never been any backing/support from the BSPL and the steady demise can sit firmly at their self interest/no interest door.

Why blame the BSPL ? They have done nothing to support the NJL for 13 years and it’s still running so it’s not their fault that others gave up.

[*JJ 512]

17 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

As I said, short memory, you were offered rides at Redcar but said it was too far.

They must have offered it directly to the rider, who never mentioned it. You have to remember that our transport was an old age pensioner's car, the diesel paid for mostly from my pension.

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

16 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Why blame the BSPL ? They have done nothing to support the NJL for 13 years and it’s still running so it’s not their fault that others gave up.

They haven't exactly helped. Fee's for volunteers went up drastically, fees to enter teams were driven up, board members wanted nothing to do with the leagues and then ghost teams were driven out. Yes the chances of getting these teams back was slim but there were pockets of dedicated fans who attended meetings up and down the country just to watch the 2nd half. 

If the board have been supportive of the NJL then that is fantastic and its great that the league is currently flourishing (certainly better race nights and a progressive format helps) sadly though i don't see any way back for the MDL.

[JamesHarris 390]

10 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

They haven't exactly helped. Fee's for volunteers went up drastically, fees to enter teams were driven up, board members wanted nothing to do with the leagues and then ghost teams were driven out. Yes the chances of getting these teams back was slim but there were pockets of dedicated fans who attended meetings up and down the country just to watch the 2nd half. 

If the board have been supportive of the NJL then that is fantastic and its great that the league is currently flourishing (certainly better race nights and a progressive format helps) sadly though i don't see any way back for the MDL.

I think it will at some point return to a decent number again. Do the Premiership tracks still run a second half league because I've heard nothing about it since they "launched it"?

Full credit should be given to Lawrence though for keeping the league running even if it is 3 teams. Some may not be aware though that when the league was first launched albeit "unofficial" in 2011 we only had 5 teams running out of three tracks (1 from Leicester, 2 from Scunthorpe and 2 from Sheffield). 

[Fortythirtyeight 840]

11 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

They haven't exactly helped. Fee's for volunteers went up drastically, fees to enter teams were driven up, board members wanted nothing to do with the leagues and then ghost teams were driven out. Yes the chances of getting these teams back was slim but there were pockets of dedicated fans who attended meetings up and down the country just to watch the 2nd half. 

If the board have been supportive of the NJL then that is fantastic and its great that the league is currently flourishing (certainly better race nights and a progressive format helps) sadly though i don't see any way back for the MDL.

Again…,read my post slowly. I said the BSPA , as was, have done NOTHING to help the NJL in 13 years but it still runs.

There are no fees to pay for junior teams , no fees for volunteers , never have been as Ive run teams since the mid 80’s and still doing it now, our only cost is race jackets.

The MDL should have embraced the 125cc concept , the midlands is full of them but they travel ‘up north’ to get rides , then the MDL may have survived.

[phillwhitewasmad 1,487]

10 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Again…,read my post slowly. I said the BSPA , as was, have done NOTHING to help the NJL in 13 years but it still runs.

There are no fees to pay for junior teams , no fees for volunteers , never have been as Ive run teams since the mid 80’s and still doing it now, our only cost is race jackets.

The MDL should have embraced the 125cc concept , the midlands is full of them but they travel ‘up north’ to get rides , then the MDL may have survived.

The 125 format within the Njl is fantastic as a team we will be forever grateful to Berwick for giving our rider the chance to develop at such a young age. Living 15 minutes from our home track which ran Mdl but having to travel 4 hours for Njl was the only downside .

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

11 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Again…,read my post slowly. I said the BSPA , as was, have done NOTHING to help the NJL in 13 years but it still runs.

There are no fees to pay for junior teams , no fees for volunteers , never have been as Ive run teams since the mid 80’s and still doing it now, our only cost is race jackets.

The MDL should have embraced the 125cc concept , the midlands is full of them but they travel ‘up north’ to get rides , then the MDL may have survived.

Thats the 3rd time yesterday i missed a single word out of something and completely changed the outlook. Home teams paid no no fees whereas ghost teams paid hefty entry fees. Its certainly easy to argue that the 125cc concept whilst less interesting as a spectacle (in my opinion) does generate a natural progression pathway. The NJL also benefits from more weekend based race nights which is more suited for travelling and the MDL has lost the majority of tracks that ran on those nights or the teams that do/did run weekends have become disillusioned with it.