UK Speedway in Turmoil?

[moxey63 1,785]

10 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

Pity you can’t see the benefit of the Aggregate Bonus Point. Keeps both teams trying to score race points….that means all riders will be trying their best every race.

Equally I can see why perhaps won’t work in football.

The bonus point rarely impacts on how the table finishes though. A strong home track advantage probably benefits a team. 

Edited August 1, 2023 by moxey63

[steve roberts 9,247]

4 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

The bonus point rarely impacts on how the table finishes though. A strong home track advantage probably benefits a team. Who remembers what the first leg score was months before when the second leg come around? 

Am I right to think that Exeter once gained the most with the aggregare bonus point when added together gave them the championship despite not achieving much on their travels in that particular year (which I can't remember)?

[moxey63 1,785]

6 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Am I right to think that Exeter once gained the most with the aggregare bonus point when added together gave them the championship despite not achieving much on their travels in that particular year (which I can't remember)?

Exeter in 2000

1	Exeter	26	15	1	10	1335	1003	31	13	44
2	Swindon	26	18	0	8	1249	1094	36	8	44
3	Hull	26	16	2	8	1201	1142	33	9	42
4	Sheffield	26	16	4	9	1226	1102	32	10	42
5	Workington	26	15	2	9	1261	1114	32	10	42

[moxey63 1,785]

28 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Exeter in 2000

1	Exeter	26	15	1	10	1335	1003	31	13	44
2	Swindon	26	18	0	8	1249	1094	36	8	44
3	Hull	26	16	2	8	1201	1142	33	9	42
4	Sheffield	26	16	4	9	1226	1102	32	10	42
5	Workington	26	15	2	9	1261	1114	32	10	42

Grown up sports don't need to attract fans with quick fix gimmicks that eventually makes it seem daft.

Edited August 1, 2023 by moxey63

[Ben91 1,743]

The bonus point system is far better than the convoluted system of points given depending on how many points you won the meeting by, if you were home or away, which way the wind was blowing etc. 

The main reason for this being that it is simple. It also keeps some meetings alive until the end as there is still something to race for. Granted, the above system does the same but in a much more complicated manner. 

We should be looking to keep things simple. Easily explainable to newcomers. We could easily follow football’s lead and make it three points for a win and one for a draw. That would work too but may result in more tonkings and average manipulation once meetings are sewn up. 

 

[steve roberts 9,247]

41 minutes ago, Ben91 said:

The bonus point system is far better than the convoluted system of points given depending on how many points you won the meeting by, if you were home or away, which way the wind was blowing etc. 

The main reason for this being that it is simple. It also keeps some meetings alive until the end as there is still something to race for. Granted, the above system does the same but in a much more complicated manner. 

We should be looking to keep things simple. Easily explainable to newcomers. We could easily follow football’s lead and make it three points for a win and one for a draw. That would work too but may result in more tonkings and average manipulation once meetings are sewn up. 

 

Personally I felt that the aggregate bonus point system was one of the better innovations and during the Nielsen years at Cowley we certainly benefitted when during that period we were consistantly one of the more attractive teams away from home taking into account points scored and against although our home record could sometimes be suspect none more so than in 1990 when we achieved the best away record but threw too many points away at home.

Edited August 1, 2023 by steve roberts

[Sotonian 610]

14 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

Pity you can’t see the benefit of the Aggregate Bonus Point. Keeps both teams trying to score race points….that means all riders will be trying their best every race.

Equally I can see why perhaps won’t work in football.

Surely getting paid per point is the best incentive?

[Deano 1,318]

T20 was introduced in cricket to give it a different impetus. A different audience.

Speedway has always been four laps, four riders, x number of heats, seven riders etc.

why not just introduce a competition that changes all that.

Create an environment that eliminates first out the gate, wins  every race.

Riders don’t have maximum rides

one rider one bike per meeting

change the point system etc

introduce a nomad team for fans who don’t have a team to follow

change to county teams

 

anything.. what can we lose

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Deano

[truthsayer 234]

5 minutes ago, Deano said:

T20 was introduced in cricket to give it a different impetus. A different audience.

Speedway has always been four laps, four riders, x number of heats, seven riders etc.

why not just introduce a competition that changes all that.

Create an environment that eliminates first out the gate, wins  every race.

Riders don’t have maximum rides

one rider one bike per meeting

change the point system etc

introduce a nomad team for fans who don’t have a team to follow

change to county teams

 

anything.. what can we lose

 

Exactly what that man says.

Cricket (a game I just don't understand) is the perfect example: an outdated old game adapted to modern conditions. I'd argue darts and cue sports have done the same. Variants of speedway could make the sport more accessible.

Does speedway have to be outdoors? On shale? Teams? Adapting the sport to tarmac could open up new venues, more riders and making it less volatile to the weather. Electric is another way to make it more accessible and create positive PR. These things don't have to be either/or, but traditional speedway can co-exist around other formats, at which point one may become dominant.

 

[Deano 1,318]

10 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

 

Does speedway have to be outdoors? On shale? Teams? 

 

The same bikes have worked on ice rinks.

For me it’s exactly what you suggest, something that grabs imaginations and marketed. But, used alongside traditional speedway for us die hards.

[truthsayer 234]

1 minute ago, Deano said:

The same bikes have worked on ice rinks.

For me it’s exactly what you suggest, something that grabs imaginations and marketed. But, used alongside traditional speedway for us die hards.

'Speedway' away from dirt has many advantages. In theory, you could make more tracks, more cheaply. They would be less susceptible to weather and they would not require curation between races.

Tyres would obviously have to be different, but that's likely the main difference (and a different riding style). It's like tennis (or rallying) where surfaces are different but the sport fundamentally the same. Passing would likely be more difficult on asphalt, however you should be able to pack much more racing into an event, giving better value to riders and spectators.

[Deano 1,318]

You could even remove rider averages as a way of setting up a team. Pay riders all the same, but the winning team shares a winning bonus. All riders have the same machinery, transport and kit, so similar expenses. If the machinery is standard make it sit on and go etc. Riders sign up for a season at a time, with a pool of riders to cover injuries across the competition etc.

[steve roberts 9,247]

49 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

Exactly what that man says.

Cricket (a game I just don't understand) is the perfect example: an outdated old game adapted to modern conditions. I'd argue darts and cue sports have done the same. Variants of speedway could make the sport more accessible.

Does speedway have to be outdoors? On shale? Teams? Adapting the sport to tarmac could open up new venues, more riders and making it less volatile to the weather. Electric is another way to make it more accessible and create positive PR. These things don't have to be either/or, but traditional speedway can co-exist around other formats, at which point one may become dominant.

 

I went to three Wembley Indoor Meetings and a Double Header at the NEC and as a novelty and a winter warmer they were okay but personally I grew tired of the format but perhaps in a bigger arena with bigger tracks who knows. Perhaps the O2 Arena in the Docklands? Didn't think much of Telford however.

[steve roberts 9,247]

34 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

'Speedway' away from dirt has many advantages. In theory, you could make more tracks, more cheaply. They would be less susceptible to weather and they would not require curation between races.

Tyres would obviously have to be different, but that's likely the main difference (and a different riding style). It's like tennis (or rallying) where surfaces are different but the sport fundamentally the same. Passing would likely be more difficult on asphalt, however you should be able to pack much more racing into an event, giving better value to riders and spectators.

Something that John Berry questioned in one of his books.

[Deano 1,318]

7 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I went to three Wembley Indoor Meetings and a Double Header at the NEC and as a novelty and a winter warmer they were okay but personally I grew tired of the format but perhaps in a bigger arena with bigger tracks who knows. Perhaps the O2 Arena in the Docklands? Didn't think much of Telford however.

It’s only another competition though and it should be allowed to evolve. Traditional speedway will still work alongside it. Fans will prefer one to the other, some may prefer both. Same with riders and promoters.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Deano