NDL Future

[highside 118]

So with Berwick pulling out and Workington moving up is this the end of the NDL 

[AceBelle 43]

43 minutes ago, highside said:

So with Berwick pulling out and Workington moving up is this the end of the NDL 

Highly likely b/colts not running also ??

[Bandit59 1,151]

Looking very likely 

[Mimmo 1,070]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:37 AM, highside said:

So with Berwick pulling out and Workington moving up is this the end of the NDL 

It sadly looks that way.
So where do all the youngsters that Neil Vatcher is guiding through the ranks go now?

Kent almost certainly out too, and Mildenhall must be extremely doubtful too.

Such a shame, as I love NDL racing.

[ch958 2,395]

with so few teams in div 1 and 2 it shouldn't be beyond possibilities for clubs to run 2 teams, even if they're 5 man or something, so many blank weeks to fill. Invite some Aussies and young Americans too, 1 or 2 per. team

[W9 Lion 222]

21 minutes ago, ch958 said:

with so few teams in div 1 and 2 it shouldn't be beyond possibilities for clubs to run 2 teams, even if they're 5 man or something, so many blank weeks to fill. Invite some Aussies and young Americans too, 1 or 2 per. team

If something like that was to happen my prefered option would be four rider teams, with only one rider allowed to be over 23 and all have to be UK nationals. Lets focus this opportunity on developing home grown tallent.

[mikebv 10,281]

I remember the old SJL..

I think all had four heats each in 3 man teans, with six heats in all...

That could work maybe? 

Six lads per night getting more racing...

[Hawk127 1,359]

1 minute ago, mikebv said:

I remember the old SJL..

I think all had four heats each in 3 man teans, with six heats in all...

That could work maybe? 

Six lads per night getting more racing...

That would work but how many clubs would run out of time and be up against a curfew so you get riders turning up but not getting an outing. If the powers that be really cared they would not allow the NDL to fall apart but do something constructive. Alternatively they could stop being total a..holes and allow any rider not attached to a club to ride in Nora arranged meetings without the threats that they have dished out in the past. As someone has already mentioned you have so many blank weeks during the summer months at many tracks when it is allegedly a summer sport so why not get clubs to fill those blanks with some form of meaningful competition for NDL riders. 

[mikebv 10,281]

30 minutes ago, Hawk127 said:

That would work but how many clubs would run out of time and be up against a curfew so you get riders turning up but not getting an outing. If the powers that be really cared they would not allow the NDL to fall apart but do something constructive. Alternatively they could stop being total a..holes and allow any rider not attached to a club to ride in Nora arranged meetings without the threats that they have dished out in the past. As someone has already mentioned you have so many blank weeks during the summer months at many tracks when it is allegedly a summer sport so why not get clubs to fill those blanks with some form of meaningful competition for NDL riders. 

I do agree, however..

"Professional Juniors" have become far too prevalent so I can see why clubs may not want to keep running the NDL in its current guise..

Any "junior league" really needs to be expenses only, with track time and development, via a clear  time lined structure, being the key determinants rather than renumeration..

And given the rents for some tracks, and all the other costs, to put on events, I do see why "blank weeks" will be left blank as, for the vast majority, the crowd who attend won't pay the costs...

Edited October 20, 2023 by mikebv

[Fortythirtyeight 841]

1 hour ago, ch958 said:

with so few teams in div 1 and 2 it shouldn't be beyond possibilities for clubs to run 2 teams, even if they're 5 man or something, so many blank weeks to fill. Invite some Aussies and young Americans too, 1 or 2 per. team

That’s not going to happen for a number of reasons.

The club will have double their ‘running bills’, staff, electric bills etc when the ‘2nd team’ may only attract a very small crowd so it’s a big financial loser. The NDL struggled to find enough riders of a reasonable standard this year so if there were more than 6-8 teams wanted to field a side it would be of a low standard, possibly MDL/ NJL standard, that won’t attract a crowd. If you try this with a 5 rider team, how many heats ? How many rides per rider ? What happens when the inevitable junior gets withdrawn after an injury leaving only 4 ?

Aussies and Yanks aren’t going to be attracted by a ‘junior’ league.

The sport struggled to complete its fixtures this year with the small number of clubs so it’s not the blank weeks that’s an issue, it’s the way the fixtures are planned , starting too early, finishing too late as October is no longer Speedway friendly.

[Fortythirtyeight 841]

53 minutes ago, mikebv said:

I remember the old SJL..

I think all had four heats each in 3 man teans, with six heats in all...

That could work maybe? 

Six lads per night getting more racing...

SJL had three rider teams with three rides each.  The current format for the NJL is four rider teams with three rides apiece.

[eric i 617]

2 hours ago, Mimmo said:

It sadly looks that way.
So where do all the youngsters that Neil Vatcher is guiding through the ranks go now?

Kent almost certainly out too, and Mildenhall must be extremely doubtful too.

Such a shame, as I love NDL racing.

Whats the problem with Kent and Mildenhall? I know Mildenhall struggle to produce a safe track.

[KK62 68]

Whatever they come up with for a new version of the NDL they will have to tackle the issue of payments. Fifty percent and more of the current breed of NDL riders expect good payment for riding, some are paid the same as good Championship riders and this has to stop if there is to be any hope of clubs willing to run some form of NDL style racing alongside their current team racing. Riders have to get their heads round it being a ‘hobby’ at this level and not a full time job. Wasting their money on logo’s vans, fan merchandise etc, the priority is learning to ride first, then ‘race’, the time will come, if they are good enough, for the flash stuff.

If there is to be a mini version of NDL type racing, perhaps as part of a national style second half racing, but regionalised to reduce travel costs, then riders have to get their head round it being a possible stepping stone to ‘semi professional’ racing, not a ‘good earner’ as some view it now.

I do hope the powers that be come up with a workable alternative to the NDL or the sport will die.

[Skodaman 192]

2 hours ago, KK62 said:

Whatever they come up with for a new version of the NDL they will have to tackle the issue of payments. Fifty percent and more of the current breed of NDL riders expect good payment for riding, some are paid the same as good Championship riders and this has to stop if there is to be any hope of clubs willing to run some form of NDL style racing alongside their current team racing. Riders have to get their heads round it being a ‘hobby’ at this level and not a full time job. Wasting their money on logo’s vans, fan merchandise etc, the priority is learning to ride first, then ‘race’, the time will come, if they are good enough, for the flash stuff.

If there is to be a mini version of NDL type racing, perhaps as part of a national style second half racing, but regionalised to reduce travel costs, then riders have to get their head round it being a possible stepping stone to ‘semi professional’ racing, not a ‘good earner’ as some view it now.

I do hope the powers that be come up with a workable alternative to the NDL or the sport will die.

Whatever the powers that be come up with they have to take into account school terms for the 15 year olds. That is why there are not many fixtures for he youngsters.

[DBP 66]

How about returning to the old fans favourite happiness is 40- 38 yes 13 heat matches then having a second half for  junior racers