SouthernComet 12 Posted March 7 (edited) I know the topic has been discussed to death, but I just wanted to get a proper grasp on what supporters would actually prefer? 1) The current league system. A much stronger Premiership with a few big star names. Fixed race nights. 26 League fixtures + KO Cup but with the potential to see the same opposition 3/4 times a season. 2) The ‘merged’ Premiership & Championship. Currently 15 sides so 28 fixtures at a standard around or slightly higher than the current Championship plus a KO Cup. Clubs riding on whatever night suits them. With more differentiation between in the opposition. My personal view keeps switching between the two. I’m not too interested to hear about ‘not enough riders’ or the ‘bring back uprights’ nonsense we usually get here, I just wanna see which version the paying public would prefer. Edited March 7 by SouthernComet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iainb 5,017 Posted March 7 One big league for me, with rider numbers in each team to suit rider availability, 6 rider teams or whatever. Clubs to run on the night of their choosing. The 7 team PL is a joke and the CL is fast approaching the same quantity so the time is right for OBL imo 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel Smith 5,661 Posted March 7 One big league - 1 fixture vs, 7 home & 7 away, no return fixtures. 14 meetings per team in total. Top 8 home & away twice, top wins the League Title Bottom 7 home & away twice, top wins Craven Shield. 26 / 28 fixtures per season 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted March 7 A tad confusing maybe. Every team meets every other team nome and away. Top team at end of season wins the league. The way it always was for many a long year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted March 8 3 hours ago, customhouseregular said: A tad confusing maybe. Every team meets every other team nome and away. Top team at end of season wins the league. The way it always was for many a long year. Unless more tracks open & any more close (obv hope not) this may be the only option, add KOC, maybe 4's & pairs..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teromaafan 586 Posted March 8 7 hours ago, SouthernComet said: I know the topic has been discussed to death, but I just wanted to get a proper grasp on what supporters would actually prefer? 1) The current league system. A much stronger Premiership with a few big star names. Fixed race nights. 26 League fixtures + KO Cup but with the potential to see the same opposition 3/4 times a season. 2) The ‘merged’ Premiership & Championship. Currently 15 sides so 28 fixtures at a standard around or slightly higher than the current Championship plus a KO Cup. Clubs riding on whatever night suits them. With more differentiation between in the opposition. My personal view keeps switching between the two. I’m not too interested to hear about ‘not enough riders’ or the ‘bring back uprights’ nonsense we usually get here, I just wanna see which version the paying public would prefer. A 15 team league for me every time. The doubling up monster will prevent that from happening though. This would be a big reduction in meetings/income for current double uppers (of which there are far too many), which leaves them in a dilemma. Can’t see any of them taking a financial hit (may need to think about going part time) and some will consider quitting the sport. It will no doubt be possible to find the additional riders needed from somewhere, but your opinion that the overall standard would be above that of the current Championship appears to be over optimistic. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishersGate 522 Posted March 8 Variety the better for me. One league with as many clubs as possible. Reduce to 5 or 6 riders per team with the mandatory requirement of atleast one young brit at reserve. Get rid of the big name riders and let the clubs pick there own race night. Have a league system that whoever finishes top is the champions with the knockout cup having a play off system to make it more meaningful. Keep the national league running also allowing commonwealth riders to join the league. This should add more choice for clubs to pick a more balanced side along with more options for guests if injuries take hold on teams. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronScorpion 1,407 Posted March 8 Not being dictated to by the Poles would be top of my list. Just as we increase the points limit to get more foreign riders in our top league in '24, the Poles put a stop to it by wanting to race on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays due to their tv rights. Could going to one league & 6 rider teams be our next way forward. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gazzac 1,015 Posted March 8 Looks like one big league has 100% of the vote at the moment! Think most would prefer a slightly lower standard, closer racing, a greater variety of teams visiting and to visit, not be s**t on by the Polish leagues and able to race on a night of the clubs choosing. If enough rides can be offered to riders to make a living think they'll be enough to go round, certainly for 6 man teams probably 7. Obviously never happen though as the fans are never listened to and a few promoters will 'veto' any thought of the idea...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk127 1,359 Posted March 8 Two leagues with the NDL being one and allow the NDL to run along the lines of NORA so you get at grass roots level, two wheeled entertainment across the various disciplines. Then you have one league made up of five or six man teams from the current championship /premiership clubs with a knock out cup competition, a regional four team tournament and U K individual championship open only to those riders who are UK based. Clubs allowed to race on nights that suit their business and if those riding in Poland or elsewhere want to participate, they do it on UK terms. If Poland wants to monopolise the European sport, allow them to get on with it and leave the rest to plough their own furrow. If you want to see the top riders you have the GP’s but don’t ask UK fans to pay top dollar to see riders in our leagues who really are not committed to the UK speedway scene and view it as a cash cow. Time the sport in this country got a grip but then you have the BSPL and that is the root cause of why speedway in the UK is on its knees. We can all live in hope but not in this lifetime. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cowboy cookie returns? 747 Posted March 9 No point asking the current fan base as they will turn up whatever. The powers that be need to be looking at what will entice new supporters in other wise the sport doesn’t have a future. One thing for certain is that the poles will call the shots & there isn’t much the uk can do about that & we only have ourselves to blame. while we have been busy devaluing the product on offer here the poles have equally as busy making their product something that tv, business & the public want to be part of……hence they are in a strong position to dictate to us. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigcatdiary 3,165 Posted March 10 On 3/7/2024 at 7:25 PM, SouthernComet said: I know the topic has been discussed to death, but I just wanted to get a proper grasp on what supporters would actually prefer? 1) The current league system. A much stronger Premiership with a few big star names. Fixed race nights. 26 League fixtures + KO Cup but with the potential to see the same opposition 3/4 times a season. 2) The ‘merged’ Premiership & Championship. Currently 15 sides so 28 fixtures at a standard around or slightly higher than the current Championship plus a KO Cup. Clubs riding on whatever night suits them. With more differentiation between in the opposition. My personal view keeps switching between the two. I’m not too interested to hear about ‘not enough riders’ or the ‘bring back uprights’ nonsense we usually get here, I just wanna see which version the paying public would prefer. It doesn’t matter what the supporters want they are not considered, if the BSPL were interested they would ask, they haven’t. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,277 Posted March 10 (edited) For me, one big league wouldn't work unless you got rid of all the "star names", as too many clubs couldn't afford to use them.. And that would mean an uncompetitive league.. With the fans who are used to seeing the "star names" (at the clubs with mainly the best attendances), losing interest in watching a lesser standard.. An 8 team "super league" with six of the current clubs in the top flight, ex Brum, but adding Poole and Glasgow would be my call.. Organically the top 8 clubs for attendances.. The rest are then an amalgam of Championship Lite/NDL level... Meaning clubs don't overstretch their natural level, riders are in the large majority semi pro, (have one "Bomber" per team), and admission costs then reflect the semi pro standard.. Could bring back IOW and Kent meaning even more fixtures..? DU is still there, but it needs to be currently, but you do get a flagship league to market the whole sport off, and the 2nd tier is then becomes the natural feeder league for UK lads wanting to get into the top flight, giving these riders plenty of opportunities to race... Edited March 10 by mikebv 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skodaman 192 Posted March 10 On 3/8/2024 at 8:07 PM, Hawk127 said: Two leagues with the NDL being one and allow the NDL to run along the lines of NORA so you get at grass roots level, two wheeled entertainment across the various disciplines. Then you have one league made up of five or six man teams from the current championship /premiership clubs with a knock out cup competition, a regional four team tournament and U K individual championship open only to those riders who are UK based. Clubs allowed to race on nights that suit their business and if those riding in Poland or elsewhere want to participate, they do it on UK terms. If Poland wants to monopolise the European sport, allow them to get on with it and leave the rest to plough their own furrow. If you want to see the top riders you have the GP’s but don’t ask UK fans to pay top dollar to see riders in our leagues who really are not committed to the UK speedway scene and view it as a cash cow. Time the sport in this country got a grip but then you have the BSPL and that is the root cause of why speedway in the UK is on its knees. We can all live in hope but not in this lifetime. 6 man teams - yes; 5 man teams - No Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barrow Boy 2 172 Posted March 10 On 3/7/2024 at 11:24 PM, customhouseregular said: A tad confusing maybe. Every team meets every other team nome and away. Top team at end of season wins the league. The way it always was for many a long year. Agree that the team finishing top of the league be League Champions. How about replacing the Play Offs with an end of season K/O cup? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
