It has never really bothered me who wins a s/way match as long as it is a close scoreline plus  decent racing ,winning the league seems to have very little relevance  on the  attendance figures . Star riders have a limited appeal in getting punters though the gate ,it's the whole package that matters and the blind love of the sport demonstated by the vast majority of fans . I can't understand the criticism of CL in any shape or form he has been wonderful servant to the sport ( I am certain it has not made him any wealthier ) and has decided he has had enough .      

I’d be going and I’d drag the mrs along so that would be at least 2 

Fair point the one thing I would say is imagine how good Bart could be if he was a "gater " .

What average would Pedersen & Hausl start on? I'll assume Pedersen has experience in his homeland & has ridden in the top Danish league & the Polish U24. Hausl is only in Germany but has a Seychelles passport so like Aussies Kiwis & SA riders is from the Commonwealth.

I am a Leicester fan and I never want to see quitter Kemp or sniffer Morris in a Lions race jacket again, they've both let the club down badly in the past!

Probably quite a lot to start off with. New or returning clubs always seem to have a honeymoon period in the first year or so.