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Do the promotions really listen ? I remember about 7 years ago when Adam started riding in the UK one of these “how do we gauge public opinion” threads came up on here and I suggested a simple questionaire slipped into a program and a suggestion box near the exit. Most if not all people who buy a program have a pen (or can borrow one). A few questions filled in with their contact details at the end isn’t the hardest thing in the world. 1, you know really what the punters think and can maybe act on some of the suggestions 2, with their contact details you straight away have a database where you can contact people with offers etc. its really not that hard eh ?

So far as I am aware the Newcastle promotion have a similar reputation, yet still struggle to attract riders. The point is that, whether it's Poole and/or Glasgow or not, there is a disparity between what some clubs can afford. Not the fault of those clubs, they live within their means. My point is that their isn't sufficient clubs left to sustain the three tier structure so the Championship needs to be a sustainable standard for the majority, which inevitably means less professional and featuring less expensive 'international' standard riders. But whilst clubs with larger budgets remain in the Championship the rest will try to be competitive on the basis that if they're not the crowd levels fall. Either way is unsustainable in the long term unless you can reduce costs. You could argue that if speedway in Newcastle is unsustainable (due to a Sunday race night and/or high stadium rental etc) then they should drop down to the National League but that's the problem. Even if Belle Vue and Cradley continue it's a maximum six team league which just isn't viable and not great news for the development of young British riders who struggle to make Championship level pay (Thomas, Wood etc). With only 22 tracks in operation, now would have been the opportunity to have restructured to two tiers, widening the gap between both and getting rid of doubling up for all bar British development riders. Workington's demise last season should have been the tipping point. How many more will fall before it's inevitable?

The only thing Poole's money does is always ensure that riders are paid correctly and on time! The main reason to go SGBC is to recoup some losses from sponsors going bust mid season and to get back their traditional raceday ie Wednesdays. Not sure that any of that affects the Diamonds situ which I hope is sorted asap.

Fruitcake

The new system for the Championship is based on how all American professional team sports work bar MLS. The leagues are split into conferences and a team's results, while including games against teams from other conferences the league is split into several sections and a team only competes with the teams in its own conference for play-off spots. There's nothing to say in the AGM report that the following is due to happen which is worrying, but if not they are iin trouble.. So we have 12 teams, including either Newcastle or Plymouth. These are split into two conferences/sub-divisions. All 12 race 32 matches, 20 against their fellow conference members and 12 against sides from the other conference. Here's the key - you run two league tables, one for each conference and the top three from each qualify for the play-offs. Now, if we only had an odd number of teams it still works. Say if we have five in the north and six in the south the northern teams ride 28 times, 16 against fellow northerners and still 12 against the southerners, making 28. The southerners will still race 20 times against their fellow conference members, but only 10 against the northerners, making 30 matches. So, at season's end, five northern teams will have ridden 28 matches but the southerners 30. If there was just one table that would be ridiculous but if all five teams competing for the three play-off places are only compared with each other it doesn't matter if the third placed team qualifies with fewer points than the fourth placed team in the south it's probably due to the latter having ridden more matches. Run two league tables, one for teams that ride 28 times and one for those who ride 30 matches and take the top three from each. Whether the north division races 30, 32 or 132 matches, as long as in league terms they're only competing with teams that have ridden the same matches it'll be academic. Running one league table is where the problems start. And you thought the match points system was complex..... The logic of Edinburgh travelling twice to Glasgow but only once to Kent is obvious. The alternative is to run a one home, one away league plus a pair of early season regional leagues as we have before - and what was the verdict? Dismissed as 'meaningless. Realistically the only way to prove the point is to run the season, let people realise that it's only the teams in their own half of the country that they're initially competing with in league terms - until the essential play-offs. One thing that gets avoided here is, say we run with 12 tracks in 2020 then by some miracle we get an application from a revived Rye House, or Oxford or even a better funded and planned Plymouth bid for 2021 they wouldn't have to be rejected for fear of running a league with odd numbers! As far as the supporters are concerned until the play-offs they are competing in a five or six team league with extra competitive league matches to give a 14 or 16 match home schedule which is a damn sight better than the paltry 10 in 2019!

The second option makes a stronger team than the alleged one.

The problem as I see it is that fans & sponsors have lost the feeling that the 7 riders representing your club are yours. We have almost completely lost this connection. Most if not all of 2019 championship teams consisted of 7 riders that also represented another U.K. team. This is also a huge problem with credibility when trying to convince newcomers to support our sport. Equally wholesale team changes during the season do the sport great harm as do the huge changes season on season. Question: As a sponsor would I buy rider X (my local team favorite) a new bike, only for it to be used while riding for another team? NO.

The proposed regionalisation is different to the previous incarnation in 2014 when " Teams will meet all other Teams in a League table on 2 occasions, 1 at home and 1 away and by ballot additional Teams to make a total of 14 home and 14 away fixtures. ". The proposal for 2020 is " Clubs race opponents from their own section twice at home and twice away, and opponents from the other section once at home and once away. " That removes the lottery element and gives each Club 16 home league fixtures; meeting the five same Group Clubs twice, and the six other Group Clubs once.

Barry Bishop does that every week and I have seen Adrian Smith do it, too

Hopefully we won't need to replace anyone!!

Me too but it would be welcomed if he did. Whilst he didn't set the world alight during his short stint he certainly showed enough to convince me that with a full season he would be the No1 you would hope and expect him to be

It may be about right but I would still say it should therefore be declared that he has been assessed that way as opposed to using the 2011 average That way if another rider returns to the league after such a long break he can be reassessed fairly rather than a precedent having been set of using such an old average It's not just about NP but thinking a few steps ahead as to how someone else may use such a decision to manipulate a future change to gain unfair advantage

As there has been no attempt to address the situations of doubling-up and guests, the tinkering with the format will make little difference to the dwindling and ageing band of spectators.

Indeed. If anyone is interested, that blog is connected to a Facebook page I run. It's called Continental Speedway and all are welcome to join. It has mostly Polish stuff, particularly livestreams of all televised matches - not the same type of links as provided on here, along with YouTube videos afterwards. Please note I'm not trying to pinch anyone from here, merely to provide an additional method for folk to follow leagues across Europe.

Some people are just going to moan whatever - and we have several really good examples here on the BSF...

Same as when Long Eaton were fighting to survive, and one of the major issues was that residents didn't want speedway as it attracted the "wrong sort of people" (bikers). Really? If people have a legitimate concern, I have no problem with that, but when they simply manufacture these concerns thanks to ignorance and prejudice (or simply resort to downright lies), then yes, I do...

Wouldn't have Tungate in a month of Sundays and to be honest the way he left the club I doubt Louis would even consider him

One thought, don't bother

Let us hope the NL can move forward next year with The real job of developing young British riders for the future

Another agm which does not take on the real problems of Speedway moving forward. essentially status quo and the promoters burying their heads in the sand once again. i despair with the BSPA

Stefan has not let the Scorpions down but has been beset with injuries(again) & confidence. He is always there at the post meetings in the clubhouse & is honest. I truly believe he is a better rider than Simon, who performed well on his return, with it showing that the sport is a confidence thing, being in your head & on track. I do not think Simon will up his average but Stefan would improve his to around the 6 mark.

Don’t be daft, they’d need seven.

Incorrect, BW. I seem to recall it being said that he wouldn't go even it was free To be fair, he is anything but the only one that this thread applies to. For my own part, I really don't understand why someone who doesn't go to speedway, has no interest in watching (even on the box) and wouldn't go if he didn't have to pay is a member of a speedway forum and comments regularly.

He only has one. Free Entrance.

Agree to an extent, he WAS disappointing if truth be told but on the other hand, we know he’s a quality rider and what he’s capable of. Maybe a full season and starting from the beginning we’d see the rider we all know? He also has an attractive average for a rider of his pedigree that he’d surely increase. We simply can’t go in to next season with Klindt and King as our heatleader duo, that has disaster written all over it. We’re gonna need another top end rider from somewhere and I personally think we’d be mad to turn Iversen down on an average over just over 7.

Even though he said he wants to be at Ippo and Ippo want him. Sounds a bit strange. Unless Sheffield are offering more money?

Don’t worry it’s all lost in translation. He’s coming over next season just to show his face with a view to getting something permanent in 2021. Nowt more than that

I think Poole will be surprised at how competitive championship league is, I am sure the Poole fans will enjoy visiting new tracks. Will any of you venture North as we don't get many southern visiting fans.

Good spot.

Concerned the lack of rumoured heatleaders around the league, will we end up with any? Bjerre 7.75 Hans 5.79 Harris 6.16 Tungate 6.59 Kurtz 7.54 BWD 5.47 3.25 Its a possible line up, but would need Buster to make peace with Bjerre and persuade Kurtz over. If that could be the side, could be a contender IMO

His last average that I can see is 5.43 from 2015. One month contracts should not be allowed at the start of the season.

Quite an easy one for me this time, I would like to see the same 7 back next year, although I can see one enforced change as I think Kyle will be at Sheffield. At the start of this season we brought in Scott Nicholls as an injury replacement for Thorssell, and he did very well, so for me it would be a no brainer to replace Kyle with Scott. 1 Sam Masters 7.35 2 Scott Nicholls 5.50 3 Nick Morris 5.38 4 Rory Schlein 6.65 5 Jacob Thorssell 7.33 6 Ryan Douglas 4.66 7 Luke Becker 5.27 Total = 42.14

Being in the CL will be better for DF though. A lot less pressure in his first proper year.

if they are going to persist with the fixture plan i hope the regional fixtures are kept far apart - if Redcar race Newcastle in April - i wouldn't want to see them again til at least July

I see we have the same troll posting under another name, what a plonker.

Don't worry we haven't been sunk just yet, just dropping a league.

The league is going to be poor but I still think that team is way below what will be needed. I don't want to see Steve Worrall in a BV race jacket next season.

Mods please close thread..

Have you got a mirror

someone who cant work out a misspelt word

Your post makes very depressing reading from a Newcastle perspective, but I think you are spot on Financial "investment" from individuals does not make sense as you will never get a financial return on your investment and your capital will be dissipated over a period of time again with little or no return. Business sponsorship coupled with a source of media income is really the only way this sport can make its way at Premiership/Championship level coupled with THJ's witty quote about someone starting with a large fortune prepared to end up with a small fortune. I suspect Newcastle have been on borrowed time for a couple of seasons and I for one really just pray for a miracle as the prospect of Sunday night without speedway at Brough is unthinkable. Just so sad if we close that the English family in particular along with the whole team (Steve Brock, Andrew Dalby, Roy Clarke, Graham Smith, Dr Jenny Hogg, Lawrence Heppell, Graeme Patterson, track staff, Martin Phillips, Phil Day, Barry Wallace and apologies to anyone I have missed ....) behind the scenes who have put so much into keeping the Diamonds going will have ended their involvement without the fans having an opportunity to show their recognition for all they have done!!

Danny King. How about Stefan Nielsen? Don't think Adam Ellis can be fitted in at Brum now they've signed Bomber?

So which heat leaders from any of the Championship clubs would you clasify as 'no good'?!

Interesting that Newcastle Diamonds has been given an Extension to seek extra investment which would allow them to run again if 2020. When we revived the Diamonds In 1997, our first year with George, Me and Peter Gibson, the ownership of the stadium was taken over by Receivers KPMG, and the 3 leading bidders for the stadium all declared that they wanted and need the Speedway to run the stadium. We went to the AGM to say we couldn't for sure say we were running, but we were convinced the stadium sale would ensue we ran in 1998. That was accepted by the BSPA, and John Campbell proceeded to include Newcastle Diamonds in the Premier League and both Cups. The sale of the Stadium went though in January 98, and we were include in the fixtures and we started to add to the couple of riders that stayed loyal to us with a young scamp called Nicki P. Matches started in March 98, then on 1st April 98 I received an Invoice from the BSPA for a £5,000 pounds fine for not being able to say we were running.in 98. A protest was ignored even though we didn't have the money but we had to pay it in a short period . Fortunately, most of the big boys on the BSPA MC have lesser power now, so one would need to check that history is not repeated with a new promotion trying the benefit the general sport of Speedway. I do think with the current state of Speedway, the newer hands will not be so self centred and allow a team to return without a damaging punitive fine. I wish the attempt the very best of luck if we can find the capital to make sure it runs in 2020.

Given Len Silver's reputation in his Rye House days I'm surprised we've had over 30 minutes since the announcement and his team hasn't been named yet!

You got that right! You should see me during the season, sometimes almost tearing my hair out trying to get everything organised whilst also going to work, looking after my parents etc. However, I wouldn't be able to do what I do, or the site be as good as it is without the absolutely amazing team I have around me....they need a medal for putting up with my sometimes very stressy and increasingly desperate text messages! To everyone else, huge thanks for all the kind messages, it really is very much appreciated.

can't you girls do this via pm - i log on to see whats happening and see only petty crap i don't want to hear about.

Ducks or Hens??

That's very interesting. As I said above I've not been going long so only have my experience at Monmore to go on. Here the music is predominantly up to date which the kids like and the presenter I think is great. He interacts with the crowd inbetween races in a very positive and humorous way. I suppose every track is going to have different opinions on who they appeal to.

You could be on to something. Look how glamorous Formula One is perceived to be by the nouveau riche. What a crap sport that is. Plusnet has made a brand of being down to earth Yorkshire and value for money. Maybe that’s what speedway needs. It’s certainly a family sport, a place where kids can run around rather than have to sit in seats in a stand and where they can get up close to the riders and get autographs.