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Have the bspl become so desperate and tunnel visioned in their quest to get Northampton running they have forgot what their actual job is ? They have practically isolated and ignored the fans and even the other 4 teams to a degree since November to the point now where even the most loyal fans are getting fed up and if like me thinking is it worth it anymore, this winter has been one of the most damaging to its credibility winters the sport has ever had

The sport is more of a hobby for too many to ever be taken seriously.... Winning at home (by a narrow margin) and getting hammered away is almost utopia for some... These promoters don't have any burning ambitions to win things or, if also in the second tier, move into the top league, and are quite content on funding their hobby through affordable losses, or other businesses contributions.. They run their team pretty much for themselves and the riders, who often need two jobs in the UK to justify their outlay on machinery... With the two jobs meaning two teams share the costs which then makes it cost effective for both clubs.. The clamour for "Team Six" isn't to make the top league look "relevant", (even 20 teams couldn't do that the way the sport is ran), it is simply to ensure another seven slots are available for riders, with four or five of those slots being so riders can double up.. Neither league has authenticity given the operating model (196 guests last season), therefore "Team Six" won't make a jot of difference to the way the sport is viewed by so many fans, and, (more importantly), literally thousands of "ex fans"... In short. Nothing changes because the majority of those running it have a lot of their boxes ticked due to the way they do run it, hence they are content with things... And as long as fans only slowly dwindle away, the losses won't become too big, too quickly, so the whole nonsense can continue on.... Until, of course, inevitably one day given its inexorable decline, it doesn't..

been away for a few weeks .... any nes on Ipswich new owners ??? Any team news ??

Still fully committed every time he goes to the tapes ,we should make the most of him hope he has safe and successful season .

Seems to me that Plymouth have gone back to "grass roots" Speedway, the type a lot of us were brought up on before the Sport decided to take itself far too seriously and tried to be something it's not and probably never will be... a Professional sport. They're probably only a 2nd half away from getting back to the night out that most of us yearn for. Keep your flashy TV contracts etc. That's been and gone and we blew it.

Sorry for the late response as I’ve been working on merchandise. Currently available is a rather nice hernia belt and banded pile cream. Know your customers. Phil Morris has also made me the speed limiter the sport has for so long been talking about. Speedway - Fuelled by Gaviscon. Follow my adventures on Talking Pictures TV.

Speed skating is everything Speedway should be. I ❤️ it, just watched a great final.

Yet again, you reply without quoting ...

Do you actually think they discuss ‘ what will the fans think ?’ at promoters meetings ? I very much doubt so. I was told by a former promoter that when ever disputes occurred between them at their get togethers the first thing that Chapmen and Godfrey used to say was that they would close their tracks as they made their money on stocks cars , and there the guys who run our sport ! Fans do not get considered in any aspect of the sport. This Northampton farce, which is going ahead , could be the biggest circus the sport has come up with.

The relay speed skating was great to watch, especially when the next leg of the race gets a big push off from their team mate. Imagine this in speedway with either Batch or Drew Kemp piddling round at the back and then getting an almighty shove from Cookie or Kyle Howarth. Now that would be quite a spectacle and sure to bring the fans in!

Ice speedway

It’s worrying times because if Sheffield lost money last year then they certainly will this year. £80k less income this year I’d imagine. £60k via tv money and £20k possibly from a headline sponsor. points limit slashed and a weaker product and no doubt a price increase at the turnstiles will bring the crowds flocking. when will speedway learn that after 20 attempts of this master plan it’s quite obvious the 21st attempt will fail too. i

Not a lot to report from the STAARS meeting. Ipswich and Northamton, there are daily zoom meetings. Sheffield are not having a headline team sponceer but teaming up with the Childrens Hospital to promote their chatity. This was well recieved. Talk of setting up a proper supporters club to try and ge better away suport. Meetin concluded with a fantastic race night put on by Ryan. Meeting very well atended and a good night had by all.

Snowboard x Speedway could learn an awful lot from the freestyle snow sports, how they have taken a fringe sport into the mainstream. Also the two snowboarding/free style skiing BBC commentators Ed Leigh & Tim Warward are the type speedway needs for TV not the pit you to sleep Tatum.

Speedway Futures Ltd i guess

I blame it on DNA, ( the National Dyslexics Association)

I sort of understand riders wanting bigger and bigger deals because unfortunately most come into the sport with the mentality of it’s my living and I don’t blame them for that, if anyone is at fault it’s the sport feeding that illusion to them but for me it wasn’t my living it was my dream and I lived it

Not at Dan's level yet!!! Is what you mean... Who knows though.... Keep practicing and you never know.... Edit. I've just told my mate that Ouch was taking up Speedway and that he doesn't think he will be as good as Dan.. He said "Who the eff are Ouch and Dan, and what the eff is Speedway?".. See. Already you are at Dan's level...

Fair point,but its the old "duffers" as you put it who keep the sport going, year on year more old "duffers" stop going and the aint no younger generation to take their place so it'll go twit's up eventually attendance wise sadly.

As if 40 old duffers with rattles will add to the atmosphere

Gave it to the No1's..... Who then, almost to a man,Foxtrot Oscared when the Sky deal ended...

The general impression is the number one's at the time hoovered up most of it and once the trough was empty most decamped to new troughs in Poland.

They eat more pies these days so people are bigger 😜

Oh I know. I was just as vocal about this on Facebook as I am in here. I'm an avid supporter of the sport and I'm often on the team of "stop being so negative" but it's been bloody hard to try not to be this winter 😂

Think the topic has gone adrift😂

Be careful Don't want you spilling the contents of your half empty glass. Speedway fans never stop astounding me, they all want the sport to be massive but there are so many who are always bloody negative. On Facebook the BSN post says details and prices of packages will be available by the end of February, first reply is how much will it cost !!!

Just imagining Drew Kemp competing and pulling up when behind pointing to a mechanical failure on his snowboard!

A bit processional.... Although, relay Speedway could work...

I was watching the event where they were outdoors on snowboards on a kind of MotoX track going downhill, it was quite exciting and they were making great use of the drone as well... not just following the rider around at the back!

Yeah, but whoever makes the best start almost always wins…….ah but with speedway……… enjoy your speed skating!

Out of curiosity, I’ve checked to see if there is a Curling Forum…….and there is! Everyone seems to be very polite with nobody moaning about things like surfaces being too slick etc……Just one confused poster complaining that none of the posts have anything to do with hairdressing!

Saw that coming a mile away. Best start applying for loans now folks because I've got a feeling now they've got the exclusive it's going to be big bucks. I for one won't be paying for it if its big money, I'd sooner do without and just watch the GPs.

Well that’s another week of silence, the eventual news better be all singing and dancing greatest speedway news ever

Unless we get some rain offs in March and April, by May we will probably be out of BSN and KO Cup. I can see another short season looming.

I suppose I could of asked for more money but I didn’t really care, I just wanted to race speedway, the privilege of being part of a team was for me what speedway was all about, it always made me more determined to beat whoever it was if I knew they were on a good screw from their team, I think I was one of the lowest paid riders ever to race for 21 years but not only did I achieve my lifetime ambition I also did alright for myself so looking back what else could I ask for in life

A bit like Len really, treat very shabbily.......

I always felt Speedway should have officially marked his contribution in some way - unless I missed it?

I'll correct that slightly and expand for those lesser officianados ...Drew Kemp Fair play to Drew over the Winter hes certainly put the hard yards in down in Argentina. Theres going to be "pay-off" this season for him and his team(s). Fairly sure he is on his way to Scunthorpe come May.

Facebook says yes. 12 to 3pm. Season ticket and merchandise sales / exchanges.

If they ran Four Team Tournaments, and Ipswich do run, at least there will always be a spare team to provide those oh so important, vital, guests..... Not all bad news then eh?

A baffling comment that Matt Ford made in his SS interview was that Poland could pay riders half of what they do and the riders would still be very well paid.... Thus, by paying riders less it would reduce the gap between the UK salary and Poland's... Therefore, making the UK salary more attractive to some riders... Maybe just paying riders what you can afford to pay them, is the more simpler idea? And, if they don't want to ride for that money, ask someone else who will....

Pleased to see you’re still around 👍

I rarely post on here now and it's ironic that one who has chosen to post on this particular thread used to continually trawl some of my posts that I had no option but to put him/her on "ignore" as it became tiresome and repetitive! Also there was another who frequents the forum regularly who spouts very bizarre rhetoric and opinions but I guess that's the nature of public forums and one must accept that if one wishes to participate in open discussion?

Getting very fed up with this cloak and dagger situation with Northampton. I actually don’t care now if they are they running or not. Five or six teams in the league, still crap. Regardless of where they are in preparation, at least make some sort of announcement to generate a degree of interest. I set up as a consultant a few years ago and never thought to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. Would love to hear the business strategy (if they have one?) of those in charge.

I am not sure it is the right answer anyway.... I hardly think a Premiership Promoter will know... After all... If they did, they would surely have told their punters by now wouldn't they?

What exactly do you mean by ”think things through for the longer-term”? What is there to be thought through that will benefit us long-term? This isn’t quantum physics, Ian. It’s planning the same season’s meetings, but with less clubs due to aforementioned decline, since 1929. Every close season represents an opportunity for the BSPL to reset and rebuild. Yet, at arguably the most challenging period in the UK sports’ history, we’ve encountered a ridiculously delayed fixture list and the exciting, groundbreaking outcome from the annual AGM that.. wait for it… the side who scored less in qualifying will get first gate pick in the Championship Pairs.

With thanks to your help we got our 4 tickets on the back straight OK. Looking at the cheapest (350PLN) tickets the back straight has all but sold out but bends 3&4 are almost all available and on bends 1&2 only the first few rows are available. About £72 is expensive, especially for Poland but I suppose compared to even League One football it’s not too bad for us. The £72 covers entry to the SGP2 on the Friday night too. Anyway it was either pay £72 or just have a weekend in Łòdź.

I think BSN is brilliant. Hope they continue to grow and expand.

Good.

BSN blocked illegal Firestick streaming.