Halifaxtiger

My opinion against yours but never in this world. At the end of the season, Belle Vue showed it has a world class racing track. I have never seen a meeting at Coventry that even comes anywhere near close. NSS is brand new and you can tell. Coventry has been around for decades and you can tell that too.

You haven't been there, Humph ! No-one who has would describe NSS as 'good' . Its questionable whether NSS is viable based upon speedway income alone but surely the point is that possessing such a facility you don't just use it for that but pursue every possible means of revenue that it can generate. I know Isle of Wight have done precisely that with Smallbrook since the new promotion came in last winter and Somerset use their clubhouse for weddings etc. They also use their car park for boot sales, agricultural machinery auctions and other events. I repeat Ian Thomas' advice to Newport's Tim Stone : You don't own a corner shop and open it once a week.

Ask Isle of Wight how much rent they pay for their council owned stadium (I don't believe there are any other tracks that rent their stadiums direct from a council). I think allowing them to purchase it over a lengthy period is a double edged sword, simply because of how much the repayments will be. If they are the reported £10k a month, that's a very hefty amount and while they will actually own it outright after 25 years (apparently) that's a fair millstone around their necks in the meantime. Certainly, profits from BSPA or FIM meetings should be reasonably shared amongst all other promotions and I know for a fact that they are shared, at least to a degree and it would be untrue to suggest that just because Belle Vue hold the meetings they get all the proceeds. As I say, I have never heard a complaint from a member of the BSPA about the allocation of big meetings, which suggests they are all perfectly happy with how that is arranged.

I think its pretty clear the council haven't 'subsidised' their activities other than by not enforcing rent liabilities until a later point. I do know that the proceeds of BSPA & FIM events are shared amongst all the other clubs. Whether the hosts retain 50% of those proceeds I am not so sure - that seems an exceptionally high amount to me. I believe that in addition there is a bidding process for such meetings. The thing is what you propose is having a WTC round at Rye House, Somerset or Wolverhampton when they are simply not capable of doing so. In the past, we have had to make do with King's Lynn or Peterborough - we have seen some excellent racing on occasion, but as a facility there is absolutely no comparison. I should say I am also not aware of any complaints, disputes or issues regarding the allocation of big events from individual members of the BSPA, probably because its just sense to hold the biggest events at the best stadiums (although it should not be the case that one stadium has an absolute monopoly). Are you seriously suggesting that no-one on this forum cannot make accusations without definite proof ? I trust that you will repeat that every single time such a remark is made. I suspect about half the comment on this forum is made on that basis and therefore your comment is quite possibly the most extraordinary I have ever seen on here.

No, I can't prove it.............but equally you can't prove it was legitimate other than by saying that it was approved by the 'powers that be' - the same powers, incidentally, who said that Cook couldn't double up for two teams on the same night but Bewley could, who stated that Hall had to come into the NL on an NL average when Bowen came in on a PL one and who said that Davey could guest for Bewley but not Ayres. Not that we ever know who the 'powers that be' are, because no-one is ever named and therefore no-one ever is responsible. I make my judgement here - as in most things - on what I know of the circumstances and what I know of the people involved. Hence, I say it was crooked and, believe me, outside of the south coast I suspect the overwhelming majority agree with me. An opinion was made that derided the view that people walk away because of bent decisions made at the heart of the sport. They most certainly do.

True. That's why I don't blame Poole. That doesn't mean the decision wasn't crooked.

So what we do is ignore by far and away the best stadium in the country and hold meetings at Rye House or Leicester instead ? That's positively Two words : average reduction. Woffinden didn't have one, Lindback did.

It doesn't surprise me that a council has no issues with a building project coming in two months late or continues to award contracts to firms who do not deliver on time. My own council (Calderdale) has one (the Halifax Piece Hall) that is 6 months behind. In my view, in any such case there should be a penalty clause for late delivery and there is no question about the fact that Belle Vue's financial difficulties were exacerbated by the stadium not being ready on time. It wasn't. To start with it was indifferent at best although there's no doubt that it improved significantly as the season went on culminating in a stunning play off match. I am not quite sure how you can term speedway finally having its own National Stadium (and a fantastic facility with a superb track to boot) as an 'absolute failure'. It remains a 'magnificent achievement' and will remain so for as long as speedway is held there. In my view, the decision to allow Lindback to ride was crooked as hell and should never have been permitted. People can and indeed do walk away from the sport as a result of such decisions and will continue to do so as long as they are made. Ask SCB why he no longer attends. The only thing is to blame Poole is wrong as it wasn't their decision that Lindback could come into their team. Phil has a point, Humph (although I accept that it is merely a side issue). Both of these stadiums were built at public expense. One cost far more than the other but costs significantly less to rent. Of course the Olympic Stadium shouldn't be left to rot, but its hard to justify such a facility not being subject to a market rent when NSS is.

You're right, it isn't. Andy Grahame in 1979 is a very good example : he rode the entire season for Birmingham & Milton Keynes. However, as Brian has said its now 'out of control'. You can stomach it with one or maybe two riders, but many have no less than four. Belle Vue : Worrall brothers, Cook, Jacobs. Glasgow : Lawson, Summers, Worrall, Ayres. Somerset : Tungate, Grajczonek, Wright, Starke, Wajtknecht. That's simply too many and means that the use of guests and rider replacement has exploded.

The problem is Steve what do you do ? I find there are a huge number of people on this forum who are nothing but critical but never come up with any alternative solutions. We have seen both Belle Vue and Leicester almost go to the wall this season. Berwick were up for sale, Workington are in by the skin of their teeth and Plymouth are out. That suggests that what we had last season simply has to change - the one thing we can't do is stand still. In the top flight, we could go all out to attract the big riders. One home meeting a fortnight, all on the same night (if that's possible). But its clear that would be a massive financial gamble with the possibility of breaking top flight speedway in this country for good. I'd accept some might walk away because teams become weaker. Better that than take the huge risk getting the big riders in.

That's precisely it. I know Somerset hold boot sales on their car park. Peanuts you might say, but 100 cars at £5 is £500 a week and over the winter months that's probably £10k. Its very easy to be critical of holding small events at the stadium but doing something week in, week out will generate significant revenue - revenue that wouldn't be there otherwise.

Fine post I think Phil is right, though, the PC meeting was really the straw that broke the camels back rather than the start of the matter. I also don't think its unreasonable to sell tickets for a meeting on the understanding that the stadium will be finished on time. Having said that, I agree that the fault for actually running the meeting must lie with the promotion.

Not at all, simply responding to a comment that no-one wants to get married in a speedway stadium. I sincerely believe that every single revenue stream should be explored, as just using this fantastic facility twice a week for half the year is a total waste and utterly ignores the potential it has aside from speedway. I could make a fair argument that the failure of the previous promotion on the Isle of Wight to make full use of Smallbrook contributed to the end of the speedway team, and that the present promotions furious attempts to ensure that it is used are far more likely to guarantee the presence of the sport there.

Brilliant news Saw some brilliant speedway at Derwent Park in 2016 and aim to see a lot more in 2017.

Somerset have weddings at the Oak Tree. Isle of Wight have arranged a firework display and a pop concert at Smallbrook (and that's in November only). Its possible.

Personally, I'd say that the loss of a National Stadium after one season when speedway has waited for it since its conception would be one of the biggest disasters that the sport has ever had to deal with. As you rightly say, it is a superb facility with an excellent track. I went over about 3 weeks before the opening meeting and they were still building the back straight terracing and access for the machinery was via the third and fourth bends. It was pretty clear at that time that it wouldn't be ready for the opening meeting and the delay after that date in actually staging speedway says it all. Whether the construction company are to blame for the opening night fiasco is open to debate but they most certainly are to blame for the stadium not being ready on time. I believe that the key to making the stadium pay is not speedway but ensuring that it is used for other events. Speedway takes up at most 2 nights per week and, as Ian Thomas once told Newport's Tim Stone, you don't own a corner shop and open it up once a week. Isle of Wight have certainly taken steps in that direction by attracting events to Smallbrook that bring in additional revenue.

I also think you are wrong to refuse to attend simply because of who the promotion are unless they have given you specific and personal cause not to. To me, it doesn't matter that much who the promotion are (although some maybe preferable to others) but what the product is like. Under both Bowden and the last promotion, I have seen some cracking racing at SBA and that, to me, is what counts.

They have said there will be speedway at Purfleet next season so it must be NL. I am just very pleased that one of my favourite tracks will still have speedway - and that isn't a pop at the NL. All we need now is Plymouth to confirm.

From Workington Comets facebook page : 'We have a few things that need to fall in place before we can fully commit to running in 2017, work is going on behind the scenes constantly and we are hopeful of making a formal announcement over the weekend or early next week. Overall the BSPA AGM was very positive and the re-camp of the leagues makes British speedway a more sellable product as well as more stable and viable. We would like to thank the BSPA and particularly Rob Godfrey (BSPA Vice Chairman) and Buster Chapman (BSPA Chairman) for their support and understanding

I think it would be hard to term the changes 'radical'. However, I do like the 2 point average, the top flight race format being the same as the rest and the possibility of a major cut in the cost of engine maintenance.

Actually, the situation with the clubs is a lot more positive than I had expected, particularly given the earlier statement about Belle Vue. It says that both the Aces and Leicester will be in the top flight and I'd be surprised if they would be so bold if there was a 'real possibility' that they won't be there. Furthermore, it says that Workington are 'expected' to take their place in the new Championship. That's a lot better than it was a week or a month ago. Furthermore, its likely that both Plymouth and Lakeside will be competing in the NL so we haven't lost a track.

Looks like the Comets are back in 2017. Brilliant news

Got anything to say on the subject now ?

Good question. Riders not paid, rent not paid................

Come on, Richard. That would be to suggest that they actually read and take notice of what we say