BWitcher

There is a massive latent fan base in speedway who simply aren't interested in going along as it stands now. However, should the right product be brought along, marketed correctly and run in a professional manner they could be tempted back. The chances of the current promoters doing that are next to zero though.

Which part of every single one of the teams can race on a Monday as an example do you not understand? It's just an excuse of convenience because the existing cartel hasn't the vision to reinvigorate the sport in this country. 3 very basic ideas that would do nothing but worsen the problem. We had one season of 6 rider teams, it was hated by fans. Team kevlars are one of the GOOD things to have happened in speedway. As for your comments about Skornicki... well... words fail me. No, not when the league is run in the ramshackle way it is now. So how many Coventry fans turn up to the Storm NL meetings? After all its speedway.

No, what is suicide as a business model is not identifying why your fans have stopped attending, continuing down a route that has failed season upon season upon season. Every year you think it will be affordable, till more fans walk away and suddenly its not affordable once again.

Cheaper to run for a time.. then the top riders in that league will start wanting more money, certain clubs will pay it, others will try to compete, they'll lose money so they'll cut the costs and yet more fans will walk. It's simply a never ending cycle, only been going on now for around 10 years but still folk are too blind to see it. So we keep hearing, but I haven't seen the multitudes flocking to Premier League speedway yet.

Spot on. And no point listening to those that still turn up each week bleating this isn't possible, that isn't possible. Listen to those that have STOPPED going and find out why. Every year we have this debate. Every year the same old naysayers bleat it's not possible for 1 night a week racing and too expensive for top riders. Every year costs are cut. Every year more fans are lost. Every year the clubs lose even more money. This year we've had fast track reserves paid very little, a massive saving for clubs yet STILL they're losing money hand over fist.. why? Because once again the standard has been lowered and more fans have walked away. Many other sports have had to radically revamp themselves and change from what has always been the 'way its done'.

Really? Thought it was excellent. And the 12 year old kid who I took along and has shown absolutely zero interest in speedway previously despite my best efforts was hooked from the moment the introductions started.

Racing doesn't pull in the fans. And why should he? Or are you claiming the Pairs was a better all round 'show' than Cardiff? Attended for the first time in a number of years tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. How great to be able to cheer on a British World Champion.

Why?? Absolutely no benefit to what you are suggesting.

Spot on, it's simply a case of 'think of the first problem' and give up. An attitude that will never see a business achieve success.

Peter doesn't just work in speedway, he's also had a successful career outside the sport.

As its the country where has lived most of his life he will no doubt consider it to be 'home'. However, Tai is British, represents Britain to the best of his abilities (i.e. very well indeed) and is very loyal.

Only problem being, that's you as well...

As I said, that doesn't say the race starts after 2 mins. That rule is terribly worded though!

The 2 mins is not till the tapes are up, hence when a rider is under power and on his way to the start line he is not excluded. As said, it's a myth that races somehow take longer to start now than before. I agree, riders returning to the pits after an unsatisfactory start is a pain, they should be called straight back to the start and the pit gate remain closed.

I have a feeling you've done this to try and highlight what you believe to be a problem when in fact you've done quite the opposite. You've highlighted the complete and utter myth of those claiming it taking 4-5 mins to start a race after the 2 min warning. Which incidentally doesn't mean 2 mins till the tapes are up. So the longest time in any heat was 38 seconds over the 2 mins. Over the course of the 15 heats, the net +/- for starting races based upon 2 mins per race was -38 seconds. So as said, no issue whatsoever.

Sometimes I really do despair at some speedway 'fans'. Moan when there is nothing exciting happening. Moan when there is no marketing/publicity. We get both and now moaning it's making the sport look like a circus act.. This is all brilliant for the gp series and they Re taking advantage of it.

Yet decent young poles can come here and score well immediately.

How can anyone possibly suggest that was any form of dangerous riding from Smolinski. Madness.

Can you imagine if nicki pulled a move like that?

Yes, despicable move. Were you riding that night Dean?

Dear me.. Talk about blowing things out of proportion again. The sport has done just fine for 70 plus years without the need to ban riders for racing incidents. There have been hundreds of incidents over the years far worse than the Pedersen/Zagar incident that didn't produce anything like the hysteria. I have only ever seen one rider blatantly deliberately fence another and that was Zagar so for him to bleat about it is hypocritical in the extreme. Monster,BSI etc have cottoned on to some excellent marketing/publicity over all this.

It most certainly wasn't on the entrance to the corner, when they were side by side and room for both.. As Pedersen hasn't moved off the inside line, only one thing can have changed and that is Zagar moving in a tad. It was simply a racing incident where the fact the footrest got caught made it look bad. The rest is publicity and marketing.

Terrible news. Much of the fun has now gone.

There was no collision on the entry to the 3rd bend so you are clearly watching something different. The contact comes almost halfway round the corner, they are alongside each other up till that point with no contact. Now seeing as at this point Nicki is still tight to the inside, wheel over the line, he hasn't moved out.. yet we now have contact, which can mean only one thing, Zagar has moved in to try and block him. Don't let what actually happened get in the way though. Nicki has pulled some crazy, dangerous moves in the past, this wasn't one of them.

Ah I see, providing some entertainment to the paying spectators while the meeting drags on is 'not in the spirit of the sport'. We can see why speedway struggles to attract crowds can't we. What makes Heat 15 so special?