mikebv

Damn... Sure I was on to a winner....

FWIW, my thoughts... Race on fixed nights so many of the riders can race for every team in both leagues as and when needed.. Let Poland dictate at short notice whether riders can race over here, and plan in meetings on Thursdays in the top league so Poland can use those riders when they rearrange fixtures, meaning plenty of guest opportunities.. Use the TV money to pay for superstars rather than use it to market the sport, or reduce admission prices, in fact, increase the cost of admission by at least a quid to help pay these riders.. Set a team strength level that will ensure all teams are equal and see those teams who the speedway fanbase suggest "have no bloody chance", pre season, struggle throughout the season, and possibly close down before the season ends, or, at least, need a sabbatical to regroup.. Build all rules and regs with enough ambiguity and subjectivity to ensure that they are open to manipulation, which will hopefully then deliver the required level of astonishment and disillusionment in even its most loyal fanbase.. Possibly, most importantly, each promotion work in splendid isolation, rather than as a collective for the generic betterment of the sport which supersedes any individual ambition, as it really is important that your team wins the league because the operating model means it delivers such high reward and publicity... I think this could work, a bit radical, but worth a go surely?

On Circa 80 to 90 riders, well over a million quid will be paid out this year.. Maybe even two million given the level of rider now over here.. Yet hardly a penny spent on advertising and marketing the sport collectively... The GP riders and Emil and Artem do put "bums on seats", however, that can be a short term novelty value, rather than generating "repeat visits".. The vast majority of riders over here wouldnt attract much of a "floating follower" to attend the night that they are in town.. And the superstars have little "external fanfare" generated by the promotions the nights that they are in attendance.. Sadly. No point bringing someone expensive over when the vast majority of the local populace have never even heard of you, never mind him...

Poor from Emil... He should have got off his bike at the end of lap one, and let the Tigers come past... Then got back on it again when Doyley eventually had caught up to him... And then, whilst riding side by side with Jason, agree by pointing out to him which of the two Tiger's they would pass to win the bonus point...

He would still be waiting now for Doyle...

Just put Scott in with him... He can still do the other bits he does.. Just have him doing them when they come back from a break... When he finishes, do an interview in the pits to give him time to get back alongside Kelvin...

Doyley...... Unusual for him...

A two man team... The other 4 (excluding the RS), all seem to be riding in one position above their true level.. King, for example is more a Second String level than a HL in the top division... And you cannot carry both Second Strings, particularly when your No6 struggles for wins and 2nd places...

Definitely hasn't got much confidence... Ipswich will struggle with such a long tail.. Not enough riders who can win races and score more than their opposite number..

Ippo need a 14 -4 from Emil and Doyle now...

I think you just have to take it at face value.. The sport is the same but that is the only common denominator.. It is what it is, and the racing tonight has been good...

A usual Polish tyoe block pass... On a narrow track though, which is the difference.....

Why is gate 3 always so bad? I get it can be the racing line each lap but from Heat 1 it is poor...

They need to get that red, blue, white and yellow strip for the bikes to leave from together at every meeting... Then they would all know they have two mins from then... A huge step forward for the sport in this country that strip thing... Nailing the priority issues....

"Packed" might be a slight overestimation... But, definitely, significantly more populated than is current...

It baffles me how the very same riders can follow all orders in Poland, then, sometimes the very next day, ignore them over here.. I can only presume it is down to the threat of any consequence being more unlikely.. Let's hope all refs follow this one, and all remain consistent in approach.. If they do, very quickly, meetings will run much smoother..

I would say 100% it does... My next meetings will be the two play off finals... (If the Aces get there)....

Brilliant ride from Janowski... Meeting over a long time ago but still some cracking racing... Dan on for a paid max too.. Looking a level above some true world class talent..

And your employees have their own wider agendas, so tell you when you can open for business.. With your existing loyal customers, and any potential new customers, having to accept these opening hours with a "take it or leave it" offering...

Maybe they could bring a "guest" promoter in? Or run a PR facility (Promoter Replacement).

The obvious way forward at least ten years ago when Poland took over.. Instead we had egos wanting certain riders in their teams, rather than thinking about the wider picture.. Any team winning any league will hardly add a bum to a seat at the start of next season.. So make every team as close to each other as possible and keep it competitive.. But, most of all, keep it sustainable and credible..

Or just get dropped and given away o someone else for riding above their average...

The overall sport is in the current situation due to many of those involved over the past two decades in particular.. Many of whom, I am 100% sure, have their "hearts entrenched in Speedway".. Capability, however, isn't an emotion..

You only have to look at the apathy at Swindon to see how little it really means to so many of the followers of the sport.. The ludicrous operating model, and the lack of credibility, integrity, kudos, marketing, and professional administration, has created that apathy... Basically. If something doesnt mean much to you, then you will hardly miss it when it is gone.. Too many fans can "take it or leave it", and that is 100% all down to those running it who have eroded that so vital emotional attachment.. And they have also made the sport probably (at least), 25% more expensive for fans than it should be.. And all done to ensure riders can remain fully professional in a sport that has semi pro level crowds... And all done in individual splendid isolation, rather than as a collective, with no independent balance checker to see if all OK and on track.. And all done to achieve.... (?)..... Sadly. It's a plaything for a select few that nowadays means far too little for far too many of its followers..

That should save a few more quid.......