mikebv

It all smacks of being the usual "Mickey Mouse" plaything for a few Promoters, rather than a bona fide Professional Sport... As, let's be honest, if the Promoters themselves regarded their Championships as relevant they would never agree to run meetings on the few Mondays that the FIM run some of their meetings, and would definitely never in a million years agree to running on the same night that Poland now have priority for, handed to them gift wrapped by the UK in exchange for Poland graciously allowing Dan, Emil and a few lesser lights to be available.. (But obviously, maybe not always available).... What's that definition of insanity? Doing exactly the same thing over and over again but each time you do it you truly expect a different result? Can't be too many years left of "doing exactly the same thing and expecting a different result", given the multitude of track closures over the past decade or so, I would predict... Will someone/enough promoters ever be brave enough to go it alone and radically restructure the sport in the UK? Being in charge of their own destiny, cutting their cloth accordingly, running on the best nights for their business, and offering a VFM night out based on an admission cost that reflects what's on offer, not what they need to pay their employees to be pro riders.. The IOW seem to follow the last paragraph well...

Just another of the usual self inflicted nonsense that gets allowed to take place.. All driven by any old Speedway getting cobbled together.. In a proper sport, if a team cannot make the event and the public would be short changed then it wouldnt take place.. In Speedway, they "find a way" to run meetings, with a contrived operating model, which just destroys the legitimacy of their competitions.. Which then leads to conjecture and cynicism when something like this happens.. I am sure this reason is 100% genuine but there is a history in the UK of when the home team in particular has issues, something akin to a sudden plague of locusts descends on the town or city the night before.. (I remember one night at the old BV track when the No1 rider couldnt get there, a flood that only Noah could have predicted hit one of the bends and the meeting was called off).. Yet, the away team facing similar issues will just turn up with whoever is available.. A proper sport simply wouldn't run if the teams were not contracted to the respective clubs, and Speedway in particular, given all the logistics of riders potentially getting injured on any given night of the week around the world, should have the caveat in its overall operating model that meetings can be called off for genuine team issues, such as two riders or more missing from a septet.. One rider missing then RR, or a No8 step up.. With consequence for anyone failing to follow the rules.. Running "Guestfest after Guestfest" leads to fans expecting Speedway every week, so when "something" happens, then the conspiracy theories come out..

Sadly. It isnt too difficult to understand to be honest...

Will every team be able to get two riders of their own there? We know that every team riding on the same night can play havoc with guests... Bomber might end partnering himself for two or three teams...

He can't The gate is broken...

My money was on the jenny...

Put them in charge of the sport...

Spot on... However, to deliver two full teams each meeting would mean a Speedway Season lasting about five years... (In fact, it could be one of their five year plans that always prove so successful)...

Cannot believe that you couldnt use "Speedway" in the title.. Its not like the UK has a tradenark for the word is it? Many countries use the term, including the USA for even other forms of motorsport, and the actual tracks themselves.. Worst case scenario, call it "Motor Speedway" and say you are calling it that to differentiate it from "Cycle Speedway" in the eyes of the public..

Correct And the fact remains... That it is still Thirty Quid... For a couple to go its Sixty Quid.. For around just 35 mins of actual "entertainment" (which by subjective opinion can be very varied in quality)... In a cost of living crisis... That's what those who run, or who are involved in the sport, dont get, (many of whom will help out, and in exchange, get in for "free")... That really isnt value for money, when, as has already been said, half the nights "entertainment" could have zero interest for a fair proportion of your fanbase.. Thirty Pounds for the 15 heats you are interested in is the offer in the eyes of some, and whether the club wants you to see it as that or not is irrelevant, as VFM is in the eye of the purchaser not the seller.. And, not seen any line ups obviously, but if it follows the majority of meetings in the UK, those 15 heats you are interested in could have a "few" guests on show, (with more over the two meetings) to reduce the relevance of what is on offer even further, meaning you are stretching the loyalty of even your most die hard followers with such a price point.. I have shook my head many times when having discussions with Promoters, and their support crew, around why crowds are so low, as they really do not "get it"... They invariably "love the sport" and become emotionally attached to riders, wanting them to have the most opportunities to earn money for the risks they take, and the machinery investment, so cannot see why their tracks are not "packed out" every week with fans showing the same enthusiasm for the sport that those within the sport do.. Unfortunately that can also prevent them from seeing the "bigger picture" that not everyone in their fanbase feels the same and, given the lack of credibility in the operating model, and/or maybe a dodgy weather forecast, you can see why even your most loyal followers sometimes can "take it or leave it" on any given night.. Emotional blackmail of "use it or lose it" also doesnt wash, as it is not the customers who must blindly follow the business, it is the business who must provide what the punters want, (not what they "think" the punters want).. Hopefully those of us looking at Sixty Quid for a couple to attend for 35 mins of "entertainment", as being "a bit optimistic and out of touch", will be completely wrong, and the place is full to the rafters...

Bartek not on his GP bikes then...

100%.... As the current nonsense stops many of the tens of thousands who have stopped going from attending... What you have now left are just the die hard fans of the sport just happy to see any racing.. With many of them colluding with the Promoters that what they watch has some relevance and status... I am amazed Poland hasnt copied the UK model to be honest.....

Great point... Given the "25% rule" or whatever it is, then Kyle Howarth too, may need to be included.. As he rides in the Top 5 for Sheffield (the team tipped to win the league), but can only get into Kings Lynn as a reserve.. Meaning KL must be stronger than Sheffield..... Yet the KL fans seem to be always moaning they are rubbish...

Bomber cannot be far off qualifying for a Testimonial at every track in Britain given he's rode for everyone for so long.. .

Disappointing... Still, at least having Bomber there will give it the feeling that a guest is being used...

Maybe Peterborugh have instructed him to stop racing in Poland...

Yes... They've all gone to live with their relatives in Liverpool and Newcastle...

They want them to stay and be available to guest.... Just in case Poland decide to run some meetings tomorrow....

I was taught a very salient point approx 25 years ago when I got to run my own store, and excitedly told my boss after 12 months that since I had been there, sales had risen by 8%... "Aye lad, but an 8% increase in f*#k all, is still f*#k all"...... A wise man indeed.. With Emil and Dan riding, (and Nicki for 5 seconds), you would think crowds would have to be up, or heaven help us... One due to the huge novelty value, and two down to the low like for like starting points for crowds at so many tracks.. I can guarantee that as the novelty value wears off, and riders start to continually miss meetings due to FIM and Polish meetings on Mondays and Thursdays, then crowds will start to drop off.. Just like crowds historically have done down the years, as "the stars" became so frequently "elsewhere" on nights that UK Speedway were happy to still run meetings on without them... Instead, replacing them with inferior riders from their competitors, which ultimately led to a mass exodus of punters... Noticable how the FIM and Poland have now taken over Mondays and Thursday's. The nights that were, (and Monday still is), priority race nights for the UK, however now, for both nights, they get considered secondary...

Basically in this country, before Poland starts, you get a couple of weeks where two teams have 14 riders on show belonging to them... When Poland starts, then forget it.. It cannot be too far from round 80% of meetings running with guests from April onwards... You simply cannot sell a sport like that to major sponsors, nor expect punters to follow it and take it seriously...

It was... Rain has impacted the track for the race off... "Old videos" show how much riding styles have changed over the decades, with riding styles up to around the 90's being less sideways than today as the riders hit the bends, with them only locking up well into the turn to straighten up to go down the next straight... This meant more room to pass as the riders just behind hit the turns.. Workington have deliberately made bend entrance and exit width wide meaning several bikes can enter in the modern sideways way.. Somerset, Scunthorpe, and Belle Vue all had/have that shape of track and bend width that suits the modern bikes and riding style.. Swindon changed theirs, and Ipswich the same, to try and open up lines into the bends.. Which, due to the horsepower of the bikes down the straights, is often the main opportuniity place to pass..

The speed at the NSS is 100% flat out, however the bends entrance width, and depth of track material, make the passing opportunity.. For such a great track it actually provides it's best racing when on the "slicker side"... When grippy, it becomes follow the leader at top speed with the track record in danger. Fast but not entertaining... Given the modern machinery and riding style means riders hit the bends often on "full lock, sideways" it means to execute a pass you need room either side as you enter the turn. Not many tracks have that width to allow that, meaning the rider in front can affectively block any potential attack if he rides full lock almost mid track as he enters the bends..

If every individual rider increased their points average as predicted by their promoters at the pre season press conferences, every meeting would have to finish 70-50...

Most fans who follow the sport closely can pretty much nail most play off and wooden spoon contenders well before a race is run.. And they also then pretty accurately predict what impact any changes made will have.. They know that, in the main, the riders average, and past performances at their own track, will be the key determinate on how the season unfolds.. You dont get too many surprises in Speedway, especially when you are dealing with riders of five years or more experience, who will pretty much be, in the most cases, at or around the level they will always be at.. If a team looks a wooden spoon contender in the eyes of a clubs most loyal followers, it will be based on some quite considerable knowledge, and very often, proved correct... Promoters on the other hand, have to talk up their teams, as predicting a poor season isnt generally a great idea... Deep down though, if they have even the slightest idea of the sport, they will know what they have... And if it looks like a bottom of the table team, then, most seasons, it usually will be..

Unusual for Doyley that....