mikebv

You cannot afford to run the Premiership at too much more of a level than it is now ran at I would suspect... Therefore, running the 2nd Division (also the middle tier), at a lower level is the obvious way forward... It gives clear demarcation between leagues first and foremost, which is important in selling "the brand".. And It provides a more realistic bridge between the NDL and the top league, which should benefit younger riders, and also maybe attract more teams up from the NDL into it, (Mildenhall, Kent, Workington?).. And if some more "top riders" come over, and ride in the top tier, that will take spaces of current DU's, so the 2nd tier will have plenty of "decent talent" still within it.. Especially given seven Leicester riders will also be available... It could mean that, for once, supply will exceed demand in the 2nd Divsion, which can only be good for cost control as well as having spare riders to cover injuries rather than using guests... Which can only be a great thing for the sport..

Their advice wasnt needed to build the "most successful Speedway venue of the modern era in Bristol" anyway, so I am sure "all will be fine" without their input... The lack of public fight being shown still amazes me, Swindon fans seem so laid back and accepting of this "sh*tshow"..

Maybe not... With one less team in Leicester, and therefore, their seven rides now being available, it might mean a "few subs on the bench" to fill in when riders are missing... Especially with the lower limit....

Maybe he meant the meeting starts at twenty three minutes past eight....?

And why hasnt someone else been given the chance to run the sport in the brand new facility that still needs to be built to comply with the building permission for the houses.. ?

His teams regularly got me to attend when they were at Belle Vue... Not many other promoters' teams did the same...

But are they? Sheer weight of numbers will as always see 'what's best for the majority" winning the day... Even if it isnt "what's best for the sport"... As is often said.. Without that independent body, or even a none independent trusted chairperson or committee, given total autonomy, running the sport, there will always be issues..

In the Speedway Star it states that Poole will be allowed to strengthen up as it is an "inter league" match now... It also quotes Danny Ford referencing the end of season issues and he says "I know a lot of people dont believe it, but there are a lot of smart promoters in the sport. We just need to get our heads together to really resolve this". I dont really think that the promoters have to be "too smart" to be honest given most of their issues are "bloody obvious mistakes", which even the most intellectually challenged promoter could surely spot the very moment they get suggested.. However, the likes of Ford, Louis, and Lemon, (and maybe some others?), do seem to have a fair idea on what the fans want, do appear to be "smart", and can see the negative impact such end of season nonsense has on the sports potential growth. Growth which they can see is certainly possible if the right decisions are made... You can only hope these promoters can influence the future rather than have what always seems to be a less capable "majority" always making the final decisions through sheer weight of numbers... NB. Another very good Speedway Star issue again by the way..

Yes... A Dog Pound... Buddum Tish.. I'll get me coat....

They will definitely have two votes.. Last time I went the track was really poor in shape, meaning the racing was really poor too. However, all reports on here suggest it has improved significantly given its reshaping, so I will go along next season and see.. My only concern though is that in the 2nd tier sometimes the racing can be "better" simply because the riders are not the absolute top level.. Eg KL the other night served up some good racing which it doesnt seem to do too many times when the top lads turn up... It also often served up good racing regularly when they rode in the 2nd tier too, but obviously it has had a different surface added since then which might contribute more to follow the leader than just having the best riders in the UK there regularly.. Be good to have the top league grow though as every sport needs a "flagship league" to promote it...

The Summer weather was lovely, meaning crowds would have been decent hopefully.. The Aces won the league which can only be good for the sport given they do have a tacit recognition outside of the sports usual followers... BSN came along and offered something different and according to those who purchased regularly, improved all through the season.. Peter Collins wrote a book and it is a great read.... And Bomber might win about 10 Clubs' Rider Of The Year Awards....

100% get all that Ian, and you are quite correct they "could have", (and probably "should have") done something like you describe, however.. Speedway promoters are for me often similar to those people who run local cricket, and football teams and leagues... Well meaning individuals who have time on their hands, and are willing to do things for the love of what they follow rather than have any desire to make huge sums of money, nor have any desire to run their organisations as anything more than "let's just put this on and see who turns up"... Delivering a "fan focused experience", through targeted marketing, using advertising and feedback mechanics, are truly alien to many of them I would say, maybe even all of them? You only have to see how football has gone, from local scrap metal merchants, car dealers, and local butchers and the like running clubs, to now where even clubs at non league level are being ran by professional CEO's with people alongside who have strong marketing and customer experience skill sets, to see how far Speedway is away from engaging it's current customer base never mind attracting more.. Doing "nothing at all" also for me clearly showed how almost irrelevant even those who run the competitions see them.. If it was "so important" you would have wanted at least 500 of your own fans there wouldn't you and would have made every effort to get them there. Hopefully to be the "eighth man" and bring home the ultimate prize.... One you have spent all season competing for whilst trying to convince people it is worth watching as it means "something".. Fortunately, Leicester have a new start next year so no hangover for them from what was not a great end to their season..

With one team less next season then why not let the winners of the play offs be the benchmark for the others to aspire to? Or even use Leicester's averages as they "won" the actual league itself... Seven riders, including 3 heat leaders, from Leicester will become available so plenty of potential for teams to strengthen up to get nearer the top teams...

100%... When "needs must", they frantically cram in match after match (due to their disorganised preceding 6 months), and teams suddenly ride on all sorts of nights... Therefore, just have the same focus earlier on in the piece... If Newcastle had rode there would be Championship Speedway on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so plenty of scope to fit meetings in by using off nights and days that are "free"... I am sure there are logistically some challenges with Polish lower league fixtures on Saturday's and Sunday's and track availability too in places, but if there was a cut off point earlier in the season when all meetings had to take place, and any that didnt had clear consequences for those involved depending on fault, then I am sure the season would end on time..

Limiting guarantees will be very hard to "self" police... When a standard points limit was introduced, probably 30 years or so ago, riders got sponsored by various companies, (some bought off the shelf), to make up the "huge differential" that the very top riders (who all rode here), would have had.. You only have to see how easy it is for "state owned" football clubs to get "legitimately" around FFP by having huge sponsorship from relatively unknown small, and medium sized businesses, to realise controlling it will be difficult... Even with an independent regulator in place, which obviously Speedway doesnt have, it is hard to administer... Fair play for trying to reduce costs, and make it a more level playing field but it will be difficult to implement...

They have thought of that.. Hence, the season starts next Monday....

Someone went to Glossop and found themselves back in 1970, before PC rode for the Aces, and no book had been written... Tubbs and Edward were not happy.. "Can I help you at all?"....

It's not just the level of crowds who attend though is it that Poland gets judged on..? TV companies are still out bidding each other to show their racing, putting record money into the sport.. Blue Chip companies still want to sponsor clubs, doing likewise with ever increasing packages.. One thing you can guarantee from Poland is that any longer term downturn will be attempted to be reversed using a joined up, modern approach, marketing plan, and if it doesnt work, then costs will be cut accordingly... And operating model adjusted to suit...

Well done Poole... Being the only team out of the two to ride at their home track in a two legged final, with Kings Lynn's No1 riding for you, (at Kings Lynn), must have put you at a huge disadvantage, but you came through magnificently.. Yet another trophy for the very successful outfit from the South Coast... That's trophy153 in the past decade isnt it? Be great to see you in the Premiership next season after your deserved promotion... Hang On. Apologies... Congratulations to Poole on your 85th title, but even greater congratulations to the runners up, Leicseter, on your "promotion" to the Premiership.. All very confusing this... Lets hope next season the Leicester area has lots of warm dry summer evenings, (unlike obviously it suffered this year if appears), meaning they can complete their home fixtures, (and this time at their own track)... Seriously though, with a crowd mentioned at circa 600 (for the "flagship final" in the 2nd tier), it was probably a very fitting "epitaph" to another season of Speedway in the UK.. You only had to see the lack of anger from Leicester's fans to the loss of home advantage in the final, which meant basically fighting with one broken arm, and the other tied behind your back, given how fundamental to a result home track advantage is in Speedway, to see the abject "indifference" that so many have for the actual competitions themselves and the results they deliver... Which is sad, but down to nothing more than the way the sport is ran in the UK unfortunately... With that lack of "emotional involvement" always holding the sport back if it wants to continue in a "Team Concept"... (Imagjne in Poland the reaction from fans if something similar happened?) Congratulations to Poole, who do get a fair amount of stick, but you cannot knock the professionalism and success of the business they run, and their fans on here are always good value (and provide plenty of ammo for the rest to fire back at them).. Let's hope the lessons learned will be heeded, but... That does seem to be the "mantra" at the end of most seasons sadly doesnt it? Hopefully next season, the least that happens, is that the play off finals get held at the actual tracks of the finalists and all the other competitions ran actually get completed... Surely not too much to ask, and expect, that is it? Goodbye 2022... Roll on 2023... A bright new dawn maybe? Let's hope so... It would be great to finally see such an incredibly exciting spectacle get the infrastructure around it, that it so deserves, to make it more popular and look more professional...

I think Richard Lawson, (the Stars No1), may have a higher average at Kings Lynn than the Leicester Heat Leaders...

But.... Apart from that... I think they did really well...

You will still be able to attend when you wake up... Double header with the Jubilee Trophy...

Mark 2..... Or is it 3? Or 4, 5 6 etc etc etc, ad nauseam..

In the interests of Speedway...

I fink he meant throw...