mikebv

My lad wants to take up Speedway so I have just bought four bikes, ready to race, off Bartosz Zmarzlik... And all the same kevlars, boots, gloves and helmets that he wears... So. Watch out Bartosz, now he is on an equal footing you have a rival for your title... It is utter madness the way riders spend fortunes to try and match what other riders have, as all that happens is that everyone ends up with the same thing until the next thing comes along.. The result? No improvement in the racing... Just loads more costs inherited... Meaning loads more salary needed.. Meaning loads more admission money required.. And the net result? The riders all still remain in the "natural" position they would have held anyway as they have all spent loads of money getting the same thing... The crowds drop as the the price of entry goes up to a level they feel is not justifiable in paying... And the promoters scratch their heads trying to work out why they are losing money... A Dragons Den pitch as a business plan it certainly is not...

He would certainly keep the dust down in summer...

To be fair... I do think that some promoters would agree... Just a shame not enough of them..

I presume that, in the interests of Speedway, October will be extended?

Not quite right Dean... It's an EIGHT team play off from a SIX team league...

At least it wasnt some gadgy off the local fairground waltzers.....

Indeed... To know there might be a Speedway forum means you firstly have to know that there is a sport called Speedway...

They could maybe share the names too, as sometimes when teams move they alienate their potential fan base by keeping another areas name... If you took the T, H, E, I, N, R, G, M, O, C, and S from The Edinburgh Monarchs... And then added just the W and K, from The Workington Comets... You could call the team.. The Workington Comets.. Pleasing both sets of fans....

Well. It is a young competion...

I think it is down to a certain level of inevitably about it... Zmarzlik is just too good for the rest... Laguta and Emil coming back may help keep some interest... And Dan, one year older, could be pushing him closer next year... As for the rest? All fighting for minor places, with most happy with a top six finish...

Might be The King Charles 4th Cup before it is ran.. .

Some rider that Zmarzlik.... Incredible talent...

I presume it is how much it costs to stage... Used to be £150k plus didnt it? Dont know if still similar... Maybe £30 to get in? If so, 7500 could be more than enough...

And Councillor's as part of their remit have to legally get the best return on any sales of assets for their communities.. That doesnt just cover financially but takes into consideration other criteria as for example, environmental issues and the well being of their constituents from their decision.. I would think that in this case given so few constituents would benefit then financial considerations were the No1 influence... Especially given the budget cutting that will inevitably take place over the next few years from Westminster.. It does show just what a magnificent achievement Messrs Gordon and Morton did in getting the NSS built with whole hearted support from many in the local council... Not sure in today economic climate that the NSS would have been Green lit to be honest...

Just like a "jumpers down for goalposts" kick around... On a hired 4G pitch... Coaches and physios doing the lines and reffing.. Just 32 footballers all (spookily) in the same place at the same time... What are the chances of that?

My lads non league team have arranged a friendly for today... 100% the right thing to do... We go to work daily, and some sports have carried on, so why prevent people enjoying themselves? Her family mourning and doing what they want I absolutely get, (just like any other family who have lost someone), but it seems daft to prevent those who had no contact or relationship with her from doing what they want to do.. Cinemas remain open, pubs remain open, restaurants remain open, gyms remain open, seaside resorts remain open, so why are (some) sports not taking place? Barmy to be honest.. Being a keen follower of horse racing herself, I am sure she wouldn't have given a monkey's if everything just carried on as normal.. Which 99% of things have...

15 matches in two months... A fair few quid to find to have attended them all....

Example 12,315 of why an independent body or person should oversee such matters.... Rinse and Repeat... Next AGM going to be the most important ever?

About right... I would suggest UK Speedway has many more followers than actual attending fans... With many thousands still passionate about the sport but feel they cannot support such a ludicrous operating model with their hard earned.. Or cannot attend on the restricted nights their clubs run... Circa 15,000 a week (optimistically), attend the sport I would say if 15 meetings were ran, 20,000 a week listened to you... With a regularly growing listenership... No publicity is bad publicity, (it is better to be talked about than not talked about when in the public eye), and sticking your fingers in your ears and going "la laaaaa, I can't hear you!" when getting some unsolicited databased feedback is never a great idea when in business.. But it is "gold" if you have an open mind and are humble enough to accept it at face value, as it will accelerate your growth tremendously...

It would be a huge risk for anyone... A title winning team with world class riders couldnt attract enough punters when Speedway probably had, at least, double the crowds it gets now... And, unlike areas like Swindon, Coventry, Oxford and Birmingham, there hasnt been much of a concerted effort to try and bring Speedway back.. Maybe when they build that Superdome roof, meaning there wont be any rain off threats, it could then be viable...

Could a "guest" be allowed? With a reading no more than 5% higher obviously...

Sadly I fear you are correct.. And all to win competitions they themselves devalue, almost to the point of complete irrelevance, by their very own operating model... Often people will say "we need one big league"... Well. They need to get a move on with that, as at the current run rate of closures over the past decade, there wont be enough for "one medium league" not too many years down the line...

100% Dean... However. Never understand why the BSPL never seem to fight these issues as a collective... Edinburgh and Swindon two cases in point. Every club seems to go it alone when fighting for their lives... Surely some kind of structured responsive process is needed? It isnt like it is a new thing is it? Do really some think "they close I get their riders I want off them?", and that is why no collective response is forthcoming? Surely not, but given so much self interest rather than collective growth always appears to be the policy you never can be 100% sure...

Workington a classic example of fans having to pick and choose what meetings to attend when they won the treble... Given they had to ride so many meetings so close together... And they went bust off the back of it... Three finals, more spaced out, meaning you can market them individually much better, with two getting ran in better weather, must be better financially for clubs and fans, and publicity wise locally as it keeps you in the awareness of the local populace as being "successful" which may stimulate more visits.. At the moment you win trophies and the season stops so no improved crowd momentum is generated even if interest locally is pricked... And some teams start well and then get injuries, therefore they may have a chance of being in a final earlier in the season.. Some teams also start poorly then bring in better riders, so ithey could miss out on the early trophy/trophies but then be in the running for the play offs.. October weather must be perfect for running finals I presume.. NB: And running in October means that for many only two more pay days remain till Xmas, which, given the cost of living challenges, could impact attendances.. Attendances which finals should maximise...

Won't need too many more call offs to put pressure on getting all done by November.. Crazy that all finals get ran at the end of the season every year.. Should spread them out more... Would keep interest and publicity across many more months... And even more reason to do so with the cost of living increases that were predicted a fair few months ago.. Be a shame to have fans having to pick and choose what meetings to go to when these meetings are the ones where the trophies are handed out...