mikebv

To be honest I never took the hype of Kurtz when he first broke through as whenever I saw him he wasnt the rider who came with the "big write up" and Jack Holder always seemed to outperform him when I saw them in meetings together.. However, his scores generally seemed to suggest a big future so I put it down to him just not performing on the odd occasion I watched him.. From what I have seen this year at the NSS, Sheffield, and on TV he can be "very quick" when in front but really poor when trying to pass riders from the back.. As in, he doesnt seem to have any plan of attack at all... And when in front he often wins by miles but leaves his team mate to fend for himself, never once looking behind him at any stage of the race.. He has reached his level for me.. Unfortunately for the Aces, so have too many of his team mates.. .

The Aces' two, three, four and five scored 22 paid 24 between them off 17 rides.. Dan got 17 off six...

30 seconds applause at BV.. 30 seconds?

Enjoyed that tonight.. Much better racing than the Wolves match.. Seemed a decent crowd (ish), in the stand from where I was sat, back straight didnt have that many though.. Dads Army deservingly triumphed with "Young Pike" sensational.. Take a bow Jordan Palin... MPT with some great moves and Hans with some "proper team riding" and showing how to still get places through track craft when your opponents behind you have faster machinery.. Bjarne showed in glimpses what a class act he always has been. And Bomber and Scott picked up places when needed.. As for the Aces? Riders at Two, Three and Four, once again, failed to win the 'clutch heats' that make the difference as seems to happen year in and year out with the Aces.. Those races when they are the "main man" are the ones against the better teams that they invariably wilt under the pressure.. Wells did as expected.. Brennan will be cheesed off he got eclipsed by Palin I am sure, but will come back.. Kurtz seems to have had his career peak and his trying to pass Anderson (with a much faster bike), was truly awful and without any thought or strategy.. And as for Dan? I think he is starting to understand how Crumpy must have felt for a good many years riding for the Aces . Truly a one man band... Well done the Panthers...

Ouch....

Given the great unknown potential who does know? The style, the quality and the price would have such a major bearing on any success.. What I am saying is that every track doing its own thing will never unleash the potential that can exist if properly organised at national level, rather than provincial. ..

Even if it is, (and hopefully you are correct), the PR is appalling... And shows the lack of emotional intelligence that exists within those who "make decsions" on behalf of the sport... Do they not have a Press Officer to sanction any "public messages"?

Absolutely... However, there is a far greater chance of a 'collective' making something work and sharing the burden of costs than any single individual. . It's the same with the marketing of the sport... Many tracks will do their own individual things to the best of their abilities, and have various degrees of success... Instead of budgeting collectively a certain amount to run a "British Speedway" marketing campaign from which the clubs can then work off the back of.. Considering they all need each other it does amaze me how insular looking so many are....

It really does beggar belief doesn't it? A man who for many years delivered a publication, the quality of which belied the sport it covered and showcased it at a far higher level than many other more mainstream sports get coverage.. This alone speaks volumes as to the level of leadership quality at the top of the sport in the UK.. No mention of any minutes silences either at the tracks...? Disgraceful..

Hopefully a minutes silence at all meetings this week...

Max Fricke rode for the Aces against Poole one BHM morning, then went and rode for Poole at Leicester that evening...

RIP Phil.... A very sad day for British Speedway.. Condolences to all his family and friends... He will certainly be missed by many..

Those that have already had their home fixture will be quids in without the away match to pay for if Birmingham doesnt make it to the season end.. Unfortunately those who have already been to Birmingham, but havent hosted them, will find themselves out of pocket.. However, isnt that what "The Bond" is for? To ensure other clubs (and other creditors), dont lose out financially if a track closes?

Given the crowd levels earlier in the season I would think that they will desperately need cash to pay some bills.. With a fair amount of those bills belonging to people and organisations within Speedway... As for making British Speedway appear stupid? I personally dont think it does.. Many other things that happen certainly do granted, but not this.. Good, common sense, crisis management...

Well I for one am very surprised by the lack of consistent coverage by Eurosport and the haphazard scheduling.. I mean... Its not like them this is it?....

I would imagine loan deals etc will also be being paid to various tracks and quite likely on a drip basis through the year, so getting Birmingham a few quid in the coffers to pay their bills can help other teams too.. A common sense decision to have a local derby and the BSP's often (quite correctly most of the time), get criticised for not using that level of common sense.. Crisis times require crisis management.. Not ideal for all but then again, it never will be when a crisis strikes..

Its noticeable in Poland how teams generally dont mix.... I presume its because the fans might not be too impressed to see riders laughing and joking with an opponent when their team are getting hammered...

The BSPL should collectively get together and all share the costs and profits.. One generic style of T Shirt, Jacket, Scarves, Car stickers, Pens, Prog Boards etc with the individual clubs brand on each one to differentiate... Volume purchases should result in better margins... Individual clubs doing things on their own on a small level (however well meaning) is one of the issues the sport has... Maybe even use the US model of all sales revenue on merchandise being divided up between the clubs equally regardless of individual clubs sales? Meaning all share the money.. The US franchise system realises that wiithout opponents to compete against there are no competitions, and weak opponents can be brand damaging, which impacts all..

Great News... Maybe another DH against more closer opponents can also be arranged? Especially if the opponents are going for the play offs.. Could maybe charge a bit more? Say £25..?

For me Vince, it would be more 10 or so meetings per track over the 6 months from April to September (March if Easter falls then).. More meetings of course if the promotion feels they have the potential to be profitable.. 20 tracks (with the IOW), means a minimum 200 meetings, which is a huge amount of Speedway.. Some will say that 10 meetings isnt enough for the landlord but the counter argument is if you dont ask you wont know, and given the Covid world we live in, when better than now to discuss? And the fact is that even 100 matches per season at one venue still wouldnt provide anywhere near the money to the landowner that a housing estate built on the land would so that could be done at anytime.. Some individual as part of a "British Championship" with a round at every track, and a BIG prize fund, some "team racing" and some almost "Festival of Bike Racing" type meetings with Speedway, Grasstrack, MX racing, MX acrobatics, Pee Wee bikes, Quads, Karts etc... Plenty of time within meetings at each track to properly market it and get sponsors, which also means fans not expected to fork out more than a max two meetings per months salary.. One thing is for sure is that carrying on as we are surely can never be an option put on the table..

Interesting to read how many double up as something that struck me on the two occasions I have been to watch Speedway this season, (but also all the times I have seen it on Eurosport), is the "bonhomie" that exists in the pits with riders of opposite teams... Now, I completely understand that given the risks and the unique talent needed to compete, there will be lots of respect between "foes", but what I did notice was how many times opposition riders on both nights stood watching with their team mates from their "other" team even though riding against each other that night.. Now, with the best will in the world, human nature says that you are not going to risk injury (to either of you), by riding hard against a rider who will be sat next to you in the pits tomorrow night and maybe your partner in several races.. Rory Schlein got some criticism on here for his performance last night at Berwick on a 'damp' surface, however, he may be riding five for six times a week over the next month or so given the fixture congestion, so why would he take any undue risks? For both him and the other riders who could also be doing the same.. You dont earn in hospital and your next meeting may be a much better earner than the one you race in today... When the sport is set up solely for riders to ride as much as they can, then the fans can't moan when the riders protect that opportunity and dont take too many risks when simply riding a Speedway bike is risk enough..

Why would they want to stay? If I had a fair old drive home I too would be gone.. They have paid their money and done their bit....

British Speedway has literally hundreds of thousands of pounds (probably over a million), thrown at it each season... An amazing stat when you look at the result..

And when call offs are done so easily on a whim, it can only lead to conspiracy theories when teams maybe cannot get decent guest replacements for injured and missing riders... Can't get a decent guest? Possible chance of rain? Lovely coincidence.. Let's call it off... Just another bit of nonsense the sport really doesnt need.. Covers definitely work, as had been proven (again this weekend), so finding a way to make it happen should be the focus, not the barriers to it.. Maybe supporters clubs could get involved providing volunteers to lay and remove covers? And as you say Ian, similar to air fences, maybe an expenses only meeting could be ran to pay for them? So many postponed meetings could be ran on often perfect nights for Speedway with the report in the Speedeay Star stating "the damage had been done with the torrential rain in the days leading up to the meeting".. Giving spectators confidence that a meeting will take place is very important given the sports current situation, and, as you say, maybe a 'consequence' of one point each and no pay, for every call off would focus the minds of all a bit more..

One of the major issues for the sport (in this country) to overcome is "What actually is it?".. Shoe horning an individual sport into a team concept works only if those individuals are 'exclusive' to one team in each league. Eg Poland, Sweden.. Unfortunately what they do over here means that all sort of nonsense takes place to make up teams just to get a match on. Resulting in zero credibility or actual meaning. This then pushes away even the most committed fans over time who become disillusioned with it. (As let's be honest, if its meaningless why attend?) With, (the very best you can hope for, if these fans dont completely disengage), is the only occasional visit replacing their past regular attendance.. Leaving just those who "buy the team jackets" and accept what they get without comment, alongside those who just go along to watch "the racing", but have no emotional attachment... And unfortunately that will never be enough people to fund 7 Professionals all wanting plenty of money to pay for expensive equipment, (and often wanting twelve months salary for six months work).. 60 races worth of points money wont get covered by current crowd levels at too many tracks currently I would think. Bottom line, is Speedway needs to decide what it is.. A team sport. (And if so do it properly or not at all).. Or an individual sport that becomes a 'travelling circus' akin to BSB where the best we have to offer over here (with meetings ran for all riders of differing abilities, but each meeting only having riders of similar ability), racing against each other at tracks around the country.. Either way, the sport needs a proper competition, properly promoted and properly marketed...