mikebv

I remember the side cars at the old Hyde Rd track doing 2nd Half races and also remember the crowds that stayed behind were much higher than the usual 2nd half racing attracted.. A novelty value maybe, but Speedway could certainly do with a few of those.. Those with bigger tracks may run Stox already so the sidecars wont rip up the tracks as badly as those monsters do.. And having seen them in the US racing on tiny 110m circuits without destroying the surface, ran alongside the solos rather than after them, (akin to Grasstrack), I can definitely testify that they are a great watch.. 15 heats of Solo racing in a contrived made up team sport scenario isnt cutting it so anything else that can pull punters in has to be worth a go .

It truly is akin to "Turkeys voting for Xmas" the way they just set themselves up from season to season to fail ad infinitum isn't it? I am though always amazed that no one within the sport ever comes out publicly to say "This simply does not work".. Riders, who should be earning much more for what they do, seem to have no issues (presumably because they get to ride for anyone they can night after night).. Promoters, who see stadiums much less than half full and have to set up funding pages to stay afloat, never seem to come out and question "Just why the 'hell' are we doing it like this"?.. The Speedway Star (a truly excellent publication which any sport so small is so lucky to have) seems to have had a fair few editorials and comments published around much of what we all collectively discuss on here so 'within the sport' there must be at least some tacit understanding that the operating model simply isn't fit for purpose.. Yet each AGM ends with "we have a great plan and look forward to another excellent season of speedway"... Whilst each season ends with less paying customers than the year before.....

Cook is easily in the 'top five' riders riding in this country... And will be for a fair few years yet I would imagine as 'the best' eg Bewley and Holder, move out to Poland...

They will be more likely working out which riders they can get in to replace their own to improve their teams.. With the top league teams then realising that they already have them..

I remember the talk during the pandemic from one of the promoters that six man teams were one plan being considered.. Maybe the FS scheme was a compromise to this.? Basically six man teams and a "junior"... Thus. It would keep the septet team structure, make it look as if we are using the 'Polish model' (to a fashion), and therefore have a development plan, and I would imagine be a 'bit cheaper' than the usual 2nd tier second string riding at No7.. And who knows, some may benefit from it.. Tom Brennan certainly appears to be able to hold his own against more experienced opponents.. Most though certainly dont add much to the entertainment factor, but hardly their fault..

You don't want 'fan involvement'... Imagine how long the AGM's would take because the 'fan owned teams' kept saying "Really? Are you mad?" to every agenda point raised by the clubs ran by sole promoters...

Ultimately Ian who cares who the champions are? It really doesn't matter... And that is THE No1 issue the sport faces... No2 is its Mickey Mouse operating model that allows the No1 issue to exist... Some say "we need to attract new fans" and of course the sport does, however, just getting back one half of those who "used to go" but got pissed off watching "their riders" ride for all and sundry (to the detriment of their own team), or becoming slowly disillusioned by the application of make it up on the spot nonsense rules, whilst facing inflation busting price increases to pay for rising rider wages, would be far of an easier challenge to undertake.. Running a dual league system with barely any demarcation from each other is not much short of utter madness, and can only be done to ensure enough rides for far too many professional competitors for a sport with such few followers.. The operating model simply does not work so to keep churning it out annually (with a cost saving tweak here and there), expecting it to miraculously sort things out is crackers... When teams can dip in and dip out of any league with such regularity it says everything about the level of "kudos" even the clubs recognise in their very own competitions... When they don't see any merit in winning any particular league (and could even go bust by doing so), why should the fans take it seriously?

Four team tournaments? Always for me created the best racing as all riders were heat leader/best second string standard.. However... Some can't afford to pay 7 riders of down to reserve/junior standard now for 60 races out of their home meetings money, so paying 4 heat leaders, and best second strings, for 64 races, would be completely out of the question I would think.. The concept of having only heat leaders and second string level riders on show is for me though something worth considering in the top league hence my thoughts on five man teams.. You could still pay out for 60 races from your home meeting, 12 races each, and cap the salary at 'X' pounds per point... No make weights and plenty of 'no disrespect' journeymen average riders to have as replacements, so close racing should be delivered and no need for credibility removing guests. And struggling teams should be able to at least find someone to come in if they wanted to make changes.. If you take this year as an example, all six teams could have ran a decent 1 - 5 and called it "Elite". Giving it a stand out brand which was different from the league below. In all sports the 'top league' is the flagship and should 'stand out' and be aspirational... Plenty of rides for the riders (which is the only reason UK speedway really exists) and decent points money as five are sharing the pot not seven... Unfortunately for UK Speedway the biggest failing, and ultimate barrier to any success, is that (all down to the operating model), no league carries any kudos, which means every meeting ran in finding a 'champion' is also pretty meaningless from a 'team sports' perspective... Unless that ever gets sorted, so fans, media and bigger sponsors then start to take it seriously, it can never succeed... The saddest irony of all is that a 'great night out' can still very much be had watching the exciting 'raw material' of the racing on offer... (As the IOW are showing)... It's just a shame UK Speedway try to shoehorn it into something they can't deliver 'properly', thus diluting their very biggest asset...

Of course he will. All down to riding more....

Or a five month ban if the seasons starts in April...

Great to watch and could truly become one of THE all time greats. Only concern for that is his riding style... Very often he seems less than a split second from disaster and finds gaps that others don't see (because he makes them up)... If he 'calmed down' he may stay much longer at the top, however, maybe conversely, his edge would be gone too, which could prevent him from dominating the sport for the next fair few years like he clearly could. .. Fantastic entertainment when he is on track, long may he keep showing it...

Often see comments suggesting "one big league".. It simply cannot happen... Not enough riders of sufficient ability to make it watchable.. Not enough fans at many clubs to go into a "top tier" and pay put the level of money needed.. You could have a sixty rider 12 team top tier I would say, (just), and the rest could run at the 'old' NDL level... An NDL level that seemed to be the only one that ran well and was cost effective..

Would help keep a Mexican Wave going though....

Our ratio of 'false starts' and first bend incidents must be much higher than Polands where start marshals seem to weild some power (supported visually and audibly by the referee).. Riders dont fly off in all directions like they seem to do over here, with their bikes strictly aligned straight, and their front wheels practically touching the tapes (akin to cycle speedway), meaning no roll backs to help preempt the start.. And the 2 mins is sacrosanct. If you are not ready you are out.. 'Professional' is a good word to describe it..

I think Tai is probably at that 'tipping point' of his career.. Reminds me a bit of how Bomber went in that team racing now seems to be his main priority, and pushing himself to that "next level" is no longer the be all and end all for him, especially as league racing is where the vast majority of his money is made.. Being third heat leader at Wroclaw too probably doesnt help his mindset as he clearly isnt consistently now week in week out at the same level of Majic and Laguta. And then you have Zmarzlik, Madsen, and Emil to add to the mix.. He will, given his natural talent, still now and again hit the heights that many others can't and maybe still win the odd GP, but as for where he now is in the grand scheme of things, he is nearer being "top eight' rather than 'top one'... Be interesting to see if he accepts being an 'also ran' for any length if time as he comes across as someone with a clear view of his future. Personally not sure he would accept being "just top eight" as his level...

I remember going to the SON at the NSS and being given a free upgrade from standing on the first turn, (under the TV gantry showing the start and first straight action), to the seats on the 3rd and 4th turns. (The ones most in view over the next 3 hours of coverage).. They also threw in some Union Jack's flags to wave too.. No one noticed on the TV that our original area wasnt full as it was barely shown and the whole meeting came across as colourful, vibrant, full and atmospheric with every start being done in front of "a full stadium" as a back drop.. Conversely when the Aces are on, the camera most used at the start line shows rows and rows of empty seats in a usually half to two thirds full grandstand.. I know some will be season ticket holders but surely for one night they could move them and put the 1000 or so sat in the grandstand together. Then cover up the empty seats either side with advertising covers.. Or simply leave the ST holders where they are and just do 'free upgrades" for those who have purchased standing in the south stand... You could then put anyone left in the south stand together in the middle and again put up some big adverts to block out the spaces either side... Plenty of shots of a "big crowd" stood together and plenty of advertising for sponsors too.. It is really the little things that dont cost any more to do that can, and often do, make all the difference.. The IOW know that shots of a full section of stadium sells their business to "maybe visitors" far better than an FB page showing a sparsely visited section.. Those in the restaurant business put all their early customers by the window for a reason, and it isnt in case there is a fire that they will get out quicker...!!

And what they fail to grasp is that the '70's model' didn't bring the many tens of thousands into the stadiums anyway.... What did that was watching truly world class riders on ITV on Saturday afternoons when the choice of viewing was pretty much Grandstand or World Of Sport (and Open University Maths on BBC2...).. Watching the best in the world ride in 'proper competitions' sponsored by nationally renowned companies, who put up BIG prizes, (which meant no one ducked out on the day with sick notes written by Dr's Zhivago and Dolittle), would have enthused thousands to watch riders who were very much "household names" amongst the wider sport watching public.. The sport still runs the same outdated operating model today, but nowadays without that "world class advert" on terrestrial TV to feed off the back of... And of course you also now have the internet which splashes all the nonsense out there for everyone to see well before meeting time, which then means fans can avoid paying to watch some of the farces that are allowed to pervade. In the 70's you were already in, and money banked, before you found out the top star was missing... Oh how the current promoters must be so envious of their 70's counterparts..

It will never catch on.... All that entertainment malarkey...

A Speedway promoter reacting to feedback...? And taking it as constructive comment, and not defensively? And using it to improve his operation rather than decide "I am right' and ignore the feedback? Are you sure you are cut out for this Barry?

Given how many times he guests, Scott will be coming to a track near absolutely everyone sometime soon I am sure..

100%.. Exactly the same way as the promotional plan should be one that is nationally targeted advertising the whole sport in the UK, not individual clubs doing their own thing for very minimal impact..

When those who pay their money (and regularly too), take the piss, it really cannot end well can it? Championship riders @ Premiership prices wont ever be a 'winner'will it?

Truly wasting your time my friend... This feedback could be replicated ten thousand (at least) fold... No one is listening "I need to find a guest as my rider is injured for my team but not his other one".. "Who rides my track well and I can use that 5% above the average of my injured rider the best?" Utter. Utter. Bollocks.. But seems to make sense to those who run the sport.. . "Roll up. Roll up. Form and orderly queue and give us your money".. "You should be f***ing grateful us promoters do this"...

Must confess I have never understood the "use it or lose it" ultimatum often quoted by fans, (and indeed some promoters), down the years... By the very definition such utterances are used suggests that those who are "expected to go" (and therefore regarded as 'loyal fans'), are actually simply "not bothered" whether the clubs carry on or not.. Because if it did mean so much to them, they would still be attending in sufficient numbers to not require those very comments in the first place.. A demise of a club is sad, but often inevitable, as the 'tipping point' is finally reached re costs v income after several weeks of struggle, and the difference between the two finally becomes untenable to be bridged by the promoter... And as the reasons for that demise often lies within the operating model of the sport, and is therefore self inflicted, it seems to prove that (contrary to popular belief), turkey's do seem to vote for xmas after all it would appear.. Promoters often do seem to sometimes over estimate how 'important' a Speedway club is to its followers and make the mistake of believing it means 'everything' to them similar to all other team sports.. However, by it's very operating model, the sport doesn't engender that blind loyalty, devotion and tribalism that other team sports do, therefore it simpy cannot mean the same emotionally... Which ultimately is the 'acid test' of any team sports' sustainability and progression I would suggest..

Let's be brutally honest.. These clubs are only in existence to provide riders with rides... Meaning they ride for all and sundry on as many nights as they can... Bottom line is it doesn't really matter who wins any UK meeting, meaning it also doesnt really matter who wins any UK league.. Therefore expecting people to "buy in to it", and take it seriously as a team sport is a huge ask I would say, and you cannot envy any promoters trying to go out and "sell it"... As tracks close it will find its natural level and those that can still generate a "decent crowd" will prosper (as much as you can in UK speedway), and those that can't will go by the wayside.. Having been to Brum a couple of times it must be a difficult place to try and sell Speedway. At 50 something I always felt "very young" when surrounded by a large amount of Brum fans , and city centre tracks within large conurbations, eg Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, all seem to attract very, very few of the millions who live virtually on their doorstep.. And teenage kids simply wont be seen anywhere where their father attends (and in many cases their grandad).. You can only flog a dead horse so many times until you realise that to keep throwing money at something, that has a tiny chance of gaining any return, is completely futile.. I do admire promoters who are willing to put their own money into the sport, but also am then equally as amazed that they then allow themselves to run it the way they do... Speedway's very own version of Hari Kari... (And that isnt a 4 point Japanese international that could be worth a punt)..