mikebv

Interesting to read in the SS the other week that Leicester's Saturday crowds in the 'second division' are up on the Monday crowds they got in the Premiership.. No GP 'superstars' riding there this year yet crowds are up? As you say, a Friday or a Saturday would get you at least 600 more I would say,... Twenty meetings, 600 extra, would equate to 12000 more fans.. At £18 that's over £200k more revenue... As you say, a great product, but not much use having something so good to sell if your opening times prevent customers from getting there.. Doesnt help itself Speedway sometimes does it?

Riders not ridden the circuit before? Given the amount of doubling up/down and guests used each week, I am amazed that all riders are not track specialists at every track in the country they ride them so many times..

Which is how a team sport should be... The town or city becomes tribal and their team becomes all encompassing.. 2.5 million people live in Grt Manchester.. Just circa 1500 go to Belle Vue... And many of these, (just like is reflected across the country), now just go to 'watch the Speedway', as competitions in the UK have so much nonsense attached to them that it no longer matters whether you are successful or not... Imagine trying to get away with such garbage in Poland as Tai Woffinden being allowed to guest for ZG or Leszno? And help either qualify for the play offs! Wroclaw fans would riot! (And TV wouldn't touch any sport running such daft rules with a barge pole and neither would the blue chip companies who currently sponsor it.) A professional team sport representing a town or city should generate such passion, sadly over here because of the way it is ran, Speedway barely raises any emotions at all...

That to me is the compromise solution.. For me it would be as they enter the last lap to build up a bit of tension and atmosphere... "Can 'x' get past 'y'?", "If it stays like this 'x' are 'y' points ahead with 'z' races left" etc etc.. Not many could carry a commentary for four laps effectively and as many have said, at lots of tracks you cannot hear anyone anyway in parts of the stadium.. Plus someone telling you what you are seeing isnt going to add to the entertainment, on TV things might happen off screen which gives value to the commentary. .

Buzz was the Tac for Lindback Col..... Hence he went in 15 as well. . Watching Polish Speedway really does show up how poor the offering is in the UK... And I don't mean the best riders being on show, as it's clear the UK cannot afford them.. For me it's the whole package that leaves us decades behind regardless of the standard of rider.. Fans all in T Shirts of their teams.. It would cost approx one heat leaders salary for one match over here to buy 1000 T shirts at cost and give them away to fans.. The riders lined up waiting for the 2 minute whistle meaning they all come out together building up atmosphere, (music being played as they enter the track).. Buzz had four minutes allocated between HT 14 and 15 to be ready... The racing starting 2 mins after the whistle so riders don't go back to get things rechecked as they don't have time, and gardening has to be done quickly.. The starts meticulously ran by the Marshall with head phones on directly linked to the ref meaning tyres are mm away from the tapes, hence no rolling at the starts and each rider has to comply or the ref instructs the Marshall to speak with the one not following orders.. The mechanics and managers all in club colours, not their own overalls... All these things bring professionalism to the sport and it's also noticeable how tribal it is, there is hardly any congratulations given to an opponent by the riders, (which may be down to not being able to ride on any given night for every team in the league like you can over here, being team mates one night in the Premiership and rivals the next in the leagues below)... And all done and dusted under two hours inclusive of TV advert breaks.. Unlike over here, the only thing Mickey Mouse about Polish Speedway is the ZG badge! No wonder the crowds are so good..

Is that nine out of nine from the inside? Edit: Laguta! Great ride from gate three... Looking very sharp..

Just switched it on and an interview was taking place... Screen said ZG : GRU. 20:30.... I thought "wow never thought that would happen"... Then they cut to the line ups standing for the National Anthem... And I realised it was the start time!!!

Speedway seems to be a sport where you seem to find your true level, regardless of age starting, after about five years.. Not many ride for five years or so then clearly go up a level... Jason Doyle and David Norris are two for me that I remember becoming 'very good' after a few years of 'average' performances... Not too many others I can remember doing the same If you have rode for 8 years and are still an average NL rider then that is pretty much where your ability level is I would suggest..

Got my South Stand tickets last night, numbers 807 and 808... £22.50 plus £2.20 administration fee for me and my 15 year old lad... (£27.00 if I went to an Aces meeting and ordered via the Internet, so Great Value!) Presume they are going out in some kind of order? If so that's over 2500 already..... That temporary stand may be needed on turns 3 and 4... Some strong advertising in and around Manchester for the event on billboards so hopefully they get a good turn out...

I would suggest you just leave it... You are not going to convince those who don't agree.. For what it's worth (ie not much), I do understand your sentiments.. When I played football I bust my ankle and for approx 3 games on my return I barely made a tackle due to my concern there could be further damage, (even though physio and all medical team who had helped in my recovery said it was fine)... Fourth game in, I had no choice but to instinctively take a 50/50 on and won the ball but got 'nailed'.. Best thing that could have happened to me as after some 'magic sponge' treatment (when did that stop fixing every ailment in football by the way?) I was up and about and flying in like nothing had happened... Coming back from injury can be a very mental thing to fix as you say... You do sometimes have to test your body out to convince yourself you are OK. ..

To be fair... I remember reading comments from one of the Poole fans on here that 'the tides' play a part in the track being so poorly prepared... Was it in or out yesterday? Thank goodness we in Manchester don't get the same problems with the Rivers Medlock and Mersey!! They could create havoc with the NSS....

I would suggest at the bottom end of the NL the standard is as low as you would want to go so RR gives those riders potential extra rides.. Where RR should be used more is in the top two leagues... A ridiculous amount of guest riders get used when a 'fit for purpose' RR (not the current system), could be used instead, meaning the sport remains credible.. Riders want to earn more money so let them by taking more rides per meeting instead of bringing a non team member in... For the NL those unattached riders need to wait for their place and take the opportunity when it comes along through natural selection, not get drafted in on a adhoc whim basis, and maybe then flit from team to team weekly depending on how well they do... The sport needs some credible rules at all levels...

Justification opening today then!!

But not if Poole think GF will deliver a much better crowd.... There will be absolutely loads of contrived nonsense meetings with riders coming in from all parts of the country, and elsewhere, to earn a few extra quid representing other teams than their own through the season.. So one more contrived meeting isn't going to make any difference to the sports credibility, and if the bank balance proves it was worth doing then that is all that matters.. Promoters know that all credibility has been lost a long time ago, so they might as well run on the best days they can to get the best return...

Well I hope they dont leave him there like that... Someone should go over to him and give him a big hug...

Have they found a few used Pampers under the track yet?

Down the pit.... 24 hour shifts too... Seven days a week.....

Bet Batch can't wait...

As you say... It must have been so much more difficult to win World Titles in the Seventies and Eighties with around a third of the field from a much less progressive and heavily restricted, Eastern Europe.... Many of whom nicely helping fill the bottom five finishing positions.. ONE of them actually won the thing ONCE showing how good they were...! Getting to the Final was probably harder than winning it for many of the riders... Nowadays the best riders in the world ride against each other in every round, and any rider just outside the top echelon gets their opportunity to join in via the very high standard GP Challenge. (If they are good enough).. Winning any season long sporting competition, regardless of what sport, means you are 'the best' out there.. To do it regularly, in any era, means you are one of the 'very best' of all time....

You have been obviously too convincing.... Meaning some must agree....

Top riders who earn 100's of thousands of £'s in Poland and Sweden would all ride over here for thousands of £'s less per night if Speedway brought fixed nights in.... And if each club had three top riders each they would pack their stadiums out every meeting, so they could easily afford them..

Two meetings, over 25,000 fans in attendance... Would need at least fifteen meetings over here to get that many in the top league.. Some riders earning circa £25k - £30k a match... As you say, a world away.. Not comparable in any way shape or form...

Agreed... A great team man, consistent everywhere, however... The level of rewards and expectations in Poland now is far and away more intensified than when Leigh rode... So much live TV, so many blue chip sponsors, huge crowds, and so many young hungry riders busting a gut to take your place and earn the huge rewards on offer to the very best.. Real pressure to perform over there EVERY RACE never mind every week, with a very unforgiving fan base and in turn a very quick to make changes club hierarchy.. Becoming a mini version of the football premier league over here, lots of clubs speculating huge amounts, all desperate to stay in the top league to pay for their spending thru sponsors enticed in by the prime time TV coverage.. Riding in the UK must be a lot different and you can't keep up that intensity.

When he rides like he did at times yesterday there isn't anyone to touch him.. As he says, if he brings his 'A game' and everyone else brings theirs.. His is better.... You can see when he is in 'the zone' everything flows, there is no locking up, or fighting the bike, everything is so smooth (and therefore very fast) and he is almost thinking several steps ahead of when and where to pass... Great to watch, one of the best ever for me...

To be fair to the 'very top' riders it must be difficult to maintain the same level of motivation.. Its a bit like playing for Manchester United v Liverpool at the weekend, then represening Rochdale v Oldham on a Monday night.. The same sport but a huge amount of less intensity, pressures and rewards.. Watching the top league in Poland really brings home to you the vast difference. Every race is like a stand alone event with each heats' outcome being treated almost like the be all and end all.. 15 races of constant pressure and scrutiny from a very partisan demanding following.. A heat advantage to the opposition on your shoulders is treated like treason, especially when at home... And if anything, from what I have seen so far this season, the crowds and expectations are even bigger! No surprise then to see a drop off when these lads ride in the UK sometimes just 24 hours later..