mikebv

Incredible if true....! THE flagship event of the British Speedway Season and it is suggested that some tracks didn't actively promote it at their own venues...? Wow... No wonder the sport is 'Donald Ducked' in this Country when personal individual feelings are allowed to take precedent over the greater good... No Independant CEO so what do you expect though?

Spot on.... And it naturally brings with it the need for so many guest riders to replace those missing because they are 'elsewhere'... Guest riders which then give the meeting (and therefore the competition as a whole) zero credibility..... Tough to generate a crowd to attend a 'Team Sport' when the fans have little 'emotional loyalty' (and often no connection) to those representing them on track, in a competition which is ultimately meaningless due to being so contrived week in week out...

Some very good points... However... You forgot to include the often reported view of many Promoters over the years of "if you don't turn up, it's YOUR fault when I close it down"... Always the victims of circumstances, never their fault....

The track must have been unsafe as it took about a month of digging it up and re-laying it to get it to standard.. Ultimately that would have needed to be done, even if the meeting had gone ahead, as there was obviously a major long term inherent problem.. I was as p1ssed off like lots of others at the time, but I got my money back, the track is now superb and we didnt find out the track wasnt 'fit for purpose' by riders getting injured on it (or worse)... Hopefully DG and Mort will get recompense for the costs incurred of the work not being up to the required level and the subsequent impact to their business... It would be a bit 'silly' to blame ***** (whoever he is), as he didnt stop the others competing and subsequently given the weeks of repair work done, he has been proved correct...

Why all the cloak and dagger stuff when it comes to someone trying to get involved in a Speedway track? In other sports those wishing to buy/takeover a sporting organisation often make themselves known from the very beginning, holding interviews with the media explaining their plans and giving regular updates as to progress thus ensuring maximum publicity for themselves and the sporting club they are interested in, as well as, possibly most importantly of all, keeping the expectant fans aware of what's going on... Speedway seems to have its own version of 'omerta'... Which given its tiny minority sport status is quite ridiculous... Weekly updates, even when in reality you have 'nothing to report should be the aim so the local conurbation sees the clubs name in the local press regularly... There is always intrigue, concern and often controversy when it comes to sporting takeovers, therefore great publicity potential! Speedway never seems to want to use it?

A good few from the World U21 round last year seemed to take a liking to the track.. Erik Riss was another (6.85)... Fast with good equipment... Winning at home weekly/fortnightly/tri-weekly/monthly/bi-monthly* in 'The Qualifiers' goes a long way to deliver you into the top four... * (delete as applicable as per the fixture list)

Not forgetting the BSPA statement "it was nothing to do with us", that was issued so swiftly after the opening night problems at 'The National Speedway Stadium'... I wonder if the BSPA could now play some part in the control of 'The National Speedway Stadium'? which as we know, they didn't previously, (because they told us)... As George Formby may have said... "Hee, hee, turned out nice again!"....

But would all four riders still be in contention as they go into lap three most races? If so, I would suggest the punters wouldn't even notice the race time.. 20/20 cricket was thought to be a 'novelty one hit wonder', now its the most popular form of cricket worldwide.. 'Fast and Furious' is the tagline often used for Speedway, 3 lap races could do that justice.. People also often complain about no second halves due to curfews and meetings taking over two hours to complete. Less laps of racing would sort this.. And vfm perception can also be influenced massively by what happens 'off track' too, (as T20 shows so well)..

Radical/Stupid idea alert... Has three lap races ever been considered? Most races seem over well before the last lap anyway as riders have invariably become more spaced apart the longer the race has gone, so maybe it would lead to closer racing? What it would definitely do is save 25% 'wear and tear' on engines and chassis, 25% tyre usage and 25% fuel, and maybe tracks would be less slick at the end of the meeting... And surely make cost savings which could be passed on in reduced admission....? Thus maybe getting some 'newbies' to attend (who wouldn't probably know it used to be four laps anyway).. Tin hat on time.....!

Whether the story to be ran is the truth or not, those with bigger pockets can spin any litigation through the courts until those with smaller pockets (or more to lose) eventually and often with truth on their side, back down... A sensible approach is to not put your head above the parapet until you are sure no one has you in their sights.. 'The truth will out' is a phrase most would hope comes to fruition, (however long it takes)... Looks like the SS is taking the correct legal advice and correctly biding their time...

Could be a first for British Speedway.... A meeting where the average age of the two teams is actually higher than the average age of those watching.....!!! Well its one way of attracting the 'younger crowd' so many say Speedway is missing !!!

The 'Sky money' that should compensate a track for a reduced crowd due to being on TV should be used to reduce the admission... Instead it has helped cover some of the cost (but not always all of it) of the No1 riders... Wasnt it over 100k each the top league teams got per season for many years till the much reduced new deal came in? Imagine if instead of paying out a huge proportion of that in 'dead money' to a No1 who invariably didnt put any extra on the gate whether there or not, the tracks had used it to showcase their sport and themselves when on live TV, or used it to market their club locally and professionally? I would suggest British Speedway would be a lot more healthier today if the millions recieved over the past decade and more had been used more intelligently.....

Agree, but only if the teams on show have credibility and the league's they are running in have integrity... Two major and (lets face it, very basic) requirements in any team sport, but sadly requirements British Speedway finds almost impossibility in delivering through its current year on year operating model.. Thats the biggest challenge that needs sorting to move the sport forward. The level of riders on show is largely totally irrelevant when what you are watching is often nothing more than a series of heats participated in by an often random selection of riders with very little affinity or connection (if indeed any) to the actual team they represent.. Fix that first I would suggest, and then build the rest around it...

To be fair to the BSPA it must be a logistical nightmare planning in fixtures.. Poland, Sweden and Denmark use many of the same riders used over here and then you have the myriad of GP, GP qualifying, SEC, SEC qualifying, Best Pairs events and then a host of Nations running their own championships often over several rounds.. Add that to the fact that most tracks will have a large amount of their riders as Double Uppers, (and some Triple Uppers) it certainly becomes a nightmare.. The bottom line of course is their are too many teams and not enough riders, yet the BSPA still run with septets meaning D/Us are essential just to get the team assembled.. Sadly, another season of credibility sapping weekly guest replacements ahead I would imagine as Speedway does its own version of the 'Chuckle Brothers' over riders, "To you, to me, To you, to me"...

Looking at some of the suggested line ups for BV with Zagar and Nicholls being effectively replaced by two juniors, I would imagine more than circa £100k has been removed from the cost base so potentially that would make it cost effective?

A great thread... For me, a one make, sealed engine series is the way for Speedway in this country, (and many years late in its implementation).. For elsewhere, there can be a 'free for all' if they so wish... What the international riders need at Cardiif in the British GP is a million miles away from what the domestic riders need at Buxton the next week... Let's get British Speedway right and if a one make series (as so many motorsports do) helps sort out Speedway in this country then it has to be the way forward.

I wish..! School of hard knocks me, never did me any harm, etc etc etc.....😁

Oh to be a fan of Speedway, Whose teams future is uncertain and stark, You get to feel like a mushroom, Sxxt on and left in the dark.... As you look at your stadium in tatters, The terracing now covered in brambles, You reflect for a moment the reason, And decide it's that Speedway's a shambles..... Let's hope for some good news to come soon, That the equipment will all be put back, And that Coventry take up their position, In the Premiership as well as on track... Oh to be a fan of Speedway, It brings excitement greater than any other, Which makes it even more frustrating then, When you often ask, "why do I bother"?

To the majority of 'promoters' its a sport, hence they spend hours arranging fixture dates to be able to bring the best guests in, hours more suggesting rules that they have worked out will being them an advantage as they have already spotted the loopholes, and even more time doctoring their tracks to ensure as big a home advantage is achieved as is possible... All to win a Championship akin in status and kudos to the local Pub Darts Leagues dotted around the country... Fans, in the main, want to see entertaining Speedway on a track prepared specifically for that task alone, the League ran with integrity and a Championship that carries credibility... A huge dichotomy that somehow needs bridging I would suggest...

Yes it was great viewing from that bespoke slightly inclined shingles/dirt/weeds section on the first turns.... Alternatively you could have watched it from behind that glass fronted thing and not heard the bikes... Or maybe used the bar under the rickety old Grandstand (where you can sit on your very own wooden slab) and get your shoes dirtier in the bar than outside it! Aye, BV not a patch on Poole...!! We also dont have someone going around selling the Speedway Star either. Although from what I hear that may not be too bad a thing to miss out on.... Son.....

I did attend it was great.... Parked the car in the car park, straight in to the track due to many turnstiles, plenty of catering facilities and toilets and a great view of the racing... Which Speedway Stadium in Britain (not including Cardiff) could have handled a 7000 crowd better?

Salford isnt in Manchester Col..... You will start a riot with that....!! Largest City in Britian without a professional Football team although Salford City are starting to move through the Leagues with investment from Paul Scholes, The Nevilles and Nicky Butt... Spot on about Mcr and sporting arenas, truly a 'World Class' City when it comes to hosting events, Swimming, Cycling and Boxing all hold World Events there. Lets hope Speedway will keep using the NSS for World level competition. What a racetrack and facility...

There definitely was testing going on the day before as I watched it when picking up my tickets... Thought that was common knowledge...? Hence the frustration I would have thought from the Promotion, re the opening night itself... As previously alluded to, maybe the different weather conditions from an early afternoon (I was there around 1pm) to the evening conditions the next day, effected the moisture below the surface of the track..? Obviously this impacted the Promotions finances, as did paying for the South Stand Terrace each month, which should have been part of the handover and paid for by the Council.. Maybe that also consequently then meant no money to promote or market locally either the venue or the team...? It did appear that 'build it and they will come' was the only strategy but I would be surprised if that was the Promotions original plan to entice fans to the place and that funds would have been set aside for promotion and marketing but sadly ended up in refunds and hire costs.. Would be interesting to find out the truth but probably we will never know, as even settled claims out of court often have confidentiality clauses...

In the main, I don't there is a huge amount of conjecture on what the majority of fans want... "A league ran and organised with integrity and credibilty, with meetings taking place on the same nights regularly and consistently, with an off track entertainment package to augment the on track action, with all teams' riders being available every time a match is scheduled not 'somewhere else', and an admission fee that is actually reflective of the sports standing and the actual value for money entertainment level on show, rather than a random inflation busting number generated to help fend off spiralling out of control rider salary costs due to their financial outlay around the globe"... Would I suggest be a good starting point for promoters to address...? And not too difficult to deliver I would say if the promoters were mindful to achieve it..

The NL for me is probably the best ran League, unfortunately beholding to its bigger brothers who decimate it throughout the season by taking riders as their needs must... Admission prices are about right, minimal amount of guests, teams of similar standards due to a less disparate difference between the 14 riders on show who are, in the main, semi pro if not even amateur... Similar to how the second tier was ran years ago, young often local British lads dreaming of stardom mixed with old experienced heads earning a few extra quid alongside their day jobs, whilst others in the team (often the journeymen) used it as a paid hobby, they covered costs and even if they didnt quite do that it was worth it as they loved what they did.. Keep enjoying the NL, a good competitive League and probably Team Speedways true level from an economic perspective in this country...