mikebv

Depends what yer missus looks like...😀 Interesting then that all those people managed to get there from 'various parts' that particular night... Maybe the 'nightmare' that is the Dartford Tunnel wasn't an issue for that one 'free' evening...? The only evening in the past lord knows how many years...😘

Didn't Lakeside get 7000 in to the stadium one night when they did a 'freebie'? How many of those paid full price the meeting after? I suggest admission price does make a big difference when deciding what to spend your 'leisure time disposable income' on... And charging circa £40 (or more), for a family of four (without the obligatory food and drink) is asking a lot if you expect many to take you up on that deal...

Allied to the 'equal problem' of having to watch riders representing 'your club' who belong to other teams, meaning you just don't have that 'emotional' connection as often the team on show simply isn't 'your team'... If the sport had that then (maybe) they could get away with the current admission level as your loyalty would mean you 'have to go' most weeks... (Many football teams get away with this)... Now I can easily miss several meetings when 'select teams' are on show and not feel I have missed anything at all, such is the contrived nature of the event.. I would though still watch a 'select match' if it was on Sky and take it for what it was, ie 15 speedway races to be hopefully enjoyed, however I would be also glad that I didn't pay any money to attend it in person..

Correct, 1800 seats would be ample I would suggest, and no need for 'back straight bogs' as everyones 'needs' will be met by the grandstand facilities.. Whether 1800 people max is enough to pay the bills is however another matter... As is how many wouldn't go if you had to sit down rather than stand..?

Or they both ride for Newcastle in their home leg and then ride for Kings Lynn in their home leg?

Think Speedway needs to make its sport (in GB) 'fit for purpose' then go after some mainstream media coverage.. Chicken and egg really.. Mainstream media would bring high profile sponsors... High profile sponsors would bring mainstream media... Currently, guests/more guests/even more guests/double uppers/downers/turn it all arounders etc etc would do more harm than good if played out to 'non fans' in the mainstream media... Would not attract anyone extra to the sport when it looks so 'Mickey Mouse', in fact it would be ridiculed by most casual observers I would suggest... Let's hope over the next couple of years it can get its operating model in line with 'proper sports' and then start to be taken seriously by 'proper media outlets'... We might then see some much needed fan base growth?

Exactly why Speedway needs a CEO to run "British Speedway PLC".... All marketing, merchandising, advertising etc etc under the umbrella of one organisation.. Maybe the guys involved now with the NSS who seem to have quite a 'business pedigree' can influence such changes one day?... It will be interesting to hear their views after a few months of dealing with many of the current Promoters given the level of leadership they will have been used to discussing things with in the past..

I still think bespoke specially made 'half n half' Kevlars are the answer.. One half of which Craig would have in Aces colours, the other half in the Comets insignia.* It would simplify the situation and add great credibility to the competition as his points scored would be added equally to both teams' scores, therefore neither would gain an advantage by having him ride for them..** * (Obviously I mean in half down the middle rather than the front and back being different, as that may appear to be seen as somewhat ridiculous and lose the contest its much needed kudos) ** (I do realise if he was riding for double points for one of the teams it would be a problem, however if that situation occurs something could just be made up by the ref, or someone else at random, on the night to sort it)...

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.....😁