mikebv

As with many promoters, "speedway is great value for money, so I cannot fathom why so few come"...😡 Only seen two meetings at Leicester, one on a 'stream' with bet365, and one in person... When I went there I had a certain apprehension as to the quality of the racing as I had read 'ad infinitum' that the straights were too long and the bends too tight to deliver good racing, and the meeting I saw on the net was follow the leader with the leader half a straight in front most races... And guess what? Everyone who has suggested that the track is an issue were absolutely correct...!😶 Great facility for speedway being so far from houses, great attempt at engaging a 'younger crowd' the night I went, decent food, reasonable priced bar, and apart from the back straight terracing being 'too flat' meaning if you are stood at the back it is difficult to see, the spectator facilities are good too.. Just a shame the track doesn't make for good racing... Change that, make the racing closer, and maybe more than 1500 will attend? Who am I kidding, promoters know best!😝

Ken Wrench.... But you are right about the rest.... The issue is that someone like Ken would appeal to his audience as they are mostly of a similar vintage, however any 'modern' presentation would no doubt alienate the majority of attendees.. Ken has now gone on to take a well earned rest from the box and will watch his speedway from the Grandstand when we go to the new track.. It will be interesting to see what the Promoters come up with to replace him...

Don't think away fans' attendance would be a major consideration if they decide go to Friday evening racing... So few travel anyway so the thought would be that a Friday evening would increase the home crowd levels with no school, no work for many, the following day.. Lose maybe five away fans but gain between fifty to one hundred home fans would be the considered view I would suggest... Embarrassingly pitiful numbers though isn't it in the grand scheme of things? Yet, I would suggest, a pretty accurate description of the actual expectation of the change..😥 (And an extra 100 every week would generate around 30k a season if they all bought a programme, such are the low numbers the sport now deals with)..

Any business that sells a product that year on year, less and less people purchase, ultimately goes bust anyway... The savvy ones listen to their customers' feedback, make the requested changes from the feedback given, survive, evolve and even prosper.. The ones that choose to stick their heads in the sand and tell their customers "I'm happy with what I provide for you, there is no other way so take it or leave it" only go one way.... And it doesn't have a happy ending...

But I thought he was left handed? If so, won't he need last years Polish average converting by 23% to provide him with an average to ride in the PL (just in case the DU rules change).? Then won't this average then need to get converted to an EL figure by using his Swedish League figure (think its currently +/- 5%)? (But only his away average in Sweden obviously due to him wearing dreadlocks).. But then again he could just simply be right handed...? Which, if the case, will mean that the MC just need to ask Poole what average they would like him to have...😝😃

1st, Shirley???

Definitely be on the Sunday.. Won't be allowed to play Saturday at either 3pm or 5.30pm by the Police.. Means a great sporting weekend in Manchester...

😃 Now come on VOR.... Don't sit on the fence, tell us what you really feel....😂

A great piece of information... However, I think you may have got one vital piece of it wrong... I am pretty sure Newman should be below Ashley Morris!!! 😃😄😁😉

Genuine question, as I am not 'anti Poole' in any shape or form... Would Poole get a 'guest facility' for him if there is a clash? Because they shouldn't should they as they know when signing him the clear 'self inflicted' potential for him needing to be in two places at once... As I say, genuine question which applies to any team doing the same...

As many have been riding for the last two years in the EL against each other under a 'defined race structure' then surely that is the best 'barometer' of their true level?? You cannot get a more level playing field than protected races so maybe just use the reserve race performances as their average to determine the pecking order for the draft? Won't deliver for any new riders so maybe the PL average with some worked out conversion is needed for them, but for the vast majority of reserves there is at least one years data and often two to make a truly 'informed' decision..

No doubt over the past 48 hours several 'loopholes' will have been unearthed so some teams can eagerly jump into them...😃 It also says that the current reserves 'have the ability' to move into the top five after four matches if their average is higher not that 'they will'... Nice to see, once again, a bit of ambiguity when bringing out a rule... Heaven forbid, we ever see clear unambiguous legislation....😉

Doesnt the 6.5 point average for new non british riders mean that this is unlikely??

So NONE of those Guest places used could have been covered with a more 'fit for purpose' suitable rider replacement rule??? Course not....

Correct, It simply is a matter of logistics for the 'big names'.... Tai, Emil, Pedersen, Hancock, Hampel all earn more than enough riding in max two leagues, two nights a week on big contracts... Then have five nights off each week.... Riders at the 'top level' simply dont need British Speedway and putting up team averages to 50 wont tempt them to come (not that any team could afford it)... Interesting that Magic is someone who is mentioned as likely to give British Speedway a miss now his stock has risen in the GP which in turn has no doubt done no harm to his negotiating position in both Poland and Sweden.... British Speedway has the '2nd tier' of top riders (at best), who put up with riding three or four nights a week over here until their reputation has been enhanced enough to get more money from the World's top two leagues... British Speedway now needs to plough its own furrow with a clear identity communicated to the fans to protect its own business... The current 'halfway house' of trying to be all things to all men simply doesnt work...

And that situation would/should need to be managed as 'a one off'... Who knows, a common sense approach may even be chosen... The issue is that the vast majority of 'guests' could be avoided in most instances with some thought... If they are to be used then they should be 'the necessary evil' and only used by clear exception, rather than what they have become today, which is part of a team's tactical plan to win a match and a convenient 'get out' clause for lazy planning and administration.... .

No guests for riders four and five.. A start anyway... However why not tweak the rr rules and use rr for any missing one to five? If No1 is out then any of the team can take his rides (to a max of two extra each)... If No2 is out. No1 takes one ride and then any of the rest of the team can takes his others (again a max of two extra rides for any rider) If No3 is out. Then No2 can take one ride and the rest of the team (4-7) can take the others (again to a max of two extra rides each) If No4 is out the No3 takes one ride and '5-7' takes his others (up to two extra each) If No5 is out then No4, No6 and No7 can divide his rides between them to a max of two extra rides each Riders have ridden seven times in a match before so nothing new there... More income for the riders who may get seven rides, more flexibility for using tactics from the team manager and surely more credibility for the sport rather than 'guests'?? Gaps between races may take longer (but would we notice much difference from what already happens?)😃

I remember Simon Wigg saying that every week should see a junior meeting BEFORE the main match... His reasoning was when you go out to eat you have your main course after your starter, not the other way round and that the cinema puts the trailers on first so you build up to the main event.. He also felt that it would help them riding in front of bigger crowds and riding on a surface with dirt still on it.. He also advocated team race suits when very few others did... He seemed to have some good ideas...

Can they decide on what biscuits to serve up pre November or does that have to be ratified later too..?😃

Only Newman? I would suggest that they would also manage to get Davey Watt as captain!!!😁

Think they would be better dispensing with the 'free' programme and knocking the 20 x £3 off the season ticket and letting you buy one if you want one.. My lad can have a season ticket for £162 with a programme he will never read never mind fill in or pay on the gate 20 times for £22 less!!! It makes speedway look expensive for such a tiny minor sport....

Attendances do seem in the main to be one step down from fifth tier league football which is frankly embarrassing considering the speedway team in the town or city has no sporting rival from the same sport to contend with and is usually the only speedway team within a 25 mile radius... In fact, as crowds are now so poor around many tracks I have wondered why clubs don't try and get marketing people in on a commission only basis to see if they could drum up bigger crowds.. Lets face it. At most tracks a (sadly) pitiful 300 - 400 extra would be a large double digit percentage increase, therefore surely offering someone say 50% commission on any increase of say £5k or over from an 'average turnover' would deliver some people with real promotional and marketing ideas??

Last year it seemed that crowds at Kirky Lane were up, unsurprising given it was a much better season than many previously .... I attended probably 10 matches in total, 8 of which were pre Play Offs... I would say that during these 8 matches crowds were (to my untrained eye) between around 800 - 1000 with as you would expect, the larger crowds being at the start of the season and towards the end when it became a distinct possibility that the Aces could progress into the Play Offs The Play Off Semi drew I would suggest a crowd of around 1200 - 1500, (it was significantly noticeable the difference in crowd level from a 'normal' league match).. Not seen any info re the crowd for the KL leg of the final but I seem to remember a crowd of 3500 was mentioned when we rode against Cov. the last time we got there, and the crowd v Poole looked well, well up on that night... The argument seems to be that the Play Offs are only useful for those who qualify and that the rest of the League get no benefit. Well, as has been mentioned Wolves definitely got a benefit by the Aces being there when we had a qualifying chance, (if it had of been a 'dead rubber' then hardly any Aces would have been in attendance)... There can be no doubt that if they hadn't got anywhere near the Play Offs then (just like many other seasons) the Aces season would have spluttered to an end being played out in front of an ever dwindling number of 'die hards' like so many before.. This year, five teams (out of a total of eight) had, up until the final week of the season, a chance of becoming Champions... I would suggest that with only Poole and Cov in contention to win the League if the 'table topper' was crowned then there would simply have been apathy from the fans of clubs third to fifth, meaning no end of season increase in crowds, (in reality I am sure we would have seen a drop with 'nothing to play for').. They might not be every ones 'cup of tea' but there is no doubt that the Play Offs generate interest that otherwise would not be there and when the sport is fighting for every penny it gets, that isn't a bad thing... In fact, I would suspect that the crowds at KL for the two PO matches have gone a long way in making the season if not completely viable, then at least 'somewhat' viable.....

And "gogglegate" rumbles on....!😃 But not it has to be said by many aces fans... Maybe it did change the result, but then again so did Scott's tape exclusion, Cookie's fall and exclusion and the reserves getting pummelled by their counterparts. Add in Matej not dominating like a World Top Rider may have been expected to do and it has to be said, we did more damage to the loss that any ref's balls up did (and lets not forget Steve W didn't cover himself in glory staying down either) Imagine what we would be discussing now if we had got a 3-3 in the rerun😵!? Not meant to be in anyway critical of any of the riders mentioned either by the way it is simply the way sport pans out with its many 'what if?' moments.. Really proud of what the Aces achieved to a man, roll on next year. A great future lies ahead for us I am sure... Well done to Poole. The best team over the season won the title.. Nothing wrong with that...

Are the fireworks on tonight then?...