mikebv

Looking at the current state of UK Speedway, if it was my lad I am not sure I would encourage him to try and be a Speedway rider... Only the very, very few, get to earn the big money and, as we will see I am sure soon, the sport over here will be lowering its outgoings significantly.. Not many top riders "suddenly" come good like Jason Doyle did, most clearly stood out by the time they were 20, with some even at 16... Given the sports issues, I would think a fair few parents will be asking themselves honestly if their kid has what it takes to be a top level rider.. Because, if the kid hasn't, and he will just be an average rider, I can't see them making much money over here for at least the next decade or so, and maybe never...

He just said "thuck off"....

You open the door.....

"Who left that f**king sign there?" "Move it now!!" "It spoils the Infield".... Edit. I hope the sponsorship isn't based on £'s per square metre signage!!!😁

Those 48 hours from Monday seem to have made all the difference to his injury looking at his scores last night and tonight... Who would have thought such a short time would make him capable of riding so well?

I have made a vigil to Lourdes....

If it's any consolation, Klindt is 8 paid 11 after four rides in Poland... Riding very well from the back...

Two matches per monthly salary max for me... More than that and you are asking maybe too much for many who are currently financially stretched.... To make a significant change in your life it takes 28 days of doing something/not doing something, and this then becomes "normal", and Speedway with all its gaps between meetings certainly isn't helping itself.... NB. Which is also why one off "build it and they will come" cheap tickets/free ticket meetings don't work... You need to entice people for several weeks for it to become "normal" for them to attend... It is folly from a marketing angle to expect them to suddenly become regulars after a one off visit...

Giving up a priority night could be deemed to be somewhat partly to blame...?

All riders with over a 4pt average only... If enough teams want to run a seven rider second team, alongside some stand alone clubs who feel that level is their organic level, then run an NDL league.. If not, then each team should have a 3 man second team, like the SJL used to be like, and run a nine heat second half at NDL level..

Just got this weeks copy... Some great interviews with Ben Barker, Charles Wright and Armando Castagna... Ben suggesting we need one league with fewer riders per team so more rides per rider next season... Inside info? Woffy too has an indepth interview about his crash and convalescence... A consistently excellent publication which shines the sport in a professionally good light...

It was him who agreed the change wasn't it? Wasn't it done so Poland would let "their riders" ride over here? Which would then mean the thousands that still follow the sport, but either don't attend at all, or still do so but infrequently, would all flock back into the stadiums around the nation and only have to pay circa fifty quid per couple for the privilege.. ...!!

I cannot believe Speedway promoters would do that,..

And therein lies an issue with any UK kid that looks a modicum better than average... I have seen him and Rushen described as potential superstars... Let's see if they can beat average rising stars regularly first... At 16, the very top riders in the world were beating heat leaders in their respective top divisions, so let's not pile pressure on these lads should they show some ability higher than most of their UK peer group... Because, with all due respect, Dan Thompson apart, that group isn't the greatest standard, and Div 2 second string level will be an achievement for most of them....

From reading the comments... I take it the tide was out...?

Doubling up has caused a huge amount of damage... It started off controlled with two UK riders max per team.. Then, before we knew it, almost every member of each team had a minimum of two clubs.. Sam Masters a few years ago actually spent a couple of months being No1 in the averages of both leagues!!! Imagine trying to markef fhat? When riders rode for one team, and got injured, by the time their next meeting came around they often had enough time to get well, or, if not a guest was used if the rider was of a certain level.. Now, many riders of any level getting injured on a Monday could miss Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday matches in Div 2... Meaning guest after guest, after guest to replace them.. Complete nonsense...

We cannot have just ONE team being plagued by injuries can we...?.. Not that they ever mention it.....

Good luck to Norick this Friday in the SGP2... Hopefully he is over his injury....

Maybe a six team league next year would be more competitive, resulting in more matches with some jeopardy and consequence? Six would appear to be the "sweet spot" for UK Speedway given the amount of riders who want to race here... An amalgam of Oxford and Brum this year would have delivered a sixth competitive team...

The price point is a major issue for the sport, and dissuades visits... Utopia is GP stars at £15 a pop, but that won't happen... However, it should given the TV money should have been used to subsidise the entrance fee... Ironically the top lads will bring a few extra in and maybe could be "cost neutral", or thereabouts, but it is the fully pro rest of the team that are not "cost neutral" as they bring hardly anyone extra in... You even have NDL lads with personalised sign written vans!!!??? If BZ turned up this weekend with £5k of gold handlebars, you can bet several riders would also want them, as with them, they could ride like him couldn't they? 🤪... Maybe Speedway should do something similar to what Rugby League and Non League Football do when the International matches are on, and do a "magic week" or maybe a fortnight so every track has a home meeting.. Well publicised, well planned, and every adult in for a tenner, with all 18 and under kids still in education in for free.. Get as many emails and mobile numbers as is possible to keep communicating with those who turn up and keep sending them offers out if they haven't attended again over the next week or two.. A bit of a reset, with the aim to impress the punters off and on the track..

The sport has to become semi pro over here... Like it mainly was in the 70's and 80's... Spending ridiculous amounts on equipment has to stop.. And it will if the money isn't getting paid to do it.. Too many FT pro's, spending far too much on kit, to try and win something with very little kudos, financial rewards, or credibility, is truly madness.. But not as mad as the promoters paying them enough to do it...

One of the key strengths is riders being in contention for four laps... As you say, that can be just racing closely for a point... If you build momentum for a couple of laps (what Kurtz and Bewley do brilliantly), you can make up some serious ground on an opponent, and be going quicker when you reach them... Scunthorpe, Redcar, Workington and Glasgow appear to be similar...

Then let the current operating model destroy the sport... Like it has done systematically for the past two decades... There will always be those "happy clappers" who still see the sport as bona fide from a team perspective, and pretend along with fhe promoters it means sometbing, but sadly, they are getting fewer year on year... The model simply doesn't work, and heads have been in sands far too long... And that means both the "happy clapper fans" as well as the promoters.. Edit. And why not "pay to play" for Speedway... MX does it and Stock Cars do it, and this helps provide the prize fund.. One of the major issues is that "journeymen" riders are trying to earn 12 months money in six months of work.. Far too many full time pro's for such a tiny sport and income to support.. These lads should be semi pro and earn their speedway money riding regularly through the season whilst having a job outside the sport.. If the sport went individual then they could do this as less time needed off work... Give 16 riders a grand guarantee, with some prize money on top, twice a week, for 26 weeks... I would think there would be quite a few takers..

But apart from all of the above?

BSB does "more than OK" using UK riders with a few aspiring overseas riders who for many, see BSB as a stepping stone to WSB and MotoGP... If this type of model was the only Speedway on offer, I would suggest crowds would attend.. As you suggest, throw in some support classes to ensure a conveyer belt of talent coming through as the top names organically moved on to Poland, and the sport would continue.. Just like BSB does when their riders move on to the higher level racing.. It must cost circa £30k to lay out for two home and away meetings in the top tier, so use all, or some, of that, to put out some decent prize money and see if 1500 or so at @£20 will attend, and 10 sponsors will pay £500 for "a VIP night out" on nights that the entertainment industry is most successful... There will always be some who say "team speedway only for me" but, in its current guise, it isn't really that anway is it? These people have to actually collude with promoters in pretending it is a bona fide team sport.. Ten meetings minimum at each track, regular racing each fortnight, changing riders each meeting, all publicised well locally in the two weeks between meetings, with decent prize money, and ran on the best night for that customer base, and you could have some continuation of the sport.. If this was the only ticket in town, the sport would continue... On its current glide path it won't...