Ray Stadia

I accept that and I said the word 'really' to indicate no major changes. Or radical changes that alters the possible result of the event. F1 has many radical changes, which are usually technical changes and has allowed the teams to be a bit closer in competitive terms, more so down the lower ranks. The point is and I would say the point of the OP is to create discussion on the sport as a whole, both good and bad. If you are happy with what is being 'served up' then fine. Many don't seem to be. There are many 'old chestnuts'. I think the overall frustration for many fans is it looks like Speedway will enter the 2014 season, actually, with very little change! But carrying some of the 'baggage' which is, perhaps, holding Speedway back.

I agree. If you are trying to entice new fans to the sport, the last thing you want to do is focus on what you consider to be your chosen negatives and impart them on the newbie. However, in my opinion and as what happens with many opening threads, the original subject changes and other thoughts and ideas surface. This often happens on Facebook. Isn't this a healthy thing to happen?

I understand different sports have rules which are hard to understand, I have never understood Cricket and probably never will. I don't really understand Rugby either. However, the rules of most sports have been 'hard coded' for many years and to me, haven't really changed. Speedway seems to be constantly tinkering with the rules to try and make the sport more exciting and less one sided at certain meetings. But it obviously isn't working as, sadly, fans are not flocking to the tracks to witness these new rules in action and in fact are creating the opposite. Many hard core fans just want a simple 3,2,1 system of scoring and with a team of riders who, barring injury, turn up at each meeting. Ideally local lads, who the fans and more importantly, the youngsters can relate to. Is that really such a terrible wish? It was what Speedway began with!

Assuming and I repeat assuming, the friend is a fictitious friend, can you blame him/her? If Cats Eyes had posted the subject as though he/she was making the point, the very forum members that have tried to belittle this topic would have hung drawn and quartered him/her! Anyone who starts a topic on the BSF is very brave! I have had my fair share of 'put downs'. Leg pulling/banter is fine, but to blatantly call someone a liar, is at the very least churlish and at worst slanderous!

Well done TWK!

I don't think the doubling up happened as much as it does now. It was usually where a promoter ran clubs in both divisions and wanted a good, but inexperienced rider to have a taste of the higher league and gain experience, which is fair enough. If the reality is, there just aren't enough riders out there, well surely a training/recruitment drive is necessary. Which really should be initiated by the controllers of the sport. I don't think the sport looks amateurish, in some respects, it tries to be too professional which causes the massive cost of equipment for the riders. The sport needs to regain club identity for the fans, so the fans know their riders, get behind their riders and love and cherish their Club. The same passion Football fans have.

A post of this type does crop up in increasing numbers, why? Because there are many fans of Speedway who are frustrated at the way the sport is going. I wouldn't say there is an overwhelming balance of opinion that does not agree with the OP. The idiosyncrasies appear to be increasing, due to the promoters trying to square the circle. Eventually, the penny will drop and some kind of 'normal' service resume or team racing will disappear. Not next year or the year after, but 'patch and mend' is not the ultimate answer.

I don't think Dickie Davies and Dave Lanning will be happy about 4K! They no longer have a 'best side' and it will show every imperfection!

Well the Minor Leagues Baseball website says the following: Q. Can a player be drafted by more than one team? Can more than one team offer an undrafted player a free-agent contract? A. A player may only be drafted by one Major League team in each year that he is eligible to be drafted. He has no say about which team drafts him, but he can opt to not sign with that team, and in some circumstances he may return to the pool of Draft-eligible players for the next Draft. If more than one team offers a free agent player a contract, the player may choose which Major League organization he wants to sign with. MiLB.com is in no way involved with facilitating this process for unsigned players.

Regarding the first line, do people moan about the same riders in the GP? I am surprised. After all, to get the end result the whole series needs to be completed with all those that started, barring injury and wild cards. As for squads, you would know your own team, 1 to 16 or whatever. And there would be more chance of the team shown in the programme for the meeting, matching what was 'dished up'. Perhaps those that did not ride in the main event could ride in the second half? Now that's another issue!

I suppose at the end of the day it is the captain and team manager's responsibility to keep check on the score and if need be, relay the info to the riders as necessary.

Should have gone to Specsavers!

Moto Ball! A great interval entertainment! I remember seeing it in the MCN years ago, 'spot the ball' contest. Never seen it advertised though. Is it still going?

'Some' of the names may have changed? I think you will find at some meetings 'many' have changed. It may sound like nit-picking, but many forum members complain about team member inconsistency. How long will they remain fans before calling it a day? Perhaps it is a bit like the old Eric Morecombe gag 'all of the team will be riding for the Club, but not necessarily at the same meeting'.

Will there be a day that an EL rider, when interviewed says something like 'am I riding for Belle Vue today?, sorry, I was riding for Coventry last night and got confused'. Probably difficult to fill in any programme 'neatly' as you are not sure who the hell is in the meeting or in the heat! Yes you may get a muffled incoherent notification over the tannoy!

I do think the original thread poster has a bit of a point. I think we are at the stage in Speedway where the sport is trying to hang on to being a team sport, but pressure is there for it to be individual only. Until the sport is able to field, virtually, the same team of riders week in, week out and season in, season out, the grumbling will continue. It is getting worse and looking through my rose tinted glasses, didn't happen to the same degree, in the not too distant past.

I remember back in the mid 80's seeing Gordon Kennett at the beginning of the season, wearing brand new goat skin leathers, which were very thin looking and I doubt he had much more than a back protector! Having said that, the more protection the better!

I reckon they are going to announce that Speedway will be returning to ITV on Saturday afternoons, 'World of Sport', with Dickie in the chair and Dave Lanning doing the commentary! Free to view. Reason for the delay, they are getting Dickie and Dave down the gym to get them 'fit for purpose'!

We can all see that things are not right in Speedway, but much of the issues are outside of Speedway's control, such as, the state of the economy. I know the politicians would like us to believe otherwise, but we live in the real world. The promoters are the ones that put their 'necks on the line', financially. So obviously we need them if we want Speedway to continue. I think there is a possible belief on the forum, that if you talk something up, it will happen. The movers and shakers in Speedway probably don't read the stuff we post and probably don't give a cuss either! I have learnt over the years in Speedway, if it happens it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't. But every closed season is stressful for supporters, with the 'will they, won't they?'. I think that will always be the case, even in the 'so called' good times.

I truly hope you are right TWK. I suppose, some of us are suffering from the 'Norwich returns syndrome'. You get carried along with the hype and ballyhoo, only for things to fall flat. Having said that, I was sceptical about Sittingbourne and was proved wrong, so let's see.

Perhaps the rhyme should be..'catch a SKY broadcaster.....' !

Or free beer at all Speedway events for 2014!

Gosh! Will it be in our lifetime? Might not be mine by the sound of things!

Out of interest, what is going for planning permission? I thought planning permission had already been sought and found? Is the true reality, the funding of the project is still not found?

Estate bottled rum? Is this some kind of moonshine, 'knocked up' on a housing estate?