Grand Central

Yes... But liquidating the few assests they have may go some way offsetting just a bit of losses suffered over the last few years of this, latest, I'll fated exercise .

It is getting a bit silly to play this rather childish game of 'correcting' people when it suits. And then to finish each little bust of activity with this coquettish denoument of 'wait and see'. I do not get the impression that the full details will have been worth any of the teasing. The 'FIM Monster Speedway Damp Squib' starts in June.

That is just not true. There were FIVE men per SWC team Why would you say otherwise. And only Speedway could be mental enough to call THREE people a PAIR. For all the years that the World Best Pairs operated - which you have repeatedly said yourself was a competition YOU enjoyed - it managed with two men and only had the very occasional time that was reduced to a single man. But If they want or feel they must have three per team then at least show SOME sense and actually call them TRIOS.

I was going to respond myself. But it would be superfluous after reading SCBs post. I do not think I have seen a better critique. Brilliant.

Not so much 'interesting' as 'crucial' Surely no one could countenance a World Championship level event which gave more points to the pair who come second and third?

Far be it for me to suggest any such thing. But feel free to enlighten me on an alternative forum, discussion site or any other online facilty that offers such a representation of the 'wider soeedway public' that you consider better. If one exists. Then I imagine that you, and me, would be contributing to that. And not lurking around here.

So that is one more 'vote' for the new format. Well done ! As that side seem to be lagging a fair bit behind at the moment I suppose KT could be coming in as. a 'Joker' to record double votes for his 'team'. As I am sure the organisers will want to 'pep' the competition up with such exciting ideas that have been loved by so many in the sport before. This could turn into a winter long series.

I suppose it depends what sort of restuarants one frequents. General speaking I would choose something that I knew I liked from the menu That could be (say) Sirloin cooked medium rare. Not Liver or any other offal. If I sat down at my table and was told I had no say in what I was to eat. But had to hold my nose for a 'variety meat' selection of whatever was left in the kitchen. Then I may make my excuses and leave. But to request that I eat it first. And then just HOPE that I did not throw up later. No. Thank. You.

There certainly are. The SWC being one of the very best. But apparently we are supposed to keep our gobs shut until we have actaully seen this stupidly entited/conceived 'Speedway of Nations' next June. And not expose the folly of abandoning the SWC now. In my view, that would not be 'looking for a positive'. It would be just fiddling whilst Rome burns. .

In a world seemingly over-populated with supposedly sensible sycophants. I can take great pride in being tagged as 'silly and cynical' And in a lifetime of Speedway watching it is an attitude that has served me well. When others cannot seem to see the blatantly obvious in front of their eyes. There is great need for some people to keep pointing out that the Emperor is 'stark-bollock naked'.

Sounds more ominous, than exciting. It seems that 2017-18 is to be marked by a concerted lack of clarity from the administrators on the decisions made at their respective conferences. To the point of a 'news blackout' on particular elements. The BSPA seemed to have made important rule changes at their AGM that were not communicated publicly and then even changed them as well afterwards. Or not. Now we have the FIM throwing the Premier World Team Event out of the window and are replacing it with some sort of event the like of which has never been seen before. And they are keeping it secret. Or only telling ther family friends. Those who have agreed not to tell anyone else. I wonder why all successful sports are not run in this clearly superior fashion.

I wonder if the ACU (presumably Tony Steele) even requested any more than three places ? Was there even a debate within the CCP or did the 'same again' just go through on the nod ?

I agree completely. I think I have already nailed my colours to the mast ... I really dont like any type of pairs event. But what is this obsession with doing something extra in pairs events to 'encouraging team riding' ? We don't feel compelled to do that in league racing. After all, the team riding that really sets the pulse racing is (usually) a 5-1. As far as I am concerned ALL Speedway scoring whould be 3-2-1-0. A second and third is EQUAL to a win.. End of. Any contrivance that promotes the idea that winning a race is not the be all and end of Speedway is bonkers. It is a triumph of medoctracy with pairs settling for the minor places and giving up the race for the lead. That is not what we want happening race after race at a major championship The 21 heat 7 pairs format does at least allow the normal scoring to be used and mostly gives a decisive result. And a simple match race decides a tie. But is a bloody stupid subsitutue for the SWC.

By which time -when it is too late - they will see how perceptively correct us naysayers were all along.They will bin the whole idea. Then attempt to bring back the SWC. And spin the whole cock-up off as some sort of triumph. We have all been here so often before. 6 rider races, two-day world finals, major championships being held among cow pats in the wilderness. Time after time these so called passionate numpties get the chance to beggar about with this Sport. And then Sod off leaving the mess they have created behind. It really does make one sick.

You raise an excellent point on the pairs scoring. It is another annoying part of this daft format of Speedway. Personally I would NEVER change from 3-2-1-0 for any match of any type. And I absolutely hate those pairs events that do 4-3-2-0. But chances are that with folk who actually think Jokers are a good idea in a World Championship Final and have forced them on us for over 15 years. Just about ANYTHING is possible with this latest folly.

I cannot believe that you are perpetuating this daft train of thought. On the almost monthly 'Tai is an Aussie' thread we end up with people pointing out that 'Jason Crump was born in Bristol' or 'Mark Loram was born in Malta'. All of no relevance whatsoever. And here you are doing something very simlar. Really, really weird.

All the arguments in favour of ANY deal to get the sport on TV are as valid as always, especially for the long term position of the sport ... BUT The specific terms set out by BT look as if they are just impossible for any promoter to sign up for when they considered their costs for 2018. No one can realistically expect them to be able to deliver on a guaranteed 7 GP men. The costs would be immensely greater than anything that could be recouped from sponsorship or gate receipts. £3000 would not come close to the costs of putting on a TV meeting AND reducing admission to £10. Especially when you were committed in the contract to giving all the 'plum' meetings to that arrangement. I have always thought, and said here, that BT would be able to offer a poor 'take it or leave it' deal. Which they so definitely have. And I had been of the opinion that 'taking it' would turn out to be the correct move But if Flagrag is correct with the extra commitments being demanded of the promoters. They are just asking the impossible. So 'leaving it' will be the only POSSIBLE decision the Promoters can make, I don't think BT have left them with much choice, I'm afraid.

I should stop digging.

Yup. And Speedway has forced me to eat some pretty dodgy 'puddings' in my time. Bags first dibs on the Alka Seltzer.

Actually having read what Castagna says and the other stuff about it in The Star today. It doesn't even look as if it is going to be ANYTHING like a World Pairs Championship of any type either. That is a total red herring. They have plans for something much worse. This 'Speedway of Nations' sounds like a right 'Horlicks' of a competition. The sort that is dreamed up by a committee with the remit of trying to please the all the lowly, pointless federations at the expense of the core Speedway world. In the end we have to suffer a 'push-me-pull-you' abortion that should have been binned at conception. Pleasing absolutely no one. And having to be dumped as quietly as possible at the next Annual Junket.. A bit like Promotion and Relegation in British Speedway. These folk are just not fit for purpose.

There is some bizarre logic going on here to try and make sense of this decision. Apparently, no one would want to run the SWC in the UK whilst Rosco and Woffinden don't see eye to eye. But, in the same breath, the mouth watering prosepect of this crappy Pairs is that Woffinden would be riding. How come with Rosco just being reappointed GB manager ? Those trying to look on the bright side are living in hope that the SWC will be back on aternate years. Just grasping at any straw that we can put up with a pigs ear for the other alternate years providing we still can look forward to the better one next year. That is the best way this decision can be 'swallowed', really? It has been well established that often early rounds of the SWC are not well attended but the Final tends to sell out. Instead of rejigging the formula or coming up with workarounds to solve that conundrum we throw the baby out with the bath water. And PR tells us that there will not just be a crappy Pairs Final but there will be more meetings than that. Why does anyone think those other rounds will be any more 'money spinners' than in the SWC. Is it not just as likely that they will be financial millstones to the organisers just the same But 'hey ho' it's all going fine because the memory of Barry Briggs and his 13 points at Rybnik 46 years ago lives so strong in all our minds. Mind you, 1971 was a year more remembered for the crushing victory by the Poles. A repeat of which would, at least, restore a littlle justice in the circumstances.

Cannot argue with your enthusiasm, Phil. And i have no wish to see anything in the Sport fail. But the loss of the SWC is pretty tragic. I'm afraid Pairs have always been 'pants' to me. ESPECIALLY that malformed hybrid three-man-pair version of recent years. An oxymoron produced by a moron. But what does my/our view count ? Zippo.

. Unfortunately that must be true. But it is no laughing matter. is it ? What a dreadful bunch of administrators we are plagued with. Nationally and internationally. It really does sap one's enthusiasm so much.

Well you can take my testimony alongside so many here. If it makes you happy. Probably the worst decision that BSI have made. They have the crown Jewels in their possession. And bin them for a tin-pot rehash of the One-Sport crap. Shame on them.

Yes. It is really quite amazing that we have all been examining minute detail arising from the already miniscule moves at the AGM. Whilst ignoring the big bad smelly Elephant in the BSPA room. The Sky money has gone. And what is to replace that massive gaping hole in the finances of the PL clubs, in particular ?. On that we have had no news at all. One thing is for certain. If I were a rider, a shale supplier, a Landlord or any other creditor of a 2018 Speedway promoter who cannot answer that conundrum. Then I would want to be paid up-front. And in cash.