R87

brainless from Woffinden there - Pedersen hard but fair

I do wonder what was going through the BSPA's mind in 1999 when they agreed the deal with sky. There should have been a clear and constructive plan when they did the deal to invest money into the structure of the sport, to make it more attractive for both regulars and the casual viewer, improve the presentation and build on the profile that having regular television coverage for the first time in years. A priceless opportunity to grab. Instead, it seems like they just saw the pot of cash and thought, ''well people will see it on tv now and they'll be flocking to their local tracks in droves''. There was no spade work done, no thought to doing work themselves. They simply continued to think of their own businesses first - in short, just continue to make it up as they were going along. To have 19 years of live television coverage AND a substantial cash influx and be worse off than it was before 1999 is a damming indictment on the BSPA and they way they have governed the sport.

Cant see how they can entertain the idea of one big league - surely there wouldn't be enough riders.

Fair play to Somerset. They deserved their win and really the scoreline flattered Wolves. In all honesty it's a result that's been coming for a while now

Totally agree. People's standards have stepped up since that and new fans expect good facilities and presentation that is vibrant and exciting. The presentation and facilities at a lot of tracks have not changed since my first meeting in 1990. Sports like Rugby League and Ice Hockey have embraced this and had a set plan to invest in the sports infrastructure. Speedway has not done this.

Totally agree about the BSPA and lack of transparency. It's almost as like, "we're doing this". "Why?" "Because we said so" Feel for the Rye House fans. How many more club's are we going to lose before the penny drops and those in charge realise things need to change?

Absolutely. However, i think quite a few promoters seem quite happy for speedway to be run in this low key and amateurish manner where they can have a social gathering and chat to the riders in the bar afterwards. I know one former promoter once said to me that the BSPA is like a gentleman club who close ranks when someone comes along with a bit of vision and threatens to shake things up.

Birmingham are doing some good things RE getting kids involved with activities on the centregreen during the interval since the Masons took over, particularly as the riders are embracing it and getting involved. But you're right that marketing the sport involves huge work and a clear, defined strategy for doing it nationally, as opposed to local. It can be done no doubt, but it needs people to put the spadework in and show some vision.

Sadly speedway in the UK will not move forward while self interest remains rife. It has so much potential to offer, yet the promoters seem unwilling/unable to realise it. As Bwitcher pointed out, watching a meeting on TV where the crowd consists of one man and his dog (and the dog looks like he's there under protest) does not give a good impression to the casual viewer. Equally, Speedways great ability to launch a shower of bullets into its own foot in front of the paying public doesn't help. The infamous Belle vue Poole meeting a few years ago being a great example.

Not so sure i would especially on a freezing cold night and theres loads of changes or the programmes full of typos because it hasn't been proof-read before it's sent to the printers. I use the Speedway Programme app now amd have done for a few seasons. It's got to be at least 5 years since I bought a programme.

Shades of Sudden Sam

RIP Cyril. Bit surprised there was no minutes silence at Wolves yesterday

Dean, if you'd posted this about eighteen months ago then I would have totally agreed with you. I went to the NSS a couple of times in 2016 and was taken aback at how overbearing the officials were there. Plus, the meetings I saw that year were not particularly good and it left me feeling that the dog track was a far better venue. Having said that, I've been to a few meetings there since the takeover last year and the difference is massive. The staff their are far more friendly and the meetings I've seen have been exceptional - yesterdays meeting being brilliant with some terrific action, a great atmosphere and a large crowd - so I an now gladly admit I was wrong. Its a shame that Stoke has deteriorated to the level it has, as I've seen some great racing at Loomer Road in years gone by as well. If there was ever a club that needed new life injected into it then its Stoke. However, you're more likely to attract the interest of a first timer by taking them to Belle Vue than you would to Stoke.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-5320571/amp/Vital-venues-sporting-history-not-left-rot.html?__twitter_impression=true

Save for a couple of heats, a total borefest. I remember the 2008 play off when an awful Wolves team finished miles adrift at the bottom then went to Edinburgh and ran riot. There's still a major gulf between the two leagues even with a weakened top flight.

Jimmy Nilsen in '89 I think.

Unless rumours of his imminent departure to Perry Barr are to be believed. Bit of mischief making I think though. Cannot see PA leaving Wolves.

Have heard whispers that CVS is taking a step back from Wolves due to poor health. would be very surprised if Pete Adams pitched up at Birmingham though.

Congratulations to Swindon. Always thought it would be a tall order even with a lead to defend. To lose it by a point is a real kick in the privates.

Have a feeling Cradley could be the big doubt rather than Birmingham if I'm honest

Doubling up has to go. However, because it's been allowed to mutate to this level of jaw-dropping idiocy, the only way it can happen is gradually over a period of two or three years. There simply aren't enough riders to go round who WANT to race in Britain now.

Sorting out the ludicrous amount of matches where teams arrive with riders missing has to be the priority over getting the top riders back. British Speedway is hardly in a position to chastise other countries over rider availability when we have so many clashes with the other two leagues in the UK.

Poole have already been to Wolves and won and pushed us close in the second meeting. If it's a Poole Wolves final, I certainly don't think it would be a formality.

Cradley fans have previous for cheering the opposition at Monmore (Just as some Wolves fans often went to Dudley Wood and did the same thing).

Steadily pulled away now. Belle Vue running out of steam.