YeOldPitGate

Someone on updates was saying Andrew has ploughed over £600k into Worky from the start so you can't fault his heart and commitment if that is true. If this Poland and one other league situation in 2027 is true UK speedway will be forced into making some hard decision next year whether they like it or not. If the current second division ends up going back to the standard of the national league a few years back before the powers that be obliterated it, that could be a good thing. One old hand per team, 4-5 English youngsters and maybe a couple of young aussies like the lad at reserve for Berwick who are committed to being in the UK the full season could be the way forward. Whatever way you slice it if you can't get more punters/sponsors in through the door, the costs are going to need to come down by a third to a half.

Personally just don't think people have the appetite for that amount of meetings anymore Aries I just think it would be less repetition and as mentioned losses should be less they would need to get a meeting at home at least once a fortnight and try and get things finished by the end of August say. Is Polish top division once home and away ?

If they could get the top league up to 8 teams and 20% better quality than we already have, every team having a proper number one, home meetings at a minimum every other week. Once home and away to minimise seeing same teams every other week and it would also help stem losses by having fewer but hopefully better quality meetings, Would need a tv deal and ideally a proper league sponsor to get another 4-6 real top line riders back over here and finding a way to help Sheffield survive.

I mentioned on another thread I read an article on UK music festivals recently and outside of the ten massive events the rest are struggling with the article quoting a drop from an average of 1,000 events a year pre-covid to 500 ish now. The reasons quoted were just like speedway the same acts seen to often, cost of staging the events gone up massively since covid this led to large ticket price increases which punters no longer view as value for money, punters preferring events held in footy stadiums as better facilities than using blocked porta loos in fields. Stories from promoters who ran the events who had been making bigger and bigger losses year on year until they couldn't afford to continue.

Thanks for the reply it seems its the same story as most clubs ageing fanbase, cost of living, two many guests, more pull on the pound on your pocket from other leisure activites over the last 25 years.

I'm thinking more how were the crowds when they came back after a really long break at the previous home possibly late 90's early noughties I was only loosely following the sport at this point having giving up going 94-95 when I discovered the joys of beer and nightclubs in my early 20's.

How were the crowds when they originally reopened I think it was under another Denham but from memory that fella had quite a bit of money behind him, were they poor then or like most clubs have they just declined over time due to the speedway ills we discuss on here daily ?

Hopefully they will be back but its a tough sell with no Tai, no Jack but same/more money this year for lower quality product we can ill afford to lose Sheffield or Worky but agree its looking grim at the moment.

Worrying with Sheffield if the Bates step back will someone with enough money come in to save the Tigers. In the perfect world top league would be eight teams once home and away if nothing else fewer meetings would stem losses and negate the issue of seeing the same teams every other week. Home meetings would need to be at least fortnightly though rather than the current monthly nonsense with some teams.

Don't disagree with any of that Noaksey I personally think 8 and 8 way to go with top league once home and away in the perfect world top league standard 30% better than currently so every team has a proper number 1. Second division twice home and away made up of the bottom 4-5 riders in division one plus youngsters from UK and any unpolished under 24 gems we could get from abroad. Two issues straight off the bat is more money would be needed to fund an 8 team better quality top league and doubling up would have to stay for a while so it could pay for the bottom 60-70% of riders in league 1 being able to top up earnings in league 2. I would restrict top league to once home and away if nothing else this alone would stem losses as fewer meetings and if you only saw Kurtz, Bewley etc once a season you might get more inclined to turn out. The caveat would be home meetings at least every fortnight not months between one home meeting and the next.

Does anyone know if there's a semi rich local business man/fan who might step in ? I know over the years sadly the willing benefactors who would swoop in and be willing to write off 50-100k per annum has dwindled along with fans coming in through the gates but maybe there is someone. Real shame as they seem to have an excellent track and a lot of work has gone into getting everything up and running.

To be fair they looked super weak on paper but have surprised a few including me but you can't see anything other than a Poole steamroller in the play offs.

Doesn't the lad want relatively big bags now for racing though, have a feeling that was part of the issue with Worky he had a season of improvement but then wanted pretty big money for 2026.

Same as John Berry mid 80's Mike was probably the most successful promoter in the UK as the time sold Ipswich and moved into big chief role with lots of ideas and was gone within a month.

Was always going to be the old head in the sand approach "it's all coming together , nothing to see here" plus the fact trying to find a new rider these days is like hoping you will trip over a gold bar as you step out of your front door.

For the days of Siggy, Cowboy Cook and T Rick those lads could pull some moves.

Still interesting to get your take on Eastbourne M.D how much did they get stiffed for by the last promoter ?

Love it as you say Mike the master plan was always one huge squad system same as the ten years before.

All interesting stuff assuming top league stays at six teams they must be confident of getting additional investment in to put the points limit up and of attracting riders over here if it is Poland and one other league lets hope it bears fruit at least Colman seems to be trying which is more than can be said of Harry and his Tory mate.

Agreed he's exactly the kind of rider we need to be holding onto especially if the poles turn the screw in 2027, I didn't think he was having to bad a season this year, as other have said hopefully if he has a break he will come back fresher in 2027.

That's the lad he was a very good trapper and had a tidy style but wasn't one for coming from the back much.

Putin's war with the West must be really ramping up if he's sending the bots in to meddle with us 30 old duffers and are multiple identities.

Sshhhh R87 is waiting in the wings ready to put the size ten in .

So very true was it Justin Elkins who was another that big things were hoped for but never happened, I used to enjoy the junior meetings you could always spot the ones who might make a career out of the game like Ray Morton, Sean Wilson and who was the lad who led the Wolves juniors around mid 80's also can't remember his name.

I didn't realise Einar was only with the Stars for a couple of seasons I could swear we suffered him for far longer than that, as an aside what happened to Adi Stevens in the end he was hyped as a new british talent like the Poole turbo teens but I think being in a super weak team crushed his confidence did he retire young or move on from Lynn and achieve anything of note ?