uk_martin

Out of interest, when was the rule that stated that a rider needs to have ridden for a team, before that team can get a facility for his absence, removed from the rule book? Brummies fans may remember we came a cropper under that rule when Emiliano Sanchez was unable to start for us in 2007 and the team had to use a 3-point NL reserve in his place. It obviously doesn't apply now, if a facility is being granted for James Wright, but it'd be interesting to know when it was removed from the rule book.

Don't take it personally, it's the sport in general that's run in a way that stuck in a bygone era that I'm losing interest in. You'll have seen that in the way that I wrote that comment. I ought to be one of the oldest people in the stadium when I visit a sporting event, and yet at any speedway meeting in Britain, I'm usually in the youngest 10-20%. That should never be right. And sadly, I see little or no effort being made to change that. That said, and as you raised the web site for no apparent reason, the fact that the Brummies now have as a partner, the very person who flicked the switch to shut down the Brummnies web site from his position in the commentary box, on instructions of the sport's establishment, on the day of the play-off's final, is the sort of irony that you couldn't make up.

And that. ladies and gentlemen (whether you self-identify as such or not) is a symbol of where the sport is going wrong, if you have to target the grandparents generation for your income stream. If being a mascot qualifies you, then how about programme and raffle ticket sellers?

A bit pointless, given that the CWG Legacy has a different agenda and is all about young people getting actively involved in participation sports (running swimming, boxing, cycling etc), not propping up a commercial spectator sport (let alone a motor sport) frequented by "not young" people. Until the Brummies get involved with community ventures and start engaging with young people there won't be a penny worth applying for.

As can be seen, the 2023 regulations are there. And although the season has hardly started, the first "make-em-up-as-you-go-along" amendment has been published too. And all because the Peterborough track loves eating tyres more than any other track and this year more than in any other year.

He'll need special boots making for him that will fit over his ankle tag.

Speedway Fan told us that this was Fake News, or was that Guest News, or News Replacement, or... Anyway, those who are to be believed are telling us it ain't happening. And they know best.

Good news - Councillor Jon Hunt is opposing the application.

Dover Dinghiemen

Poor ol' BSF & Speedway Updates administrators. They'll have whole new sections to create on their web sites for the new league

Not enough riders for One League, as has been shown in previous posts.

Last year, Birmingham season ticket sales were based on promises of having a team, including "the new Darcy Ward", capable of reaching the play-off's, a team with a genuine #1, and the assumption that riders contracted to the team were available to ride at least all the home fixtures that the season ticket covered. Within days, the #1was off to pastures new, with the blessing of the club, having fulfilled his task of boosting season ticket sales, another rider became injured and ended his season / career, the Darcy Ward pretender proved to be a huge disappointment and Birmingham only had partial access to the rider whose priority lay in the Danish league. Not the kind of legacy of broken promises that inspire people to invest again.

Fair point, but with the hype comparing him with Darcy Ward, so the comparisons will be made with what Ward did as a 16yo, 17yo etc etc. From memory, Ward was scoring maximums within his first few meetings, hence the disappointment with Pearson in comparison.

Who's likely to retire after a couple of meetings so that the Brummies can revert to type by employing a season's worth of tactical guest riders?

Anything less than a 4.00 would be an insult for "the hottest property to come from Australia since Darcy Ward" - as he was hyped-up, at the start of the year.

You're asking the British Rumours Forum whether a rumour is true or not???

I dare say that apart from the engines going from 2-valves to 4-valves, the sport hasn't changed much in all that time, has it?

If speedway fans are "struggling to pay their bills" (I think that's the latest politically correct terminology ) then how about closing down all the track shops that sell trinkets that fans would also not be able to afford, and instead have a Food Bank outlet running inside the stadium? Then, at least all those who are struggling to afford their evening's entertainment can go home with a bag full of life's essentials.

Do us a favour, please. As the season goes on, can you post on each fixtures thread which meeting you are not going to see because the admission price is £20 that you would have gone to see if it was only £18.

Considering that all but 6 or 7 "first tier" riders doubled down into the "second tier" last year, what's the difference these days?

Does it really? If you want to go you WILL go, whether it's £18 or £20. Looking at the 2007 season, there was an average attendance of 2,500 - 3,000, paying £14.00 admission (full fare). There were 30 fixtures that season, so the seasons spend could have been up to £420 in admission alone. The 2023 season promises 11 fixtures for certain, at £20 per meeting = £220 for the years activities. Possibly a bit more IF the Brummies make it into the play-off's, semi-finals of the KOC etc. (No guarantees of that judging by the team managers trophy cabinet) So a seasons worth of speedway now promises to be £200 more affordable than it was 15 years ago. And predicted attendances are anyone's guess, but hopefully higher than the 400 - 450 average last year. So, the bigger question is...who wants to go any more, at any price?

But, but, but...admission was £1 cheaper per meeting than Birmingham for the season that you went there.

How many clubs are totally independent of other business interests? If speedway had to stand on its own, it would fall flat on its face. However, if speedway is promoted by people who run other profitable businesses, e.g. Tolley at Birmingham, the Facennas at Glasgow, and previously the Duggards at Eastbourne etc, then speedway benefits from becoming a bit of an indulgence, where profits from the other business, instead of going to the tax man, get invested into an "enjoyable hobby", and get written off the tax bill. Let's just hope that the badge making business doesn't suffer too much in the recession.

Let's face it, if they don't say something, people will make stuff up just to fill the "knowledge gap". Invent a "fact", say it often enough and it becomes a "virtual truth".

I guess we will know for sure when the trading accounts are publicly available on the HMRC web site. However long that takes for that to happen.