Fromafar Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 On 4/17/2023 at 7:25 PM, BassoRacingFan said: Do we need to introduce gambling to speedway tracks? I think this would attract some punters and make tracks more sustainable Idiot 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 11 hours ago, iainb said: It was nice to read Rob Godfrey's rallying Churchillian war cry, FINALLY for some reason this Wolves news seems to have hit home with him despite his Charimanship since 2018 seeing the closure of Rye House, Somerset, Swindon, Lakeside, Newcastle, Workington, Buxton, Cradley, Eastbourne, Kent, Stoke and the expulsion of IoW. Like others have said with Edinburgh & Peterborough highly doubtful for next year and question marks around Poole's future and the annual Birmingham crisis it could be a total of 15 clubs gone in 5 years under his stewardship... FIFTEEN! Even if you factor in the return of Oxford, Worky & Kent... that's still 12 a number higher than any of the current 3 leagues we have running Interested in what Rob Godfrey was expected to do to stop the closure of those tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 1 hour ago, mikebv said: A wise move...? In charge of their own destiny... And not having their brand getting negatively impacted by the BSPL's brand reputation.. Maybe more should join them? Uprights and grasstrack racing on shale. Can't think why it hasn't caught on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortythirtyeight Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 1 hour ago, mikebv said: A wise move...? In charge of their own destiny... And not having their brand getting negatively impacted by the BSPL's brand reputation.. Maybe more should join them? Who else wants to amateur events but charge the public to watch ? You think they would get a crowd ??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 (edited) 17 minutes ago, topsoil said: Interested in what Rob Godfrey was expected to do to stop the closure of those tracks. His decision in 2018 to force Lakeside and Workington to cancel established fixtures and then run on off nights (so he could have a better choice of guests) did huge financial damage to both clubs who both folded at the end of that season despite being in all the cup finals and in Worky's case winning a treble. Edited April 18, 2023 by Bryce 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 21 minutes ago, topsoil said: Interested in what Rob Godfrey was expected to do to stop the closure of those tracks. He could have resigned and let somebody who has a plan to save and revive the sport have a go? Just an idea 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.D Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 The biggest issue if the UK goes for 1 league next season or a 2 way northern and southern league split is. The UK has protected race days in world speedway, Monday and Thursday. If we run with a different set up without a league that runs on those days then we loose that right for protective racing on those dates and then Poland can recall any rider they want or race on a Monday and Thursday. We would loose our right as a major power in world speedway and become a second rate nation with no right over a power like Poland. I maybe wrong but thats my take on it, shoot me down.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon1983 Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 3 minutes ago, M.D said: The biggest issue if the UK goes for 1 league next season or a 2 way northern and southern league split is. The UK has protected race days in world speedway, Monday and Thursday. If we run with a different set up without a league that runs on those days then we loose that right for protective racing on those dates and then Poland can recall any rider they want or race on a Monday and Thursday. We would loose our right as a major power in world speedway and become a second rate nation with no right over a power like Poland. I maybe wrong but thats my take on it, shoot me down.. If it was a North/South split say 7 sides in each league, you could do home and away once with some form of league cup competiton that has a group format so in theory each club gets 10-12 home meetings You could easily work with Sweden/Denmark/Germnay to avoid fixture clashes, if say Ipswich opted for Doyle and they face a weekend track and he's in Poland i guess its just unfortunate and a guest or RR would have to be operated I think you couls get a few more aussies coming over and could attract a few more german riders etc to boost numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
szkocjasid Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 1 hour ago, topsoil said: Uprights and grasstrack racing on shale. Can't think why it hasn't caught on. 1 hour ago, Fortythirtyeight said: Who else wants to amateur events but charge the public to watch ? You think they would get a crowd ??? IoW make a profit, how many Premiership or Championship clubs can say that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sidney Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 1 hour ago, Fortythirtyeight said: Who else wants to amateur events but charge the public to watch ? You think they would get a crowd ??? Maybe you haven't checked who is racing. National League standard racing and I am quite happy to pay to watch. On top of that I also get all the added value that isn't provided elsewhere. Give it a try. You might just like it. All delivered at pace and with first class customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 4 hours ago, Bryce said: His decision in 2018 to force Lakeside and Workington to cancel established fixtures and then run on off nights (so he could have a better choice of guests) did huge financial damage to both clubs who both folded at the end of that season despite being in all the cup finals and in Worky's case winning a treble. WE NEEDED GUEST RIDERS!!! When will fans realise over here in the UK that there isnt an alternative... ? Forget what Poland do... They make it up as they go along by treating it like a proper team sport you can emotionally invest your time and money in... You cannot run a Speedway league without having loads of riders available to cherry pick from, meaning you are able to bring them in as ringers as and when you need them.. It is a fundamental reason as to why the sport is so hugely successful in the UK... Some people will never grasp this.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortythirtyeight Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 7 hours ago, szkocjasid said: IoW make a profit, how many Premiership or Championship clubs can say that! You sure ? making two dozen riders pay to ride and a hundred or so spectators half a dozen times a year isn’t go to make you a viable business. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fortythirtyeight Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 6 hours ago, Sir Sidney said: Maybe you haven't checked who is racing. National League standard racing and I am quite happy to pay to watch. On top of that I also get all the added value that isn't provided elsewhere. Give it a try. You might just like it. All delivered at pace and with first class customer service. I watch more amateur racing than most, and quite a bit of NDL, the IOW do have a sprinkling of NDL riders but so does Scunthorpe , Iwade and Redcar amateur meetings, doesn’t mean you get a viable crowd to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 47 minutes ago, Fortythirtyeight said: You sure ? making two dozen riders pay to ride and a hundred or so spectators half a dozen times a year isn’t go to make you a viable business. How many have viable businesses under the current operating model? If tracks were very profitable, running with 5000 crowds or so, and paid ten grand a night to landlords, then pretty much all those huge amount of tracks which have closed over the past decade would still be open... Well meaning fans with deep pockets prop the sport up at several tracks to keep them open,, the operating model and marketing plan of the sport doesnt do that... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_martin Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 14 hours ago, BuxtonTiger said: I would hope that the 2023 annual meeting will be preceded many early meetings to plan things. (I may well be in dreamland). Nah, with their heads buried in the same sand as they were in back in the 1970's, the BSPZzzz will simply reduce the points limit to 35, pretend nothing's happening, "move along please, nothing to see here" and carry on in a state of perennial denial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sidney Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 2 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said: I watch more amateur racing than most, and quite a bit of NDL, the IOW do have a sprinkling of NDL riders but so does Scunthorpe , Iwade and Redcar amateur meetings, doesn’t mean you get a viable crowd to watch. IOW has more than 'a sprinkling of NDL riders' as you put it in the speedway based meetings. Of course, as they run a varied programme, there are meetings that may attract a different client base. Every promotion in the UK could benefit from watching how the IOW run meetings. As a customer I feel valued from the minute I arrive in the car park to the moment I leave, and often that is extended to the ferry trip home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsoil Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 10 hours ago, Bryce said: His decision in 2018 to force Lakeside and Workington to cancel established fixtures and then run on off nights (so he could have a better choice of guests) did huge financial damage to both clubs who both folded at the end of that season despite being in all the cup finals and in Worky's case winning a treble. Lakeside arena was being sold. Workington were losing money hand over fist already. He wasn't the one to decide to overpay the riders. Already been discussed to death. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topaz325 Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 2 hours ago, topsoil said: Lakeside arena was being sold. Workington were losing money hand over fist already. He wasn't the one to decide to overpay the riders. Already been discussed to death. Agree the fixture changes didn’t help at Worky , then running late into the year in cup finals with small crowds but the damage was done already years ahead of the Godfrey saga. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.V 72 Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 To me the only way things can work is for another club to move up into the Premier league. To take the league to 6 clubs like it was in 2021 and 2022 not great but it worked.If my memory is right Oxford wanted to start in the Premier league so fingers crossed they still wish to do so. Or Glasgow with possibly no derby with Edinburgh might change their mind who knows. The honest truth is if the league is to survive its a must the someone moves up. That then leaves the Champ league with a team down and the chance that they will also loose Brum and Edinburgh if this is the worst case scenario then it leaves 6 teams to meet each other twice home and away just like the Premier league nowhere near ideal but beggars can't be choosers but until the next disaster it keeps things going.The only up side to this is that Champ sides will be stronger with the heat leaders from the three clubs gone shared between the 6 clubs.(Trying to look on the bright side re last sentence,) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 21 minutes ago, B.V 72 said: To me the only way things can work is for another club to move up into the Premier league. To take the league to 6 clubs like it was in 2021 and 2022 not great but it worked.If my memory is right Oxford wanted to start in the Premier league so fingers crossed they still wish to do so. Or Glasgow with possibly no derby with Edinburgh might change their mind who knows. The honest truth is if the league is to survive its a must the someone moves up. That then leaves the Champ league with a team down and the chance that they will also loose Brum and Edinburgh if this is the worst case scenario then it leaves 6 teams to meet each other twice home and away just like the Premier league nowhere near ideal but beggars can't be choosers but until the next disaster it keeps things going.The only up side to this is that Champ sides will be stronger with the heat leaders from the three clubs gone shared between the 6 clubs.(Trying to look on the bright side re last sentence,) For Oxford to 'move up', would they have an issue with moving away from their Wednesday race night? Similarly Poole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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