Fortythirtyeight Posted 13 hours ago Report Share Posted 13 hours ago 15 hours ago, Marky_Mark said: I’m not sure why people are so impatient? The league starts next April so does it really matter if the AGM is in November, December, January, February? If the wait means the return/reopening of a couple of tracks and a television deal then it’s worth the wait? If that also allows Plymouth some more time to get their air fence fund complete so they can run then that’s another good thing. Surely we all want as many tracks as possible running next season? As riders and clubs need to know the structure of UK speedway, points limit , number in a side, how many fixtures etc so they can make their own decisions on who to sign , who to sign for etc , then it is VERY IMPORTANT to those involved within the sport. Foreign clubs are already announcing riders signed for 2027 why does the UK always have to be last ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 12 hours ago Report Share Posted 12 hours ago 16 hours ago, Marky_Mark said: I’m not sure why people are so impatient? The league starts next April so does it really matter if the AGM is in November, December, January, February? If the wait means the return/reopening of a couple of tracks and a television deal then it’s worth the wait? If that also allows Plymouth some more time to get their air fence fund complete so they can run then that’s another good thing. Surely we all want as many tracks as possible running next season? No, we don't want as many tracks as possible next season, if it means delay in planning fixtures, meaning fans can't plan accordingly,, riders don't wait and sign elsewhere (even more important given the new restrictions), and the inevitable "cobbled together" septet is destined, before a wheel is turned, to finish miles adrift at the bottom of the league.. Far better to run with what they have, consolidate, and, should a team, or teams, want to come back then they can spend a season doing open meetings to gauge viability... A professional business has control, vision and a several year growth plan using best case/worst case parameter scenarios, and builds their future operating model and business plans accordingly on the forecasted positions... What a professional business doesn't do is reach the end of their financial year, and, only then start to build next year's plan, or, unless it is "Donald Ducked" fundamentally change it... It certainly wouldn't stretch any meagre resource pool it currently has further by bringing more complexity into its operations.. Run next year as planned, and build in future growth accordingly as and when it enhances the product.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky_Mark Posted 8 hours ago Report Share Posted 8 hours ago 4 hours ago, mikebv said: No, we don't want as many tracks as possible next season, if it means delay in planning fixtures, meaning fans can't plan accordingly,, riders don't wait and sign elsewhere (even more important given the new restrictions), and the inevitable "cobbled together" septet is destined, before a wheel is turned, to finish miles adrift at the bottom of the league.. Far better to run with what they have, consolidate, and, should a team, or teams, want to come back then they can spend a season doing open meetings to gauge viability... A professional business has control, vision and a several year growth plan using best case/worst case parameter scenarios, and builds their future operating model and business plans accordingly on the forecasted positions... What a professional business doesn't do is reach the end of their financial year, and, only then start to build next year's plan, or, unless it is "Donald Ducked" fundamentally change it... It certainly wouldn't stretch any meagre resource pool it currently has further by bringing more complexity into its operations.. Run next year as planned, and build in future growth accordingly as and when it enhances the product.. So we’ll shut Plymouth down then and not have a television deal putting other clubs in financial jeopardy. Classic case of “As long as my team is alright” Eventually you’ll have nobody to ride against 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 7 hours ago Report Share Posted 7 hours ago (edited) 1 hour ago, Marky_Mark said: So we’ll shut Plymouth down then and not have a television deal putting other clubs in financial jeopardy. Classic case of “As long as my team is alright” Eventually you’ll have nobody to ride against Not at all... You don't grow any business by opening other units when you don't have the infrastructure in place to ensure the ones you currently have can keep going profitably .. UK Speedway has to share riders now with the number of teams they have, who will therefore ride for any new ones?.. Certainly not enough of them of the required level for another top league team to compete adequately... You actually damage your brand by spreading yourself "too thin" which then results in every one of your businesses starting to suffer, even the current successful ones you have, as your "weakest links" start to drag the business down.. UK Speedway needs to consolidate and sort out it's issues, then build on what it currently has... With a clear plan for gradual growth for the next few years .. It doesn't mean new tracks cannot come on board, but it must be planned properly to ensure it improves UK Speedway and not be, yet another, knee jerk reaction on a whim, which leaves fans saying .. "It can't be like this again next year"... (Again, and again, and again and etc etc etc).. Edited 6 hours ago by mikebv 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk127 Posted 6 hours ago Report Share Posted 6 hours ago 1 hour ago, Marky_Mark said: So we’ll shut Plymouth down then and not have a television deal putting other clubs in financial jeopardy. Classic case of “As long as my team is alright” Eventually you’ll have nobody to ride against I do not think that is the case but what should the sport in this country actually consider is a more open approach. Years back tracks survived by either participating in the league or long before regular league racing being the transfer of the Rockets from Rayleigh, Rye House held an open licence and a number of meetings took place and if I recall correctly the Ace of Herts was one of those individual meetings. I don’t think that is the case. The sport needs an open minded approach as was the case years back and an example is Rye House before the Rockets moved from Rayleigh in 1974. Before that Rye use to operate on a open licence and I believe one of the main open meetings was the Ace of Hearts, happy to be corrected on this point. Going forward what is required is a reality check. If some tracks could offer open meetings but not team racing and if others want to participate at a level which is a notch down from what we have now but is designed to be competitive and a stepping stone for riders so be it but until clubs encourage growth from the grass roots upwards the sport is continually chasing its tail for a stream of talent to break through into a potential professional league which in reality is only the top league. The sport in this country can only afford to provide a full time income at the top level where because of the top names they can attract a certain level of sponsor but below that reliance is on local sponsors or run by offsetting losses against the main operating business of the promoter (not speedway related so it is a hobby) to fund rider contracts but this is a precarious route when you look at the financial situation businesses across the UK find themselves in with increased costs from NI to business rates(where applicable) energy costs, medical cover, fuel costs etc. What right minded sole would enter the speedway arena where you have a cartel running the sport, lack of training for young talent and rules that are set to stop all riders breaking into the sport. It didn’t happen years back and you now have Nora because of the intransigence of a few who in charge for some reason have the attitude it is my way or no way. How many riders have been lost to the sport because the rider points average has impeded a riders progress and promoters ignore development of the sport in favour win the league at all cost and manipulate the rules to achieve success. Every existing track in the UK (running now or dormant) should automatically be granted a licence to run meetings. The level they want to operate should be declared by each track operator at the end of October and the league racing participants as opposed to open licences be declared in the first week of November and then the leagues can be determined from which the following seasons planned programme can be agreed. Of course that depends on a number of other factors but for now you have disarray with riders looking to plan for next season but the UK is dragging it’s heals which is the same as usual year on year because forward planning does not feature in the operating model. No rider in their right mind is going to hang around on the basis of a promise. The UK authorities need to up the ante and consider the mean of the word ‘professional’ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neila Posted 6 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 6 hours ago 2 hours ago, Marky_Mark said: So we’ll shut Plymouth down then and not have a television deal putting other clubs in financial jeopardy. Classic case of “As long as my team is alright” Eventually you’ll have nobody to ride against If a TV deal is on the cards, it won't be worth anything like in the past, TV channels these days want to fill the schedules as cheap as possible, then hope advertising will pay to help the TV company out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky_Mark Posted 5 hours ago Report Share Posted 5 hours ago 39 minutes ago, Neila said: If a TV deal is on the cards, it won't be worth anything like in the past, TV channels these days want to fill the schedules as cheap as possible, then hope advertising will pay to help the TV company out Then why are the other premiership teams happy to fork out to bring other teams to the tapes to get the TV deal over the line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neila Posted 4 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 4 hours ago 1 hour ago, Marky_Mark said: Then why are the other premiership teams happy to fork out to bring other teams to the tapes to get the TV deal over the line? Probably so they can ask the club sponsors for more money due to TV exposure, and maybe try and bring a bigger name title sponsorship to the table. It won't be for the TV money 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 4 hours ago Report Share Posted 4 hours ago 2 minutes ago, Neila said: Probably so they can ask the club sponsors for more money due to TV exposure, and maybe try and bring a bigger name title sponsorship to the table. It won't be for the TV money If it's ITV4 they will certainly be hoping the potential extra "eyeballs" generate more income via sponsorship, and maybe more clicks of the turnstiles due to free access to the sport increasing its profile... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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