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Post by admin on Jun 19, 2009 22:01:27 GMT
What will become of the Elite League?
Belle Vue, speedways Grand Old Lady, confirming that they would be prepared to drop down to the Premier League if circumstances deteriorated further in the Elite League. And Belle Vue's broad hint that another 3-4 clubs in the Elite League are in the same boat (Poole's Matt Ford also hinted at the Premier League and is now, apparently willing to listen to offers for the club).
The top division in British speedway, now called the Elite League, has lost it's raison d'etre; overtaken by rival leagues in Poland and Sweden (although they are also struggling amid the economic turmoil) while being squeezed relentlessly by various international events.
What was once the most important league in the world is now largely irrelevent. Matej Zagar scored a maximum at Coventry tonight, while he's just a mediocrity (albeit a hugely talented one) in Poland. The same goes for Lakeside's Jonas Davidsson.
Time for a reality check, I think.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 22:18:28 GMT
The whole set up is rotten and until the promoters claim back control of the sport then it's just going to get worse. Strikes me everything is out of control in the EL at least. I do agree with Matt in one respect that promoters with no financial input are spouting off and damaging other clubs with no come back on themselves. Has this whole farce been driven as much by personal vendetta and payback as much as some new-found morality amongst some of the members? It seems to me that this is just some ongoing simmering saga, where the most important people are being overlooked - the paying supporters.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 22:29:38 GMT
The whole set up is rotten and until the promoters claim back control of the sport then it's just going to get worse. Who on earth has the control if it isn't the promoters? The self-interest of individual promoters is the major problem, and they actually need less control rather than more. I do agree with Matt in one respect that promoters with no financial input are spouting off and damaging other clubs with no come back on themselves Surely the vast majority of promoters have some sort of financial input? It seems to me that Ford has largely got hacked off because Poole have been prevented from bending the rules, and/or he's losing money despite the track being the self-proclaimed 'Man Utd' of speedway. At the end of the day though, professional sports is always compromise, and a league is only the sum of its parts. It's all very well the likes of Poole, Coventry and suddenly (despite being a basket case track for years) Swindon whinging that everyone else is holding them back, but the reality is that you need run at a level where enough teams to form a viable league can afford to compete with you. This said, I've long suspected that Poole doesn't do as financially well as many believe, and Ford may well have had enough given that he's starting to spout off about selling or leasing. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2009 22:36:39 GMT
Do you think this lot are really showing themselves to be in control though? If so, it's a scary future for the EL. They seem to me as you say, a disparate band of self-interested individuals. When I say they need to claim back the sport, I meant that they need to get back to some sort of united front, acting professionally and keeping to their mandate. That doesn't appear, to me at least to be happening right now.
In respect of the comments about financial input, there are several promoters out there, who are only effectively hired hands. Even Giles Hartwell at Poole, who is co-promoter, has no financial input to the club. I assume that that the case is true at several clubs and i can think of a couple where that is likely to be the case. I can't claim to know the real reasons behind Matt's statement if there are ulterior motives, but i do agree with him that the league as a whole is not acting in the best interests of the sport. Much for the same reasons that I've put in my first paragraph.
I agree that less control is needed, but where is the money going to come from to employ this new entity to take on the job? i'd love to see it, but when we can't even get youthspeedway and national representation sorted, I don't hold out much hope for full scale organisational change.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 15:39:06 GMT
In respect of the comments about financial input, there are several promoters out there, who are only effectively hired hands. Yes, but if I were an owner who'd hired a promoter, I'd make damn sure they voted according to my instructions. Anyone who lets a hired gun call the shots needs their heads' testing. I agree that less control is needed, but where is the money going to come from to employ this new entity to take on the job? It could be paid from the television money, particularly if the Orange Dictator relinquished some of the dough. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2009 20:03:24 GMT
I agree that less control is needed, but where is the money going to come from to employ this new entity to take on the job? Each club could share the cost of the administration charges from the additional revenue generated at the gate from people returning who have walked away from the sport because of the shambles it's becoming!! |
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