sussexbulldog
|
Last meeting September 19thThe final Arlington meeting of the season will now be staged on Saturday, September 19, after the visit of Ipswich was put back by two weeks.
See front page.
|
MrB
|
Great! The only Saturday of the year I can't make and it could be our last ever meeting. Why can't clubs stick to a fixture list. 
|
ray
|
it was the last match , so why we would like to know it has been put bak two weeks , what it happening on the original date ?
|
Kevin54
|
Depending on my new working arrangements I hope to be there, perhaps it has been postponed so that BD can announce the new promoter 
Well,........we can all hope 
|
ray
|
no more wistful thinking i hope . even if so far there is nobody , we prefer to know the truth . still wonder if martin might lead us into the PL . am allowed to hope , even dream .that package would so many of the fans return . 
|
Aussie2
|
| ray wrote: | | no more wistful thinking i hope . even if so far there is nobody , we prefer to know the truth . still wonder if martin might lead us into the PL . am allowed to hope , even dream .that package would so many of the fans return . |
If you read last week's Speedway Star you will see that there is NO possibility of any club opting to go down to the Premier League, as long as the Elite League is below 10. Probably after this year there is only going to be 8. 
|
ComeOnYouSpurs
|
I dont think anything can be set in stone for next season just yet.
I reckon there will be some radical changes between now and next March.
After the way the last 3 seasons have panned out I certainly dont see how Eastbourne can continue as a Saturday night Elite League club under the present format.
Thats assuming we find a "saviour" of course.
|
ray
|
no club can be forced to join or stay in the so called elite . clubs may be refused by a league , but not forced into riding in one . finanacial , aspects are paramount , which includes the wishes of the payng public , and the finanacial aspects of each club else it simply doesnot run . both leagues have to change , british speedway has to change , improve and attract the paying public whatever any authority may say . it worked well before ,but inevitably there will be the haves and havenots , and what is viable for individual clubs .
|
Hebbs
|
| Aussie2 wrote: | | ray wrote: | | no more wistful thinking i hope . even if so far there is nobody , we prefer to know the truth . still wonder if martin might lead us into the PL . am allowed to hope , even dream .that package would so many of the fans return . |
If you read last week's Speedway Star you will see that there is NO possibility of any club opting to go down to the Premier League, as long as the Elite League is below 10. Probably after this year there is only going to be 8. |
That could be why Bob stated that we could close for a year. I suppose that way we leave the Elite League for financial reasons, and then after a year apply to join the Premier League.
I cannot see how anyone can run an Elite League team on a Saturday and stay financially viable.
|
sussexbulldog
|
What is more they could not run on another night as the crowds would not make it unless we are talking about a group of local fans who have not been attending for the last few years.
|
ray
|
hebbs and david , ten out of ten . martin did say that he would take over at some stage , these three aspects make total sense .
|
MD
|
To be honest, I have more concerns over Poole running next year than I do Eastbourne...
|
ray
|
walk the gangplank MD  we would miss those special matches . hate to see any team pass into history , steadfast supporters carry on the legend , but unfortunately very few return .
surely all involved in our sport fully realise now is the biggest challenge since the time the leagues amalgamated . good came of that , teams survived , before back ino then two leagues again , when as ever the rich survived , and the poor struggled . i remember going to edinburgh , deano was the hero ,and we won by one point i think . still got that and many other videos .
|
MrB
|
| MD wrote: | | To be honest, I have more concerns over Poole running next year than I do Eastbourne... |
In what way do you mean MD? You think EB will continue or you think MF will take his ball out of the playing field?
|
MD
|
| MrB wrote: | | MD wrote: | | To be honest, I have more concerns over Poole running next year than I do Eastbourne... |
In what way do you mean MD? You think EB will continue or you think MF will take his ball out of the playing field? |
I think Eastbourne will continue in some form to be honest although i have no facts to back that up.
Poole have been up for sale for a while now and if it wasnt for sponsorship would be losing around £8000 per meeting with some of the crowds they have got for National league meetings better than the crowds for Elite.
Its not just Eastbourne with problems and it does look as if the sport needs a huge re think this winter, the Premier wont except any more teams so that does not seem to be an option for clubs.
I just have a feeling, also shared by a few others in the sport, that Eastbourne will run in 2010, just a hunch mind you......
|
Aussie2
|
Interesting article in today's Argus. BD admits there is a 90% chance that Eastbourne will close down at the end of the season. He also states that there are NO concrete offers have come in to take over the reins. This could also mean a future for stockcar racing on a Saturday evening, which means that this is the death-knell of speedway at Arlington. It is a very lengthy article, and they promised his father they would run it as long as possible. They also said that in the early days the crowds were averaging 4000, and when they rode in the National League they were 3500. What a difference now. All promoters including Jon Cook are saying it will be a tragedy if Eastbourne closes, but it seems that nobody is prepared to step up and take over. It will be a sad day on the 19th September.
|
parker
|
| Aussie2 wrote: | | Interesting article in today's Argus. BD admits there is a 90% chance that Eastbourne will close down at the end of the season. He also states that there are NO concrete offers have come in to take over the reins. This could also mean a future for stockcar racing on a Saturday evening, which means that this is the death-knell of speedway at Arlington. It is a very lengthy article, and they promised his father they would run it as long as possible. They also said that in the early days the crowds were averaging 4000, and when they rode in the National League they were 3500. What a difference now. All promoters including Jon Cook are saying it will be a tragedy if Eastbourne closes, but it seems that nobody is prepared to step up and take over. It will be a sad day on the 19th September. |
Quite agree with you Aussie2 it will be a sad day should we close. We dont really know what conditions of sale BD has put on the club after all he is against leaving the elite League but it doesnt sound promising. True GPs and other FIM meetings have affected attendances but they have been in decline for numerous seasons now and as posted on this site little was done by promoters past and present to address this. Because Saturday night was our prefered race night with so many demands upon riders to full fill these SGP and FIM meetings maybe we should never have entered the Elite League but hindsight is a wonderful thing.The sad thing is that over the years we have seen some fantastic racing and each of us has our own favourite memories, but either way it goes I hope we make September 19th something special to remember.
|
Hebbs
|
It will be a very sad day indeed.
I can remember the first time I went. My Dad took me, he was an old Harringay fan, we saw the Eagles v Kings Lynn Starlets on Easter Sunday 1969. Graham Edmunds in his white leathers, and a young 16 year old called Dave Jessup were my two highlights. I was hooked and we came virtually every week. I can’t contemplate the thought of no Eastbourne Eagles it’s been part of me for so long.
I personally don’t think that what we as a club have done or not done has brought us to this point, although I would admit that some things have not helped. I think the main problem is the product that Eastbourne Eagles are selling has declined into such a farce that even supporters of 40 years like myself are totally fed up.
The BSPA has kow-towed to Sky with the ridiculous double points joker, (I keep thinking that Eddie Waring will appear with Stuart Hall and some comedy Penguins), the change of helmet colours, (it may be my age, but I can’t seem to tell fluorescent yellow and green apart), not to mention track preparation and weather affected meetings. They have also stood by whilst the GP’s have used our prize assets (The Top Riders) for free whilst seriously damaging the ability of Elite league teams to run on a weekend, (which must be the most profitable time). As I said in another forum it’s like owning an ice cream business for 70 years and then someone coming along one day and saying “In July and August weekends you can’t sell your ice cream because I am holding an Ice Cream Festival”. The BSPA have rolled over and let our domestic top flight die, the least they could have done was to tell them to F*** off and defend British speedway.
All I want from speedway is the same team each week, (injuries and team building excepted), and variety in the opposition. We get neither of these at the moment, and that is why we should go to the premier league if we want any chance of surviving.
I don’t want to believe that our team could soon be no more. The ruling authorities in speedway give idiots a bad name.
Rant over, but still hurting.
Simon
|
sussexbulldog
|
Full report is now on the front page.
|
ray
|
most of us feel exactly as hebbs does , and are just as choked . 26 years at wimbledon , few years break , now 17 at arlington . we know we cannot ride on saturday nights in the so-called elite , this has be proven to all of us .yes i blame those who are supposed to run , control --- and fight for british speedway . but also times have changed , overseas and international speedway have the lead now , and certainly weekends . we have been let down by bspa , not saying they would have stopped what has happened , but they might have at least had the moral fibre, professionalism , and decency to at least to have tried .
only way i see us being the phoenix is to start at the bottom or one rung up , in 2011. appreciate what the management tried to do , but they simply couldn't manage [ literally ] it . losing sponsors , losing touch with those who attended , apart from the reasons stated already , we really didn't have a chance , when all this is considered .
|
Hebbs
|
I can only agree with you Ray.
If we cannot race at weekends in the Elite then let's go Premier. I have to say, maybe with perhaps a bit of the rose tinted specs on, that I enjoyed our second division days the best. We were successful and the entertainment level was generally better.
I haven't given up hope, but things certainly look dark.
|
ray
|
might have to go National Leaggue first hebbs .whatever . either would stand a chance with the right promotion , management and support .
|
peppapig
|
| ray wrote: | | might have to go National Leaggue first hebbs .whatever . either would stand a chance with the right promotion , management and support . |
the 2 martins were the right way forward but sadly the farmer didn`t let them grow the crop their way.
Only hope this error would be realised and for the sake of our club they would return with a free hand and no interference to keep speedway alive at good old sussex by the sea
and i thought having swine flu was miserable enough 
|
ray
|
great to hear from you again PP, on the button , but even with BD doing what BD does , elite couldnot and can not be sustained . but even family cannot stand against bullyboybob . glad he is retiring , at least he is earning well and still has the stockcar monet flowing in , so won't worry about him .
|
emjay
|
Well, when the dust has settled on this season, and the powers that be know for sure who will be definitely starting next season, then surely they will have to rethink the leagues structure for 2010. Three leagues will not be viable due to the number of teams remaining. Somehow too the malign influence of both Sky and the GPs has to be countered, so that there is continuity of racing in the UK. Such radical thinking has to happen if speedway in the UK is to survive. It seems to me it is facing by far the biggest crisis in its history. Trouble is, I see no evidence that the BSPA is even aware of the trouble that is looming in 2010. Rome is burning, and I can hear the sound of BSPA fiddling.
|
|
|
