Re: Toronto and our chances of SL invite : Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:24 pm
Bullseye wrote:
I must say it all sounds very doubtful. It will apparently cost £500k to make the ground safe for stock cars etc. Who has that sort of money lying around? It's all very well the RFL giving permission for it to take place at Odsal but I bet they aren't putting any money into making it happen. So who is?
Even if someone has I'm dubious as to whether it's viable - 1997 was 23 years ago. Since then Speedway has gone down in popularity. The articles I've read suggest Stock Cars are the same.
Meanwhile it will still cost the same to open the ground.
Add to that the obvious money that needs spending on the crumbling terracing, rusting barriers and dilapidated bars etc. Where does the money come from for that?
Then there's the team which is mid table Championship quality. Perhaps with an outside shot at the top 6. Where does the money come from to turn that team into one that could stay in SL at this late stage with so few decent players left available?
I know the options are grim. The club can't stay at Dewsbury for long as it's certain to wither and die there. Park Avenue is too small. VP is too expensive. But Odsal is a parasite on the club in its current state. I fear this bid for SL is another Steve Ferres style "poop or bust" tilt at success.
I'll continue to watch this car crash unfold from afar.
Even if someone has I'm dubious as to whether it's viable - 1997 was 23 years ago. Since then Speedway has gone down in popularity. The articles I've read suggest Stock Cars are the same.
Meanwhile it will still cost the same to open the ground.
Add to that the obvious money that needs spending on the crumbling terracing, rusting barriers and dilapidated bars etc. Where does the money come from for that?
Then there's the team which is mid table Championship quality. Perhaps with an outside shot at the top 6. Where does the money come from to turn that team into one that could stay in SL at this late stage with so few decent players left available?
I know the options are grim. The club can't stay at Dewsbury for long as it's certain to wither and die there. Park Avenue is too small. VP is too expensive. But Odsal is a parasite on the club in its current state. I fear this bid for SL is another Steve Ferres style "poop or bust" tilt at success.
I'll continue to watch this car crash unfold from afar.
Don't disagree with any of that.....it is all a very sad and re-occurring pattern isn't it, rolling from one disaster to the next.
I keep an eye on things from a distance these days, more out of duty than hope.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see us admitted, then the RFL change the rules to stop promotion and relegation, giving us a fighting chance and the SL becoming a franchised closed shop again.
This is probably the optimist in me, but god knows with our sport. The top tier would certainly be better with a competitive Bulls in it.
To echo some of the other opinion on here, I fear for the sport generally....
