Coventry Speedway - finished?

BRITISH SPEEDWAY STATEMENT

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2011
THE BSPA is disappointed to announce that it has been unable to resolve the ongoing dispute with Coventry and Peterborough on an amicable basis.

The BSPA made an offer to both Coventry and Peterborough on 31 January 2011 which would have seen them both resume their membership of the Elite League with immediate effect.

The offer would also have permitted both Coventry and Peterborough to continue with their proposed legal action, including claims for compensation if they suffer any losses. That offer was rejected.

From the point of view of the sport it is disappointing that both Coventry and Peterborough would rather walk away from participation in the 2011 Elite League than accept an open offer to resume their membership, particularly as they could have done so without prejudice to their proposed legal action.

Given the proximity of the new season the BSPA has been left with no alternative but to finalise arrangements for the 2011 season without Coventry and Peterborough. In this regard the fixture list will be published shortly.

My understanding Midland Red is that they'll just be competing in the Premier League instead of the Elite League next season?

No, there will be no league speedway at Brandon in 2011

LATEST COVENTRY BEES SPEEDWAY NEWS

OFFICIAL CLUB STATEMENT
THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2011

The managements of both Coventry Bees and Peterborough Panthers regret to announce that neither club will be participating in the 2011 Elite League having learned from the BSPA website that the BSPA has been unable to resolve the ongoing dispute with both clubs on an amicable basis.

It is typical of the manner in which the BSPA have conducted negotiations that neither club have been informed of these latest developments directly by the BSPA as normal standards of courtesy requires. The BSPA position during talks has been characterised by delay, duplicity and narrow self interest.

Both clubs believe that at no time during the last eleven weeks have the BSPA made a serious attempt to resolve matters, in fact just the opposite. A small number of protagonists have sought to influence negotiations to the advantage of their own clubs and detriment of other association members.

The reference by the BSPA to an offer on the 31st January conveniently ignores the terms of that offer which were clearly designed to further disadvantage the two clubs both financially and competitively. In fact a further agreement was reached on Thursday 10th February and both clubs were prepared to announce an end to the dispute on their websites on Friday 18th February. In typical fashion the BSPA negotiators prevaricated on the details the following day and the announcement had to be cancelled.

It is clear that in rejecting an independent appeals body and a 12 month rule changing moratorium the BSPA and certain members are only interested in maintaining and furthering their own narrow interests to the exclusion of all else including the desire of the vast majority of the speedway public in having a level playing field for all clubs not just the favoured few. It is a sad fact that the BSPA appears to have little regard for the good of British speedway, its fairness and more importantly the people who keep the sport going, its fans.

It is a fact that throughout this dispute neither the the BSPA nor its Chairman has acted in the manner reasonably expected of them. From the very first day both the Chairman and the BSPA took the side of those clubs that attempted to "ambush" Coventry and Peterborough at the 2010 AGM and the behaviour of Alex Harkess as Chairman has been lamentable.

Coventry owner Avtar Sandhu has made his position clear and has stated that "I will return to speedway any time on any day for the sake of speedway and our fans but not as long as Alex Harkess is Chairman and Matt Ford is Vice Chairman of the BSPA. Their behaviour has been almost criminal in their attempts to keep both clubs out of the sport. Whilst we have been fighting to get into the sport they have been fighting to keep us out. For the good of speedway we have given way on the 60% PL to EL conversion rate, one over 8 point rider, Pawlicki on 5 instead of his greensheet 4 average and even a reduction in the Sky money due to us. However we will never give way on the principle of fairness and the same standards for all clubs."

The desire by the BSPA and certain members to prevent Coventry and Peterborough from participating in 2011 is now apparent even down to the allocation of Sky money to the two clubs which was set at less than one third of what all other clubs would receive, even though they expected both clubs to participate fully in live TV coverage as often as required.

In the circumstances and having learned from the BSPA website that negotiations are now ended both clubs will continue with legal action.