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Who are the idiots still fighting for a Premiership? Lemon, Chapman and Dickson? It's done, all over Get on with one league and adapting the race format. Get rid of the nonsense of riders riding for multiple clubs, race on a night of the clubs choosing and start again. The current model is finished.

Then eventually the whole thing will go broke so the choices are Overpay and go broke Pay what you can afford and reset the whole sport on a semi professional basis if that what it takes. It might not work but it's much better than going skint

I am often amazed by those business who ignore, and often ridicule, their most important asset - their paying customers!

If there is no Premiership I won't be purchasing a BSN Championship pass No way am I funding the clubs (indirectly - no blame to BSN) partly responsible for its downfall should it happen

Just been listening to Talksport and 'Arry was on (for a change!).... Very disappointing... He spent his whole time on there discussing Spurs and Thomas Frank, with the end of his conversation mentioning the sad passing of Billy Bonds.... I thought he may have at least mentioned his thoughts on how the Berwick team were shaping up, or maybe what he felt about Peterborough potentially coming back, but running at Oxford, or even his views on whether opening a track at Northampton would be good for Speedway.. Nothing... Just Football.... Maybe his life long love for the sport has ended?

What we are seeing here is the years of neglect and lack of investment or ideas for speedway coming home to roost, we have nobody else to blame but ourselves, when sky first gave us the 5 million in the 90s it was like giving a heroin junkie 5 million and saying put some in the bank for the future and spend a bit on getting some help for your addiction

Wanting the best isn’t wrong. Living beyond your means to achieve it is. And eventually you’ll just go bust. Sound familiar? The sport cannot sustain having the best riders here. You must surely see that. All this “not enough riders,” stuff is nonsense. There are plenty but because of self-created circumstances over a number of years they’re not at the level they once were. There’s not an overnight fix but the situation can be rectified over time. The answer is to cut cloth accordingly now to ensure the possibility of one day being able to have a thriving sport here again, including the best riders in the world hopefully. It might not happen, but it might. Carry on as we are and it is a certainty to not happen. Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can go forwards. Being solvent is a pretty good first step.

well run clubs don't call off a fixture cos the pit gate needs fixing!

Hey. As it stands Kings Lynn are in the play offs...😄

But that is one of the major issues.. The majority of fans don't have any faith that the future will be better.. Simply based on what those in control have delivered over the last two decades... Even the die hards on the many Speedway related FB accounts (generic and club specific), take the pee at how poorly the sport is ran.. Why, suddenly now therefore, will those in charge improve things? The clearly, obvious, fundamental issues facing the sport have been there for a long, long time, with the answer, year in year out, being "Let's do exactly the same thing again"... Which, once again, they have chosen to do this year.. Well a "mini version"... The bottom line is... The Premiership simply doesn't work in its current guise, and is only there to give a few "quality riders" a fair few quid, (thus increasing costs much higher than crowd numbers) and the rest the chance to Double Up.. At least a 14 team league (at whatever level), looks, from the outside, like something with relevance, and makes the sport look at least "sizeable" and covers pretty much the whole country, which should improve sponsorship and marketing opportunities...

i think the premiership promoters have managed the majority of the downfall by themselves

Entertainment wise? I would suggest with Glasgow, Scunthorpe, Redcar, and Workington, the second tier, overall, delivers better racing... With, the NSS being the only top tier track that consistently delivers a similar standard...

Surely doing the right thing is ensuring league Speedway in GB continues for the next decade. Not ensuring GP riders can race over here?

One thing I really don’t get is the obsession to why we need a premier league, 1 league would just make the championship the top league with more variety for fans, I could understand up till now because of tv money which selfishly the didnt want to share with the championship clubs but that’s not there anymore, the thought of belle vue riding against Poole or Glasgow or Workington is something different for the fans and personally find exciting, the championship has a hell of a lot to offer and imo a lot more than the premier for a couple of years, so I say to the top 5 teams embrace it for a year and if in a years time a couple more teams are back on the scene look at 2 leagues again, we have an opportunity for a reset of the sport here but again we will probably miss the opportunity like we always do

Just quite sad really, I’m sure many like me log on to see what’s happening in the speedway world. But have to scroll through pages of nonsense.

... meanwhile in North Lincolnshire

Glasgow aren’t just being smart business wise for their own benefit either, losing them would affect all the northern clubs. Glasgow bring a big following to Berwick for sure and I’m sure they take it to the other northern venues too, they’d also lose virtually all the away support they get at Ashfield. It would be a lose lose situation for those with the most at stake. There is nothing “brave” about what the teams in the Premiership are doing, it’s business suicide for most, you just need to look at recent history.

I, personally, cannot wait for one league... Loads of new tracks to visit, several weekends away... My concern is we end up with two leagues of Mickey Mouse, contrived, same old/same old, bollox.. Like we have had for 20 Years and more... What an opportunity for the sport to reset itself, relaunch itself, and make a UK Speedway Brand...

Reset and Relaunch.... Invest the money saved on "top stars" and employ a marketing company to nationally promote the sport... I would be amazed if 95% of the 80m population have ever heard of any GP rider... Run on nights you get your best crowds.. In short... Learn from your mistakes that has led you here, and start the sport again!!!

What has this topic got to do with Newcastle?

I think Leicester should be congratulated for their use of social media in the last few weeks. They were the first, if not only club to update their supporters on what their plans were, then they announce the departure of their best rider (with Max confirming this 15 minutes later) but within 12 hours announce the signing of Thompson. Anyone would think they actually have put some thought into how they use social media & have a strategy. If this is the case can other clubs please take note....

You just don’t get it do you? Yes we should all bow down to the Ipswich way, and have gone bust by April because we’re paying the town’s average salary on one rider every week. You have a great sponsor in Guy Nicholls, and get a good crowd from I’m sure successful promoting, but that doesn’t mean everyone can follow you. Team speedway has levels, the nine teams in the Championship are in that league because the promotors feel that is where they are most sustainable, for the FUTURE OF BRITISH SPEEDWAY. But the Premiership clubs, oh no, Championship clubs must follow them, as they’re saving British speedway, look how healthy and sustainable they are. Birmingham only lost a reported 500K in 2 or 3 years, Oxford couldn’t afford to pay underperforming ‘international superstars’ come the end of the season. Belle Vue lost an absolute fortune as usual, but presumably have someone to bail them out, possibly Council grants? Sheffield put up for sale, Ipswich put up for sale. Lets all down to the Ipswich way, if we did, there wouldn’t be a team sport in this country. Half would fold trying to pay £20K a meeting to a foreign superstar, and the other half would follow the Ipswich promotor and put the club up for sale when they didn’t get their way at a meeting. Who’s buying those clubs? No one with any sense, that’s for sure.

So the 2026 double up league is going to run for the benefit of the riders and to the detriment of Promoters, Fans and the Sport as a whole, I really cannot believe the BSPL or should I say the promoters of the Double up League want to Promote a League of 5 teams, I refuse to call it a Premiership as any League in any Sport that has so few teams can only be described at best as being cobbled together, Double up promoters hang your heads in shame for making the Sport a laughing stock.

Good news. 5 Team PREM is far from ideal but it's still better than One Big League.

I've made a few of these, and this is an updated 2026 version, showing all Polish, SpeedwayLigaen and Bauhaus Ligan tracks and stadiums plus Warsaw. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1C3RGUldA6ob2i3hqjjN91Ah7LKMqJA8&usp=sharing

How about a little respect for keeping speedway going for nearly 60 years in their remote outpost?

There is a lot of talk about teams like Belle Vue and Ipswich (if they run) having to "drop down" next season, but, of course, if the Premier League as it currently exists is no longer, the new single league will, de facto, be the top league, so, actually, it is a matter of the other teams moving up! It's just that the standard won't be so good.

A shredding machine to put your hard earned cash straight into and what you have left the bspl will send their special magician round to mysteriously make it all disappear in to the pockets of the few, just incase some think I’m posting an in the know post, it’s just a bit of fun, you don’t get a shredding machine

I like Louis, but he’s been one of the 4 who’s been making the decisions all these years that’s sadly got us into this position, so he’s got to take some of the blame

So it’s one league then, good, not the proper way to get there but we are there, so let’s make it work, welcome the 5 teams from above and their sulking promoters and make the damn thing work, you have the basic tools, the product is there just work damn hard to make it succeed

What makes you both think that? On pure 2025 averages (across all meetings) alone, Mitch was higher... 6.18 - Mitchell McDiarmid 5.68 - Fraser Bowes Do you think Bowes will improve more than McDiarmid in 2026 - at a new home track, whereas Mitch is at the same track as in 2025? I can't it even see it being close in Mitch's favour. Each to their own though.

For me what’s happening now is another missed opportunity just like in 2020 to reset the sport on a better path

... or just stay in his Polish hotel room and watch it on BSN Sorry, couldn't resist, you set em up and I'll knock em in 😁

Hear there's a new range of BSPL sticking plasters being released just in time for Christmas. A five team league is awful. With play-offs even more Mickey Mouse. Big change is needed (has been for years), nobody has the minerals to do it though. Easier to watch the sport die. Why should fans hand over their hard earned when all they get is treated with contempt. Hand over more money for a worse product year on year.

Not if Poland has anything to do with it. The golden promised land is not going to happen. Those in charge have really lost the plot and who with half a brain is going to want to watch repetitive matches with double uppers on inflated rates screwing the supporters because the TV income has gone south and someone has to make up the financial shortfall. Two occasions, Covid and the current situation gave the sport the opportunity to reinvent itself but what have you got, the same old scenario. It has failed the punter yet again and this time it will implode because no one is going to be fobbed off with this plan. BSPL, you really do not have a clue about your audience and are so far removed from reality by your actions you will fail and regrettably be instrumental in the demise of the sport in this Country. Thankfully we have Poland to fall back on.

Thoughts with everyone at Workington Speedway at this time.

Point your boss to the "What will 2026 UK speedway bring?" topic thread and I'm sure they'll understand... they may even give you compassionate leave! 😂

I know a fair few people who have given up on the forum because of what’s written above. Speedway has enough problems, it doesn’t need all us fighting each other. We should ALL be doing our best to bring people to the sport, not name calling and insulting each other. As a Poole fan who’s attended for as long as I can remember, I enjoy being able to post on various pages, it’s what makes the forum enjoyable, enlightening and most importantly SPEEDWAY!

As much I praise my club for putting out a statement committing themselves to the premiership, I really struggle to see what actually is the premiership. As it stands it's Leicester, Belle Vue, Kings Lynn. Being commited to that is something I am not looking forward to. If we can add Ipswich and Sheffield to the mix we're getting somewhere, but as of now we have no idea what's going on. I'm just so frustrated that every single fan has seen this coming, for years in fact. We all knew Birmingham would shut soon, we all knew that Oxford would drop the premiership but it's almost like the powers at be are surprised! The idiots that run this sport have clearly been living in fantasy world and haven't been prepared for this situation at all. It's embarrassing and complete chaos.

It is pretty clear / likely that no fixtures will be announced until after anything is confirmed. In the meantime, yes BSN "is a thing" and for a Christmas treat why wait till March, we're going to Australia for the Aussie champs and the FIM Oceana championship. £44.99 for 6 meetings. Fun for all the family and high possibility of Greg Blair fighting a kangaroo/snake/spider. You don't get that on TNT.

Sorry to say that I am not one of the parties mentioned in attempting to buy Ipswich - I do hope they find a buyer however and manage to make it to tapes for 2026!

I think the Speedway Star has actually improved its output in the past 12 months or so... Given the internet makes many stories "old news" for a once a week magazine, they have increased features and interviews with not just riders and promoters but others within the sport... It also often brings detail to what gets said on here, eg a rider riding for a certain team, they will have the reasons behind the move. . Well worth £3.60 a week for a hard copy. .

Garbage (the highlighted bit). A well run club will be able to attract and maintain sponsorship of the level required to operate profitably. Other clubs struggle to do this, as well as pay riders on time, act professionally to gain local prominence and get 1.5k to 2k fans to attend. So I'd say it has been well run, it's not luck!

It’s just not good enough, it’s destined to fail, fans don’t want it, it doesn’t interest me at all

I just love all these business experts popping up on here, and giving 'advice' on something they have absolutely no clue about. Hilarious...😂

Fair play if he can afford to buy Poland just by pulling his sponsorship of Sheffield.

Really sad news. Nothing positive about this. When i think about Ipswich, as a kid. When Newport reopened and getting into Speedway, watching the Elite League at Swindon. I remember the Ipswich team of 1998 as having a special aura and Ipswich being a special club. Chris and the team have done so much to rebuild Ipswich back up to be that well run professional club in the last 4/5 years because they have been ambitious, invested, obtained sponsors and wanted to grow. As a neutral it's one of the things i have most enjoyed. I think dropping down leagues and that model for Ipswich, didn't really work in the past. So i can see why he will have made this decision. If Chris is not involved in club speedway that is a massive loss for the Sport.

Totally disagree with that. It obviously got to the stage where Louis can’t work with the others in the BSPA. Everything he does is ultra professional & runs a well supported & stable club. He proves it can be done. For years he has been trying to drag the show up to the levels he feels it should be at. You get to the point where you can’t carry on otherwise you’ll go insane. As for playing the Sandu card, remember Louis is someone who has been involved at Ipswich in a professional capacity since 1989. The Louis family have been at Foxhall in some capacity since 1969.

For me... Pretend no one knows about the sport... (Won't be too difficult).. And launch it as if were brand new... Build a profile for it, make it a brand, get its name out into YouTube etc, with 10 mins behind fhe scenes vlogs, focus on making riders the personalities of the sport, share all merchandise costs and profits using a generic look but with each individual club having their insignia on their version of the merchandise.... Employ people who can influence and hype up the sport to a younger demographic, make websites look like they were designed today not when the internet was invented, use an interactive UK Speedway App, with clubs having their own individual interactive versions... Stop being so insular, staying sat within a "Speedway Bubble Echo Chamber" and instead open yourself up and bring in people much younger from outside the sport (if the skill set doesnt exist within it already), who can bring fresh ideas that white, middle aged men wouldn't even consider... Put the fans' "match night experience" front, back and centre of everything you do... In short. Look at what successful sports do and use as many of their ideas as is possible to help grow Speedway.. But, most of all, run it on the bloody nights that your fans find are the best ones for them to attend with their kids!!! And also find a way to get a fair few dozen away fans in attendance to add some bloody atmosphere!!!

The blame is to be shared all around. 1.Riders demanding too much wonga 2. The BSPA running the sport poorly and unprofessionally 3. Losing Sky tv contract 4. Poland 5. The Grand Prix 6. TNT being rubbish 7. Poor crowds 8. Poor advertising/lack of modernizing 9. Lack of investment from clubs 10. Houses being built I could go on forever!!! There's plenty more.