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

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.

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

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

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!

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

Phil Morris gave evidence in person at the save coventry speedway enquiry and did a good job. He has also made the show slicker by standardising things and meetings over the last couple of seasons have moved through more quickly.

Through my involvement with a few different riders over the years I have had an opportunity to witness at first hand how well some clubs are run. I have helped riders to manage their finances through completing their accounts, Tax Returns, VAT Returns etc. and in addition I often assisted them in the pits as well so I got to see a lot of the Speedway world at close quarters. One rider I helped rode for the Witches and unlike some other clubs he rode for, he was always paid on time and the paperwork was always spot on. Without doubt it was one of the best run clubs we had dealings with. I have nothing but admiration for the Witches promotion although I really hope the announcement last week will not result in the loss of Speedway at Foxhall.

I have been going to speedway since the mid 60s and I'm gutted at what is happening at Ipswich speedway I hope it continues to operate but am not holding out much hope. Chris standing down as Promoter must have been a really hard decision for him to make considering how long he and his dad before him have been associated with the club but I respect the decision he has made whatever the reasons maybe. It was well run and well supported and with a really good supporters club as well. I loved going there and will really miss it if this is the end as Oxford, Kings Lynn, Leicester, the next nearest clubs to me are between 2 to 3 hours traveling each way which will make going on a regular basis impossible. The question is why did I start going to Ipswich, the answer is simple it is not because of what league it was in it was because all the other clubs within traveling distance on a regular basis closed down and I would imagine there are many more fans like me who go to a club on a regular basis that just want to see 4 riders doing 4 laps round the track. I loved watching Emil and Doyle but I also enjoyed watching Dan T and Jordan along with the rest of the team just as much. Whether you call it Premiership, Championship, NDL or something else it still boils down to 4 riders doing 4 laps round a track. I don't want to see GP riders disappearing from UK teams but more than that what I really want is to see speedway in the UK continuing not dying a gradual death and that is what Promoters need to consider above all else when making any decisions and they need to make those decisions based on what is going to help the sport not on decisions that will benefit them personally. .

If it wasn't 'well run', it wouldn't have been 'well backed'. Successful national businessmen don't throw their money at poorly run outfits...

No, it would mean he'd be able to ride here without ruining his club financially. If he wants to ride in th UK on a Monday and Thursday, without a TV deal, he needs to accept a pay cut, it really is that simple.

do you think we are stupid??????? we all know if its one league it will be without the GP boys

I’d buy a calculator personally.

So, you've got a downer on someone who has worked to bring in Doyle and Sayfutdinov, and to pay them what they're prepared to accept (I'm sure there was negotiation) - and to find ways to make it work financially, plus everything else that goes alongside riders with a thoroughly professional approach. It's not just those two riders though - the other six also say the same, down to Jenkins and Edwards, who Louis wanted in the team because of their excellent approach, and who wanted to ride for Ipswich. Brennan and Thompson are the very best examples of riders who knew that they would improve if they joined Louis' set-up - not just because Louis is thorough in his approach, but also because he demands and expects the same from his employees. There's no doubt that speedway's sponsorship finances are predominantly goodwill, rather than purely commercial - and can't be compared with multi-million pound/dollar corporations sponsoring the world's popular sports. At best we're talking about the same level as National League football, or more likely the divisions below that, and other minority sports that also rely on local goodwill. British Speedway's biggest problem is that it's got very little worth actually investing in. Despite everything that Louis has done, he can really only sell his licence to promote the sport - there aren't any major tangible assets.

Exactly that. One of the common themes on this Forum, not just this thread, is that promoters don't..er..promote the sport enough. They don't get enough publicity, they don't get sponsors, etc. Now, suddenly the one promoter who has been able to show what can be done in terms of publicity and gaining sponsorship is somehow the villain. I'm sure it must have been a very hard decision for Chris to walk away from the club that has been his life, the club that was his dad's life, the club they both loved. And, of course, as an Ipswich supporter myself I am very concerned about its future, but I cannot imaging for one second that this was an easy decision for Chris and that he is the reason why British speedway is failing. We need more promoters like Chris able to bring the supporters in and build good teams, not criticise him.

The basis of people praising Chris for the professionalism of how the club is run stems from the riders - all of the riders in the last few years to ride for Ipswich have echoed this statement many calling it the best run uk club they’ve worked for, this is where the fans bring these claims from. Your attempt to remove any praise of Chris in terms of the clubs sponsors/backing is kind of amusing, at a speedway club who’s job do you think it might be to go out and get those sponsors to support the club…? Maybe someone titled promoter? People on this forum since day one bemoan promoters only having self interest at heart, not caring about speedway, not actually getting out and promoting it properly, Chris has poured his heart and soul into the witches and worked his arse off promoting the club gaining the support of multiple long term local sponsors, affiliated the witches with Ipswich Town to benefit each club promotionally and yet that’s not a well run club its luck 🤷‍♂️😂 you talk of 30-40% of the clubs expenditure is covered by sponsorship as a negative, but last time I checked every other sport utilises sponsorship doesn’t it? Premier league football clubs raking in £60-100m a year from adidas/nike etc, selling the sleeve and stomach sponsors for millions, premiership rugby wouldn’t exist without huge sponsorship investment, tennis heavily invested with Rolex over the years, golf literally has pga tour events called “The John Deere Classic” “RSM Classic” where do you think the money is coming from for the prize pools in those yep you’ve guessed it - sponsorship!! As a lifelong witches fan I’m beyond gutted with Louis announcement to sadly sell up and walk away but I’m for one grateful for everything he’s done for the club and know the circumstances behind the scenes must be pretty dire for him to make such a decision.

You can certainly tell Ipswich had one top tier winning season in 27 years can't you?

There is a clue in my profile name who I support, & it definitely isn't Poole lol.

We are talking about the bspl here, farce is their specialty, just when you think they have took farce to its absolute limit, they suprise us all and they pull a new bigger farce out of the hat, in reality come January we wouldn’t expect anything else really

Listening to Carl Johnson on the Speedway 360 podcast a few weeks ago and he said Peterborough had been asked to make up the 6th club... Currently there is no Peterborough Speedway!! This is proof, if any more were needed, that those running the sport are completely delusional if not totally insane!

Surely they have to be looking at Perry pretty sure he has outscored every reserve that rode at Berwick this year

But this comes down to who controls the sport, the sport is run by the riders for the riders, don’t know how long I have been telling anyone who will listen this message, until a governing body gets hold of and control of the sport and dictates boundaries which everyone must adhere to then the sport will continue to decline with everyone in it for their own gain and you have to say with nobody to stop them who can blame them, as an example and I say this not to single him out but as an example but Brady Kurtz is effectively holding the sport in Britain to ransom, make it 2 leagues or I’m off, doesn’t matter what the fans want or what is the best direction for British speedway it what works for me, me me me me me

Come on guys, the writing has been on the wall for years in Uk speedway. You can speculate when it all started, but doubling up, over reliance on TV sponsorship, the loss of stadia to building developments, limited race nights due to Poland , and a steady dwindling of support at some have all contributed to the downward trajectory . To lay the blame for the current perilous state of the PL solely on Ipswich is IMO misplaced… one could look back and blame Swindon, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Oxford “spires” . All have contributed to the slow and steady decline in Premier league speedway. The CL clubs have been complicit as well, failing to show any interest in accepting “ promotion” to the other league . We’re all right Jack comes to mind…….this is now surely about to be put to the test ?

Was never in doubt, 2026 was supposed to be the original plan but the way things panned out for us last year we thankfully managed to get him over for a few months last year to gain valuable experience. Shoukd kick on again next year, great kid.

Yes I am worried there may be no speedway. we had a save our speedway in 1995 and like many others I’m a member of the 400 club some 30 years on but this scenario isn’t a financial one at the moment. The club is extremely well run and has many sponsors and is viable. however next season there won’t be no tv money which is rumoured to be £60k. Not only that will the sponsors want to pay the same money for no national tv coverage ? Unlikely. if the league is reduced to 5 teams will fans pick and choose or stop coming so often because it’s the same old faces ? Chris Louis deserves a lot of credit and respect for what he has done for our club and I can only imagine this is his last resort. im guessing as this is his primary income he isn’t going to gamble it away in a 5 team league. Maybe some of the other teams which are subsidised by their owners are willing to? Who knows. I don’t agree with some saying he has thrown his toys out. Like all democratic organisations you reform from within but he seems to have reached a point where he has had enough and doesn’t like the direction the sport is going. there had been no mud slinging just a for sale notice going up at foxhall. im desperately hoping a resolution can be reached and Chris will carry on but I’m less optimistic. But thank you to John and Chris for providing us with such service over so many years.

Reaping what they sow by having the backbone to stand by their more sustainable model and not sacrificing one of their number to hold up the unsustainable top level for another year. The Premiership is the division killing off clubs, not the Championship.

But what can they do if they want a 6 team Premiership & not enough teams want to join them? They can't just make Poole or Glasgow move up.

definitely NOT the case, but they DO pay on time, and that goes a long way these days

There is no doubt Chris Louis is/was, one of the most forward , modern thinking promoters... However, you have to say that the bar is very, very low... What did Ipswich average last year for a basic POQ against the likes of Oxford and Birmingham? 1700? 1800 maybe? In UK Speedway terms, undoubtedly very, very good, but, again, as the bar is set so low, it is hardly "Barnum and Bailey" promoting levels is it? (One for the teenagers there) The Hawkins comments come across as almost blaming others for not doing what Ipswich do, however, for many, they don't need to, as their other businesses bankroll their team, or, they own tracks with other revenue streams that can subsidise their teams.. Clubs getting, (and quite happily surviving), on crowds of 600 or so could spend plenty of money increasing their attendances, however even if they got a 25% increase (a huge actual % in reality), it would still only be 750 a night, and nowhere near enough to compete with other clubs getting double... As we have seen, some teams go bankrupt by winning Speedway Championships and close, therefore why would clubs attempt to compete with those who can sustain the costs of more expensive riders, and put their own existence at risk? It isn't the fault, nor incumbent of, the Championship Teams to take (the very, very clear) risks by "moving up" just because a small minority of clubs won't deviate from their own inflexible business plans.. Fair play to Chris Louis for getting out if his expectations and aspirations can no longer be met, and good luck to him, he will definitely be missed by UK Speedway, however, it isn't the fault of any other club that Chris didn't want to ride in a five team league or one "big league".. That was, in his opinion, a business decision he felt wasnt right for him and Ipswich, and he will know his business model better than anyone.. Let's hope he finds a buyer and Ipswich come to the tapes next season..

I have a lot of respect for the late Tim Stone - he was definitely marmite to a lot of people, but he was always very nice, welcoming and respectful to us during my (short) time riding for the Mavericks. You always knew where you stood with him and he never minced his words. Plus the man lived and breathed Newport and it's such a shame things went the way they did there. I'll never forget we used to go down there every Sunday in the winter to practice, and planned to sleep in the van the night before, he offered us the option of putting our van in the pits (there was a lot of travellers in the area and often targeted Newport as a place to pitch up) and letting us sleep in a VIP box with heating - to which we gratiously accepted. He said "under no conditions are you to go outside before I get here in the morning though, the guard dog will have your pants down" - one night someone tried to break in and we found a pair of absolutely shredded jeans in the pits the morning after 😂😂😂

My opinion of it is fairly simple. The Louis family have built a fairly good team with a regular following of loyal supporters & sponsors to compete in the top league & in a good season turn a small profit. I'd say he has looked at the books & like many posters on here he can't see the top league with a possible 5 clubs being the product he wants to offer those people. Equally he is not prepared to take his club into a lower league as those same people may not support the venture. His choice is to walk away as a Champion & good luck to him.

1. Chris Harris 2. Anders Rowe 3. Sam Masters 4. Kyle Howarth 5. Ben Basso 6.Drew Kemp 7. Leon Flint Any in the know advise if the above fits. Looking forward to the replies.

you do exactly the same to Poole and Belle Vue to be fair.

I think you have put an awful lot of work into this. You deserve, at least, consideration for your effort. I think it is a possibility - but crucially - you have not got all the riders that you quote, Steve Worrall, Retired, Brady Kurtz are just two examples. I do admire your enthusiasm and your work. Well Done.

I've already posted a list of the number of riders active in the UK last year... there's more than enough riders to sustain 1 league, the race format would need changing to integrate some of these riders though.

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. .

Didn't help the number one's hoovering up all the money and then a lot of them leaving the UK as soon as the trough was empty.

Big 👍 to the comets promotion and commercial team for having a stall at the worky Xmas lights switch on day

The way things are going a 6 team Premiership would be a tremendous achievement ahead of 2026

I spoke to the Royal Mail guy who delivered a parcel to me yesterday about it. He said they don’t make any money out of letters so parcels are prioritised as that makes money. He also said he offered to deliver mail that was stacking up for our area but they wouldn’t sanction the overtime. I don’t want to get the digital version because I like the physical version and my Grandson likes to have all the old copies, but I feel I’m being forced down that route now. I do feel sorry for the guys at Pinegen, the star is an important staple of our sport and I’ve been getting it since I was a kid.

Rye House was a track available 365 days of the year and had a history of producing young riders. How many young riders have been lost to the sport or never had the opportunity due to the ineptitude of the pair of idiots(Chapman and Godfrey) in charge at the time that saw the track unlawfully ripped out?

I tell you who will notice... land developers, for British Speedway to "choose" to run without 5 clubs next season is unthinkable and would be a suicidal move. Just at the point where the likes of Coventry, Swindon, Peterborough, Lakeside, Rye House, Wolverhampton et al are trying to prove to the local and national authorities that there is a need for these tracks to reopen if the powers that be decided to do this it'd be close to game over for those clubs.

I suppose with Ipswich potentially not running, you will be able to focus all your attention on your favourite club Poole now

I just heard from a reliable source up the man cave that the premier league has a new major sponsor, in 2026 it will be known as the Hokey Cokey league, you got 5 teams in 5 teams out lemon in Louis out shake it all about, you have the AGM in November and change you mind and that’s what’s it all about, everybody sing 🎶 ohhhh what a shambles ohhhh what a shambles ohhhh what a shambles rules bent, no idea that’s British speedway 🎶 The old ones are always the old ones 😂

Proposal to Restructure British Speedway from 2027 Onwards This is my suggested format to take British Speedway forward from the 2027 season. 1. Team Racing Format One national league consisting of 14 clubs. Each club races every other club home and away once, giving 26 league fixtures per season. Proposed clubs: Belle Vue, Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Leicester, Oxford, Sheffield, Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Plymouth, Poole, Redcar, Scunthorpe & Workington. The team finishing top of the league after 26 fixtures are crowned “League Champions”. The top 8 teams progress to an end-of-season “KO Cup” competition. 2. Rules & Team Building Teams are built to a maximum of 42.00 points. Rider averages are calculated as follows: Any rider with a current Championship average uses that figure. Any current Premiership rider has their Championship-equivalent average multiplied by 1.5, with a maximum average of 12.00. Any National League rider has their current average divided by 2, with a minimum average of 2.00. Team Composition Each team consists of 7 riders: No. 1 – Heat Leader Only one designated heat leader per team, always riding at No. 1. Nos. 2, 3 & 4 – Second Strings Form the main body of the team alongside the heat leader. No. 5 – Senior Reserve A rider acting as the senior reserve. Nos. 6 & 7 – Junior Reserves Development riders. Must be Commonwealth riders. This structure allows: Each club to include a genuine Grand Prix or top-level rider at No. 1. A strong Championship core across every team. A meaningful development pathway via the junior reserves with a clear link to National League-level riders. 3. Heat Format & Points System Because of the varied rider levels within each team, the traditional format is split into two parts on the programme: Support Card Main Card 3.1 Support Card The Support Card consists of 4 heats: Two heats where each team’s No. 6 & No. 7 race against each other. Two further heats where the Senior Reserve (No. 5) races together with the No. 6 & No. 7 riders. Scoring for the Support Card: Over the 4 heats, the aggregate result determines: 1 league point for a win. 1 league point each for a draw. 0 league points for a loss. So, the Support Card alone can earn a team up to 1 league point from the meeting. 3.2 Main Card The Main Card consists of 9 heats. The Senior Reserve (No. 5): Rides with No. 2 once and No. 4 once, ensuring 4 programmed rides. The Heat Leader (No. 1): Rides once with No. 2 and once with No. 4. Has two rides alongside No. 3. After the 9 Main Card heats: The scores are added up and league points are awarded in the same manner as the Support Card: 1 league point for a win. 1 league point each for a draw. 0 league points for a loss. Again, the Main Card can earn a team up to 1 league point. 3.3 Nominated Heats (Heats 14–16) After both the Support Card and Main Card are complete, there are three nominated heats: Heat 14, Heat 15 & Heat 16. Heat 16 is reserved for the two highest point scorers from the main body (Riders 1–4). Heats 14 & 15 are also nominated heats, with the restriction that: A rider may appear in only one nominated heat. This rule ensures: At least one of the No. 6 or No. 7 junior reserves gets a fourth ride. All other riders get at least five rides across the meeting. Scoring for the Nominated Heats: The combined result of Heats 14–16 is treated as a third card: 1 league point for a win. 1 league point each for a draw. 0 league points for a loss. 3.4 Overall League Points Per Meeting Across the Support Card, Main Card, and Nominated Heats, each team has three separate chances to earn league points. In total, a side can earn up to 3 league points from a single meeting. 4. Rider Movement & Averages Through the Season To maintain structure and development: A Junior Reserve (Nos. 6 & 7) can only progress up to Senior Reserve (No. 5) status. A Senior Reserve (No. 5) can: Move into the main body (Nos. 2–4), or Drop back into a Junior Reserve position, depending on averages. A rider in the main body (Nos. 1–4) can only drop as low as Senior Reserve (No. 5) and not into a Junior Reserve slot. This ensures a clear hierarchy while still allowing progression and reshuffling based on form and averages. 5. Race Nights & Rider Absences All meetings take place on the race night chosen by each club. It is up to each club to build a team suited to their chosen race night. In the event of absent riders, they are covered by: Rider Replacement (R/R), or An approved guest rider. 6. Example Team Line-Ups Below are four illustrative team line-ups of different strengths. These are purely examples for the purposes of demonstrating the system, not predictions of actual signings. Belle Vue Aces Brady Kurtz (Heat Leader) Norick Blödorn (Second String) Ben Cook (Second String) Jake Mulford (Second String) Ben Trigger (Senior Reserve) Jack Smith (Junior Reserve) Arran Butcher (Junior Reserve) Ipswich Witches Jason Doyle (Heat Leader) Jason Edwards (Second String) Adam Ellis (Second String) Jonathan Grahn (Second String) Cameron Heeps (Senior Reserve) Dayle Wood (Junior Reserve) Connor King (Junior Reserve) Glasgow Tigers Dan Bewley (Heat Leader) Ace Pijper (Second String) Chris Harris (Second String) Villads Nagel (Second String) Paul Starke (Senior Reserve) Max Perry (Junior Reserve) Jack Kingston (Junior Reserve) Poole Pirates Jack Holder (Heat Leader) Fraser Bowes (Second String) Richard Lawson (Second String) Tobias Thomsen (Second String) Will Cairns (Senior Reserve) Vinny Ford (Junior Reserve) Kai Ward (Junior Reserve) 7. British Championship Series To compensate for riders no longer doubling up/down between leagues, this proposal includes the creation of a British Championship Series. The aim is to: Provide more meetings for riders. Generate additional income via sponsorship, gate receipts, and streaming revenue. Help offset the financial “loss” from running a single unified league. Format A 6-round championship series held at: Belle Vue Glasgow Ipswich Poole Leicester Oxford The series features 16 riders. There are two Semi-Finals held early in the season at: Workington Sheffield The Top 8 riders from each Semi-Final qualify for the 6-round series. Riders apply to enter the series. It is not primarily aimed at GP-standard riders, but rather the strong domestic core. Example Semi-Final Line-Ups Semi-Final 1 – Workington (example): Brennan, Harris, King, D. Thompson, Howarth, Nicholls, Flint, Kerr, Barker, Mountain, Hume, Rushen, Gilkes, Ablitt, Morley, Scott. Semi-Final 2 – Sheffield (example): Lawson, Wright, Ellis, Cook, Kemp, Rowe, Worrall, Edwards, Jenkins, J. Thompson, Harrison, Bowtell, S. Lambert, Mulford, Starke, Cairns. The top 8 from each Semi-Final progress into the 16-rider British Championship Series. Each season, the host venues for the 6 rounds can be rotated to share the opportunity and exposure around different clubs.

I've got respect for Louis for doing this. Whether he did it for financial reasons or because he can't harmonise with what the future of speedway looks like in the UK, this must have been a deeply saddening decision to come to. If you cut him he would bleed ipswich speedway and he's also walking away from the legacy that his dad built. To decide to call it a day must have been the toughest decision of his life. But at the end of the day, if he deems the sport is no longer financially viable in Suffolk, I myself would rather walk away with some money in my pocket than risk bankruptcy at the age of 56.

Clown You don’t think Chris Louis was a good promoter then you are clueless What is a promoter supposed to do? Bankrolled thousands of his own money into the club Ran the club on a huge financial safety net Promoted the club locally year upon year and brought sponsorship into the team Had the highest average gates all season Brought high class riders into the side … riders who wanted to ride for the club and riders who have regularly stated how much of a family club it is and all riders are happy I suggest you shut up about the Emil situation as you clearly have no idea what went on behind the scenes to make that happen and what it cost Chris personally…. And that signing helped every club who always had higher attendances when Emil was I town a true class act You love to stick the boot in at every opportunity you can to Ipswich …. Occasionally not knowing the facts and most of the time just spouting crap Imagine having the best track in the UK and one of the most entertaining riders in the world in Bewley and still not getting good crowds … what Belle Vue could do with a promoter like Louis