Hawk127

I suspect that Doyle may consider riding for either Ipswich or Swindon if someone comes along with the readies to fund the operation. Therefore what if the Ipswich licence was transferred to another track/stadia? Perhaps CL has gone abroad knowing a deal is done. Frankly no one here has any idea as to where the club stands and for all he has said I doubt he would leave Ipswich without a speedway team. As to what level that team is remains to be seen but I am sure speedway will feature at Foxhall in 2026 and beyond. Even a year out as NORA affiliated track simply to keep the track open should not be dismissed as an option. It depends on so many factors such as the rent for the stadium facilities etc. Let’s hope bikes are heard come March 2026.

It is no different to prior years when certain promoters did not get what they wanted but then you have look deeper and see what the Louis family have done for Ipswich speedway and Suffolk and understand that speedway at the top level is shot to sh..e and most astute business people would walk away given the proposed set up. The proposed Premiership is a bastardised version of the Championship with double uppers simply lining their pockets to try and maintain a living from a sport which is on it knees. The mainland European scene makes it easier for riders to ply their trade in different countries without the hassle of riding in the UK. Speedway in this country is out on a limb for so many reasons and needs to reinvent itself and stop thinking it is something it is not. Regroup and enter the international stage in five years or so but until then accept most riders are also rans and the UK needs to develop its own talent. Fans and promoters need to bite the bullet and support what is available to build for the future. Allow those who do rise to the top in British speedway ply the trade overseas where they can make an impact and if they wish to take advantage of the technical tracks in the UK let them ride but at a cost that clubs can realistically afford. No more supplementing the pension fund.

Sadly that is where the sport is and unfortunately it is going to take something special to get the riders to trust those in charge and believe they have a future in the over here. You really despair at the thought process of the few individuals who seemingly are driving speedway in the UK and wonder why they think that everything is hunky dory. Take a look at the Mainland European scene and speedway UK is way behind the curve. Thankfully those on the continent are professional, mainland U K are also rans but at least we can watch professional leagues race through the summer months. Speedway UK simply cannot compete on organisation, credibility or professional run sport. Oh well always regular Sunday speedway from Poland on free streams with the top riders, full stadia and incredible atmosphere. Dream on BSPL.

Agree with that scenario. Cannot see Spedeworth being overly happy with the way things are going and will either say enough is enough and concrete over the track and just run bangers/stock cars or give another promoter a chance but I suspect that Spedeworth make far more out of their operation than the income they get from a few speedway meetings a year. It really is a precarious situation.

The decision to continue with a top league may backfire given that a lot of the former top riders in the UK have opted for Swedish, Danish and Polish sides leaving few riders of that calibre to grace the top tier of UK speedway. You could also understand why they have made the decision given the logistics of moving around mainland Europe being easier as opposed to having to fly in and out of the UK and maintain equipment here as well as Europe. Time will tell but it will take something radical to entice riders to come back to these shores in the future. It could well be that the authorities in the UK have finally burnt their bridges.

Nope, the BSPL will want to string it out. In reality you could run this with one home and one away starting in July and the season over by the end of August including play offs. Why the hell don't these knob heads invest in young up and coming riders and prolong the season with new talent and other disciplines. Think like the IOW and add in the league meetings and finale. Not really rocket science unless you are an owner/promoter of a club in the so called top tier of British speedway farce.

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.

It also depends on East Suffolk council. Certain restrictions are in place and with Spedeworth running on Saturdays it may be difficult to operate on other days on a regular basis given the eight day rule which I believe use to exist and may still exist. Ipswich has been synonymous with Thursday night speedway and I doubt any new owner would advocate a change to another race night. I simply hope that a way can be found to see the Witches come to the tapes in 2026 if not simply putting the sport on hold for a year may just see the end of this famous club and the sport will be poorer for the demise of Ipswich.

You are absolutely right but you missed one other issue, the fickle supporter who wants nothing more than league racing and as long as the punters are not flexible in there outlook then those who run the sport are not going to take financial risks by putting on something different. The only way to appeal to possibly a new generation of punter is to offer a multi discipline meeting with a mix of sports, short track, sidecar etc and revert to a thirteen heat formula for speedway and throw in a few one lap scratch races where betting might work.

If Ipswich do not come to the tapes next year then for the time being it is all over for the witches but like most on here we all hope it does not come to this but the reality is that at this stage in proceedings they have little or no hope of putting together a competitive team to grace either championship or premiership league and at best they could run an NDL team or if it still exists allow open meetings but I suspect the latter has been all but ruled out by the arseholes who allegedly run the sport. To my mind it is now all about keeping tracks open at whatever level because once they are lost it is game over. Permit tracks to put on meetings at whatever level until the authorities can decide what to do going forward. I would rather see a few good individual meetings at Ipswich rather than see the track lost to the sport. Over the years Rye house and many others have in the past survived on the basis of individual meetings but it really depends on what the overall plan is for the sport but at this stage that plan does appear not exist. Headless chickens, self interest and perpetual denial leaves the sport where it is today. Anyone that thinks you can afford to lose a club like Ipswich to the sport of speedway has lost the plot.

Agree. One thing though, if all the riders who were considered the top participants in club sides have deserted these shores for pastures new and you are just left with double up riders to make up the spearhead of a team what is the point? You would just have a group of riders in what would effectively be an alternative Championship side but racing in a so called Premier league for possibly more money. This is so farcical it beggars belief but those in charge still have their collective heads in the sand whilst appointing Sir Philip Davies to read the last rites over the embers of a once great sport. You could not make it up. Oh well they could always put large screens up in those stadia and show weekend racing from Poland. It might catch on. Throw in some live action with NDL riders/matches or short track and bingo, a weekend afternoon or evening of two wheeled sport with the finale each time being the worlds best riders performing in league racing with the tribal support of the Polish fans to add to the atmosphere. You could even have reciprocal live interaction with the supporters using the latest technology.

Thanks. Pete Jarman, I vaguely remember him, did he ride for Eastbourne or am I again losing the plot?

I thought speedway was held a few years back at Yarmouth or am I thinking of Skegness?

The way British riders are signing for European clubs it could well end up where you have the tracks but not enough riders. You cannot blame any rider looking elsewhere as they have to put themselves first and they need to know their income stream to cover costs, mechanics and line up sponsors etc none of which can wait until the eve of a new season. The delay in finalising arrangements in the Premiership is damaging the sport on so many levels and has wide ranging implications for riders, sponsors, team set up and for clubs who rent the stadia, what can they tell the owners? These landlords will have budgets and cashflow forecasts to complete and part of that is needing to know what the revenue stream will be. If speedway teams cannot declare than the stadia owners may well look elsewhere. Short track is doing very well in Australia and it would not be beyond the realms of possibility to introduce team racing or other two and four wheeled sports filling the void caused by the Premiership teams If only the fools in charge realised how their actions seriously undermine every aspect of the sport but they are so insular in their thinking and the rest of the business world which is materially affected by these delays etc. is lost on the BSPL