1 valve

In this your second post on the matter you have not told me anything I didn’t already know re Mayfield Sports, Richard Coleman and his future involvement with Tech3 especially since I have been fortunate to count the current owner Herve Poncharal as a close friend for many years and who will be a sad loss to the MotoGP paddock when he eventually signs off at the end of this current season, although I believe he will continue to be of help and assistance to Gunter's consortium following their acquisition of the business. Regarding the Speedway GP series, contrary to your assumptions, I am sure of many related facts. One being that Mayfield sports will be working closely with hosting organisations to ensure each meeting follows a suitable and consistent agenda mindful that broadcasting of each event remains with WBDS. You appear to be concerned that Coleman is spreading himself too thin on the ground whilst failing to acknowledge that it his company (albeit not a large one with huge resources but at least adequate) who will be promoting the SpeedwayGP series not just him. Although you and many others may share a mutual concern about the quality of the 2026 GP series (which I have raised elsewhere on this forum) your concerns are based on unfounded speculation to believe that the 2026 SpeedwayGP series will not happen leaving the top riders short of work & desperate to ride in the UK.

No problem with RR as clubs are using their own resources to cover for injured riders instead of guests. What needs to be severely limited in order to help establish credibility of the sport is riders doubling up and the drastic reduction of guests.

Not really. Riders contracts can be terminated without notice or compensation. The power is very much with the promoters.

Where is the source of this concept coming from. Unless I am mistaken, The 2026 GP series will run pretty much in line with 2025 concept. Or put another way, your post is without foundation and is in fact utter garbage!

Spot on. “Tomorrow’s a school day” by and large an excuse.

Spot on. “Tomorrow’s a school day” by and large an excuse.

Attending sporting fixtures is way different to going to a pub. This past Monday 41476 turned out to watch Sunderland v Everton. On a smaller scale 2820 turned out to watch Tamworth. And a good number of the people who went were kids with at least one parent - even though next day was a school day. Make Speedway interesting, consistent, worthwhile & known about and folk will come.

Actually - Monday & Thursday nights to see the (for now) top riders in action. Plenty of other clubs to see racing on the other nights - although prevailing attendance & sponsorship does not appear to be making those clubs hugely profitable sellouts - to say the least. As said elsewhere on this forum, it isn’t a single magic bullet that’s required to get UK speedway back on a growth journey (or even stopping the decline) it’s a good number of things which need to be addressed and put in place in a coordinated manner. One without the other is wasting precious time and certainly if the clubs/promoters cannot see or agree that working individually is of no long term use to the sport.

You may think it’s not good enough but the realty is that in the UK speedway is run as a business by the people who will be attending the AGM. You/we are customers of the people who run companies who will be attending the AGM - and if you don’t like what they decide on what they think is best for the sport the don’t support it. Meanwhile they will continue to try to get things right at their expense ….. and suffer the consequences !

As I said, Good idea, but to create such a thing is far, far easier said than done and frankly it’s hard to believe the BSPA have the knowledge or the capacity to actually create such content on a weekly basis covering the activities of 14/15 clubs. Maybe they could consider farming out the whole production and marketing to a third party and maybe that’s where speedway futures comes in having found a suitable sponsor to cover suitable production & marketing costs?

A very good idea. Now for the devil of the detail. Who would record and edit the content to a high quality standard together with suitable commentary/voiceover using good English and clear pronunciation? Mindful of copyright issues relating to stream companies such as BSN. Who would cover the cost. Which streaming channels would be best to utilise and how is their commitment obtained to guarantee regular coverage and reasonable priority in their programming?

The annual loss was inclusive of the TV receipts. In other words, gate money, sponsorship, sales of shirts, match day food & drink and all of TV income did not cover the cost of playing in the Premier league.

Rather than be coy about what radical changes you were told were coming, you could say what you think the BSPA had in mind at the end of this season for 2026 but would need some things to fall into place to make it possible.

Why go to Oxford when Leicester is closer and track is available for speedway 7 days/nights a week? If Northampton in top flight they could use Mondays & Thursdays to stage meetings for both clubs.

But professional sports ARE NOT moving away from gambling sponsorship. Also betting markets for speedway are numerous, well beyond place results. In other words speedway & the betting industry could work well as a partnership. Don’t knock it based on a biased opinion but embrace it as a positive way forward.

Greyhounds do not get tv coverage. The potential way forward is for sponsorship of speedway to include both tv advertising and numerous betting markets.

The challenge that will remain most prevalent will be how to avoid riders once developed from moving over to Poland the answer being to match what they can earn over there ...and we are some way off that scenario.

The majority went on riders pay. Some of it went to promoters in the form of profits. nothing was spent on developing the sport or the facilities.

The "family sport" tag was used as a way of differentiating speedway crowds from that of football which in the 70's and the level of hooliganism seen at football grounds was well founded. Today, speedway still remains a "family sport" unfortunately not attended by families to any great extent unlike football with some clubs having massive sections dedicated to families a lot who are season ticket holders. also looking back, Speedway, as a "family sport" didn't mind running many events sponsored by the fag and booze companies now actually banned from such advertising. And lets not forget Durex - hardy "family" related Times have moved on (ok maybe not speedway UK) and speedway folk should accept with open arms the betting industry which in itself is one of the most tightly regulated businesses here in the UK. and consider this, nobody needs to place a bet at a meeting, just like nobody needs to drink booze and smoke fags/vape at meetings, but plenty still do!

Giving free bets at meetings will do nothing to attract new attendees at meetings but will increase or divert the cost of sponsorship. Also worth recognising that the days of the local bookies with his pitch & bag attending meetings are long gone with the main potential market for speedway betting being online on a global basis where like the dogs and frankly any sport there is no need to attend the actual meeting to place a bet. Speedway is ideal for betting on a number of different models & if live streaming can be installed at all tracks then indeed the sport may well be able to attract a much needed financial lifeline. Again, my only worry would be that the promoters do nothing with the cash to improve the sports infrastructure, promotion & rider development and thereby creating medium & longterm growth. They will of course ensure their own pockets are suitably filled.

Does he still hold the BSPA license or was this lost when the stadium “closed”?

Any suitable promoters genuinely waiting in the wings to take the opportunity forward with up front investment in the basic infrastructure?

Absolutely 100% spot on, Caused by too many self serving promoters thinking “me, I and myself” for far too long.

Maybe a version of the old 13 heat format (happiness was 40-38)should be considered with six man teams and the final race being made up of nominated riders. Also give team managers more of an input by allowing teams trailing by (say) 6 points choice of gate positions. And then after an interval have a short second half featuring juniors/development teams. Basically, providing some variety at no extra cost.

More likely 500 fans at £25 as VAT needs to be deducted. That said, a good portion of the two riders “pay” is met by sponsorship rather than gate receipts.