The Cheese

Premier Sports have an estimated 300k subscribers, can't see that helping to grow the sport. Sky by comparison had 6m from the last figures I can find, and 26.7m people watched content across all their platforms in the last year. One of the worst things about TNT's coverage is that a big deal was made about it including the free-to-air highlights, only for them to be shown once a week at 2am or something ridiculous. I doubt that it attracted even a single new fan.

I can agree with that, it's a far bigger issue than doubling-up. R/R should be mandatory if one rider in the top 5 is missing for a start. In the top league it should be easy enough to replace a reserve with someone who only has a Championship spot or even unattached which would be a good opportunity to put themselves in the shop window. The term 'guest' should be dropped in that scenario as well. Something like 'injury loan' or 'emergency loan' sounds better.

I don't think I've seen any complaints about it. And it's not really to do with money, just a way of helping players get more games. Each round is heavily featured on the BBC Sport page with live updates, commentary etc. Every game is also streamed live for free on YouTube.

Depends what level of football. A squad player in League 1 for example could be loaned out to a non-league side but still play for his parent club in reserve level matches. And sadly that's probably a more relevant comparison for speedway than Manchester United or Real Madrid. If you dig deep enough into any sport you'll find rules and regulations that look odd or stupid to anyone else. Again with football, we have one of the worst countries in the world in San Marino who are potentially 2 play-off games away from qualifying for the World Cup despite being bottom of their qualifying group with 0 points. Depending on other results, it might even be in their best interests to lose heavily in their last match of the group! Cricket's county championship in this country is decided by a league where teams randomly play some sides twice and others once. Several rounds of games in recent years have been played with a completely different ball which in speedway terms would be something like having to use a 250cc in some meetings. Overseas players can be brought in for one match only which could be seen as guesting. Similarly it's also becoming more common for players to play in one competition for their county side and be loaned elsewhere for another, effectively doubling-up.

After fixed race nights were brought in, I don't see the issue with doubling-up. There are no inter-league meetings, they're two completely separate leagues. It's no different than also riding in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, wherever.

Well done to Ipswich. Deserved winners, despite what the table says they were the best team in the league. Credit to their management who come across as very professional and have built such a strong side over the last few years. Others could learn a lot from them on how to successfully run a club. Good effort from Leicester to effectively take it to the last heat, a few errors on the night cost them a better chance.

The Dan Thompson +1 vs Kemp is down to 4/5 now. Outscored him on both Ipswich visits to Leicester this season, Kemp probably riding better now and will have 5 rides but still you'd fancy Thompson who could end up with a couple of extra himself.

I think Fricke and Doyle are deserving of their places, Woffinden though is certainly a surprise call. On the plus side it suggests he's continuing to make good progress in his recovery from the injuries but it's a big gamble when nobody knows how he's going to perform when he does return. Maybe giving him one of the top substitute spots or the British GP wildcard would have been better. Hope he can prove everyone wrong though!

Well done to Australia, fully deserved that as the best pair. Glad to be going back to the World Cup next year though, it's just a far superior event.

Thankfully, not everyone has such a negative view.

Front page of tomorrow's Speedway Star seems to be suggesting a possible revival of Buxton in the NL.

And with that 'gone list' those that are left include: Kildemand (36), Craig Cook (38), Sedgmen (34), Palm Toft (35), Harris (43), Masters (34), Lawson (40), Kerr (35), Barker (37), Nicholls (47), Wright (38), King (39), Worrall (34), Simon Lambert (37), Batchelor (38), Iversen (43) That's almost all of what would effectively be the top group of riders. If people think they can just about manage to find enough riders to sustain one league now, what about in 3 or 5 years?

I see you got there in the end but they obviously changed it as it was listed as being on 10 when I checked last week here - https://www.tvguide.co.uk/channel/tnt-sports-10 Looking again, tonight's doesn't appear on any of them now as they're showing Major League Baseball instead.

Tuesday and Wednesday are on TNT Sports 10.

Thought both legs were very good, hopefully we can get similar levels of entertainment in the final.