HGould

I think there may be at least one other possibly two more NDL teams in addition to Northside based on various rumours. Two existing Clubs running NDL too. Be great news if so after NDL looked dead a year ago.

50k annual rent and 20 meetings is draconian and also kills off any thoughts of NDL in my opinion. As I see it if CL is 10 teams and you have 9 home and 9 away plus KOC and a few fillers, you'd have to run as many as 6 home meetings as "fillers" to reach the 20 fixtures so, they would be loss making meetings right off. If you don't run 20 fixtures you have to pay more rent per fixture to pay the 50k There is very little land available at right price in the right areas in Birmingham / Greater Birmingham, and The Black Country is the same, look at Cradley issues trying to find land in Dudley and Sandwell Boroughs. The big brown field sites like Longbridge have been used for residential and commercial development. The NEC / Airport area where nosie would be less of any issue is pretty much full up. The City Council and Regional elected Mayor are useless. As long as Wolves can hang on to Monmore or Coventry can reclaim Brandon, it's a very sobering outlook elsewhere in the area. There is another problem there though as any land that's encroaching on their territory so only robs Peter to pay Paul. Grim times so we all have to pray that we can keep PB for as long as possible.

Our best young talent will be hoovered up by new U24 Extraleague Legue and also D2 and D3 Clubs in Poland able to offer more than even best PL rates in UK. They'll attract best of Australian and European talent at all levels too. If Friday's are used more in addition to Saturday / Sunday it could marginalise UK League Speedway to Monday and Thursday in PL and an NDL level League on other nights. The only flip side is if Sweden continues to decline the UK Premier League could become to secondary option and bring in bigger CL Clubs like Glasgow; Leicester; Poole etc

Can see around a 6 - 10 of the best U24 British Riders heading to Polish U23 League every weekend. Will help their development but not great for any CL Clubs. Hope Poles wont schedule any U23 League matches for a Friday that could be carnage for UK Speedway!

Don't see either Kemp or Gilkes going to Oxford in CL. Wouldn't be surprised to see Rowe there though. Possible Mulford would fit better in their NDL Team if as rumoured they run one ?

Sheffield? maybe

A lot of positive thoughts and a full house. The break even is unrealistic when you consider average last year was about 600. Still there's hope and that's very positive.

Lawson signed for Sheffield in 2020 but moved before riding for them due to various rumours. Happens regularly like with Richie Worrall at Edinburgh. Garry May is never short of contacts or options.

Of course Belle Vue they will be certs, too hard thinking of new Clubs lol. I

If there are 8 Clubs would at least keep NDL alive. Armadale, Berwick, Northside (Workington); Leicester, Mildenhall, Scunthorpe; Oxford and hopefully Iwade may be best we can hope for?

Great news and at least a trip down the M40 or old A40 if quieter if Brummies don't make it to tapes. Jamie Courtney is a sound appointment doing great things at Berwick on a sensible budget.

I'm sure I read Poles are launching an U23 League next year and Clubs are allowed a few Foreign riders each. Not hard to see the cream of UK under 23 crop being over there most weekends with huge earning potential comparing to UK.

new improved drains going in? possibly widening to make suitable for FIM ? Race night wise, didn't Oxford ride Thursdays when in 2nd tier before the seasons with Nielsen / Wigg etc. Can't ride Thursdays in CL but what about Tuesday (now Kent have closed) or Wednesday (would Brummies or Poole complain?)

That sounds very plausible Brian. I've read in a few places too from Kent supporters that Kent's Crowds (other than v Eastbourne local derbies) were not as high as expected / budgeted for and similar to NDL levels in the past few seasons. With Nicholls and Batchelor probably high earners it would be logical to assume that Len; faced with a substantial rent increase has done his sums and they don't look at all good and if his biggest crowds are against a side not running in 2022 (based on their statement last Friday); is it possible that this has changed the picture to a pretty gloomy one and forced Len's hand? The question a few have asked, would Len transfer his License to Arlington and run a team there with the new Eastbourne management. Especially if both sides have pretty much been forced out by much lower than budgeted crowds in the 2021 season and could combine their hard core support in to something that would be viable.

Len would be an asset to any Club but be great for South and London if he could revive Eastbourne. His track preparation skills would come in handy too, as it was awful at Arlington on my first 2 visits in 2021, but better for the Scunthorpe match when Gerald Richter took over.

Still hopeful that Laurence can pull something off. There are going to be plenty of riders looking for a ride if Kent close too. Young Gilkes and Starke live in Midlands.

More shocking news if true, especially for the South East and London. Wonder if Len could be tempted back to Arlington? It would solve 2 problems and probably ensure bumper crowds.

May be a mole but not a senior mole but a junior mole?

The biggest asset Kent have is Len and his experience. He has his detractors; but must have a wry smile watching the newer promotions all of whom had good ideas and did some good things generally , but couldn't make it financially viable, fall by the wayside whilst "Lens way/the old way" seems to work. I think Kent will be OK whilst Len's OK, the problem for Kent is the vacuum after Len?

Things like taking bottled water off supporters in a queue to get in baking hot night to ensure they bought his bottled water at inflated prices that was of no cash benefit to speedway. Generally bad attitude towards supporters from Stadium staff, obviously even more restricted access to Track Staff and Track team. I'm not sure that the Masons could have done any more in the circumstances.

Sad but not unexpected. The Masons have done far more for Birmingham Speedway that was good and positive than many give them credit for and I wish them the very best of luck and hopefully they aren't totally lost to the Sport. Their physical and mental well-being is more important. There is hopefully someone in the wings who may be able to take it on but I fear that the relatively new Stadium Manager has engineered what he wanted and shame on him and ARC for their complete lack of support of Speedway in the recent past. That was not always the case under previous Stadium Management. I don't think it's a big surprise that 2 dog tracks from same Company (Newcastle and us) are in the situation we are, not a surprise that relatively new Promotions who have moved up to CL (Brummies and Eastbourne in 2019) and Newcastle (new Promo for 2020/2021) have suffered from big set up costs and possibly a step too far for all three who had to build initially quite quickly. Hopefully all 3 will return with new Promotions in the future. My own personal view is that with the Commonwealth Games surrounding the area for 2022 and causing a massive security ring to be set up for possibly a few months before, that it may be best for Brummies to have a year out and possibly come back in 2023 with a fresh impetus after the fun and games likely next Summer just up the Road and around the City in general. Certainly media focus on going to be on Games for most of 2022 in addition to soccer and cricket. The whole area is lets face it going to be a gridlocked nightmare!

Heavy rain until this afternoon and then a dry forecast for tomorrow after early fog. Makes me reminisce on the Brummie "pea soupers" we used to get when I was a kid. Fog was dense for days sometimes wouldn't clear at all. Rain may be a relief to Track Staff might help in preparation.

Sad to say I left with very much the same feeling of inevitability about the sport and Brummie specific. I think Peter and David are just trying to limp to the end of the season and to get out as financially sound as they can. A pretty reliable source has told me that Laurence is working on something for next year with some speedway people who will come in and whilst that's encouraging and positive its only going to be a winter of uncertainty if true. The issues with the track remain and the new manager of the Stadium seems hell bent on making life as tough as possible. If rumours of a watered down 2nd tier are correct I'm not sure how many will see it as attractive enough to watch, especially in 2022 when we'll be surrounded (literally) with a major Global Event just up the road and all of the security and access issues that will cause. Can only enjoy the final few weeks whilst we can.

It's wavy. Not cause of accident.

Lovely man Very sad news Commiseration with his family and friends.