SJA

Having seen a 2024 riders contract unless the wording has changed it would NOT be null and void.

Totally agree that if one league it would be at best at Championship level less a heat leader and a second string, replaced by two 2 point riders, The issue isnt so much the riders in the top polish league but those in the second division. This problem would only go away if they kept the fixed race nights of Monday and Thursday.

I cannot see the point of individual clubs attending such a show. Even if they were given the space they would still incur costs putting together banners, dressing the space etc. Then who do you get to staff the stand? The Owner, Promoter, Team Manager, Riders or volunteers? I would rather clubs focus on well coded social media posts aimed at potential new spectators. O know of one club that ran a small Facebook campaign aimed at men aged 25-40 in specific locations who were members of non speedway motor bike interest groups. This would appear a better use of any marketing money.

Its stated as being the 6th January 2026 in this weeks Speedway Star.

I too have heard the same.

OK, I can see three reasons for delaying the AGM... 1. Provides Sheffield with additional time to complete the sale of the Club 2. Allows Northampton the maximum time to decided if they want to race in 2026 3. Maybe, just maybe their is a broadcast deal in the offering that is dependant on other factors. Who knows.... but I would imagine the points limit for both divisions will have been agreed.

I don't see value in Fricke's average as their is little opportunity to improve it much next season so I would not have him in my team for 2026.

You may just want to check that. I was told this directly by a former Premiership Promoter.

If my understanding is correct the Lions will have the last but one pick based on finishing runner up in the Grand Final. And remember that if a rising star is picked earlier in the ballot and turns down the offer they are automatically withdrawn from that years r/s scheme.

So the Leicester team for 2026 based on how Mr D has built previous teams is likely to be British based riders, and little change. So I hope for Leicester's sake their is a change at rising star. The top 6 have an average of 42.14 and Fricke has an average of 9.89. If they don't have Fricke, keep the other riders with Douglas as the new Number 1, they have 3.75 plus a bit for if the discount for British riders for their new rider.

And don't forget the ever powerful Michal Sikora will be in the background pulling the strings as much as possible,

It's called delegation. It is what senior managers and business owners do.

Ahh that explains Doyle's average in comparison so someone like Fricke's.....

From what I have been told a number are looking at the possibility of relocating, with Bydgoszcz suggested as a likely base for the Aussie riders. That way they can have a local support network of fellow riders families.

Technically 800 fans as each as each home meeting covers the cost of the away fixture as well. Although the figures I have been quoted on the guarantees are closer to £4k each.

Before team racesuits became a thing I think it was Henka Gustafsson in 92 or 93 who had the Kings Lynn Zetor race bib as part of his leathers design so he didn't have to wear a race bib. I though that was a design innovation and ahead of the time.

The best signing Glasgow can make is a new Manager, Cami cost you the league this year by not picking Thompson for the Superheat.

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Henka Gustafsson for me. His balance on the bike was amazing. At the opposite end of the spectrum was Bo Petersen who was all legs.

If the rumours are true and it looks like with a low points limit maybe at the back of all the promoters mind is replace your existing number one with another rising star and you will save a massive amount of money has I have heard in some cases what a number one gets at some clubs is about the same as the other two heat leaders get combined.

He is the Lion that increased his average by the most. With a low limit I would thought he should be the first or second signing.

That would leave 11.17 for the other three riders if the rumoured 36 point limit happens. Fricke is simply unemployable on an 9.89 average if its a 36 point limit for team building.

I asked the questions and was told the figures are supplied by BARB which the ad agencies use to evaluate the reach and value of audiences as they develop throughout commercial TV programmes. Its the industry standard apparently. The person in question has work in broadcast media as Advertisement Sales Manager including Sky Sports when they had the rights to Speedway so I would expect understands the figures he quoted.

The ad window is 7 minutes per hour at peak times. Speaking to a Commercial Manager of a Premiership club he said the issue is not only the raw numbers but the demographics. Fans are to old, and to poor to appeal to mainstream brands. The comparison he gave was a netball viewer was 28 years younger and earned £22,000 more per annum than a speedway viewer. This would make the sport a hard sell to free to air channels. BSPL could be faced with decision between a small amount of money per club from a broadcast partner that has the sport "hidden" behind some form of paywall and a free to air deal with no money and where BSPL pick up the production costs but gets the sport to a wider audience. This greater reach could then be used to gain more commercial partners for the clubs as it would appear more to selected national brands.

The best deal is the one that gets the sport to the largest number of non speedway fans. But how to achieve this? My opinion is that the sport is not suitable for live TV but ideal for a hour long, prepack, magazine type programme. You focus on the best races from a couple of meetings with additional races that are talking points from the previous week. In a 52 minute programme (plus 8 minutes of ad brakes which is the maximum allowed) as the spot ruling will not be applied to speedway due to viewing figures you should be able to cover this. I would get BSN to prepare it and offer it prepacked to Channel 4 or 5. Being on a FTA channel but as highlights will not impact on people attending a live meeting as much as the present deal does. And you stand a chance of attracting new fans as its not behind a paywall. The key is to get a broadcast (TV) partner as a streaming service only engages existing speedway fans.