Of course if will be weaker. The par will always be 42.. An average team that started the season with a GSA of 40 will over the course of the season rise to 42 as 2024 scores are replaced by 2025 scores.
This seems unlikely. To anyone in the Oxford orbit it was clear from around May that enthusiasm for running in the Premiership had waned and by August it had become the expectation that the Spires would expire, and that the goal was simply to complete the season and re-focus on the Cheetahs in the Championship.
I can't believe that other promoters were not aware of this.
I'm sure Chris gets several offers from Poland every year. What is significant is that he has said yes to one. (He's ridden just 2 matches in the last 8 years in Poland).
That seems high. Very much dependent on the business, but in my day it was typically 10-20. Has it changed that much? And for a speedway business aren't we more likely to be looking at an asset value of the intangibles (promoter's licence, ability to generate useable tax losses, goodwill)
Sounds to me like he's one of the few sensible men in the room, making a judgement that for his financial health/personal life/sanity it is time to get out. And who can blame him.
When we are desperately casting around for more teams in the top tier, introducing a provision that forcibly removes removes one, seems, somewhat reckless.