Two National Leagues in 25

[Speedway fan]

NDL EXPANDS FOR 2025

Thursday, November 28, 2024

BRITISH Speedway’s National Development League structure will expand in 2025 to feature more clubs and more track time for the sport’s young riders.

All six competing teams from this year will return, whilst with five more clubs entering the NDL system, a new National Trophy competition has been formed.

The two competitions will have the same points limit and regulations, but they will run as separate entities.

And therefore it will be possible for riders to sign both for a club in the NDL and also a club in the National Trophy – therefore maximising their track time and almost doubling their meetings at this level compared with 2024.

The points limit for both competitions has been set at 38, and both will be settled on a league-only basis of one home and one away match against each opponent, with the league leaders declared champions.

The clubs in the two competitions are:

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Belle Vue, Edinburgh, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Oxford, Scunthorpe/Sheffield.

NATIONAL TROPHY: Birmingham, Kent Eagles, King’s Lynn (subject to confirmation), Plymouth, Workington.

British Speedway chairman Rob Godfrey said: “The National League really came back to life last season, so it’s great to have all six clubs back for that but also now to be able to introduce the additional National Trophy group.

“That group will utilise largely the same riders as the NDL which means they will get maximum track time between the two groups, and also more experience on different circuits.

“If you look at it from a rider’s point of view, they will have a home track in the NDL and all the away tracks in that league, and then if they’re in the National Trophy they will have another home track there along with four more different away tracks to visit.

“There’s no replication between the two groups, so really it’s fast-track experience for the riders and they’re going to be much busier next year compared to this, when we do appreciate there were some big gaps for them.

“We’re also delighted to have a Southern based club coming back with Kent competing in the Trophy, and we welcome them into the competition.

“Everyone is doing this for the right reasons, and we’ve now created more meetings for the Youth and developing riders to participate in, and with the majority of our tracks involved, so we see this as very positive all-round.”

[Fozzie4388]

Hopefully the youngsters get plenty of track time and the leagues are used for exactly what they are there for and not riders aged 30+ who have Championship experience riding at reserve again like in 2024.

[TheSmiler]

I would like to know how they’re going to work out averages if riders can sign for teams in both competitions???

Edited 8 hours ago by TheSmiler

[Bert]

1 hour ago, TheSmiler said:

I would like to know how they’re going to work out averages if riders can sign for teams in both competitions???

Surely providing more competitive track time to youngsters is far more important than wondering how the averages is going to be calculated !

[robolots]

Why didn't they do a north south divide?

Would make more sense for travelling-but hey ho this is speedway

[arnieg]

12 minutes ago, robolots said:

Why didn't they do a north south divide?

Would make more sense for travelling-but hey ho this is speedway

It would mean more travelling for the riders as instead of two local (ish) home tracks riders would have one in each region.

[ONTWOMINUTES]

Typical Godfrey trying to look like the savior, vatcher does the same and nothing ever improves.

[phillwhitewasmad]

4 minutes ago, ONTWOMINUTES said:

Typical Godfrey trying to look like the savior, vatcher does the same and nothing ever improves.

Can't see anything in the post where Mr Godfrey says anything that could make anybody think that. 

[szkocjasid]

4 hours ago, TheSmiler said:

I would like to know how they’re going to work out averages if riders can sign for teams in both competitions???

I wondered that to.

[szkocjasid]

Would've preferred 6 man teams (5 rides each). Also a tad surprised Kent didn't enter both competitions. Wonder what the plan is if Lynn don't enter, will a league team go into the trophy? 

Delighted that riders will get more fixtures, well done to all the teams taking part, especially Championship ones as this fills sone blank dates in the fixture list.

[szkocjasid]

2 hours ago, Bert said:

Surely providing more competitive track time to youngsters is far more important than wondering how the averages is going to be calculated!

Those two points don't really clash though? What has someone wondering how the averages work got to do with riders getting track time?

You can be very happy riders are getting opportunities whilst still curious about averages.

[Fortythirtyeight]

42 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

Would've preferred 6 man teams (5 rides each). Also a tad surprised Kent didn't enter both competitions. Wonder what the plan is if Lynn don't enter, will a league team go into the trophy? 

Delighted that riders will get more fixtures, well done to all the teams taking part, especially Championship ones as this fills sone blank dates in the fixture list.

As its two different leagues , the NDL and the ‘ Trophy League’ , using the same riders please explain how you expected Kent to enter both ? Same applies to your Kings Lynn statement,  why would an established NDL team drop into the ‘Trophy’ league and make the NDL league one team short ?

Or am I missing something ? ( speedway now confuses the hell out me with riders riding for two or more clubs, clubs running three teams and rules that aren't rules for some but are for others ).

 

[szkocjasid]

10 minutes ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

As its two different leagues , the NDL and the ‘ Trophy League’ , using the same riders please explain how you expected Kent to enter both ? Same applies to your Kings Lynn statement,  why would an established NDL team drop into the ‘Trophy’ league and make the NDL league one team short ?

Or am I missing something ? ( speedway now confuses the hell out me with riders riding for two or more clubs, clubs running three teams and rules that aren't rules for some but are for others ).

 

Kent would sign 7 riders who wouldn't ride for anyone else. These riders wouldn't be looking for a second team as they'd be getting double the fixtures just riding for Kent.

You wouldn't even need any extra riders, currently there's 6 teams x 7 riders so 42 riders needed. If Kent raced in both & another team went into the trophy, still only need 42 riders to cover both competitions.

As for Lynn's replacement (if it was needed) maybe one of the league clubs would be happy with 4 home fixtures instead of 5. Or maybe Scunthorpe / Sheffield would race 2 home matches each instead of 3 & 2 if entering the Trophy?

Mind you if a league team entered the Trophy to even up the numbers, they wouldn't end up with less matches than the league sides would as both competitions would have 5 teams. But that would surely be a better alternative than a 4 team trophy (3 home matches each).

Hopefully Lynn do enter & alternative plans aren't needed.

Edited 3 hours ago by szkocjasid

[ONTWOMINUTES]

1 hour ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

Can't see anything in the post where Mr Godfrey says anything that could make anybody think that. 

He says " we've now created more meetings for the youth" 

[phillwhitewasmad]

11 minutes ago, ONTWOMINUTES said:

He says " we've now created more meetings for the youth" 

Yep we've not I 

[mac101]

1 hour ago, szkocjasid said:

Would've preferred 6 man teams (5 rides each). Also a tad surprised Kent didn't enter both competitions. Wonder what the plan is if Lynn don't enter, will a league team go into the trophy? 

Delighted that riders will get more fixtures, well done to all the teams taking part, especially Championship ones as this fills sone blank dates in the fixture list.

From what I know any new team next year has to enter the National Trophy as they don't think there is enough riders to cover more NL teams 

[AndiCapp]

Nice to have some localised meetings for Workington. Looks like @Buntersis back on the cards 🙈

[Fortythirtyeight]

39 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

Kent would sign 7 riders who wouldn't ride for anyone else. These riders wouldn't be looking for a second team as they'd be getting double the fixtures just riding for Kent.

You wouldn't even need any extra riders, currently there's 6 teams x 7 riders so 42 riders needed. If Kent raced in both & another team went into the trophy, still only need 42 riders to cover both competitions.

As for Lynn's replacement (if it was needed) maybe one of the league clubs would be happy with 4 home fixtures instead of 5. Or maybe Scunthorpe / Sheffield would race 2 home matches each instead of 3 & 2 if entering the Trophy?

Mind you if a league team entered the Trophy to even up the numbers, they wouldn't end up with less matches than the league sides would as both competitions would have 5 teams. But that would surely be a better alternative than a 4 team trophy (3 home matches each).

Hopefully Lynn do enter & alternative plans aren't needed.

You must be a promoter as thats as confusing as your first post. So Kent have to find seven riders who don't actually ride for anyone else ? and are of a reasonable standard to ride at NDL level……the reason the suggestion that riders ride in both leagues is that there isnt enough riders in the first place.

I think this is why fans are leaving the sport, its just too confusing !

[szkocjasid]

18 minutes ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

You must be a promoter as thats as confusing as your first post. So Kent have to find seven riders who don't actually ride for anyone else ? and are of a reasonable standard to ride at NDL level……the reason the suggestion that riders ride in both leagues is that there isnt enough riders in the first place.

I think this is why fans are leaving the sport, its just too confusing !

I'm not sure why you're confused, but I can't help that, except try to explain my ideas.

My suggestion wouldn't have required Kent to find 7 new riders, the current NDL riders would just be shared around the 6 league teams, like happens every season with transfers, plus any newbies.

[HGould]

With respect I think you're all missing the point

(SEE MY POST ON THE DEVLOPMENT LEAGUE PLANS below)

The existing Teams in the NDL were happy with the exact format they had and didn't want any more meetings (can't imagine oxford could have handled any as an example)

THIS IS WHY THERE IS A LEAGUE and a TROPHY

Those in the LEAGUE did not stand in the way though of NEW entrants provided they had a separate competition...hence the TROPHY

It benefits RIDERS as they can ride for a LEAGUE team and a TROPHY TEAM so get more rides.

There is no option for any Team to ride in both!

----

original post

Posted Monday at 09:34 AM

The suggestion I have heard from an aspiring rider (now 15 years old riders parent) has a slightly different take on the rumours above.

That is that the existing Clubs are happy with the size and structure and a few of them don't want nor can see viability in extra Fixtures above the current size.

To facilitate the other existing clubs that want to join or rejoin (presunmably to fill some gaps in CL especially fixtures) and any new Clubs will have their own League run on the same agreed format with 6 man teams.

That though will be a "win" for Riders as they can ride in the existing League and the new League, so potentially doubling opportunities to race. There will be no cross-over add on competitions though between the existing a new League.

It will be interesting to see if this idea, or a more anticipated geographical structure sees the light of day.