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Going to sound hypocritical but British Speedway was in a much different state back then in all fairness.

Doyle isn’t going back to Australia this winter he is staying in England.

Very good question. 👍👍

It will all depend on whether CHAMP Clubs are prepared to give up FRI & SAT Race Nights in favour of MON & THU Nights. That will allow for some flexibility on the Rider situation.

What you're not taking into account are the number of riders that have given the sport up over the last few years, many of them youngsters. If the costs could be kept under control there are still people out there that want to take the sport up. You're looking at a snapshot, you're also looking at the business as usual model 7 rider teams, what the sport needs imo is an amalgamation of all 3 leagues into 1 league with a race format meaning that Jack Smith (a capable Speedway rider at his level) isn't racing against the likes of Chris Harris/Richard Lawson all the time, it's maybe even time to introduce handicap racing which used to be the norm in the US, not sure if it still is. There was a big watering down of the CL a couple or 3 years back and nobody liked it, nobody even talks and probably remembers that now. I know from my own club that crowds are visibly lower in the PL on a Monday/Thursday than they were in the CL on a Saturday night... and that's a FACT 😁 Would you have been so vocal about the survival of the top flight when Ipswich were running in the 2nd tier from 2011 to 2018, would you have been so insistent that your club should be forced to have moved up to save the top tier? I'd also be intrigued to know why you think the BAU model will work when it's been proven not to work over the last 20 years... and that was WITH a tv contract?

Two decades too late. But 100% the only way forward...

I have to say that the arrogance of some people is quite stunning. I am not a Workington supporter, but you should be aware that there is a long history of Speedway in the town. I have been to Workington many a time when I was supporting Sunderland back in the 70's. Try doing a little research before you start trying to belittle people. Well done you Workington Supporters on your great example.

It's not working I agree with you, But the alternative is a 1 Million % destined failure because mathematics state that it is. Despite a weaker standard in 1 Big League, Ticket Prices won't drop because Clubs Rent Bills won't drop, Rider Wages won't drop and other expenses won't drop because everything goes up in price when it comes to the World that we all live in today. Basically Clubs have got to convince Fans to pay £20 plus other expenses to watch almost 2 Dozen NDL Riders propping up One Big League that they currently have no interest in paying to watch. That's the problem.

So after all these calculations how many riders do you think will be available?

This situation has not happened over night though. There should be a rolling plan year on year with minor tweaks so promotors and fans then know what to expect, ok there has been a curve ball with club closures this past year but season on season its a farce. Why not state by 2027 it will be one league and plans in place now for those who wish to participate. You don't see other sports changing rules yearly. My guess will be sticky plaster plans for 2026 same old and all moaning same old issues. It needs a complete re write that will clearly upset many but it needs to happen that will either push the sport on or kill it to death.

Exactly this. It's been explained dozens of times, but still some people don't get it. There simply aren't enough riders to staff one big league, even if you draft in every NDL rider to make a big, weakened league. It's in every club's interest that the Premiership must survive.

If that last part IS true then Stewart Dickson has a decision to make...

I am ready to be corrected here but i think the Tavern was demolished as it meant no rates were due on the land - sadly the site has been now derelict since late 2018. Perhaps the same applies at PB, I know they were quick to rip out all manner of stuff at the EoES too

William Cairns was announced for Poole last night

I apologise to anyone who finds this disrespectful. NDL attendances are abysmal and that's because the vast majority of Die Hard Fans that we've still got left couldn't care less about it. So how on earth are we suppose to get a New Generation of Fans on board when it comes to the same crop of NDL Riders that'll be propping up 1 Big League to cover mass departures of PREM Riders? Here's the math. 27 of the 49 PREM Riders who ended the 2025 Season in a declared 1-7 D/UP'd in the CHAMP = 55% of the League and those 27 Riders will no longer be shared between PREM & CHAMP Clubs. If One Big League was to happen and fixtures didn't take place on a MON & THU Night, Then we're going to need replacements for the other 22 Riders who finished the 2025 Season in a declared PREM 1-7 as none of them will be here. Add that Rider shortage up and also take into account the 2027 Polish Rule and you'll see that One Big League is a 1 Million % destined failure before it's even begun.

See its always Poole's fault

With the biggest mistake being "if we bring back the top riders the crowds will come back too"... Obviously forgetting that the crowds were dropping annually when pretty much all the top riders rode over here on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday... With the year on year inflation busting admission increases needed to pay them certainly not helping the crowd numbers at the time... I would say crowds overall in the past decade are pretty similar, given such low numbers, and, as the sport is now pretty much bomb proof from the die hards support for it, any drop is mainly down to an ever ageing fanbase for the most part, rather than "who is riding".... With not enough "newbies" to replace that ageing fanbase... To choose vehemently to run in the entertainment business on a Monday and Thursday night only, is a strange hill to die on...

Sweden (TUE), Denmark (WED) and Poland (FRI-SUN) dictates that the PREM has to run on MON & THU Nights. Not at all, I just can't see a call for Jack Smith and co, The One Big League is not even going to be anywhere near the current standard of the CHAMP unless everyone runs on a MON & THU Night. I've done the math, One Big League is impossible to work unless everyone runs on a MON & THU Night. Not enough Heat Leaders and that's a FACT whether you run 5 Man Teams or 7, I've literally posted the CHAMP Heat Leader List on here Twice and the Numbers simply don't add up. Two Tier Structure = Slow the death process down to 1 Club per year unless Osborne picks another off. One Big League = Speed the death process up due to a Lack of Riders, The Polish 2027 Rule causing further havoc and the threat of Riders going down the Rory Schlein path of Retirment due to a job outside of the Sport.

True given an average age north of 65 might want to get a lorry load of camping chairs in to sell on opening night.

You clearly missed his infamous guest appearance were he was a man down, He wasn’t even finishing races straight up the pits probably embarrassed as much as we were. wouldn’t have him anywhere near Glasgow.

Think in Leicester case they won’t really bother about it too much as financially probably no worse off to be honest.IMO

still not a good way to sell to new fans.

I meant too old for the Northern Junior League, not too old to ride speedway. I was joking that he is nearer Ashfield Giants standard than Glasgow Tigers standard the way he rides our track. He got 1 from 4 guesting for us v Workington, and that 1 point was from blocking Hodder all heat. He was as good as a man short that day. His 8+1 was in the only wet match at Ashfield last year, but in normal track conditions there he looks to be way over priced on his current average.

theyre not wrong though, you just need a track and you can go racing, the setup at peterborough is pretty much made for that with the banking offering good viewing already.

practically all of the teams in the premier have had (long) spells in the second division, i cant see why they are against it either. Maybe they are more worried about the rider shortage, or maybe championship teams dont want more teams to compete with?