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I agree, but UK Speedway is, at best, tenuously, a competitive sport.. Hence Richard Coleman, (and others before him), have seen both the obvious flaws in the cunning plan, but also the (actually unique), raw emotion and excitement the actual on track product can bring... Sorting the off track infrastructure will be key, (as he knows), to any significant growth as running a business like you did in the 70's simply doesn't work anymore if you want investment from companies who are modern and advanced in their thinking... The brand image of the brands you link with nowadays is as important as your own, as any negative publicity for them can damage your reputation too... "Guilt by association" being the key.. UK Speedways image, and the optics of its leadership team, will, i would suggest, 100% have prevented sponsorship from companies wanting to come on board over the past decade and more.. A modern thinking, fit for purpose, dynamic board of directors is just a fundamental basic given nowadays in business...

I just read something on Facebook where the Eddie Wright track was described as small and fast, is this accurate? I assume when they say fast it's not just because the laps are so short? Is it as small as the Collosium Plymouth?

Rising tide lifts all boats.

After writing "At least he won a few heats" you forgot to add "over the course of an entire season". Glad i could fix that for you.

Superb coverage of the bunny's invasion! Three local TV channels, and Sarah Cox on Radio 2 (with rated listening figures in the millions) all covering the chase. Greg Blair must henceforth by known as Elmer Fudd.

Oxford's issue (if it is indeed an issue) in stepping up is with the costs and security of tenure of the stadium. Poole's issue, other than those previously aired, is also stadium-related, especially with the passing of Clarke Osborne! Poole Stadium Ltd (plus all the other companies registered at Wimborne Road) now has only one active director - Mrs Susan Osborne! It'll be interesting to see if she wishes to carry on? As I understand it there is still 14 years left on the Stadium lease with the Council so it just means more short-term uncertainty requiring clarification before any major speedway changes or decisions are entered into. All clubs have a different base cost to run speedway - owning or renting the facilities; costs of same; level of sponsorship; attendance levels; other income streams; costs of riders etc etc. Thats why its not a simple question of 'operating at a higher level just to suit the minority'!

Hes a lynn fan

Regarding any TV deal. I was very shocked to here Campbell, the Edinburgh promoter say in the speedway star a month ago that even they lost our on TV money as the tv money filtered down to the lower clubs. Wtf. Thats not right. If they want a slice of the pie then move up. So I hope any new TV deal stays in premiership and not touch champ unless they are shown on TV also of course

Oxford's issue (if it is indeed an issue) is with the costs and security of tenure of the stadium. Poole's issue, other than those previously aired, is also stadium-related, especially with the passing of Clarke Osborne! Poole Stadium Ltd (plus all the other companies registered at Wimborne Road) now has only one active director - Mrs Susan Osborne! It'll be interesting to see if she wishes to carry on? As I understand it there is still 14 years left on the Stadium lease with the Council so it just means more short-term uncertainty requiring clarification before any major speedway changes or decisions are entered into. All clubs have a different base cost to run speedway - owning or renting the facilities; costs of same; level of sponsorship; attendance levels; other income streams; costs of riders etc etc. Thats why its not a simple question of 'operating at a higher level just to suit the minority'!

Artem and Emil became Polish citizens before the war in Ukraine. Them being Polish has no link to the war. I would love to see Emil and Artem take the PZM to court. They are Polish citizens, but are not being treated the same as Bartosz, Dudek and Kubera by PZM.

Couple of things, you are only going to entice clubs up with a TV deal which would help cover those increased costs and as far as I'm aware there is very little difference between the two leagues in terms of admission. At the end of the day the whole idea of competitive sport is to be as good as you can be, or it should be anyway.

Non British riders should be min 6 in 2nd tier and not slotting into reserve berths

In theory, the Oxford finances are there. The previous financial issues were linked to Kevin Boothby, who is no longer part of the club. The club itself is run to a profit, and was extremely profitable in the first couple of seasons. Things started to go wrong with Boothby draining them, and the club running in three leagues. It was a big ask for fans to turn up and pay for entry to each meeting (there were 30 home meetings across the three leagues in 2025). Fans started choosing one league (plus the NDL) and that turned out to be the Cheetahs, and not the Spires. Spires crowds quickly started to become noticeably lower. I'm sure Oxford could afford to run in the Premiership, but they would do that at the expense of the Championship. No way it will be all three leagues again. However, the big IF is around the deal that's been done the stadium leaseholders to continue to operate, I'm not privvy to that. There's no doubt the return of some other sport to the stadium would ease the burden.

Does anyone know if the Oxford financial issue is now resolved as there were troubles in the last 12 months could the finances survive moving up again ? Bojangles you seem close to Oxford any view if your lurking ?

I remember on my trips to Coventry that all their supporters loved Jason ,And cheered him on at Cardiff no doubt. Coventry supporters should want him back into a team.

The "Hobbyists" won't be interested as what they want from their Speedway isn't what those who run the sport "professionaly" want... That has been a major issue for the sport for a fair old time given more "Hobbyists" have existed than those paying mortgages off the back of their Speedway teams' income.. The ideal world will be a top tier, ran like a team sport should be ran, with decent TV coverage, and commercial revenue via TV coverage and sponsorship.. And a 2nd tier, which, as now, can amble along making things up as it goes along to put out "any kind of Speedway" on the nights they want to do so.. Poole and Glasgow are, to many, the most obvious choices to move up, however, both could be happy with their current lot and content to stay where they are, (ie in a pretty much no risk position)... Oxford, possibly, are a team who could step back up again, but this time with support to build a competitive team, and, hopefully, some TV revenue to assist them, with the bonus being a seven way split of the cash, rather than an eight way split.. Although, if they did go into tier one, I would suspect they would drop tier two.. The Risk v Reward, for tier two teams to move up, has to move the dial (significantly), from its current position I would think... Get that done and tier one can start to take shape and be somewhere to aspire too..

Perhaps the invitation should go to 2 clubs other than the ones everyone expects If you refuse during the cupboard is bare years why expect a slice when the cake returns.....

What some seem to have missed from Richard Coleman's vision is that he wants much bigger divergence between Premiership and Championship in terms of standard. So this may see Championship sides get weaker, as well as Premiership teams getting stronger, looking to reduce doubling down further. This may make each league more of less attractive for promoters. Let's see what happens

Probably for GPs and Premiership only!! Phil Morris with his Premiership-only remit will undoubtedly concentrate on Prem meetings and the British final (the latter having mainly Championship riders taking part!)

The difference a few years ago was quoted as £150k to put together a competitive top tier team, as opposed to a second tier one.... Dan T's VLog covered off points money in both leagues, and No6's in the top tier were on not too far off No1's points money in the second.. With RS's on money akin to second strings/third Heat Leaders in the Championship.. Add a couple of top GP level riders, to be competitive, into the mix, and there is a considerable difference in expense... An expense that would need an increase in admission fees, with much less of a guarantee of success which Poole currently seem to have... A potential losing team, with severely increased costs, plus increased admission for the fans, doesn't sound like a business plan anyone with a modicum of a business brain would seek to follow.. And the Fords seem to have more than a modicum of a business brain...

They are not Polish.... but whatever. I do feel sorry for Russian sportspeople not able to compete in their respective sports, but I feel even more sorry for innocent Ukrainian's having homes destroyed and innocent civilians being killed. So until the Russian state leave Ukraine, Russian sports men and women should not be allowed on the international stage. I do think another nation should also be banned from the international sporting stage, but that's an argument for another forum as not relevant for speedway to my knowledge.. good luck ROI in the football though on Sunday.

Fair enough. Didn't realise it had to go through the FIM as well, clearly a no-go as you say. I'll change my prediction to Zagar for that one then

Apart from one important fact that the FIM have the final say on accepting a Wildcard nomination and there is no way Laguta or Safytudinov would be given the green light.

If Richard can turn the ship around one bit of positive news is there seems to be a glut of great young riders coming though I don't follow the poles much but they obviously have a conveyor belt of talent, the Danes have 6-7 really good young riders now, UK has Jody, Coops, Will, Luke and Ryan Ingram, US have Langdon the best US prospect in a decade , Aussies Bailey and Cooper Antone. I'm not sure if there's any decent young swedes currently but the above is 20 odd real top prospects before you throw in the poles probably having another ten good youngsters if any of them can be tempted to the UK in the future.

That's it Mike the Ford's are marmite but they have run a successful club for years and as you say the business model is built on winning which seems to still pull in decent crowds against lower quality opposition and people saying the track isn't brilliant. They also have a great network of contacts if they stay in the championship and points limit is lowered even if they lost Zach Cook they will probably end up with either Beau Bailey or Brady Langdon as a replacement two of the hottest talents in world speedway who should add a point - two points to starting average by end of year one. Langdon seems more of a trapper like his mentor Hancock where Bailey strikes me as the most exciting aussie on a bike since Darcy Ward, both should be exciting young riders who at some point will be in the GP series. It will require something to show there's a fairly bullet proof chance they won't bankrupt the club if they move up if the ducks don't align halfway through the top league 2027 season.