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Using UK and Polish Speedway expectations of the riders is not a valid comparison... Poland has high rewards, and with it, (quite rightly), comes high expectations as to the professionalism of its riders and officials.. Its "brand" has a value and needs protecting... The UK has a regulation which gets used from time to time called "in the interest of Speedway"... Which, basically means "we have had to make something up to get a meeting on".... Any sport that has such a thing within its operating model definitely cannot ever be taken seriously... Not by the promoters themselves, nor the fans, nor the wider media, and, I would suggest, nor all the riders.. The DU'ers are pretty much "bomb proof" due to a lack of riders of their level willing to ride over here, to fill the places the teams need filling... (And of course due to a lack of any meaningful structured UK rider development over the past few decades)... The (maybe), unpalatable truth is that these riders can pretty much do what they want given the demand for them well exceeds the supply available.. I'd hate the game before the player...

Presumably they'll want to extend their "source of income" as far into the future as possible. After all, bankruptcy is not a good look. They must have realized by now that the present modus operandi isn't working (Damian's press release says as much). They must also have realized that a begging bowl doesn't work either - nobody invests money in a losing cause. Which is why Damian's press release wasn't a begging bowl. It was an appeal for new ideas. Our petition, therefore, has a good chance of being heard by listening ears. In the final analysis it's always a good idea to be on the right side of the argument, so I am urging all real fans to get with the programme and support our petition: Petition · Survival of British Speedway Racing in 2027 and beyond - United Kingdom · Change.org Has anybody got any better ideas?

You haven't included who you are replying to ...

After the comments on BSN last night let's hope Rich Lawson is 100%

I have been going long enough to know that's always been the case, that doesn't make it right. That's part off the reason speedway in the UK is in the mess it's in, building down not up.

Absolutely nothing has been done differently at Sheffield (or anywhere else!) this season. Einstein summed it up when he said that doing the same thing time after time and expecting different results is the definition of madness. Damian Bates and, I suspect, most of the promoters in UK speedway, can't seem to grasp that the only solution to getting better results lies in CHANGING SOMETHING... and the more radical the better! We're drinking in the last chance saloon and, mark my words, until they adopt a model like the one suggested in our petition - or something like it - we're sunk. Sign NOW at: Petition · Survival of British Speedway Racing in 2027 and beyond - United Kingdom · Change.org

The averages in the Star are meaningless. Keep an eye on the details available via the speedwaygb website (2016 Rider Statistics and 2026 Declarations).

You may not be having a go at Poole but if it was any other team it wouldn't get a mention.

I wouldn't' grade A!! He just hates Poole. He thinks he is being funny calling us Pilots and the track Wimbored.

Where you been hiding dickhead

Posting Arthur’s profile photo again you imposter

That’s always been the case though. Number ones of a certain standard is a bit different. You take them even if they have little chance of increasing their averages, but from there down there’s always riders who look to have either cheap, or expensive averages. Building a winning team is all about leaving out riders who look to have maxed out their average, and employ those who have had a year below their normal level who you know are capable of much better. Brennan and King are currently good examples at opposite ends of the scale. One would be a much smarter 2027 signing than the other. You’re right though, it’s a shame the way it works and it doesn’t seem fair that a rider exceeds expectations, and then gets rewarded for that by losing his place the following year. I’m not sure what you can do though really. I think King will be in the team regardless of his average next year personally.

Far from racist my boy. Matter of a fact the foreign surgeons saved my life and he was black. You are reading it all wrong. Just go and do one.

A league of eight works fine in Poland, Sweden and Denmark... ten years ago we had 21 teams over 2 leagues; we now have 15, with 2 or 3 teetering on the edge. See the direction of travel? 56 riders with several "subs on the bench" to replace any injured riders.. The list of registered riders on the BSL website runs to 249 names. Who ever suggested we haven't enough riders for 15 teams? Bottom line is the UK cannot afford "one rider one team"... Why not? And the riders DUing couldn't afford to run with just one salary... A 15-team league (subject to good organisation) could guarantee riders 40+ matches per season. How many do they need? Far too much to unpick now for the sport to become anything more than it is in the UK... We're not talking about making it anything more than it already is; we're just suggesting making the best of what we've got. Too many challenges to overcome, with too many different needs and wants from those who run it, and those who compete in it.... Wrong. There's only one challenge: business people who run the teams need to find ways to make sufficient revenue to make their teams a viable business proposition. If they could do this, there wouldn't be a problem. If you were launching Speedway in the UK next year, and all the promoters of the new clubs got together to write the operating model to follow, and someone came up with the current way of working, it would, quite rightly, be laughed out of the room.. Exactly. So why do we keep doing it? I doubt it is by choice the sport in the UK is ran the way it is.. Couldn't agree more... that's why we (the paying supporters) need to convince them of the need to change. We've no choice; if we, the real fans, want a sport in perpetuity, we should sign the petition NOW: Petition · Survival of British Speedway Racing in 2027 and beyond - United Kingdom · Change.org Necessity is more likely the reason, I would suggest .

So what people are saying is that Danny is having a cracking season which will make him virtually unemployable next year? Isn't that one of the many things wrong with the sport?

What you do with a fish is your business.

I like your ideas,but I think the only way to make it work is for some riders to be part time,and for that to work,the cost of equipment will have to come down.I fear it's too late,and soon we will have to start again with an amateur/part time league.

If there's was a smiley face, I'd know to take it as a joke. After all there's so many anti-Poole comments on the forum, I wouldn't know which were tongue in cheek.

He's not actually a heat leader, just rides at 3. While Harrison is definitely a home track specialists, he's slowly improving his scores away (if inconsistent). I'd prefer him to Bowes if I had the choice.

He tried to get out after the 2025 season, but then continued because of a lack of interest - so it’s no surprise he’s ready to bale again. The question is, what’s been done differently at Sheffield for this season to try to make the whole product more attractive … and if some things have been done, why haven’t they worked? The press release might say or imply lots of things, but there’s no detail or substance - just the usual British speedway opacity.

I too commend your passion, but cannot sign a petition I’m unable to agree with. Demanding a specific approach will cut no ice with the promoters. Indeed, it’s almost impossible to demand anything because they don’t view the paying customer as anything other than a source of income - as the Sheffield begging bowl press release has proved.

Nope,got that one completely wrong.

Then why is Damian Bates publicly making heavy hints that if nothing changes by the end of the season, he's out?

I’m not sure what you’re getting at, you do realise they are self employed when they ride in Poland to? but they dare not go against the grain for fear of losing their jobs. For him, if he only sees this a a second job, I suggest getting a second job elsewhere and not in Ipswich if you can’t show respect to the paying fans that come to watch their club. Just remember, he is a lucky boy, in Poland, and this has happened before… all points from your match are removed if you do not stay until the end and fulfil your duties. I have a theory, Lawson is crying and sad that the owners of Ipswich are all for stopping the double uppers, and this will p!ss on his parade and his easy money in the UK for 2027 onwards. He shows no respect to the club so they should show him no respect and remove him from the squad. If Ipswich didn’t take him on he wouldn’t have enough money to double up for Poole, remember that. And your last comment said “turn up, do your job and go home”. So you are agreeing then it’s not acceptable when he “turns up, doesn’t do his job, and leaves before the meeting ends”?

We need to call the average British Speedway riders bluff.Practicing in Poland to sit in the pits won’t further their career.Plus is the promised wage actually paid on time.