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What I expect is a post AGM press release, stating... "It was the most harmonious AGM ever"... "The plans for next year, and beyond, are the most exciting ever put together, and were delivered with total collaboration by everyone in attendance".. "All the promoters have come away from the AGM in agreement as to how the sport should move forward, and all share the same vision for it"... "There are challenges, but with the plans put together, we will be able to meet those challenges head on and build a very bright future for Speedway in the UK"... "We have put together a fantastic plan for youth development to build on the magnificent work done over the past few years in particular"... "We are sure the loyal fans of the sport will be delighted with the decisions made, and continue to attend next season in their thousands".... "And hopefully bring a friend" (Sorry, made that one up)... "It was the most harmonious AGM ever.... "(S**t, we've had that one)"

I agree 100% with that. I had a long gap in my speedway watching and in that time, the sport had become fully professional. I recall an interview with a very young rider, only just NDL standard who said “I can’t wait until I’m making a living from the sport” and thought then he had his priorities right. Name me another sport that guarantees every participant who earns money as soon as they get into a league. More specifically, name me a motor sport that pays riders to learn their trade. Then name me another business that pays its “employees” more than they earn for their employer. It’s like paying a brickie £30,000 a year to build a wall that’s only worth £20,000. But we can all talk about the negatives but what’s the solution? Has the appointment of a CEO in the premiership brought in new supporters, new sponsors, a new TV deal? What will Harry be able to do? I have no answers, just frustration

What a ridiculous comment. Just because Poland aren't particularly great at the majority of sports we focus on in the UK, you think they are useless at every other sport going? Go and educate yourself on what sports Poland regularly play, such as volleyball, basketball, handball, etc. and you'll soon see they are far better than us and compete at the highest levels. Not to mention individual sports such as, athletics, winter sports, etc. as well. For instance, an all-time combined Summer and Winter Olympics table sees Poland inside of the 20 countries in the world.

2027 though, It's time for non-Poland Speedway nations to get their retaliation in first. It's clear what they're trying to do playing us off against Sweden & Denmark both with failing leagues if the vibe I get off of here is true. It's time for SVEMO, the DMU and whoever it is that runs Speedway in the UK to work together and put it back to Poland by saying if you ride in Poland you cannot ride in Swedish, Danish or British Leagues. A few riders would have some decisions to make then, let Poland have the tier 1 riders and the rest can ride in the other 3 leagues. Denmark on a Wednesday, Sweden Tuesday & Thursday and UK the rest of the week. If they could also get Motorcycling Australia involved they'd be more than enough riders to sustain the 3 countries leagues.

Is it time the authorities bite the bullet and create a single league without trying to entice GP riders? Would it impact crowds that much if the highest average riders were essentially the top Championship guys now? I’m not so sure.

In light of the announcement from Poland that 2026 is the last season that their top 2 leagues will "allow" their riders to race in more than one extra league, surely bspl should have a massive re think and put plans in place NOW rather than a knee jerk next season?So much for the 'deal'giving some Thursdays to Poland in exchange for them allowing international riders to race elsewhere. Looks like we won't have gp stars after next season so might as well start planning now.Surely this must push us towards restructuring, as all the arguments about 1 league meaning the end of the big stars is surely irrelevant

A two team Premiership made up of Belle Vue and Ipswich. They will race each other home and away 15 times. Top two reach the play-offs to decide the winner.

80k? Scunny must of offered more

I’d be very happy with Jonas Jeppeson

And look at Germany now - SON2 gold medallists! They've cracked it. It's better than any Rising Star scheme.

With only a passing interest in speedway nowadays, I just read online that another season of slow decay had been completed. I took in the SoN online and frankly that reminded me of why I packed in attending speedway. What dross. I thought Polish tracks were maent to produce good racing ??? News of another club closing (Birmingham) and huge uncertainty over the future of another (Sheffield) There is an ever growing "ghost league" of defunct clubs, all with decaying tracks and with dreams of reopening, but none look even remotely likely for 2026. Patching up the situation will no doubt take place with tweaks to "points limits", but making a silk purse out of a sows ear will tax the bunch of speedway promoters even with thier best rose tinted specs. No idea what attendances were like in 2025 (its always been a closely guarded secret) but aside from a few historically well supported clubs would be surprised if anything but holding even was the norm. Fixtures becoming more irregular with gaps in the summer, then a mad scramble in early winter really cannot help. Some non P.off clubs finishing fixtures by late August doesnt help. Same old same old 15 heat format across all meetings. The ever decreasing band of ageing "hard core" supporters will probably be served up something for a few more seasons until the sports 100th anniversary in 2028, but i wouldn't hold my breath for any dramatic changes of direction ....... .

Fresh hope for talks over Speedway returning to Showground https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/people/peterborough-panthers-speedway-looking-to-reopen-talks-over-showground-return-5377739

I might suggest that the BV crowds wouldn’t change much then. We all know that speedway crowds are predominantly people who would go regardless of the ‘level of rider’. There are some exceptions to this obviously but I don’t think the impact would be significant.

Take a look at your number 1

With their new found spare time, the riders can seek additional work outside of the speedway and the sport can return to a sustainable semi-professional level. Full time speedway riders on crowds between 500 and 1000 can't be sustainable.

Absolutely 100% spot on, Caused by too many self serving promoters thinking “me, I and myself” for far too long.

Polish rule in 2027 doesn't bother us, King's Lynn will lose a couple of Dane's and that's it. If Aussie's want to live over here then they have to take part in our Speedway League so that makes the decision for them. The problem British Speedway is facing is from within, Not from Poland.

For me as a worky fan, very similar to Plymouth A good season is watching entertaining racing with the majority of home wins, if we get beat by a better team so be it 😄 Then if our team survives and runs the following season that is a success and hopefully the guys that run the speedway have broken even

This is on the riders, they stick together and say no and it goes away, it’s that simple

A great signing for Scunthorpe and they’ve done nothing wrong but no way should riders with almost 8 point Premiership averages be allowed to ride in the Championship. Highly likely he’ll double up too. The average conversion rate and doubling up free-for-all is a huge part of the reason the sport is in dire shape here. Apologies to Scunthorpe fans for being a downer on what for them is positive news. It’s sadly a poster child for the negative spiral British Speedway is in though.

Steve Worrall retired, Danny King new number one

You're absolutely right, there has been a real buzz about Plymouth this summer, there's over 100 children that line up for the kids race that won't care if Plymouth win or lose the meeting, they're inspired by the peewees want to try it themselves which is feeding my first skid with new little riders, It's a long way off but they are the future of British Speedway. I just hope there is a future to enjoy. I think it speaks volumes that Nicholls chose to come back to Plymouth given the choice between there and Oxford. The main thing is we get speedway and alot of people have lots their tracks, having a shot at the play-offs would be amazing but the truth is most are happy to see their riders put in a shift and entertain.

I think there's every chance Kerr will be at Redcar?!

Maybe they are going to save the premiership. If they do, then good luck to them. Championship then needs 2 home and 2 away, can't be having less meetings than this season.

Sam Masters - speedway rider by night, Deliveroo rider by day... I don't think so. And you make it sound like jobs are easy to walk into and riders can easily fit their speedway around them during the summer months

First it was 2 leagues and then 1, it will eventually just be Poland. British speedway needs to increase the number of active riders i.e reduce the standard of all leagues encouraging more amateurs into the sport at National league level. In the long run it would be good for british speedway, weekend speedway would be back and all the riders would be commited ( no dodgy injuries and Guests).

I will show my age but Ronnie Moore had superb control of his bike and watching him from 30 yards during the year when the league was run with handicap racing was just amazing.

There's been enough talent retiring over the last number of years to fill every team in the league, but for one reason or another they've been lost to the sport.

Most riders of any worth are 'tapped up' prior to the season end. Its just that some teams' seasons are over a lot sooner than others!😇

I think it depends on what company runs the sport at the respective tracks. Take a look at Companies House and the last set of accounts filed for the teams in each of the leagues and most file abbreviated accounts and few have a decent net worth despite the longevity of the trading and you question how much goes through the companies that run the sport at the relevant tracks versus those riders where the cost/expenses are picked up directly by sponsors so the cost and overhead never appear in the figures for each track operating company. It is difficult to get to the bottom of who is earning what. For example do a search of Ipswich and then the Directors and then the accounts and the resultant filed figures do not match the presumed costs of running the club. Who knows what the real cost is of running a club at the highest level in the UK so to suggest who can and cannot afford to participate in which league is pure conjecture. Financial Transparency is key but it does not exist. To suggest that the likes of Glasgow should move up has no foundation without financial information in the public domain to support that argument.

The money they pay ,they are entitled to call the shots.Looking after the sport in their own Country.Which GB have failed miserably and let the riders dictate,and look at the situation now.

Disagree with this in general I suppose. Don't believe there is a sense of entitlement from certain Championship clubs none of which you have named incidentally. To state that they need to serve the Premiership because the Premiership is British Speedway sounds more entitled and just a bit condescending. I don't think Championship clubs are waiting for the Premiership to collapse, why would any true speedway fan want to see either league collapse?. How do you know one big league would be mostly full of journeymen and out of depth NDL riders, it is not that long ago since Tom Brennan, Dan Thompson and Jason Edwards rode in that particular league not to mention Dan Bewley. Speedway's band of Promoters have had plenty of opportunity to get to grips with rider pay structure but seem to have lacked the discipline required as a group to do so. Is that statement fair ? . Historically lots of riders only had one British team place but the number of teams in the leagues at that time meant they got circa twice as many league fixtures than the 16 of recent years in the Championship anyway. The Premiership with 7 teams was just sustainable but still loss making for a number of those. But 5 teams assuming no one else is joining at the moment with no announced major tv deal is another story. It was rumoured that Ipswich were reluctant to partake in a 5 team league and personally I can see why. Sometime you have to go back to move forward so if one league in the short term at least is beneficial for the sport then I for one embrace it.

So what? Only one team can win a title -- real success is having an entertaining team providing excitement for fans, getting enough bums on seats to pay the bills.

30 years ago this week the gates shut for the final time at Dudley Wood. So sad that the Heathens haven't been able to get a track of their own since then. Memories are all we have left......

There is still 2 leagues yes.

Think he maybe at Plymouth potentially next year.

Haha, well done Redka. 🙂 Shock of the season. :-0 But you know what I mean ..... Ippo to win the p.offs from the moment the season started. Only injury robbed them the year before. Poole almost wiped the board in the PL . Just ONE of the problems in British Speedway , predictability. Not helped with the boring boring every meeting run over 15 heats. No variation. WHY ?

If there is, I just hope Buster is not involved...

Today is the confirmation that Stal have an approved 2026 licence to ride in the league.

Could be. One comment suggests they might go NDL only, one suggests Premiership (a rumour that someone floated on one of the threads here recently). Is it likely that they are announcing an announcement that they are staying in the Championship? For the benefit of those not on Facebook it says "Tonight, at 6PM, there will be an announcement about Scunthorpe Scorpions 2026 plans" To me that suggests that it will be about what league they are racing in rather than any signing plans, but we'll find out in a could of hours

Where is this announcement going to be made. I assume it’s Scunny’s Website?

This is silly from Poland. They want riders to only ride there eventually. That kills Speedway elsewhere, then it becomes a one nation sport. Very short sighted. Just goes to show stupidity is a sport wide problem.

I’m absolutely on board with this. I know nothing about the lad but for his name alone I’m all in.

Spot on

Just look at the British Youth competitors, there’s very little coming through , maybe half a dozen as the drop out rate when they lose interest , or money , is very high .

You can understand if the teams with "top level riders" are reluctant to part with them... Their rents won't drop yet their admission costs will need to, to reflect the significant drop in standard of the riders on view, and crowds wont increase to cover the reduction in admission charge, riders costs may drop but would crowds match the ones delivered with the top riders there? Sponsors also may only want to be involved with the "top riders" and could either pull their money completely or reduce it due to, again, the drop in levels.. So many teams need so many different scenarios... A proper self inflicted cluster eff...

There is no one league that keeps the sport going as both have similar examples of crowd sizes, kudos in winning competitions, and public awareness... Maybe next year we could have a Premiership, but at a reduced level...? Ipswich, for example, could keep Emil (presuming he wants to ride over here), and then release Doyle, Brennan, King and Ellis to spearhead four teams in a much watered down league... You know.... For the good of the sport rather than selfishly looking out for themselves, particularly as they have the financial backing to do that etc, etc, etc... .....

Is this a “sport” or not? Find me a footballer supporter who has watched their team get beaten most weeks, finished second bottom and ask them if they think it was a “successful season”. You’ll be hard pushed to find one so I don’t agree with you I’m sorry. A club not expected to stay up but avoids relegation against the odds, could consider it a successful season. But that jeopardy doesn’t apply here does it. “But it’s been good racing”. Again, find me a football supporter who would get up and cheer an opposing player banging one in to the top bin from 20 yards against YOUR keeper and saying “great goal son! Enjoyed that one” Appreciate it sure, you wouldn’t enjoy it though. Speedway supporters have long had a stigma attached to them. Programme boards, cr@p club jackets, some with badges attached, fishing chairs and tartan blankets, flasks, etc etc. I was going to say Speedway supporters are generally a bit weird but that’s too unkind. Let’s just say in the main, they’re a bit, erm, different!

..... well he did just a month late 🤣

Its stands to reason, as in most other sports, that the best teams last longer in competitions and therefore will play against each other more times. It amuses me that people say why are we seeing Poole / Glasgow / Redcar / Oxford / Sheffield / Ipswich / Belle Vue again. It's because they keep winning..!