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Line their own pockets get real most racks lose massive amounts of money and barely survive each year

Turkey farmers are obviously going to vote for Christmas. It's their most profitable time of year by a long way!

1. We currently have 14 which includes 1 that is for sale, so that would be the number. 2. Whichever racenight that suits that particular team best. 3. In the last 20 or so years only Belle Vue have stayed as a top flight club, all the remainder have spent time outside the top flight. I hate to see any team close for whatever reason, Coventry and Wolves both closed through no Stadia not through lack of support, so the more teams the better for the sport as a whole. As for racenights Poole have shown racing on a night that people prefer to attend can be the best solution for increased attendances, we are trying to save Speedway in the Uk and what Poland does should not dictate what is best for the Uk. Standard of competition ? obviously the level would be reduced due to the lack of riders, but that should not detract from the racing entertainment provided, currently we could have Brady Kurtz racing against Sam Hagon (nothing against Sam) but with the reduced standard that difference should in theory be less. For goodness sake stop trying to hold on to something that has run it's course, in the early 1960's the top flight was down to about 5 teams, and the Provincial League had probably double that, the 2 Leagues amalgamated to form the British League (weaker standard but better) that is what needs to happen now, it does not need to be 7 man teams due to rider shortage, obviously not everyone will be happy least of all the riders, but this is a move that has to be made for the good of the Sport long term, the Sport has to put itself first and individual teams have to fit in with that. I have tried to answer your 3 questions as best that I can, their will be issues of course and it's not one answer that fit's every Team but by working together British Speedway can dig itself out of the hole that it finds itself in, and while we are at it why can we not find a Sponsor and Tv company that can support a British GP series with a round to be held at every Track ?, the Sponsor to provide prize money at every round and the TV company to pay for the rights at each track, or something along those lines.

There were times at Ashfield last year when it felt that the tractors were out for ages going round, sometimes without moving any shale. It would help if something was said as to why the tractors were out for longer than normal. In general, there is a lack of info for fans at track side as to what's happening with delays and things (breakdowns, injuries, why Palovaara wasn't excluded in heat 1 of the playoff SF). Often people watching live streams know more than those in the stadium (On occasion I've had to message people watching the live stream, or sign in whilst at the stadium to find out what's happening in the match that I'm attending).

With that attitude you should work for them, the point of speedway and therefor the most important people are the fans, without their money the bspl doesn’t exist, every decision should be made to please the fans

Might work for anyone interested in trying to cop off with a senior citizen.

Latest update. Looks like more dubious tactics from Brandon Estates The Campaign Group were contacted by several Speedway Lane residents on Saturday to make us aware of a letter they had received from Brandon Estates. The letter states Brandon Estates intends to submit another planning application, this time for 115 houses together with a 'fully restored speedway facility'. Note, it does not include stock car racing. Whilst speedway fans may be excited by this, we urge them and local residents not to be fooled by this for the reasons outlined in our response shown below and issued as a press release earlier today. And please be assured, whilst progress regarding the stadium may appear quiet, this is far from the reality, as intense work continues with and by the Consortium and Rugby Council, to bring about a solution which would see Brandon return for speedway AND stock car racing and other community uses. Latest statement reads: Monday November 10, 2025 SAVE Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group and members of the Consortium who wish to acquire the Brandon Stadium and reinstate it for speedway and stock car racing to return are aware of a letter sent by Brandon Estates to local residents on Saturday (November 8). The letter indicates that Brandon Estates are proposing to submit another planning application to build ‘Up to 115 houses and a speedway facility’ on the stadium site. We submit these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and if this proposed application was, in the unlikely event, approved, they would build 115 houses and their planning agents, DPP Planning, would then submit another application to demolish the stadium and build as many as 200 additional houses. The reasons we believe this are set out below. The letter sent to local residents refers to the existing site having been “closed since 2016 following the end of speedway racing,” a closure which was entirely their own decision and intention. It refers to the condition of the site saying ; “the site has remained in a significant state of disrepair” and goes onto refer to it as a “dilapidated stadium”. In an attempt to share their concern for local residents they say they “understand that living alongside a derelict site has created concerns for local residents”. We would respectfully remind residents that the condition of the site and the appalling inconvenience and concern endured by those residents is down to the abject failure of the owners, Brandon Estates, to secure the site to prevent traveller incursions and acts of vandalism and arson. Served with a Community Protection Notice by Rugby Borough Council (RBC) in 2017, Brandon Estates initially challenged it in court (and ended up paying the Council’s costs) and were subsequently taken to court by Rugby Council for multiple breaches of that Community Protection Notice in November 2022. They were found guilty, fined the maximum allowed by law, ordered once again to pay the Council’s costs and have two criminal convictions. With regard to their proposed new planning application, we make the following points: Their original application in January 2018 (to demolish the stadium and build 137 houses) was effectively withdrawn after an independent consultant commissioned by RBC concluded their application did not satisfy the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the stadium could not be considered ‘surplus to requirements’ as Brandon Estates had argued. A revised application in July 2021, again sought to demolish the stadium and build 124 houses, but this time included the provision of a 3G football pitch, arguing that this made it compliant with the NPPF as it replaced the stadium with an alternative sporting provision. This application went to RBC Planning Committee in November 2022 and was unanimously refused. Brandon Estates then appealed this decision and a nine day public hearing began in September 2023. After considering all the evidence the Government appointed Inspector rejected their appeal in January 2024. This proposed new application which Brandon Estates refer to in their letter, proposes 115 houses on the site plus a speedway facility – so is this now an admission that the stadium use could and should have remained? However, Brandon Stadium opened in 1928 for speedway racing, and stock cars were introduced in 1954. The two sports ran successfully and viably alongside one another from 1954 right up until the stadium closed in 2016. We note the new proposals do not include provision for stock car racing. Given that Brandon Estates and their agents have repeatedly stated their belief over the last decade that speedway is not viable, and that satisfactory alternative venues exist for supporters elsewhere, it appears very surprising that they are now proposing a speedway facility on site, and there is no indication of exactly what type or level of facility this would entail. We draw your attention to the Abbey Stadium in Swindon where an application was made to redevelop land around that speedway stadium, right up to the stadium perimeter, including the car park. That application also included the redevelopment of the speedway stadium. The application was approved and hundreds of houses were built. The owners then claimed speedway wasn’t viable on the site and submitted another application to demolish the stadium and build houses on it. The common factor between Swindon and Brandon is DPP Planning are the planning agents in both cases. We repeat our submission that these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and the proposed application is an attempt by Brandon Estates / DPP Planning to get around the Inspector’s decision by presenting these revised plans to RBC. In the unlikely event of them being approved, they would do exactly what they have done in Swindon - never deliver a redeveloped stadium and instead build up to 200 more houses on the site. Furthermore, the Inspector’s decision made specific reference to the stadium not being surplus to requirements specifically because of its significance as a speedway AND stock car venue. Hence this proposed application fails to comply with that ruling. Brandon Estates and their agents DPP Planning are disingenuous, and their tactics are a shameful attempt to deceive. In the meantime, we can confirm that the Consortium of very credible businessmen continue to work with RBC in an effort to acquire the stadium and reinstate it to its former glory for speedway racing, stock car racing and other community uses. We have made Leader of Rugby Council, Michael Moran, and his senior officers aware of the Brandon Estates letter and indeed, the tactics employed by agents DPP Planning in Swindon. Save Coventry Speedway and Stox Campaign Group 10th November 2025

Bit early to be switching on the Christmas lights.

Speaking to someone who does know what is going on, looks lke AGM will take place on Wednesday.

Wait until OsbouR87ne sees this!

When Sky first started showing the sport, the viewing numbers were "very good" and often in six figures. For such a small minority sport Sky would have been delighted by the numbers.. Back then though there was 24 tracks in the top two divisions plus several stand alone third tier teams... Meaning a good "core" following for the sport, and many more people who maybe didn't follow the sport, but would see their town team racing that night on TV and watch... Sadly as clubs shut, the prospective TV audience has seemed to have also reduced in line with the number who used to attend these tracks, and towns lost their Speedway to occasionally follow.. And, with the costs of the broadcast v the risk of the weather, you can see why contracts have either been not renewed, or paid up and finished early... For me, it would be better if the sport just had itself a "magazine" highlights package which used the streaming companies content,rather than putting out two hours of, often, gate and go Speedway, in two thirds empty stadia, devoid of any "tribal atmosphere".... Much cheaper for the TV company, and better, more positive optics for fhe sport, if edited well, and, if they could get it on one of the main five channels, a much greater chance of more people watching... There won't be any six figure amounts paid out to tracks I would imagine, but at least it would deliver a platform from which to try and grow from...

Hearing Grahn is on his way to Workington

OK just a few of questions for the purpose of clarification 1. How many teams would you consider a suitable number for a " one professional league"? 2. What would be the race nights be - Monday & Thursday as current for the Top league or include (say) weekends? 3. What level of competition would you like to see in the one league, same as the current top flight, Higher or lower? And if you were not already aware, the answers to all three questions are very much interlinked into the viability of "one league"

If your theory were true, there would only be 10 professional football clubs in the country, not 92.

Why the heck don't they just bite the bullet and just go to 1 professional league ? it is going to happen sooner rather than later, I would have thought it would be far easier to attract a TV company with a league that has more teams in it. The BSPL is again showing that it has it's head in the clouds by postponing the agm and delaying the inevitable.

I agree Cardiff was special and the event of the year even with the diminishing numbers which was sad but I felt they cancelled it a year too early as I felt the crowd was lower because the previous years racing was very poor, the last year at Cardiff the racing was better so I think that would have generated a better attendance this year but its all too late now and we either go to Manchester or not bother, having been to every Cardiff GP, I decided to give Belle Vue a miss. I expect it will revert to one GP in the UK in 2026.

I dont honestly think many teams feared us this year, Glasgow were the team to beat especially after signing Nagel. It looks like Plymouth will be stronger which is good for them and the Championship.

And they say Ipswich buys the league 😂 Fair play to Thompson if that’s the case he has been awesome for us these last 3 years. Equally Louis stands his ground & won’t bust the budget so fair play to him too.

I don't see it that way. When the SGP was at Cardiff, it was a special occasion. Even then though crowds were decreasing. Now we have two GPS in two days at the NSS. Smaller than Cardiff and doesn't hold as many people. Perhaps interest is waning in this Country. Perhaps we should return Speedway to it's roots. Do away with GPs and have a genuine Word Final, as was - a much more spectacular occasion. There is a reason folk are not attending, the powers that be have changed everything and people are voting with their feet.

I would like to see each club have an app which would be identical in format. I would like the match day programme to be available and be able to compile my programme during the meeting digitally. maybe a couple of cameras fixed in each pit area so during breaks I can see the action in the pits rather than tractor racing. id like the presenter to interview team managers and riders during the meeting as normally over the pa you cannot hear properly. id like to vote for my rider of the night and maybe have competitions to enter. Guess the final score and two top scorers would win a pit tour the following week I’d like information during the week of future meetings and news. Promotions for app users this in my view would give my race day experience a much better value for money without the clubs spending a fortune.

Meanwhile... if true, there's riders in the PL on guarantees who don't care one jot about British Speedway. While Trigger and Perry may not have been the next Bartosz Zmarzlik they could well have been the next Simon Lambert's and without them the sport is dead.

It's simple, you hit the ground running from the mid March to the end of August with league fixtures (Just like the Premiership do). Would be 16 home league matches, plus at least one KO Cup fixture, making 17 meetings to fit into 24 Race nights, allowing for rain offs/rider availability. The BSN series is a nonsense competition. While we are on the subject, Mark Lemon's comments on the same page in the SS were tone deaf as usual, speaking about the Championship clubs not to think about themselves being okay (I'm alright jack was what I think was quoted). If he wants to mess about thinking that clubs like Poole and Glasgow should move up to save the Premiership, then he needs to give his head a wobble. The crowds both clubs get provide the best business model to run a sustainable sport with a future. Getting the biggest names in the sport to ride over here is not sustainable in the long term apart from 2/3 clubs unless Lemon is quite happy to see clubs go to the wall. He wants to try promoting speedway outside a major city then he will see how hard it really is.

I thought 6.82, not that it's going to happen

You can have the best kit, but if you don't know how to set it up properly and crucially meticulously maintain it, then you can easily miss out on race results. Top spanner men/women are a must if a rider is to fulfil their potential.

The picture is from the 1975 season. From left to right, Fred Mills, Kevin Jolly, Bernie Klatt, Roger Austin, Alan Witt, Graham Kerry, Stan Stevens with Sir Bob Coles on the machine

Personally I think this is the best move for all parties. He rides Leicester far better than Foxhall so I think it’s a much better signing for Leicester, then it would have been for Ipswich to retain him on his current average. Good luck to him he’s been great for us.

With Middlo saying today that both Cook Brothers will be back at Baillie House next season, I wonder if this indicates any changes in thinking - either from Club or Rider?

Rate luke very high,he's the best of the young British atm imo.

I think we saw the best of Steve when he was here previously

Then I urge all the promoters do what’s best for their business and come march no fans turn up anywhere at any track and see how that business works, the fans are number 1. My business which is as successful as I want it to be is so because I see what the customer requires and I deliver that service and they all require different service,customers are the be all and end all of any business, without them you don’t have a business

DPP reaching for the Abbey Stadium playbook.

I think i would prefer Morris over Rowe any day

Someone else mentioned this the other day and I have since been in contact with the guy who developed the app to talk about ideas and how he done it

The parting of the ways between Ipswich and Rew last year certainly worked out better for Ipswich than it did for Rew.

Despite my misgivings about Kerr I think with his average it would be foolish to let him go elsewhere also love to have Nick Morris in the team but I doubt that will happen.

But it is true several clubs don't break even with the numbers of spectators coming through the gates, the sponsorship big or small helps to balance the books. Also,maybe more so in the past than now (due to financial rules) a speedway team was offset against a business to offset tax etc

the government do it.🤣

Surely then now with all the worries and lack of clarity for the 2026 season there has to be a statement released on Wednesday as to a lack of AGM if this is true and what the possible delay is. All clubs are expected to be transparent so surely the governance should lead by the same example

Then that has to be the must stupid idea the sport has come up with since ‘doubling up’.

I still say Bewley @ No.1. I think the One Rider Over 8.00 Rule will come into play in the PREM as well to ensure that Northampton are competitive.

Chris Louis is clearly ahead of the game, and is the brightest, most forward thinking, promoter out there... Interesting that, in the main, the tracks that are run as "proper businesses" (that pay your mortgage), seem to be more successful than those which are ran by well meaning enthusiasts, who seem happy to use the sport as their own expensive recreational hobby...

Heard a little whisper a week or so ago that Louis was looking closely at the SGP 2 talent for recruitment. The Norwegian lad who’s name escapes me was one we are apparently looking at.

It’s such a shame others don’t have that same attitude and drive. There’s a lot out there that will do the absolute bare minimum to get by each year. People don’t realise that Louis also paid out of his own pocket, for someone to go canvassing across local areas to every local business big and small, to garner any interest in sponsoring the club. That eventually bore fruit. People inaccurately claim Ipswich are “lucky” because they have a “rich” sponsor who does all the leg work but that simply isn’t true. It’s the hard work of Chris Louis bringing in several partner sponsors, along with the title sponsor, that enables the club to be run efficiently. The consistently healthy crowds (by today’s standards) also obviously help. They’re all contributing factors combined.

The difference is, you know what time it's going to start and finish, you know (unless there are freak circumstances) that it's going to be on when you get there and you know who the player are lining up for both teams.

I’ve heard from a very good source that Max Fricke will be a Lynn rider next season… and Harris, Kvech, Klindt will be returning

Don’t know about the BPSL (sorry Iain!) but the BSPL ( or is it BSPA!) AGM has now been put back to 30th Never to allow them more time to think up excuses for a 5 team top tier who will share the only 20 riders prepared to still race in the UK following the reduced points limit and clamping down on doubling up. The fixture list will be carefully compiled to make sure that Bomber is not lined up to race against himself in any meeting.

Maybe some promoters are not happy with the rumours being too near the truth, and put pressure on people to delete the subject

Agreed Ben there is indeed a place for them the trick is finding one's who will stay loyal to British Speedway over the years that why I think young Aussies and if they ever get going again young Americans are a better bet as they don't have a league structure to compete against in their home country so they should be in the UK for the majority of the time.

I believe Workington are in talks with Dan Thompson

Probably still win as much as the Tiggers. 😄