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Let's be honest... The sport is proper "Donald Ducked" isnt it? Decades of using Guests at the drop of a hat, so riders got more meetings, rather than finding a way NOT to use them, and thus hugely negatively impacting the credibility of its own competitions, and making Doubling Up a fundamental part of the operating model, has resulted in too many ageing riders, with too many jobs, and not enough riders being developed to allow squad systems and "one rider, one team"... Whatever sticking plasters they apply (yet again), will then need to be removed, and something else then applied next year when/if Poland kick in their one extra league rule... The chickens have definitely come home to roost...

A five team league would certainly lose me and many other supporters at Leicester. Most of us were quite content in the championship anyways..

That’s very true, we had a father and his son come to us who had been to the motor museum, I got talking to them, the father said he hadn’t been to Speedway since he was a child, said he didn’t know what teams there were these days and he wondered where his nearest team was, I asked him where he came from and he said Derbyshire, so I pointed him in the direction of the Buxton stall, when he came back he gave me the thumbs up and said, we’re gonna give that a go.

That runs on a Friday night, that is hugely more popular with their fans than any other day or time of the week (per a recent-ish fan survey). And have plenty of rivalries, local and not so local, that they can sell to their fans, and fans can sell to potential fans. No offence intended but BV, KL, Ipswich would just be 'the opposition'. Edinburgh, Berwick and Poole on the other hand mean something more than just another match. The Facennas are ambitious in their ownership but stepping up to the Premiership before the club is ready to prop up a failing league, and losing their weekend racing against local(ish) rivals will undo all the good & very hard work the current promotion have done. Seeing the odd GP rider would not make up for what would be lost in Glasgow 'stepping up'. The difference between the leagues is pretty minimal, replace a number 7 with a number 1 and you can pretty much keep the other 6 the same but put up the price by a few quid a meeting. No speedway rider is anywhere near famous enough to make more than a tiny dent in relation to media sports coverage up here that is totally dominated by Celtic and Rangers.

What it needs more than anything else is some joined up thinking. Instead of focusing on "what's in it for me?", put together a proper business plan. Any successful business today will always have a road map setting out "where do we want to go in the next x years, where do we expect to be next year, in two years? Etc". If Speedway is serious about increasing its portfolio with sponsors, partners, and even new tv deals, that's one of the first things they will ask for before we get to the stage of exchanging bank notes. You can't just use "we don't know what's going to happen" as a cop out, as that's not what these people want to hear. Sadly, British Speedway has never been very good at dispelling the myth that it's done on the back of a cigarette packet, and nothing we've seen gives much hope of that changing anytime soon.

It seems a few are blaming Ipswich for the current impasse yet no one on here or in the wider speedway fraternity knows that for a fact. It reasonable to assume that if you have fought to build a business to a certain level that sells a product to a local audience who buy in to what is on offer you would fight to protect that format and opportunity. Each club can do the same but regional cost factors and marketing determine where a club sits in selling what is on offer to a local audience. If the current top tier want to throw money at another team to protect the format then why not take the sport back to Swindon with a track in place and underwrite the costs but that is not going to happen. As to rider availability to fill one league or two look at a mix of young up and coming British riders and those plying the trade on the European circuit (excluding Polish riders) and riders further afield where the regulations permit them to ride in the UK. It does not have to be all gloom and doom but as it stands the arguments on here as to the right or wrong way to go forward are nothing more than personal opinions from those who have no financial investment in the sport. It is always easy to tell others how to spend money. Few people know about speedway and frankly Joe Public who are outside the limited number of followers of the sport really could not give a fig about it and far too many in the UK have any knowledge about speedway or who the top riders. They are not household names. Accept that the sport in this country is a pastime that no one really cares about and it does not register on the social scale of things one must view/follow. It has had its day in the current format and needs to reinvent itself to get recognition amongst a wider audience and that is not going to happen with the current set up of club owners or the body that runs the sport.

It doesn’t look good and I don’t think we have hit the bottom of the barrel yet, maybe the bspl will realise the error of their ways, or maybe not

No just a big wind turbine 😃

If Oxford can put British Speedway First, Then so can others. If it doesn't work out after 1 Season then they can always drop back down. Scottish Derbies and Wednesday Race Night's are nothing more than excuses that are being weaponized because they simply don't even want to make an effort to try and save the Sport in this Country.

Is your surname Louis or Hawkins?

To a lesser extent, that is what happened in the Premiership last year and Birmingham and Oxford didn't survive. Speedway isn't football, there simply isn't enough money, or die hard fans, to keep the have nots afloat of they are getting thrashed every week. Seeing Zmarzlik winning 5 races by half a lap is not entertainment for most people. Look how Plymouth's crowds picked up when Scott Nicholls arrived and made them competitive.

Thing is, having read most of this thread, absolutely everyone's ideas are right. Everything & anything would work. The Big League, 2 leagues, 5-6-7 man teams, it's can all work. The problem?!? It's all doomed to fail regardless of the January outcome, simply because every single club is self-serving. None of the promoters have any inclination to have a 'All Together' 10 year plan. Any idea get squashed because the teams that swim around the bottom of the pond always throws their toys out the pram eventually & all plans gets scrapped. Unity is a must for anything to have sustainability. For me, if 'The Big League' was to come to fruition, averages need to be scrapped & all teams build sides to their means. If a side can have Zmarzlik, Lambert & Lindgren as a top 3, then so be it. It would be terrific for the fans when they travel away. If another team can only afford Masters, Batchelor & Morris as a top 3, then again, so be it. Have teams built to what clubs deem fit for themselves, not to what everyone else deems they "Can't Have."

I'd wager that for a number of away matches even in the last few years they have taken greater numbers than the total standard attendance at say Scunny,Plymouth and Workington......

Firstly just let me say I’m disgusted at the way the public is being treated by the bspl, I won't say this particular rumour because it betrays the trust of those at the coal face so to speak and they will know where it came from and wouldn’t tell me anything else, I also like to see if anyone else has heard anything along the same lines on here ,once something becomes public knowledge then I’m ok with it, what if the rumours are not true ? It spreads like wildfire and people end up with egg on their face

Ipswich dont take 2000 followers to away matches.

Good post Matt. Unfortunately they'll never put the Sport First as everything is done with a Me, Myself and I outlook.

Got to give you credit for being a Premier snob - lower order riders mean your superstars have someone to race against!!

When he makes the gate.

I’ll have to read that in my dinner hour 😁

Totally agree that if one league it would be at best at Championship level less a heat leader and a second string, replaced by two 2 point riders, The issue isnt so much the riders in the top polish league but those in the second division. This problem would only go away if they kept the fixed race nights of Monday and Thursday.

Yeah, but what a publicity stunt it was. A colleague, who I'd never heard mention speedway before, was just saying he caught that 50-word snippet in The Sun and would be buying his whole family season tickets for his local club. Another mentioned they'd heard all about his interview at Poole and had become fully converted to the shale sport as a result.

He'd answer Barry Briggs to every question

I really don't understand why some teams should "move up" for the "good of the sport"... Which basically translates into "so my team can ride on Monday or Thursday meaning I can watch some GP riders".... Why don't the Prem teams "drop down for the good of the sport"? Not enough riders? Then run in a reduced level top tier, with five rider teams, at Championship level, "for the good of the sport"? They can still do it on Mondays and Thursdays if certain teams want to.. With GP riders too, using a Championship level team average...

Lets face it, Cami Brown will continue as Tigers TM,as long as the Facennas receive money from Browns business interests. He's as good as being the longest TM in tigers history.I am not a fan of his ,never have been, he hasnt good the balls to criticise or give a kick up the backside of riders when need be. He got the job because the Promotion and Stuart Dickson had difference of opinions. Dickson is not a YES man.

Bradford were Champions and closed... Workington too.... The top tier simply isn't fit for purpose in its current guise... (Nor has it been for well over a decade)... An Aces team, riding in one league,on a Friday with the likes of Charles Wright at No1, would, for me, deliver (at least) the same level of crowd that they get on a Monday with the 2nd and 3rd best riders in the world in attendance... And would be significantly cheaper to run, thus hopefully, significantly cheaper to attend... I actually think the crowd would increase due to "no school or work" for many the next day...

If, as has been suggested, Sheffield and/or Leicester have been refused to join the Championship, how would they be able to contribute to afford underwriting any losses of a Poole or Glasgow forced to join the Premiership?

Peterborough are holding an evening with night on Friday 21st November hosted by Craig Saul with SCB Chairman and former referee Jim Lawrence Danny King and Ritche Hawkins. For tickets message Katy Lewis on the Peterborough Panthers Supporters Club Facebook page

Just watching this on Youtube how we would all love to see these type of days again, Cradley packed to the rafters and wouldn't it be great if the USA could find another 7-8 world stars those Americans back in the 80's were box office.

I do get your arguement TTT but if you were Poole you would most likely want 100k passed over upfront or put in a bank account controlled by someone other than the bspa.

We do it at 8pm but it’s not live, should be available on Friday

The Premier League has been heading along a dead-end, one-way street for many years, and it might have finally hit the buffers at the end of it. And maybe it hasn't just yet, and unbeknown to us a rabbit might have been pulled out of the hat, about to be revealed. If not, a very creative, out of the box solution will be needed, otherwise where will those 5 surviving clubs go, presuming they wish to continue. Would be very strange for two GP rounds to be staged at a venue no longer home to league racing

No point in posting your inside rumor is there. This whole forum is based on free thinking, rumor's conjecture and opinion. so why not spill the beans on the latest rumor.

The straightforward answer to your question is so to ensure there are sufficient riders doubling up with Prem & Champ teams to enable Championship clubs to be to afford riders and those same riders to have a reasonable income from their UK efforts.

Antoni Mencel signs for Poznan.

Count me out as well.

what ever they do its going down hill for a few years

I shall be asking you questions about it later 😂

Anze Grmek signs for Gniezno

From Google Gemini: For a foreign rider to legally work and be paid in the UK, they need to follow UK immigration rules, which typically involve: International Sportsperson Visa: Foreign riders usually require an International Sportsperson Visa. Governing Body Endorsement (GBE): To get the visa, the rider must be endorsed by the sport's governing body, British Speedway. This process involves the club acting as a licensed sponsor. Contract Details for Visa: The contract between the rider and the licensed sponsor (the club) must be robust and submitted as part of the endorsement process, detailing the rider's assessed earnings for the season, including how they are made up (e.g., payment per point, vans, mechanics). This ensures the salary and conditions are at least equal to those normally given to a resident worker for the same role. The tax arrangements for foreign speedway riders involve special rules designed for non-resident sportspeople and artists. Here is a breakdown of how a foreign rider's UK income tax is handled: 1. Withholding Tax (The First Step) The immediate and most common way tax is paid is via Withholding Tax (WHT). Payer's Obligation: The UK speedway club (the payer) is legally obliged to deduct tax from the rider's payment before the rider receives it. Rate: This is typically deducted at the UK's basic rate of income tax, which is 20%. Threshold: This withholding tax usually applies to gross payments exceeding the UK Personal Allowance (the amount an individual can earn tax-free, which is around $\text{\textsterling}12,570$ in most recent tax years). Purpose: The deducted 20% is a "payment on account" against the rider's eventual final UK tax bill. 2. Self-Assessment and Deducting Expenses Since speedway riders are considered self-employed contractors for UK tax purposes, the WHT is often not their final tax liability. UK Tax Return: A rider will usually need to register for UK Self-Assessment and file a UK tax return at the end of the tax year. This is mandatory if their net profits exceed the basic rate band (around $\text{\textsterling}50,000$). Deductible Expenses: The tax return allows the rider to claim legitimate business expenses, which significantly reduces their taxable income. These include: Travel and accommodation costs while in the UK (flights, local transport, rent). Costs of professional equipment (engines, tyres, kevlar). Wages paid to mechanics and support staff. Final Tax Calculation: The final UK income tax is calculated on the net profit (earnings minus expenses). If the tax due on the net profit is less than the 20% already withheld, the rider can claim a refund from HMRC (the UK tax authority). If the net profit is high, the rider may be liable for the higher rate of UK income tax (40% or 45%) and will have to pay the additional amount due. 3. Taxation of Global Income (Sponsorship) This is the most complex part for international sportspeople: Apportionment of Income: A non-resident rider is generally subject to UK tax on the portion of their worldwide sponsorship or endorsement income that relates to their activities in the UK. Time Spent: The UK taxable proportion is often calculated by comparing the number of days the rider spent performing or training in the UK to the total number of days spent performing/training worldwide. $$ \text{UK Taxable Endorsement Income} = \text{Global Endorsement Income} \times \frac{\text{UK Days}}{\text{Worldwide Days}} $$ 4. Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) To prevent the rider from paying tax on the same income in both the UK and their home country (e.g., Poland, Australia, Denmark), Double Taxation Agreements come into effect. Tax Credit: Under a DTA, the tax the rider pays to the UK (the source country) is typically used as a tax credit to reduce the amount of tax they owe in their home country (the residence country). Tax Residency: The rider's overall tax residency (based on the number of days they spend in each country) determines which country gets the primary right to tax their worldwide income, but the DTA ensures they are not taxed twice. In summary, the rider will have 20% tax withheld by the club, and then they must file a UK Self-Assessment tax return to reconcile their full income and claim expenses. Finally, they use the UK tax paid as a credit against their tax bill back home. Would you like to know which countries the UK has a Double Taxation Agreement with that are relevant to speedway riders? For foreign speedway riders, the most relevant Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) are those with countries that supply the majority of international talent to the British leagues. The UK has DTAs with almost all major nations, and specifically with the most significant sources of foreign speedway riders. 🏁 Key Double Taxation Agreements for Speedway Riders The UK has comprehensive DTAs with the following countries, which are major sources of speedway talent: Country Rider Tax Residency Principle DTA Article Summary Poland Source Rule The DTA allows the UK to tax income earned from professional activities performed in the UK. The tax paid in the UK is then credited against the rider's Polish tax liability. Denmark Source Rule Similar to Poland, the UK has the right to tax income arising from activities performed at UK speedway tracks. Australia Source Rule The UK retains the right to tax the rider's UK-sourced income, with Australia providing a credit for the UK tax paid. Sweden Source Rule The DTA ensures that the rider's UK earnings are taxable in the UK first. How the DTAs Affect the Rider While DTAs are complex, for a speedway rider, the crucial point is typically covered under the "Artistes and Sportspersons" article (usually Article 17 or 18 in most treaties). This article generally states two key things: Right to Tax at Source: The country where the activities take place (the UK) has the right to tax the income derived from those activities. This is why the UK club withholds 20% tax. Credit Method: The rider's home country (their country of tax residency) must then allow the rider a tax credit for the UK tax that has already been paid on that income. Example Scenario (Australian Rider): An Australian rider earns $\text{\textsterling}30,000$ in UK speedway income. The UK club withholds and pays $\text{\textsterling}6,000$ (20%) tax to HMRC. The rider files a UK Self-Assessment to claim expenses and finalise their liability. The rider declares their total worldwide income (including the $\text{\textsterling}30,000$ UK income) on their Australian tax return. Australia calculates the tax due on the total income, then grants the rider a tax credit for the $\text{\textsterling}6,000$ already paid to the UK. This system ensures that the income is not taxed twice and that the rider ultimately pays the higher of the two countries' tax rates on that specific income.

Where theirs a will theirs a way. Look at what's happening at Buxton. Marvellous volunteers, sacrificing weekends to achieve a desired goal. The return of speedway, superb and well done and success to everyone involved. So it could be done if people really want speedway back in Peterborough. I certainly do and to anyone or group who decide to take this on, GOOD LUCK and hopefully I will be at the relaunch.

he also left after heat 4

Unfortunately whilst I admire your enthusiasm. In your scenario Billy won't need to take his ball and go home because he won't have any mates to play with.

As it looks Prem. is a feeder leaque for Poland why not go without the big names and run a leaque for domestice riders. Start fresh 5.6. ao 7 man teams with just one cup comp, teams could be more competive wih no superstars away in the distance after bend 2. Thoughts

As it looks Prem. is a feeder leaque for Poland why not go without the big names and run a leaque for domestice riders. Start fresh 5.6. ao 7 man teams with just one cup comp, teams could be more competive wih no superstars away in the distance after bend 2. Thoughts

I’m back on the 360 podcast tomorrow night with Simon lambert, Stuart Robson and Andrew Bain, I will be giving my pennies worth about what I think about the dire situation we are currently in

Fine with me

Bottom line is that British Speedway at senior level is equivalent of a big boat in the middle of a lake. On one side you have Premiership promoters rowing one way, with the championship promoters sat on the other side rowing the other way. Then you have Rob Godfrey and Phil Morris sat at the tiller scratching their heads wondering why the boats going round in circles.

BBC SOUTH TODAY just featured the Tobias Thomsen announcement, including some racing and doughnuts footage. Excellent.

And the tv deal is with ……… ? otherwise what’s the point of the Premiership?

They were filming for King Cinder when Teesside Tigers visited Hoddesdon. 22nd May 1977. During the 2nd half. Us Tigers fans. Were asked by the Production Company. To wave "Barton Barons" banners. Happy memories.