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One thing I really don’t get is the obsession to why we need a premier league, 1 league would just make the championship the top league with more variety for fans, I could understand up till now because of tv money which selfishly the didnt want to share with the championship clubs but that’s not there anymore, the thought of belle vue riding against Poole or Glasgow or Workington is something different for the fans and personally find exciting, the championship has a hell of a lot to offer and imo a lot more than the premier for a couple of years, so I say to the top 5 teams embrace it for a year and if in a years time a couple more teams are back on the scene look at 2 leagues again, we have an opportunity for a reset of the sport here but again we will probably miss the opportunity like we always do

Really sad news. Nothing positive about this. When i think about Ipswich, as a kid. When Newport reopened and getting into Speedway, watching the Elite League at Swindon. I remember the Ipswich team of 1998 as having a special aura and Ipswich being a special club. Chris and the team have done so much to rebuild Ipswich back up to be that well run professional club in the last 4/5 years because they have been ambitious, invested, obtained sponsors and wanted to grow. As a neutral it's one of the things i have most enjoyed. I think dropping down leagues and that model for Ipswich, didn't really work in the past. So i can see why he will have made this decision. If Chris is not involved in club speedway that is a massive loss for the Sport.

I like Louis, but he’s been one of the 4 who’s been making the decisions all these years that’s sadly got us into this position, so he’s got to take some of the blame

Totally disagree with that. It obviously got to the stage where Louis can’t work with the others in the BSPA. Everything he does is ultra professional & runs a well supported & stable club. He proves it can be done. For years he has been trying to drag the show up to the levels he feels it should be at. You get to the point where you can’t carry on otherwise you’ll go insane. As for playing the Sandu card, remember Louis is someone who has been involved at Ipswich in a professional capacity since 1989. The Louis family have been at Foxhall in some capacity since 1969.

"I say. First Officer".... "Move around those deck chairs will you, there's a good chap".....

I cannot understand why he would bluff... What's to be gained? A seven team Premiership last year was crap with four teams a shoe in for the Play Offs from before a wheel was turned... A six team Premiership team this year will be even more crap... Anyone channel hopping whilst watching on TV last year would see the league table and think there was just seven teams in the UK.. And if they get a TV deal for next season, just six teams was deemed acceptable... Dreadful optics to put out to anyone watching.. At least with a 14 team league table the channel hoppers may notice their own town mentioned, or maybe a town nearby, and, for the first time, find out a Speedway Team exists near to them.. And a 14 team league table makes the sport look like it's "National", not a tiny entity ran in just six or seven places..

Fair play if he can afford to buy Poland just by pulling his sponsorship of Sheffield.

Exactly this, the 1 big league with Ipswich and belle vue in it is actually quite an exciting prospect imo

For Louis to want out something is seriously wrong around the table. The guy has been at Ipswich since 1989 either as a rider or promoter the club is his life. The louis family have been involved in some capacity since 1969. He obviously can’t see any future given events over the past few weeks. Something has gone very wrong since the last meeting at Foxhall in October. At that point he was talking about next year & even after that was speaking to sponsors about next year. Louis wanting out tells you all you need to know about the state of the sport in the uk. A sad day for Ipswich & uk speedway in general. Louis walking away is a hole that can’t be filled & possibly spells the end of the best run & supported club. But I can’t say I blame him.

God isn't sport depressing. Why do I have to love cricket, speedway and football. England are throwing away the first test, speedway is on its knees and I support West Ham. Thanks dad 🥲

So sorry for Ipswich fans who must be devasted. The Louis family have been a credit to the sort in various guises and, whilst having a Witches bias (which is completely understandable), have always put the interests of the sport in general first. The sport is crying out for an independent supremo to be the figurehead, face and voice of the sport. Fans, media and sponsors have no idea how the sport is governed. I for one would be more than happy if that was Chris Louis.

Its taken forty odd years to get here but sadly its looking close to finally being checkmate for the sport we all love. I have followed it from afar since 1992 and its still my favourite sport, I did think things might head in the right direction when Sky came on board but promoters let the number one's hoover up all the money so the foresight to put some of the millions into the general infra-structure to set a sturdy base for the future was wasted. I still have great memories of when I first started going in the early 80's Lynn had a dreadful team but crowds were decent and Martin Rogers really tried to promote things locally, every week powerhouse teams turned up and steam rolled us, but when we got the odd win the place went mental. This was mainly down to Bobby Schwartz being so reliable and the odd time when Mike Lee rolled back the years and could be bothered. I also had the privaledge of watching some of the most gifted riders ever in Henka, Loram and John 'Cowboy Cook' during his brief stint. So sad its come to this and even forty years ago I knew it was always a constant struggle for the sport as every winter a couple of teams would be in troublee, maybe there's a 10% chance that the promoters will now be forced to work together and some kind of rebirth can begin.

Is it time for Belle Vue and Ipswich to ride in a Polish League?

I would have Batch back no problem, imo last year granted he did not score top points but scored a lot of points, but was not a No 1 . This year with a No 1 and batch at No 5 with an average of just below 7 I think he will do a good job for the Comets, plus he appears to like riding for the Comets. Here's to a good 2026 UTC

Interesting that both directors on the BSPL for the Premiership have announced from the end of the season and now have put their clubs up sale (Louis and Bates). Does make you feel as though there has been a breakdown between Promoters in the sport.

But it is. Look at the reported crowd numbers. Most tracks 500 to 800 with a few exceptions. No one interested in a tv deal. No sponsors coming forward. Decreasing number of riders year on year. Louis proved you can make a club work & at least break even, in Louis case turn a profit. However you have to be ultra professional & there aren’t many that come across that way.

Hey. As it stands Kings Lynn are in the play offs...😄

I, personally, cannot wait for one league... Loads of new tracks to visit, several weekends away... My concern is we end up with two leagues of Mickey Mouse, contrived, same old/same old, bollox.. Like we have had for 20 Years and more... What an opportunity for the sport to reset itself, relaunch itself, and make a UK Speedway Brand...

A K-Tel Hits of the 70's Album?

A shredding machine to put your hard earned cash straight into and what you have left the bspl will send their special magician round to mysteriously make it all disappear in to the pockets of the few, just incase some think I’m posting an in the know post, it’s just a bit of fun, you don’t get a shredding machine

Bonkers that people are slating Louis for this. The sport is an absolute mess in the UK and he clearly wants no part of it going forward. Dont blame him one bit. the championship is no better than the top flight. Look at the crowds, they are disgraceful. i started attending speedway in 98, the first five year the standard in both leagues was top , all the top gp riders rode in the top league except one or two and the premier league was full of top stars. Doubling up was never much of an issue as the premier league took preference and the top league team had to have two double uppers to share a spot so fixture clashes very rarely happened. Around 2004 ish they started messing about with grading systems, doubling up became more farcical and both leagues started dropping points limits and the rot set in. I am amazed we still have three tiers of speedway in 2025 but look how many clubs have shut in the last 20 odd years. newport, arena essex, rye house, exeter, trelawny, swindon, reading, newcastle, isle of wight, somerset, pboro, wolves to name a few. There will probably be more. If Louis sticks to his guns then this maybe the huge rocket up the arse that the sport needs.

And why exactly has it happened? Is it Because there aren’t enough teams ? The sport is bankrupt? .The bspl couldnt force the likes of Glasgow and Poole to join the league putting themselves at finical risk? the tv money has gone as have a couple of big sponsors ? There is a snobbery towards the championship from some clubs ? What is it ?

Wanting to persist with a "model" that has caused several tracks to lose very significant amounts of money in the last few seasons is absolutely mad even if your own track is in reasonable shape They were always going to run out of road at some point

I know your game mate, mis-quote somebody, twist their words and then embark on a pointless, boring, futile argument with them as you have done recently on the Speedway Show topic and have in the past with me... I'm not sure if you do it deliberating sat in your underpants at home... or are just a bit thick 🤔

Yes exactly, too right, I’m always right, what exactly were you referring too ? 😂

Up to him I guess. The Club unless someone takes it on which is unlikely as I can't think of a reason as to why anyone would want to buy a British Speedway Club in 2025/26

Reading that piece in the star reads like we going to decimate the championship to run our flawed system in the premier, think the championship teams should have a meeting, ditch the bspl, form their own governing body and start a new sport under the Nora banner

If someone could persuade Halo group who sponsor town to get involved with speedway at a national level, the money they would invest would be a drop in the ocean compared to what they spend sponsoring town & F1. A young very rich company. The MD was a Foxhall at the end of last season. Halo, Tru plant banking rolling uk speedway with Louis as ceo. Driving change needed & rebuilding. Then I woke up!

I was there last night, only the fact that Chris Louis and Ritchie Hawkins had stepped down got mentioned at the beginning, then Ritchie and Danny King went on to say how sad they were etc. But definitely no revelations as to why it had happened. They were keeping very shtum about it.

The whole team basically saying farewell is a pretty sad situation.

Looks like a blue and white Poole Speedway pen to me.😂

None of my business, but is selling up a good financial decision?If he finds a buyer how much money is he going to pocket? Forgetting his commendable ambitions and principles why not run a team at championship level and make a profit every season aka Poole speedway,he loves the sport and would be making money ,what's wrong with that?

It’s funny how many fans of other clubs have this outside view of him. But Comets fans think otherwise. He’s a very valuable rider for the Comets, especially away from home. His points got us in the playoffs almost single handily later on in the season in 2024.

It’s the only way to keep professional speedway in the country

And that is how it should be but with an independent body actually making the rules like in just about any other credible sport

The major issue is that clubs like Ipswich have fixed costs like stadium rent. You can run an NDL/champ hybrid in terms of strength but then are People going to fork out 25 quid for that I doubt it. Louis is getting out on a high & at the right time. As for me & the rest of the Ipswich fans if no one steps in then we’ll miss our speedway but let’s be honest it’s only happening a couple of years earlier at Ipswich than the likely outcome for the uk.

So Louis plays the Sandhu card due to the proposed set up not being to his liking. Try being a Belle Vue promoter and having to deal with the crap laid at our feet with irritating regularity. No matter how disgruntled you feel about not getting your own way you do not jump ship. Think of the bigger picture for once and not solely your own club as this thinking has got us into this situation we are now in. It’s better all round to try and attempt change from within rather than just washing your hands of our wonderful sport. You never win every battle but you still have hope to win the war. I posted when the NSS opened my concern of not having any top flight clubs to ride against due to the volatile nature of many promoting teams. It’s come to pass in the main due to this insular me, me, me thinking that culminates in this situation when things don’t go their way. We know it’s not a financial decision as like Poole in the second division the witches have the best crowds and due to incredible work done by Louis they have the best sponsor support. Pulling the rug like this has MASSIVE repercussions to the WHOLE sport in the UK and even if he gets his way and performs a U turn the damage from that press release will last. I feel for the witches supporters who would turn out to see their team in what ever guise they appeared. To have that potentially removed whilst the perpetrator sheds crocodile tears is particularly galling. Keep fighting guys, someone’s got to. Up the witches!

No that's Norfolk, not Suffolk 😜

Isn't everybody in that part of the world 😂😜

It is quite baffling isn't it? Millions shelled out over the past 20 years, as a collective... Non stop, year on year... And all to deliver what we have now? Quite incredible... Not for one single moment it appears did anyone within the ruling body think.. "You know what, I don't think that this is working"... Yet. Thousands and thousands of fans of the sport, by their lack of regular attendance, and social media comments, were clearly telling them that... Millions spent collectively to try and win something that they then choose to destroy the credibility of... I can only describe it as being akin to 14 bald men paying six figures every single year to enter an annual lottery... Where the first prize is a comb!!! A quite amazing two decades or so...

TruPlant pulled out of Sheffield what feels like a long time before Louis put Ipswich up for sale. It would seem strange then that Chris Louis announces that he is pulling out, and in such a way that questions the future is the Witches, if he is selling it to the main sponsor of the Witches. Anyway, if there is a potential buyer for Ipswich then lots hope it happens as the sport needs all the well supported clubs it can get.

Stop digging a bloody hole ffs Iain! It’s there in black and white, you literally said as owner, he can make guarantees, then denied you mentioned guarantees! Just own it 🙄

He’s from Halifax. Do you reckon he could do something for the Dukes while he’s at it …

I can’t see Guy Nicholls buying the club. If Louis can’t work with the BSPA then Nicholls hasn’t got a chance. In any case Nicholls would want things his way & wouldn’t put up with the way speedway is ran. I think when. Guy pulled the plug on Sheffield he was certainly looking to concentrate on Ipswich as a sponsor with Louis as owner. Whatever has happen it’s happened in the last few days.

If you believe that the big decisions in any other major sports league are made by an independent body then you are mistaken. The rules may be implemented by an independent body but the direction of the leagues is very much set by the team owners. The team owners make up the operating company of the leagues and will employ a CEO/Commissioner (who head up a team of staff) to implement their vision but they are ultimately answerable to the collective will of the teams.

Disappointing news. I thought Louis was one of the few promoters that had the ability and professionalism to help dig the sport out of this mess. Big loss to British speedway as well as Ipswich.

But why would the “mini success” of the championship teams allow either their product to be watered down as they have to give quality riders away to ex-Prem teams or see their costs rocket because they have to take on ex-Prem riders to stay competitive? This is a top league problem and they have their own CEO so it’s up to him and his team to sort without compromising other leagues.

I personally think the sport has too take step back and rebuild.Dont know what the plan would involve but there are a lot more riders out there than some people are saying. Everyone know that even most Championship Clubs are barely hanging on.Self Interest has to put to the side.

Well the big crowd for the playoffs will be reported in the next figures, I know in the JL days he used to say a big BH crowd in May / Easter time set them up for the season. I always feel I wouild be a fairly good promoter, Ive worked in finance all my life so i understand better than most the pressures of running a business from the admin / financial side. The problem is all those 50-60k losses per season add up and eventually the funding either runs dry or someone stops being prepared to throw away 200k or more! The problem is not just speedway, i struggle to find any football clubs that are financially sound!