Leaderboard

No... It was cancelled last week due to the poor forecast...

Why do you think? Because clubs are for sale, clubs are closing for housing, crowds are down, riders haven’t been paid, the TV deal has gone, whilst promotors want to continue with the same structure, that quite clearly isn’t working and isn’t sustainable and that’s just the Premiership.

Only "superstars" can have top quality races??? Look up Heat 14 from the Glasgow v Edinburgh playoff semi (British Speedway Network posted it on their Facebook page on 27th September) It was a fantastic race between Perry, MPT & Flint swapping places. Then contrast that with the dross that was GB v Poland at the same track which had Bewley, Woffinden, Zmarzlik and Janowski, 3 of the 4 riders that had just competed in whatever they call the World Pairs final these days, and next to no passing all night. It was one of the worst meetings ever at Ashfield. The only worse ones I can think of were ruined by rain. Glasgow fans are very happy with the entertainment on show at Ashfield every week. Star names do not mean better races. Glasgow fans want to race Fridays, and the promotion fought long and hard to get it. They also have the derbies with Edinburgh and Berwick and rivalry with Poole, and to a lesser extent Redcar and Workington. They also have a competitive team. And they run with (what the promotion deem to be) acceptable losses each year. All of which would be lost propping up the failing Premiership. The Facennas are working hard to build up the speedway at Glasgow but that move would not make any sense and could jeopardise the future of the Tigers.

The riders can ask for more money but they most likely won't get it... They will then have four options... Give up speedway and get another job.. Keep riding and get more sponsors.. Keep riding and ride in other countries.. Get a job alongside riding Speedway.. I would suggest giving up Speedway would be very much the last option for the vast majority.. There clearly isn't any "best option" for the sport given the state it has been allowed to end up in, just the "least worst"... Having a top league of so few teams won't engage too many to keep turning up In reality, what do they have to offer? At least a six figure increase in costs? Restricted race nights which most likely will actually reduce crowd levels given the change of nights? An increase in admission fees for the fans to pay the higher costs?.. A chance to put an uncompetitive team together as other teams have already sewn up the most wanted "top riders"... "Top riders" who, after any novelty wears off, won't make much of a difference (if any), to the crowd numbers anyway.... Not exactly a "winning formula" is it? There is a perfect example of which level is more suitable for the current UK issues... Oxford.. They had plenty of World Class riders in attendance last season. but have decided to drop the top tier and keep their second tier position...

TTT this and almost all your other posts assume that prem Clubs have some cards to play, they really don't, they're almost in a beggers can't be choosers position.If belle vue/ipswich owners/promoters decide they'd rather sell then so be it

I agree... and as a Leicester fan I'd be more than happy to see us in the CL... the PL has failed

Was it rained Off!!!!

As an Ipswich supporter it was great to win the league after so many years. However, based of course on endless speculation it would appear like the Premiership is acting like a playground bully. Unfortunately apart from Ipswich the business model would appear not to work, root and branch review will not work. The tree is dead. It requires chopping down and a new one planted.

And be 100% correct to do so..? A business is only successful when you meet what your customers want.... And isn't, when you don't listen to them and ride rough shod over their wishes... A sport is only successful when built on crowd sizes and atmosphere... So run it when the most people want to be there..

"It's not a Circus, it's a pantomime" "Oh no it isn't" "Oh yes it is"

I wouldn’t read too much into that.

Full series here.

There was a classic example this season of how things need to change and it answers a couple of points too Oxford run a team in the championship with no tv money from TNT and break even, they run a team in the premier with TNT money and owe £1000s, same track one team is sustainable one isn’t, the one with the lesser riders got marginally bettter support, dispelling the point about the star riders needed, the lessen is all there to see, will the bspl see it ? No they have superheats and points limits to discuss

Interesting how so many Premiership team fans on here are convinced that if it went to one league, the Premiership teams would royally screw the Championship teams by hoovering up all the top riders and leaving the dregs for the Championship teams. And they wonder why no-one wants to join their failing league! The 9 Championship teams this year agreed to share out league strength by having only 1 rider over 8 points. This was to ensure that all teams had done strength after last seasons disparity. In one league of 14 teams, why would 9 teams vote to allow 5 teams to screw them over? Just to clarify, as I question the intelligence of some, 9 is bigger than 5. For 2 years the 5 "big" teams screwed the Spires and Brummies, and no longer have them in the league. The Championship promoters chose not to go down that route. Yes Poole, Glasgow and Redcar will be relatively weaker next season, but they chose the intelligent option of making sure that the didn't kill off the 'weaker' teams. If Chris Louis is the messiah like promoter some are holding him up to be, why didn't he and his cronies take their foot off the throat of Oxford and Birmingham before they killed them off? (Yes I know Brummies lost their track but for all the plans to keep the Premiership going, not one has been keep the Brummies going at another venue as the promoter walked away from the Premiership and the fans didn't support an obviously canon fodder team). IF the Premiership fails and joins the Championship, to make it one league, then the points limit and team building rules would be set at a level where the Premiership teams could not do that to the Championship teams because the bullying majority would be the minority.

I appreciate that but there's also option 4, racing part-time rather than expecting a living from British Speedway when the sport cannot sustain giving them that.

I suggested on here, (what seems a lifetime ago now), that the BSB model was "perfect" for UK Speedway.. I think It was around the time that Poland basically "took over".. I worked with Cadbury at the time, promoting their products in my stores, and got free passes to Oulton Park to watch the BSB and could see how professional and slick it was ran.. Shane Byrne and Leon Haslam were among the main men at the time and both went on to "bigger things" but left with the blessing of the BSB as they "knew their place" in the hierarchy of motorbike racing.. And ensured that they had plenty of "Shane Byrne's and Leon Haslam's" lined up to replace them... With both having good careers elsewhere before coming back to end their careers with the BSB... The UK promoters need to accept their place in the hierarchy and stop wasting "huge" resources for such a small sport, paying out up to £5k a night to a "World Star" and instead pay a grand a night to five young UK lads who just may come through and progress to a level on the World Stage, and then ensure they have another five to replace them when they move on... They "brought back" "World Stars" to "Bring the crowds back", without, (as far as I can see and know), any market research at all as to why crowds had dropped... And, once again, used a large chunk of TV money to do it... And all to deliver the current situation.. Truly. Incredible...

At the end of the day, whatever options are decided, they have to be affordable for all clubs - and fans! Unfortunately not all Clubs have the same cost base - some own their own Stadia, some rent from supportive landlords, some rent from reluctant stadium owners. Some (a few) have supportive corporate main sponsors, many do not! Clubs must be allowed to operate at their preferred level (financially) otherwise more Clubs will be lost. To be 'forced' into one league or another just to suit the few would be wrong imo. If every club operated from the same costbase it might be different, but they don't and it isn't!

Sorry but i think rather than moan we should be thankful. If ticket prices and Hotels prices are sensibly priced both night’s will sell out and provide superb entertainment.

So the bspl don’t tell the public the AGM isn’t happening till January until after it was supposed to happen yesterday even though through gossip we knew anyway, the contempt for the fans is off the scale with these people,over the last few month or so the governing body have really shown their colours, they don’t answer the phone, they don’t reply to emails and they don’t give support to clubs trying to come back or start up,they don’t turn up to the speedway show on Saturday even though it is literally peanuts to have a stand,I’m holding back here I could say more but I don’t hold up much hope for the future of my sport and yes every one of us own this great sport 🤢

Haven't you heard... Christmas has been put back to March 😂

Mediocre riders making full time living out the sport.Something has to give.Doubling up for a lot of riders should be Speedway and a job outside the sport.

IMO the Championship clubs have already agreed they are not prepared to sacrifice their existing structure, including their race nights. None appear to be willing to join the Premiership and who can blame them, given the shoddy treatment when the likes of Birmingham received little help in trying to assemble a competitive side. Also the tv money received from Sky/Disney etc. never benefited CL clubs, so the potential demise of TV income doesnot affect CL clubs. So perhaps the choice for Premiership clubs is either apply for membership of the CL on existing CL terms, or continue to run in whatever form the 2026 Premiership becomes.

Don't see how you can force anyone to move up imo, unless the others are willing to pay for any losses that club has. Riders wages seem to be the biggest issue here. Sure i heard somewhere that Chris Harris would be on double what he is on in the championship. So no wonder why Glasgow don't want to move up! Just because their owners have a lot of money doesn't mean they want to lose some of it on a league that looks like it is crumbling. If they need a championship team to move up then they need to compromise on some of the deal breakers, if that is even possible.

Yes if he would ride for rising star money because his performances during his stint in the uk just about warranted them

This one? Something about not definitely yes but not a definite no. Sounds like they are looking into it. Interesting to hear that their crowds are the same whether it's championship or premiership.

Couldn’t care less what Harris or king or any rider thinks he needs, this is about the future of speedway, its currently is broke, can’t pay its debts off and if it carry’s on the same path Harris and the rest will have to get a job in B&M or Asda let alone have to reduce their income,it’s a tough old world out there and it’s time the riders started to feel it

Do you really think so? The riders who have “signed” for Championship clubs would soon be backing out of those deals quicker than a rat up a drainpipe. The fact is, those clubs that would be “dropping down” are more desirable clubs to ride for who more than likely could/would offer better deals. The first thing Ipswich would do for example, is take Scott Nicholls off Plymouth. Those deals aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. Pure delusion to think those riders would stay loyal to the Championship clubs they’ve already agreed to ride for, if they’re suddenly offered a better deal by one of the clubs currently in the Premiership. They’ll go where the money is and rightly so. 99% of riders have been dumped by clubs over their careers when they’ve hit a sticky patch, so none of them can cry foul when it’s their turn to be dumped. It works both ways.

Whilst I take your point, that the future is the way to go, I do not agree with your your premise regarding Doris and Bob. You need to think about ALL Speedway Supporters and that includes the elderly. There is a theory that you can learn from History. Perhaps you could look back to when Speedway really was popular, when good folk, young and old, flocked to Speedway Meetings for the noise, the excitement, the smell, the thrills, the spills and the entertainment. Look at those points I make now. How many apply today? Noise - Yes, Excitement - Yes, Smell - No, Thrills and Spills - Yes (too many of the latter, these days), Entertainment - No, not really. No second Half from where you grow your future riders. I would argue that Speedway, which purports to be a Sport, has lost it's way. The Grand Prix system, I believe, has degraded the Sport in this Country. It is too gimmicky. I just mention the laughably named - Last Qualifying Round/Race. Too many places are given to the top riders from the previous year - these riders are SELECTED from their efforts this year for the World Championship for next year. What is fair and equal about that? Then we come to the League - no the wonder Supporters drift away when their Team win the League, only to find they have to win another competition to win it AGAIN (Play Offs aka: an injustice) - not fair. If you want another competition - fine - but don't call it the League Championship, for that it isn't. They (the Promoters) have changed what used to be a great Sport that people used to attend enthusiastically, into fifteen races - and that's it. Bare minimum offered to Supporters. High prices to be paid, when money these days is extremely tight. Finally the riders themselves have lost touch with the Supporters. No going for a drink afterward as in the old days. All of these things add up. Well, I am off to get my flask and my blanket - it is cold this time of year. Much Love Doris and Bob.

I'm confused. You state that the Premiership isn't a failure, then list lots of failures. Essentially all are that clubs cannot afford to run in the Premiership. The other big issue is that the top teams won't share out the top riders and never have so no one wants to risk bankruptcy to be the new whipping boys. What the Championship have done for 2026 in helping the weaker teams should have been done in the Premiership at least a year ago (and probably before that). Your only proposed solutions to date are to force another team to join the failing Premiership against their will.

Absolutely agree with you. There's no point in any club having a presence at this collectors' fayre. I'm in no way knocking the show. Quite the opposite. It's a great idea, lovingly organised at huge time and energy by some ultra-devoted fans. If you want to pick up that missing 1969 Nelson v Crayford programme, or buy a vintage "Happiness is 40-38" badge to sew on your anorak, then it's perfect. I love the history of the sport, and I fully recommend taking the grandkids to see a restored 1930s Rudge, or the leathers Ole Olsen wore in the 1972 World Final. But it has no value to a 2026 speedway promoter. The audience are speedway fans, and highly-devoted fans who know everything about the sport already. There will be zero members of the general public paying £10 to go into a Speedway collectors' fayre. So no potential new punters to sell the sport to. If it were a motorcycle show in general, with a chance to reach out to others from different bikesport disciplines,or some kind of Business expo with a chance to network with potential new sponsors, it might have some value. But it isn't. So enjoy the show if you go, but don't think it's a place for clubs to promote their businesses. It isn't.

54°34'12.0"N 1°14'06.2"W

Don't know why you are infatuated about Poole and Glasgow.You seem to think because they are successful they should move up and probably lose money.No mention of any other Clubs. Fans at Championship Clubs know their Clubs are just surviving in the Championship.Tells us all the incentives for Championship Clubs moving up apart from saving Premiership. The Leagues should have been merged years ago.Perhaps sharing money was the problem. iMO

exactly which is why no one would take it seriously. I think its time to admit the illusion of a top league has failed and to cut their cloth accordingly and drop to one big league with less riders per team.

It's an absolute disgrace and shows the regard the BSPA (Clubs) have for their fans and complete lack of respect. Speedway star announced it was obviously 12th November then changed to the 6th of January via the speedway star. Nothing on the official BSPA website, which is poor and before the goody lot start coming back with 'its delicate and confidential' and that's why nothing can be said. Come on! they don't need to give details just give the supporters some basic information instead of radio silent and hope! Lets face it, Oxford and Birmingham didn't close yesterday! We have known since August (promoters knew longer than that) have they sat around for 8 weeks hoping someone will wave a magic wand and hope everything will be sorted, get real! It's a poor show and the fans deserve better.

Nobody agrees because you're wrong. Glasgow lose enough money in the Championship, and that is on their fans preferred race night, with lots of local derbies and rivalries. None of the 5 Premier teams hold any of the appeal of a visit from Edinburgh, Berwick or Poole. Or Redcar or Workington. 1 season propping up the Premiership and the financial losses associated with that could be the end of the current promotion and no one in Glasgow wants that. I genuinely can't see many Glasgow fans wanting to move up a division. One other thing, where would Glasgow, or any other 6th team, get a competitive team from? An Oxford/Birmingham select from last year would still finish miles behind the other 5 teams, and would provide little excitement. That's partly why the Premiership is struggling, because whenever anyone steps up the others refuse to share their riders and the new team end up as cannon fodder.

And throw away their local meetings with Edinburgh, worky Berwick and even Redcar, not a chance, the current situation that the premier league finds itself in isn’t Glasgow's problem, wasn’t caused by Glasgow and won’t be fixed by Glasgow, if anything Glasgow should be asking the top teams to join them in the Championship

My service is 24 hours but very rarely gets used, make no mistake promoters and riders run this sport for themselves, riders more so, until the customer and credibility get put to the front of that pecking order we will fail

Because riders don't want this, they want the cash they get from doubling up so they can make it pay. Riders are holding the sport to ransom and that is detrimental to the future of the sport in this country.

But it’s blindingly obvious the premier league is unsustainable in it”s current guise so why force someone to go up if it can mean the end of a track. You only have to look at Oxford and see the damaged done by being in the top flight and then you here about losses made at other tracks and it’s bloody scary. British speedway needs to cut it’s cloth and run at a level that is sustainable and if it means the top boys don’t return and even some of the lesser riders go then so be it.

If the Panthers run, I wouldn't be surprised to see Laguta back in British Speedway. He really enjoyed his time at Peterborough.

No there does not, if the so called top league folds then the what does the other league become ?., think back to the early 60's the National League became untenable which left the Provincial League that then became THE British League with National league teams joining, the difference between now and then is solely the number of riders or should i say where the riders come from, take away the Aussies and we would struggle to have the 2 leagues we have had for the last few years. I believe Speedway in the UK has to take a step back before it can step forwards, at the very minimum NO doubling up/down which in itself will be a step forward, Poole are an example of NOT riding in the so called top league on a night the fans want to watch, somehow a way has to be found and struggling to maintain the status quo is not it.

No there doesn’t have to be a top league, fans want variety, something different, the arrogance of the top 5 teams says there needs to be a top league and it could be argued that arrogance is the reason the sport is in such a mess that it finds itself in

Well argued 😂

Trade stands, nostalgia or promotion, it doesn't matter what you call it, everyone who wants the sport to continue has to try and do their bit. If by pushing an open door tomorrow keeps the door open then great. If you let the door close it gets locked. I will be there early tomorrow and also at the offroad show in Telford next year trying to keep a little bit of that door open.

Don't disagree with any of that Mike I'm really assuming that Peterborough and Wolves would have kept the basis of the riders they had from memory poles and russians who rode for Lynn and Peterborough 3-4 seasons back. I agree Championship is the UK's level now , if the top league survives for 2-3 years I would be trying to get a championship style top league of maybe 12 teams and start scouring the globe for young aussies and young yanks (if there are any) who would be committed to UK racing. I still think the biggest success story of last 12 months is Plymouth who are trying to do everything they can righ, running on best night for fans and it looks like they are trying to build a team of mainly UK based riders so barring injury you should see the same 1-7 at most home meetings.

Only in British Speedway would having a truly professional outlook, the best sponsors, the largest crowds and access to the world's very best riders be considered as having nothing to offer!!

It's going to be tough to find 3 wise men in the BSPL

I went to Cardiff for the 2nd time, I believe it was 2yrs ago, when the track was an absolute disgrace, I can’t even recall who won it, I took a mate was a long time lapsed Speedway fan, it was embarrassing, crowd levels poor and I felt the day around the City centre was muted/lowkey. So when they have the infrastructure the basics (track) lets it down. The whole sport needs to grow from the basics, professional, credible, modern stadia, unaffected by weather as much as possible. The trouble is it needs money + more, and I don’t see where that comes from, the sport has had this before and it’s gone backwards. I don’t want to see some fat bloke over 40 with an ill fitting top, as the start matshall, or a bloody traffic cone stopping the tapes from sagging, or track staff smoking.. blah blah.. image, respectability, perception counts for a lot. I’ve said this before on various platforms - to a letter in the Speedway Star many years ago. AFTV was started by one guy essentially, with nothing to sell other than fan views, this channel has daily podcasts, interviews etc. if the powers that be can’t sell a product, their club, riders etc, to the world on various social media platforms in this day and age, the *cough “SPORT” has no chance, all it/we do is reminisce, was it much better years ago.. to some degree yes, but probably not as much as we think it was. It needs to be an out an competitive sport, or be a contrived entertainment (which is what has been for many a year) Anyway…

i think Harrison has already shown he is much more dedicated than Boughen

I was talking to an old fan a couple of weeks back who is in his late 70s now and his local track wolves has now closed and he was saying how speedway wasn’t just a sport to him and his wife, it was their life, they met a speedway in the 60s got married and had travelled all of the world to watch speedway, they had foreign riders stay with them at their home and they feel like entain and the council and to a point British speedway have ripped the heart out of their lives, they can’t drive anymore and the nearest track is over 50 miles away and all I could think was this is me but an older version, I live for speedway it’s all I’ve ever known and done and when it comes to “cool” there is nothing I’ve ever come across that comes remotely close to it, I am that man who loves the smell of speedway and love going in riders workshops and tinkering with bikes and engines and imo there is nothing on earth that sounds as good as a speedway bike being warmed up and I feel like why the hell doesn’t anybody else share my passion for the sport