dontforgetthefueltapsbruv

I'm sitting in the surgey waiting room as i type this

I've changed my mind and now believe all the figures are 100% correct I've just undertaken a similar search and the response to "how much does a Premiership/Championship speedway rider earn" almost exactly matched those I estimated in my thread on why the Championship needs the Premiership Infact I'm now convinced the AI response must have used my post as its source

Good research - some interesting figures Not sure it makes sense to have a category that is Motorsports (F1 and bikes) but this not including speedway Speedways 200k figure seems low - would that be around 600 average per meeting? Given for every other sport included all and everything that would include GP and World Cups etc for Speedway So these at 10-12k , Ipswich at 25k+ and the other Premiership at about double that average that would leave only about 70k attending all Championship matches That would mean the super success model of the 2nd tier achieving only about 350-400 average attendances - even I can't believe that is the case.....

No doubt he will be in the top league in 2027 - will certainty be a heat leader in one big league, possibly a number 1

So your choice would be to close down 5 clubs then...... Classy Perfect username though

All signing are subject to approval If there is a big shake down and it ends as one big league it's quite simple They are not guaranteed to be approved New limits etc will be set Personally I expect it to still be Premiership and Championship in 2026 with the merger taking place in 2027 unless there is a miracle influx of financial support

I'd say we are actually looking at 5 steps back right now with the prospect of 2 forward again not guaranteed.....

The Championship winners wouldn't do it They would be shaking like a big girls blouse worried they may incur an extra fiver in costs to stage the meeting

The old 2nd division was a far superior standard to that we would get with one big league now.... None of the 'stars' would drop into it on a merger anyway so it is rather a mute point

It would be ironic (and rather funny) if the the investment was so big that those refusing now want to be a part of it but are turned away......

Just as the thousands upon thousands who have walked away and no longer pay into the sport are not noticed... Oh hang on , yes they are as the sport is financially fu#£ed!!

See - plenty of riders available for one big league

Playing devil's advocate You could say that those that have been pumping money in to try to maintain top level, true professional level, speedway with supposed huge annual losses have paid for it, so it is theirs to market and they haven't just taken it......

If there is tone an irrevocable split between the leagues I'd like to see the remaining Premiership clubs use their extra finances to offer the vital doubling up riders exclusive contracts Let's see how great the Championship model is then.....

Every single one of them If the odd one remains it will be 'the exception that proves the rule'

If there is no Premiership I won't be purchasing a BSN Championship pass No way am I funding the clubs (indirectly - no blame to BSN) partly responsible for its downfall should it happen

Looking that way isn't it! The only point perhaps is that in order to keep teams strengths close to where they are now in the Championship requires the continuing charade of doubling up Those that want to be the big fish in the small pond* can only be so if the big pond* still exists *ponds rapidly being reduced to puddles....

Back in the early 2000s having seen the film 'Once a jolly swagman' for the first time I made the same observation - even had my comments published (can't remember if it was in the Star or Backtrack) Another quarter century on and as you say very little change There are a few exceptions and a few individuals in presentation that stand out but not enough

Don't be a mug - that is a pathetic post I am confident I am close to the mark put ot that way

Difficult to argue with the first line but after that you suggestion re one big league at Championship level in pie in the sky You would need those junior league riders to be part of the new one big league and run it at a NDL+ level to fill the teams I expect we will all see that in action in 2027......

Again the "Championship have got this right" line comes out But no acknowledgement that to build to what they are planning requires a Premiership Without it you have 2 choices One big league with a drastic reduction in standard with the exodus of all top riders The liss of 4-5 clubs making the Championship the defacto 'top league' with a significant increase in costs to maintain a similar standard or the loss of a number of the remaining top end riders certain in 2027 even if 2026 muddles through

Wait for 2027 - British Speedway is going to need to find 20 to 30 'Tobias Thomsens' to have any chance of operating......

Does that fit with my previous post on another thread stating Oxford had been saying they would continue in the Premiership at all official meetings whilst in the background having different intentions?

Yes - for 2026 at least anyway 2027 I think will look very different

Which points towards my thought that the Championship in order to continue (on its current form) does indeed need the Premiership 2027 is going to be a whole different challenge if Poland gets its way - and needs to be sorted before the 2026 season starts