1 valve

There will be no alterations that effect the perimeter of the stadium for which the lease applies. The land outside of the current speedway stadium is designated for other sporting purposes. So don't expect moving of fences and temporary stands, but do expect changes to bends 1&2 to reduce the length of the straights meaning less entry speed and more room in and out of the turns ...less speed, more room, more lines = more opportunity to pass...if the riders are good enough, if they are not good enough?, well that would explain why they aren't in the lead in the first place

How would you would know that new owners do not have the money required for track alterations?. But to put things into perspective, last year bends 3 & 4 were altered at a cost below £5k (which DH did not fund) so why would it take more to make similar alterations to the first two bends?...it wouldn't. Incidentally Last years alterations were meant to include bends 1&2 which would have been done had it not been for the weather interfering causing delays and leaving insufficient time to complete the job before the start of the season after which alterations are not allowed.

No. The reason why the claim for compensation stands up is that the promoters abandoned the event and offered no alternative date for the meeting to be re-run. In effect they cancelled an event and didn't refund any money for which they had charged customers for. The cause was an unfit track, legally what the riders did was bring this matter to the attention of the officials who agreed that the meeting could no go ahead. Had the official said "the track is fine" and the riders then refused that would have been a different matter as the riders would have broken their contracts...Which they didn't.

You raise some good point but things are not that complicated - if you follow contract law and normal business practice. 1. Does the lease holder play ball with the BPSA. The presumption you are making here is that the lease holder is also the speedway promoter. However, as a lease holder there is no need for him/her to play ball with the BSPA other than to ensure the stadium/track is suitable for speedway should he wish to promote the sport or hire it to a promoter. 2. I am sure if they have problems, then the lease on the land could be cancelled. The only grounds that would give cause for cancelation of the lease by council would be if monies due for the lease were not paid or if the property was being used for activities outside of the specified purpose. standing empty and unused would not constitute suitable cause if the lease was being paid for - Unlike as it appears the NSC in Manchester. It appears some people think that as the leaseholder DH will be out of pocket without speedway he should cut his losses and just walk away. However, the facility has a future value which like it or not DH has created. i.e. there is a stadium which a promoter can run meetings and earn money from. So it would be a fair presumption that DH as the leaseholder is (as is his right) to seek compensation for the use of the stadium for which he is the rightful tenant either by sub letting (if the lease allows) or selling the lease. I do agree that so we fans know for certain we will have speedway at Leicester in 2017 it would be great to see this matter sorted sooner rather than later. However, we also need to recognise that there are business interests being served here and they need to be sorted out to the satisfaction of the vested parties. clearly some serious and detailed negotiation are going on and frankly, we don't need to know the details, just that they have been concluded and that the Lions will roar (Hopefully with more effect on track than in recent times) next season.

The track can be used between 08:00-22:30 daily - there is a limitation on actual meetings of 50 - Practice does not constitute a meeting. This is to prevent crowds, parking as well as noise en mass becoming too common.

Leicester will be.

and still we said Leicester was a track made for gaters...

The approved planning permission states the track cannot be used outside 08:00-22:30 daily and no more than 50 meetings can take place a year. There is no mention of a restriction to Saturdays of any kind. It has been reported that DH has said there would be nobody to unlock the stadium other than Saturdays..But frankly that is something easily overcome...if there was any truth to that statement in the first place.

No.

Any thoughts or better still knowledge what the regular race night will be?

Uh? "sorted and deals agreed" - surely suggests everything is very close to finalization? Time required to finalise the small print and crossing t's etc? looking forward to the news breaking soon - thereby ending the rumor's and our frustrations/worries/etc

looks like there is more to this than meets the eye - or put another way, more than what we have been told, which is not a lot. speculation of who and what is behind the cause of this terrible state of affairs is doing us no good, though maybe it helps release the disappointment & frustration being felt by many. Feels like Sandhu & Horton have arrived at some sort of stalemate re part of the negotiation for the use of the stadium and for reasons not known or understood Sandhu has retaliated with some pretty strong actions. Usually its best not to do such things in the heat of the moment and this maybe something done which ultimately nobody will benefit by. Not sure whos nose has been cut off to spite whose face, but seems like speedway fans will suffer the most. such a shame - I hope it can get sorted...I have loved hating the BEES (cus I'm a Lion through & through) since the 60's and would hate to see them go especially this way..so unfair to the history of a great club.

A meeting of what committee?

It wasn't a case of fly tipping but the tipping of acceptable rubble etc from excavation work approved by LCC.

It will all be down to negotiation and who holds the position of strength (perceived or otherwise) On the one hand it could be said DH without a speedway promoter will have a white elephant on his hands (the stadium) which will be costing him money to own so he needs to be able to rent it out. However, a potential promoter needs a stadium, without it there is no promotion and as the promoter sees Leicester as a business opportunity then he needs a place to make the money from. So the crux of the matter is both parties need each other...but who needs each other the most? Good look with the negotiations chaps - us fans need you to sort it out so we can watch some speedway in Leicester during 2017 and beyond

Is there the distinct possibility that there is more than one party interested in running the Leicester promotion, both of whom convinced the BSPA that they have the necessary backing/knowledge to do so, and therefore we are now waiting on the final decision on who it will be, maybe even an amalgamation to provide the way forward. or Maybe there is only one player in town but there are still numerous i's to be dotted & T's to be crossed before any real progress can be made which over and above settling with the BSPA on fundamentals such as race night may also include reaching agreement on the ownership/use/rent of the stadium. or Maybe its a combination or permutation of all of the above. If any of the above does exist then I guess the promoters elect know by now that there is a hard core of folk who would like to know what is going on, but lets face it, currently very few teams if any know too much for certain about what is in store for their team in 2017....and so the wait goes on..hope it will be worth it.

I agree that the entertainment plays a large significant part in attracting and retaining new fans. It is worth considering that over the past few years BV have not been that dominant in terms of league position and once new visitors have got over the spectacle of speedway, the hard reality of promoting a team event means that the team performance does need to be taken into account when retaining fans. Not every team can win the league, in fact some never have done so. but being competitive and winning the majority of home meetings is paramount to long term growth and success. Also, fans need to relate to the team they are expected to support. team line ups that keep changing week to week never mind season to season will struggle to build loyalty. As an example, remember the days of PC & CM etc...almost the same line up week in week out - season to season. This meant fans had allegiance to the team and the team members not just as it is today "the brand".

No word from the AGM confirming that Saturday nights is a no go for top tier speedway aka EL now The Premiership. Not sure what to make of this, but cant help but think if any team believes it can compete with any resemblance of a strong team in 2017 then Saturdays are out of the question. Also other Elite/Premiership clubs said last year was the last as they struggle to field their strongest line ups on Saturday. If Saturdays race nights are going to be allowed and the Lions do just that then we are going to see lots of guest riders, a weak team and another dismal season...

Has it been confirmed that; There will be no top league (whatever the EL is now rebranded as) racing on Saturdays There will be one or more race nights in the top league (whatever the EL is now rebranded as) or is that still open for discussion? Is there to be a different race format than 2016? what about fast track riders? This for starters.

Well, we are staying in the EL and racing will not be on Saturdays. I for one like Saturdays when other things don't get in the way. but there again, I liked Tuesdays and when I think about it, I attended a bigger percentage of meetings on Tuesdays at Blackbird Road than I have been able to do at BP on Saturdays. Looks like we are going to have to get used to it or the new promoters are going to have to attract a new set of supporters staring with those who cant get to BP on a Saturday. Me, I am going to get used to it and hope the Lions get a decent set of riders for our fix of mid week racing.

Big Al, You and I and quite a few others are on the same page. The product has got to be appealing, like it or not riders of international/GP standing are an attraction and if promoted / publicised will bring in the crowds. Blimey remember the days when Wilson / Boocock /Olsen /Mauger were due to face off against each other? the crowds rolled in to see those duels which were well publicised ahead of the event . So to Penhall/Carter/Collins/Lee/Olsen. Now todays big guns go head to head in Poland week in week out so not really hard to see why the crowds are so high there and so too the riders wages. The UK needs to restart somewhere and it looks like one or two mid week nights for EL is as good as a place to start and hopefully provide decent entertainment which people will want to pay to watch.

Leicester are moving from Saturday as their race night because they will be in the EL for 2017 where no league meetings will run over the weekend. The best riders are available (if they are affordable) for mid week meetings in the UK which is what sets the EL apart from the PL. Please note I am not saying the racing is better in the EL just that the best riders will be available. For a summer sport, history has shown that speedway does not need to run on a Saturday to attract the best crowds on a weekly basis. In its heyday considerably more tracks operated speedway mid week than on a Saturday and as a few people have already mentioned Saturday is not ideal because of other alternative competing activities. So, running on a regular mid week evening, will enable the best riders to be available, for the best and most competitive teams to be formed, which will bring in the crowds. The concern I have is that if it is to be only one race night per week for all teams meaning only one home meeting every two weeks, how will that impact the continuity of attendance - some of us remember, "Tuesday night is speedway night" and I cant help but think we need to see a meeting a week most weeks. this of course means the need for two EL race nights per week. Lets hope the AGM comes up with the right answers!

The basic points we fans need to know are: 1. Which teams will be in what league. 2. For EL. Are the weekly race nights going to be set i.e. one or two nights per week. 3. Total team points limit 4. Any significant rule changes re Tactical substitutes or similar. If anybody else want to add any significant "wants" feel free to add.

Leicester has been a Saturday race night since the return of speedway to the City. when they have had to race mid week there has been insufficient notice for some people to make it to the meetings, with poor team performances also being the case, these two factors are the main reasons why there has been low attendance at the mid week meetings. Now, despite what you may think, the homework has been done and clearly EL racing requires mid week fixtures. If a regular race night can be established together with a winning team then the crowds will return in their numbers. Altering bends 1 & 2 will help provide good racing and I like you, wish the new promotion all the best for their team building and overall promotional ambitions.

If bends 1 & 2 are altered as per the job done on 3 & 4 last season then it will be sufficient.