JamesB

Zmarzlik has finally decided that he needs to improve his small track skills………..😀

I hope you are right in so far as: 1. The Witches come to the tapes next season. 2. We have a good number 1 and competitive team.

Hmmm. I smell something fishy here and it’s not the contents of Baldrick’s apple crumble.

Are you sure about this? If Louis is in Australia and there has been no sale agreed, who can they be doing deals with? Have Kevin Long and Bob Ellis been given some delegated authority?

That would be one hell of a schedule particularly when you add in the GP’s as well.

You may be correct, who knows. If you are, then Louis needs to be careful that he is not painting himself into a corner. Closing the club down for a year is very likely to decrease its value further particularly in a downgraded ‘one league scenario’ for 2027. Also, it’s easier to sell a business that is still trading. Taking an offer now could be preferable to a reduced offer or even no offers following the 2026 season. Perhaps, he is hoping for a 2027 model that is more to his liking and continuing to run the club after a seasons break. Only time will tell.

If the idea is that teams are to pick their own race night ‘to ensure their survival’, then that has to be the case. However, this is what I genuinely do not understand about the one league argument predicated on teams choosing their own race nights. De Facto, that must preclude the inclusion of anyone who races in Poland, Denmark and maybe Sweden. The only alternative is to allow these riders and cover their frequent absences by r/r or guest, which would bring us full circle. If they are to be precluded, where are all the riders going to be found for the one league?

Therefore, whatever those nights are then they become the ‘mandated race nights’ for which riders must be available. If that is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday then so be it.

I agree with you 100%. If there is to be one league then it has to be based on and only use riders that are available on whatever nights are mandated as race nights. I don’t like the idea of one league but if that is the only solution then at least ensure it has credibility.

He can inform them as many times as he wants. If he has signed a contract then unless Scunthorpe agree to release him from it he has to ride for them. If he doesn’t, then he is in breach of contract and can ultimately be sued by Scunthorpe. If he hasn’t signed a contract, then happy days.

That may be what he would want to do, but if he has signed a contract with Scunthorpe and they want to enforce it, then he will have a problem. Unless there are termination for convenience clauses, he could be sued for breach of contract. He could always try and buy himself out of the contract. Unless the promoters collectively agree to make all contracts signed null and void, then I think the boat has already sailed on one league for 2026.

It’s a complete and utter mess. If they can scrape to five, then they will have to go with that. If they can’t, then it looks to me like all bets are off.

It’s difficult to quantify exactly what the current position is. The current Championship clubs are continuing to announce signings which seems to point to: Premiership A potential league of five teams: Belle Vue Kings Lynn Leicester Sheffield Ipswich The obvious elephant in the room is that two of these need to find new owners and we are in December. Even if new owners are found, the still major secondary problem is that a five team league is borderline unviable and potentially value destroying. Is there really going to be a new ‘unicorn’ club conjured up from somewhere? Championship Everything is pointing to this continuing in the existing format with the existing clubs. If you believe some of the rumours, there is an active position that if any of the existing Premiership clubs wanted to join, then they would be turned down. Outcomes If there is a scenario where either one or both of Ipswich and Sheffield do not find a new owner, then the Premiership is toast. This would mean that either: - The Championship is prepared to expand and accept the rump of the Premiership clubs. - Three, maybe four (whatever is left) of the Premiership clubs do not come to the tapes for the 2026 season. One League for 2026 Arguably, with the number of signings already made by Championship clubs, the boat has already sailed on this. Either, the Premiership clubs joining the one league would have to build teams from a very shallow pool both in terms of numbers and talent or the existing Championship clubs agree to wipe the board and each participant club in the one league starts to team build from scratch. I really cannot see the latter option being accepted by those who would need to. Worst Case A number of Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Ipswich and Sheffield do not come to the tapes for the 2026 season. Four of those clubs do not have any current issues with landlords, potential eviction, housing developments, etc. If this happens, then it has to be the absolute definition of insanity on the part of those who bring it about.

In the context of his statement, that would be extremely surprising. “….unfortunately it is time to step aside, but I leave the club and the sport with so many great memories that will last forever. Thank you.” That seems to make it clear that he is leaving the sport.

Any sale process will take time (even assuming a buyer can be found). As far as I am aware, there is still no buyer for Sheffield. That must leave the Premiership as totally unviable for 2026 and therefore the only option to those left standing is one league. I have said it before and will continue to say it, that approach will be the end of speedway in any meaningful way in this country.

Louis walking away has to tell you that speedway in this country is in a lot of trouble.

Clearly something major has happened around the BSPL table. I fear that this may be the end of speedway in Ipswich but hopefully not. To lose a club that has probably the largest attendance's in the country and no threats to losing the track or stadium would be criminal.

Flag Rag referenced a link to Northampton Saints. If correct, then the first thing I would do is carpet bomb every Saints home game with advertising, etc to drum up interest. There’s also the football club fan base to target as well. Focus the initial effort on existing sports fans.

As we are in the middle of the speculation/silly season…….. Assuming 36.0 for the top 5 and retention of the 2.5% British reduction for team building, then how about: Jason Doyle 7.86 Tom Brennan. 7.05 Adam Ellis 5.92 Dan Thompson 5.87 ……….. 26.70 That leaves a Bewley or Woffinden size hole on 8.64 and 8.45 respectively. You could also swap in Rew for Ellis or Thompson (not sure I would though). Just putting it out there.

You can only build around someone if they want to ride for you. Perhaps Fricke has decided on pastures new or perhaps it’s misinformed speculation.

Everybody is welcome to their own views and to be fair it seems pretty much 50/50 from contributors on here about the way forward. Personally, I struggle to understand how removing the GP/top/expensive riders and equally sharing out the remainder will attract more spectators. The cost argument holds more water. The quality would be Championship + at best. I can only speak from personal experience, which is that the crowd numbers at Foxhall in the Doyle/Sayfutdinov era have been substantially higher than the Championship days and even the early Premiership days pre their signing. Of course, you can get some good races between any riders but give me a Heat 13/15 involving Doyle, Sayfutdinov, Bewley and Kurtz any day over one involving lesser quality riders.

I don’t understand how the concept of forcing the RS’s to ride for a specific team is permitted. I am not an employment lawyer but does it not break employment law relating to freedom of movement?

Part of the problem is that there are good and not so good promoter’s. I don’t believe that Ipswich lose money as Louis has stated a number of times that he will not bankrupt the club for success. He puts in a lot of effort to attract sponsors of which there are many. I believe that Doyle’s wages are paid by one of the sponsors and I wouldn’t be surprised if part or all of Sayfutdinov’s are as well.

A league without Doyle, Sayfutdinov, Kurtz, Bewley, Fricke, Holder, etc can only be poorer for their absence. Ipswich have always had a decent fan base, but I am certain that attendances in the Doyle/Sayfutdinov era have been markedly better than before their arrival. I would also wager that they have put some additional bums on seats at away tracks as well. Dumb it down at your peril.

Issue 26 published yesterday shows Dan switching back to reserve. Emil is still at the top of the averages.