PersonalResponsibility

Sounds like we're already halfway there, just need to change to daytimes.

Yeah, I misremembered that one. As you say though, BSPL as an entity are majority shareholders.

Isn't it the case the a significant number of shareholders in Speedway Futures are BSPL members anyway? Can we disregard that they've just given the sport away entirely? As for this latest newbie...he sounds like a lovely fella. Certainly typifies the most recent bunch of Tories.

You've basically answered your questions within your first 2 paragraphs. Hook has improved every year...as a reserve. Fair enough, he isn't a 4pt 1-5 rider who averaged 5.5 at reserve, but equally, how do you know he isn't going to be a 5.5 reserve who averages 4 in the 1-5? A large % of his points came in heat 2s last season, he wouldn't get that opportunity next season. Someone like Luke Harrison is chalk and cheese given he was an 18yo with a single season of Championship racing. Hook is 23 and the question is still being asked if he can manage riding in the top 5. Even Jye Etheridge improved quicker than Hook.

Any top rider opting out of the UK isn't good, but Jason Doyle doing so speaks volumes. This is one rider who'd go to the opening of an envelope if he could race speedway, if he doesn't think the UK is worthwhile then it makes you wonder.

Hook has had one good season in the 4 he's been in the UK. This season he averaged nearly 2.5 points a meeting in heat 2, and he wouldn't get that opportunity next season. They probably thought he wouldn't continue improving riding in the 1-5. Foord had ridden half a season in the Championship before 2025 and Zischke clearly has way more potential than Hook. It's rubbish for Hook, but you can easily see why they've done it.

It looked like Workington would be consigned to the history books not all that long ago. I think you'd be mental if you're feeling alienated because Jacob Hook hasn't been signed.

Great work from Glasgow as ever. They're in a different stratosphere to the rest. You know they'll completely maximise the angle of Hausl/Seychelles too, and rightly so.

The inherent flaw - in my opinion - is not the unworkable system, nor is it expecting 14 "top level" riders to keep their diary free to ride with Arran Butcher and Jack Smith, it's the reworking of the format. 15 heats, 4 riders, 4 laps. 3-2-1-0. 60 seconds. It is the most straightforward format you could ever wish for. The format is probably one of the very few things that (British) speedway has going for it. It doesn't need to be replaced with a three stage act. If this league structure came into play, I'd immediately make my racenight a Sunday, sign the best of those not riding in Poland, and then watch mercilessly as team after team turned up with R/R and 5 NDL riders.

Top marks for effort (asking AI to create it), but this is probably the single worst set of ideas I've seen and that's despite the BSPL operating our sport in this country.

It makes you wonder if they'll get a taste for it. Poland on a weekend, knock out Sweden/Denmark in successive days, and all drivable to boot. No need to set up an English base or even arrange flights really. It might be a one-season thing because of the uncertainty in the UK, but I could see a few deciding to stick with it.

To quote the comedian Stewart Lee: "yeah, you can prove anything with facts."

In much the same way that £1 in 2024 is the same as £1 now. Except it's not in reality, is it?

Just 20 short months after he delivered the "golden generation" too 😔. Life comes at you fast these days. https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/articles/morris-hails-golden-generation

This is the Pila who couldn't even match Josh Pickering's demands, too. If Harris has broken his Polish abstinence for that type of money then the writing must be on the wall.

How would they manage play-offs with 5 teams? Top to the final, the other 4 in a play-off to get there? Makes the whole season pointless. Top 4 as always - one team missing out isn't ideal. No play-offs? Though this is probably the least of our worries with a 5-team league.

Good for you. It's pointless discussing it any further when there are bigger issues, like the future of your own club, to talk about on here. I'm not "obvious to that fact" on that one.

If you can't understand the post then I think an explanation would be wasted, but I'll try. Promoters should tell riders: take it or leave it. History tells us that it's very unlikely promoters will do that. When things inevitably blow up, it'll be because they didn't do that.

I don't think anyone's oblivious to anything. The Premier League existed quite healthily before doubling up and down started. Clubs don't "need" to increase rider's wages to make up for them losing a Premiership club. They pay what they can afford and the riders take it or leave it. Sadly, the reality will probably play out as we all expect, and they will overspend, but that'll be the fault of the promoters paying excessive wages and nothing else.

Very, very concerning news for British speedway you'd have to say. Even more than that, losing someone like Chris Louis is a big blow to the sport. If one of the few progressive, forward thinking promoters, who's family have been involved for 70+ years sees enough to make him want to sell up...I dread to think what the outcome will be.

Interesting they've gone back to the GP Challenge in mid-season, good move I think. Anyone been to Terenzano? Wouldn't mind combining it with a holiday around the area. Is it easy to get to?

Sounds as though they're just using our profile to get themselves some easy publicity. It's shocking, really. You'd never get speedway using a football connection to do the same thing.

I think that was their point? Poole have been far more successful and probably viewed as a bigger club than Oxford in recent history, so Oxford not making it work isn't strictly relevant to whether Poole could.

Yeah, but what a publicity stunt it was. A colleague, who I'd never heard mention speedway before, was just saying he caught that 50-word snippet in The Sun and would be buying his whole family season tickets for his local club. Another mentioned they'd heard all about his interview at Poole and had become fully converted to the shale sport as a result.

It used to be a top 4 finish. If he finishes any worse than 3rd against that lot then he probably isn't worth the hype yet, though.