Pirates Of Poole

That does depend which club, Sheffield aren't paying stupid wages to the Holders or Tai as aren't Belle Vue for their top 2. Ipswich yes and Birmingham for Freddie but it isn't a massive rise. Ipswich main sponsor I understand cover the costs for Doyle and Emil. Costs have gone up but we have more money in sponsors and tv on the table compared to 5 years ago and that is set to increase in 2025.

Exactly!

Believe me if Poole are struggling, well around 12 clubs won't be coming to the tapes next season! Poole are making a 'business decision' based on maxing profits, which as a business model makes sense. Massive potential to attract more NEW sponsors to the club in the area, which would allow us to move up. Personally for me we pay £19 all other clubs in the champ are £20.00/Glasgow is £22.00 for a grandstand seat that I used a few weeks back. Put those costs against Oxford Premiership team £22.00 or Sheffield £23.00 to watch some of the GP riders. Not a massive amount in it and a higher level of rider to watch. Poole won't be moving up sadly, but my concern for the business model next season will likely see lesser quality come to the tapes as we have to let riders go due to the team average. IF that does happen I already know a few that won't be attending, over the past 2 years I have seen our group who attend dropped by 8 people! the reason not interested in going to watch Poole in the championship which I respect as their decision and choose to part their money into other activities in the BCP area. Everyone has an opinion on this and mine will always be, the fanbase and sponsors Poole have they should be sitting at the top table of British Speedway as they did from 1997-2019. But it wont be happening! Poole will be championship in 2025.

I agree he came in on mid 2 point average! Do you think his scores have dropped alarmingly since Glasgow away? So fingers crossed he finds that form back again!

Well done Scunny. To go down by only 6 while carrying 3 riders is a pretty impressive! Fingers crossed Sam and Tobias can get themselves sorted and fast!

Injury replacement I thought was allowed?

Massive shame Steve if confirmed. Club will be I’m sure will be looking around for a decent 4.00 rider that will come in and strengthen the team, especially as Sam and Tobias are off the pace at the moment.

Poole are obviously doing that for Tobias this season with flights and accommodation/workshop surely? How is Tom and Ben coming back into the UK from Poland and Tom Sweden too for Poole meetings on a Wednesday? I agree on costs but for example in the Prem - Poole could field 4-5 of this years team all British based and for example the Holder Brothers or Kurtz who are also British based.

We will see majority of GP riders back next season. Just because they are GP riders people seem to think they are massively over paid which isn’t the case. They know they can’t earn anywhere near what they get in Poland but Sweden we are around the same for the top riders. People would be surprised what some earn, they still get very good money with a British club over the year but often 3 times that in Poland. The aim is to get more riders into the top flight from abroad or within the UK to help reduce the doubling up between the leagues which has started to work this season and more will follow next year with riders choosing to leave the champ and only ride Prem. Clearly with the 2 teams still not enough riders to go round hence the doubling up but like I say that door is starting to close.

That would bring it closer to the Prem, whole point is to make the distance between the leagues bigger.

As I said earlier in the week, we shall lose 2 of our heat leaders in 2025, some due to commitments and plans in other leagues and the ‘level things up front’ for other teams. This years success so far will mean the team will be torn apart and more than recent years where we lost the one heat leader. The points limit will be reduced from 38 i personally think for 2025 due to the lower clubs unable to get decent HL’s. A lot could change between now and the end of the season so let’s see.

What a meeting! Large crowd, Birmingham very unlucky not to come away with a win. Fantastic racing throughout the meeting. Well done to both teams.

Think one thing to take into account for 2025, if the points limit is reduced further we will find ourselves 8-10 points over. We could then have to lose Ben & Tom - Richard May stay etc, is that good for the supports and club? New faces will of course come in and replace them but at a less quality to the riders who have potentially left. Bottom line is the team average will stay the same or reduce so we will need to lose 2 more out our current top 4. Ben and Tom may decide to go Premiership only in 2025.

Well said! Everyone has a personal preference. I will always go to Poole every meeting but I prefer the racing at Oxford at Prem level, it’s more competitive I personally think. I have also seen Poole at Oxford and it’s clear which meetings the main supports attend, they support the Premiership with crowd numbers compared to Champ. Went to watch Sheffield at Oxford with Tai and the Holder brothers that brought a very healthy crowd, Ipswich obviously do too with Emil and Doyle (when fit) The more GP riders come back and world stars the more people will go to those tracks and watch.

Yes

I was on bend one Saturday, i quiet enjoyed the dust and I certainly didn’t complain about it :)

Shocked to see Kyle has been dropped! Could be injury driven the decision Patrik Baek comes in.

I have a season ticket at Oxford as well as Poole and I have watched every Premiership meeting up there. I choose to travel to Oxford like I will this Thursday to see some of the best riders in the world and in my opinion the racing is much better with the high end riders.

Points limit has reduced year on year, since 2020, I call that a weaker product compared to the Premiership! Admission went up in 2024 but points limited reduced heavily from year before again I call that weakening the product that is being put before us. Reference people happy where we are, I hear a lot more now they would like to see the worlds best back at Poole.

Brennan is a BSPA asset 100% not sure how many times I have to say this on here! Glasgow did not follow through with the purchase of him. Reference Poole going up, I think it needs to happen personally. A lot of for and against, but the landscape is completely different compared to 2019, next year the majority of GP riders we shall see back in the UK since early 2000’s, due to Sweden. Cost people say? Poole could field 5 of this years team and add the Holder Brothers for example! Magic, Nicolai and more available. I have discussed this with Danny on a number of occasions about moving up over the past few years! Race night is always discussed but for me I think that can be worked around with some Wednesday/Thursday fixtures. Profit and business wise it makes sense to sit in the championship to make the maximum amount of money, but is that the right choice? If Poole can’t sustain top flight speedway which they sat at from 1997-2019 lets not forget!I would be very concerned, looking at clubs like Birmingham with low crowds - also local derby? Oxford could be likely to drop out of the championship and Plymouth, will they continue in the championship? So that leaves our local derbys with northern sides? Business model wise that isn’t good! On another note the Championship will be weakened yet again likely in 2025 and you have to question can that be done again year on year? We are paying more for a weaker product and that happened again in 2024. let’s see but I hope the mighty Pirates return to the top table.

Maybe it’s more the champ side isn't making any money so savings have to be made?

Clearly a financial decision surely, is running the 3 teams starting to take its toll on the money side of the club?

Good result for Poole, but have to say the track was woeful again tonight! Last year they got it all sorted and apart from the first 2 meetings this year the track has been pretty poor. 1 over take says it all!

I would say it's very likely Championship racing will stop at Oxford in 2025.

Good news Vinnie is fine and ready for next match. Was in the pits Wednesday and in good spirits. Good news for Poole