What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[TTT]

Glasgow have signed riders like Nagel and Tarasenko in the Championship.

Poole and Glasgow basically line-up with a minimum of 4 Heat Leaders every year in the Championship and they'd both line-up with 5 Heat Leaders if Team Building rules allowed them too.

Look at the core of the 2024 Poole side for example that consisted of Lawson, Brennan, B. Cook and Z. Cook, It's basically a Premiership side if you add in a Premiership No.1 followed by a reserve and a Rising Star.

Constantly allowing these two clubs to compete in the lower league and push clubs like Plymouth around every year while the Premiership is under threat is baffling to me.

[therefused]

7 minutes ago, TTT said:

Glasgow have signed riders like Nagel and Tarasenko in the Championship.

Poole and Glasgow basically line-up with a minimum of 4 Heat Leaders every year in the Championship and they'd both line-up with 5 Heat Leaders if Team Building rules allowed them too.

Look at the core of the 2024 Poole side for example that consisted of Lawson, Brennan, B. Cook and Z. Cook, It's basically a Premiership side if you add in a Premiership No.1 followed by a reserve and a Rising Star.

Constantly allowing these two clubs to compete in the lower league and push clubs like Plymouth around every year while the Premiership is under threat is baffling to me.

only have to read the recent speedway star to get an indication of the hissy fit Ford would pull if he didnt get his own way in the championship

[Bagpuss]

23 minutes ago, therefused said:

only have to read the recent speedway star to get an indication of the hissy fit Ford would pull if he didnt get his own way in the championship

It was ever thus.

[ShanoXtra]

1 hour ago, StarBoy said:

I’d happily take Douglas for Lynn at 1. as long as we get R Lambert in as well to back him up and when the 1st/2nd set of averages change, Douglas drops down the order. Lynn would have the strongest duo in the league. 

Lambert has no thought of coming back to British speedway until there are less meetings.

[mikebv]

45 minutes ago, TTT said:

Glasgow have signed riders like Nagel and Tarasenko in the Championship.

Poole and Glasgow basically line-up with a minimum of 4 Heat Leaders every year in the Championship and they'd both line-up with 5 Heat Leaders if Team Building rules allowed them too.

Look at the core of the 2024 Poole side for example that consisted of Lawson, Brennan, B. Cook and Z. Cook, It's basically a Premiership side if you add in a Premiership No.1 followed by a reserve and a Rising Star.

Constantly allowing these two clubs to compete in the lower league and push clubs like Plymouth around every year while the Premiership is under threat is baffling to me.

The interview with Matt Ford in the SS details the thought process for Poole..

And it is hard not to agree with him...

The considerable cost increases for the top league won't get covered by extra admission numbers, or extra sponsors, for a business that is "stand alone" and not some "plaything" for some who can afford an expensive hobby..

The bottom line is hardly anyone who doesn't follow the sport could tell you who the fop tier champions are this year, or last, or, indeed, any particular year for decades..

And Poole, in Div 2, will have plenty of finals to generate big crowds, and will gain as much publicity winning 2nd tier trophies as they would top tier ones..

The top tier need the second tier to try and then justify why they are "different" and the "highest level" and more expensive to watch...

The second tier need the top tier as those who double up can then afford to ride for them for 2nd tier money...

The likes of Poole and Glasgow could be seen as being happy to be "big fishes in a small pond"..

However. The whole of UK Speedway is more of a "big puddle" when compared to pretty much every other professional team sport in the UK..

When there is such very little financial reward, nor national publicity, for any success at any level, and crowds get hit by so many meetings running with zero jeopardy and consequence as to who qualifies for the play offs, you can understand why running your own business, at the level you can make it profitable, has to be the best idea..

[ShanoXtra]

19 minutes ago, mikebv said:

The interview with Matt Ford in the SS details the thought process for Poole..

And it is hard not to agree with him...

The considerable cost increases for the top league won't get covered by extra admission numbers, or extra sponsors, for a business that is "stand alone" and not some "plaything" for some who can afford an expensive hobby..

The bottom line is hardly anyone who doesn't follow the sport could tell you who the fop tier champions are this year, or last, or, indeed, any particular year for decades..

And Poole, in Div 2, will have plenty of finals to generate big crowds, and will gain as much publicity winning 2nd tier trophies as they would top tier ones..

The top tier need the second tier to try and then justify why they are "different" and the "highest level" and more expensive to watch...

The second tier need the top tier as those who double up can then afford to ride for them for 2nd tier money...

The likes of Poole and Glasgow could be seen as being happy to be "big fishes in a small pond"..

However. The whole of UK Speedway is more of a "big puddle" when compared to pretty much every other professional team sport in the UK..

When there is such very little financial reward, nor national publicity, for any success at any level, and crowds get hit by so many meetings running with zero jeopardy and consequence as to who qualifies for the play offs, you can understand why running your own business, at the level you can make it profitable, has to be the best idea..

All lot is true in this statement apart from the fact premiership champions Ipswich got more international publicity than Poole overseas.  

[LisaColette]

2 hours ago, TTT said:

Glasgow have signed riders like Nagel and Tarasenko in the Championship.

Poole and Glasgow basically line-up with a minimum of 4 Heat Leaders every year in the Championship and they'd both line-up with 5 Heat Leaders if Team Building rules allowed them too.

Look at the core of the 2024 Poole side for example that consisted of Lawson, Brennan, B. Cook and Z. Cook, It's basically a Premiership side if you add in a Premiership No.1 followed by a reserve and a Rising Star.

Constantly allowing these two clubs to compete in the lower league and push clubs like Plymouth around every year while the Premiership is under threat is baffling to me.

Pay any losses Poole end up with then I'm sure we'd move up. Also sort out any issues with the stadium. That should keep you busy for a while. Thanks 👍

Easy for @Bagpuss and the @therefused make constant digs about Poole all the time but Poole is run way better than KL. Poole aren't stupid enough to accept running at a loss. They know the Championship is the more stable league. 

 

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, ShanoXtra said:

All lot is true in this statement apart from the fact premiership champions Ipswich got more international publicity than Poole overseas.  

If the question was asked this week re Who are the current UK Speedway Premiership champs?, on The Chase, I can pretty much guarantee the contestant wouldn't know the answer...

But might say Poole....

[YeOldPitGate]

2 hours ago, therefused said:

only have to read the recent speedway star to get an indication of the hissy fit Ford would pull if he didnt get his own way in the championship

Don't really think it was a hissy fit he admits he saw the writing on the wall eventually for the prem league , we all know its in a bad place if it was attractive he would no doubt move up but for the present time there's way more downside than upside for him, same for Glasgow.

[YeOldPitGate]

2 hours ago, therefused said:

only have to read the recent speedway star to get an indication of the hissy fit Ford would pull if he didnt get his own way in the championship

Don't really think it was a hissy fit he admits he saw the writing on the wall eventually for the prem league , we all know its in a bad place if it was attractive he would no doubt move up but for the present time there's way more downside than upside for him, same for Glasgow.

 

1 hour ago, ShanoXtra said:

Lambert has no thought of coming back to British speedway until there are less meetings.

If they go with five clubs he might just get his wish.

[LisaColette]

4 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Don't really think it was a hissy fit he admits he saw the writing on the wall eventually for the prem league , we all know its in a bad place if it was attractive he would no doubt move up but for the present time there's way more downside than upside for him, same for Glasgow.

 

If they go with five clubs he might just get his wish.

No one with any sense would move up to the Prem. We'll just watch it fall apart from the sidelines. 👍

Edited 4 hours ago by LisaColette

[SteelShoe]

7 hours ago, TTT said:

One big watered down league all on BSN.

Premiership collapses next season if it's a 5 team league imo, Basically facing the same team every other week and what happens if one team gets tailed off? The Play-Offs would be sorted in no time and I doubt punters would turn up to see the same fixture that they've already just seen a couple of weeks ago.

Need to force Glasgow or Poole to move up as neither of them should be allowed to race in the Championship because they've got a Premiership business model in operation.

No one should be forced to go up in my opinion simply to make up the numbers and appease a couple of clubs who won't entertain one league.

[Fromafar]

3 hours ago, TTT said:

Glasgow have signed riders like Nagel and Tarasenko in the Championship.

Poole and Glasgow basically line-up with a minimum of 4 Heat Leaders every year in the Championship and they'd both line-up with 5 Heat Leaders if Team Building rules allowed them too.

Look at the core of the 2024 Poole side for example that consisted of Lawson, Brennan, B. Cook and Z. Cook, It's basically a Premiership side if you add in a Premiership No.1 followed by a reserve and a Rising Star.

Constantly allowing these two clubs to compete in the lower league and push clubs like Plymouth around every year while the Premiership is under threat is baffling to me.

Brennan, Ben and Zach were not as good at the start of 2024 though hence their averages fitted

[LisaColette]

36 minutes ago, SteelShoe said:

No one should be forced to go up in my opinion simply to make up the numbers and appease a couple of clubs who won't entertain one league.

Too right. And with tv deal looking unlikely now, even less chance of anyone going up imo. 

[JoeW436]

Conversations regarding 2026 should of started early this year but it just sounds like heads have been buried in the sand as per normal.

[Phannan]

1 hour ago, LisaColette said:

No one with any sense would move up to the Prem. We'll just watch it fall apart from the sidelines. 👍

While continuing to dominate that second rate league 👍. 

[Aries]

9 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

StarBoy is correct, its not about money at Lynn. Have heard that directly. They have tried numerous 'number ones' and the only one who has shown any interest is Lambert, but he is married to a Polish girl and settled over there which makes it difficult. 

Sheffield's inability to replace Woffinden like for like illustrates how difficult it is to get top riders over who arent already here. When you read how much top riders in Poland get you can see why most aren't bothered about top whack money over here, it’s not worth the hassle.

No he isn’t, and yes it is. I’m sorry Bagpuss I’m not trying to be argumentative here for the sake of it, but of course it’s to do with Money! Chapman could have more money than Elon Musk, I never said Chapman wasn’t wealthy. But his personal wealth is completely irrelevant to the point I was making. 
 

Does Jason Doyle still live in Norfolk? The fact of the matter is that if Lynn offered a better deal to Doyle than Ipswich then Doyle would be riding for Kings Lynn. It’s quite clear that no matter how much money Keith Chapman has, it means very little if he isn’t prepared to compete for the top riders.

That of course is his prerogative, he sets a budget to build a team every year and that budget doesn’t seem to stretch to paying for a Doyle/Bewley/Emil etc. Now that IS all financially relative isn’t it?

We’re in danger of veering away from my original point here which wasn’t to do with Keith Chapman’s personal wealth. If the top three are going to be forced in to not re-signing one of their heatleaders to allow Lynn and others the opportunity to sign them, are those clubs going to offer the top money that these riders will still demand? I personally have my doubts but time will tell on that one.

In an ideal world, every club would have the same financial clout OR, willing to invest more of their personal wealth to compete but unfortunately that’s just not reality. As I said before, there will always be the have’s and have not’s and that’s not restricted to Speedway, it’s all sports.

The Championship is no different. Would you bet against next years play off final being contested by Poole and Glasgow again? I wouldn’t. You can bring in points limits and different rules to try and make things as equal as possible, but there will always be in demand riders on bargain averages that will always be snapped up by those with better resources who will stay one step ahead of the competition.

With all due respect to them, the likes of Scunthorpe under Godfrey who builds his teams to a tight budget, are just there to make up the numbers. It’s just the way it is I’m afraid.

9 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Difficult to disagree with any of that, however @szkocjasid makes a good point, there is no incentive for clubs to move up if there are few/no heatleaders available. If the Premiership WANTS to expand then the only way that can happen is to free up some riders however unfair and unpalatable that might be. If it wants to have 5-6 teams then there is no need to change.

Its an almost impossible circle to square.

ALL the heatleaders have now been “freed up” Bagpuss. Every top heatleader that rode here this year, and want to ride here next year, are now available to Keith Chapman and anyone else who wants to sign them. If finance isn’t an issue as you and StarBoy have said, then Lynn don’t have any excuse not to sign one of them do they? Outbid the top three and you’ll bag one of them.

We’re going around in circles here. It’s not so much “freeing” up riders for others, it’s a question of if those other clubs can afford them and/or are willing to pay for them.

If they can, then fair enough I’m not against bringing in rules to help spread the top riders around. My concern is that they bring in a rule that prevents the clubs that CAN afford to sign them, from doing so, and those riders are then lost to British speedway because they’re not happy with the lower terms offered by others.

[Phannan]

The Polish league have got it right. Promotion and relegation from all 3 divisions. Ambition shown by all teams year in year out. None of this deciding what league they will only race in bollox.. The only team sport  in this country that puts up with that crap . It’s only a matter of time before it all goes to the wall . On the plus side United beat the scousers 👍

[Youhave2minutes]

Just now, Aries said:

No he isn’t, and yes it is. I’m sorry Bagpuss I’m not trying to be argumentative here for the sake of it, but of course it’s to do with Money! Chapman could have more money than Elon Musk, I never said Chapman wasn’t wealthy. But his personal wealth is completely irrelevant to the point I was making. 
 

Does Jason Doyle still live in Norfolk? The fact of the matter is that if Lynn offered a better deal to Doyle than Ipswich then Doyle would be riding for Kings Lynn. It’s quite clear that no matter how much money Keith Chapman has, it means very little if he isn’t prepared to compete for the top riders.

That of course is his prerogative, he sets a budget to build a team every year and that budget doesn’t seem to stretch to paying for a Doyle/Bewley/Emil etc. Now that IS all financially relative isn’t it?

We’re in danger of veering away from my original point here which wasn’t to do with Keith Chapman’s personal wealth. If the top three are going to be forced in to not re-signing one of their heatleaders to allow Lynn and others the opportunity to sign them, are those clubs going to offer the top money that these riders will still demand? I personally have my doubts but time will tell on that one.

In an ideal world, every club would have the same financial clout OR, willing to invest more of their personal wealth to compete but unfortunately that’s just not reality. As I said before, there will always be the have’s and have not’s and that’s not restricted to Speedway, it’s all sports.

The Championship is no different. Would you bet against next years play off final being contested by Poole and Glasgow again? I wouldn’t. You can bring in points limits and different rules to try and make things as equal as possible, but there will always be in demand riders on bargain averages that will always be snapped up by those with better resources who will stay one step ahead of the competition.

With all due respect to them, the likes of Scunthorpe under Godfrey who builds his teams to a tight budget, are just there to make up the numbers. It’s just the way it is I’m afraid.

ALL the heatleaders have now been “freed up” Bagpuss. Every top heatleader that rode here this year, and want to ride here next year, are now available to Keith Chapman and anyone else who wants to sign them. If finance isn’t an issue as you and StarBoy have said, then Lynn don’t have any excuse not to sign one of them do they? Outbid the top three and you’ll bag one of them.

We’re going around in circles here. It’s not so much “freeing” up riders for others, it’s a question of if those other clubs can afford them and/or are willing to pay for them.

If they can, then fair enough I’m not against bringing in rules to help spread the top riders around. My concern is that they bring in a rule that prevents the clubs that CAN afford to sign them, from doing so, and those riders are then lost to British speedway because they’re not happy with the lower terms offered by others.

Not forgetting it’s a numbers game

[Bagpuss]

35 minutes ago, Aries said:

No he isn’t, and yes it is. I’m sorry Bagpuss I’m not trying to be argumentative here for the sake of it, but of course it’s to do with Money! Chapman could have more money than Elon Musk, I never said Chapman wasn’t wealthy. But his personal wealth is completely irrelevant to the point I was making. 
 

Does Jason Doyle still live in Norfolk? The fact of the matter is that if Lynn offered a better deal to Doyle than Ipswich then Doyle would be riding for Kings Lynn. It’s quite clear that no matter how much money Keith Chapman has, it means very little if he isn’t prepared to compete for the top riders.

That of course is his prerogative, he sets a budget to build a team every year and that budget doesn’t seem to stretch to paying for a Doyle/Bewley/Emil etc. Now that IS all financially relative isn’t it?

We’re in danger of veering away from my original point here which wasn’t to do with Keith Chapman’s personal wealth. If the top three are going to be forced in to not re-signing one of their heatleaders to allow Lynn and others the opportunity to sign them, are those clubs going to offer the top money that these riders will still demand? I personally have my doubts but time will tell on that one.

In an ideal world, every club would have the same financial clout OR, willing to invest more of their personal wealth to compete but unfortunately that’s just not reality. As I said before, there will always be the have’s and have not’s and that’s not restricted to Speedway, it’s all sports.

The Championship is no different. Would you bet against next years play off final being contested by Poole and Glasgow again? I wouldn’t. You can bring in points limits and different rules to try and make things as equal as possible, but there will always be in demand riders on bargain averages that will always be snapped up by those with better resources who will stay one step ahead of the competition.

With all due respect to them, the likes of Scunthorpe under Godfrey who builds his teams to a tight budget, are just there to make up the numbers. It’s just the way it is I’m afraid.

ALL the heatleaders have now been “freed up” Bagpuss. Every top heatleader that rode here this year, and want to ride here next year, are now available to Keith Chapman and anyone else who wants to sign them. If finance isn’t an issue as you and StarBoy have said, then Lynn don’t have any excuse not to sign one of them do they? Outbid the top three and you’ll bag one of them.

We’re going around in circles here. It’s not so much “freeing” up riders for others, it’s a question of if those other clubs can afford them and/or are willing to pay for them.

If they can, then fair enough I’m not against bringing in rules to help spread the top riders around. My concern is that they bring in a rule that prevents the clubs that CAN afford to sign them, from doing so, and those riders are then lost to British speedway because they’re not happy with the lower terms offered by others.

Fair enough, I think we have crossed wires slightly here. I don't disagree with a lot of what you've said, my original point was about getting top riders to come to Lynn who aren't over here already. In that regard it's not about money but rather their desire to come over. 

I can't ever see Buster outbidding Ipswich for Doyle or BV for Bewley for example and in that regard I suspect we are a 'have not'. I have no issue with that at all, but it does grate when he is accused of being a skinflint etc (not by you) when he puts a fair old whack into a club which doesnt have the biggest crowds (although they have improved this year).

All that said I'd love him to offer Fricke more than Leicester 😁