What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

21 hours 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 would (or should) be 9.60.....

[DJC]

9 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Lambert would (or should) be 9.60.....

There is an argument he should be but his last Green Sheet from 2023 was 7.81

[Youhave2minutes]

Let’s drop down to championship level

[YeOldPitGate]

17 hours ago, Phannan said:

While continuing to dominate that second rate league 👍. 

Flip side they aren't  risking losing six figures per season trying to compete in the top league

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

1 hour ago, DJC said:

There is an argument he should be but his last Green Sheet from 2023 was 7.81

There a more up to date regulation that states he shouldn't 

[1 valve]

I’ve read elsewhere on this forum that 36 point limit for Premier League next season.  If so the presumption must be the limit for the Championship will also be significantly reduced, perhaps to facilitate the integration of NDL riders?

Not sure this approach is the “exciting plans for 2026” indicated by the Oxford promotion when announcing the end of the Spires - but there again speedway promoters have on many occasions instigated changes that leave fans wondering what planet those in charge of the sport are living on.  
If it is to be 36 points, we’ll sure puts a different consideration of team building for 2026

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

On 10/21/2025 at 7:29 PM, LisaColette said:

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

Quoted as it highlights the financial position of the sport 

Here's a stark comparison which shows the gulf with football

10 miles from Ipswich is Needham Market. They play in the Southern League - effectively the 7th tier in the English game

Yesterday they opened a new stand which cost £358,000 to build funded primarily by grants provided by the Premier League (£150k) and Southern League (£100k) and other agencies including £10k from local councils

The stand apparently holds under 300 fans but would accommodate most of the average attendance. The game last night attracted their record attendance at 1105

[Tinker]

I hope upon hope that if the Premiership remains in its current form next year, there are more than five teams contesting it. Five teams would not only be boring but would make a mockery of the sport. It was bad enough with seven teams but five teams (maybe racing each other six times in the league alone) would be madness. Fans would soon switch off with the same riders week in, week out.

If the two leagues do not amalgamate (my preferred option but I understand the pitfalls), then please have at least seven teams in the Premiership. 

[SUPERACE]

Im hoping for 2 leagues, 1 league is the beginning of the end IMO. 

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, SUPERACE said:

Im hoping for 2 leagues, 1 league is the beginning of the end IMO. 

But you cannot run a five team league and expect fans to follow it...

And to get teams to move up just to employ many of the same riders that they do now, but on more money, doesn't look like something too many would bite your hands off to take the opportunity...

Any TV money will be key if anyone decides to move up, with, at least, a decent six figure income from it being the requirement...

We have said in the past on here quite a few times that the sport is on life support but it has struggled on, often due to its capability in making things up to get by on an adhoc basis...

You do feel that now though it truly does need to stop the sticking plasters and get the patient healthy and out of hospital with a clear, well thought out and fit for purpose health plan to complete a long term full recovery.... 

But. Given where the sport currently sits, that will be a huge challenge for those who have seemed to be quite content as to what they have delivered over the past decade or so... 

Edited 1 hour ago by mikebv

[gjcone44]

1 hour ago, SUPERACE said:

Im hoping for 2 leagues, 1 league is the beginning of the end IMO. 

the beginning of the end started years ago. i missed only a couple of meetings this year. next year will probably only go to a couple if that.

[topaz325]

I dont know the  answer but PL teams such as Ipswich and Belle vue do not one league, it would mean the loss of Kurtz and Bewley who are big draws for them, plus smaller clubs in the CL cannot afford to run in a one League system.

Yes I know costs would average out if we lost the big stars (Doyle , Emil, Holder , Kurtz, Fricke etc) , the one League may come in one a two years out of necessity when more clubs fail in the two League structure.

The AGM is due on the 12th of November but supposedly this is just to rubber stamp on changes already made.

[IainB]

1 hour ago, mikebv said:

But you cannot run a five team league and expect fans to follow it...

And to get teams to move up just to employ many of the same riders that they do now, but on more money, doesn't look like something too many would bite your hands off to take the opportunity...

Any TV money will be key if anyone decides to move up, with, at least, a decent six figure income from it being the requirement...

We have said in the past on here quite a few times that the sport is on life support but it has struggled on, often due to its capability in making things up to get by on an adhoc basis...

You do feel that now though it truly does need to stop the sticking plasters and get the patient healthy and out of hospital with a clear, well thought out and fit for purpose health plan to complete a long term full recovery.... 

But. Given where the sport currently sits, that will be a huge challenge for those who have seemed to be quite content as to what they have delivered over the past decade or so... 

A 5 team league (if that's what you can call it) is very much the business as usual model, which has been proven not to work over the last 30 years. It's not the radical change that has been mooted.

[Pitch]

How would a 5 team premiership work, home and away twice is only 8 league meetings. Home and away 4 times would be 16 meetings but it would be very dull seeing the same teams over and over. Surely you cant then have 4 out of 5 teams in the play offs. All options are pathetic.