What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[IainB]

14 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

But who said “we” can’t afford it? Everyone is guessing. Oxford clearly felt they could afford it whilst running three clubs so let them live or die by their decision, it’s not up to us to decide what companies can and can’t spend their money on…

 

If there is one league, Ipswich have lost Danny king as he has signed for Plymouth next year.

Okay, let me rephrase it...

Because it's a waste of money. 

[ShanoXtra]

23 minutes ago, IainB said:

Okay, let me rephrase it...

Because it's a waste of money. 

In whose eyes? Oxford clearly felt they were getting a rider worth the money. He may have taken reduced payments for that fact, nobody knows his contract but everyone quick to comment.

Oxford paying Magic and Tungate their large sums of money weekly was more of a robbery if you ask me.

[mikebv]

18 minutes ago, IainB said:

Okay, let me rephrase it...

Because it's a waste of money. 

The unavoidable problem is....

A select few can afford to run a top tier team to contend for the play offs..

But most can't..

And without the TV deal I would suggest the select few would struggle too...

And ultimately it is.....

Hundreds of thousands spent to achieve...

(?????)

Answers on a postcard to win a "Happiness is 40-38" sew on badge...

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

 

20 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

In whose eyes? Oxford clearly felt they were getting a rider worth the money. He may have taken reduced payments for that fact, nobody knows his contract but everyone quick to comment.

Oxford paying Magic and Tungate their large sums of money weekly was more of a robbery if you ask me.

British speedway can’t afford it, it is broke and the fans can’t afford it either 

Edited 11 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[ShanoXtra]

6 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

 

British speedway can’t afford it, it is broke and the fans can’t afford it either 

Sorry am I losing the plot. The comment was Oxford paid for Gust’s equipment and vans etc. Oxford paid for it so they clearly can afford it as they didn’t go bankrupt? When you can’t afford something it means you can’t buy it. The fans went to the matches so they afforded the ticket… if your argument was can they spend the money better then maybe yes, but the argument they can’t afford is nullified due to the fact they did afford it, and finished the season without going bankrupt.

[mikebv]

2 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

It did make me smile when I read Alex harkess in the speedway star saying why does an amateur sport like ice hockey get 3 times the crowd that a professional sport like speedway gets ? Describing speedway as a professional sport 😂

I hope somebody told him that UK Hockey didn't allow teams to borrow each others players each week.....

And a good many Ice Hockey players are actually American and Canadian and are fully pro for the UK season...

And also, a night at the Ice Hockey delivers lights, music, noise, the odd fisticuffs, and.....

ATMOSPHERE!!!!

With plenty of kids there too....

A typical view from someone within  the UK Speedway Echo Chamber Bubble though...

[mikebv]

5 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

Sorry am I losing the plot. The comment was Oxford paid for Gust’s equipment and vans etc. Oxford paid for it so they clearly can afford it as they didn’t go bankrupt? When you can’t afford something it means you can’t buy it. The fans went to the matches so they afforded the ticket… if your argument was can they spend the money better then maybe yes, but the argument they can’t afford is nullified due to the fact they did afford it, and finished the season without going bankrupt.

But the fans obviously couldn't afford it as they didn't turn up in sufficient numbers..

So the promoters couldn't afford it...

Hence Oxford pulled their top tier team....

 

[Hawk127]

3 minutes ago, mikebv said:

The unavoidable problem is....

A select few can afford to run a top tier team to contend for the play offs..

But most can't..

And without the TV deal I would suggest the select few would struggle too...

And ultimately it is.....

Hundreds of thousands spent to achieve...

(?????)

Answers on a postcard to win a "Happiness is 40-38" sew on badge...

Unfortunately U K speedway cannot compete with the rest of Europe to attract or retain the top European riders. Brexit has been one issue with others including the movement of machines, parts and riders themselves plus you need bikes and mechanics spread across three or four different countries which is adding to a riders costs pushing up the return the riders need and the demands from clubs to pay and then put yourself in a riders position, do you drive from Poland to Sweden or Denmark or faff about with flights at unsociable hours simply to top up the pension by riding in the U K. and rely on the fickle riders as to whether a meeting will go ahead because of grey clouds and drizzle.

Then you have how the sport is portrayed and promoted. Take a look at the Polish Ekstraliga official website which is in English and has so much going on both with news, rider profiles, past year’s events etc and lots of YouTube videos and when you see how they deal with the sport is it any wonder the Poles have stolen a lead on the rest of the world.

Whatever supporters crave, speedway in the UK as it stands cannot currently compete with the rest of Europe and just take a look at this forum. All who follow the top league are so insular with what they want and what everyone hopes for 2026 whereas those in the lower leagues are getting on with planning for 2026 with what they have. Poole Glasgow, Scunthorpe etc are just getting on with preparations and then you question why should those teams bail out a failing business model which is the top league in the UK.

I doubt many on here have the financial wherewithal to put a team in the frame in the top tier of UK speedway and why should astute businessmen in the lower leagues risk all because five clubs want to chase the impossible. The only shining light is the return of Buxton. If you could get the Isle of Wight back then from small beginnings who knows what will come of it.

The reality is that no one on this forum knows what is planned for 2026, whether a new TV deal has been done, what the team points limit will be, whether riders from the lower echelons of the sport will have any progress because they are blocked by the double uppers and the fact that Joe Public and the main stream media neither knows about the sport nor gives a toss. Speedway UK lost its way a good few years back and really needs to take a reality check.

2026 is a big question mark.

[IainB]

35 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

In whose eyes? Oxford clearly felt they were getting a rider worth the money. He may have taken reduced payments for that fact, nobody knows his contract but everyone quick to comment.

Oxford paying Magic and Tungate their large sums of money weekly was more of a robbery if you ask me.

In my eyes... I think before the scrapping of the asset system or if he'd been signed on a multi-year deal you could probably justify it as an investment. He missed numerous meetings due to fixture clashes and will more likely than not turn out to be just another here today, gone tomorrow rider rather than a stalwart of the sport in this country. 

[ShanoXtra]

11 minutes ago, mikebv said:

But the fans obviously couldn't afford it as they didn't turn up in sufficient numbers..

So the promoters couldn't afford it...

Hence Oxford pulled their top tier team....

 

But the Oxford fans probably could afford but got sick of losing. That’s like saying people from London cant afford West Ham tickets… they can but they choose not to go due to the crap they watch. Nothing to do with affording anything. The same people probably go on holiday, go to other events, people can afford things but prioritise their money in things they prefer to do, unfortunately, and people seem to forget on this forum, people really don’t like speedway when you speak to them and they are aware of the sport, they see it as boring. That’s the sports fault, and not people lacking money to spend it. Create a better product and people will come.

Edited 10 hours ago by ShanoXtra
.

[mikebv]

5 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

But the Oxford fans probably could afford but got sick of losing. That’s like saying people from London cant afford West Ham tickets… they can but they choose not to go due to the crap they watch. Nothing to do with affording anything. The same people probably go on holiday, go to other events, people can afford things but prioritise their money in things they prefer to do, unfortunately, and people seem to forget on this forum, people really don’t like speedway when you speak to them and they are aware of the sport, they see it as boring. That’s the sports fault, and not people lacking money to spend it. Create a better product and people will come.

In last weeks Speedway Star the Oxford promotion explained why they have ditched the top tier...

[IainB]

Just now, mikebv said:

In last weeks Speedway Star the Oxford promotion explained why they have ditched the top tier...

You're such a tease 😂

[Triple.H.]

I'm pretty sure the bikes used by Francis Gusts in UK 2025 were owned by Oxford and remain their property.

There's a big difference between being given and being loaned, also how many riders are crisscrossing the country in vans supplied by the club, as in the club have leased, not bought them.

[mikebv]

25 minutes ago, IainB said:

You're such a tease 😂

It is available at all good newsagents....

And supermarkets...

And on line...

And by subscription...

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, ShanoXtra said:

Sorry am I losing the plot. The comment was Oxford paid for Gust’s equipment and vans etc. Oxford paid for it so they clearly can afford it as they didn’t go bankrupt? When you can’t afford something it means you can’t buy it. The fans went to the matches so they afforded the ticket… if your argument was can they spend the money better then maybe yes, but the argument they can’t afford is nullified due to the fact they did afford it, and finished the season without going bankrupt.

When people on both sides of the fence are owed money after the season has finished then clearly we can’t afford it 

Edited 9 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

20 minutes ago, Triple.H. said:

I'm pretty sure the bikes used by Francis Gusts in UK 2025 were owned by Oxford and remain their property.

There's a big difference between being given and being loaned, also how many riders are crisscrossing the country in vans supplied by the club, as in the club have leased, not bought them.

Yes and who ultimately is paying the high admission prices for these vans/bikes ? 

[gjcone44]

for a laugh lets throw this out , average crowd 1000, x £20. =£20000

12 riders start money £500, each,=£6000.

£100, a point x 90 pts =£9000

leaves £5000. for club to use. 

rider 12 pts makes £1700.

thats what we can afford. 

thats how  i would start again.

so dont start what about this and what about that,.

[ShanoXtra]

1 hour ago, mikebv said:

In last weeks Speedway Star the Oxford promotion explained why they have ditched the top tier...

Same magazine that got info wrong about Stal… very reliable 😂

[ShanoXtra]

1 hour ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Yes and who ultimately is paying the high admission prices for these vans/bikes ? 

% would be sponsor

% would be tickets

% would be TV.

% of the van, equipment would be written off for tax as well as self employed

 

Edited 8 hours ago by ShanoXtra
.

[1 valve]

33 minutes ago, gjcone44 said:

for a laugh lets throw this out , average crowd 1000, x £20. =£20000

12 riders start money £500, each,=£6000.

£100, a point x 90 pts =£9000

leaves £5000. for club to use. 

rider 12 pts makes £1700.

thats what we can afford. 

thats how  i would start again.

so dont start what about this and what about that,.

Sorry to be pedantic but you will need to deduct VAT from the gate receipts.