What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[SteveLyric2]

I wonder if the BSPL are talking to the new President of the WSRA to see if any 'encouragement' can be brought to the Eastbourne situation?!  Just a thought............!

Edited 8 hours ago by SteveLyric2

[Phannan]

I find it unbelievable that a professional sport isn’t ran in a professional manner with promotion and relegation etc. Every meeting will then more or less have something riding on it . That’s got to provide better racing. Which may attract bigger crowds. None of these going through the motions meetings. And none of these so called top level clubs and we know who they are , dictating to the sport, when where and what level they’re only prepared to race at . I keep seeing people saying that no rider is bigger than the sport. Well I reckon certain clubs definitely think they are , dictating the terms. It’s a joke. And any sport allowing this certainly looks like one from outsiders as well as those that have an interest in it. 

[1 valve]

1 hour ago, TigerIain said:

 

I think (& sincerely hope) that there is plenty going on behind the scenes to magic up a 6th team for the Premiership. 

Sad thing is, with a better controlled points limit, and a fairer sharing out of heat leaders they might not have lost 2 teams and got themselves into this pickle. 

Still, I hope that it works out somehow. 

Sadly, Birmingham would still have closed due to their stadium being demolished. As for Oxford, running three teams is also a drain on fans resources and a drain on the wallet to attend all meetings and so had to choose who to watch. although there must be some truth that a stronger first team could have seen improved attendances for the Spiers, its more than likely  the fans chose to attend more meetings of the Cheetah's because they had the better home record of winning matches. 

[LisaColette]

Don't see how you can force anyone to move up imo, unless the others are willing to pay for any losses that club has. 

Riders wages seem to be the biggest issue here. Sure i heard somewhere that Chris Harris would be on double what he is on in the championship. So no wonder why Glasgow don't want to move up! Just because their owners have a lot of money doesn't mean they want to lose some of it on a league that looks like it is crumbling. 

If they need a championship team to move up then they need to compromise on some of the deal breakers, if that is even possible. 

[Hamish McRaker]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

We'll get a PREM, Just got to wait for the inevitable to happen.

Northampton or Peterborough is the get out clause for CHAMP Clubs.

If those avenues become a dead end, Then a CHAMP Club will be sacrificed even if they don't like it.

So, what measures are available to be used, to "force" or incentivise a Championship club to walk the plank? I cant currently bring any to mind?

What i can see happening, is for the existing Championship clubs to break away from the BSPL and form their own organisation.

Maybe this is already happening

[SteveLyric2]

32 minutes ago, Phannan said:

I find it unbelievable that a professional sport isn’t ran in a professional manner with promotion and relegation etc. Every meeting will then more or less have something riding on it . That’s got to provide better racing. Which may attract bigger crowds. None of these going through the motions meetings. And none of these so called top level clubs and we know who they are , dictating to the sport, when where and what level they’re only prepared to race at . I keep seeing people saying that no rider is bigger than the sport. Well I reckon certain clubs definitely think they are , dictating the terms. It’s a joke. And any sport allowing this certainly looks like one from outsiders as well as those that have an interest in it. 

The flip side of that particular coin is the Premiership team facing relegation would not go down because of a combination of changing racenights and the risk of smaller attendances!. Its been tried before and simply does not work satisfactorily.

[Haza]

44 minutes ago, Phannan said:

I find it unbelievable that a professional sport isn’t ran in a professional manner with promotion and relegation etc. Every meeting will then more or less have something riding on it . That’s got to provide better racing. Which may attract bigger crowds. None of these going through the motions meetings. And none of these so called top level clubs and we know who they are , dictating to the sport, when where and what level they’re only prepared to race at . I keep seeing people saying that no rider is bigger than the sport. Well I reckon certain clubs definitely think they are , dictating the terms. It’s a joke. And any sport allowing this certainly looks like one from outsiders as well as those that have an interest in it. 

That’s it in nutshell too many meaningless meetings top4 was more or less set in stone from March then it was who’s best of the bottom 3 - half the meetings other  than pride there was nothing on them 

Edited 7 hours ago by Haza

[TTT]

17 minutes ago, Hamish McRaker said:

So, what measures are available to be used, to "force" or incentivise a Championship club to walk the plank? I cant currently bring any to mind?

What i can see happening, is for the existing Championship clubs to break away from the BSPL and form their own organisation.

Maybe this is already happening

PREM Clubs can give CHAMP Clubs a taste of their own medicine in a blink of an eye.

Everything will work out in the end though, I've got 100% faith in it.

[TTT]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

Well can thank the ‘Elite’ league for the state speedway is now in. Future young riders are totally dependent on the investment by their parents and the cost of that is colossal.

All this talk of a club being ‘forced’ to go Premiership is purely conditional on a TV deal otherwise where’s the money coming from? 

Speedway is in a mess across the globe mate, Some top level Polish and Swedish Teams aren't doing to well either.

[Phannan]

1 hour ago, SteveLyric2 said:

The flip side of that particular coin is the Premiership team facing relegation would not go down because of a combination of changing racenights and the risk of smaller attendances!. Its been tried before and simply does not work satisfactorily.

Fair point but again, it’s the clubs that are dictating the terms and not the sport itself. It’s a total mess . 

[Littleze]

1 hour ago, SteveLyric2 said:

The flip side of that particular coin is the Premiership team facing relegation would not go down because of a combination of changing racenights and the risk of smaller attendances!. Its been tried before and simply does not work satisfactorily.

This is undoubtedly true, but then the *sport will never be taken that seriously, which is where we are now. Low attendances tell the governing body that by and large very few people are into Speedway, so seek meaningful change or call it a day.

[TB1]

4 hours ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Appalling silence from BSPL so far. Hopefully they are taking due care and time over producing a statement.

On the other hand, they could be either doing headless chicken or ostrich impersonations.

Perhaps the Turkeys may be forced to vote for Christmas!

[Hamish McRaker]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

PREM Clubs can give CHAMP Clubs a taste of their own medicine in a blink of an eye.

Everything will work out in the end though, I've got 100% faith in it.

Go on.....how (both of those statements above)??. I'm fascinated

[norbold]

2 hours ago, Hamish McRaker said:

So, what measures are available to be used, to "force" or incentivise a Championship club to walk the plank? I cant currently bring any to mind?

What i can see happening, is for the existing Championship clubs to break away from the BSPL and form their own organisation.

Maybe this is already happening

1964 all over again?

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

3 hours ago, Phannan said:

I find it unbelievable that a professional sport isn’t ran in a professional manner with promotion and relegation etc. Every meeting will then more or less have something riding on it . That’s got to provide better racing. Which may attract bigger crowds. None of these going through the motions meetings. And none of these so called top level clubs and we know who they are , dictating to the sport, when where and what level they’re only prepared to race at . I keep seeing people saying that no rider is bigger than the sport. Well I reckon certain clubs definitely think they are , dictating the terms. It’s a joke. And any sport allowing this certainly looks like one from outsiders as well as those that have an interest in it. 

Impossible to have promotion and relegation as NONE of the clubs would find it to their liking under anything close to the current set up

How could you run a top league with a points limit for example and have relegation - its completely counter intuitive 

No team would want to win the 2nd tier and be forced to change race night and double their rider costs

The scenario you set out could only work if there was sufficient financial incentive to want to achieve top flight status - and if that was the case we wouldn't be in this position anyway as there would be a queue asking to join!!

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

3 hours ago, LisaColette said:

Don't see how you can force anyone to move up imo, unless the others are willing to pay for any losses that club has. 

Riders wages seem to be the biggest issue here. Sure i heard somewhere that Chris Harris would be on double what he is on in the championship. So no wonder why Glasgow don't want to move up! Just because their owners have a lot of money doesn't mean they want to lose some of it on a league that looks like it is crumbling. 

If they need a championship team to move up then they need to compromise on some of the deal breakers, if that is even possible. 

100% agree - there is no way to force any club to move up even if it would potentially be in the best interests of the sport

There is simply no way you can expect clubs like Poole and Glasgow to take on the financial risk of a switch even though both would be ideal top flight set ups

The sad fact is that there is simply not the required financial incentive to be at the top level and unless/until that changes the current struggle will continue

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

3 hours ago, LisaColette said:

Don't see how you can force anyone to move up imo, unless the others are willing to pay for any losses that club has. 

Riders wages seem to be the biggest issue here. Sure i heard somewhere that Chris Harris would be on double what he is on in the championship. So no wonder why Glasgow don't want to move up! Just because their owners have a lot of money doesn't mean they want to lose some of it on a league that looks like it is crumbling. 

If they need a championship team to move up then they need to compromise on some of the deal breakers, if that is even possible. 

They are desperate so wouldn’t put anything past them 

[TTT]

17 minutes ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Go on.....how (both of those statements above)??. I'm fascinated

CHAMP Clubs are heavily reliant on the Best of British being the backbone of their 1-7's for a wage that suits all parties.

They'll be taken away from them as the PREM Teams will need replacements for GP & Ekstraliga Riders.

Riders will just sign for the PREM Teams for the bigger money contracts that they were already going to get at PREM level.

No Team Building Rules or Grading System can stop the inevitable as their simply isn't enough Heat Leaders to go round in a 14 Team League whether you run 5 Man Teams or 7 Man Teams.

Not even enough Riders on 6.00 - 6.99 GSA's for 1 Per a Team let alone No.1's on 8+ GSA's.

[Derrickn]

3 hours ago, Hamish McRaker said:

So, what measures are available to be used, to "force" or incentivise a Championship club to walk the plank? I cant currently bring any to mind?

What i can see happening, is for the existing Championship clubs to break away from the BSPL and form their own organisation.

Maybe this is already happening

Maybe another provincial league to be formed.

[TTT]

On 11/16/2025 at 9:42 AM, TTT said:

One Big League is just mathematically impossible to work and I'll prove it with statistics.

 

Including the following Riders....

Nicolai Klindt (Missed so many Meeting's due to foreign commitments)

Craig Cook (Doesn't Turn Up)

Villads Nagel (Same as Nicolai Klindt)

Erik Riss (Said he's not Riding in the UK in 2026)

Steve Worrall (Retired)

Oskar Polis (Quit after a handful of Meetings in 2025)

 

No. of Clubs (14)

No. of Riders on 8+ GSA's (9)....After C. Cook and possibly Klindt (7)

No. of Riders on 7.00-7.99 GSA's (12).....After Nagel and Riss (10)

No. of Riders on 6.00-6.99 GSA's (11)....After Polis and S. Worrall (9)

Just propping this up again.

You can clearly see that the Numbers don't add up when it comes to Heat Leaders.

The only way you can ease the Heat Leader Rider shortage for 1 Year in 1 Big League is by running all fixtures on a MON & THU Night that'll see us keep Riders like Ryan Douglas, Niels-Kristian Iversen and co.

However running Fixtures on a MON & THU Night doesn't favour CHAMP Clubs when the vast majority of them like to run on FRI & SAT Night's.

Therefore the only real solution here......Is a sacrificial lamb being used to prop up the PREM and if nothing happens on the Northampton/Peterborough front then it'll be a CHAMP Club being forced up.

The Promoters and the BSPL simply don't have any other choice on the table due to Heat Leader Rider shortage.

Edited 3 hours ago by TTT