What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[Glen]

48 minutes ago, norbold said:

Ove Fundin rode for Norwich in 1964 and Bjorn Knutson for West Ham. Also Barry Briggs (World Champion in 1964) rode for Swindon.

The amalgamated league as recommended by Lord Shawcross came into effect in 1965.
Norwich had already closed so no Ove and Knutsson retired after winning the world title in 1964. Briggs was the only really world class rider remaining from the original club of 5 greats.

Speedway didn’t collapse and in fact thrived with more opportunities to young riders and those who had been jogging along in the then lower provincial league.

[IainB]

20 minutes ago, TTT said:

I guarantee Ipswich will still have Doyle with or without a TV deal in a PREM league.

Everything is fine on the Sponsorship front, Without being bias towards Ipswich even JCB has already renewed with Leicester for 2026.

Obviously none of us know the financial details of TV deals and/or sponsorship only what we pick up from different sources. Watling JCB have been on board at Leicester since our CL days so I doubt their financial input is anywhere near what the TV deal delivered. I agree that Doyley will more likely than not be back at Ippo next year (if Ippo run) but he is on the down slope of his career, is married to an English woman with a young kid and lives in Norwich, so that probably works for him to earn a bit of extra bunce on a Thursday night. He is very much the exception to the rule of the GP/Ekstraliga contingent though. 

Edited 23 hours ago by IainB

[TTT]

6 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

Because finances is only 1 out of 3 reasons why Poole won't move up. Other 2 are race nights and only having short term future at the stadium.

They said recently in the local press they wouldn't move up until they had long term future at the stadium. 

Don't take this the wrong way as I'm really not trying to offend you or any other Poole fan here.

That's exactly why Poole should prop the PREM up considering they're the next target for The Grim Reaper Osborne.

Wednesday Night's shouldn't hold much pull in a AGM discussion when Poole haven't really got a future to risk.

Only real problem is finances but the PREM Clubs can come to a contractual agreement with Poole that states any financial losses will be covered in full to ensure that the Ford Family break even on the season.

[TTT]

Say they go for another CHAMP Club instead of Poole while Osborne has them lined-up.

That'll be the defintion of killing two birds with one stone. Having said that...

My gut feeling as of this moment is that BSPL Chairman Rob Godfrey will end up taking one for the Sport but he'll keep Pickering to build his PREM team around.

[YeOldPitGate]

35 minutes ago, TTT said:

Don't take this the wrong way as I'm really not trying to offend you or any other Poole fan here.

That's exactly why Poole should prop the PREM up considering they're the next target for The Grim Reaper Osborne.

Wednesday Night's shouldn't hold much pull in a AGM discussion when Poole haven't really got a future to risk.

Only real problem is finances but the PREM Clubs can come to a contractual agreement with Poole that states any financial losses will be covered in full to ensure that the Ford Family break even on the season.

But if you were the Fords you would want the underwriting cash up front or held in a bank account outside of the bspa , plus could the other five promoters afford to pony up £100k- £150k upfront to cover off the possible losses.

[YeOldPitGate]

25 minutes ago, TTT said:

Say they go for another CHAMP Club instead of Poole while Osborne has them lined-up.

That'll be the defintion of killing two birds with one stone. Having said that...

My gut feeling as of this moment is that BSPL Chairman Rob Godfrey will end up taking one for the Sport but he'll keep Pickering to build his PREM team around.

Imagine Rob going up he can do with a fiver what Jesus did with a fish and a loaf feeding the thousands on the beech.

[lewy]

I don't think it's a question of what team or teams will go up,more likely how many teams are going to go down to the championship!

[TTT]

This is a British Speedway equivalent of a Round Table on The Traitors.

At this rate, Claudia Winkleman may as well host the AGM in January.

[SteveLyric2]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

Don't take this the wrong way as I'm really not trying to offend you or any other Poole fan here.

That's exactly why Poole should prop the PREM up considering they're the next target for The Grim Reaper Osborne.

Wednesday Night's shouldn't hold much pull in a AGM discussion when Poole haven't really got a future to risk.

Only real problem is finances but the PREM Clubs can come to a contractual agreement with Poole that states any financial losses will be covered in full to ensure that the Ford Family break even on the season.

Wind-up merchant.

[Rich]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

The amalgamated league as recommended by Lord Shawcross came into effect in 1965.
Norwich had already closed so no Ove and Knutsson retired after winning the world title in 1964. Briggs was the only really world class rider remaining from the original club of 5 greats.

Speedway didn’t collapse and in fact thrived with more opportunities to young riders and those who had been jogging along in the then lower provincial league.

Barry Briggs won the 1964 World Title in Gothenburg. Igor Plechanov beat Ove Fundin in a run-off for second. I was there, meeting was delayed by heavy rain and only went ahead after tons of sawdust put on the track.

[norbold]

12 hours ago, Glen said:

The amalgamated league as recommended by Lord Shawcross came into effect in 1965.
Norwich had already closed so no Ove and Knutsson retired after winning the world title in 1964. Briggs was the only really world class rider remaining from the original club of 5 greats.

Speedway didn’t collapse and in fact thrived with more opportunities to young riders and those who had been jogging along in the then lower provincial league.

That is true, though just a slight codicil: Ove Fundin came back and rode in the British League in 1966 and 1967, winning the World Championship in 1967. And in 1966, 1st, 2nd and 4th in the World Championship were all riding in the British League.

Edited 10 hours ago by norbold

[TTT]

1 hour ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Wind-up merchant.

I'm really not, My posts are just rubbing Fans up the wrong way.

I'm just very Pro-PREM while other Fans are very much against it which is totally fine as they're entitled to an opinion as am I.

Imo GP / Ekstraliga Riders competing in Britain on MON & THU Nights is the be all and end all when it comes to British Speedway.

I really don't see a future for British Speedway if the PREM collapses because One Big Medicore League would be of such a weak standard where no GP / Ekstraliga Riders are on show that it will struggle to create a next generation of fans which the Sport in the UK badly needs.

Whether the PREM collapses or not, I'll always fight it's corner through the good times and bad times.

Edited 19 hours ago by TTT

[Glen]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

Barry Briggs won the 1964 World Title in Gothenburg. Igor Plechanov beat Ove Fundin in a run-off for second. I was there, meeting was delayed by heavy rain and only went ahead after tons of sawdust put on the track.

Correct ! Knutsson won in 1965 

[1 valve]

On 11/16/2025 at 4:44 PM, Cross Roads said:

Me to you me to you. Can The Governing body of this sport not see that they need a public statement ASAP high level summarising the challenges they are working through with other promotors and options they are finalising for next season and 2027 with the already widely commented Polish rules. 
 

God forbid they want to loose any more fans or entice new people with out of the box new ideas… farcical 

No they can’t see it. Because at the moment the challenge they are facing is working out how all existing clubs can operate “successfully” in 2026. 
if you wanted a public statement - the best they could say is “We are not yet in a position to announce our plans for 2026 and will not do so until something is in place”. 
One could safely presume talks are ongoing.. 

[IainB]

14 hours ago, TTT said:

Imo GP / Ekstraliga Riders competing in Britain on MON & THU Nights is the be all and end all when it comes to British Speedway.

Britain competing PL on a Mon/Thu is a relatively new thing and has just about killed off the sport, and the PL in particular, in this country. 

I take it you're a relative newcomer to Speedway and Ipswich? Personally I think new punters are more likely to want to come and see young Johnny Local making his way to better things in the sport rather than Johan Foreigner who flies in for his pension fund top up. 

Edited 6 hours ago by IainB

[The White Knight]

10 hours 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? 

As far as I am aware, the BSPL consists of a number of individual business's. If this is so, they cannot "force" Poole to abandon the Championship for a very uncertain future in the Premier League. Try to force that and I would guess that the Lawyers would be called in and Poole would take it to Court. I would if I was them, I would and I believe they would win.

8 hours 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.

Oh well, that's all right then!!! You are 'all right Jack'!!!

There is far too many of your Premier League people trying to close Championship Tracks for my liking. Wanting to sacrifice them on the altar of the Premier League. Not on I'm afraid.

I am not being nasty, but your attitude is, prop up the Premier League at all costs and stuff the other Championship Clubs in this Country.

Your League has caused all of the problems, and you expect to be bailed out as a right. That is a terrible attitude. I lost my Track fifty two years ago, so I know how it feels.

I think you should wait and see what happens at the (rather late) AGM.

On this particular matter you have got to me, I feel you are being very selfish and and entitled.

Your position on this is dead wrong.

[IainB]

4 minutes ago, The White Knight said:

As far as I am aware, the BSPL consists of a number of individual business's. If this is so, they cannot "force" Poole to abandon the Championship for a very uncertain future in the Premier League. Try to force that and I would guess that the Lawyers would be called in and Poole would take it to Court. I would if I was them, I would and I believe they would win.

Actually, BSPL is a limited company and one of the directors is Danny Ford, along with Damien Bates, who wants out, the other 2 directors are Chris Louis and Rob Godfrey, so 2 PL, 2 CL.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

26 minutes ago, IainB said:

Actually, BSPL is a limited company and one of the directors is Danny Ford, along with Damien Bates, who wants out, the other 2 directors are Chris Louis and Rob Godfrey, so 2 PL, 2 CL.

I’ve often wondered how much ford, bates, Louis, Godfrey, morris and the secretary’s wages come too every year ? Got to be honest I would do it for half 

[mikebv]

8 hours ago, IainB said:

Britain competing PL on a Mon/Thu is a relatively new thing and has just about killed off the sport and the PL in particular in this country. 

I take it you're a relative newcomer to Speedway and Ipswich? Personally I think new punters are more likely to want to come and see young Johnny Local making his way to better things in the sport rather than Johan Foreigner who flies in for his pension fund top up. 

And both will be as well known as each other to the vast majority of the local population...

Watching Dan Bewley fly around the fence at the NSS is great, however, watching him cross the finishing line as two rising stars are still getting around bends three and four doesn't make for much of a spectacle...

Even four "Superstars" in a race, most times, ends up with the winner being half a straight ahead of fourth...

At the NSS. You can basically pay £25 to watch the "Superstars" on a Monday or Thursday, deliver similar racing to what you can see the NDL lads do, for £15, at the weekend...

With the vast majority of the local population not knowing their "Dan Bewley's" from their "Will Cairns'"..

Or even who Belle Vue are, or what Speedway is...

With any title victory for the Aces or the Colts meeting a similar level of recognition locally from the vast majority of the 2.75M who live within 45 mins of the track..

In any business, if you can find a way to deliver a similar standard of product, but for less cost, and then pass that saving onto your customers in a lower price point, then surely that has to be good for your business...?

Or even use some of the cost savings to invest in marketing, to get what you sell out into the consciousness of those living within your catchment area...?

Edited 10 hours ago by mikebv

[Steve Irving]

7 hours ago, IainB said:

Britain competing PL on a Mon/Thu is a relatively new thing and has just about killed off the sport and the PL in particular in this country. 

I take it you're a relative newcomer to Speedway and Ipswich? Personally I think new punters are more likely to want to come and see young Johnny Local making his way to better things in the sport rather than Johan Foreigner who flies in for his pension fund top up. 

Judging by the attendance when Ipswich staged the “Tiger’s academy open” meeting a few weeks ago, including the latest Great British hope Cooper Rushen, I’d say you’re wrong and spectacularly wrong.

Look, people on this forum are obviously die hard fans of the sport where any level of speedway is seen as great. But they’re in a tiny tiny minority. I’ve seen someone say on here recently that we don’t need the “GP Stars” because riders of a far lesser ability can provide “just as good racing”. But that isn’t reflected in the attendance the further you go down the Speedway pyramid.

The NDL is pitifully attended. You can literally stand there and count the supporters in between races. So not many actually want to see “Johnny Local” making his way to better things at all. The hugely successful Championship that has their “house in order”, is also embarrassingly attended. You’ll get the odd anomaly such as Poole and Glasgow who get decent crowds by Championship standards, but they are an exception to the rule. The majority in that league have pitiful attendance figures.

Any Poole fan by the way that comes on here and try’s to convince people that the crowd levels they’re seeing in the Championship aren’t that much different to the crowds they got when they had Holder and Ward ruling the roost, or Trick and Leigh Adams before them, are lying. Simple as that.

The fact of the matter is, that attendances has steadily declined in this Country over the last 10-20 years, and that has coincided with an ever dwindling number of world class riders that ride over here to the point we now have only a small handful left. There are other factors as to why attendances have dwindled of course there are, but let’s please stop pretending that having or not having, the best riders in the world riding here doesn’t make a difference! Of course it bloody well does.

Rider costs have spiralled out of control for the very top riders and any increase in attendance at tracks that manage to sign them, wouldn’t in all likelihood cover the financial outlay to get them over and that is the problem. It’s a catch22 situation unfortunately but getting shot of the ones we do still have, water the product down even further, and the death of the sport in this Country will gather pace at a rate of knots. You can forget any meaningful sponsorship or TV deal! Nobody will be interested. There’s a reason nobody, even back to the Sky Sports days, were remotely interested in showing anything below the top tier.