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What will 2026 UK speedway bring?


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31 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Speedway as far as I know, is the only other "Professional" sport in Ipswich...

With the other not being "too successful" since the early 80's, indeed, it ended up in "Div 3" quite recently...

Therefore, it is a huge opportunity to gain sponsors, and attract fans if successful, and Ipswich, traditionally, even when not winning anything for decades, could deliver the UK's largest crowd of the season on Easter GF, with over 4,000 in attendance, so historically there has always been a much more than average following..

Many other UK tracks have many much popular and larger pro sports on their doorstep...

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sheffield, Belle Vue, and Leicester in particular are places who face massive competition for the "sports dollar" local media coverage and publicity....

Poole is similar to Ipswich with a decent conurbation and not much in the way of pro sports fighting for the same followers..

With the other common denomination being that both Promotions have pro actively taken every advantage to maximise their opportunity..

Some other promoters, but not all, who don't have Pro Basketball, Netball, Ice Hockey, Rugby Union and League and top two tier Football Mens and Womens teams around them, obviously are not doing what the likes of Ipswich and Poole do so well..

Plymouth and Workington, in particular, last season seemed to improve their  business just by changing when they opened their business, which meant they could attract more families...

Who would have thought such "whichcraft" would work for tracks?:D 

Its local competition that impacts clubs attendance more than people think. Take Leicester as an example. They have a successful football club, the most successful English rugby team, the most successful Basketball team, Netball champions and county cricket to compete against for attendance, sponsorship money, and local media content. Ipswich, Kings Lynn and Poole do not have these issues. Leicester are currently placed fifth or sixth in the local market.

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10 minutes ago, SJA said:

Its local competition that impacts clubs attendance more than people think. Take Leicester as an example. They have a successful football club, the most successful English rugby team, the most successful Basketball team, Netball champions and county cricket to compete against for attendance, sponsorship money, and local media content. Ipswich, Kings Lynn and Poole do not have these issues. Leicester are currently placed fifth or sixth in the local market.

Poole also have the tourist footfall as for other sporting competition at a professional level i think there is only Bournmouth in the Premier league that would impact.

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1 hour ago, PhilTheAce said:

ill repeat again, while every promotor have an input its 4 people that rubber stamp and decide any rules, structures etc, and they are, CHRIS LOUIS, rob godfrey, Danny Ford, Damien Bates. so he has to take some blame for being in this mess.

 

no one is disputing he ran ipswich well, hes been excellent for you

You have it the wrong way around. The directors decide and the members rubber stamp or not as the case maybe in which case it goes to a vote of the members.
Notwithstanding, as of 18th November CL is no longer a director. 

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10 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Hope you’re right but needs to run something to keep stadium open for speedway, 2 GPs is not enough, if there is no premier (looking likely)and they won’t go championship what is left ?  

I don't think NL even with the 2 GPs is enough meetings to satisfy the council, based on the terms agreed with the club.  What ever way you look at it British speedway is in a mess.  If the premiership dents run and those clubs don't drop down to the championship then I don't see how the riders make it pay. 

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1 hour ago, bellevueace said:

There have been murmurrings BV could go down the same route as Ipswich, what a legacy for Lemon to leave, doing what Hitler couldnt and bringing the longest unbroken run to an end. Also Aces have only ever ridden at the top level throughout their history so would fans support the club in enough numbers without the likes of Bewley and Kurtz? I have spoken to fans who only want to see these top riders but have spoken to more that wouldnt be against a championship league, more variety, a more level playing field in rider ability that would make for good racing and as been said before if it were a championship and ndl championship then becomes the top tier. I suppose the question would be would the loss of GP riders and their wages offset the expected drop in attendences? The stadium still has to be paid for and i couldnt see that rental decreasing with the level of whats on offer. Myself i would just embrace the championship and enjoy visiting different tracks. We just have to wait and see what happens but once its gone its not coming back. 

If there is only 1 league it is the top level.  

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16 hours ago, ouch said:

I wouldn’t use the word trust but there is little to no respect for Belle Vue or their staff amongst the BSPL committee and many of its members. Adrian was too vocal about the need for an independent body and that did not go down well and this has been mirrored with Mark. To have a business man who basically fell into speedway but could see the direction it should be going, move on due to the shenanigans of those at the top table said it all much more and much earlier than Louis latest stunt. 

The directors (or the top table as you refer) are five (now four) folk out of a collective of fourteen people (one club one person) who run the sport. However, rather than blaming the five/four you should look more closely at the majority of the members and their unwillingness to bend and work together to support the directors as to where the shenanigans are created.
Speedway promoters as a majority - there are is a small number of exceptions. share common characteristics.

1. They can't promote the sport successfully at the local level to make their business profitable.
2. They steadfastly think of themselves first and endorse nothing that could potentially mean change for them.
4. They refuse to let go of the controlling strings to an independent commissioner.
5. They all think they can run the sport better than each other.
6. They actually shouldn't be promoters at all - Its a hobby to some and an ego satisfier to others.
And this has been the situation for many years.
 

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14 hours ago, topaz325 said:

Looking like a larger championship league as each day goes by 

How does 9 teams running in 2026 make it larger than the 9 team league in 2025?

I guess you could build teams of 3 or 4 established riders plus 3 or 4 NDL riders and then presuming the ensuing watering down of team strengths is evenly spread across all teams then mathematically there could be eleven teams. 

 

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4 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

How does 9 teams running in 2026 make it larger than the 9 team league in 2025?

I guess you could build teams of 3 or 4 established riders plus 3 or 4 NDL riders and then presuming the ensuing watering down of team strengths is evenly spread across all teams then mathematically there could be eleven teams. 

 

Who knows at the moment , just the way the remaining teams in the PL are looking it might be a case of can we join you as 4/5 teams in a League is not viable.

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I just heard from a reliable source up the man cave that the premier league has a new major sponsor, in 2026 it will be known as the Hokey Cokey league, you got 5 teams in 5 teams out lemon in Louis out shake it all about, you have the AGM in November and change you mind and that’s what’s it all about, everybody sing 🎶 ohhhh what a shambles ohhhh what a shambles ohhhh what a shambles rules bent, no idea that’s British speedway 🎶             The old ones are always the old ones 😂

Edited by THE DEAN MACHINE
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1 minute ago, topaz325 said:

Who knows at the moment , just the way the remaining teams in the PL are looking it might be a case of can we join you as 4/5 teams in a League is not viable.

They cant just "join" as there will be insufficient riders to make up a team...Take Leicester's 2025 team as an example.
Fricke, Douglas & Becker, gone from the UK if one league comes along as Poland has first claim.
Howarth, Masters, Kemp & J Thompson ride for existing clubs. 
A similar scenario exists at the other remaining 2025 Prem clubs 

Remember doubling up disappears in "one big league" and the only source of new riders is at the bottom of the capability chart - NDL riders - some of whom cannot get anywhere near place in a current championship club. 

 

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1 hour ago, 1 valve said:

They cant just "join" as there will be insufficient riders to make up a team...Take Leicester's 2025 team as an example.
Fricke, Douglas & Becker, gone from the UK if one league comes along as Poland has first claim.
Howarth, Masters, Kemp & J Thompson ride for existing clubs. 
A similar scenario exists at the other remaining 2025 Prem clubs 

Remember doubling up disappears in "one big league" and the only source of new riders is at the bottom of the capability chart - NDL riders - some of whom cannot get anywhere near place in a current championship club. 

 

Poland does not have "first claim"... the rider has first choice. 

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11 minutes ago, IainB said:

Poland does not have "first claim"... the rider has first choice. 

You are correct, but only until the rider makes that choice which for next year all three have done so.  The outcome therefore is the same as per my post.   

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49 minutes ago, IainB said:

Poland does not have "first claim"... the rider has first choice. 

 

34 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

You are correct, but only until the rider makes that choice which for next year all three have done so.  The outcome therefore is the same as per my post.   

Taking a place in the UK is really Hobsons choice - in 2026 renamed Pickerings choice....

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I asked this question a few days ago, slightly tongue in cheek but.................

If the remaining Prem teams are adamant they want to remain in a Prem League with more teams than 4 or 5, why can't they each run a 2nd team themselves on alternate weeks and re-name it Super League?

eg Belle Vue Aces; and Belle Vue 'Kings' 

Leicester Lions; and Leicester 'Cats'

Kings Lynn Stars; and Kings Lynn 'Moons'

Sheffield Tigers; and Sheffield 'Rivets'

Ipswich Witches; and Ipswich 'Crones'?

or similar....

 

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2 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Everything will be revealed on 6th January.👍🤞

And lo....

It came to pass...

3 Wise Men from the East (Anglia), named Chris, Ritchie and Buster, saw a bright light in the sky, and the bright light did then (when it dropped a bit in the sky, as it was getting in their eyes, meaning they had stop the journey for half and hour or so),  leadeth them on to Rugbethlahemy....

Where they did find "12 Disciples of the Speedway" who were already gathered, with much furrowed brows and foreboding..

"Do not fear", said the Three Wise Men, because upon us today is the "Spirit Of Speedway", and "King Of The Shale", who will guide us from our current woes and tribulations..

And lo it came to pass that "The Speedway" did becomath, from that very moment onwards, hath one, and never again to be untwained or torn asunder...

And the many followers of "The Speedway" did rejoice...

(Well, at least until the next year any road)...

Amen...

 

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1 hour ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

 

Taking a place in the UK is really Hobsons choice - in 2026 renamed Pickerings choice....

There’s a few Pickering standard that will have to make decision.One bad match in Poland and you might be twiddling their thumbs for a few weeks.

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5 hours ago, SJA said:

Its local competition that impacts clubs attendance more than people think. Take Leicester as an example. They have a successful football club, the most successful English rugby team, the most successful Basketball team, Netball champions and county cricket to compete against for attendance, sponsorship money, and local media content. Ipswich, Kings Lynn and Poole do not have these issues. Leicester are currently placed fifth or sixth in the local market.

Plus they are professionally managed, that have global appeal and credibility, with a young/er audience.

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1 hour ago, SteveLyric2 said:

I asked this question a few days ago, slightly tongue in cheek but.................

If the remaining Prem teams are adamant they want to remain in a Prem League with more teams than 4 or 5, why can't they each run a 2nd team themselves on alternate weeks and re-name it Super League?

eg Belle Vue Aces; and Belle Vue 'Kings' 

Leicester Lions; and Leicester 'Cats'

Kings Lynn Stars; and Kings Lynn 'Moons'

Sheffield Tigers; and Sheffield 'Rivets'

Ipswich Witches; and Ipswich 'Crones'?

or similar....

 

On the Christmas Sherry already? 👀

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British League north

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Berwick, Workington, Redcar, Belle Vue, Sheffield

British League south

Scunthorpe, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Ipswich, Oxford, Poole, Plymouth

No GP riders, doubling up allowed, low points limit to begin with. 5 or maybe 6 per team

Each League has separate champions decided by playoffs, or even just a 1st v 2nd final. Grand Champions decided by number of heat wins throughout the season

NDL consisting of BL "second teams" plus stand-alone clubs. Minimum of two over-35 riders per club

 

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