What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[mikebv]

30 minutes ago, PhilTheAce said:

So no Doyle in UK next season 

 

No Emil in UK next season

 

Rumours no jack holder in UK next season. 

 

Is there any point in a top league really?????

With a max five teams, there never was...

[Chris]

Who are the idiots still fighting for a Premiership? Lemon, Chapman and Dickson?

It's done, all over

Get on with one league and adapting the race format. Get rid of the nonsense of riders riding for multiple clubs, race on a night of the clubs choosing and start again. The current model is finished.

[mikebv]

7 minutes ago, Chris said:

Who are the idiots still fighting for a Premiership? Lemon, Chapman and Dickson?

It's done, all over

Get on with one league and adapting the race format. Get rid of the nonsense of riders riding for multiple clubs, race on a night of the clubs choosing and start again. The current model is finished.

Now....

You know that...

I know that ..

And most on here know that, and have all said it for well over a  decade .. 

However....

 

[PhilTheAce]

31 minutes ago, Chris said:

Who are the idiots still fighting for a Premiership? Lemon, Chapman and Dickson?

It's done, all over

Get on with one league and adapting the race format. Get rid of the nonsense of riders riding for multiple clubs, race on a night of the clubs choosing and start again. The current model is finished.

Championship don't want us. 

 

Think it's a top league or nothing for belle vue, Leicester, Lynn, Sheffield, Ipswich 

[Littleze]

1 hour ago, singy13 said:

The general opinion on here is that speedway is doomed unless a sugar daddy of some sort saves the day .. come on 'arry.

Sadly Speedway is to lose TV coverage. But already lost ,down the years, are media outlets from where you could access speedway results, yes TV sports channels, Ceefax, Radio Two sports round up at 10pm.Local tv news, newspapers. All now ignore speedway as a much loved sport, well I love it!!.. But hang on there is a sister/brother track related sport who suffer the same total media ignorance but I don't see there promoters seeking urgent help. I'm talking about stock cars - stox invariably have bigger crowds than speedway don't they? But they are not on last knockings as some say about speedway, so why are the stox more popular UK wide? Do the 'drivers' earn as much as speedway riders? Can speedway somehow join forces with the stox i.e. shared meetings on shale surfaces, probably 5 man speedway.. Just my thoughts on getting speedway a cash flow to keep the flag flying.

They can probably race in any weather, it’s not a team Sport, I guess there are very little rules.. and if that works for that minority sport, they don’t have to change anything.

[IainB]

7 minutes ago, PhilTheAce said:

Championship don't want us. 

 

Think it's a top league or nothing for belle vue, Leicester, Lynn, Sheffield, Ipswich 

I'd agree, but... there's not one CL team that has announced season ticket sales yet despite them merrily announcing signings as if it's completely business as usual and there's nothing to see here. 

Which leads me to suspect that everything could change at a moments notice. 

[Littleze]

2 hours ago, ouch said:

 

You make a few good points there. It would be worth looking at a way to keep the bulk of the side over many seasons, even hopefully ending up with a one club man’s testimonial. This would give the fans something to get behind. 

Dropping RS riders Willy nilly needs to stop and clubs need to persevere with these youngsters. Injuries can get in the way but apart from that we need to look to keep them on. 

Your other point about guests needs more input from clubs. Maybe look to limit them as much as possible say over a five year period to see how it might work. The rules can be a nuisance as sometimes there is no other option than using guest but if clubs could find a way to limit them, all the better.

This fad of top league clubs dropping down when things get tough needs to stop. It’s an easy get out and doesn’t make these clubs pull their socks up and improve things. The whole league is guilty of this I think. 

 

Build to the winning teams average points. This has obviously been said before. If you’ve a squad then no need to drop, riders would need to be salaried or get something if not picked, but that is more money and a complete restructuring, which no one has done since its conception. It’s a nostalgic sport, we look back fondly, what you need is youngsters going to watch, good luck with that.

[Littleze]

1 hour ago, Bagpuss said:

 

Certainly not going to 'save the sport' but in my opinion Chase The Ace improves the atmosphere and engages kids at BV, if the right person can be found to don the costume its a quick win for every club. Seems an odd thing to pick on as a negative. In terms of getting more people through the door there are 101 things more important but I think it needs  fresh pair of eyes and fresh ideas, certainly I think far more could be done via social media and the general presentation and quailty of the night out could be much better. 

Whatever moves our sport forwards needs to be something pretty radical IMO.

They’ve not done anything radical since the sport first started, it’s the whole sport, not just UK.

[lewy]

24 minutes ago, IainB said:

I'd agree, but... there's not one CL team that has announced season ticket sales yet despite them merrily announcing signings as if it's completely business as usual and there's nothing to see here. 

Which leads me to suspect that everything could change at a moments notice. 

Plymouth have announced season tickets available 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

British speedway is saved, hurrah 🥳 sir Phillip Davies is appointed by speedway futures Ltd, he loves speedway so much he said the same quote as Harry Redknapp on his appointment, personally I was having my doubts about British speedway surviving but this appointment has restored my hope for the future 😳

Edited 3 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[Phannan]

The Doyle news being another nail in the coffin of this once great sport. From the early days and that magical smell to summer USA test matches at Hyde Road etc . Televised coverage to the point where everyone knew about speedway. It’s been destroyed by those in privileged positions with no regard to the future. But then it’s a different world now. All we of a certain age can do now is reminisce. Today’s generation don’t even have this sport in their mindset. It was always going to reach a conclusion one day. That day has almost definitely come. 

[SteveLyric2]

6 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

British speedway is saved, hurrah 🥳 sir Phillip Davies is appointed by speedway futures Ltd, he loves speedway so much he said the same quote as Harry Redknapp on his appointment, personally I was having my doubts about British speedway surviving but this appointment has restored my hope for the future 😳

What I want to know is who is the Speedway Futures scriptwriter?!

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

Just now, SteveLyric2 said:

What I want to know is who is the Speedway Futures scriptwriter?!

I think its Jeremy Copynpaste

[Phannan]

6 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

British speedway is saved, hurrah 🥳 sir Phillip Davies is appointed by speedway futures Ltd, he loves speedway so much he said the same quote as Harry Redknapp on his appointment, personally I was having my doubts about British speedway surviving but this appointment has restored my hope for the future 😳

Philip Davies the Tory mp from Shipley Yorkshire? He’s promised plenty around that neck of the woods. Still a rubbishhole. Billy bullrubbishter. I have my doubts he can lead us back to the heady days 😁

[SteveLyric2]

1 hour ago, PhilTheAce said:

So no Doyle in UK next season 

 

No Emil in UK next season

 

Rumours no jack holder in UK next season. 

 

Is there any point in a top league really?????

More opportunities for Championship 'double-uppers'!  The saviours of the Premiership.🤣

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

Sir Phillip Davies is on the British greyhound board and is a big advocate of gambling, could this be where speedway is heading ?

[noaksey]

13 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

British speedway is saved, hurrah 🥳 sir Phillip Davies is appointed by speedway futures Ltd, he loves speedway so much he said the same quote as Harry Redknapp on his appointment, personally I was having my doubts about British speedway surviving but this appointment has restored my hope for the future 😳

Does he know Briggo and was an avid watcher of World of Sport?

[IainB]

3 hours ago, lewy said:

Plymouth have announced season tickets available 

See you down there!

Plymouth do seem to be leading the way with their initiatives 👍🏻

Edited 12 minutes ago by IainB

[truthsayer]

28 minutes ago, Phannan said:

 It’s been destroyed by those in privileged positions with no regard to the future. But then it’s a different world now. 

Has it really been destroyed by those in privileged positions or just kept alive by fans with a bit of money?

It is a different world now and it's hard to plan for the future when just getting through today is hard enough, it's a problem many people face on a daily basis.

It is a different world now. Pubs, cinemas, high street shops, nightclubs, signwriters, coal miners, airlines, motorcycle manufacturers... the list of businesses, industries and professions to have died, or way past their halcyon days are many.

Team speedway was of it's time, when fans were happy standing on terraces, smoking a woodbine, chanting appreciation songs and blowing airhorns. Today's speedway is trying to be all that and is run by people who remember all that. It's yesterday's sport and stuff like league structures, race formats and team makeups are just rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

Speedway did prepare for the future. It's called the Grand Prix but it doesn't appeal to the purist. League speedway is dead in three years, but its thanks to those in the 'privileged positions' that it wasn't dead three years ago. I was amazed it wasn't another Covid casualty...

[TigerIain]

13 hours ago, truthsayer said:

Is handing out sweets and having someone dressed up like an extra from Paw Patrol really going to bring speedway into the 21st century? It's just the old ideas being regurgitated

Works well at Glasgow. The kids race after heat 10/11 is hugely popular, and is now 2 different races. All the kids get a sweetie at the end. Most kids beat the mascot, and Ben Basso was a regular participant when he was a Tiger.

The promotion have spent a lot of money doing up the stadium, and making an entertaining race track, and employing an entertaining team as well, but for the kids it seems that their races (under/over 10) are a big part of their night at the speedway as nearly all kids in the stadium take part in it (and most adults seem to be watching it)