What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[Aries]

3 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

I can certainly accept the sentiment that there is not a significant enough difference between the 2 leagues (due to the number doubling up)  but not that the Premiership is simply the Championship plus 6 elite riders

Championship No1s are 3rd heat leaders and even second strings in the Premiership 

You have Premiership reserves and even the RS slots who are heat leaders in the Championship

Premiership teams are the equivalent to 55-60 points in Championship terms

Jason Edward’s immediately popped in to my head because of his Ipswich links. Rising star in the Premiership, 6.50-7.00 point man in the engine room of a Championship side. 

[Aries]

3 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Starting point would be teams built in region of 30 point total on current Championship terms and each containing 3 or 4 NDL standard riders

Yeah, not for me that. 

[therefused]

5 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Starting point would be teams built in region of 30 point total on current Championship terms and each containing 3 or 4 NDL standard riders

how many riders per team?

[IainB]

25 minutes ago, Aries said:

I think they’d all be aware that IF a sixth team is magically brought in, those riders already “lined up” will have to be unlined up! They’re all going to have to accept it’ll be their collective responsibility to help build a competitive sixth team. They’re all going to have to work together on that one and release a rider or two each that they’d already pencilled in. 
 

Can you see that happening? No me neither really as self interest rules, and has always ruled. But MAYBE, this winter has shocked them all in to relenting on that self interest and they’ll all change the habit of a lifetime for the benefit of the sport in this country. 
 

 

The obvious answer would be some kind of selection draft for different level riders... won't happen though and that's why there'll be no 6th team

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

2 hours ago, ouch said:

The tenth Glasgow v Edinburgh meeting went down a storm and was one of the most enjoyable meetings of the season for those fans. 

Ipswich visited the NSS four times last season and all were decent affairs. I’m guessing your wife missed two of those which is a shame given the quality of entertainment on track. For the coming season just take in two visits per team as has been the case over many years and leave the other visit. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. 

This coming season is almost identical to 2021.

Could those advocating one big league post a likely Belle Vue v Sheffield line up and the cost of attending so I can judge how appetising it would be?

Or belle vue could of joined 1 league with bewley or Kurtz (I explained this on the 360 podcast a few weeks ago )and given the fans a new variety of clubs to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same teams over and over again, it’s just not doing it for me and at £25 a pop I can’t see us bothering to attend very often 

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

2 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Or belle vue could of joined 1 league with bewley or Kurtz (I explained this on the 360 podcast a few weeks ago )and given the fans a new variety of clubs to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same teams over and over again, it’s just not doing it for me and at £25 a pop I can’t see us bothering to attend very often 

It is utter fantasy that Belle Vue could've joined one big league and named Bewley or Kurtz

Even with a ludicrous situation of them turning up for any weekend away fixture without them being "accomodated" what's the point

The home teams uppirters don't see them - ripped off.  Belle Vue have to race without them- ripped off

Take into account they would be on 12 points averages in a team total needing to be not much above 30 and it means Belle Vues travelling team would likely be 7x 4 pointers

One big league would have to exclude (whether by design or reality) the top stars and indeed ALL those in Poland (2027 will mean no choice anyway)

So also take out Lidsey, Brennan,Ellis, Cook, Blordorn etc etc

Teams built to 30 with 3/4 NDL standard

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

It is utter fantasy that Belle Vue could've joined one big league and named Bewley or Kurtz

Even with a ludicrous situation of them turning up for any weekend away fixture without them being "accomodated" what's the point

The home teams uppirters don't see them - ripped off.  Belle Vue have to race without them- ripped off

Take into account they would be on 12 points averages in a team total needing to be not much above 30 and it means Belle Vues travelling team would likely be 7x 4 pointers

One big league would have to exclude (whether by design or reality) the top stars and indeed ALL those in Poland (2027 will mean no choice anyway)

So also take out Lidsey, Brennan,Ellis, Cook, Blordorn etc etc

Teams built to 30 with 3/4 NDL standard

It’s not utter fantasy, it just needs cooperation on all sides but that there is the problem, there is no cooperation it’s all self interest 

Edited December 16, 2025 by THE DEAN MACHINE

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

25 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

It’s not utter fantasy, it just needs cooperation on all sides but that there is the problem, there is cooperation it’s all self interest 

I don't see that as cooperation but more capitulation and manipulation 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

56 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

I don't see that as cooperation but more capitulation and manipulation 

Then you are not looking at it properly, you are only seeing a glass half empty approach 

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

13 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Then you are not looking at it properly, you are only seeing a glass half empty approach 

I think one big league is absolutely inevitable  (unfortunately imo)

However if/when it happens it has to just be what it is from what's available - no making up rules like letting some riders ride in home meetings only etc

Something like that is more ridiculous than a 5 team league

[JamesB]

7 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

I think one big league is absolutely inevitable  (unfortunately imo)

However if/when it happens it has to just be what it is from what's available - no making up rules like letting some riders ride in home meetings only etc

Something like that is more ridiculous than a 5 team league

I agree with you 100%.

If there is to be one league then it has to be based on and only use riders that are available on whatever nights are mandated as race nights.

I don’t like the idea of one league but if that is the only solution then at least ensure it has credibility.

[mikebv]

55 minutes ago, JamesB said:

I agree with you 100%.

If there is to be one league then it has to be based on and only use riders that are available on whatever nights are mandated as race nights.

I don’t like the idea of one league but if that is the only solution then at least ensure it has credibility.

Just run one league with the same credibility level that every league has had for years, and years and years?

[The Third Man]

1 hour ago, JamesB said:

I agree with you 100%.

If there is to be one league then it has to be based on and only use riders that are available on whatever nights are mandated as race nights.

I don’t like the idea of one league but if that is the only solution then at least ensure it has credibility.

If there is one league there can't be mandated race nights, each team has to ride on the night best for them, or more tracks will close

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

I think one big league is absolutely inevitable  (unfortunately imo)

However if/when it happens it has to just be what it is from what's available - no making up rules like letting some riders ride in home meetings only etc

Something like that is more ridiculous than a 5 team league

And nowhere have I said riders ride in home meetings only, I have a given a reasonable proposal using Dan bewley and belle vue as an example where he would with cooperation from other clubs be available for all belle vue’s  matches, as I said it can be done with cooperation by all sides, will it ? No because of selfish attitudes on all sides and a gap bigger than the channel between the promoters from both leagues

[ouch]

5 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Or belle vue could of joined 1 league with bewley or Kurtz (I explained this on the 360 podcast a few weeks ago )and given the fans a new variety of clubs to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same teams over and over again, it’s just not doing it for me and at £25 a pop I can’t see us bothering to attend very often 

It’s not compulsory to see the same teams over and over again. You could just do the same as the last twenty odd years and watch visiting teams twice, plus cup, plus play offs. Whilst missing four league meetings at the NSS isn’t ideal for the club, they will just have to stomach it.

Signing Dan & Brady is seen on here as simultaneously throwing money down a pit and displays greed on the part of the promotion. BSF - have your cake and eat it, on any given topic.

[ouch]

Never get any meat on the bones to debates on here, so I’ll have a go and people can add their ideas (or not).

Norick

Will 

MPT

Jake

Worrall

Jack Smith

Billy Budd

V

Troy Batchelor

Freddy Hodder

Jake Allen

Jody Scott

Paco

Sam Woods

Ben Morley

It’s just not doing it for me and at £20 a pop I can’t see us bothering to attend very often 

 

Edited December 16, 2025 by ouch

[JamesB]

24 minutes ago, The Third Man said:

If there is one league there can't be mandated race nights, each team has to ride on the night best for them, or more tracks will close

Therefore, whatever those nights are then they become the ‘mandated race nights’ for which riders must be available.

If that is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday then so be it.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

21 minutes ago, ouch said:

It’s not compulsory to see the same teams over and over again. You could just do the same as the last twenty odd years and watch visiting teams twice, plus cup, plus play offs. Whilst missing four league meetings at the NSS isn’t ideal for the club, they will just have to stomach it.

They can’t afford to stomach it, maintaining last years level isn’t going to be enough, they have lost the tv money, so either a new deal comes along to replace that money or they need to increase the attendance by that amount just to stay the same 

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

56 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

And nowhere have I said riders ride in home meetings only, I have a given a reasonable proposal using Dan bewley and belle vue as an example where he would with cooperation from other clubs be available for all belle vue’s  matches, as I said it can be done with cooperation by all sides, will it ? No because of selfish attitudes on all sides and a gap bigger than the channel between the promoters from both leagues

Apologies if I missed something from you

I'm sure I've seen the sign them but allow them to miss away meetings as necessary put up

Mute point anyway as none of these are signing up for an any day of the week league 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

10 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Apologies if I missed something from you

I'm sure I've seen the sign them but allow them to miss away meetings as necessary put up

Mute point anyway as none of these are signing up for an any day of the week league 

Riders missing away meetings is not acceptable to me either