What will 2026 UK speedway bring?

[TB1]

47 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

Nice as many of these ideas are, we're still just kicking the can down the road.

Without a grassroots plan to develop more riders and secure more venues, there is no team speedway.

There are already nowhere near enough riders, and that's utilising many expensive imports. There needs to be a separation of the sport and the competition. Clubs are (rightly) just trying to do enough to get them to the end of next week. I don't see anyone doing any wider development of the sport.

I just can't see a future for speedway as a team sport, or as a professional sport, but I would hope that the base sport can survive and find an appropriate level for the early 21st century.

The lack of riders will be the death knell before anything. OK some clubs ( probably very few) make a small profit and I guess the rest have become money pits. However, without riders you have no product. No product means no support and no support means no business. Unfortunately they have kicked the can so far down the road that they have reached the end of the cul de sac!

Edited 11 hours ago by TB1
Missed words

[topaz325]

9 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

I think it depends on what company runs the sport at the respective tracks. Take a look at Companies House and the last set of accounts filed for the teams in each of the leagues and most file abbreviated accounts and few have a decent net worth despite the longevity of the trading and you question how much goes through the companies that run the sport at the relevant tracks versus those riders where the cost/expenses are picked up directly by sponsors so the cost and overhead never appear in the figures for each track operating company. It is difficult to get to the bottom of who is earning what. For example do a search of Ipswich and then the Directors and then the accounts and the resultant filed figures do not match the presumed costs of running the club. Who knows what the real cost is of running a club at the highest level in the UK so to suggest who can and cannot afford to participate in which league is pure conjecture. Financial Transparency is key but it does not exist. To suggest  that the likes of Glasgow should move up has no foundation without financial information in the public domain to support that argument.

Many clubs rely heavily on the donations from sponsors big and small  to be able to run each season.

[SteelShoe]

9 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

I think it depends on what company runs the sport at the respective tracks. Take a look at Companies House and the last set of accounts filed for the teams in each of the leagues and most file abbreviated accounts and few have a decent net worth despite the longevity of the trading and you question how much goes through the companies that run the sport at the relevant tracks versus those riders where the cost/expenses are picked up directly by sponsors so the cost and overhead never appear in the figures for each track operating company. It is difficult to get to the bottom of who is earning what. For example do a search of Ipswich and then the Directors and then the accounts and the resultant filed figures do not match the presumed costs of running the club. Who knows what the real cost is of running a club at the highest level in the UK so to suggest who can and cannot afford to participate in which league is pure conjecture. Financial Transparency is key but it does not exist. To suggest  that the likes of Glasgow should move up has no foundation without financial information in the public domain to support that argument.

Spot on

[SteelShoe]

11 hours ago, StarBoy said:

I heard the spearhead Ipswich duo were on £5k apiece, just as a guarantee. 

that equates to 400 fans paying £25

Edited 1 hour ago by SteelShoe
delete word

[castrolargh]

In light of the announcement from Poland that 2026 is the last season that their top 2 leagues will "allow" their riders to race in more than one extra league, surely bspl should have a massive re think and put plans in place NOW rather than a knee jerk next season?So much for the 'deal'giving some Thursdays to Poland in exchange for them allowing international riders to race elsewhere.  Looks like we won't have gp stars after next season so might as well start planning now.Surely this must push us towards restructuring, as all the arguments about 1 league meaning  the end of the big stars is surely irrelevant 

[1 valve]

36 minutes ago, SteelShoe said:

that equates to 400 fans paying £25

More likely 500 fans at £25 as VAT needs to be deducted. That said, a good portion of the two riders “pay” is met by sponsorship rather than gate receipts.  

Edited 34 minutes ago by 1 valve

[mikebv]

37 minutes ago, castrolargh said:

In light of the announcement from Poland that 2026 is the last season that their top 2 leagues will "allow" their riders to race in more than one extra league, surely bspl should have a massive re think and put plans in place NOW rather than a knee jerk next season?So much for the 'deal'giving some Thursdays to Poland in exchange for them allowing international riders to race elsewhere.  Looks like we won't have gp stars after next season so might as well start planning now.Surely this must push us towards restructuring, as all the arguments about 1 league meaning  the end of the big stars is surely irrelevant 

It at lleast give the promoters 12 months to sort something out...

But not sure it changes too much from the current situation as not many Danes or Swedes currently ride over here..

For the "top riders" most who ride here don't ride in Sweden or Denmark so they may stick with the UK...?

(If they don't get removed from the UK next year that is!!!)...

Is it just Max that rides in Sweden of the GP riders who currently ride over here? 

The Aussies could also possibly face visa issues to live here if they don't work here..

It will count any Danes out as I believe they must ride in their own league to get a licence, and the Swedes will ride in their own leagues I would think...

Most of the Poles and Europeans seem to prefer Sweden now as their alternative league currently, so, for the UK it won't make that much difference I would think...

Unless of course the money in Sweden is significantly higher and those who currently do ride over there, here and Poland get their heads turned by it...

And that could be a distinct possibility as you will imagine Sweden will be doing everything it can to make their leagues more attractive money wise given it could be a straight choice between the UK and there for many of those mid level riders in particular..

Edited 24 minutes ago by mikebv