Glasgow Tigers 2026

[tyretrax]

4 hours ago, Robinh88 said:

And nagel misses 30/40 % of matches?

That was because he was signed mid season and he alreadyhad his diary planned, add to thar Poland rearranging rain off on dates when he should've been racing here.

[mac101]

1 hour ago, tyretrax said:

That was because he was signed mid season and he alreadyhad his diary planned, add to thar Poland rearranging rain off on dates when he should've been racing here.

And his teams in Denmark and Poland both making the playoff finals 

[SteelShoe]

3 hours ago, therefused said:

that happened a few years ago, it made a total mess of the averages and the top riders were not happy with less points money due to riding the opposing top riders more often. didnt last long at all. 

Was the racing generally closer do you know?  

[szkocjasid]

6 hours ago, therefused said:

that happened a few years ago, it made a total mess of the averages and the top riders were not happy with less points money due to riding the opposing top riders more often. didn't last long at all. 

Seems a simple answer is heat leaders getting paid more than second strings, who get paid more than reserves.

Not easy to work out the averages fairly, but I'd prefer a format like that for better racing.

[JanAndersen]

Is it time the authorities bite the bullet and create a single league without trying to entice GP riders? Would it impact crowds that much if the highest average riders were essentially the top Championship guys now? I’m not so sure. 

[Youhave2minutes]

1 hour ago, JanAndersen said:

Is it time the authorities bite the bullet and create a single league without trying to entice GP riders? Would it impact crowds that much if the highest average riders were essentially the top Championship guys now? I’m not so sure. 

If they did it would make it a more level playing ground

[Wee Eck]

1 hour ago, JanAndersen said:

Is it time the authorities bite the bullet and create a single league without trying to entice GP riders? Would it impact crowds that much if the highest average riders were essentially the top Championship guys now? I’m not so sure. 

It would negatively impact the current top league whose supporters are used to seeing the top riders. BV already struggle to attract a decent crowd even with Bewley and Kurtz, what would it be like without them? Also, with only one league, those riders that currently double up, which seems to be the majority, will look for an increase in points money to cover the reduced number of meetings which would then impact the Championship teams.

Even if there were still 16 teams like this year (which there won’t be) then total league meetings would drop from 40 to 30

[StevePark]

48 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

It would negatively impact the current top league whose supporters are used to seeing the top riders. BV already struggle to attract a decent crowd even with Bewley and Kurtz, what would it be like without them? Also, with only one league, those riders that currently double up, which seems to be the majority, will look for an increase in points money to cover the reduced number of meetings which would then impact the Championship teams.

Even if there were still 16 teams like this year (which there won’t be) then total league meetings would drop from 40 to 30

As you say, "there won't be" as Oxford are in there twice & Birmingham have gone, even IF Northampton come to the tapes in 2026, it is still only 15, which gives 28 league meetings + any Cup or "BSN" series matches.

I can't be bothered to look at how many riders rode in both Prem & Champ in 2025, but I'd guess +/-40% or so?  The only way you are gong to fill the "empty" places is with NDL riders and most of the top riders in the NDL are already in the Champ and some are even in the Prem!!  Which leaves the second strings and reserves, most of whom aren't ready for Champ racing.  One League might seem the "obvious way to go", but the "knock-on effect" is far more reaching as far as the overall product is concerned IMO.

EDIT: A quick look at the final 1-7's in the Prem, I make it 27 riders who doubled up in the 49 team places (hope I've got that right!!).

Edited 10 hours ago by StevePark
To add double up numbers

[SpeedwaySlider72]

44 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

Also, with only one league, those riders that currently double up, which seems to be the majority, will look for an increase in points money to cover the reduced number of meetings which would then impact the Championship teams.

With their new found spare time, the riders can seek additional work outside of the speedway and the sport can return to a sustainable semi-professional level. Full time speedway riders on crowds between 500 and 1000 can't be sustainable.

[Wee Eck]

7 minutes ago, SpeedwaySlider72 said:

With their new found spare time, the riders can seek additional work outside of the speedway and the sport can return to a sustainable semi-professional level. Full time speedway riders on crowds between 500 and 1000 can't be sustainable.

I agree 100% with that. I had a long gap in my speedway watching and in that time, the sport had become fully professional. I recall an interview with a very young rider, only just NDL standard who said “I can’t wait until I’m making a living from the sport” and thought then he had his priorities right. Name me another sport that guarantees every participant who earns money as soon as they get into a league. More specifically, name me a motor sport that pays riders to learn their trade. 
Then name me another business that pays its “employees” more than they earn for their employer. It’s like paying a brickie £30,000 a year to build a wall that’s only worth £20,000.

But we can all talk about the negatives but what’s the solution? Has the appointment of a CEO in the premiership brought in new supporters, new sponsors, a new TV deal? What will Harry be able to do? I have no answers, just frustration

[szkocjasid]

Philip Hellstrom Bangs being talked about for Belle Vue. Would be a good signing for Glasgow on a 6.00 average imo

[JanAndersen]

2 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

It would negatively impact the current top league whose supporters are used to seeing the top riders. BV already struggle to attract a decent crowd even with Bewley and Kurtz, what would it be like without them? Also, with only one league, those riders that currently double up, which seems to be the majority, will look for an increase in points money to cover the reduced number of meetings which would then impact the Championship teams.

Even if there were still 16 teams like this year (which there won’t be) then total league meetings would drop from 40 to 30

I might suggest that the BV crowds wouldn’t change much then. We all know that speedway crowds are predominantly people who would go regardless of the ‘level of rider’. There are some exceptions to this obviously but I don’t think the impact would be significant. 

[Nickinho]

7 hours ago, JanAndersen said:

Is it time the authorities bite the bullet and create a single league without trying to entice GP riders? Would it impact crowds that much if the highest average riders were essentially the top Championship guys now? I’m not so sure. 

Riders like Doyle and Woffinson recently claimed that it was a mistake to forgo British speedway as they thought it was beneficial to their GP chances which is why they came back. The top league is a lot better than the Championship in terms of standard which can clearly be seen at Belle Vue where they currently have Bewley and the World's number 2. I just don't think the top riders in the top league would be overjoyed at having to make a trip to Armadale on a Friday night. I also remember the last time they merged the leagues and it was dreadful and so many races were predictable. That's why it never lasted.

[Nickinho]

2 hours ago, JanAndersen said:

I might suggest that the BV crowds wouldn’t change much then. We all know that speedway crowds are predominantly people who would go regardless of the ‘level of rider’. There are some exceptions to this obviously but I don’t think the impact would be significant. 

It would be significant. That's why the owners of Belle Vue haven't suggested merging the leagues and would never agree to it 

[Nickinho]

5 hours ago, SpeedwaySlider72 said:

With their new found spare time, the riders can seek additional work outside of the speedway and the sport can return to a sustainable semi-professional level. Full time speedway riders on crowds between 500 and 1000 can't be sustainable.

Sam Masters - speedway rider by night, Deliveroo rider by day...

I don't think so. And you make it sound like jobs are easy to walk into and riders can easily fit their speedway around them during the summer months

[Nickinho]

2 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

Philip Hellstrom Bangs being talked about for Belle Vue. Would be a good signing for Glasgow on a 6.00 average imo

I've heard he's shortened his long name to He Bangs

[TigerIain]

On 10/29/2025 at 12:10 PM, Robinh88 said:

And nagel misses 30/40 % of matches?

 

23 hours ago, tyretrax said:

That was because he was signed mid season and he alreadyhad his diary planned, add to thar Poland rearranging rain off on dates when he should've been racing here.

 

21 hours ago, mac101 said:

And his teams in Denmark and Poland both making the playoff finals 

Nagel went be back in 2026. Even if he wanted to be back, he missed too many matches, including some of the one arranged after he joined and the guest facility for him was rank rotten for Tigers last year (Thomsen, Cairns, Hook, Palm Toft, Hume and Bowes in particular). Only Edwards (6+1 from 4) could be considered an adequate replacement. 

Great rider, fantastic to watch, but just too many foreign commitments. 

(I make it he rode 13 and missed 8 matches last year)

[PersonalResponsibility]

39 minutes ago, Nickinho said:

Sam Masters - speedway rider by night, Deliveroo rider by day...

I don't think so. And you make it sound like jobs are easy to walk into and riders can easily fit their speedway around them during the summer months

This is the crux of the problem. Imagine being a speedway rider in this day an age asking for a job somewhere? 

"I can't work nights, most weekends, ideally not much during the summer either. Oh, and I might be off sick for a while if I crash and get injured"

"When can you start?"

[Youhave2minutes]

57 minutes ago, PersonalResponsibility said:

This is the crux of the problem. Imagine being a speedway rider in this day an age asking for a job somewhere? 

"I can't work nights, most weekends, ideally not much during the summer either. Oh, and I might be off sick for a while if I crash and get injured"

"When can you start?"

Universal credit, straight away.

[SpeedwaySlider72]

1 hour ago, Nickinho said:

Sam Masters - speedway rider by night, Deliveroo rider by day...

I don't think so. And you make it sound like jobs are easy to walk into and riders can easily fit their speedway around them during the summer months

The vast majority of sports are amateur or semi-pro, including olympic athletes. Those competitors make it work but you say speedway riders cannot?