Ipswich Witches 2026

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

2 minutes ago, ArthurRudge said:

Will Louis out a statement to put people more into the picture about why it has happened?

And why exactly has it happened? Is it Because there aren’t enough teams ? The sport is bankrupt? .The bspl couldnt force the likes of Glasgow and Poole to join the league putting themselves at finical risk? the tv money has gone as have a couple of big sponsors ? There is a snobbery towards the championship from some clubs ? What is it ? 

[ArthurRudge]

5 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

And why exactly has it happened? Is it Because there aren’t enough teams ? The sport is bankrupt? .The bspl couldnt force the likes of Glasgow and Poole to join the league putting themselves at finical risk? the tv money has gone as have a couple of big sponsors ? There is a snobbery towards the championship from some clubs ? What is it ? 

Exactly a little bit of clarity wouldn't hurt would it, but then again this is the whole problem with this sad excuse of a sport in the UK 

[BluPanther]

6 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

And why exactly has it happened? Is it Because there aren’t enough teams ? The sport is bankrupt? .The bspl couldn't force the likes of Glasgow and Poole to join the league putting themselves at financial risk? the tv money has gone as have a couple of big sponsors ? There is a snobbery towards the championship from some clubs ? What is it ? 

In a nutshell, there aren’t enough teams. Simple as that...

[Neila]

29 minutes ago, ArthurRudge said:

Will Louis out a statement to put people more into the picture about why it has happened?

Why ? He's made a decision he and his family have owned the company for 77 years, (it said in the press release) , maybe just maybe they want their family/ private times back , yes it's a shock but people with businesses sell up / retire all the time

[ArthurRudge]

7 minutes ago, Neila said:

Why ? He's made a decision he and his family have owned the company for 77 years, (it said in the press release) , maybe just maybe they want their family/ private times back , yes it's a shock but people with businesses sell up / retire all the time

I get that but it would be nice to know what has triggered these terms of events and even then to try and fix and weed out the problems behind the scenes whether it's a personnel issue or something else if nothing is ever said nothing can ever be done or acted on.

[IainB]

17 minutes ago, Neila said:

Why ? He's made a decision he and his family have owned the company for 77 years, (it said in the press release) , maybe just maybe they want their family/ private times back , yes it's a shock but people with businesses sell up / retire all the time

They've not owned the company for 77 years, the family have been involved (rider, manager, promoter) for a decent portion of 55 years, he said 77 between them and many of those were overlap. 

Edited 3 hours ago by IainB

[spin king]

Just a thought here.

Tru Group have finished their sponsorship of Sheffield.

Reason for that was explained they want to concentrate on backing Ipswich.

Could it be that Guy Nicholls has offered to buyout Chris Louis at Ipswich with an offer Chris Louis could not turn down.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

4 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

But why would the “mini success” of the championship teams allow either their product to be watered down as they have to give quality riders away to ex-Prem teams or see their costs rocket because they have to take on ex-Prem riders to stay competitive?

This is a top league problem and they have their own CEO so it’s up to him and his team to sort without compromising other leagues. 

The 'other league' only functions as it is the 'other league' The current Premiership finances a significant proportion of Championship riders

Once that structure is gone it may not be so rosey

And it seems you want to see Belle Vue , Ipswich, Leicester ,Kings Lynn and Sheffiekd closed to 'protect the product' rather than accommodate any of them

Well if there is only room for 9 teams then it should be the best 9  - which wouldn't mean the liss of those 5.......

[IainB]

9 minutes ago, spin king said:

Just a thought here.

Tru Group have finished their sponsorship of Sheffield.

Reason for that was explained they want to concentrate on backing Ipswich.

Could it be that Guy Nicholls has offered to buyout Chris Louis at Ipswich with an offer Chris Louis could not turn down.

"Some things no longer align for me, and unfortunately it is time to step aside"... Suggests not

[YeOldPitGate]

7 minutes ago, spin king said:

Just a thought here.

Tru Group have finished their sponsorship of Sheffield.

Reason for that was explained they want to concentrate on backing Ipswich.

Could it be that Guy Nicholls has offered to buyout Chris Louis at Ipswich with an offer Chris Louis could not turn down.

The problem is given the current state of things you would have to give the club away its worth nothing, if anyone takes it on they don't know if they will have anyone to race against in the top tier, drop down a league and maybe get some SGP 2 youngsters over the fans might stick with it they might not if they don't you can set light to 100k minimum.

Mr Nichols hasn't made his money by being reckless.

[cowboy cookie returns?]

57 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

And why exactly has it happened? Is it Because there aren’t enough teams ? The sport is bankrupt? .The bspl couldnt force the likes of Glasgow and Poole to join the league putting themselves at finical risk? the tv money has gone as have a couple of big sponsors ? There is a snobbery towards the championship from some clubs ? What is it ? 

Reading the statement towards the end Louis did say that he would clarify things in a few weeks so who knows.

[cowboy cookie returns?]

12 minutes ago, spin king said:

Just a thought here.

Tru Group have finished their sponsorship of Sheffield.

Reason for that was explained they want to concentrate on backing Ipswich.

Could it be that Guy Nicholls has offered to buyout Chris Louis at Ipswich with an offer Chris Louis could not turn down.

I can’t see Guy Nicholls buying the club. If Louis can’t work with the BSPA then Nicholls hasn’t got a chance. In any case Nicholls would want things his way & wouldn’t put up with the way speedway is ran.

I think when. Guy pulled the plug on Sheffield he was certainly looking to concentrate on Ipswich as a sponsor with Louis as owner.

Whatever has happen it’s happened in the last few days.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

9 minutes ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

Reading the statement towards the end Louis did say that he would clarify things in a few weeks so who knows.

To be honest it doesn’t really matter what his reasons are,he will be missed but he either wants to be a part of speedway or he doesn’t, sentiment doesn’t solve anything,all that matters is the club is brought by someone and the sport moves forward in a positive manor with Ipswich involved of which it isn’t doing at the moment 

[Phannan]

2 hours ago, SteveLyric2 said:

'Hello?! Hello?! Is that Ed Sheeran, I've got a proposition for you..................'

He’s from Halifax. Do you reckon he could do something for the Dukes while he’s at it …

[cowboy cookie returns?]

If someone could persuade Halo group who sponsor town to get involved with speedway at a national level, the money they would invest would be a drop in the ocean compared to what they spend sponsoring town & F1.

A young very rich company. The MD was a Foxhall at the end of last season.

Halo, Tru plant banking rolling uk speedway with Louis as ceo. Driving change needed & rebuilding. Then I woke up!

[TTT]

1 hour ago, ArthurRudge said:

Will Louis out a statement to put people more into the picture about why it has happened?

Up to him I guess.

1 hour ago, Hawk127 said:

Grasping at straws, are they saying farewell to Chris and Ritchie or to the club?

The Club unless someone takes it on which is unlikely as I can't think of a reason as to why anyone would want to buy a British Speedway Club in 2025/26

[Pinny]

Bonkers that people are slating Louis for this. 
 

The sport is an absolute mess in the UK and he clearly wants no part of it going forward. Dont blame him one bit. 
 

the championship is no better than the top flight. Look at the crowds, they are disgraceful. 

i started attending speedway in 98, the first five year the standard in both leagues was top , all the top gp riders rode in the top league except one or two and the premier league was full of top stars. Doubling up was never much of an issue as the premier league took preference and the top league team had to have two double uppers to share a spot so fixture clashes very rarely happened. 
 

Around 2004 ish they started messing about with grading systems, doubling up became more farcical and both leagues started dropping points limits and the rot set in. I am amazed we still have three tiers of speedway in 2025 but look how many clubs have shut in the last 20 odd years. 
 

newport, arena essex, rye house, exeter, trelawny, swindon, reading, newcastle, isle of wight, somerset, pboro, wolves to name a few. There will probably be more.  
 

If Louis sticks to his guns then this maybe the huge rocket up the arse that the sport needs.

[Fromafar]

35 minutes ago, TTT said:

Up to him I guess.

The Club unless someone takes it on which is unlikely as I can't think of a reason as to why anyone would want to buy a British Speedway Club in 2025/26

Yet you were wanting Sheffield bought as you were counting him in Premiership. The Dean Machine has summed it up perfectly.

Edited 1 hour ago by Fromafar

[Hawk127]

Just reading the local Ipswich Star and Louis is quoted as saying “the club is being sold” This could mean that someone is already in negotiations to buy the club otherwise you would probably say “and the club is to be sold or up for sale”

Hopefully someone is already interested and this has been on the cards for a while and only because it is get near closing a deal the announcement has been made. I know it is anyone’s guess but fingers crossed the witches come to the tapes in 2026.

[TigerIain]

4 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Yet you were wanting Sheffield bought as you wet counting him in Premiership.

And the new Sheffield owners were going to be made to soak up the 6 figure losses of the magic 6th club. Strange that they aren't demanding the same from any new Ipswich owners.