Ipswich Witches 2026

[IainB]

3 minutes ago, Steve Irving said:

And he hasn’t done that has he Iain? You haven’t got the first clue what is going on so pipe down. It’s not your money or business at stake here. If Louis feels what is currently on the table isn’t something he wants any part with, he’s perfectly entitled to make that decision. His money, his business. 

I didn't say he had, I said that's what you don't do as a business owner... not if you want to realise it's full value. All we know at the moment is that he's "stepped down" from the club, whatever that means? He's perfectly entitled to put his business up for sale, continue running or close it down, that's his decision. But it's not just a business is it, it's a sporting club with a long and rich tradition that many people have a strong emotional attachment to and they've not really had a mention.

... So stick that in your "pipe" and smoke it 

[FAST GATER]

I personally have nothing but respect for CL he has been a wonderful servant to s/way as a rider and promoter ,I am certain in real terms owners /promoters in s/way do it for the love of the sport .

I tried in the 70's to persuade my father to buy a speedway team (he was a massive fan of the sport) his reply was it is  thankless and profitless passtime at best. 

Chris L has made a huge  decision I would image  it is one of the hardest things he's  had to do in his entire  s/way career . 

[ouch]

21 hours ago, Racin Jason 72 said:

The late John Perrin was threatening to pull the plug most seasons 

 

No, he just moaned about the state of speedway as we have been doing on here since then. He could see where things were going and his demand for a neutral overlord repeatedly fell on deaf ears as the jolly few won their trophies. 

He was willing to move on if he received acceptable offers but kept the club running for local fans and British Speedway as a whole until Tony Mole took over. I don’t believe this is Chris’ stance as he is looking to wash his hands of his “beloved” witches & fans. 

Christ, if Belle Vue put the club up for sale every time things went against us, we would be permanently no the market. 

[stevehone]

Buster was looking at buying the club a couple of years ago to keep the league going ..

problem is, if it's someone new coming in they don't get any say in what happens at the BSPL

[cowboy cookie returns?]

8 minutes ago, stevehone said:

Buster was looking at buying the club a couple of years ago to keep the league going ..

problem is, if it's someone new coming in they don't get any say in what happens at the BSPL

If Nicholls buys it he won’t do it unless he gets a say at the top table.

The BSPA are not really in a position to refuse if Nicholls puts a offer in.

[TigerIain]

1 hour ago, Steve Irving said:

And he hasn’t done that has he Iain? You haven’t got the first clue what is going on so pipe down. It’s not your money or business at stake here. If Louis feels what is currently on the table isn’t something he wants any part with, he’s perfectly entitled to make that decision. His money, his business. 

Really??? Its basic business economics! If you are buying an ongoing business you would pay market value for it. If the buyer knows that the seller is not going to continue the business beyond a certain date then the closer it gets to that date the less a buyer would offer for the club because they no that there is no value to the seller after that date. In this case there will be a date by which Ipswich speedway (whoever owns it) will have to declare whether or not they are running in 2026. If Louis hasn't sold and follows through and says I'm not running in 2026 the club begins almost worthless as any buyer could not operate the business until at least 2027.

[BluPanther]

I just love all these business experts popping up on here, and giving 'advice' on something they have absolutely no clue about. Hilarious...😂

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

2 hours ago, TigerIain said:

The uncertainty over Ipswich running may have left all the other clubs in limbo though. Fans don't know yet if it will be 1 division or 2, and if it's 1 surely that was relying on Ipswich running. Just because Chris Louis says he will work hard to find a buyer doesn't mean that he will find one, or find one quickly. Where does that leave the new Ipswich owner in terms of team building for next season? Would a rider take a chance on signing for a club that might not run or might not want them on their old promoters contract? Does the new owner just get left with the riders that didn't fit elsewhere?

It's too early to know the answers to these questions, and it's Chris' money and business to do what he likes with but it has created more uncertainty in a winter that's not been lacking in that at all. Has he just undone all the work that was done to get to the slightly cryptic potentially good news from Rob Godfrey last week? Again time will tell, but at the moment it looks like Chris Louis has thrown a spanner in the works hence the negative reaction to his announcement

So Chris is criticised for doing what is best for him as the result of the decisions made by the others that are doing that as it is best for them (no one moving up, blocking entry requests, rejecting one big league etc)

All those others have been praised (in the main) for sticking to their guns......

[Phannan]

15 hours ago, ShanoXtra said:

He considers Fram as his home town though and not Halifax.

You can’t change your birthplace mate . I used to live in North Yorkshire but I’m definitely not posh 😁

[SteveLyric2]

Someone on here suggested CL owned 75% of the club?!  Who owns the other 25%?

[RoundTheBoards]

36 minutes ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Someone on here suggested CL owned 75% of the club?!  Who owns the other 25%?

Chris Louis owns Ipswich Speedway Promotions Ltd.   He's the sole shareholder

[Fromafar]

4 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

So Chris is criticised for doing what is best for him as the result of the decisions made by the others that are doing that as it is best for them (no one moving up, blocking entry requests, rejecting one big league etc)

All those others have been praised (in the main) for sticking to their guns......

Self Interest I would call it.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

2 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Self Interest I would call it.

No different to no Championship club wanting to move up

No different from (allegedly) Premiership teams being blocked from joining the Championship

No different from those blocking 'one big league' in various guises

All as bad as each other then really....

 

[YeOldPitGate]

29 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

No different to no Championship club wanting to move up

No different from (allegedly) Premiership teams being blocked from joining the Championship

No different from those blocking 'one big league' in various guises

All as bad as each other then really....

 

Spot on as we pretty much all have said on here there's no good/easy answers anymore whatever the result is come March 2026 there will be some unhappy people.

If it does end up as one league I'm guessing if promoters really got a shift on you could support 12 teams if 10-15 new riders can be found in the mould of the young assuies who have been signed up last two years.

The issue will be 2-3 clubs will either not run in 2026 or 2-3 will have to be bumped down to national league level.

[Fromafar]

39 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

No different to no Championship club wanting to move up

No different from (allegedly) Premiership teams being blocked from joining the Championship

No different from those blocking 'one big league' in various guises

All as bad as each other then really....

 

Would agree.

[alang]

If it is one league only how will that affect contracts already signed by some championship teams and riders if league makeup and points limit are different to what was initially agreed?

[old bob at herne bay]

What’s the current asking price for a “speedway club” ? 
 

There seem to be a few available at the moment….

[old bob at herne bay]

What’s the current asking price for a “speedway club” ? 
 

There seem to be a few available at the moment….which must make it a buyers market 

[Hawk127]

Just now, old bob at herne bay said:

What’s the current asking price for a “speedway club” ? 
 

There seem to be a few available at the moment….which must make it a buyers market 

Half of sweet naff all.

No one would buy into a club or a sport where the business model and future is determined by third parties and the investor has no say as to when and how you run your business because the speedway ‘masons’ decide what will and will not be.

Those running the sport need to get real but unfortunately they are so far up their own backsides and do not realise that the current business model does not work and also fail to grasp the fact that the sport is being run into the ground because they cannot see the wood for the trees. Not only have those who are custodians of the sport let down the investors and potential investors but have from a great height pissed on every punter who pays to watch the sport and frankly the supporter is just cannon fodder. 

 

 

 

 

[PhilTheAce]

5 team premiership im hearing 🙄🙄🙄🙄