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Ipswich Witches 2026


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1 minute ago, TheTopDrawer said:

I'm working on the basis of what if Chris Louis packed it in and didn't run in 2026.   

With no licence, what's to stop someone new doing a deal with Spedeworth for a stadium lease, and applying to BSPL for a licence.   No other club within 30 miles, so no reason to refuse them.

If he closes then the rights are still protected for 3 years after closure so essentially you have to deal with Louis and can't swerve it 

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1 minute ago, noaksey said:

If he closes then the rights are still protected for 3 years after closure so essentially you have to deal with Louis and can't swerve it 

No.  Ipswich stadium isn't closing.  So there's no way he can apply to put the licence on ice for 3 years. 

If a promotion loses their stadium (like Wolves, Peterborough) they can ice the licence for up to 3 years while they seek another venue, because it is an "unforeseeable, uncontrollable, event".  I can't see any unforeseeable, uncontrollable, event under which Louis could apply to ice the licence. 

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4 minutes ago, TheTopDrawer said:

No.  Ipswich stadium isn't closing.  So there's no way he can apply to put the licence on ice for 3 years. 

If a promotion loses their stadium (like Wolves, Peterborough) they can ice the licence for up to 3 years while they seek another venue, because it is an "unforeseeable, uncontrollable, event".  I can't see any unforeseeable, uncontrollable, event under which Louis could apply to ice the licence. 

It doesn't have to be the stadium he just doesn't run the Witches. The BSPL won't deal with anyone else unless Louis authorises it

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8 hours ago, JamesB said:

You may be correct, who knows.

If you are, then Louis needs to be careful that he is not painting himself into a corner. Closing the club down for a year is very likely to decrease its value further particularly in a downgraded ‘one league scenario’ for 2027.

Also, it’s easier to sell a business that is still trading. Taking an offer now could be preferable to a reduced offer or even no offers following the 2026 season.

Perhaps, he is hoping for a 2027 model that is more to his liking and continuing to run the club after a seasons break.

Only time will tell.

It’s easier to sell a business that’s still trading, but a licence to run a speedway club is hardly taking over a business …

I had heard even before CL’s announcement that he is prepared to put the licence on ice for a season. Trying to operate a 5-team Premiership is ridiculous - and BSPL’s statement that 2026 would include a KOC-Up is beyond laughable.

Edited by Roger Jacobs
Correction to year.
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1 minute ago, Roger Jacobs said:

It’s easier to sell a business that’s still trading, but a licence to run a speedway club is hardly taking over a business …

I had heard even before CL’s announcement that he is prepared to put the licence on ice for a season. Trying to operate a 5-team Premiership is ridiculous - and BSPL’s statement the 2036 would include a KOC-Up is beyond laughable.

2036!!! Can’t even see British Speedway even existing in 11 years

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2 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

The one rider who I would pay to see multiple times no matter who he raced for, sadly I can’t ever see a time when he would come back to the uk

Give the fans a new variety of riders to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same rider 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.

Except for…..
The one rider who I would pay (a lot) to see multiple times no matter who he raced for, if the clubs had the greed to sign him. 
I have literally no idea where you stand?????!
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2 hours ago, TheTopDrawer said:

I'm working on the basis of what if Chris Louis packed it in and didn't run in 2026.   

With no licence, what's to stop someone new doing a deal with Spedeworth for a stadium lease, and applying to BSPL for a licence.   No other club within 30 miles, so no reason to refuse them.

Agree with that scenario. Cannot see  Spedeworth being overly happy with the way things are going and will either say enough is enough and concrete over the track and just run bangers/stock cars or give another promoter a chance but I suspect that Spedeworth make far more out of their operation than the income they get from a few speedway meetings a year. It really is a precarious situation.

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2 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

The one rider who I would pay to see multiple times no matter who he raced for, sadly I can’t ever see a time when he would come back to the uk

Give the fans a new variety of riders to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same rider 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.

Except for…..
The one rider who I would pay (a lot) to see multiple times no matter who he raced for, if the clubs had the greed to sign him. 
I have literally no idea where you stand?????!
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1 hour ago, StarBoy said:

2036!!! Can’t even see British Speedway even existing in 11 years

Who knows! In 2036, speedway could be thriving, up and down the country, with 50 tracks! 🙂

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1 hour ago, ouch said:

Give the fans a new variety of riders to see and visit but no shortsightedness and possibly greed has prevailed and we get to see the same rider 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.

Except for…..
The one rider who I would pay (a lot) to see multiple times no matter who he raced for, if the clubs had the greed to sign him. 
I have literally no idea where you stand?????!

Because Bartoz Zmarzlik is by quite a long way the most naturally talented exciting speedway rider that has ever to set foot on a speedway bike and soon to become the greatest rider of all time too, he rides the bike like nobody past or present does and that’s where I stand, him being the ONE rider, quite simple really, I am in no way saying any British club should sign him even if the got him cheap ,I shall go to Poland to watch him if I want to see him race, I’m merely making the point he is the one rider who I would happily pay to see race multiple times a season 

Edited by THE DEAN MACHINE
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If Christopher Louis cannot get a buyer for "Ipswich Witches Seedway Limited" (including start gate air fence tractor and flags), I guess Spedeworth could thank him for his past business, ask him to clear out his equipment from their stadium, and allow  Terry Russell's newly formed Ipswich "Robins" Speedway Limited to do a deal with Spedeworth to rent the stadium  . If the Robins supplied all thier own equipment and defrosted their former Swindon license , what could be the problem? Riders are all self employed so no issues there. In theory Russell could do a deal with former Robin Jason Doyle to race for him. 

Louis's retirement from the sport does not grant him a lifetime exclusive ownership of speedway promoting rights at the Spedeworth owned stadium ? 

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19 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

If Christopher Louis cannot get a buyer for "Ipswich Witches Seedway Limited" (including start gate air fence tractor and flags), I guess Spedeworth could thank him for his past business, ask him to clear out his equipment from their stadium, and allow  Terry Russell's newly formed Ipswich "Robins" Speedway Limited to do a deal with Spedeworth to rent the stadium  . If the Robins supplied all thier own equipment and defrosted their former Swindon license , what could be the problem? Riders are all self employed so no issues there. In theory Russell could do a deal with former Robin Jason Doyle to race for him. 

Louis's retirement from the sport does not grant him a lifetime exclusive ownership of speedway promoting rights at the Spedeworth owned stadium ? 

Hasn't the defrosting of Russell's Swindon licence elapsed and anybody is free to run Swindon now?

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10 minutes ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

What exactly does "Ipswich Speedway Promotions Limited" own?

I assume they don't own the track and they don't own the riders.

So what exactly is somebody buying?

 

Could it be all those surplus two team scarves from last season’s grand final between Ipswich and Leicester. The teams with the nicest most sporting fans ? 

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13 minutes ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

What exactly does "Ipswich Speedway Promotions Limited" own?

I assume they don't own the track and they don't own the riders.

So what exactly is somebody buying?

 

This question has been answered numerous times, not only in this particular thread but also in similar topics within the forum.
In short a buyer would be purchasing the assets & goodwill to run speedway in Ipswich. 

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14 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

This question has been answered numerous times, not only in this particular thread but also in similar topics within the forum.
In short a buyer would be purchasing the assets & goodwill to run speedway in Ipswich. 

Quite a complex sale then you would think, given so many intangibles...

The "fixed assets" would be pretty simple (ish) I would think, although with Stox there too, there may be some "cross over" and the landlord owns some fixtures and fittings that Speedway uses? Eg the fence around the track maybe (?).. 

But "goodwill" will be something widely open to negotiation you would suggest...

Presume it would be based on average income per meeting, with just KO Cup and PO Qualifiers  included as they are the only guaranteed meetings..?

(Reaching finals not being guaranteed, and, possibly, less meetings due to a reduced number of teams)..

And any sponsors already committed to next year would be, presumably, brought into the equation as "guaranteed income"...?

Operating costs though, next year could be less given Emil won't be riding, and, again, possibly less meetings to pay out for overall...

You have to hope it all gets worked out and Ipswich come to the tapes...

 

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