Agm. What can we expect?

[The White Knight]

1 hour ago, FAST GATER said:

Scott  will be pushing 48 yrs old by the time the next season starts ,thought he would of had a final season at Oxford ( he had said he would finish there in the past ) so maybe wants to break the half century as  a rider !

Why not?

Jimmy Squibb did.

[TB1]

Surely we really need to start blooding youngsters and fast if speedway in this  country is to survive.  Does anyone have a rough figure of say 13 to 16 year olds who if given the right support can be blooded in the next 4 to 5 years and be racing ready? Some insight into this would be great.

Edited 23 hours ago by TB1
Spelling

[Hawk127]

35 minutes ago, The White Knight said:

Why not?

Jimmy Squibb did.

What a good rider he was for anyone who watched him. Peter Moore was another one with an unusual handlebar for his machine and one of the fastest away from the gate particularly during his time when riding for Rayleigh. Those were the days.

[Fortythirtyeight]

53 minutes ago, TB1 said:

Surely we really need to start blooding youngsters and fast if speedway in this  country is to survive.  Does anyone have a rough figure of say 13 to 16 year olds who if given the right support can be blooded in the next 4 to 5 years and be racing ready? Some insight into this would be great.

Just look at the British Youth competitors, there’s very little coming through , maybe half a dozen as the drop out rate when they lose interest , or money , is very high .

[old bob at herne bay]

With only a passing interest in speedway nowadays, I just read online that another season of slow decay had been completed. 

I took in the SoN online and frankly that reminded me of why I packed in attending speedway.  What dross.  I thought Polish tracks were maent to produce good racing ??? 

News of another club closing (Birmingham) and huge uncertainty over the future of another (Sheffield) 

There is an ever growing "ghost league"  of defunct clubs, all with decaying tracks and with dreams of reopening, but none look even remotely likely for 2026.  

Patching up the situation will no doubt take place with tweaks to "points limits", but making a silk purse out of a sows ear will tax the bunch of speedway promoters even with thier best  rose tinted specs.  

No idea what attendances were like in 2025 (its always been a closely guarded secret) but aside from a few historically well supported clubs would be surprised if anything but holding even was the norm. Fixtures becoming more irregular with gaps in the summer, then a mad scramble in early winter really cannot help. Some non P.off clubs finishing fixtures by late August doesnt help.  Same old same old 15 heat format across all meetings. 

The ever decreasing band of ageing  "hard core" supporters will probably be served up something for a few more seasons until the sports 100th anniversary in 2028, but i wouldn't hold my breath for any dramatic changes of direction ....... .  

 

[mikebv]

7 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

With only a passing interest in speedway nowadays, I just read online that another season of slow decay had been completed. 

I took in the SoN online and frankly that reminded me of why I packed in attending speedway.  What dross.  I thought Polish tracks were maent to produce good racing ??? 

News of another club closing (Birmingham) and huge uncertainty over the future of another (Sheffield) 

There is an ever growing "ghost league"  of defunct clubs, all with decaying tracks and with dreams of reopening, but none look even remotely likely for 2026.  

Patching up the situation will no doubt take place with tweaks to "points limits", but making a silk purse out of a sows ear will tax the bunch of speedway promoters even with thier best  rose tinted specs.  

No idea what attendances were like in 2025 (its always been a closely guarded secret) but aside from a few historically well supported clubs would be surprised if anything but holding even was the norm. Fixtures becoming more irregular with gaps in the summer, then a mad scramble in early winter really cannot help. Some non P.off clubs finishing fixtures by late August doesnt help.  Same old same old 15 heat format across all meetings. 

The ever decreasing band of ageing  "hard core" supporters will probably be served up something for a few more seasons until the sports 100th anniversary in 2028, but i wouldn't hold my breath for any dramatic changes of direction ....... .  

 

As the saying goes. ..

"If it ain't broken, why fix it"....

[Ben91]

A two team Premiership made up of Belle Vue and Ipswich. They will race each other home and away 15 times. Top two reach the play-offs to decide the winner. 

[arnieg]

18 minutes ago, Ben91 said:

A two team Premiership made up of Belle Vue and Ipswich. They will race each other home and away 15 times. Top two reach the play-offs to decide the winner. 

Been done already, the German Bundesliga has run with two teams (although it has now expanded by a massive 50% to three)

[PersonalResponsibility]

41 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Been done already, the German Bundesliga has run with two teams (although it has now expanded by a massive 50% to three)

And look at Germany now - SON2 gold medallists! They've cracked it. It's better than any Rising Star scheme.

[IainB]

12 hours ago, TB1 said:

Surely we really need to start blooding youngsters and fast if speedway in this  country is to survive.  Does anyone have a rough figure of say 13 to 16 year olds who if given the right support can be blooded in the next 4 to 5 years and be racing ready? Some insight into this would be great.

There's been enough talent retiring over the last number of years to fill every team in the league, but for one reason or another they've been lost to the sport.

[topaz325]

11 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Just look at the British Youth competitors, there’s very little coming through , maybe half a dozen as the drop out rate when they lose interest , or money , is very high .

I disagree there are plenty of riders coming through wether they get the opportunity or have the backing in the future is debatable 

[Fortythirtyeight]

24 minutes ago, topaz325 said:

I disagree there are plenty of riders coming through wether they get the opportunity or have the backing in the future is debatable 

If all of those currently competing on  250’s & 500’s continue I’d call that less than 10 and that’s based on the current numbers still riding in the next few years which is doubtful based on current losses to the sport.

As for the backing, I agree , what backing ? Vatcher giving them half a dozen rounds to race at ( and pay for ) with the odd coached session midweek for those that can make it,  is not great backing. What happened to all those tracks providing juniors with race meetings ? The premiership junior league? etc etc.

[Daniel Smith]

What we can expect from the AGM i hear you say??

How about, it'll be like Prince Andrew doing an 'Ed Gein' & pretending to be Harry Styles.

[YeOldPitGate]

16 hours ago, The White Knight said:

Why not?

Jimmy Squibb did.

Think Hancock also bizarre luck that a fall down the stairs finished it for him in the end.

[topaz325]

5 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

If all of those currently competing on  250’s & 500’s continue I’d call that less than 10 and that’s based on the current numbers still riding in the next few years which is doubtful based on current losses to the sport.

As for the backing, I agree , what backing ? Vatcher giving them half a dozen rounds to race at ( and pay for ) with the odd coached session midweek for those that can make it,  is not great backing. What happened to all those tracks providing juniors with race meetings ? The premiership junior league? etc etc.

 Backing mainly from parents, family sponsors and getting g the opportunity to ride at different tracks admittedly some tracks suffer from limited time when riders can get out on the track 

[mikebv]

What I expect is a post AGM press release, stating...

"It was the most harmonious AGM ever"...

"The plans for next year, and beyond, are the most exciting ever put together, and were delivered with total collaboration by everyone in attendance"..

"All the promoters have come away from the AGM in agreement as to how the sport should move forward, and all share the same vision for it"...

"There are challenges, but with the plans put together, we will be able to meet those challenges head on and build a very bright future for Speedway in the UK"...

"We have put together a fantastic plan for youth development to build on the magnificent work done over the past few years in particular"...

"We are sure the loyal fans of the sport will be delighted with the decisions made, and continue to attend next season in their thousands"....

"And hopefully bring a friend" (Sorry, made that one up)...

"It was the most harmonious AGM ever.... "(S**t, we've had that one)"

[Glen]

When top riders ply their trade in Poland and Sweden I’m thinking a new formulated league wouldn’t be so attractive. But the alternative isn’t going to be so attractive either if it’s only a league of a 4 clubs. 

For the common good of the sport those riders deemed PL to be shared within a 14 club league - 6 rider teams as well.

1965 all over again !