NDL & NDT in 2026

[secsy1]

Although nothing is settled regarding Premiership participation in 2026, the Championship team declarations are well under way.

Have any of the Championship sides decided to declare their participation in either Development Leagues so far?

[Fortythirtyeight]

No.

 

But Buxton want in.

[szkocjasid]

I made the comment last year that stand alone clubs should be able to enter both NDL & NDT competitions, with the same 7 riders. Buxton & Kent Eagles for example.

Then all the doubling up clubs join one or the other.

As long as it's decided before signings are made a rider could choose to ride for Kent (NL) & Kent (NT) or like currently Oxford (NL) & Plymouth (NT) for example.

It didn't work with Leicester this year, as they were a last minute addition, so only Sonny Springer rode for both Leicester sides.

Edited November 20, 2025 by szkocjasid

[Fortythirtyeight]

12 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

I made the comment last year that stand alone clubs should be able to enter both NDL & NDT competitions, with the same 7 riders. Buxton & Kent Eagles for example.

Then all the doubling up clubs join one or the other.

As long as it's decided before signings are made a rider could choose to ride for Kent (NL) & Kent (NT) or like currently Oxford (NL) & Plymouth (NT) for example.

It didn't work with Leicester this year, as they were a last minute addition, so only Sonny Springer rode for both Leicester sides.

Thus making the two , supposedly different leagues, exactly the same !

Whilst I’m all for trying to find ways of getting lads rides let’s try to have some credibility in the sport.

[shippy22]

3 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Thus making the two , supposedly different leagues, exactly the same !

Whilst I’m all for trying to find ways of getting lads rides let’s try to have some credibility in the sport.

The leagues wouldnt be the same.  ie. NL, Belle Vue, Edinburgh, Leicester, Oxford, Buxton, Kent.    NT,  Steelers, King's Lynn, Plymouth, Buxton, Kent. 

This would give the stand alone teams more fixtures, and the others less fixtures,  which should suit both parties !!

 

 

[szkocjasid]

17 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

I made the comment last year that stand alone clubs should be able to enter both NDL & NDT competitions, with the same 7 riders. Buxton & Kent Eagles for example.

Then all the doubling up clubs join one or the other.

As long as it's decided before signings are made a rider could choose to ride for Kent (NL) & Kent (NT) or like currently Oxford (NL) & Plymouth (NT) for example.

It didn't work with Leicester this year, as they were a last minute addition, so only Sonny Springer rode for both Leicester sides.

 

4 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Thus making the two , supposedly different leagues, exactly the same !

Whilst I’m all for trying to find ways of getting lads rides let’s try to have some credibility in the sport.

Surely one rider riding for the same club in different competitions gives the sport credibility?

The alternative is William Cairns riding for Belle Vue at Leicester, then swapping teams to ride for Leicester in the NT, which happened this year. I'd suggest this gives less credibility to the sport than my suggestion.

[Fortythirtyeight]

1 hour ago, szkocjasid said:

 

Surely one rider riding for the same club in different competitions gives the sport credibility?

The alternative is William Cairns riding for Belle Vue at Leicester, then swapping teams to ride for Leicester in the NT, which happened this year. I'd suggest this gives less credibility to the sport than my suggestion.

Doubling up ( and trebling up ) has made the sport ridiculous and caused nothing but problems , not only for public credibility but now we advocate more of it.

Clubs cant even sort a fixture list out in a nine club league ! 

[szkocjasid]

On 11/21/2025 at 4:04 PM, Fortythirtyeight said:

Doubling up (and trebling up) has made the sport ridiculous and caused nothing but problems, not only for public credibility but now we advocate more of it.

Clubs cant even sort a fixture list out in a nine club league ! 

NL / NT doubling up hasn't caused any of these issues. Last year development league riders only got 10 matches, which can't be good for their development. This year that was increased to 18 matches for riders on both competitions.

Also as the development leagues always take second fiddle when there are fixture clashes, these matches don't cause any issues to Champ clubs fixtures.

If a rider rode for Buxton or Kent in both NL & NT would you even consider that doubling up?

Explaining this year that Sonny Springer rode for Leicester in two development competitions, would be the easiest explanation of a rider racing in more than one competition imo.

Edited November 22, 2025 by szkocjasid

[KK62]

So if you want more matches then how about creating more competitions for the N.L lads like a 4 T.T. Competition ? Inter League cup between the stand alone NT teams and the NL clubs ? Even a GP style individual comp. with rounds at all NL clubs .

What happened to the BSPA ‘s promise of more meetings for NL standard riders ? 

[Sargent10]

1 hour ago, KK62 said:

So if you want more matches then how about creating more competitions for the N.L lads like a 4 T.T. Competition ? Inter League cup between the stand alone NT teams and the NL clubs ? Even a GP style individual comp. with rounds at all NL clubs .

What happened to the BSPA ‘s promise of more meetings for NL standard riders ? 

Because they don’t want to lose money on additional meetings helping bringing British youngsters through unless those youngsters are prepared to pay for everything from racing here or abroad and then if the odd one suceeds they claim them and shower them with affection until they blow up and walk away and deny they ever existed! And that’s where the story ends 

[KK62]

14 hours ago, Sargent10 said:

Because they don’t want to lose money on additional meetings helping bringing British youngsters through unless those youngsters are prepared to pay for everything from racing here or abroad and then if the odd one suceeds they claim them and shower them with affection until they blow up and walk away and deny they ever existed! And that’s where the story ends 

But when run correctly , with the right pay rights for the level , then it CAN be profitable . Redcars crowds for NL , on their regular race night , prove that.

[Binman]

Teams announced soon

Edited December 6, 2025 by Binman

[BuxtonTiger]

When is soon?

[Preston Comet]

Sooner than when you asked..

Edited December 8, 2025 by Preston Comet

[Diamonds85]

On 12/6/2025 at 7:14 PM, Binman said:

Teams announced soon

Any updates? 😆 taking longer than the PL...

[arnieg]

On 12/30/2025 at 11:11 AM, Diamonds85 said:

Any updates? 😆 taking longer than the PL...

We know Oxford are in as their season ticket includes 5 Chargers fixtures.

[secsy1]

So with Oxford selling season tickets including 5 NDL fixtures and Buxton, who are the 6 other teams that the BSP envisage coming to the tapes this season?

 

[M.D]

10 hours ago, secsy1 said:

So with Oxford selling season tickets including 5 NDL fixtures and Buxton, who are the 6 other teams that the BSP envisage coming to the tapes this season?

 

Teams need to state they are running by the 20th.

[HGould]

3 hours ago, M.D said:

Teams need to state they are running by the 20th.

The mind can play tricks at my age, but I have looked back and double checked.

The Speedway Star last week suugested that 5 Clubs had confirmed / requested to join in 2026, that the League hoped to have 8 teams.

Whether there are enough teams to stock 8 teams would be a moot point, so I am not sure if they would have a 4 + 4 split.

It may be that 5 or 6 teams is the limit for one League

Oxford

Buxton

have publically confirmed they wish to race, not sure anyone else has formally confirmed.

It would be strange without Edinburgh and almost certainly Redcar, and equally, with their facilities, Leicester. 

Whether Belle Vue retain their long association, or Kings Lynns impressive roster want to return in unclear.

Scun/Sheff; Plymouth and Workington seem to have made absolutely no comments at all and it has been publicised that Kent are trying to tie up a long term stadium agreement to justify considerable investment in a new air fence. Mildenhall have confimed they want to run NORA and I wonder if a few more in the South like Kent / Plymouth / IOW might go down that route.

 

 

[Marky_Mark]

14 minutes ago, HGould said:

The mind can play tricks at my age, but I have looked back and double checked.

The Speedway Star last week suugested that 5 Clubs had confirmed / requested to join in 2026, that the League hoped to have 8 teams.

Whether there are enough teams to stock 8 teams would be a moot point, so I am not sure if they would have a 4 + 4 split.

It may be that 5 or 6 teams is the limit for one League

Oxford

Buxton

have publically confirmed they wish to race, not sure anyone else has formally confirmed.

It would be strange without Edinburgh and almost certainly Redcar, and equally, with their facilities, Leicester. 

Whether Belle Vue retain their long association, or Kings Lynns impressive roster want to return in unclear.

Scun/Sheff; Plymouth and Workington seem to have made absolutely no comments at all and it has been publicised that Kent are trying to tie up a long term stadium agreement to justify considerable investment in a new air fence. Mildenhall have confimed they want to run NORA and I wonder if a few more in the South like Kent / Plymouth / IOW might go down that route.

 

 

The last time Plymouth tried to go NORA they were threatened with consequences about not being able to run their championship team if I remember correctly. Easier for the likes of Kent, IOW and Mildenhall that don’t run any other teams under BSP