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 Thursday at 09:30 PM 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 8 hours ago by szkocjasid