2026 Premiership is Go! - At least 5 teams

[spin king junior]

Can't believe they've stuck with play-offs with five team. Imagine trying to explain it to a non-speedway fan- "so yeah, we finished 4th out of 5 teams but we won the league"

Think this year will just be damage control- hopefully with serious change incoming for 2027... hopefully.

[YeOldPitGate]

2 minutes ago, spin king junior said:

Can't believe they've stuck with play-offs with five team. Imagine trying to explain it to a non-speedway fan- "so yeah, we finished 4th out of 5 teams but we won the league"

Think this year will just be damage control- hopefully with serious change incoming for 2027... hopefully.

Lord knows what the teams will look like I would imagine most of the top boys have already bailed, so I can't really see anything beyond a championship looking side but built to the equivalent of a 45 point limit in the championship.

As Mike BV has said its most likely going to 99% of the same riders who are in the championship populating the teams but with an extra heat leader.

[Hawk127]

4 minutes ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Just have to somehow stagger through 2026 in order to reach the golden promised land of 2027, after which all will be splendid, when a deluge of high quality riders will arrive, a mega bucks tv deal, and a whole slew of new and revived tracks will emerge. 

Keep the faith (Paloma, that is)

Not if Poland has anything to do with it. The golden promised land is not going to happen. Those in charge have really lost the plot and who with half a brain is going to want to watch repetitive matches with double uppers on inflated rates screwing the supporters because the TV income has gone south and someone has to make up the financial shortfall. Two occasions, Covid and the current situation gave the sport the opportunity to reinvent itself but what have you got, the same old scenario. It has failed the punter yet again and this time it will implode because no one is going to be fobbed off with this plan. BSPL, you really do not have a clue about your audience and are so far removed from reality by your actions you will fail and regrettably be instrumental in the demise of the sport in this Country. Thankfully we have Poland to fall back on.

[Roger Jacobs]

I can't believe they also want to have a KOC-Up!

Shirley with only 5 teams, there will just be a play-off Grand Final between the top two ...

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

28 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Lord knows what the teams will look like I would imagine most of the top boys have already bailed, so I can't really see anything beyond a championship looking side but built to the equivalent of a 45 point limit in the championship.

As Mike BV has said its most likely going to 99% of the same riders who are in the championship populating the teams but with an extra heat leader.

Don't forget that the top 6 of each of these 5 teams will be at least at or around the standard of the Championship heat leaders

This means that almost every heat in the Premiership will be similar to Championship heats 13 and 15

But of course the Championship is the best place to be......

[TTT]

Good news.

5 Team PREM is far from ideal but it's still better than One Big League.

[Hawk127]

4 minutes ago, Roger Jacobs said:

I can't believe they also want to have a KOC-Up!

Shirley with only 5 teams, there will just be a play-off Grand Final between the top two ...

Nope, the BSPL will want to string it out. In reality you could run this with one home and one away starting in July and the season over by the end of August including play offs. Why the hell don't these knob heads invest in young up and coming riders and prolong the season with new talent and other disciplines. Think like the IOW and add in the league meetings and finale. Not really rocket science unless you are an owner/promoter of a club in the so called top tier of British speedway farce.

[IainB]

2 minutes ago, TTT said:

Good news.

5 Team PREM is far from ideal but it's still better than One Big League.

... and just who are those 5 teams?

[Youhave2minutes]

1 minute ago, IainB said:

... and just who are those 5 teams?

It’s a secret that Santa will reveal

[TTT]

Just now, IainB said:

... and just who are those 5 teams?

That's the question.

[Youhave2minutes]

4 minutes ago, TTT said:

That's the question.

We want the answer though

[TB1]

26 minutes ago, IainB said:

... and just who are those 5 teams?

Dunno Ian but whatever they are drinking must be a controlled substance!

[ouch]

 

Kings Lynn are currently set to have just 18 meetings next season (16 league and 2 Cup). If they have a good run in the cup & play offs it could end up being more than the 20 meetings they rode in total in 2021.

Peterborough rode in 24 meetings in 2022. Hopefully The Aces will complete the same amount this coming season. 

Meeting the same team twice every 2 or 3 months at the NSS isn’t ideal but for me it’s better than the alternative. 

A 37 premiership average equates to a 55.5 average in the lower division, add in the number 7 and it totals nearer 60. 

If Sheffield kept the same team as last season (not including the RS), they would total around 37.50 points so thats the kind of level we are looking at. Sheffield topped the table. 

 

[TheTopDrawer]

45 minutes ago, IainB said:

... and just who are those 5 teams?

Surely it's obvious that 4 are Belle Vue, King's Lynn, Leicester and Sheffield.      Then the fifth is either Ipswich or the mystery  Northampton/NorthamptonatOxford/Peterborough new team.

Since Chris Louis wanted 6 teams and refused to compete in a 5-team league, maybe the addition of a 5th team, will encourage him to return and make Ipswich a 6th team?

[IainB]

3 minutes ago, TheTopDrawer said:

Surely it's obvious that 4 are Belle Vue, King's Lynn, Leicester and Sheffield.      Then the fifth is either Ipswich or the mystery  Northampton/NorthamptonatOxford/Peterborough new team.

Since Chris Louis wanted 6 teams and refused to compete in a 5-team league, maybe the addition of a 5th team, will encourage him to return and make Ipswich a 6th team?

I'd day Sheffield are far from obvious as things currently stand. 

Bear in mind these are the people that were asking Peterborough to compete in the PL without a track!

[Youhave2minutes]

Kings Lynn have confirmed they are running in the top flight

Leicester and Belle Vue are nailed on.

Edited 43 minutes ago by Youhave2minutes

[TheTopDrawer]

4 minutes ago, Youhave2minutes said:

Kings Lynn have confirmed they are running in the top flight

Leicester and Belle Vue are nailed on.

And so are Sheffield, as they hinted yesterday that this good news was coming today.

Just need to confirm Oxhamptonborough and Ipswich for a 6 team league.

 

[WembleyLion]

7 minutes ago, Youhave2minutes said:

Kings Lynn have confirmed they are running in the top flight

Leicester and Belle Vue are nailed on.

Leicester have confirmed they will be in the Premiership.

[Youhave2minutes]

Jigsaw almost complete.👍

[old bob at herne bay]

Having dug the hole that is "double uppers" , guess the BSPL knew that they would have to preserve  a "league"  just for riders to be able to double up ? One big league appears to be  unattainanble with the present number of  double uppers.  Also it is clear no  team in the current CL was interested in trying to run in the PL.

Will be interesting to see how the  gang of 5 (whoever they will be )  achieve a  6 rider starting CMA approaching 37 with so many of the top stars already declaring that they are not racing in the PL 2026.  

The 2026 5 team league is clearly only a 1 season solution whilst further negotiations must continue to seek a more permanent solution for the possible continuance of league speedway in the UK? 

All this speculation and hot air about so many defunct and new tracks suddenly starting up and joining the PL..... most have no track and others no planning permission. Recent evidence shows Oxford as the only "new" track joining the PL  and then lasting only ONE season.