2026 Premiership is Go! - At least 5 teams

[ArthurRudge]

If they proceed with this lame brained idea of running the Premiership it will be financial suicide for clubs as no one is going to turn up and watch the same teams over and over again. 

Also get Bradford up and running again so I can go back to the team I once loved.

[JamesHarris]

It could be done with 5 teams but there's going to be a lot of repetitive fixtures and will the fans get fed up with it? They could probably throw in a multi leg 4TT and even a pairs competition over 5 legs to add in a bit of variety. Even a Grand Prix style competition for the riders championship. What they surely can't do is keep the play offs. It would take all credibility out of a league that doesn't have much of it as things stand anyway.  

Edited December 16, 2025 by JamesHarris
grammar

[Preston Comet]

4 hours ago, ArthurRudge said:

If they proceed with this lame brained idea of running the Premiership it will be financial suicide for clubs as no one is going to turn up and watch the same teams over and over again. 

Also get Bradford up and running again so I can go back to the team I once loved.

Bradford couldn't even get crowds of 1000 when they won the Elite league, how many will they get 28 years later?

[Preston Comet]

3 hours ago, JamesHarris said:

It could be done with 5 teams but there's going to be a lot of repetitive fixtures and will the fans get fed up with it? They could probably throw in a multi leg 4TT and even a pairs competition over 5 legs to add in a bit of variety. Even a Grand Prix style competition for the riders championship. What they surely can't do is keep the play offs. It would take all credibility out of a league that doesn't have much of it as things stand anyway.  

I cant see the riders being available for any 'extra curricular' meetings, with all the meetings abroad. Id be surprised if they can manage to fit in the 3 home n 3 away

[Littleze]

4 hours ago, JamesHarris said:

It could be done with 5 teams but there's going to be a lot of repetitive fixtures and will the fans get fed up with it? They could probably throw in a multi leg 4TT and even a pairs competition over 5 legs to add in a bit of variety. Even a Grand Prix style competition for the riders championship. What they surely can't do is keep the play offs. It would take all credibility out of a league that doesn't have much of it as things stand anyway.  

I’d say a decent amount of fans (I say decent) will turn up, as they’ve been turning up for similar garbage as it is… thus helping this garbage being served again and again.

[szkocjasid]

20 hours ago, JamesHarris said:

It could be done with 5 teams but there's going to be a lot of repetitive fixtures and will the fans get fed up with it? They could probably throw in a multi leg 4TT and even a pairs competition over 5 legs to add in a bit of variety. Even a Grand Prix style competition for the riders championship. What they surely can't do is keep the play offs. It would take all credibility out of a league that doesn't have much of it as things stand anyway.  

The play-offs will certainly stay, no chance of them disappearing imo.

Maybe it'll be top 2 straight final or top 3 if it's a 5 team league. If they get 6, will stick to the top 4, which they did before.

While I dislike play-offs & think table toppers should be Champions, it's not like British Speedway is alone in doing this, so wouldn't say it harms the sports credibility (guests probably do that more).

[Hawk127]

The decision to continue with a top league may backfire given that a lot of the former top riders in the UK have opted for Swedish, Danish and Polish sides leaving few riders of that calibre to grace the top tier of UK speedway. You could also understand why they have made the decision given the logistics of moving around mainland Europe being easier as opposed to having to fly in and out of the UK and maintain equipment here as well as Europe. Time will tell but it will take something radical to entice riders to come back to these shores in the future. It could well be that the authorities in the UK have finally burnt their bridges.

[old bob at herne bay]

With 100,000's of Russian troops amassing near the Belarus border with the Baltic States and Poland , one wonders what might happen during  2026. 

 

 

[TINYS]

3 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

With 100,000's of Russian troops amassing near the Belarus border with the Baltic States and Poland , one wonders what might happen during  2026. 

 

 

Absolutely right.

[Fromafar]

11 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

The decision to continue with a top league may backfire given that a lot of the former top riders in the UK have opted for Swedish, Danish and Polish sides leaving few riders of that calibre to grace the top tier of UK speedway. You could also understand why they have made the decision given the logistics of moving around mainland Europe being easier as opposed to having to fly in and out of the UK and maintain equipment here as well as Europe. Time will tell but it will take something radical to entice riders to come back to these shores in the future. It could well be that the authorities in the UK have finally burnt their bridges.

Indecision in GB contributed for them committing to mainland Europe.IMO

[Hawk127]

10 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Indecision in GB contributed for them committing to mainland Europe.IMO

Sadly that is where the sport is and unfortunately it is going to take something special to get the riders to trust those in charge and believe they have a future in the over here. You really despair at the thought process of the few individuals who seemingly are driving speedway in the UK and wonder why they think that everything is hunky dory. Take a look at the Mainland European scene and speedway UK is way behind the curve. Thankfully those on the continent are professional, mainland U K are also rans but at least we can watch professional leagues race through the summer months. Speedway UK simply cannot compete on organisation, credibility or professional run sport. Oh well always regular Sunday speedway from Poland on free streams with the top riders, full stadia and incredible atmosphere. Dream on BSPL.

[szkocjasid]

Just thinking any Prem club interested in Riss would be best to wait till his Champ season starts, then sign him a few weeks into the season. Current Prem ave is 6.46, but Champ converted would be 4.75. Of course that could change a little, once he rides in the Champ.

To a lesser extent Pickering would be 7.76 in the Prem, but 6.14 on a Champ converted ave.

This is why I dislike the current system, as it almost encourages manipulation, as it's legal.

Edited December 18, 2025 by szkocjasid

[Bellers101]

On 12/16/2025 at 3:33 PM, Preston Comet said:

Bradford couldn't even get crowds of 1000 when they won the Elite league, how many will they get 28 years later?

Probably quite a lot to start off with. New or returning clubs always seem to have a honeymoon period in the first year or so.

[Phannan]

6 hours ago, Bellers101 said:

Probably quite a lot to start off with. New or returning clubs always seem to have a honeymoon period in the first year or so.

I’d be going and I’d drag the mrs along so that would be at least 2 

[midlandred]

Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Sheffield.

That’s 4.

Any more???

[tonyd]

On 12/16/2025 at 12:34 PM, JamesHarris said:

It could be done with 5 teams but there's going to be a lot of repetitive fixtures and will the fans get fed up with it? They could probably throw in a multi leg 4TT and even a pairs competition over 5 legs to add in a bit of variety. Even a Grand Prix style competition for the riders championship. What they surely can't do is keep the play offs. It would take all credibility out of a league that doesn't have much of it as things stand anyway.  

With the lack of teams in the premiership and with it a lack of meetings it could be a good time to bring back the inter-league cup again. It could be an interesting selection of meetings once they worked out who would ride for who with all the doubling up. Mind you they could tweak the rules and the doubling up rider could ride for both teams on the night but when due to meet each other in a race one team would have to use a reserve replacement. Sounds stupid I know but very feasible in this day and age of speedway so get Mr Morris on it straight away and put out a press release 🤣🤣🤣

[old bob at herne bay]

On 12/19/2025 at 6:20 PM, midlandred said:

Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Sheffield.

That’s 4.

Any more???

I am with you midland red. BSPL have said " at least 5 teams" Trobuble with arithmetic ?

 

[The SAINT]

38 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

I am with you midland red. BSPL have said " at least 5 teams" Trobuble with arithmetic ?

 

And spelling by the looks  🤭😉

[Ben91]

On 12/17/2025 at 8:37 PM, Fromafar said:

Indecision in GB contributed for them committing to mainland Europe.IMO

I do wonder whether this can be spun to a party line making it look as if the top riders bailed on Britain and that's why they've gone, not the indecision causing them to sign more secure contracts elsewhere. They jumped, they weren't pushed.

The cynic in me can see Ipswich (for example) coming to tapes with a much weakened team and the justification that they almost didn't run at all so the fans should just be happy to have speedway at all. And undoubtedly the majority of happy clappers would swallow it hook, line and sinker. 

[cowboy cookie returns?]

If the rumours are correct that 2027 could see a cash injection of the back of work being done by speedway futures then that money needs using wisely.

The best way would be to ensure as many tracks as possible are operating & that new riders are coming through.

The sport needs to ensure the likes of Mildenhall & Eastbourne 2 venues with a history of speedway & tracks still in place need to be operational as league tracks.

Then anything that can be done to get Coventry & Peterborough back. Two venues that are dormant same applies to Wolves.

Then some good investment in bringing riders through.

Speedway in this country is at the bottom it needs investment in infrastructure & assets to start rebuilding. Anything less & I give it 3-5 years before the final curtain falls.