As paying customers, we've been mugs. It's time for us to take action: sign the petition!

[4thbender]

As a loyal supporter for 60+ years, it's clear that British Speedway cannot continue to exist in its current form. In 2026 we've lost Birmingham and in recent years we’ve seen the loss of many iconic teams such as Wolverhampton, Coventry and Swindon. It seems that other teams are now under threat unless some radical changes are made. Along with many paying customers, I have a vision for how speedway has to develop if it is to survive. Decades of the sport's inefficiency has finally come to a head.

British speedway needs to set its own agenda and stop kowtowing to regulations set in Poland. Speedway has bred a generation of riders who want to have their cake and eat it: they want to earn their bread and butter in the UK leagues and chase the Polish Zloty to put the jam on top. This faces the British authorities with the dilemma of having to dance to the Polish tune when trying to plan the home fixture list. This cannot go on.

For survival, we need a single nationwide league of 15 teams wherein all its riders are contracted and committed exclusively to British racing between March and October.

A 28-match league programme plus a further 12 matches in a split north-south KO cup competition will guarantee teams a regular weekly match programme, and a sensible rider payment policy will provide ample earnings potential for riders over a guaranteed 40-match season.

But the last thing we want is for British speedway and its contracted riders to be isolated from European competition. So speedway authorities must open negotiations with its European counterparts for European competition on two levels:

1)    An annual European League of Nations, with initially the four participating countries of Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Poland.

2)    An annual European Champions’ League, featuring the top teams of all the four participating nations of Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Poland.

A nationwide league of 15 teams in meaningful competition - with the addition of the possibility of genuine European glory - will revive the waning interest of fans, riders, media and potential investors. It is time for the Promoters to bite the bullet to avoid inevitable extinction of British speedway.

So I've set up a petition demanding that the British Speedway Promoters Ltd take these matters on board with immediate effect.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO FORCE CHANGE IN BRITISH SPEEDWAY: https://c.org/bdpftrNZdQ

[1 valve]

22 minutes ago, 4thbender said:

As a loyal supporter for 60+ years, it's clear that British Speedway cannot continue to exist in its current form. In 2026 we've lost Birmingham and in recent years we’ve seen the loss of many iconic teams such as Wolverhampton, Coventry and Swindon. It seems that other teams are now under threat unless some radical changes are made. Along with many paying customers, I have a vision for how speedway has to develop if it is to survive. Decades of the sport's inefficiency has finally come to a head.

British speedway needs to set its own agenda and stop kowtowing to regulations set in Poland. Speedway has bred a generation of riders who want to have their cake and eat it: they want to earn their bread and butter in the UK leagues and chase the Polish Zloty to put the jam on top. This faces the British authorities with the dilemma of having to dance to the Polish tune when trying to plan the home fixture list. This cannot go on.

For survival, we need a single nationwide league of 15 teams wherein all its riders are contracted and committed exclusively to British racing between March and October.

A 28-match league programme plus a further 12 matches in a split north-south KO cup competition will guarantee teams a regular weekly match programme, and a sensible rider payment policy will provide ample earnings potential for riders over a guaranteed 40-match season.

But the last thing we want is for British speedway and its contracted riders to be isolated from European competition. So speedway authorities must open negotiations with its European counterparts for European competition on two levels:

1)    An annual European League of Nations, with initially the four participating countries of Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Poland.

2)    An annual European Champions’ League, featuring the top teams of all the four participating nations of Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Poland.

A nationwide league of 15 teams in meaningful competition - with the addition of the possibility of genuine European glory - will revive the waning interest of fans, riders, media and potential investors. It is time for the Promoters to bite the bullet to avoid inevitable extinction of British speedway.

So I've set up a petition demanding that the British Speedway Promoters Ltd take these matters on board with immediate effect.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO FORCE CHANGE IN BRITISH SPEEDWAY: https://c.org/bdpftrNZdQ

What a waste of space on so many fronts. 
ps. Not bothered to open up the supposed link just in case it’s a virus of some kind. 
 

[Whitelinehugger]

Aaarrh

[spin king junior]

This has got to be a wind up surely 🤣 If you think there's not enough riders to go around now, imagine how less it'll be when you tell em they have to ride exclusively in Britain.

[IainB]

Will the link "find me a girl for an amazing night"?

[RoundTheBoards]

1 hour ago, IainB said:

Will the link "find me a girl for an amazing night"?

I would imagine the link goes to Alcoholics Anonymous.

[4thbender]

16 hours ago, spin king junior said:

This has got to be a wind up surely 🤣 If you think there's not enough riders to go around now, imagine how less it'll be when you tell em they have to ride exclusively in Britain.

I've never understood the view that there aren't sufficient riders around to run a 14-team league without doubling up. It may come as a surprise to learn that the list of registered riders on the BSL website runs to 249 names. What's more, I reckon the promise of 40+ guaranteed matches per season without the need for expensive international travel - albeit in a slightly less competitive league - will be more than attractive to the vast majority of riders. For the rest we're probably better off without them.

This isn't a wind-up. The Bates announcement on Monday has to indicate the inevitable probability that, without radical change in 2027, we are certain to lose our sport forever. We paying customers have a choice: we either sit back and watch it happen, or we take action NOW to prevent another catastrophic year of indecision which will ultimately end in the inevitable. 

If you're one of the "sit back and do nowt" brigade, thanks for your input and goodbye. If you prefer to speak up and have your voice heard, sign the petition NOW: Petition · Survival of British Speedway Racing in 2027 and beyond - United Kingdom · Change.org

[Hawk127]

Something needs to be done to challenge those in charge, but whilst the content of the petition may need changes the idea has to be better than doing nothing.
The points raised may or may not have merit but it is the first time that I can recall having someone go to the effort of trying to get supporters together to  formally make the feelings known to those who are the custodians of the sport.
Many a good idea regularly appears on the forum and some may be picked by those in charge but I doubt few riders or club owners can be bothered to look at the forum and in any event probably dismiss the individual for the views they have yet most reflect the feeling the supporters.

If a coordinated effort was made and some of those signing were to try and get some outside publicity such as talking to local radio stations, newspapers and putting the message out on the likes of Facebook, it might work as it may make those in charge sit up and possibly think. For far too long the punters have been taken for granted and none of us want to see speedway disappear in this country so perhaps something different should be given a go. As to the points to go into it I leave that to those with a far better insight as to the running of the sport

[Hawk127]

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Edited 57 minutes ago by Hawk127
Duplicate posting

[Odds On]

its a wind up, no sixty year olds know how to set up a petition!