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SPEEDWAY: Cheetahs face threat
Oxford Cheetahs' elevation to the Premier League is under major threat - and the future of the club could even be in jeopardy.
Promoter Allen Trump is struggling to gain a response from Oxford Stadium owners, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), over their stadium lease.
With the annual conference of the British Speedway Promoters Association (BSPA) starting next Thursday, it is a major problem.
Normally the lease could be agreed later in the winter, but Oxford's application for promotion to the Premier League hinges on whether the issue has been resolved.
Trump would also need to make a firm financial commitment to the BSPA if the Cheetahs were to be accepted into the Premier League. But he is not prepared to do this without an agreement with the GRA signed and sealed.
If Oxford were not accepted into the Premier League, they would have to run another season at just Conference League level.
However, Conference League by itself does not produce enough fixtures to sustain a full fixture list, meaning there would be grave doubts over the future of the club, if the Premier League application did not go through.
Trump said: "Despite numerous emails and telephone calls I have been unable to obtain any information whatsoever on the intentions of the GRA for next year.
"They are fully aware of the situation and the urgency of a response.
"Everyone knows that all the GRA stadiums are up for sale and I suspect that this has a bearing on things.
"But if I hear nothing before 5pm next Wednesday, Oxford will not be staging Premier League speedway next season, it's as simple as that."
No-one from the GRA was available for comment.
8:25pm Friday 23rd November 2007
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