The league chairman after Vetlanda's bankruptcy: "The clubs must put the cards on the table"

Vetlanda Speedway, with six Swedish Championship golds in the 2000s, went bankrupt recently and withdrew from the elite series in speedway.

A hard blow to both the sport and the league.

- It is very sad for the sport with Vetlanda's bankruptcy.

We do not want to be fewer, we want to be more.

But it is clear that they have lived beyond their means for a long time.

And it is probably the challenge in the sport in general, that the sporting ambition does not always play with the financial ability, says Mikael Holmstrand.

Want more transparency about the economy

Holmstrand and the clubs in the league had a meeting on Thursday and the league chairman wants to see a different transparency about the clubs' finances.

But he sees no concrete danger that any more club is also heading into bankruptcy.

- We have talked to the clubs, and as it looks now, it looks okay.

And there is no reason to distrust it.

But we have also discussed that the clubs must take greater responsibility.

How are we, and how can we be helped?

There must be more openness and I think that ESS must have more transparency and be more in the clubs and look, says Mikael Holmstrand.

- At the same time, I understand the clubs.

You have to bet, otherwise the audience will not come.

But you have to have a braking distance as well, and airbags on the road.

And not all clubs have had that.

Unfortunately, it has happened before, and now it has happened again, he continues.

"Must reconsider"

The ESS base also believes that many clubs need to be more realistic in their efforts.

- We must probably also accept that there are different levels in the league.

That there are teams that have very strong resources, and then it must be so.

There are matches in the Spanish league that Barcelona win 7-0, even though they are in the same series.

I mean you may not be able to fight for gold, you do not have the muscle for it.

Many club leaders probably have to think about that, says Mikael Holmstrand.

Holmstrand believes the big financial challenge this year is about the influx of spectators after the pandemic.

- A new season awaits with some unknown parts, and the big challenge will be to get the people back in the stands.

If it fails at some clubs, then you have to slow down on the cost side.

Mikael Holmstrand, chairman of the league organization Elitspeedway Sweden.

Photo: Thomas Lindblom