Speedway meeting cancelled over stadium uncertainty

Uncertainty over the future of a greyhound racing and speedway stadium has grown, with a race meeting postponed after a streaming platform ended its coverage at the site.

Broadcaster SIS TV announced last week that due to financial problems it would no longer air greyhound races from Oxford Stadium, on Sandy Lane.

The BBC understands that Oxford Greyhounds then entered into talks with a new broadcaster in hopes of restoring coverage but a prospective announcement, expected to be made on Tuesday, never happened.

As a result of the confusion, the Oxford Cheetahs speedway team postponed their first competitive meeting of the season 24 hours before it was due to take place on Wednesday.

The BBC has contacted Oxford Greyhounds for comment on its negotiations to restore television coverage and on the stadium's future.

In a statement to supporters, Cheetahs promoter Jamie Courtney announced the team's opening fixture against Plymouth will now be held on 22 April.

"With complex and involved negotiations between a number of stakeholders, including ourselves, ongoing and the added inconvenience of a double Bank Holiday I did not feel it was possible to run Wednesday's meeting," Courtney explained.

"I firmly believe that it is short-term inconvenience which will have long-term and far-reaching benefits for Oxford Speedway and Oxford Stadium."

The Cheetahs will travel to Plymouth for their planned fixture on Saturday, Courtney confirmed, before adding that the visit of Poole next Wednesday would now mark the start of the club's home season.

Oxford Stadium reopened for speedway and greyhound racing in 2022, following a decade-long community-led battle for its resurrection.

The 2,000 capacity ground closed in 2012 after 73 years in operation, five years after speedway ended due to low attendances and the loss of the lease on the stadium.

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