The National League was the main speedway league in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

from 1932 until 1964, after which it merged with the Provincial League to form the

British League The British League was the main motorcycle speedway league in Britain from its formation in 1965 until 1995 when British speedway was restructured. It initially had a single division, with a second division starting in 1968 (which was renamed the ...

.Rogers, Martin (1978) ''The Illustrated History of Speedway'', Studio Publications, , p. 20-25 Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK, with the

Northern League Northern League may refer to: Sport Baseball * Northern League (baseball, 1902–71), a name used by several minor leagues that operated in the upper midwestern U.S. and Manitoba from 1902 to 1971 * Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), an indep ...

and the Southern League merging for the inaugural 1932 season.

History

Initially a single division, in 1936 a second division was created, initially named the Provincial League, but becoming National League Division Two in 1938. When league racing resumed after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, there was initially a single division. Six clubs started a new grass roots Northern League that year, and with more tracks opening up, the National League expanded to three divisions in 1947. For several reasons, including the levels of Entertainment tax and competition for audiences from

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

, a number of teams ceased to be profitable and the league reverted to two divisions in 1954. Further withdrawals led to a reduction to a single eleven-team division in 1957. Continuing reduction in spectator numbers, and dissatisfaction with the way speedway was structured and managed led several promoters (including Mike Parker,

Reg Fearman Reg Fearman (born 26 April 1933 in London, England) is a former international speedway rider and promoter. Riding career He first received his speedway licence on his sixteenth birthday, presented to him in front of a forty thousand strong ...

, and

Johnnie Hoskins Johnnie S. Hoskins MBE (1892 Waitara, New Zealand – 1987 Kent, England) was the most significant promoter of speedway and stock car racing in the United Kingdom, he is considered by some to have invented motorcycle speedway. Early life Born at ...

) to create the breakaway Provincial League in 1960. Working within tighter budgets, they were nevertheless more successful commercially than the National League promotions. After relations between the two leagues broke down in 1963, an RAC commission led to the two leagues merging in 1965 to form the British League. The National League name was revived in 1975 when the

British League Division Two The British League Division Two was created in 1968 and was the second tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom until the restructuring of British speedway in 1995. It was renamed the New National League in 1975 and the National League betwee ...

was renamed, initially to the New National League. The name was reused again for the third tier of British speedway from 2009.

Champions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:National League (1932-1964) Speedway leagues Speedway competitions in the United Kingdom Sports leagues established in 1932 1964 disestablishments

History

Champions

See also

References