British Speedway will retain a💫 three-tier structure next season following a hugely successful annual general meeting in Swindon. The Sky Sports Elite League will feature eight clubs with 28-meetings per tea⛄m and the Premier League could be set for 18 clubs.

Once again the top flight title will be decided by play-offs, but this time the top four will meet on a semi-final basis, home and♌ away, to establish the two grand finalists.

And in a bid to provide continuity for weekend Elite League tracks, a new British League Cup has been introduced which will feature all Elite and Premier League clubs. The competition, which includes five qualifying groups, will be run on a Premier League basis with ꦫtop flight cl🦩ubs working to a 36-point limit.

Oxford's application to move into the Premier League has been placed on hold as King's Lynn boss Nigel Wagstaff has yet to agree a new lease with his Norfolk Arena landlord. And the same applies to Somerset who withdrew from the league during the AGM♓ as they have been unable to finalise a long-term lease with their landlord. Both King's Lynn and Somerset have been handed 21-days in which to resolve their respective problems.

BSPA Chairman Chris Van Straaten said: "We have always championed the three-tier structure and we're delighted for this to remain in place. The newly introduced British League Cup fixtures will, more than likely, take place🍌 on Grand Prix weekends and it provides suporters with a greater variety of meetings."

"It is also a bridge-building exercise between the two leagues and it gives us all something else to look forward to. We are ver♉y sympathetic to the cases of King's Lynn and Somerset and that's why we have agreed to give them both a 21-day spell of breathing space."

"Everyone also realises that pay restraints need to be put🐲 in place and it was agreed that this woꦚuld apply at all levels of the sport. This was an AGM full of co-operation between the two senior leagues and everyone has emerged in a positive frame of mind."

THE KEY DECISIONS FOR 2003 SEASON:

POINTS LIMIT:
Remains at 45-points in both leagues.

GRAND PRIX RIDERS:
No restrictions.

ELITE LEAGUE 2003
Belle Vue, Coventry, Ea💯stbourne, Ipswich, King's Lynn*, Peterborough, Poole,ꦿ Wolverhampton.

PREMIER LEAGUE 2003:
Arena Essex, Berwick, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Hull, Isle of Wight, Newcastle, Newport, Oxford*, Reading, Rye House, Sheffield, Somerset*, Stoke, Swindon, Tre♏lawny, Workington.

CONFERENCE LEAGUE 2003:
To be finalised in January.

BRITISH LEAGUE CUP 2003:
GROUP 1: Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Workington.
GROUP 2: Belle Vue, Coventry, Hull, Sheffield, Stoke.
GROUP 3: Exeter, Newport, Poole, Somerset*, Trelawny, Wolverhampton.
GROUP 4: Eastbourne, Isle of Wight, Oxford, Reading, Swindon.
GROUP 5: Arena Essex, Ipswich, King's Lynn, Peterborough, Rye House.
Group winners and the three most successful runners-up to quꦍalify for quarter-finals on a knockout basis.

PREMIER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP 2003:
PRELIMINARY ROUND: Somerset* v Newport
QUALIFYING ROUND: Swindon✅ v Isle of Wight, Rye House v Arena Essex, Reading v Trelawny, Newport/Somerset v Exeter, Workington v Edinburgh, Stoke v Newcastle, Sheffield v Hull, Berwick v Glasgow.

*DENOTES SUBJECT to final confirmation.

BSPA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE:
Chris Van Straaten (Chairman), Peter Toogood (Vice-Chairman), Colin Pratt, Jon Cook🌠, Neil Machi✅n.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND:
Poole, August 17.

WORLD UNDER-21 QUALIFYING ROUND:
Poole, May 25.

ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP:
Coventry, Saturday October 11.

CHAMPIONSHIP OF GREAT BRITAIN:
Eastbourne, Saturday July 5.

PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS, FOURS AND PLRC:
TBC.

TEST SERIES:
IT is hoped that a series of meetings between Team Great Britain and Aus꧅trali🧸a will take place.

GREEN HELMET COLOUR:
The white helmet 🌄colour has now been phased out of the sport to assist with TV coverage and interactive services the green hel🌳met will now apply in all meetings.

SPEEDWAY GREAT BRITAIN EXHIBITION 2003:
National Ag🧔ricultural Centre, Stoneleigh, Warks, Sunday March 9.