KHL: League eyes up possible UK expansion…

Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is looking to expand to the UK, according to reports.

The league, which is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in Europe and Asia, has held talks with potential owners as it looks towards its next phase of expansion.

KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko believes the prospect of bringing a team to the UK would be exciting, but wouldn’t comment on when it would happen, if it was to go ahead.

“I wouldn’t like to put a time frame on it because we have to make sure we go with the right people,” he said, “We would want them to be in it for the long haul, but I am optimistic it can happen.”

A KHL side coming to the UK has been rumoured for some time, however it is the first time a league official has confirmed it as an option, with sites in Reading or London’s Wembley Arena being considered as potential venues.

The KHL, which draws in around six million fans a season and has teams from countries such as Finland, Latvia, Russia and even China, is also looking at possible franchises in Paris or Seoul as well.

Currently, the UK Elite League is enjoying one of it’s most competitive seasons to date, while the Great Britain national team remains in the top flight of the World Championships.

Also five out of the ten teams in the EIHL have players with previous KHL experience, including Glasgow Clan forward Chad Rau (formerly of teams including Kunlun Red Star and Neftekimik Nizhnekamsk) and Nikolai Lemtyugov of the Sheffield Steelers.

Speedway Grand Prix: 2020 calendar confirmed…

The 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series calendar has been revealed, with the event heading to Russia for the first time.

The series will land at the Anatoly Stepanov Stadium in Togliatti next August, following the city’s successful staging of the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations finals, where Russian stars Emil Sayfutdinov, Artem Laguta and Gleb Chugunov retained the world team title.

Now, riders will go for individual honours in one of the biggest meetings ever staged in the country as it joins nine other venues on the calendar for next year.

The Anatoly Stepanov Stadium in Togliatti, which will stage the first ever Russian SGP on August 29, 2020

SGP 2020 launches in the Polish capital Warsaw with the PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland on May 16. It will then be followed two weeks later by a historic German SGP at the Bergring Arena in Teterow as the circuit celebrates its 100th event and 90 years of racing with a speedway and longtrack double header.

The series then moves to Prague as the Marketa Stadium once again hosts the Czech SGP – a record 24th year that the picturesque Czech capital has hosted such an event – on June 13.

A break then follows for the Speedway of Nations before the series resumes with the flagship Adrian Flux British SGP at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 18th. 2020 marks the 20th year of the event in the Welsh capital so fans can expect the event to be bigger and better than ever.

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will stage its 20th Speedway Grand Prix on July 18, 2020

The following week sees the action switch to Sweden as Hallstavik plays host to the Swedish SGP on July 25, before the series returns to Poland when the Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland takes place at the Olympic Stadium, where last year’s event was hailed as one of the all time great meetings and saw the first Polish winner of a Polish SGP as Bartosz Zmarzlik topped the podium on his way to his first world title.

Another of speedway’s great tracks follows as the Scandinavian SGP heads to Malilla, Sweden on August 15.

Vojens plays host to the Danish SGP on September 12 – two weeks after the first ever Russian SGP in Togliatti, before the season concludes with the Revline Torun SGP of Poland at the Marian Rose Motoarena on October 3, as fans from all over the world gather to see who will be crowned the 2020 World Champion.