The Ipswich Tru7 Group Witches have agreed a unique strategic partnership with Polish club WTS Sparta Wrocław.
Mayfield, parent company of FIM Speedway World Championships global promoter Mayfield Sports Events, has reached a world-first agreement that sees the storied PGE Ekstraliga club purchase a minority stake in the Foxhall side – an agreement that will see both the Ipswich and Wrocław clubs join forces on and off the track.
The teams will share information and support each other in a wide range of areas including but not limited to youth development and training, promotion and marketing, sponsorship, event operations, ticketing, fan experience and building sustainable clubs at the heart of their communities that attract fans from a wide range of ages.
Mayfield founder and Witches chairman Richard Coleman remains in full control of the Witches, along with general manager Andrew Chisholm and team manager Paul Hurry.
In his time at the helm, Coleman has strived to take the 2025 Rowe Motor Oil Premiership champions to the next level, building a competitive side and improving the experience for fans at Foxhall and those who follow the club online, including the introduction of a big screen and a new streaming service.
He believes joining forces with one of the world’s biggest speedway clubs can only benefit Ipswich, both on and off the track. Coleman said: “If you look at the Ekstraliga, it’s the Champions League of speedway and there is a lot to be learned from that league. We had a chat with three clubs, but from my perspective, Wrocław was head and shoulders above the others and has a lot to offer. It’s a really well-run club – and not only financially. Every single league match is sold out and they really do care about the fan experience and the riders.
“The Rusko family also deeply cares about the sport of speedway. I think they share my vision and values as to where the sport needs to go in the next five years. They really understand that the sport of speedway outside of Poland is a concern, so their motives to join forces with us and improve this picture were the right ones.
“I am in a fortunate position where I don’t look at the Witches to necessarily make me money personally. But I also want to be in a position where I can invest back into the club and try to take things forward.
“I still have total control of the club. We certainly didn’t need any additional financing. My commitment and my team’s commitment to the Witches is as it was, and it is only furthered by this partnership.
“It was very much a question of whether it was the right fit strategically in the heart rather than in the wallet. Therefore, we were able to come to a view that a strategic partnership made sense.”
Coleman is delighted to be joining forces with Wrocław and its owners, the Rusko family – a family that he believes has the sport at heart.
He said: “Wrocław hasn’t always pursued financial gain over the bigger picture. They have been very active in attracting youth. It’s a very young demographic that they have in Wrocław. They are very active in their local community.
“I think there are a lot of things that we can learn from them. I am really excited about how this partnership can pan out in future years.
“Ultimately, it is very much Mayfield’s club. But we are really interested in how Wrocław can advise and help, and how we can collectively move the Witches forward.”
Coleman is encouraged by the success of multi-club ownership in other sports, not least football. He added: “That model is very tried and tested in football. It will be interesting to see how this progresses within speedway. I think Wrocław’s involvement with the Witches can only be overwhelmingly positive.
“We are going to have a commercial working group. The purpose of that is to look at how we can help each other, whether that be staging sparring/challenge matches in pre-season, or whether that’s initiatives across the board.
“The sport of speedway is huge in Poland, and within Britain, there is a diaspora of around a million Poles. There is clearly a Polish market within the UK and if Ipswich is the most open club to that, then we can only stand to benefit and gain.
“We will also have a sporting working group with our general manager and team manager and their opposite numbers in Poland. Together, we can have much more influence over the best engine tuners, the best riders and the best academies. There are lots of areas where we will be stronger together than we would be on our own. I am quite excited and enthused about the benefits that this strategic partnership can bring.”
Coleman hints that Wrocław’s support could play a role in helping Ipswich with constructing a strong side for the 2027 Premiership season.
He said: “I feel that Wrocław will be very helpful and involved in how we build our squad for 2027. Both clubs feel they are stronger together and it could create options or clever ways to do contracts. We will have to see how that plays out. I certainly don’t see any disadvantage – this can only be a good thing for Ipswich.”
WTS Sparta Wrocław club president Andrzej Rusko is delighted to join forces with the Witches. He said: “Speedway does not begin and end in Poland. I am fully aware that, for many years, we have had the strongest speedway league in the world. However, I view this sport from a global perspective, and I know that we must strengthen other leagues and continue developing the discipline in other key markets. This is essential if speedway is to experience a true global revival.
“England is the birthplace of speedway, and I have no doubt that this is where we must begin this new chapter of cooperation. Ipswich has always been a club close to my heart. Many years ago, John Louis showed me the direction in which speedway was heading and taught me so much about the sport. The lessons I learned from him helped us build and develop speedway in Poland.
“Now, we are returning in a new role. Our ambition is to help make speedway in England, just as it is in Poland, a premium sporting product once again, and for the Ipswich Witches to inspire and lead the way for other clubs across the country.
“I believe this marks the beginning of a shared journey. Together, we can open a new chapter that will help rebuild and strengthen speedway on a global scale in the years ahead. Richard Coleman is a man of vision, determination, and strong leadership. I know he has a clear plan and the commitment to execute it step by step in order to develop the sport we all love. We want to support him in that mission and work together to promote speedway, helping it become an even stronger global brand within the international sporting landscape.”