There will be no expansion of PGE Ekstraliga. Zmarzlik is getting ready for Dakar [FELIETON]

Bartosz Zmarzlik, taking part in the Silesia Ring car race at the invitation of Robert Kubica, made me realize that I know where our four-time (for now, there will be more of these titles and that’s why Tony Rickardsson is already jealous, what you can see, hear and feel – read his embarrassing statements after Vojens) will find his way around speedway. Well, I am convinced that after a long speedway career, Zmarzlik will, like Adam Małysz, change to a carmaybe not a racing car, but an off-road one and will take part in the Dakar Rally.

It’s October 23, 2023 – remember this date! – I predicted Zmarzlik’s future! “I’ll tell you what I tell you,” as one of the heroes of “Janosik” said, but I can honestly tell you that Bartosz Zmarzlik will replace two wheels with four in a dozen or so years (it is in the interest of Polish and world speedway, not earlier). AND although there is no speedway in Africa, Zmarzlik will be there, because the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally, apart from the start on the Champs Elysées and perhaps one special stage, takes place on the “Dark Continent”, as Africa was once called in the days before “political correctness”. After many years, you will agree with me – this is how it will end! Maybe I’m the Prophet Richard, maybe I’m not, but this prediction of mine will definitely come true.

Another forecast is much more short-term. Well, I’m telling you that in the coming years – unfortunately, because I am a supporter of this! – PGE Ekstraliga will not be expanded. Although it should. It would be better for the development of speedway in Poland. Already now, some clubs of the 1st League can easily compete financially with at least some (certainly not all, not with Motor Lublin or Betard Sparta Wrocław) elite centers. They can compete in terms of budgets, but not in terms of sportsbecause when they are promoted, they complete their team for the highest league only when all the riders have already been “scratched” by the “old” PGE Ekstraliga clubs.

PGE Ekstraliga took – and it was very good, I praised it publicly, because it is a move in the right direction – the example of the Polish Volleyball League. PLS, in front of my eyes and with my participation as vice-president of PZPS, took over the 1st Men’s Volleyball League and professionalized it. However, following this, PLS expanded the PlusLiga to sixteen teams. He wanted to withdraw from it, but for now he has frozen this withdrawal and for now PlusLiga will not return to the number of fourteen teams.

I understand the selfish interests of PGE Ekstraliga clubs, which do not want to share the multi-million dollar cake funded by famous television – so it is in their interest that the best league in the world consists of eight, not ten, teams. And unfortunately, it will stay like this for a few more years. Thus saith the Prophet Richard.