AMERICAN ace Luke Becker will be back for a second season with Leicester in 2025.
The 25-year-old becomes the fourth confirmed starter for the Watling JCB Lions alongside skipper Max Fricke, Kyle Howarth and Rising Star Sam Hagon.
Becker joined the Lions last winter after the forced closure of Midlands rivals Wolverhampton, having previously spent all of his British career with the Monmore club.
He had a tough start to life at Leicester but burst into top form with a string of double-figure scores over the summer, coinciding with the Lions’ winning run and resultant charge up the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership table.
It was also notable that his away average was slightly higher than that which he achieved at home, which proved important in several victories on the road.
He comes back into the side on a 6.57 average with the definite potential to improve on that if he can find consistency from the start of the campaign.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “Luke is a determined young man, he doesn’t say too much but you could tell at the time he wasn’t doing well – and there was one particular period of around three weeks when it really wasn’t going well for him – just how determined he is.
“He’s not slow to ask for practice when he’s looking to resolve problems, and that’s something we always try to encourage.
“We need Luke to do the job that Luke Becker can do. We want the form from that spell when he was really scoring well for us, and what I’ve regularly said is that in that period he wasn’t riding above himself, he was riding to what he can and should be doing.
“We are going to need that in large bundles next season on a more consistent basis. I do think we’ll get that, and I’m happy that he’s back.
“I didn’t just keep him because he’s on 6.57, which wasn’t a dramatic fall in any case, it was under half a point, but he’ll be very keen to get that average back up.
“I look at his scores in Europe and there are some really good ones there, and he’s been around the British scene for a while now.
“I know he wants to get to the top level and target the GPs and so on for America, and whilst I wouldn’t say next season is make or break, I do think if he wants to get to where he wants to be, he’s got to be looking to grab one of our heat-leader spots, and that’s a challenge in itself.”
Lions have three more riders to announce in order to compete their 2025 septet, and further news is expected this week.
*SUPPORTERS are reminded of the Season Ticket launch day at Beaumont Park on Sunday November 24 (10.30am-1.30pm).
2025 Season Tickets will be available for £253 (adults) and £231 (Over-65s/students), to include all 12 ROWE Motor Oil Premiership home fixtures. (Not including play-offs, KO Cup, challenge matches, Individual/Testimonial meetings, BSPL shared events.)
Season tickets also include a team photograph, a centre green experience and reduced admission of just £6 to Lion Cubs home matches in the National Development League.
They will be on sale from the corporate box (turn three) at the stadium, and payments can be made by cash, card or cheque. A passport sized photo will be required.
Refreshments will also be available as thanks to Pukka Pies we will have a selection of pies and sausage rolls to give away.
For those unable to make it on the day, Season Tickets will launched online from Monday November 25.
