97 replies to this topic

[John Drake]

RFL PRESS RELEASE

Championship Clubs receive the green light to apply for a Super League licence

The RFL have confirmed today that application forms for Super League Licences have been sent to those Championship clubs that have fulfilled the on-field minimum criteria. Halifax, Featherstone, Batley, Barrow and Widnes have all received their applications, having been either Co-operative Championship Grand Finalists or winners of the Northern Rail Cup in 2009 or 2010. The Clubs now have until 3 December 2010 to submit their applications to the RFL for assessment.
“With the Co-operative Championship developing into such a vibrant competition in its own right, we expect a number of strong submissions from clubs who have aspirations of joining the Super League,” explained the RFL Compliance Manager Blake Solly. “The licence process is a central factor in ensuring Super League reaches its aim of being the best elite Rugby League competition in the world and the response so far from those clubs eligible to apply has been exciting.”
In order for a Championship club’s application to proceed to assessment by the RFL, an applicant must meet the Championship club minimum criteria. These minimum criteria are:

a. Club has reached a Championship Final or won the Northern Rail Cup in 2009 or 2010.
b. Club has a stadium with an operational capacity of 10,000.
c. Club has turnover of at least £1,000,000 in financial year ending 2009 or 2010.
d. Club has an average attendance of at least 2500 in 2009 or 2010.

Provided at least one applicant meets the minimum criteria, a Championship club will be awarded a Super League licence for a three-year period commencing at the start of the 2012 season.
This initial successful Championship club receiving a Super League licence will be announced in March 2011.

[FrankDrebin]

RFL PRESS RELEASE

Championship Clubs receive the green light to apply for a Super League licence

The RFL have confirmed today that application forms for Super League Licences have been sent to those Championship clubs that have fulfilled the on-field minimum criteria. Halifax, Featherstone, Batley, Barrow and Widnes have all received their applications, having been either Co-operative Championship Grand Finalists or winners of the Northern Rail Cup in 2009 or 2010. The Clubs now have until 3 December 2010 to submit their applications to the RFL for assessment.
“With the Co-operative Championship developing into such a vibrant competition in its own right, we expect a number of strong submissions from clubs who have aspirations of joining the Super League,” explained the RFL Compliance Manager Blake Solly. “The licence process is a central factor in ensuring Super League reaches its aim of being the best elite Rugby League competition in the world and the response so far from those clubs eligible to apply has been exciting.”
In order for a Championship club’s application to proceed to assessment by the RFL, an applicant must meet the Championship club minimum criteria. These minimum criteria are:

a. Club has reached a Championship Final or won the Northern Rail Cup in 2009 or 2010.
b. Club has a stadium with an operational capacity of 10,000.
c. Club has turnover of at least £1,000,000 in financial year ending 2009 or 2010.
d. Club has an average attendance of at least 2500 in 2009 or 2010.

Provided at least one applicant meets the minimum criteria, a Championship club will be awarded a Super League licence for a three-year period commencing at the start of the 2012 season.
This initial successful Championship club receiving a Super League licence will be announced in March 2011.

Ahem.....what about the clause regarding overseas clubs being able to apply for a franchise if they are invited to do so by the authorities, regardless of them being able to meet any of the above criteria? I guess they missed that bit off their press statement.

[marklaspalmas]

Bit of a pointless charade all this, isn't it?

yeah, five clubs have fulfilled a) the onfield requirement

but b, c and d which were magicked out of thin air a couple of months back are only fulfilled by Widnes.

So it's Widnes, as promised to them when they missed out last time.

[Simon Hall]

Why even waste money on the postage to Barrow and Batley. That's money that could have been put to better use.

[no13benny]

Bit of a pointless charade all this, isn't it?

yeah, five clubs have fulfilled a) the onfield requirement

but b, c and d which were magicked out of thin air a couple of months back are only fulfilled by Widnes.

So it's Widnes, as promised to them when they missed out last time.

Halifax don't fulfill them too?

[bowes]

Halifax don't fulfill them too?

They definitely meet most of them but it's not known if they meet turnover rules or not

[amh]

Wonder what the odds are on Fax getting in over Widnes?

[Jonty]

Bit of a pointless charade all this, isn't it?

yeah, five clubs have fulfilled a) the onfield requirement

but b, c and d which were magicked out of thin air a couple of months back are only fulfilled by Widnes.

So it's Widnes, as promised to them when they missed out last time.

The clubs have known about the minimum criteria for over a year before it became public knowledge.

[Lobbygobbler]

Wonder what the odds are on Fax getting in over Widnes?

Zero. Fax may get in as well as Widnes though

What happens if more than one club ticks all boxes? Surely they should promote all those teams?

[West Country Eagle]

Zero. Fax may get in as well as Widnes though

What happens if more than one club ticks all boxes? Surely they should promote all those teams?

Then they have to make a hard call. Realistically, though, they'll only admit one new club - unless a couple of SL clubs fall apart in the next 12 months.

[marklaspalmas]

The clubs have known about the minimum criteria for over a year before it became public knowledge.

Why the secrecy, and how do you know this? What would be the point of not informing the paying public of these criteria?

[Lobbygobbler]

Why the secrecy, and how do you know this? What would be the point of not informing the paying public of these criteria?

That's a good point. Had fans known about this its possible that the fans could have got more involved to help up the ante to meet the criteria

For example, with a known minimum attendance, a club and its fans can develop initiatives to meet the targets. Bigger gates helps a bigger turnover too

I would just like to point out that I think the RFL really ought to promote any club that ticks all the boxes, as at least then fans know if their efforts with the club will be rewarded. I don't like this closed doors decision making

It would be a terrible thing for a club to tick all boxes and then be rejected - much better to split SL money more ways and let an extra club up

[bowes]

Sounds like ParisSurtout won't have any reason to post on here anymore

[Jonty]

Why the secrecy, and how do you know this? What would be the point of not informing the paying public of these criteria?

A Widnes official said as much..!

Besides, perhaps the clubs involved requested that it was kept quiet? I seem to remember that part way through the 2009 season there was a meeting held by the RFL for ambitious Championship clubs to look at the criteria. This was well documented at the time, both in the trade press and on messageboards, like the Fev forum.

[Manx RL]

Zero. Fax may get in as well as Widnes though

What happens if more than one club ticks all boxes? Surely they should promote all those teams?

Think of it like a job application. If all 5 applicants tick all the boxes who do you employ if you only have one vacancy?

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Think of it like a job application. If all 5 applicants tick all the boxes who do you employ if you only have one vacancy?

The one whos dad already works there.

[West Country Eagle]

I was thinking about the attendance thing earlier. What's stopping an ambitious Championship club from hosting one if their games at a bigger stadium than normal and giving everyone free entry? I know it sounds crazy, but if you attracted, say, 10,000 because it was free (a big ask, but not necessarily impossible for Fax or whoever), that would massively help your average. One of those matches a year, plus solid crowds the rest of the year, and you'd easily get above the 2.5k average.

Standard union trick (apart from the freebies) - the big games at Twickers, Wembley etc lose money but massively boost the average attendances of those clubs.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Haven't Halifax said that they're not ready for 2012 and are looking at the next round in 2015? If so, then the whole thing's a farce (tell us all something we don't know!) as it's obvious that only Widnes qualify uner those criteria. The only possible suprise then would be Toulouse or a bid from a Paris consortium getting in on the non UK fiddle.

[Aristotle]

Sounds like ParisSurtout won't have any reason to post on here anymore

Don't you believe it...

[Aristotle]

Haven't Halifax said that they're not ready for 2012 and are looking at the next round in 2015? If so, then the whole thing's a farce (tell us all something we don't know!) as it's obvious that only Widnes qualify uner those criteria. The only possible suprise then would be Toulouse or a bid from a Paris consortium getting in on the non UK fiddle.

I think they have said that, therefore it's a gimme that only Widnes are going up. Who they replace is the only thing not decided yet.
Or has it...?