6 replies to this topic

[Michael Ashton]

There is a long article on page 3 of todays Rugby leaguer concerning the RFLs future shake up of the Championship.

It might be an idea if some computer geek can set out on here the text of the article.

[Baaarrow]

There is a long article on page 3 of todays Rugby leaguer concerning the RFLs future shake up of the Championship.

It might be an idea if some computer geek can set out on here the text of the article.

Under the new proposals, the Championship could be expanded to a 14-team competition with entry dependent on clubs meeting a series of stringent criteria based on minimum standards. The size of the Championship will determine how many clubs participate in Championship One but the RFL will actively seek expressions of interest from clubs currently playing outside Championship level to join the third tier competition.

It is proposed that promotion and relegation between the Championship and Championship One will continue between 2012 and 2014, after which the RFL could also consider promotion and relegation between Championship One and the Conference Leagues, again dependent on clubs meeting minimum standards.

Cup competitions, including the Northern Rail Cup, which kicks off this week, will remain an integral part of any new structure but are likely to move to within the Championships season.

“The Northern Rail Cup is a valuable feature of the season for all Championships clubs and I envisage that will continue in the new structure: we want to give players as many opportunities as possible to play in semi-finals and finals,” said Rimmer.

“The next step after this consultation period with stakeholders is to ratify these proposals at an RFL board meeting in March.

“We will then seek expressions of interest from clubs who wish to play in Championship One in 2012 and from those who aspire for entry in the following three seasons.

“The RFL will then investigate these aspirant clubs thoroughly in order to establish whether they have the quality and infrastructures to enter. By September of this year we hope to be in a position to announce the names of the clubs who will compete in the Championships in 2012.

[Off! Number Seven]

Time for Championships Clubs and the amateur game to seriously consider a breakaway from the current administration.

[bwa]

Looks like the RFL are playing franchises with the championship now!
Apparently Oldham would not qualify for promotion because their stadium does not reach
the proposed capacity, 4 finals and are know losing the chance to go up.

[Barrow Phantom]

The problem being they can't accommodate 3000 fans.

[barrowtilidie]

also, they wouldnt get 3000 fans -name one team, who averaged over 3000 in championship.. this is becoming a ###### joke, clubs go bankrupt, its part of sport. they often come back stronger, let it happen rfl. let rugby be what matters, BETTER rugby, more fans more income, better ground, better players better rugby, more income, more fans, bigger ground, better lights more income, better rugby better fans.. we over spend, go bust, fans bail out, and there we go, start again..
Simples.

[Off! Number Seven]

This is another vehicle for ther RFL to structure the leagues as they see fit and select exactly which clubs play in which league. This will allow them to distribute teams across the leagues by location and introduce new teams at any level of the competition on the grounds that they meet a number of irrelevant (in most cases) criteria.

Every club should be very wary of this, it is exactly what the RFL need to introduce a feeder hierachy for SL, they manipulate the Champ & Champ1 leagues to evenly distribute the clubs in the desired structure then use the structure to "justify" the move to a feeder system, possibly with the removal of P&R completely or an increase in franchise periods.

Be interesting to see where that leaves the Cumbrian clubs. I very much doubt it will be with a SL franchise. I personally cannot seeing the RFL ever awarding a franchise to a Cumbrian club, simply because we are not commercially attractive to the Sky advertising department, with the second lowest population density in the country and less than 500k in the entire county we just don carry the revenues Sky are after.