35 replies to this topic

[jamescolin]

And Griff if the idea that is being mooted comes off then to a great extent finances will be addressed.
Not the best solution in the world but much better than the existing arrangements.

[Griff]

There's no suggestion of that from what I've seen.

All that's being proposed is some sort of twenty team, two division $uperleague. I've seen no mention of finances being equalised in any way.

The problem with reducing any club's sponsorship cut is that it makes it difficult for clubs to manage their existing contract commitments to players contracted beyond the current season. I would see difficulties in reducing sponsorship to the top ten in order to finance a second $uperleague division of ten. - if any meaningful closure of the gap were to be made.

Just my opinion, obviously. But I have thought about it.

[Bob Crowther]

Taking into account the language that is coming from certain clubs and players in the SL, I would hazard a guess that the years 2014/5 could see a reduction in the number of teams in that division, never mind promoting four to the division.
Sorry, but the Championship does not, at the moment, have the finances for clubs to consider leaping into the SL. It is not the be all and end all of rugby in our current financial climate and is certainly not worth the risk of being dragged down into the mire, a la Bradford.

Edited by Bob Crowther, 06 October 2012 - 04:24 PM.

[Steve Slater]

There's no suggestion of that from what I've seen.

All that's being proposed is some sort of twenty team, two division $uperleague. I've seen no mention of finances being equalised in any way.

The problem with reducing any club's sponsorship cut is that it makes it difficult for clubs to manage their existing contract commitments to players contracted beyond the current season. I would see difficulties in reducing sponsorship to the top ten in order to finance a second $uperleague division of ten. - if any meaningful closure of the gap were to be made.

Just my opinion, obviously. But I have thought about it.

I feel that it's the name "Super League" and the lack of media attention that's just as devisive, especially for Sheffield. How much TV coverage have you received compared to the Rhinos, especially on Calendar and Look North? The RFL could try to address this but they prefer it that way. They don't want publicity for Fax and Fev, they want their supporters to desert them in favour of Cas, Wakey and Bradford. Personally I feel that Sheffield is still a development area and I'd rather see them in SL than a 2nd London club, but how many former RL fans that got kicked in the teeth with the Shuddersfield fiasco would come back? Sheffield have probably got more aggrieved erstwhile fans than Fev!

[Griff]

I think you have to take all that in the context of RL being a minority sport.

Your top $uperleague sides only get similar gates to Championship soccer sides.

Your run-of-the-mill sides are probably on a par with Div 3 (or whatever it is these days).

[jamescolin]

I think you have to take all that in the context of RL being a minority sport.

Your top $uperleague sides only get similar gates to Championship soccer sides.

Your run-of-the-mill sides are probably on a par with Div 3 (or whatever it is these days).

[jamescolin]

My original posting was in answer to the suggestion that four teams were seekimg a Super League place. Some quarters are saying that 2 SL's are the answer. There would be a two year promotion and regulation and SL 1 clubs would have games against SL 2 clubs. It would provide a stepping stone to move forward to be amongst the big boys. Not ideal but better than the existing arrangement. There are of course lot of anomalies to overcome but it is an alternative way of reorganising the existing set up.

[Griff]

I think you'd need two tens minimum. Whether we have six clubs able to step up to a hypothetical SL 2 is debatable. If it was genuinely going to be a halfway house, these teams would need to be full time.

If not, it'd be pretty much what we have now - with the line in the sand drawn a little further up the beach.

[Steve Slater]

I think you'd need two tens minimum. Whether we have six clubs able to step up to a hypothetical SL 2 is debatable. If it was genuinely going to be a halfway house, these teams would need to be full time.

If not, it'd be pretty much what we have now - with the line in the sand drawn a little further up the beach.

[jamescolin]

I think you'd need two tens minimum. Whether we have six clubs able to step up to a hypothetical SL 2 is debatable. If it was genuinely going to be a halfway house, these teams would need to be full time.

If not, it'd be pretty much what we have now - with the line in the sand drawn a little further up the beach.

Yes Griff 2 teams of ten - full time. The SLl teams would play 5 home and 5 away against SL2 clubs, as well as their own division. The suggestion was to enter 2 French teams to expand RL abroad. Plus two other teams from Championship. SL2 would be a development league especially for upcoming youngsters. As I said earlier not the ideal solution and I am not particularly backing it. It would however be worth having a look at in depth. I really feel that the new RFL management are going to make some big changes. Time will tell.

[jamescolin]

Yes Griff 2 teams of ten - full time. The SLl teams would play 5 home and 5 away against SL2 clubs, as well as their own division. The suggestion was to enter 2 French teams to expand RL abroad. Plus two other teams from Championship. SL2 would be a development league especially for upcoming youngsters. As I said earlier not the ideal solution and I am not particularly backing it. It would however be worth having a look at in depth. I really feel that the new RFL management are going to make some big changes. Time will tell.

That should be two leagues of ten teams of course.

[Steve Slater]

You could have less clubs with an unbalanced fixture list. A balanced set of fixtures is unfair if the league winners aren't called the champions!

[Griff]

OK well, two French and two UK teams brings us to 18, so we still need two more.

I'd need to see where the money was coming from.

I'm struggling to see it's coming from Sky. We seem to be splitting four (current) Superleague cuts plus 4 (current) Championship cuts ten ways and giving ourselves a huge extra commitment to traipse teams over to France twice a season.

It's not making sense to me.

[jamescolin]

OK well, two French and two UK teams brings us to 18, so we still need two more.

I'd need to see where the money was coming from.

I'm struggling to see it's coming from Sky. We seem to be splitting four (current) Superleague cuts plus 4 (current) Championship cuts ten ways and giving ourselves a huge extra commitment to traipse teams over to France twice a season.

It's not making sense to me.
2 from SL, six from Championship, 2 French teams. Might not have made that clear. Money? Suggested lower salary cap for SL2 and lots of younger players with one or two veterans. Not ideal but this is a suggestion. Still feel there will be some changes. If not then not much to look forward to.

[Steve Slater]

Reduce the salary cap and reduce the overseas quota for SL2, have a quota of full-time players in SL2, the rest part-time. If you needed to balance the money, only have 8 teams in SL1.
Fit the size of SL2 and share the money dependant upon the number of worthy clubs rather than leave those left out to rot.
Appoint a set of part-time auditors, answerable to the RFL and not the clubs, to sit on the board of each club to ensure they keep to set guidelines and don't get into financial difficulties.
Appoint a RFL media officer to ensure that SL2 and the Championship clubs get a fair crack of the whip with regard to media coverage, insisting that Look North,Calendar, and the tabloids, give out all professional results, etc., rather than just Super League.

[jamescolin]

Reduce the salary cap and reduce the overseas quota for SL2, have a quota of full-time players in SL2, the rest part-time. If you needed to balance the money, only have 8 teams in SL1.
Fit the size of SL2 and share the money dependant upon the number of worthy clubs rather than leave those left out to rot.
Appoint a set of part-time auditors, answerable to the RFL and not the clubs, to sit on the board of each club to ensure they keep to set guidelines and don't get into financial difficulties.
Appoint a RFL media officer to ensure that SL2 and the Championship clubs get a fair crack of the whip with regard to media coverage, insisting that Look North,Calendar, and the tabloids, give out all professional results, etc., rather than just Super League.

Some excdellant points. Leta hope some of them are in the RL agenda. Also Newspapers showing what sport is on TV never mention Championship games on Premier Sports. The media have certainly a lot to answer for. I was surprised on the Tuesday RL night programme however when Fev were picked out as one of the leading clubs by beating Cas in the Cup.