Change brings unintended consequences

[League Express 50]

If you look at the RFL's proposals to re-structure Super League and the semi-professional leagues below it, you have to ask whether the cure is worse than the disease.
The RFL and the Super League clubs seem to have identified two problems with the structure of the game as it currently stands.
First, promotion and relegation between full-time and part-time competitions is futile, given that a club going into Super League would have to transform itself from a part-time to a full-time operation within a matter of weeks, and sign an entire squad of players from somewhere.
On the other hand, licensing is unpopular with many clubs and supporters, given that many fans years for the sort of promotion and relegation battles that characterise the football leagues.
The second problem the clubs seem to have identified is the relative lack of movement of clubs within Super League from year to year.

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[redjonn 330]

Your point regards not generating sufficient income is the fundamental issue for which tinkering with the league structure will not address. Although promotion and relegation may offer the possibility of more investment in the championship because it allows aspirational possibilities.

 

The reason Rugby Union is able to develop so well is the strong international game that enables the RU to do many developmental aspects from the monies generated. Plus it helps to have some control over the clubs whom want access to that money.

 

The priority focus to say the obvious for RL is to find a means of developing a healthy international game. France maybe being a priority. and a means to fashion stronger Wales, Scotland and Ireland, etc. Even if this means engineering stronger non England UK teams.  The Aussie and NZ would be more interested if we had strong money generating international foundation over here. I don't think RL has ever really tried to develop strong international game and will continue to fall behind Union over here until it is set as priority.

[bewareshadows 35]

If when the league splits, they run the Challenge cup for a number of weeks, this would also allow for some international fixtures mid season.  Whether that be the exiles format or France v England.

 

Also the point about championship clubs not being able to compete with SL1 clubs.

The bottom SL1 clubs don't currently spend the full cap, so it's not like the top SL2 clubs will be playing clubs maxed out on the salary cap. Also as points are carried forwards, there is an evening effect in that although the SL1 clubs will be ahead in player strength, the SL2 clubs will be ahead on points.

 

There is only a maximum of 28 points that can be recovered during the 2nd phase.  Also the championship clubs will be playing each other as well as the SL1 clubs, so they will pick up points.  Mathematically it's going to be very difficult for more than one SL1 club to pull ahead of the top SL2 club.

 

I do find the assumption that this system is complex, very insulting. We are not thick northerners with no  education, no training, no prospects.

We are fully educated people who can understand complex situations, some of us can do simultaneous equations, some of us can understand more than the reporters give us credit for.  It took about 2 reads to understand the system. 

 

The question is money, but that is also the current question.  I think there are elements of the option 3 system that can be exploited that the current system can't. but it will still take effort and a better marketing team than the current one at the RFL to exploit. The suggestion of a new league structure does not worry me.  Giving the title sponsorship away to Stobart for free last year, leaving us with no one prepared to pay this year worries me.

 

But then the SL chairmen endorsed that last year, as did the outgoing Richard Lewis who put his neck on the line, to stop a gambling company getting the gig, but then left some months later.