Can the end of the 8s save Leigh and/or Fev from hardship?

[Scubby]

One or both of these great clubs are on the brink of losing the hundreds of thousands of pounds in central funding if they slip outside the 4. We all remember what happened with Halifax and  Sheffield when they slipped out after previously being in the middle 8s - they had to slash the playing budget. 

If the end of the 8s is nigh does that mean a more evenly distributed pot in the Championship for 2019? The difference between what Barrow get and what the top couple of clubs currently get cannot really be justified in a 12-team division.

[DavidM]

18 minutes ago, Scubby said:

One or both of these great clubs are on the brink of losing the hundreds of thousands of pounds in central funding if they slip outside the 4. We all remember what happened with Halifax and  Sheffield when they slipped out after previously being in the middle 8s - they had to slash the playing budget. 

If the end of the 8s is nigh does that mean a more evenly distributed pot in the Championship for 2019? The difference between what Barrow get and what the top couple of clubs currently get cannot really be justified in a 12-team division.

Surely must be , just looking at the league is alarming with a 16 point gap to the rest with little hope the way it is 

[dixiedean]

6 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Surely must be , just looking at the league is alarming with a 16 point gap to the rest with little hope the way it is 

We have had a grand total of 2 wins and 2 draws in 68 games between the Top 6 and bottom 6.  (Batley beat TO XIII, Barrow over Leigh. Draws, Barrow/Toronto and Fax v Dewsbury). Most of these were early doors, before injuries and suspensions bit.

That is not a league, but 2 leagues. 

Most of the games involving two top 6 or two bottom 6 sides have been very competitive by contrast.

[RayCee]

The benefit of an evened pot is it would make the Championship more even. However, that would widen the gap between the top Championship sides and lowest SL sides, making it more difficult to gain promotion.

Frankly I have no idea what the best way is. However, if funding is staggered then the scenario of losing money based on how teams finish will be the situation they face. It becomes problematic when a club is spending to its limit, then suddenly has to cut back dramatically. 

[dixiedean]

If we have one up one down, then funding can be equalised very easily.

But would leave the promoted club at a massive disadvantage the following season.

And the relegated club would still have to slash costs.

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, dixiedean said:

If we have one up one down, then funding can be equalised very easily.

But would leave the promoted club at a massive disadvantage the following season.

And the relegated club would still have to slash costs.

It would mean you only need a squad to win the Championship though and not to try an knock a club like Leeds or Hull KR at a few weeks notice. A 12-team division being split in half like this just isn't healthy.

[DimmestStar]

The only reason that the championship funding of the top teams was massively increased was to give them a chance of being competitive in the qualifiers.

If as seems certain we are going back to one up one down with automatic promotion the likes of Leigh & Fev will no longer have to be better than Super League teams in order to gain promotion and will not need £700k of Super League TV money.

The crowd at Leigh in a big game today was 3,000 Fev even less.The battle between them next season will be enthralling ..I mean that...but does not require Super League clubs to divert millions of pounds of TV money in their direction.

[dixiedean]

2 minutes ago, Scubby said:

It would mean you only need a squad to win the Championship though and not to try an knock a club like Leeds or Hull KR at a few weeks notice. A 12-team division being split in half like this just isn't healthy.

I agree. Imagine next year, if Beaumont withdraws funding, and Fev make serious cutbacks. 

We could have 4 teams 15 or 16 points clear of 5th place.

This season has only been so good because Toulouse and Toronto have access to heavy outside funding. As well as Leigh under-achieving.

[Kris]

Who said the 8’s are done?

the rfl run the comp

all the clubs have a vote on structure

i dont see any vote taking place and i do not see a change of structure for 2019

Until one is announced i would advise a lot of caution

elstone was employed to get more cash into sl not run the rfl or do anything to benefit anyone else other than the top 12 clubs he has no actual power and no staff he is a mouthpiece  at present nothing more

the time will come when we have a new tv deal or deals to discuss - that will be very interesting

in the meantime the 8’s will stay - the only change that would have any meaning and progress the game at all would be to have a top 8 play off so 4 of the 8 teams actually also have something to play for - every minute matters after all 

Everyone else is having a whale of a time - or haven’t you noticed?

 

 

[David Shepherd]

1 hour ago, Scubby said:

One or both of these great clubs are on the brink of losing the hundreds of thousands of pounds in central funding if they slip outside the 4. We all remember what happened with Halifax and  Sheffield when they slipped out after previously being in the middle 8s - they had to slash the playing budget. 

If the end of the 8s is nigh does that mean a more evenly distributed pot in the Championship for 2019? The difference between what Barrow get and what the top couple of clubs currently get cannot really be justified in a 12-team division.

It would certainly explain the complete lack of strengthening at Fev, particularly after losing both half backs.

Our failure has been certain since Blackpool.

[GUBRATS]

55 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

The only reason that the championship funding of the top teams was massively increased was to give them a chance of being competitive in the qualifiers.

If as seems certain we are going back to one up one down with automatic promotion the likes of Leigh & Fev will no longer have to be better than Super League teams in order to gain promotion and will not need £700k of Super League TV money.

The crowd at Leigh in a big game today was 3,000 Fev even less.The battle between them next season will be enthralling ..I mean that...but does not require Super League clubs to divert millions of pounds of TV money in their direction.

3,600 for what wasnt a ' big ' game is quite healthy and I was actually surprised it was that high , I doubt we'll see another like that for quite a while now

If asked I'd advise Derek Beaumont to reign back on funding , as has been proven this year , you dont always get what expect to for the money invested

[jpmc]

58 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

3,600 for what wasnt a ' big ' game is quite healthy and I was actually surprised it was that high , I doubt we'll see another like that for quite a while now

If asked I'd advise Derek Beaumont to reign back on funding , as has been proven this year , you dont always get what expect to for the money invested

Actually it was closer to 3700

[Man of Kent]

I keep reading how great the Championship is - and it has been undoubtedly exciting at the top - but that league table and the yawning chasm between the top six and bottom six makes a mockery of it.

The answer is staring us in the face: two smaller, full-time leagues (with room to go for suitable clubs) and the rest go in a semi-pro National League with its own cup competition. It’s the least worst solution.

[dixiedean]

43 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I keep reading how great the Championship is - and it has been undoubtedly exciting at the top - but that league table and the yawning chasm between the top six and bottom six makes a mockery of it.

The answer is staring us in the face: two smaller, full-time leagues (with room to go for suitable clubs) and the rest go in a semi-pro National League with its own cup competition. It’s the least worst solution.

Tbf the bottom 6 has been competitive and exciting too, if a relegation battle is your thing. The difference between those clubs and the top 9 in Champ 1 is not much if any, from the CC evidence.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, DimmestStar said:

The only reason that the championship funding of the top teams was massively increased was to give them a chance of being competitive in the qualifiers.

If as seems certain we are going back to one up one down with automatic promotion the likes of Leigh & Fev will no longer have to be better than Super League teams in order to gain promotion and will not need £700k of Super League TV money.

The crowd at Leigh in a big game today was 3,000 Fev even less.The battle between them next season will be enthralling ..I mean that...but does not require Super League clubs to divert millions of pounds of TV money in their direction.

The increase in Salary Cap put it on a level playing field,not additional funding. Both Leigh and KR having to back the cause with at least £1M to keep that playing field level.. That money doesn't come from central funding, it comes from someone's wallet.

So the question is do Leigh support the cause again,or do they look at alternatives. If it was my money bankrolling a venture that is one-sided, I know what i'd do..

[RS]

Does anyone have a link to the Championship Sky money allocation per place in the table?

[Snowman123]

9 hours ago, dixiedean said:

This season has only been so good because Toulouse and Toronto have access to heavy outside funding. As well as Leigh under-achieving

Toronto yes, but they are making declared losses as part of an intended plan.   As a business they have to prove stability.

Toulouse, not yet. They are working to a declared 5 year plan, and this is year 2.  Sure substantial sponsorship is potentially around the corner which say half the SL UK clubs will have trouble matching, but it isn't there yet.   If SL changes the competition rules, say one up, one down - remove the Qualifiers, then that will potentially stuff TO's business plan if they cannot adapt.   French TV rights would likely want 2 French sides in top flight.

 

[Man of Kent]

6 hours ago, dixiedean said:

Tbf the bottom 6 has been competitive and exciting too, if a relegation battle is your thing.

The difference between those clubs and the top 9 in Champ 1 is not much if any, from the CC evidence.

Precisely...

[DoubleD]

7 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

I keep reading how great the Championship is - and it has been undoubtedly exciting at the top - but that league table and the yawning chasm between the top six and bottom six makes a mockery of it.

The answer is staring us in the face: two smaller, full-time leagues (with room to go for suitable clubs) and the rest go in a semi-pro National League with its own cup competition. It’s the least worst solution.

People are making judgements on a single season snapshot, which is easy to do but perhaps not reflective of the true picture. Sheffield have been competitive in the past and it was only a season or 2 ago that Batley made the Top 4. Who knows what will happen next year if Bradford and York come up and clubs potentially dropping from SL.

I do think funding in the Championship should be slightly less skewed but I don't agree in equalisation

[RS]

Under the current regulations, the sides that finish in the top four of the Championship receive £750,000, £700,000, £500,000 and £450,000 respectively. Below that, clubs receive between £275,000 and £150,000, depending on their finishing position.

 

I'm sure it was reported that Leigh got a £500,000 parachute payment if that was the case they would be dropping from £1.25m to £275,000 some tough times ahead for Leigh and that's assuming Degsy maintains his current support for the club.

[paulwalker71]

1 minute ago, RS said:

Under the current regulations, the sides that finish in the top four of the Championship receive £750,000, £700,000, £500,000 and £450,000 respectively. Below that, clubs receive between £275,000 and £150,000, depending on their finishing position.

Wow, with one point separating 2nd from 6th in the Championship right now, you can see how the final positions are really going to make a difference to next years budgets

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

42 minutes ago, RS said:

Under the current regulations, the sides that finish in the top four of the Championship receive £750,000, £700,000, £500,000 and £450,000 respectively. Below that, clubs receive between £275,000 and £150,000, depending on their finishing position.

Not quite - 'prize' money is based on positions at the end of the 8s ie MPG loser followed by 6th, 7th and 8th.

And whilst those figures are probably about right I don't believe they've ever been published officially.

[Godzilla]

41 minutes ago, RS said:

some tough times ahead for Leigh and that's assuming Degsy maintains his current support for the club.

Which he has already said he won't....

[The Daddy]

1 minute ago, Godzilla said:

Which he has already said he won't....

I thought he changed his mind? 

[jpmc]

6 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

I thought he changed his mind? 

Haha so did i which probably means it'll be somewhere in the middle