Championship clubs consider structure changes

[Chris Taylor]

This isn't just a Championship issue. 

What is the direction from the governing body - how do they the overall competition?

Why is there a need for a change?

Where do future expansion clubs it into the model - how do we make it an open invite to get more clubs playing the game professionally?

[Robthegasman]

4 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Didn’t lower league fans think the 8’s format was rubbish too though?

The way the 8s were done was indeed rubbish.It was as if previous games did not matter

[Eddie]

3 hours ago, HarrogateKnights said:

In theory you could scrap the reserves have a super league made up of non brackets teams with their feeder clubs in Brackets creating a feeder championship no promotion or relegation

Bradford (Dewsbury)
Castleford (Fev)
Catalans (Toulouse)
Huddersfield (Halifax)
Hull FC (Newcastle)
Hull KR (York)
Leeds (Hunslet)
Leigh (Oldham)
London Broncos (London Skolars)
Salford (Swinton)
St Helens (Rochdale)
Toronto (Ottawa)
Wakefield (Sheffield)
Warrington (Whitehaven)
Widnes (North Wales)
Wigan (Barrow)

If I supported any of the teams in brackets and this happened they’d lose my support straight away, in fact I probably wouldn’t retain any interest in the game at all. 

[GUBRATS]

10 minutes ago, Eddie said:

If I supported any of the teams in brackets and this happened they’d lose my support straight away, in fact I probably wouldn’t retain any interest in the game at all. 

Eddie , if Leigh were in a ' closed shop ' SL I'd be questioning whether I wanted to continue supporting them 

[Smudger06]

6 hours ago, scotchy1 said:

What would SL be worried about?

Oh I don't know, a rival league perhaps? A 2nd Super League War maybe? that worry is a key reason SL wouldn't risk a full breakaway from the Governing Body. 

[del capo]

50 minutes ago, Smudger06 said:

Oh I don't know, a rival league perhaps? A 2nd Super League War maybe? that worry is a key reason SL wouldn't risk a full breakaway from the Governing Body. 

The game has  a solid agreement as to funding based on what can be achieved by SL on TV contracts  next time around.   The deal was  fixed at the last but one full  Council and certainly  enforceable . The more SL can achieve in their negotiations the better for everyone. If they can't then those further down in the food chain will suffer.  Elstone's actions will be pivotal as the RFU  coverage contracts seem to be in flux. Definite positive opportunities for perhaps the first time in a while.

SL cannot afford to replicate what RFL offer them in support services - hence a full breakaway is unlikely.  They pay a shed full to the Governing Body for those essential covers.

That doesn't of course mean that those below SL shouldn't be looking to their own future strategies. There's a lot of talk in many sports of ring fencing -Let's just see out it may pan out .....

[Smudger06]

6 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

I'm not sure adding a couple of L1 clubs and a 25 game season makes the championship a rival to SL

Are fans suddenly going flock to Leigh or sheffield because of a slightly larger league?

A game a week live on free to air and a game a week free on ouRLeague in a comp with a national footprint rather than a regional one with a couple of random overseas teams in....cant see em suddenly flocking through the turnstiles but it's not something SL would want to risk. Much better the status quo. 

[Smudger06]

10 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

Where is a game a week live on FTA coming from? Why cant SL do a game a week live on FTA?

Our league is watched by really low numbers

Even if they did get a game a week on FTA, even if thousands suddenly started watching it. Whose paying for any of it? 

Probably stuff on the agenda at these types of meetings. 

[Hela Wigmen]

Whatever Super League choose to do in terms of teams in the league and how many fixtures they play, the Championship should look to replicate it at their level. 

I think the biggest decision to be made is with League One and how they see it. Is it just another extension of the Championship or is it going to be a development league for our current expansion clubs and any that look to join in future? 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

18 hours ago, HarrogateKnights said:

It depends how desperate the game gets, if worst case scenario the championship/league 1 doesn't get any central funding and they don't get a TV deal to cover the gap. There will be 3 options 1) A system similar to above 2) Scale back/have a genius light-bulb moment 3) Go bust. Personally as a York fan I wouldn't want the above but if it was this or no local rugby league would rather have a local team linked to a Super League team that I could follow

I'm starting to think where we are with Broncos us where we will always be.... Unless franchising comes back and we get a big backer

[gittinsfan]

15 hours ago, Eddie said:

If I supported any of the teams in brackets and this happened they’d lose my support straight away, in fact I probably wouldn’t retain any interest in the game at all. 

I am sure many Championship fans would share your sentiments.How many Fev fans would turn out if they were an official feeder club for Cas.

Also Batley and Keighley left out once again.Do these posters know something we don't.LOL.

[paulwalker71]

22 hours ago, Eddie said:

If I supported any of the teams in brackets and this happened they’d lose my support straight away, in fact I probably wouldn’t retain any interest in the game at all. 

I’m not saying I support the feeder club model, but isn’t it what we have now in many ways? By which I mean, lots of clubs with no hope of ever progressing to SL, propped up by Dual Reg and/or loan agreements with Super League clubs.

Wouldn’t it just formalise much of what already happens? 

[gittinsfan]

34 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

The feeder club model should be the best incubator for ambitious clubs. 

They focus on building a pathway, nurturing young talent and getting people through the doors and the parent club supplies them with talent etc.

Then when they have grown enough the feeder club takes a step up.

The reticence towards that model comes from one place. That is that the feeder club will never grow enough under any system to demand a place at the table and their hope, however forlorn, is simply 1 lucky season. 

I don't think the feeder club would be allowed to grow and step up.They will be there purely for the convenience of the SL club.

[The 4 of Us]

9 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'm starting to think where we are with Broncos us where we will always be.... Unless franchising comes back and we get a big backer

You have a big backer. Just that he likes to do it the way he does and doesn’t appear too worried about doing it any differently.

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, scotchy1 said:

The feeder club model should be the best incubator for ambitious clubs. 

They focus on building a pathway, nurturing young talent and getting people through the doors and the parent club supplies them with talent etc.

Then when they have grown enough the feeder club takes a step up.

The reticence towards that model comes from one place. That is that the feeder club will never grow enough under any system to demand a place at the table and their hope, however forlorn, is simply 1 lucky season. 

Is there any examples of feeder clubs building up under a system like that ?

[gittinsfan]

40 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

The idea that SL doesnt want more strong clubs seems incredibly counterintuitive

I don't think SL do want more strong clubs.They don't want to reduce their share of the pot.

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, gittinsfan said:

I don't think SL do want more strong clubs.They don't want to reduce their share of the pot.

More strong clubs should in theory increase the size of the pot 

[gittinsfan]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

More strong clubs should in theory increase the size of the pot 

That theory needs to be proven though.I'm not too sure.

[Smudger06]

13 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

More strong clubs should in theory increase the size of the pot 

Certain clubs would never chance getting pushed out or squeezed out though. 

[GUBRATS]

15 minutes ago, Smudger06 said:

Certain clubs would never chance getting pushed out or squeezed out though. 

Again ' in theory ' those clubs would need to build themselves to avoid that possibility

[GUBRATS]

12 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Whatever Super League choose to do in terms of teams in the league and how many fixtures they play, the Championship should look to replicate it at their level. 

I think the biggest decision to be made is with League One and how they see it. Is it just another extension of the Championship or is it going to be a development league for our current expansion clubs and any that look to join in future? 

Why should the Championship replicate SL ?

[Robthegasman]

I hope that as this season progresses,the picture becomes clearer as to which direction the Championship and Championship 1 will take as I don’t want to see a scenario where the only time we know what will happen is towards the end of next season.

 I hope that the clubs collectively make the right decisions,I hope fans are kept in the picture and yes if controversial and unpopular decisions have to be taken,but are done for the right reasons then that is what has to be done which is why I say keep the fans in the picture.

I do think that rugby league is coming towards a watershed moment,a major point in it’s history and one that will either make or break the sport.

[Hela Wigmen]

32 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Why should the Championship replicate SL ?

Familiarity more than anything else. The step up is pretty huge as it is, what with 80%+ of the Championship sides being part time, so if the Championship were to be playing less games, it would make any gap far greater. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

You have a big backer. Just that he likes to do it the way he does and doesn’t appear too worried about doing it any differently.

I love the guy for what he has done

I mean a new big backer who wants to rake it to the next level

[Robthegasman]

I think whatever emerges in 2022 the Championship will more than likely be a semi professional league.

And when the day of reckoning arrives and it will do and soon,I hope that the relevant decisions made benefit the game.

And remember this saying.

No one player is bigger than the club he plays for.

No one Chairman or director is bigger than his club either.

And no one club is bigger than the game.

 

 I think that is self explanatory.