Challenge Cup revamped for 2024

[glemiln]

IMG initiative:  revamp includes qualifying rounds for the Championship, League 1 and the community game. Those 12 clubs qualifying would join the 12 Super League clubs.  24 teams would then be placed into eight groups of three, with each team playing one game at home, and one away, in a round-robin format. It is thought teams would be seeded to ensure groups were evenly split.  The eight group winners would then enter the quarter-finals.

https://t.co/SVyBgIRK5h

[Anita Bath]

eight groups of three. So

1. another blank weekend for those who qualify as each group has 3 teams

2. Super league shuts down for three weekends for the group games and likely for QF weekend as 8 of 12 SL teams likely to qualify.

3. More blank weekends for those who dont qualify for groups where opponents on weekends of the cup group games have qualified.

4 More games having to be rearranged later in the season. Better hope London Skolars dont qualify!

5. Groups uneven, four will have two SL teams and one other (championship or league 1). Four will have one super league team in and two others. For the two SL team groups means likliehood of two thrashings for the non SL team.

 

No doubt it will all change again the following season.

 

[Blind side johnny]

18 hours ago, glemiln said:

IMG initiative:  revamp includes qualifying rounds for the Championship, League 1 and the community game. Those 12 clubs qualifying would join the 12 Super League clubs.  24 teams would then be placed into eight groups of three, with each team playing one game at home, and one away, in a round-robin format. It is thought teams would be seeded to ensure groups were evenly split.  The eight group winners would then enter the quarter-finals.

https://t.co/SVyBgIRK5h

I read that this is for 2025, not 2024. Part of the justification is to appease SL clubs for the loss of loop fixtures, and these are continuing next year.

An advantage for we "lesser" clubs is, if you reach the group stage then there is a good chance of getting a decent gate at some stage and earning a bit of money. That is all that most of us can hope to get from the CC nowadays.