Championship/League 1 meeting

[saints10coach]

Does anyone know the outcome of yesterdays meeting?

[Logic]

I saw it reported last night, that there would be no change to the format for 2024. Certainly bad news for League 1 clubs and some understandably, were not happy with the outcome. Presumably, a fixture format will have to be looked at and agreed, to provide a viable season next year.   

[Indigogo]

Do we think there will be loop fixtures then? I can't see how 8 home games works for clubs.

[ivans82]

Got to happen , there is no logical reason why there shouldn`t be .

[Indigogo]

2 minutes ago, ivans82 said:

Got to happen , there is no logical reason why there shouldn`t be .

I would agree. Seems the easiest resolution for this season before restructure for 2025.

[jroyales]

If that's the case i.e. a status quo, I can't see the crowds coming back to make the club viable. Every game will be a massive loss. Why doesn't the RL look at promoting the top 6 teams from the amateur game?

Feel sorry for Cornwall. A trip to Workington and then Newcastle, will the RL help out?

[Barley Mow]

43 minutes ago, jroyales said:

If that's the case i.e. a status quo, I can't see the crowds coming back to make the club viable. Every game will be a massive loss. Why doesn't the RL look at promoting the top 6 teams from the amateur game?

Feel sorry for Cornwall. A trip to Workington and then Newcastle, will the RL help out?

I don't think promoting clubs from NCL is the solution.

If we take the six top teams this year, like you say, as an example. Wath Brow are less than 4 miles from the closest existing pro-club, the other five are all between 1 and 2 miles from their nearest pro-club. Most of the people who watch these clubs already have a club in the pro-divisions that they support within the same community.

The amateur clubs play a different role to the pro-clubs, they are based around recreational rugby and socialising rather than mass-entertainment. This is what their facilities are capable of and are designed for, they accept that and are happy with it. If they weren't they would already have applied to join the pro-game.

League 1 needs more games. If the SL and Championship clubs aren't willing to reorganise things to give a better split of clubs over two/three divisions, then the nine L1 clubs will need to take it upon themselves to find a solution - the only feasible one I can see is play each other three time, giving 24 matches (12 home and 12 away). Then continue to press the SL and Champ clubs for reorganisation at every opportunity.

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Barley Mow

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

With the squad we are building we've got to try and make up the games in the challenge cup. At least get to the stage were we play a superleague team before getting knocked out.

[sheddingswasus]

22 minutes ago, jroyales said:

Feel sorry for Cornwall. A trip to Workington and then Newcastle, will the RL help out?

I think the RL are not really interested in helping, although to be fair sounds like they have no cash anyway. SL funding set to be slashed by 20% (approx according to Salford). Staff payoff have took a huge chunk of finance. Sounds like a real mess.

On the subject of Newcastle, I wonder if the RL are as keen now with the financial backing having gone?

[Roughyed Rats]

1 hour ago, jroyales said:

If that's the case i.e. a status quo, I can't see the crowds coming back to make the club viable. Every game will be a massive loss. Why doesn't the RL look at promoting the top 6 teams from the amateur game?

Feel sorry for Cornwall. A trip to Workington and then Newcastle, will the RL help out?

I’m sure the club has budgeted accordingly. The board have said on more than one occasion that being in League 1 this season was not a deal breaker. Regular ray of sunshine as usual.

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

2 hours ago, jroyales said:

If that's the case i.e. a status quo, I can't see the crowds coming back to make the club viable. Every game will be a massive loss. Why doesn't the RL look at promoting the top 6 teams from the amateur game?

Feel sorry for Cornwall. A trip to Workington and then Newcastle, will the RL help out

There are many things that will increase attendance, obviously away following. So , no great increases from the likes of Cornwall etc. However, the main driver of increased home following is without doubt a winning team. You can play absolute rubbish rugby, but if you are winning then the crowds will return. Another driver is hope. It's a major factor in economic theory. Why do you think companies like Tesla and Amazon are still trading after years of losses? Hope! We have not had hope like this in years. At last we are planning for a bright winning future. Come Oldham come on Oldham!

[saints10coach]

I don't like the idea of going up without earning promotion. But I think continuing with three divisions will cripple the remaining league 1 teams.

Following Rugby League becomes an habit, and with so few clubs in league 1, it will be difficult to form an hobbit when game only happen every now and again, creating a really disjointed season.

[Anita Bath]

i am expecting a 24 game season with each team playing each other 3 times producing 12 home games

That would mean three king cotton derby games. Whether you get the honour of two trips to San Spotland or the mighty hornets have to travel to Le parque de boundarie would be the big issue. If the latter it would mean I’d have to get a multiple entry visa.

[BIFFO61]

Rumours now that Newcastle are in imminent trouble

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

1 hour ago, Indigogo said:

This could all change very quickly. Apparently Newcastle Thunder are folding.

From another forum. If it's true then league 1 is just not viable.

[Derwent]

30 minutes ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

From another forum. If it's true then league 1 is just not viable.

It’s true, their owner has pulled his financial backing, going to be announced tomorrow.

[sheddingswasus]

So sad, but clearly RL is in a mess. London, Newcastle, who knows who else. Salford seem to be lurching from crisis to crisis and selling best players to survive  blame is being put on RFL for decreasing the handout by £300k. 
Something clearly is not right!

 

[Anita Bath]

Cornwall breathing a sigh of relief…that would have been one hell of a road trip ( 2 if they had been given a loop game up there)

 

All very sad…all very predictable. The RFL plan to get rid of league 1 by neglect is working a treat.

[saints10coach]

I remember the season of an 8 team division. The teams knew each other so well, they just snuffed each other out, producing the most boring season of rugby I ever watched.

Edited October 13, 2023 by saints10coach

[BIFFO61]

THUNDER GONE 

 

https://www.thunderrugby.co.uk/article/786/statement-from-newcastle-thunder

[Happyed]

2 minutes ago, BIFFO61 said:

THUNDER GONE 

 

https://www.thunderrugby.co.uk/article/786/statement-from-newcastle-thunder

Gutting this. Surely the RFL has got to sort the league out now. 8 teams can’t be sustainable 

 

maybe relegate Whitehaven?

[Happyed]

Or not promote Doni

[Rob95]

I should have probably spotted this thread first before putting this on the squad thread 

I did fear for Newcastle a while ago now . I predicted this loop fixture rubbish back on the IMG thread last month but that was before Newcastle pulling out of the comp . 
We have I would guess Super Leagues preferred 2 in the championship playoff final , for the last ever promotion on merit .
I just don't see how you can run league 1 on 8 clubs , it will become a farce and I can see Newcastle not being the last club the withdraw from the season at this rate . 
They need to restructure the Championship and League 1 , North/South , East/West whatever works best , but all of the clubs need to seriously look at the bigger picture and not just put their self interests first . 

Bottom line is no club will vote to relegate themselves as that would be financial suicide , as fans how would you feel if the board said we played well enough to be in the Championship but decided to be relegated to league 1 . There needs to be a restructure / rebrand , 2 separate areas with the winner of each "league" having their own play offs for the winner to go through to a final against the other "league" , in effect as the NFL do with their Superbowl AFC v NFC .

[Happyed]

I see the Hunslet chairman has spoken out very strongly on this. I think Oldham should do the same 

[Rob95]

36 minutes ago, Happyed said:

I see the Hunslet chairman has spoken out very strongly on this. I think Oldham should do the same 

Totally agree and totally agree with the Hunslet Chairman who also says there are Championship clubs looking after their own self interest who rejected the proposal for a merger of sorts  . 

I do fear that the best we might get from the Championship is League 1 has 8 teams next season only 1 gets promoted and 3 get relegated from the Championship , this would leave for 2025 12 in the Championship and 10 in League 1 , providing we don't lose another before then . I hope I'm wrong about this outcome and that they are bolder and more forward thinking , it is just my thoughts though I have contacts in the game but they don't stretch that far up the ladder .