Championship Meeting #2

[Griff]

1 minute ago, Phil W said:

We have a fans meeting at Newcastle Thunder tomorrow night to hopefully agree what we need to do to save things up here. Given our name's on the letter from the other day, hopefully we get a good turnout and some optimism to give the League One clubs on Wednesday. 

Probably not a coincidence that the meeting is on Wednesday.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

5 minutes ago, Griff said:

I've got a colander with fewer holes.

If you're referring to the idea of minimum standards, then fair enough - it's going to be an imperfect solution to the problem. But the examples from other sports are the reality. The other option to a ring-fenced SL and Championship would be to completely re-finance the entire sport and provide much more money to the lower league clubs, so that relegation wouldn't be the cliff edge that it is currently. However, that would likely mean that SL would probably have to revert to part-time, which could consequently lead to a drop in standards and potentially a further reduced TV deal.

I appreciate that my view isn't popular with many on here who see P&R as essential, but we've just seen a club fold after their relegation from Champ to L1. Why do you think RL can buck the trend and be a sport that can afford P&R? In an ideal world I would prefer P&R - it's ultimately more exciting. I just don't think the game can afford it.

 

[Griff]

20 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

If you're referring to the idea of minimum standards, then fair enough - it's going to be an imperfect solution to the problem. But the examples from other sports are the reality. The other option to a ring-fenced SL and Championship would be to completely re-finance the entire sport and provide much more money to the lower league clubs, so that relegation wouldn't be the cliff edge that it is currently. However, that would likely mean that SL would probably have to revert to part-time, which could consequently lead to a drop in standards and potentially a further reduced TV deal.

I appreciate that my view isn't popular with many on here who see P&R as essential, but we've just seen a club fold after their relegation from Champ to L1. Why do you think RL can buck the trend and be a sport that can afford P&R? In an ideal world I would prefer P&R - it's ultimately more exciting. I just don't think the game can afford it.

 

What if three more clubs go full time? Are we to split the SL funding 15 ways?

What if eight more clubs go for it? Or twelve.

It's not going to happen.

 

[Rovers13]

3 minutes ago, Griff said:

What if three more clubs go full time? Are we to split the SL funding 15 ways?

What if eight more clubs go for it? Or twelve.

It's not going to happen.

 

Can’t extend SL for at least 3 years anyway until we get more money with sky, even then we Would need a decent amount not a measly increase. 

[sheddingswasus]

1 hour ago, ChristianB said:

The argument seems to boil down to L1 being unsustainable with 8 clubs.

If we are to assume that this is the case, that might imperil the continued existence of certain great old clubs and promising new ones.

I think we can all agree that such a scenario would be extremely bad news.

I think that if Mike Fords point. If you read the article in full he says the RFL and the  game as a whole should have been helping the development clubs rather than letting them collapse. 

[sheddingswasus]

11 minutes ago, Griff said:

What if three more clubs go full time? Are we to split the SL funding 15 ways

If SL was 16 clubs then yes. The whole point of IMGs earlier comments were clubs should do more to be self sufficient and find additional income streams 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

14 minutes ago, Griff said:

What if three more clubs go full time? Are we to split the SL funding 15 ways?

Every club would know their budgets for the duration of the TV deal, so if there were 15 clubs who have hit the required minimum standards and are prepared to underwrite their playing budgets to the tune of X, then yes - split whatever SL funding there is 15 ways, or 20 ways or whatever.

14 minutes ago, Griff said:

It's not going to happen.

Obviously it's not going to happen - clubs are going to make decisions in their own self-interests. Plus this is a discussion forum and I'm just spit-balling sat behind a keyboard.

You haven't responded to my question though - why do you think RL can buck the trend and be a sport that can afford P&R?

Edited October 23, 2023 by RugbyLeagueGeek

[Rovers13]

2 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

If SL was 16 clubs then yes. The whole point of IMGs earlier comments were clubs should do more to be self sufficient and find additional income streams 

Can you honestly see Wigan saints etc agreeing to less of the pie? Serious question BTW. They brought IMG in to make more not less. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Rovers13

[sheddingswasus]

But this is getting away from the  by point, which is the future of the game below SL

[Eddie]

3 hours ago, JonM said:

Seems to be a suggestion that SL reserves may take part in league one, as sometimes happens in other sports.

While I can’t stand that idea in football, it might work here, to keep the eight league one clubs alive if nothing else. 

[Rovers13]

1 minute ago, sheddingswasus said:

But this is getting away from the  by point, which is the future of the game below SL

Yes but my point Also as a knock on effect to league 1 clubs if SL won’t filter more money down, then league 1 gets none. 

[Rovers13]

Their isn’t enough money in the game for me to have so many clubs outside top flight, this is where mergers might get mentioned again by the powers that be, hope not but wouldn’t rule it out. 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

10 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

But this is getting away from the  by point, which is the future of the game below SL

I think they're all inter-related to be honest. There needs to be a genuine whole-game solution, factoring in the community game as well. At the moment, the structure of the whole game is a mish-mash. If they only focus on a solution for League 1, then we'll end up having the same conversation in a couple of years' time when more teams have dropped out.

[Eddie]

6 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

Their isn’t enough money in the game for me to have so many clubs outside top flight, this is where mergers might get mentioned again by the powers that be, hope not but wouldn’t rule it out. 

Who on earth would merge? There aren’t two teams that I can think of who’d be a sensible merger. 

[Rovers13]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Who on earth would merge? There aren’t two teams that I can think of who’d be a sensible merger. 

Money is a funny thing, if you’re forced to stay alive would you merge or fold? I’m just saying looking at state of game some clubs might get put in that situation. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Rovers13

[Rowan]

Why are so many people trying to turn this into a Championship v. League One competition. It isn't - it's about the survival of 22 clubs. And as for Championship clubs being a tight knit community. That doesn't make sense. It is so short-sighted. As things are, two of them will be in League One in 2025 to be replaced by two from League One. Four clubs change places. Do they then change loyalties?

[Eddie]

6 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

Money is a funny thing, if you’re forced to stay alive would you merge or fold? I’m just saying looking at state of game some clubs might get put in that situation. 

Fold probably, a merged club isn’t the same club. There are still many people who refuse to watch Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and how long ago was that merger. 

[Rovers13]

2 minutes ago, Rowan said:

Why are so many people trying to turn this into a Championship v. League One competition. It isn't - it's about the survival of 22 clubs. And as for Championship clubs being a tight knit community. That doesn't make sense. It is so short-sighted. As things are, two of them will be in League One in 2025 to be replaced by two from League One. Four clubs change places. Do they then change loyalties?

The usual champ clubs will vote together who have Been their years, the bottom 2 usually are the same 2 or 3. Dewsbury was an anomaly when they went down. 

[Rovers13]

Just now, Eddie said:

Fold probably, a merged club isn’t the same club. There are still many people who refuse to watch Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and how long ago was that merger. 

I agree I’d fold too if it was my club but it was just something that might crop up. 

[Ragingbull]

Id start with a merger between Halifax and Keighley. 2 small town teams who im sure if they worked really really hard together could become a solid mid table championship side, with a view to pushing for the playoffs  after a few years.

[Eddie]

Just now, Ragingbull said:

Id start with a merger between Halifax and Keighley. 2 small town teams who im sure if they worked really really hard together could become a solid mid table championship side, with a view to pushing for the playoffs  after a few years.

Bradford and Leeds could be ideal, Bradford would add a couple of thousand to Leeds’ gates and the new merged club might then push on for the play offs more regularly, and maybe have a decent run in the challenge cup. 

[DEANO]

25 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Who on earth would merge? There aren’t two teams that I can think of who’d be a sensible merger. 

Gateshead and Hull 

huddersfield and Sheffield

[Griff]

41 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

Yes but my point Also as a knock on effect to league 1 clubs if SL won’t filter more money down, then league 1 gets none. 

Ooooh - Liz Truss Trickle Down Economics.

[Rovers13]

1 minute ago, Griff said:

Ooooh - Liz Truss Trickle Down Economics.

No I wouldn’t bankrupt you all

[Griff]

46 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

You haven't responded to my question though - why do you think RL can buck the trend and be a sport that can afford P&R?

Do I think that?