Championship Meeting #2

[Dovster]

2 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

No evening up should be required. Give clubs the same money and let then make it work. That way everyone is on an even playing field.

I suppose there will always be arguements over money.

I do think that SL should be full time and CF needs to ensure this happens.

However the sport did create a large gap between the FT and PT leagues and have been unable to bring in any further finance into the sport to compensate. .Underneath the full time league IMO there should be a fairer distribution.

[sheddingswasus]

The final decision at tomorrow’s meeting will be made by the RFL not the clubs. Each club will be given the opportunity to make their case but the RFL will go away and make the decision. This will be announce 1st Nov and as I understand it the decision will be final to allow all clubs to plan for the new season.  The Oldham  club have just posted the info on their website

https://roughyeds.co.uk/2023/10/big-decision-will-be-made-by-the-rfl/

[The Blues Ox]

Well I suppose its a start the RFL actually taking control over Champ and League 1, lets just see if they can stamp their authority over SL next. The cynic in me says that on a canvas Championship clubs would have won a vote to keep 2 divisions so the RFL are stepping in to make in 1 division. Oldham have been signing like that is what they expect anyway.

[Rovers13]

16 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

The final decision at tomorrow’s meeting will be made by the RFL not the clubs. Each club will be given the opportunity to make their case but the RFL will go away and make the decision. This will be announce 1st Nov and as I understand it the decision will be final to allow all clubs to plan for the new season.  The Oldham  club have just posted the info on their website

https://roughyeds.co.uk/2023/10/big-decision-will-be-made-by-the-rfl/

Joke of a sport one rule for SL stuff the rest, if I was a champ club I’d be fuming especially if they put the 8 in one division. Why let them vote In first place if they had a plan all along. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by Rovers13

[sheddingswasus]

51 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

Joke of a sport one rule for SL stuff the rest, if I was a champ club I’d be fuming especially if they put the 8 in one division. Why let them vote In first place if they had a plan all along. 

You do some moaning!

[DOGFATHER]

22 hours ago, sheddingswasus said:

Interesting comment by Oldhams MD Mike Ford ahead of last week’s meeting 

“ Ford said it was time to put club interests on the back burner and to vote for the game’s welfare, to such an extent that clubs should be prepared to help each other.

We are all in this together. And while we can all find reasons to put our own club first, we need to vote for whatever option is considered best for the game as a whole. We’ve discussed this at board level and it’s the board’s view as well as mine.“

 

 RFL accused of trying to ‘cajole’ smaller clubs over Super League reform vote | RFL | The Guardian

If I recall it correctly, Doncaster, Rochdale, Swinton and Oldham were all amongst those clubs that were "cajoled" and voted in favour of changing the funding structure. Which gave Lenagan and SL, the majority they needed to effectively kill the lower divisions.

At the time, anyone with half an ounce of common sense knew this was the beginning of the end for the lower divisions. Now, some of the clubs that voted with self interest, are requesting other clubs should not do what they did, and pull together and help to fix the mess they allowed to happen?!?! 

Sadly, the Championship as it is, won't survive for many more years, regardless of whether they merge with L1.  If they decide to merge, it will just speed up the process.

[sheddingswasus]

35 minutes ago, DOGFATHER said:

 

Sadly, the Championship as it is, won't survive for many more years, regardless of whether they merge with L1.  If they decide to merge, it will just speed up the process.

Of course it will survive, especially if all clubs are funded equally. But with a preferential funding to certain clubs then the competition will not be competitive

Edited October 24, 2023 by sheddingswasus

[John Drake]

20 hours ago, Rovers13 said:

You quoted me lol. If you want to be funny I’m happy to help as I can be even nastier, just next time you come to fev bring a dog please we need extra fans than your 3. 

There won't be a next time for you.

You're banned.

You were warned in the previous Championship thread that was locked because of your behaviour and you have paid absolutely no attention to that. 

We will not tolerate it any further.

[Colin James]

It's correct the RFL make the decision but the way they've allowed the debate to become L1 v Championship clubs is poor. They should have stated as soon as Newcastle went that it would be their decision and not the clubs.

[DOGFATHER]

1 hour ago, sheddingswasus said:

Of course it will survive, especially if all clubs are funded equally. But with a preferential funding to certain clubs then the competition will not be competitive

You seem to assume that the clubs outside of SL will get a decent amount of funding to share, that it will make a significant difference. I'm not convinced there will be enough scraps thrown down from SL to do so.

Regardless of that, I fail to see any benefit in merging, from the CH club's point of view. Less money, more travelling, increased costs, lower gates and more competition for a dwindling player base. 

Had the clubs stuck together back when it mattered, then absolutely, I'd be all for pulling together as a "rugby league family" and all that..

The fact remains, that certain clubs didn't stick together when it mattered, and now want everyone else to look after them, now they are in trouble.

If I was a club, I would vote to merge the league's, for the good of the game, but only keep the clubs that voted for the good of the game last time 

[Derwent Parker]

22 hours ago, Colin James said:

Most Championship clubs have no money. It's easy to sit saying 'do what is best for the game' but if you're running a club on extremely tight margins there's not much room for charity. If you're in a boardroom having planned, budgeted and recruited for the Championship in 2024 and you're being asked to throw all that in the bin to do something that will help L1 clubs but potentially damage your own what will you do?

It's extremely unfair to paint Championship clubs unwilling to scrap their plans for 2024 as unreasonable or selfish.

Hang On - Where Does CHARITY come into it

Firstly if your on more than 15k CF and you all have no money - there are 8 teams worse off than the lot of you.

SL Fans continually state on here "we should have all the money because SL get it from being on Sky " not the other teams, because none of them are on Sky. Therefore if that;s the case ALL THE NONE SL CLUBS SHOULD BE ON NO CF OR THE SAME CF.

IF L1 can only have 15k for not being on Sky why do champ get more??

But saying that- none of the L1 teams have asked for any of your money, all we want is to be treat the same as the other None SL teams in a decent league set up - not in the AWFUL unwanted L1

The only one on here that basically asked for money was the Fev supporter who said "we need a sweetener to travel to Cornwall"

Money corrupts and it is quite evident on here

Pre Sky money the game was better.

We had great teams etc Wigan, Widnes etc and we had bad teams and we had a good league set up 2 x 16 and a CC , Regal trophy, Lancs and Yorks cups.

But all teams were treat equally - most teams could compete with each other - far less blow out scores than today.

To my knowledge the only money you got was Cup prize monies

I THINK ITS A DISGRACE FOR A FELLOW SUPPORTER TO CLAIM L1 ARE ASKING FOR CHARITY

[Derwent Parker]

22 hours 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.

 

Correct its unlikely to happen but IMG did state if you are an "A" you are guaranteed SL.

So again  its unlikely to happen but if this week they say there are 6 "A"s and 10 high "B"s and those "B"s did the necessary and became "A"s then they ARE IN SL and the pot will have to be shared.

I WILL PROBABLY BE BANNED FOR SAYING THIS - blasphemy

 

[Derwent Parker]

21 hours 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. 

Fev,Cas,Wakey?

[wasginger]

11 minutes ago, Derwent Parker said:

Fev,Cas,Wakey?

You tinker DP lol. We'll not be having any of that talk thank you very much.

[Derwent Parker]

18 hours ago, paul hicks said:

where would the grants come from because the RFL is skint

It wouldn't be if SL shared it With RFL better, but we are back to greed again , sorry

[sheddingswasus]

33 minutes ago, DOGFATHER said:

You seem to assume that the clubs outside of SL will get a decent amount of funding to share, that it will make a significant difference. I'm not convinced there will be enough scraps thrown down from SL to do so.

Regardless of that, I fail to see any benefit in merging, from the CH club's point of view. Less money, more travelling, increased costs, lower gates and more competition for a dwindling player base. 

Had the clubs stuck together back when it mattered, then absolutely, I'd be all for pulling together as a "rugby league family" and all that..

The fact remains, that certain clubs didn't stick together when it mattered, and now want everyone else to look after them, now they are in trouble.

If I was a club, I would vote to merge the league's, for the good of the game, but only keep the clubs that voted for the good of the game last time 

By equal funding I was referring to the Championship. My point is the current 14 or so of you should all receive an equal share of the pot. 

[Derwent Parker]

10 hours ago, Griff said:

The travel costs, even at £5000 to visit the Cornish Riviera, are insignificant in the great scheme of things.

If the Champ teams get there way and L1 are forced to play each other 4 times [to protect the sanctity of Championship] then the "so called £5k expenses" will take up 66.6% of the L1 CF - But at least it wont put Champ teams in a bad place?

P.S.  Never thought for a moment Champ would act like SG

[Derwent Parker]

8 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Not read through this thread as it seems we are engaging in some differing points of view.

Q. As anything been resolved, do we know what is happening with L1 and the Championship next year?

No Harry apart from Ch dont want L1 teams

[Colin James]

45 minutes ago, Derwent Parker said:

Hang On - Where Does CHARITY come into it

Firstly if your on more than 15k CF and you all have no money - there are 8 teams worse off than the lot of you.

SL Fans continually state on here "we should have all the money because SL get it from being on Sky " not the other teams, because none of them are on Sky. Therefore if that;s the case ALL THE NONE SL CLUBS SHOULD BE ON NO CF OR THE SAME CF.

IF L1 can only have 15k for not being on Sky why do champ get more??

But saying that- none of the L1 teams have asked for any of your money, all we want is to be treat the same as the other None SL teams in a decent league set up - not in the AWFUL unwanted L1

The only one on here that basically asked for money was the Fev supporter who said "we need a sweetener to travel to Cornwall"

Money corrupts and it is quite evident on here

Pre Sky money the game was better.

We had great teams etc Wigan, Widnes etc and we had bad teams and we had a good league set up 2 x 16 and a CC , Regal trophy, Lancs and Yorks cups.

But all teams were treat equally - most teams could compete with each other - far less blow out scores than today.

To my knowledge the only money you got was Cup prize monies

I THINK ITS A DISGRACE FOR A FELLOW SUPPORTER TO CLAIM L1 ARE ASKING FOR CHARITY

I haven't once said L1 clubs want money. What they want, and at least a couple have explicitly asked for is an immediate merger of the divisions. That merger would benefit those clubs in terms of 2024 and only those clubs. Championship clubs would get nothing from it and if anything are likely to lose out. Perhaps charity is the wrong word. A gesture of goodwill, a leg up, a lifeline call it what you want.

My point is, it's easy to have a pop at Championship clubs for not wanting to do that when they probably aren't in a great position themselves. If you are charged with custody of a club you have to make decisions in that club's interest and unfortunately the sport is in a place where long term thinking isn't always possible when you have bills to pay tomorrow.

I've said from the off the RFL should make the call and not the clubs and clearly what I feared namely putting clubs/divisions against each other has come to pass to the extent that people are rolling out capital letters and different colours.

[paul hicks]

39 minutes ago, Derwent Parker said:

It wouldn't be if SL shared it With RFL better, but we are back to greed again , sorry

yep im afraid reality does get in the way of hope quite a lot

[dkw]

18 minutes ago, Colin James said:

. What they want, and at least a couple have explicitly asked for is an immediate merger of the divisions.

Which L1 clubs have said this?

[Colin James]

5 minutes ago, dkw said:

Which L1 clubs have said this?

Hunslet: "It’s little secret that Hunslet has consistently pushed for a merged Championship and League 1 division, split into two conferences, for a number of years. Unfortunately, at last week’s Championship and League 1 Forum, a number of Championship Clubs made it clear that they had no interest in that option."

Rochdale: “For avoidance of doubt Rochdale Hornets absolutely support immediate change for the good of the whole sport. Further more myself and others would be excited by this and will invest more in our club to be competitive and add value to an expanded Championship and or a conferenced type structure"

[dkw]

So conference leagues is their aim as much as an expanded championship,  why did you miss that part out?

[Colin James]

To be clear I have no issue with a merging of the divisions and think it is one of two options we have, the other being we rebalance the divisions by relegating more teams/promoting fewer in 2024 to lead to a more even split in 2025.

My issue is the painting of Championship clubs as the bad guys for looking after their own interests when some clubs may not be in a brilliant position and have earned the right to play in the division as is.

[DOGFATHER]

51 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

By equal funding I was referring to the Championship. My point is the current 14 or so of you should all receive an equal share of the pot. 

Yes, the Ch do all receive equal funding. But, your point is what exactly? 

Are you suggesting that the 14 Ch clubs keep what they get between themselves?

Or, are you suggesting all club's outside SL, should pool everything they get, and share it equally?

If it is the latter, my point stands.  Where is the upside for the current Ch clubs? There is absolutely no benefit to them. They will be voting to essentially split the majority of the money 22 ways instead of 14, meaning less money for themselves. Also adding journey's to Workington and Cornwall and lower average attendances.