2024 Championship Structure confirmed - a few Is to dot around L1 and the 1895 Cup

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Next season's league structures confirmed with a few is to dot around the 1895 Cup and L1. 2025 structure still up for grabs....

The Betfred Championship will continue as a 14-team competition, with the top six teams qualifying for a Play-Off series culminating in a Grand Final to determine the champions. This will be played at the home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.

Betfred League One will be a nine-club competition, with each side playing 20 matches – 10 at home, and 10 away. This will involve four loop fixtures for each team, to be determined by seedings based on 2023 finishing positions (a contingency model has also been devised for an eight-team competition, which would see each team play the other three times in a 21-round programme). The League One Grand Final will be played on October 6 at home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.  

(1895 Cup) In 2024 the 13 England-based Championship clubs will join eight League One clubs (Cornwall will not be taking part) in seven groups of three. Groups will be seeded and regionalised, with League One clubs awarded home advantage in any fixtures against Championship opposition. The top team in each group will qualify for Quarter Finals, joined by the best-performing second-placed team – the latter to be determined by competition points initially and then, if necessary, by points difference.

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/1895-cup-championship-structure-kEuYP/

[lingaro]

2 hours ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

Next season's league structures confirmed with a few is to dot around the 1895 Cup and L1. 2025 structure still up for grabs....

The Betfred Championship will continue as a 14-team competition, with the top six teams qualifying for a Play-Off series culminating in a Grand Final to determine the champions. This will be played at the home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.

Betfred League One will be a nine-club competition, with each side playing 20 matches – 10 at home, and 10 away. This will involve four loop fixtures for each team, to be determined by seedings based on 2023 finishing positions (a contingency model has also been devised for an eight-team competition, which would see each team play the other three times in a 21-round programme). The League One Grand Final will be played on October 6 at home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season.  

(1895 Cup) In 2024 the 13 England-based Championship clubs will join eight League One clubs (Cornwall will not be taking part) in seven groups of three. Groups will be seeded and regionalised, with League One clubs awarded home advantage in any fixtures against Championship opposition. The top team in each group will qualify for Quarter Finals, joined by the best-performing second-placed team – the latter to be determined by competition points initially and then, if necessary, by points difference.

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/1895-cup-championship-structure-kEuYP/

Oh and did we say you've nothing to play for. 

[Fevrover]

37 minutes ago, lingaro said:

Oh and did we say you've nothing to play for. 

There is though - 1895 cup, play off final and any scaps SL throw our way.

Edited November 8, 2023 by Fevrover

[sentoffagain2]

     Like the idea for 1895 cup regarding the groups.It will give League 1 a few more games which will help them.Top six play off is fine there is still some credibility in being crowned Champions.Who knows in a few years when SL is a closed shop and funding cut to the bone we may realise that we can manage without their handouts.

[Monkeymagic22]

I’d be dubious about the extra 1865 cup matches, as it’s a struggle to get fans to Challenge Cup matches these days. 

[The Grinder]

14 hours ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

I’d be dubious about the extra 1865 cup matches, as it’s a struggle to get fans to Challenge Cup matches these days. 

I don't think that is much of an issue, given there are 7 groups of 3 teams which will be ceded, which will mean that generally 1 L1 club and 2 Championship clubs in each group. Then given the statement "...with League One clubs awarded home advantage in any fixtures against Championship opposition..." implies each team will play each other once rather than home and away. Therefore the championship sides only have a 50/50 chance of a single home game in the group stage (when they play the other championship side).

This as I understand it is to increase revenues for the L1 sides whether games like Midlands v Whitehaven/Fev/Swindon/whoever will be much of a draw for the L1 side is a different question.

[lingaro]

Don't think I'll be funding it. 

[Monkeymagic22]

16 minutes ago, lingaro said:

Don't think I'll be funding it. 

And I think that’s what many will think to be honest. Last season v Fax, our crowd was well below 2k. The 1865 is only any good if you get to the final.