Restructure of Championship and League 1

[Griff]

6 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Totally get where you are coming from. I saw that about pensioners getting charged full at Dewsbury on the Fax forum. Totally ridiculous in my opinion, I think the prices are too high overall for the standard that we watch but needs must, but yeah for me I really enjoy been involved in the amateur game and that will probably be my choice this Sunday instead of going over to Dewsbury knowing I can watch the game back in full a couple of days later.

When I started watching, the price of standing admission for an adult was roughly the same as two pints or a packet of twenty cigarettes - round about four or five bob.  Pints and cigarettes cost a lot more these days, almost sixty years later but admission to sporting events has risen much more.

Luckily, Rugby League isn't soccer.  Prices there have absolutely skyrocketed.

[OriginalMrC]

I think these are sensible changes. There is really not much difference between the top of league 1 and the bottom of the championship. It adds more games and will give ambitious league 1 clubs opportunities to grow revenue and have a chance of promotion. 

Interested to see who they think is going to be a new league 1 team. You'd have to be very rich or mad or both to want to join league 1 at the present time. 

[tiffers]

3 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think these are sensible changes. There is really not much difference between the top of league 1 and the bottom of the championship. It adds more games and will give ambitious league 1 clubs opportunities to grow revenue and have a chance of promotion. 

Interested to see who they think is going to be a new league 1 team. You'd have to be very rich or mad or both to want to join league 1 at the present time. 

I agree - this seems like a sensible way forward as there is so little difference between those middle 8. The lower 8 have competition and competitive games amongst one another and the same for the top of the championship. All round, seem sensible.

[Barley Mow]

6 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Interested to see who they think is going to be a new league 1 team. You'd have to be very rich or mad or both to want to join league 1 at the present time. 

Carcassonne said they planned to apply quite recently didn't they?

[OriginalMrC]

3 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Carcassonne said they planned to apply quite recently didn't they?

I think that is unlikely unless they have very deep pockets and a long term plan to be in Super League. Think the Super League quota of 2 foreign clubs will put them off 

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

42 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Totally get where you are coming from. I saw that about pensioners getting charged full at Dewsbury on the Fax forum. Totally ridiculous in my opinion, I think the prices are too high overall for the standard that we watch but needs must, but yeah for me I really enjoy been involved in the amateur game and that will probably be my choice this Sunday instead of going over to Dewsbury knowing I can watch the game back in full a couple of days later.

Im not sure about this, there is talk of teams like Salford, despite them been a mess, actually getting an A grade in the next rankings. I get the feeling we will be at 12 within 2-3 years as the bar has been set so low.

Back to this decision though and the Championship stand alone as it will be after this season is a fantastic competition and has the potential to be as close as ever once London come down this season to be replaced by Wakefield so to weaken it just to help the competition below seems like madness. Can you imagine the outcry if it were suggested that Super League had to reduce at some point to even up the Championship for whatever reason?

At least 3 Championship clubs (Fev, Batley and Dewsbury) aren't offering OAP concessions this season.

[Eddie]

50 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think that is unlikely unless they have very deep pockets and a long term plan to be in Super League. Think the Super League quota of 2 foreign clubs will put them off 

The parochial quota, all clubs must be within 3 miles of an M62 junction. 

[Colin James]

Interested to see how the fixtures will fall, the release makes it sound like there's a chance the third bottom Championship team will be waiting around for a few weeks between finishing the season and playing the play off game which isn't ideal. 

Inviting applications for a new side and only announcing them in September doesn't seem a great idea. I fully expect us to get to August with no obvious candidate and they'll end up either going with nobody or putting in someone who clearly isn't ready and it being a disaster. I may be wrong but that's what history tells us to expect.

[stookie]

There will be a significant increase in prize money for the Betfred Championship Grand Final winners

 

What does everyone think of the Championship prize money change? I understand why they have done it, to an extent. But given how low the funding in L1 seems to be, I think I'd prefer the money to be shared around, as little as that might be per club. Make both comps and all teams just that little bit better.

The team has already just won the comp, I think it's a backwards step to give them extra money and make them even stronger.

[Dave W]

Where's the incentive for a C grade team to get to B grade if they can get promoted anyway?

 

[burnleywelsh]

1 minute ago, Dave W said:

Where's the incentive for a C grade team to get to B grade if they can get promoted anyway?

 

I would hope that the goal would be A grade and getting to B is just a stepping stone.

[Barley Mow]

39 minutes ago, Dave W said:

Where's the incentive for a C grade team to get to B grade if they can get promoted anyway?

 

Do you think that Grade C clubs (including three currently in the Championship & heavily fancied Oldham) should be restricted to League 1?

Super League isn't exclusive to just Grade A clubs.

Edited March 14 by Barley Mow

[sheddingswasus]

3 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Totally get where you are coming from. I saw that about pensioners getting charged full at Dewsbury on the Fax forum. Totally ridiculous in my opinion, I think the prices are too high overall for the standard that we watch but needs must, but yeah for me I really enjoy been involved in the amateur game and that will probably be my choice this Sunday instead of going over to Dewsbury knowing I can watch the game back in full a couple of days later.

I get charging £18-£20 to adults. But all under 18's should be free as this is now the school leaving age. There should also be a set charge for concessions across the board of £10-£12. When we played Swinton recently( appreciate or was a 6pm Sunday kick off) there were very few children in the the ground. These young ones are the future of the game and we need to develop a habit so they keep coming back when they are older. With regards the pensioners they have contributed to the game for many many years and deserve a reduced admission. The junior and concession rates should be mandatory and set by the league.

 

[sheddingswasus]

Just now, Barley Mow said:

Do you think that Grade C clubs (including three currently in the Championship & heavily fancied Oldham) should be restricted to League 1?

Oldham won't be a C on the next round. But what a ludicrous statement to make. If the game is all about continual improvement why would you continue to punish clubs. 

[Barley Mow]

2 hours ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think that is unlikely unless they have very deep pockets and a long term plan to be in Super League. Think the Super League quota of 2 foreign clubs will put them off 

From memory, it was the Carcassonne club themselves that had said this was their plan. I assumed they had costed it and it was certainly after the statement saying SL would be limited to 2 clubs from overseas.

[burnleywelsh]

1 minute ago, sheddingswasus said:

Oldham won't be a C on the next round. But what a ludicrous statement to make. If the game is all about continual improvement why would you continue to punish clubs. 

I think it was a question, not a statement.

[sheddingswasus]

48 minutes ago, stookie said:

There will be a significant increase in prize money for the Betfred Championship Grand Final winners

 

What does everyone think of the Championship prize money change? I understand why they have done it, to an extent. But given how low the funding in L1 seems to be, I think I'd prefer the money to be shared around, as little as that might be per club. Make both comps and all teams just that little bit better.

The team has already just won the comp, I think it's a backwards step to give them extra money and make them even stronger.

I have been saying for a while that clubs should aim to be self sufficient. I include SL clubs in this. Existing just on hand out money is totally wrong. Any funding through TV deals etc should be to strengthen the structure of the club and the game in general. 

Edited March 14 by sheddingswasus

[del capo]

 There was I believe a full council meeting yesterday.

The crucial issue is one of funding from central revenue.

How much are in particular League 1 clubs promised for the future ? Wasn't it circa £25k this year ?

If that was to remain or better still improved then there should be no problem with the number 12 for league 1. Absent a maniac millionaire wanting a new sports toy ,Tier 4 has the clubs in existence ( no capital investment needed ) who can match most league 1 outfits both on and off the park.

For those who detest our beloved M62 corridor maybe just think a bit wider or even outside the box. The SCL are getting better ( didn't Skolars retain their RFL membership  when they moved  across? ) and the Forces are clearly also competitive.

That twelfth spot wouldn't necessarily have to be permanent - it could even be rotational.

Our game seems sometimes to lack flexible thinking.......

[The Blues Ox]

Ive just spotted a flaw in the new structure idea. What happens if the Championship team that is meant to play in the playoff relegation/promotion game has attained enough IMG points to gain a place in SL?

[horbury ram]

The reasoning behind no concessions is that 20 years ago the spilt of supportes was 70% to 30 % concessions , now it is 30% to 70%. the other way. I think you will find more clubs doing this, with the match ticket being a ground entry tickets so it costs the same to sit or stand, your choice.

The whole matter of concessions at sporting events is a throwback to past years, do concessions apply to food shopping, restaurants , concerts etc, it applies to transport but only at state pension age in West Yorkshire . Why should clubs, who are business's, give away cheap tickets to a percentage of the population who have more disposable income than a family in there 40,s.

Some may say it's for being a loyal fan over the years, but I know plenty of fans who have 40 years supporting, at what point do you become a loyal fan !!

[JonM]

18 hours ago, Griff said:

Disastrous idea if we're expected to play, in effect, a 29 game league season.

It's a big increase in games for the L1 clubs.

Very much hoping that Skolars will be in a position to rejoin in 2025.

[sheddingswasus]

14 minutes ago, horbury ram said:

The reasoning behind no concessions is that 20 years ago the spilt of supportes was 70% to 30 % concessions , now it is 30% to 70%. the other way. I think you will find more clubs doing this, with the match ticket being a ground entry tickets so it costs the same to sit or stand, your choice.

The whole matter of concessions at sporting events is a throwback to past years, do concessions apply to food shopping, restaurants , concerts etc, it applies to transport but only at state pension age in West Yorkshire . Why should clubs, who are business's, give away cheap tickets to a percentage of the population who have more disposable income than a family in there 40,s.

Some may say it's for being a loyal fan over the years, but I know plenty of fans who have 40 years supporting, at what point do you become a loyal fan !!

I don’t understand this thinking. Surely a better option would be trying to attract younger fans to watch Dewsbury rather than squeezing every last penny from your older fans. 

[Griff]

9 minutes ago, JonM said:

It's a big increase in games for the L1 clubs.

Very much hoping that Skolars will be in a position to rejoin in 2025.

Maybe we can get the Earth to orbit the Sun a bit slower.   Add a couple of months to the year.

[gittinsfan]

57 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

From memory, it was the Carcassonne club themselves that had said this was their plan. I assumed they had costed it and it was certainly after the statement saying SL would be limited to 2 clubs from overseas.

Do you think any French club in League 1 would be expected to pay travel costs for other clubs as per SL.Surely this would'nt be feasable.

[horbury ram]

Under 18 season ticket at rams is £5, £2 on the day, they are doing a reduced season ticket for 18 to 22 which is £100 ( early bird was £80 )  so dewsbury do recognise the value of attracting the younger element, its just like all rl fanbases it's getting older, it's not a case of over charging its a fair price for all adult supporters, which hopefully enables the club to continue into the future.

The hard part, for all clubs especially the lower league is to attract and keep the younger fans, there's lots more choice of things to do on a Sunday afternoon than when we started watching rl