NIGEL WOOD says there is no definitive answer to the ideal number of Super League teams and that the size of the top flight should be “fluid”.
The new RFL chair – appointed by RFL Council members on Tuesday – has a large in-tray including the financial state of the British game, its relationship with the NRL and the future shape of its top division.
Those issues form part of the strategic review that Wood, who is also chair of Rugby League Commercial, began in March and will deliver by the end of this year.
Speculation has been rife recently that Super League could expand from twelve teams, as soon as next year.
Speaking on the League Express Podcast, Wood said no decision on the matter has yet been made.
“The discussion on the size of Super League is an ongoing one. Everyone has a view on that,” he said.
“It’s not just a case of what the right size should be, it’s also about when that could and should happen.
“That’s a decision that resides with the Super League clubs. There are a myriad of views – some believe it should be concentrated into fewer clubs, some people think there should be a growth agenda and new markets embraced.
“I think we have to make sure that whatever decision the sport comes up with is evidence-based. There are complications with contraction, and if we want to make the sport an investable proposition it needs to be the best version it can be of itself.
“I think the right size of Super League has to be fluid, based on the quality of the potential clubs capable of playing in it.
“What we don’t want to do is predetermine a number, whether that’s 14, 16, 18 or 20, and then just start populating them without an eye on what the quality of those clubs would be.
“The reality is Super League has to be high-quality. That means proper facilities, proper stadia, playing in front of 10,000 people, and businesses that can generate sufficient revenue to spend at salary cap, produce talent and provide compelling entertainment.
“I wouldn’t rush to go to 14 or 16 if to do so puts at risk the overall quality of the league, but at the same time most people accept twelve isn’t the right number when you have loop fixtures.
“My own view is that if you are good enough for Super League, we should find room for you in Super League.”
Another much-debated topic is the future of French clubs within the RFL league structure, with some clubs known to harbour doubts about the value of Catalans Dragons – part of Super League since 2006 – and Toulouse Olympique.
“When a French club was admitted, the objectives were threefold,” explained Wood.
“One was to strengthen the French national team. The second was to unlock the European market in terms of broadcast and commercial revenues. And the third one was to give British supporters an away destination that wasn’t between the Humber and Mersey.
“The question is, 20 years on, have those objectives been delivered? I’d probably argue the last one has – most supporters enjoy that trip and place a high value on that trip – but for the other two objectives I don’t think they have been met yet, and that’s disappointing.
“If anything, the French national team has gone backwards. It was ranked fifth or sixth in the 2000s, and two decades later it’s only just in the top ten.
“I think there is a role for clubs in the elite British competition, but it has to be done on the right terms and we have to make sure that we all understand what we’re trying to get out of it.
“The principal paymaster of the British game is broadcast, together with the owners who are picking up the tab. We have to recognise that at the moment there isn’t a broadcast deal coming out of France which we all have to work to deliver.
“I believe in supporting international rugby league and I believe in supporting French rugby league specifically. I think there’s a role for French rugby league in the British pyramid. We just have to make sure the terms are right for both sides.”