Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:40 pm  

Can't believe some clubs fans are saying they won't buy a season ticket due to this structure.
Support your team no matter who they play and if they drop down then tough you weren't good enough..
At last teams can get to the top level again and the ones that have been there going through the motions better watch out

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:44 pm  

Fev 1979 wrote:

Can't believe some clubs fans are saying they won't buy a season ticket due to this structure.
Support your team no matter who they play and if they drop down then tough you weren't good enough..
At last teams can get to the top level again and the ones that have been there going through the motions better watch out

Very true. Time to man up and fight it out like real heroes. Just feel sorry for those left out from the whole thing. From a Widnes point of view I say bring it on.

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:46 pm  

Fev 1979 wrote:

Can't believe some clubs fans are saying they won't buy a season ticket due to this structure.
Support your team no matter who they play and if they drop down then tough you weren't good enough..
At last teams can get to the top level again and the ones that have been there going through the motions better watch out

isn't that the championship clubs fans excuse they are playing 2nd rate teams so why would they pay?

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:48 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

There has been no mention of Championship 1, except a vague reference to them becoming part of another structure entirely, and I think that is shocking. It's like they don't exist (which, to the superleague chairmen they don't appear to). However, there has been no mention of how this daft idea is going to be financed either, the meeting on Tuesday (which IMO was the one discussing the real issues) ending without agreement. How ludicrous! Only in rugby league could we entirely change the structure without giving consideration to one element of it (Championship 1) and without agreeing upon how it is to be financed and governed! Then of course on top of that what is going to happen to Premier Sports who presently screen the championships? And what about a sponsor? A sponsor won't come on board for the championships if they only have a championship league for half a season.

It's all totally ridiculous.

You're correct it's disgraceful how they've been ignored. Hunslet and Oldham are both down there and I've watched both play in the Championship grand final during Widnes' first spell there. If the Cumbrians all finish in the bottom of the Championshiip it will effectively remove them from the league which is madness.

Also you mention the money and this was the reason for the original walk out or so it was touted. So have the clubs that walked out got the money they wanted or not? Maybe we'll never know....

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:49 pm  

yossarian wrote:

Thanks mate, is it definite? As a Widnes fan I expect the worst if it isn't down to league position. Not that I'd take us finishing above the bottom two for granted either mind you.

well if it was any way else id think widnes would be safe reguarless, modern stadium, finances fine etc

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:50 pm  

I see quite a few positives:

More intensity in matches to make sure you finish in the top 8 first tier and to finish in the top 4 of the 2nd Tier.

Will probably sell more season tickets due to the costing down to 22 games. I would summize the clubs will offer a season ticket extension for the top 8 first tier and top 4 of the 2nd tier.

Clubs like Featherstone, Sheffield, Halifax and Leigh will have a slim change of promotion and might upgrade the quality of player without breaking the bank.

In theory the quality ofthe 2nd Twelve should improve as they will now have something to play for.

Our current structure has stagnated, the 2 x 12 and 3 x 8 might actually work give it a 2 year period to find the right finance balance and innovation.

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:50 pm  

yossarian wrote:

Are we really 17 or so pages deep and nobody has mentioned the plight of the 4/5 teams who'll be effectively kicked out of the league with the door slammed and locked behind them?

Or have I missed something here?

There are 28 teams currently in the Championship but only 24 (or maybe 23 plus Toulouse) for the new structure. Has there been mention as yet of how the teams dropped and the current Championship 1 sides could gain entry to the new set-up?

Also have they announced how the top 12 will be decided at the end of 2014?

As it says on the press release the exact details will be explained later in the month so finer points will be clearer then.

Teams demoted from championship next year will not have the door slammed and locked behind them as you put it. It was stated early on when the plans for restructure were first mentioned that P&R between the 2nd tier (Championship) and 3rd tier (Championship 1) would continue. So from 2015 there will still be a way for the teams below the top 24 to get into (and leave) the top two leagues. Also there are 23 teams in the Championships (14 and 9) not 28.

It has not yet been confirmed that Toulouse are joining the set up but if they are then 9 teams from the Championships will make the initial top 24. If no Toulouse then 10 will make it. It was also reported at the end of last season that there would be opportunity for one team from Championship 1 to win promotion into the top 24 at the end of 2014 (most likely via a playoff). So we would have a scenario where the top 9 in Championship in 2014 would make the 24 with the 10th placed team in a playoff against the winner of Championship 1 for the final place in the 24. (If Toulouse are coming in then it would be the top 8 making the cut with the 9th placed team in that playoff for the last place). This detail along with whether or not Toulouse are in will be announced with the rest of the full details.

It has not been confirmed how the cut to 12 will occur though it has been assumed that the bottom two in SL will be relegated. That matter needed to be voted upon by the SL clubs and now I would assume this has been done.

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:50 pm  

Fev 1979 wrote:

Can't believe some clubs fans are saying they won't buy a season ticket due to this structure.

I can believe it.

They aren't real fans of the game.

They are merely adherents of a failed franchising/licensing ideology which maintained their club in the top division irrespective of results on the field of play.

That's why they are spitting their dummies and throwing all their toys out of their prams.

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:51 pm  

yossarian wrote:

Very true. Time to man up and fight it out like real heroes. Just feel sorry for those left out from the whole thing. From a Widnes point of view I say bring it on.

For all those super league fans that are going to stay away many championship fans will return.. Look at wakefield attendences when in the then northern ford premiership in 1998 the year they beat fev in the final to get to super league they were similar to revs crowds now.
Best news in rl for years this

Re: Today's big decision : Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:51 pm  

I like the system generally (a top 8 playoff in a league of 12 is stupid) but what happens to the bottom of the current championship 1? thats my main concern