Re: 2015 - what does this mean for Widnes : Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:40 pm  

SL clubs voted for this, there were 2 proposals so they could have voted for a straight up and down.

IMHO, the reason why straight up and down was not voted for was because some SL clubs would see that as the real end for them.

2 teams are being relegated in 2014 and with straight up and down that means in 2 years 3 teams from the current batch would be down in the championship.
Now with just a plain championship, they can foresee a decline in crowds and money.

Those 3 teams could be any of London/Salford/Widnes/Wakey/Cas even Hull KR.

Suddenly the massive drop from SL looks frighteningly likely for them.

However with this middle way, those going down in 2014 can put it that it's a halfway house as they will still get some games against SL clubs, also the chance to be promoted is well within your grasp. Whether it's likely or not, is not the point. Sport is build on hope, the hope that your team will progress, play exciting game etc etc.

This middle way builds in lots of hope. The question is whether the clubs get their finger out and market the thing. So rather than looking at it as a championship, they sell it as a halfway stop between SL and championship. I would not expect Widnes to struggle in 2014, but once the chaff has been cut away so to speak, they could be with in danger of being that 12th team. Now would you rather be relegated and loose all contact with SL, which could cripple a currently FT club. Or just take a slight step backwards and rebuild with some FT players.

For me the middle way will see a far less of a drop off in fans and sponsors, than a complete cut off from SL.

Time will tell, but in the end clubs need to market to their fans.

Other sports manage to sell their 2nd tier comps much better. When clubs drop down from the Heineken cup to the challenge cup, they still see it as something to play for and the fans buy into this.
Same for clubs dropping from champions league to UEFA cup. Yes it's initially a disappointment, but then it's a new target to aim for and the fans buy into that.

Call it the race for SL, or what ever you want, but sell it well and the people will come.

Re: 2015 - what does this mean for Widnes : Mon Jan 27, 2014 5:21 pm  

Don't forget that this 3 x 8's sytem doesn't start until the 2015 season and that at the end of the 2014 season two of the current SL clubs will drop in to the 2015 Championship with handouts of £900k and £850k parachute payments. It is therefore more likely that the 2015 middle 8 teams would be the bottom 4 SL clubs and the four Championship teams containing these two relegated teams.