Licencing/Franchising works....but it needs strong management and we are discussing the RFL here, so it was doomed from the start.
There is always an opportunity for clubs outside the franchised super league to join, but rather than do the hard yards, roll up their sleeves and get their houses in good financial order, these clubs would rather lobby the RFL for a change in the rules in the pursuit of 1.5 million a year from SKY. These clubs are under the misguided belief that this money will make them powerhouses....conveniently ignoring the fact that they will still have to find another 2.5 million a year just to break even. Can you name a Championship club that has a turn over of 2.5 million a year?
Take us.....if by a miracle we made it up. I'd hazard a guess at the total income from sponsorship at the Broncos this year is less than 50,000.....and than includes the corporate and private players sponsorship as well as the shirt "partnership" deals.......and IF when they deem to let you know Tickets are a score each, then even at last years totals you've only raised 325k....still 2 million short and apparently we moved because Hughes didn't want to make up the 2 million shortfall each year.....we'd be relying on him to survive and probably straight back down again the following year
The RFL have retreated to the safety of the heartlands and the game will get less media exposure this year than ever before. Fev v Salford in front of 1,500 will prove that "every moment" doesn't matter......but don't expect the RFL spin machine to keep on saying it will.
In 11 home games at the Hive before either 3 or 4 more 888 matches, I suspect we will see less than 10,000 people come through the turnstiles......then we might get a few more to the 888 games, but only if we stand a chance of going up. Given we shipped 50 points a game v SL opposition last year, I really don't have your blind faith in this new system attracting any lapsed fans back or news fans either.
As for the teams in the bottom 8.......I believe that this is where we will see the most competitive matches.