This article is posted in full on Totalrl.com. There are several threads on there about p and r and franchises. There is definitely a debate going on throughout the game re the ring fencing of SL. One fact that has emerged is, asMike Smith has pointed out in his article, that when Sky first came along, The RFL was bypassed and the SL organisation signed the contract with Sky and has exclusive rights to dish out the money as they see fit. The original SL crew was a backroom meeting of the big clubs and the whole game was highjacked by them.
My opinion is that the SL is too small. They need to increase the number of teams in it and the top championship teams need to be allowed in if they meet the necessary criteria. The RFL need to speak to Sky before the next contract about getting a bigger deal for an extended SL. SL has been ringfenced and expansion or P and r to it has been denied because of the present teams being in charge of the cash from Sky and refusing to share it out with more teams.
If they will not expand SL then more cash needs to be flowing downwards to the Championships. With more TV sports channels out there than previously, Sky, ESPn, BBC, al Jazheera more TV money should be available if a concerted, coherent strategy is adopted by the game to negotiate with the TV companys.
When the CC1 is expanded next year, in theory the lower leagues should have enough votes to outvote the SL clubs at the RFL but the money will still be controlled by SL. No one wants the full story to be re hashed as to what went on at the start of SL because it was all so underhand and no real chance to consider the whole implications of the deal was given to the clubs. They were co erced into voting for the deal with the threat that if it wasnt agreed to right away the offer would be withdrawn. I am not so sure that Sky had demanded that or if the SL backroom cabal pushed it through.
Any suggestions for him? cheers
