Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:15 pm  

There are a few factors at play here.

A lot depends on whether the SL expands to 14, that's two up.

There are also two clubs in SL who from what I'm told might not make it through the 2024 season.

Salford are the obvious one, but I'm also told that London never expected promotion and were caught totally unready. I know they have the SKY money, but as a Championship club they were barely breaking even. In essence the SKY cash is there only income for players, the rest is already spoken for. Unless they can attract significant crowds they may well fold. Plough lane is a great venue, but very difficult for fans from the north to get to - easily a 4-5 hour journey so I can't see them getting much away traffic.

The last two are very speculative, so PLEASE don't take me literally. But if it did all come to fruition you could end up with four promoted teams if I've got my sums right.

Salford Replacement
London Replacement
Further two to make a 14 team comp.

This is RL, it's not as impossible as it sounds.

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 3:48 pm  

vastman wrote:

There are a few factors at play here.

A lot depends on whether the SL expands to 14, that's two up.

There are also two clubs in SL who from what I'm told might not make it through the 2024 season.

Salford are the obvious one, but I'm also told that London never expected promotion and were caught totally unready. I know they have the SKY money, but as a Championship club they were barely breaking even. In essence the SKY cash is there only income for players, the rest is already spoken for. Unless they can attract significant crowds they may well fold. Plough lane is a great venue, but very difficult for fans from the north to get to - easily a 4-5 hour journey so I can't see them getting much away traffic.

The last two are very speculative, so PLEASE don't take me literally. But if it did all come to fruition you could end up with four promoted teams if I've got my sums right.

Salford Replacement
London Replacement
Further two to make a 14 team comp.

This is RL, it's not as impossible as it sounds.

There'll only be 12 SL teams in 2025, and it'll the 12 with the highest IMG grades. London won't be in whatever happens, and Salford's spot would just go to the next highest graded club. When we get to 12 Grade A clubs then they'll look to expand.

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 4:39 pm  

Surely the point of the IMG system is to make clubs focus on generating income, sweating their assets and becoming more viable businesses. The ones who achieve the level of Grade A will be in Super League, however many that may be. The funding distribution becomes less important as these clubs will have a sustainable business model without central funding. Subsequently, if we need Sky (or whoever) less we can demand more - as football does- and have a greater say over how we are presented on media for our best interests.

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 4:56 pm  

FSW wrote:

Surely the point of the IMG system is to make clubs focus on generating income, sweating their assets and becoming more viable businesses. The ones who achieve the level of Grade A will be in Super League, however many that may be. The funding distribution becomes less important as these clubs will have a sustainable business model without central funding. Subsequently, if we need Sky (or whoever) less we can demand more - as football does- and have a greater say over how we are presented on media for our best interests.

Absolutely correct, it’s short term pain, anguish and turmoil with many fans scratching their heads and calling it a joke for everything not to be settled on the field of play.
Let’s be honest though, we’ve had approaching 30 years of SKY money and the games dwindling away at just about every level. Many clubs don’t look any financially better than they did in 1983. The moneys been squandered, going to player agents, into the pockets of average Ausie players bank accounts, we must have blown half a billion in TV contracts. SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE!

Clubs just don’t seem willing or just aren’t capable of taking tough, long term buisiness decisions that would elevate themselves and the game to a secure, modern professional sport to sit alongside any in the world.

The IMG system is a bitter pill for the game to swallow but we have to take our medicine or the game will wither and recede back to being a semi pro game at all levels.

If clubs GENUINELY strive to gain more IMG points and make the infrastructural improvements that make them a ‘B’ or an ‘A’ then we may turn the tide as a sport and one day have a full League of genuine ‘A’s

[PopTart]

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 7:19 pm  

Exactly.
There's no promotion or replacing people.
It's a new list each year. Top 12 teams on IMG table are in.

It won't be like this but if the B teams don't try to improve they risk being over taken by someone like Toulouse who are putting effort and money into getting their grade A.
In theory every B team in Super League could lose their place.

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:47 pm  

PopTart wrote:

Exactly.2
There's no promotion or replacing people.
It's a new list each year. Top 12 teams on IMG table are in.

It won't be like this but if the B teams don't try to improve they risk being over taken by someone like T2Aoulouse who are putting effort and money into getting their grade A.
In theory every B team in Super League could lose their place.

What happens if we just get below an A grade, lets say a B grade with 14.75 points, and a SL side finishes next season with a B grade of 14.65 points, and they finish in tenth position in SL table,do we replace that SL team. i.e. they drop into championship and we go back into to SL.

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:59 pm  

KevW60349 wrote:

What happens if we just get below an A grade, lets say a B grade with 14.75 points, and a SL side finishes next season with a B grade of 14.65 points, and they finish in tenth position in SL table,do we replace that SL team. i.e. they drop into championship and we go back into to SL.

It could happen yes. It’s the top 12 scoring from all comps.

[PopTart]

Re: Championship Central funding : Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:18 pm  

KevW60349 wrote:

What happens if we just get below an A grade, lets say a B grade with 14.75 points, and a SL side finishes next season with a B grade of 14.65 points, and they finish in tenth position in SL table,do we replace that SL team. i.e. they drop into championship and we go back into to SL.

Depends what others get. But if there are 12 teams with a bigger score than the 10th place team. They are in Championship.

Re: Championship Central funding : Thu Nov 23, 2023 3:30 pm  

Makes you wonder what point there was in promoting London. I'm not sure what the RFL expects them to do this season. Seems almost cruel to me.

[PopTart]

Re: Championship Central funding : Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:11 pm  

The RFL didn't promote them.
They competed in a competition and won it.

It's hardly going to work if RFL can choose who goes up.
It was really down to London to manage it really.