Ottawa & League One : Wed Jul 10, 2019 2:17 pm  

A report suggests it appears unlikely that Ottawa will be joining the league in 2020. It is more likely they will be coming in in 2021 along with New York. There has been talk about both sides going straight into the Championship, by-passing League One. Any suggestions that the Championship should be expanded to 16 teams in 2020 also looks unlikely. Perhaps this idea has been shelved to reserve the places for the overseas teams? Rumours also appear to be gathering pace that League One will not exist in 2022. See the following article for details: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-171/ At Thursday night's fans panel meeting, I will ask whether the club has any more news on this report, especially with regard to the demise of League One. A very precarious scenario could potentially be looming. Teams relegated from the Championship at the end of 2021 may have no league to play in, and those not promoted from League One in 2021 would be in the same boat. How much over-spending of budgets will that be likely to cause as it will create a 'promotion or bust' scenario for all League One teams? The same fear will apply in the Championship too as relegation would mean the end of the club in the professional ranks. I would like to think the RFL have more respect for the lower league clubs than to subject them to this but worrying times clearly lie ahead.

A report suggests it appears unlikely that Ottawa will be joining the league in 2020. It is more likely they will be coming in in 2021 along with New York. There has been talk about both sides going straight into the Championship, by-passing League One. Any suggestions that the Championship should be expanded to 16 teams in 2020 also looks unlikely. Perhaps this idea has been shelved to reserve the places for the overseas teams? Rumours also appear to be gathering pace that League One will not exist in 2022. See the following article for details: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-171/ At Thursday night's fans panel meeting, I will ask whether the club has any more news on this report, especially with regard to the demise of League One. A very precarious scenario could potentially be looming. Teams relegated from the Championship at the end of 2021 may have no league to play in, and those not promoted from League One in 2021 would be in the same boat. How much over-spending of budgets will that be likely to cause as it will create a 'promotion or bust' scenario for all League One teams? The same fear will apply in the Championship too as relegation would mean the end of the club in the professional ranks. I would like to think the RFL have more respect for the lower league clubs than to subject them to this but worrying times clearly lie ahead.

Re: Ottawa & League One : Wed Jul 10, 2019 2:31 pm  

Just another thought...

Imagine Ottawa and New York entered League One in 2021, with this being the last year of League One's existence, and one or both didn't get promoted, the RFL would face a huge dilemma as their expansion plans would be shot to pieces.

If these two clubs have huge budgets and both did get promoted, no current sides would get out of League One in 2021. This season and next season would then be the only realistic hopes for current sides in the bottom league to escape the chop.

But there's an even stranger thing that could happen! If Ottawa and New York were 'fast-tracked' into the Championship in 2021, they could be the ones who get relegated at the end of the season and have nowhere to go! Could it be a fair bet they will be given a 'relegation exemption clause'?

I'm feeling uncomfortable about all of this. Do we really want a rugby league without the likes of Hunslet, Oldham, Keighley, Workington, Whitehaven, Newcastle, and possibly the Dons? No we don't. This cannot be allowed to happen!