Super League franchise criteria

[St Helens RLFC]

This was on Sky Sports the other night. A mixture of the bizarre and the expected.

Facilities
12,000+ Capacity Stadium
Premier Competition Standard

Attendances
Crowd Average 10k+
Operate at 40% capacity

Finances
Solvent
£4million+ turnover

Player Strength
Average top 8 position over last 3 seasons
8 of 1st Team squad (of 25) must be home grown

Salary Cap
No major breach of Salary Cap in last 3 years

Geographical Expansion
No other franchised club within 20 miles

1 point for each criteria met

8-10 points - guaranteed place
5-7 points - possible place
1-4 points - C ?

According to Sky, 6 of current SL clubs achieve 5+ points, so a more or less guaranteed a place. The other 6 would achieve 1-4 points will be considered along with the other applicants outside Superleague including Salford, Fev, Celtic Crusaders, Toulouse, Leigh, Widnes.

 

[Vambo]

That's you lot in NL1 then

 

[wigan_rlfc]

This idea is getting worse and worse. Scrap it before it destroys our sport.

 

[getofmeland]

They seem to have a very strict criteria, I can't see this working at all...

If this was being done in Union there would be uproar... your basically creating the Magners League of Rugby League...

 

[Bullitt]

Exactly what it is; Rungfenced bullshit providing the pennies for the RFL while scuppering the clubs.

Once the rest of fans realise they've nothing to play for when Leeds and Saints race away to contend the ***le and nobody worries about religation, fans will begin to not care and half strength teams be put out each week.

That's you lot in NL1 then [/b]

Salary Cap
No major breach of Salary Cap in last 3 years

:bleh!:

 

[Vambo]

Salary Cap
No major breach of Salary Cap in last 3 years

:bleh!:
[/b]

Not even Wigan can be perfect

We score highly elsewhere though :cheers:

 

[getofmeland]

Geographical Expansion
No other franchised club within 20 miles[/b]

Ok I am no genius but does that mean that there will only be able to have Wigan, St Helens and Warrington go in straight away as a franchise otherwise they will never get a franchise....

I also guess the same can be said about Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield...

The more and more I read into the franchise of Rugby League the more I think they are gonna ruin the sport...

 

[Vambo]

Geographical Expansion
No other franchised club within 20 miles[/b]

Ok I am no genius but does that mean that there will only be able to have Wigan, St Helens and Warrington go in straight away as a franchise otherwise they will never get a franchise....

I also guess the same can be said about Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield...

The more and more I read into the franchise of Rugby League the more I think they are gonna ruin the sport...
[/b]

Personally I think the current 12 SL clubs will get in regardless... I expect the 'criteria' to be applied more stringently to 'other' apllications.

Fev for instance have no chance because they are too close to Cas & Wakefield.

I reckon the other 2 places will go to Salford & Celtic Crusaders with Toulouse being the outside bet.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Interesting in regards to the Celtic Crusaders, I am not sure the potential for Rugby league is really there in South Wales and a lot of people would attribute most interest in the CCs to Rugby politics down here and the demise of the Celtic Warriors regional team.
I am under the impression that the current home of the Crusaders, the Brewery Field in Bridgend has a capacity of 10,000, so are they looking for a new ground? There where suggestions that they could share the new Cardiff City football ground along with the Cardiff Blues but it seemed no more than a suggestion and would be awkward at this time of the year when all codes are in full swing.
In regards to attendance, I know some clubs bring big numbers with them, but Rugby Union (non-international) often struggles to get decent attendances week in, week out and the i am sure there is a desire to increase the turn out among the soccer clubs (hence new stadiums).
I think the competition may be pretty stiff, factoring in all the time and dedication people devote to smaller local clubs also, people may choose to go watch their local RU club (at whatever level) or soccer club etc.
Just not so sure it is viable and it all feels a little bit forced to me, from the SL and from those who have business interests in the club.
Not denying there are people interested in RL in SW but i don't think there is enough to sustain a top flight RL team, would like to be proved wrong but i can't see it happening.

 

[Vambo]

Interesting in regards to the Celtic Crusaders, I am not sure the potential for Rugby league is really there in South Wales and a lot of people would attribute most interest in the CCs to Rugby politics down here and the demise of the Celtic Warriors regional team.
I am under the impression that the current home of the Crusaders, the Brewery Field in Bridgend has a capacity of 10,000, so are they looking for a new ground? There where suggestions that they could share the new Cardiff City football ground along with the Cardiff Blues but it seemed no more than a suggestion and would be awkward at this time of the year when all codes are in full swing.
In regards to attendance, I know some clubs bring big numbers with them, but Rugby Union (non-international) often struggles to get decent attendances week in, week out and the i am sure there is a desire to increase the turn out among the soccer clubs (hence new stadiums).
I think the competition may be pretty stiff, factoring in all the time and dedication people devote to smaller local clubs also, people may choose to go watch their local RU club (at whatever level) or soccer club etc.
Just not so sure it is viable and it all feels a little bit forced to me, from the SL and from those who have business interests in the club.
Not denying there are people interested in RL in SW but i don't think there is enough to sustain a top flight RL team, would like to be proved wrong but i can't see it happening.
[/b]

There are many RL fans who feel the same way.
Personally I think RL can thrive (if given a chance) in Wales and the RFL have some difficult decisions to make.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Given the right sort of backing the Crusaders can prosper.

As for the regional thing, it's a daft rule. I reckon it's only there to boost the applications for the likes of London and the Catalans. You don't lose marks for it mind, but only 3 or 4 teams will qualify for a point on that category.

<div class='quotemain'> That's you lot in NL1 then [/b]

Salary Cap
No major breach of Salary Cap in last 3 years

:bleh!:
[/b][/quote]





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