just a thought but how can Gloucester be the newest team when they werent one of the seven teams earmarked at the beginning?

It's the Bristol bid shifted up the road.

ahh right

Think the people calling for cuts are the ones living in cloud cuckoo land.

Have you ever tried supporting one of these proverbial lower league clubs you want to cut? How about you stick your own side in the Championship, let the lesser clubs stay in the elite, take all the SKY money so they can build a SL standard squad and the tip-top facilities and then we can have the fair competition you all want.

Thought not.

None of this hypothetical change could happen till the current Sky deal runs out. And if we averaged the league places or points accrued between 2013 and 2016, when that current TV deal runs out? The ten highest placed clubs would make up Super League in 2017.

That would not be a fair way of doing it at all.

No club would go for ten teams. TV deal wouldn't pay the same for less games so SL cash would be reduced. Equally, no club is going to only play 9 home games a drop of 5 home games in terms of income.

It would be a stupid, crass, ridiculous decision.

In your personal opinion, of course.
Sky would have in effect 20 'Super League' clubs to cover, as I'm sure there would be an audience for the clubs in the second, and maybe even third tier. Don't increase thr price of season tickets, but keep them at the same price and include Challenge Cup games.

I'd rather have 3 divisions of 14.

Who would the other two clubs be?

I'd gradually build up to it but reckon my extra 4 would be whoever misses out of Coventry and Oxford, Medway and for the other 2 go up north (Chester? Preston?) or perhaps Nottingham or another Welsh club. Make it a 5 year plan.

Chester Gladiators are a really small club at present and I don't even know if Preston has a club. Medway have made incredible progress in such a short space of time. I think the way the RFL handled it thus tine is the path to go down. Invite clubs to present a case, thoroughly investigate it and then make your decision.

There was a Chester bid (now withdrawn) and Preston soccer club have Maurice Lindsay in charge. The RFL wanted Medway in next year. Any have as strong a claim as Oxford if backing cam be found.

My name's were just an example, I was suggesting repeat the process for 4 new clubs in a few years or maybe 2 and 2.

I wasn't knocking your idea in the slightest. Lindsay is long gone due to health reasons. I'd hope the RFL would avoid the 'sugar daddy' model as we all know what can happen to even the most seemingly stablest of clubs if the one and only backer walks away.

There is absolutely no way that Sky will pay more for two divisions of ten. What they'll do is pay for the rights of SL1 and SL2 will be treated like the Championship.

Did you make such a fuss when Wakefield were facing having their Super League licence revoked? Did you write such angry posts when Widnes missed out on a place in Super League? Or are you only pushing the 'death outside Super League' line because I put your club in the second division in a hypothetical, imaginary, off the top of my head system?

I have always been supportive of Widnes being in Super League. As for Wakefield in Super League, if it was us against them then no. I vehemently oppose us being relegated. If it was Wakefield against another club then I'd judge it on its merits. As it was, Crusaders withdrew their support and Wakefield were a better proposition than any of the other prospective Championship clubs at that time.

Gareth Walker via Twitter: "University of Gloucestershire All Golds confirmed as the third of four new teams to join Championship One"

therfl.co.uk/news/article/25053/ ... ampionship

therfl.co.uk/news/article/25053/ ... ampionship

From a personal point of view, that's a little underwhelming. No mention which ground they will be using for home games either?

It'll be the Prince of Wales stadium.

Is that the athletics ground that used to host the RLC Finals along with, erm, the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_King_of_SportsInternational King of Sports[/url competition?

Yes it is. Not a bad little ground but will need some updating/expanding if they are to progress.

spot on. its a simple case of the rich wanting to get richer.im a batley fan and we only play 9 home games (league) a season its not enough.in football prem play 19.championship leagues 1 and 2 play 23.more games means more money.

A student side? Seriously? What are they possibly hoping to achieve from billing the club in that way?

Its not a student side. Its a semi-pro side based at and supported by the university. The student team will be a feeder/reserve team.

A bit like Leeds Carnegie in Union.