So you'd rather we kept the previous system and see Wakefield and Salford get hammered for another 7 weeks? Also Leigh and Bradford stroll along for another 7 weeks......all for nothing?

You are too whingey and obsessed with the sound bites that the RFL put out....us grown ups take them at face value and realise they are just sound bites.

1. Yes...licencing would have worked if managed properly
2. I care little for soundbites......but you seem happy to be fleeced for more cash which the rfl will claim as progress whilst not adding one new fan......the game will not progress under this system

Licensing didnt work. Clubs still went bust, English talent hasn't grown in numbers, the comp wasn't more even, the games wealth dint grow to support a grown in clubs at top level.

Who knows if this system will be better?

Licencing did work
English talent grew spectacularly (see the thread on England wingers)
The comp was way more even - even if the same clubs kept winning it


Just saying

I like the new system, regardless of the crowds it draws. The (admittedly small) sample of fans I've spoken to about it have been unanimous in their approval. It seems to find favour with the majority on here too. Strange then that crowds should be lower than in the comparable earlier-season fixtures. Perhaps it's simply that the system is an alien one to the British sporting public and that its popularity will increase as more fans come to terms with it.
A previous poster (Gutterfax?) made the point that the RFL was milking the fans. I think his/her point is relevant but I'd suggest that if the fans being milked are enjoying the new system more than the old then that's no bad thing. New fans welcome as ever, of course. I think the early signs are positive.

I've noticed, at least in my opinion, that there are more things to get excited about in this new system, for example just because a team might not get promoted doesn't mean that there isn't any excitement in the middle 8s. I think its exciting to see teams secure their super league status again, seeing Salford doing so yesterday. Obviously it would be more satisfying to see a promotion but like I say, still satisfying to see teams secure status, almost like a promotion in itself. Perhaps we should see the middle 8s as a totally new league when the split happens.

Changing the structure doesn't improve the quality of the product. Improving the quality of the teams involved in the structure is what will improve the product.

Speaking as a warrington Fan, the only thing i might possibly change is allowing all teams in the super 8's to have a home game within the first two weeks.

Aside from the two leeds games, we've been bobbins this year, its been all our own fault, however at the end of the initial rounds we picked up a bit of form and we could see what we needed to do to try and snatch fourth, it was a long shot, but we thought we could do it, got beat away at leeds and then towelled away by Cas and then 4th was a near impossiblity needing other results to go our way and a few snookers, but we still had our three home matches to try and plug. Aside from the formalities, our season was over. And i know several season ticket holders who haven't gone to the three home games as in there view, there was no longer any point.

It's all our own fault, not disputing that, but it would be fairer attendance wise to alternate those first two weeks.

Since attendances are being spoken of...

Saints need a crowd of 10717 vs Warrington to match the overall average attendence of last year (11540) over the 18 home games this year compared to the 15 last year.

A higher average over more games is good, regardless of which way you spin it.

So you keep saying, but somehow I suspect that if you could locate these elusive 'missing fans' and interrogate, them, I doubt many would say, I've stopped going cos I can't watch Brett Kenny or Peter Sterling (or Sam Tomkins, for that matter).

I dare say a higher proportion would mention Thursday/Friday fixtures as a factor.

I very much doubted before the season started that this system would be to doom and gloom that some predicted.
I'm a little surprised that the top of the table fixtures have not attracted more than the regular season.
For me the only bit I would alter if I had the power would be the Magic Weekend.

Having an uneven fixture list prior to the split and then having an odd number of fixtures just does not sit well with me. It maybe just a symetry thing, but I'd like the magic weekend to be the opening weekend for the Super 8's.

There is some scheduling around the CC too to compress it more towards May. I know some did not like it as an early season competition, but for me it would work better as a mid-season break for some teams, a better PR for the BBC to sell free to air games if it was put in a closer run of weeks.

But overall I'm fine with the structure, it was not overly complex and whilst I'm surprised that Leigh did not turn over some SL teams at the end of the year, like they did mid-season, it's seems to have provided that bridge between SL and championship.
I'd be fine with a narrowing of the salary cap, if the Championship clubs could afford it, but that comes down to finance. If the middle 8's start boosting their attendances in coming years, then maybe that gap can be narrowed more over time. But it was never going to happen on day one, without some clubs over reaching their finances.

You're probably right regarding attendances.

I think it's more to do with this structure being new than anything else. If you look at most initiatives that have been introduced in the past attendances have always been poor the first few years. Personally, although I didn't agree with this structure I hope they stick with it, and give it sometime to grow.

Agree with bewareshadows.

I think the cup would benefit from being earlier in the season. And I'd make it so that the rounds run every 3rd week. So you'd have a Cup game followed by 2 SL games, then another cup game etc.
That should mean the entire thing is closer together but still gives clubs a bit of time to sell their fixtures.
I'd also put the SL clubs in earlier rounds of the Cup.

Agree on the Magic Weekend. Move it to first week of the 8's and involve both Super and Middle 8's.

Level salary cap would be my only tweak let the middle 8 qualifies spend the same,loved every game Leigh have been involved in great to be involved in a higher intensity of game

The cup being played earlier nearly killed it off

It's best where it is now and makes it a tough achievement to win both cup and minor premiers

The fact that Catalan have had such a big say in the top four proves the system is flawed.

Why? Cas have drastically altered the dynamic of the top 4 in the last few weeks (and could so again this week) but that's fine?

Crowds for all of the top 8 clubs should increase, after all, their last 7 fixtures have been against theoretical title chasers.

If the fixtures had been as in previous seasons, you may have had the delights of Salford or Wakefield at home, which would have reduced your crowd numbers.

The "winners" as far as attendances go, should be the clubs in the Super 8's and the Championship clubs in the Middle 8's.

The "losers" regarding attendance figures would be the bottom 4 in SL and the lower clubs in the Championship.

The only way the new concept will be deemed a success is if The Bulls gain promotion and the prospects for the lower Championship clubs next season looks awful, with this seasons top 4 having a hefty financial boost, due to their success this season.

Personally, with the rich getting richer in SL and the Championship, we appear to be heading for a 3 x 8 structure in the not too distant future, perhaps with promotion and relegation between the leagues but, at least the big boys will be happy so it must be good for the game.

The bottom team in SL won 3 games. The bottom team in the championship won 1 game. The top club in the championship lost 1 game. They were so far away from the SL clubs that their chairman has thrown an epic fit and threatening all and sundry with legal action so he can spend nearly double next year. This being a team that won it's games by an average of over 30 points this year. That sounds like a recipe for a competitive league season.

This was apparently a 'whole game solution' it has in fact decimated most of the league. League 1 is needing to go regional. The bottom of the championship has been cast adrift and finished the season playing in front of no-one for a competition no one cares about. The championship shield is a disaster.

The bottom of Superleague is a mess of falling attendances and panic buying for a competition that was hugely imbalanced and attended by fewer people.

The super 8s saw fans bored of 3 meetings and clubs struggle to sell profitable corporate hospitality.

TV viewers have fallen by 15% according to the trade press.

This for some is a success.

Can i just remind everybody of the thread title

If somebody wishes to discus the negatives of this new system, by all means start a new thread, then those wishing to point them out can post on it

I think quite a few people who post on here would have to look up the word 'positive' in the dictionary to actually know what it meant.

You can point out whatever you like. Nobody had any reason to listen to you and they rarely do so there isn't much point in it. But do so all you want. If you want an echo chamber go talk to a mirror.

It's also pretty successfully destroyed London. Again to some this is success.

If you need help understanding the first post is a list of positives and negatives you can find English tutors on line or through your local adult education centres.

I'm POSITIVE that this new system has had a NEGATIVE effect on the game as a whole.

For those not sure try not to be decisively indecisive.

It's been a blast