Quote ="SEB"I've seen a few debates on here and on Twitter and heard some on Sky too on whether the top 8 playoffs should be scrapped and whether we should go back to top 6 or top 5. What amazes me is everyone seems to have forgotten about the two 12s / three 8s structure that was proposed a couple of months ago. If that gets accepted then this is happening:
Two divisions of 12, play each other home & away plus a magic game = 23 league games;
Split into three divisions of 8, play each other once = 7 league games;
All home games in these fixtures included in season ticket
Then, the top 4 in each 8 playoff in a simple semi-final format, followed by a Grand Final.
Hence, if you have a season ticket, you only pay extra for the semi and the final. And there is no complicated who plays who scenarios.
The bottom 4 from the top 12 joins the top 4 from the bottom 12 to form the "middle 8" from which any promotion and relegation for the following season is sorted. The current gap between SL teams and Championship teams will be lessened by channelling additional central funding to the top clubs in the lower 12 and through them being able to generate more funds themselves from the new format.
I actually think this stucture has alot going for it:
- Total games to win SL = 32 compared to 30 or 31 under current format (with the top teams entering challenge cup one round later to compensate) so no great extra load on the top players. Total games if you miss the playoffs = 30 compared to current 27, so additional income opportunities for the lesser clubs;
- No complicated playoff structure;
- More to play for in league games as more to gain / more to lose;
- better value from season ticket for all fans;
- re-introduces promotion / relegation;
- strengthens clubs outside SL and benefits will filter down.
It does take some getting used to when you first hear it but I think its much easier to learn. Everyone still has to explain the current system to each other and to casual observers despite it having been round for a while. The new one will simply be "12 team league, then top 8 play each other in another league before top 4 semi finals and final".'"
I agree that this format has a lot going for it, the only spanner in the works will be the inevitable outcries about who has an advantage in the last 7 games as HY mentions with the decision about which teams get the extra home game.
The final play off has a welcome simplicity which I think will ensure that all the games are well attended and should be competitive with the teams involved truly having earned the right to be there.
