By the sounds of all that they've been getting rid of events that haven't been getting the numbers, which is what it's all about for Sky at the end of the day.

Completely agree with you're last sentence.

They might be interested in the Leeds and Wigans of this world but will have no interest in the Featherstones and Sheffield. And if the french clubs can negotiate their own deal then they might just take their bat home as they did with the international deals.

Either way this idea is a non-starter and they need to get back round the table and think again.

Agree with all of this entirely.

We will always be seen as potential outcasts since the demostrations we made in the advent of the SL era regarding Maurice Lindsay's ideas on mergers.

One thing that does stand out in the new proposals is there is no mention of ground facilities and/or new stadia. Surely this is a positive for both Cas Tigers and WTW at this present time ?

This split league will be in in two year the championship clubs want it and the top S/L clubs do so the vote will go through I would think

It certainly will. The only thing that needs ironing out is the funding and the disparity between what the SL1 clubs will get from Sky (1.2 million ??) and the SL2 clubs (300K ??).
My only problem with this proposal would be - the 4 teams going up after round 11 from SL2 would not be able to compete with the other 8 existing SL1 teams because of the difference in Sky monies. The wealthier clubs and those not under threat of demotion need to make a sacrifice on this one IMO.

We're in danger of confusing the general public and alienating potential new viewers. Just keep it to promotion and relegation to a 12 team super league as is the British way. No soft favours to developmental areas in Wales, Gloucester or France either promotion on merit whether that be teams like Featherstone or Sheffield.

The 4 teams in S/l 2 going up after round 11 don't play the top 8 they form a split league with the bottom 4 of S/L for the second half of the season At the end of the season the top 4 in the split league of 8 would go into S\L the following year I agree it will be hard to beat the bottom 4 S/L teams in the split league as they would be full time and 4 part time ( this needs lookin at ) but it is a way for the ambitious championship clubs to get into the top division

I stand corrected JTfev. Its the middle division where the inbalance lies. There would be the 4 teams from SL1 (say Hull KR, Wakey, Salford and Widnes) who would be getting 1 million plus Sky money against the top 4 from SL2 (say London, Cas, Halifax and Fev) on 300K.
If we can get the Sky money evened out a little bit more and all 8 teams were full-time this could be a good division to watch. In effect it would only need 2 extra teams to make the step up to a full-time operation.

Throw Toulouse into the mix and it gets very interesting.

Reduce the top tier to 12 with some fairy tale about splitting divisions and helping the game, then cast aside everything below the 12.

Result a 12 team super league.

But there would still be meaningless games unless we turn back the clock to 2006 with P&R one up and one down.

My understanding is the bottom four SL1 clubs would play against the top 4 SL 2 teams . The four teams who then finish top of SL2 would return to SL1 for the next season. Am I right please.

You are right - the only thing I am unsure about is if these 4 clubs who return to SL1 the following season do it from their final league position or through a play-off. I am inclined to think its the latter and not the former. The play-off series in SL2 is to be crowned SL2 champions only (I think).

Tiger wouldn't SL 2 games be the playoffs

Out of the three suggested options, the first is the clear winner for me. 12 teams in Superleague with the bottom one being relegated and the top in the Championship being promoted. I bet it wouldn't be quite as clear as this though, I doubt they would relegate the new French side if they came bottom!

I actually don't think they should let in Toulouse, if they earn their place via promotion from the bottom then fair enough but I don't agree with the fast pass method. Personally I don't want to watch even one French team, certainly don't want to watch two!!!

That split the league half way through option is just a crafty way of eventually obtaining an eight team Superleague. I doubt the others would get a look in.

No the second part of the season (after the initial 11 games) would be a 14 game series of 7 home and 7 away fixtures. That would then be followed by the play-offs although the format of this is unknown at present.

I have always been a fan of Pro/ rel. I think it would be better over 3 season. The club with the poor record relegated and the team with the best record promoted.
It could provide the championship team with the best record to start to make plans after season 2. If a SL club finishes bottom 2 seasons on the trot ,it can expect to be relegated after season 3. If two diff teams finish bottom over 2 seasons the battle would be on.
Even if a third SL team finishes bottom in season 3 it could be decided on a 3 team play off or simply decided on point diff.

I'd prefer promotion relegation every year, give all teams something to fight for every season. If you did it over three then what would be the point in the team that came bottom for the first two years competing in the third?!? (Assuming there was one)

A lot can happen financially also in 3 years as most of you know all too well on this forum.

I get the feeling that the option 3 will be introduced in 2015 as a means of reducing the SL to 12 or even 10 depending on its level of success/failure. 3 or 4 years down the line we will be back to P&R with one up one down on an anual basis as 18th man suggests above.

Don't think it will be one season .You will prob end up with a yo yo team, no good for the game or SL in general.

They need it every year in my opinion to put value back into the Championship, without it people will only take notice of those teams once every three years, how is that going to help them get more fans and sponsors? Plus, what is there to play for in the top division for the lower teams later on in the season if there is no threat of relegation? Put the fight back in there and give the lower league teams a regular chance at the big time!

What we need to do at Wakey, is get some bricks and mortar down at Newmarket.
If the league reduces to 12 (especially if Toulouse are admitted) then 2 (or perhaps 3) SL clubs are for the chop.
At the moment this may be Cas, London (assuming Toulouse get in) and one other and we are back in the frame.

I can see both sides of the argument but with P&R will it bring back the times where teams just stack their sides with Overseas players because their after a quick fix and then yo yo between divisions causing massive financial problems, hopefully if we do go back things will eb put in place to stop this but I'm not holding my breath

There are some problems in RL that need sorting out but I personally don't think it's anywhere near as bad as some people make out. This idea that the RFL have come up with makes us look like we have no faith in our own product, so why should the fans.

For me it's all about money, we simply don't have enough to make the levels below SL better quality, for that matter we don't even have enough for SL tbh. So they've come up with a convoluted idea to appease certain fans, which will do nothing but turn them away because it's ridiculous. I honestly can't see much changing until the SKY deal runs out and then maybe just maybe we can get a stronger deal. Hopefully by then this BT sports channel will be bigger.

For us it's all about the new stadium and making sure we are one of the best 12 teams around.

Ok then, how about giving the newly promoted team six points start? That might level the playing field a bit more?

The RFL will seek agreement to their proposals in stages and have everyone on board to start with and then drop the bombshell of insufficient funding.
Then hey presto a new SL with 10 or 12 clubs, which is what the powerbrokers of the game want.
Will Wakefield make the cut ?

Thas not wrong.