Why not a SL comprising 16 Clubs and Championship comprising 18 Clubs (or the number of Clubs surviving beyond this season), with a fairer distribution of central funds between the two leagues; a limit on the number of overseas players; and promotion and relegation based on performance on the pitch?
You could also integrate the IMG gradings system to ensure minimum standards for eligibility to both SL and the Championship, with Clubs being given time and support to achieve those standards.
@frankg There's no way that the SL Clubs are going to pass down any of their central funding to Championship Clubs, and why would they? It would only weaken SL squads. Would you if you were Wigan give up some of your budget to NWC....or even Widnes, and send home Bevan French? Not a chance they would. Utopia doesn't exist in reality.
Paulie xx
They won't even give up their money for other clubs in SL i.e. York and Toulouse. There's 0% chance any of it is coming to the Championship.
@gpo1971 and there lies the problem. SL was bringing in £40m a year from Sky 10 years ago. Now its just £20 million, when you factor in cost of living increases the drop is even worse. Thats down to terrible management from the RFL. Look at how darts has overtaken RL on Sky at the same time with the crowds, prize money and TV deal.
The RFL are weak and have no strategy, why on earth do SL chairmen such as at Leeds, Saints and Leigh have so much say in how the wider game is run. Clinging onto an ever shrinking pie in desperation. The Championship used to get £300k per season to run a decent squad.
@pauliewalnuts Sadly you are right, there is no way that SL Clubs will give up a share of the ever reducing Sky money, but maybe they should ask themselves just how much a success have the RFL made of managing the game and how is it going to change.
Maybe McManus, Danson, Moran, Beaumont etc will be happy to continue "investing" £1m-£2m a year to keep their "star" players. Does McManus think his money has been well spent on their imports at St Helens? What about Ken Davy? Is he happy with his investment in overpaid imports?
As it happens, Field and French are just two of the few imports that have stood out in the game. Interesting that Wigan are leading the change to develop their own players from youth programmes. Maybe Widnes will become an integral part of the Warrington Youth Development Programme?
If Utopia means clubs depending on a rich benefactor to bring in average imports on high salaries to produce an average team, perhaps we should avoid it and just accept our position as a feeder club.
I will always believe that the RFL should be looking to grow the game in the UK at all levels from grass roots to SL. It seems to me that the concentration on a few teams at the expense of the rest of the game has not worked. In my view, this needs a competitive competition with promotion and relegation based on on-field performance; a salary cap fair to all clubs, which would not preclude investment by a rich benefactor; a fairer distribution of central funding, with incentives for success on the field ie league position, cup success etc and local community development; a limit on overseas imports, but allowing the signing of marquee players; and a requirement for Clubs to have a youth development programme, integrated with the local amateur game and schools.
This may well be just wishful thinking and never going to happen, but I would be interested to hear what plans the RFL have for the future direction of the game. At the moment, we are paying £400,000 to individuals to head the RFL, who seem to be clueless and only plan is to protect the finances of a few rich benefactors; look after the interests of a few favoured clubs; and plan a week-end in Las Vegas once a year.