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Interesting watch, fair to say Tony Smith isnt a fan of the current structure! And very honest to say in Featherstone that maybe Fev shouldnt be allowed in if they dont meet certain criteria! With the point he makes being that it might not be good for the club if they're not ready and get more results like todays I presume? If the RFL are bringing back a form of licencing for 2019 I wonder how they have arrived (or will arrive) at that decision? What evidence have they looked at? and who have they talked to? Presumably at least passed it by the paymasters at sky?? And will we get to see a published review that supports any change for 2018 or 2019? As a sport we need to find the least worst structure that we think can grow the sport (not just geographically) then stick to it and make it a success, whatever that means for my own club (in the previous licening period we should have had our licence revoked and told to go away and rebuild outside SL), or the sport will diminish to (even further) insignificance.

With regards sky isn't their deal up end of 2018? I think that's why they are waiting until 2019 for a restructure as they committed to 3 years of the current and the sky deal was for 3 years. The RFL really need to go to town this next time round to get a better deal up the salary cap and start slightly bridging the massive gap between us and the NRL

Almost certain the sky deal has quite a few years still to run. No way is it up for renewal at the end of 2018.

Just had a look, it was agreed in 2014 but came into force in 2017 for 5 years

Sky deal runs until the end of the 2021 season.

The current deal lasts until 2021 and covers up to 100 matches per season. From 2014, they also simulcast all of Catalans Dragons' home games and from 2015, will broadcast regular Kingstone Press Championship matches.

Last bit is a bloody lie though!

Well, you could argue they do show regular matches

Once a year (Summer Bash) is [iregular[/i. Just not very [ifrequent[/i

This is my theory, see if anybody can imagine this actually happening

The RFL and the Bulls have known all along we would not be relegated this season, hence no obvious attempts to really strengthen the squad to try avoid finishing in the bottom 2. The RFL knew if they just changed the format at the end of the season and the Bulls did not go down there would be hell on. Now with some championship chairmen, we don't know how many, stating they would not want the Bulls to be relegated, the RFL now have a perfect opportunity to change the format and keep the Bulls in the championship and say it was all the over clubs who wanted this to happen. They would be able to pass the buck onto somebody else and save face. And Big Nige gets to take over a club that is on the up and not in the bottom league

Now does anybody think that is too far fetched to be true

Not far-fetched at all

An even simpler scenario is that they'd decided that next seasons Championship would be 14 clubs, to even up the current 12/14/16 format to 12/14/14 and mean that League 1 can have a sensible format. With the Bulls in meltdown, they couldn't announce it then - because it would have looked like the RFL were massively favouring the Bulls. And Big Nigel couldn't have that, knowing that he was positioning himself to take over the club. So he whispered in Chalmers ear (hence the lack of investment). The rumblings from the Championship chairman simply gives him a convenient smokescreen.

Is that perhaps a bit less far-fetched

You make it sound very plausible put like that.

The answer to your question is at least six.

Listen to my interview with Alan Kilshaw from yesterday.

If it's 14 clubs in both championship and league 1 then the 13 home games works whichever division we're in. Careful what we wish for mind. Championship will have London Toulouse Toronto and still a chance of catalans

But. Chairmen not particularly bothered about results but finances. Looking at the clubs you mentioned the CH clubs coffers are not going to be swelled by away support.

Yep, even if we are somehow kept in the Championship we're not going to be in the top four at the end of the season. Will a mid-table finish bring in enough to rebuild in 2019 and push for a top 4 Champ slot - its a massive hill to climb irrespective of Champ/L1 next season.

However, we'd never get back into SL as the Championship chairmen wouldn't allow it..

I am close friends with someone who is let’s say at the top end of the pecking order at a very local championship team and he has offered to bet me £1000 that bradford will not be relegated, he has specifically said there’s been a meeting and bradford will not be going into league 1, make of that as you will but this is as close as to from the horses mouth as possible