Can see your point but surely a team would still rather be promoted as champions rather than runners up

The champions (league leaders at the end of the regular season) have not been involved in the Championship 1 play-offs, which has been used purely to decide the second team to be promoted. Effectively the play-offs will now be used just to decide 2nd & 3rd place, with both teams promoted, together with the champions and a fourth team.

Sounds good. Expansion can only be a good thing if we get it right.

LE reported this week that Northampton are set to be the first 'franchise'.

You'd think for next year CC1 would have a play-off for the Champions then.

Maybe someone should email the RFL in this?

This a death sentence for the existing CC1 clubs who do not make the four next season.

I know winning fees, what a pain. I remember Highfield (I think) sacking their coach because they broke a 23 game losing run and the directors had to pay £110 winning pay each.

Your lot will be alright. The Championship 1 is a struggling comp anyway, this could spark some life into it.

Travelling to all four corners of Britain to watch what is in effect a back door way of being relegated to the amateur ranks is just what we need.
The RFL have tried to cure the lack of meaningful fixtures in CC at the expense of CC1.

Am I missing something here? I'd have thought an increase in numbers to Championship and Championship 1 would be a good thing as more fixtures can be played to increase revenue, along with expanding the game from the bottom up.

Or are all the traditionalists on strike today?

If they were to suddenly replace Leeds,W1g4n,Hull and Warrington with ( no disrespect to these clubs inteded ) Dewsbury , Rochdale , Workington and Doncaster into SL , would it improve things ?

Would attendances rise ? , would clubs be able to bring in extra sponsorship on the back of these clubs inclusion ?

Well that is essentially what they are going to do , all at once

Growing the sport will always be a good thing as long as its done right unfortunately they've gone about it the wrong way until now. good luck to all the new clubs that join the pro ranks and may the best clubs win on merit.