Quote: Trainman "I agree with al lot of what you say but still think licensing is the way to go.
Assumptions are being made that with a franchise system it has to be a closed shop. It doesn’t. If a club has the ambition, the infrastructure and the finances there is no reason the franchised league couldn’t be expanded. We have a system now that some teams play others 3 times. If SL grew we’d end up with some teams playing others only once. Doesn’t matter with a play off to determine the winners.
Once the league has grown enough to support two mandatory full time leagues then in can be split with promotion and relegation re-introduced.
I see the point that some have made that some teams are relegated because of poor decisions on their part but that’s not necessarily the case. The current system effectively pushes clubs to spend beyond their means to try and avoid going down.'"
The difference is that in the NFL the governing body owns the franchise. They don't have to worry about the clubs.
In SL the incumbent clubs own the game and would own the franchise structure so their own self interest will always mean.
Fewer team to keep TV money to themselves
Incumbent teams favoured over better long term outside prospects.
At least with p&r, the clubs can't nobble the process from the inside.