ATEOTD the decision is made, it's up to the clubs, media and fans to make the best of it and see where it takes us.

Lots of opinion on why it won't work, but these need to be managed and exploit the positives it will provide the game.

What games will sky pick too. Will they go for the top 8 games or put a few of the bottom 8 games on? Not sure I'd want to watch some of the potential miss match games on a Friday night. It's going to be a real eye opener when it starts next year.

Can someone clarify? 2 leagues of 12, therefore 6 teams relegated from the championship in 2014
2015 the Championship 1 will be 16 teams, including Coventry, will there be P/R between SL2 and whatever Champ 1 is called ?

Yeah cos having two thirds of the competition qualifying makes sooooo much more sense doesn't it.

In 2015

2 clubs from Superleague drop into Championship..

Top 9 clubs in Championship stay in Championship.

Top Club in Championship 1 is promoted to Championship.

Teams outside top 9 in Championship will play in Championship 1.

Two teams promoted from Championship 1 every year. The Champions and 1 club through play offs.

Two teams relegated from Championship ie the bottom 2 of the relegation play offs.

That was the original proposal put forward by the RFL. Whether that is the one adopted I don't know.


I'm not sure whether that clarifies it or just makes it more confusing though.

Thats 30 games in Champ 1 + CC + Northern Rail ? + playoffs, thats a long season for a successful side?

Championship 1 will benational league but may contain an element of regionalised fixtures within a playing season, with the adoption of an end of season Play off system to nullify any perceived advantage from this regionalised approach'"

I like the new structure. Too many people have rubbished it out of hand without trying to understand it. It really is simple. 2 divisions of 12. At end of season, top 8 play each other once to be crowned champions; bottom 4 and top 4 from Championship play each other once - top 4 will play in SL the following season; bottom 8 play each other once, possibly to see who stays in Championship. Every game will mean something, every point will be important.

How is it complicated to have a season of 2 x 12 divisions with and end of season play off?

top 8 play each other once? is it not top 4. so no grand final and no play offs anymore if the top 8 play each other once?

can see some real lop sided scores between the bottom 4 of the 12 and top for of the other 12... could see Hull Fc Vs dewsbury... etc crowds going to go down even further!

anyway will get on with it when it arrives lets just hope we dont finish in the bottom 2 this season

The Superleague play offs are 8 teams playing in a round robin fixture with the higher placed 4 teams having the extra home game. Similarly the bottom 8 in the Championship will play off for the Championship Shield. Points from the 23 round league season will carry over into these play offs.

The Promotion play offs wont have points carried forward and won't have a semi final and final but do feature a play off between 4th and 5th for the final Superleague place next season.

The odd thing is this format was used for 15 years in Swiss soccer and was abandoned because crowds fell, sponsors turned away and TV revenues went down. Something the RFL either seem unaware of or uncaring about.

the bottom 4 from superlague and top 4 from championship play each other once and the four highest clubs go back into superleague the next season.

However the top 8 in Superleague play in the play offs the same way as now (the way it is done may be slightly different) but the concept is still the same and it will still lead to a grand final.

I just dont understand it, so will just take each game as it comes ....

and your already a rugby league fan, great way this is to bring in the new fans!

like you though will just wait till it happens and hope it works

interesting comments about it being used in swiss soccer and failing badly