Mmmmm, I can't agree GF, Superleague and franchising was all very well, but littleraly stamping all over the grass roots of the game was a recipe for disaster from the get go, look at Keighley's average attendance when they last won the 2nd tier. Then take a good look at the 2nd tier champions average attendances thereafter. The RFL are clearly hoping that the attendances for clubs going for the middle eight will rise back up to a more acceptable level with the potential for promotion as the carrot.

I don't believe anyone getting 90-Nilled is good for the game, lets face it, we at London took some pastings and in front of less than 1500 and we were IN your SOOPERleague.

Cut Bradford looose you say, lol, but weren't they what SOOPERLeague and Franchising was all about??

As to other sports, well yes they do, WHEN they have a viable replacement, the NFL didn't get rid of the failing LA Rams, UNTIL they had a replacement, same with the Raiders. In English Football, the Premier League can afford for "big" clubs to go down and even out, because theres a plethora of big clubs waiting to replace them. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT! Until we do, we cannot allow the biggest clubs to just sink without trace!

Licencing/Franchising works....but it needs strong management and we are discussing the RFL here, so it was doomed from the start.
There is always an opportunity for clubs outside the franchised super league to join, but rather than do the hard yards, roll up their sleeves and get their houses in good financial order, these clubs would rather lobby the RFL for a change in the rules in the pursuit of 1.5 million a year from SKY. These clubs are under the misguided belief that this money will make them powerhouses....conveniently ignoring the fact that they will still have to find another 2.5 million a year just to break even. Can you name a Championship club that has a turn over of 2.5 million a year?

Take us.....if by a miracle we made it up. I'd hazard a guess at the total income from sponsorship at the Broncos this year is less than 50,000.....and than includes the corporate and private players sponsorship as well as the shirt "partnership" deals.......and IF when they deem to let you know Tickets are a score each, then even at last years totals you've only raised 325k....still 2 million short and apparently we moved because Hughes didn't want to make up the 2 million shortfall each year.....we'd be relying on him to survive and probably straight back down again the following year

The RFL have retreated to the safety of the heartlands and the game will get less media exposure this year than ever before. Fev v Salford in front of 1,500 will prove that "every moment" doesn't matter......but don't expect the RFL spin machine to keep on saying it will.
In 11 home games at the Hive before either 3 or 4 more 888 matches, I suspect we will see less than 10,000 people come through the turnstiles......then we might get a few more to the 888 games, but only if we stand a chance of going up. Given we shipped 50 points a game v SL opposition last year, I really don't have your blind faith in this new system attracting any lapsed fans back or news fans either.
As for the teams in the bottom 8.......I believe that this is where we will see the most competitive matches.

Any danger of keeping this thread on topic and not heading down the marketing and income line again?

Sorry

Difficult to compare last year with this years squad. Unfortunately means there is a very big question mark until the season gets into its stride. We should on balance be fine in the Championship, make the top 4 and we'll really see if an improvement in the playing squad. In the 8s think it'll be closer for all four Championship sides than people expect but there is bound to be one or two complete hidings for them probably away from home. New fans or returning fans for us, maybe the odd few particulalry if we look competitive but hardly statistically significant.

Lol, I don't have blind faith GF, merely deluded optimism, all fans have to be deluded or we'd all realise what a spectacular rip-off prodffessional sport is, lmao!

I'd respond by the drummer from Green Day wouldn't approve......

Anyone who thinks some of the top 8 games will be a walk in the park are deluded !

My Team (Leigh), walked the league last year and we are stronger this year and have gone fully FT. If Featherstone make the 4, they too will always be difficult to beat.

I feel all the Champioship clubs who make the 8 will struggle with the away games against SL clubs but I fancy us to upset the like of Widnes or Wakey shoulkd they be in the bottom 4.

Alot of it depends on momentum. If some of the SL clubs have had some hammerings and confidence is low anything can happen.

I must admit though, I do not see 1 champioship club qualifying for SL outright next season. I feel it will be the million pound match.

I don't seen any SL quality squads in the Champs, and what's more the Champs team are playing weaker teams all year prior to the split so won't be used to the intensity or skill level. I just can't see any club getting promoted.

I don't mind not getting promoted but would very much like to see us smash Leigh and Featherstone a couple of times.

This thread has made me chuckle. In one off games against SL teams the top end Championship teams have more than held their own. Like last season Fax played Widnes and the difference between the teams was really only Kevin Brown. Well this year if Fax did make the 8 they would have spent nearly 500K more than last season and would enter that league in good form where as the teams in the bottom 4 in SL will be on a bit of a downer. I don not think for 1 second that a team from the Championship will get promoted to SL but I also dont expect to see the scorelines mentioned in this thread either.

Good for you. The do say laughter is the best medicine, so it's important we all find a reason to smile every day.
How many championship sides beat SL sides last year in competitive games? I ask, because holding your own in a one off is hardly the same as facing 4 SL sides all fighting for survival and all aware that +/- will be key, but if there was an upset last year, it might point to a part time outfit being able to stand toe to toe with a SL side who just missed the top 8.
As far as I can see, 4 Ties in last years 4th round featured a SL side v an opponent from a lower division.....the points scored by the SL side was 200-32 (50-icon_cool.gif.....the 5th round saw 3 ties with the result 170-24 (57-icon_cool.gif....then 2 games 81-18 (40-9). Please feel free to define "holding your own"

Hopefully at least, listening on the radio. If not watching BBC or Sky Sports live updates. Which does raise a question as to whether there will be any radio/internet commentarys to enjoy. Anybody know what level of service Radio London will be providing this year?

When available, I will be sorting out a shirt and am currently planning a trip home which if I get it right, I will catch a game again, as I did for the Bradford match last year. I will also tune in, dial up and scour the web for links to any commentary I can listen to.
Alas, because I am not "there", I will not be able to contribute to AK's Hive development fund much more than maybe 3 match tickets if I make it and the replica shirt.......but I suspect this will be more than many of our ex-fans who still live in London.

I suspect that the RFL want to swap Bradford for Wakey and then find a way of rigging the system so that SL then effectively become a closed shop. Although this looks the most likely scenario at the moment, Wakey seem to get written off every year only to finish up blowing a monumental raspberry at the pundits!