Because that is logical and this is RFL.

Not only that but a long weekend means 4 games Saturday, 4 Sunday and 4 Monday, every fan there, it would be a cracking laugh and 16 games of rugby.

I agree, but I guess it's ground availability (start of the football season) and the uncertainty of knowing which teams would be in the 8, leaving ticket sales a lottery.
Also would a top four team really want to give up home advantage at that stage of the season, especially if it were 1v2, 3v4, 5v6, 7v8?

and it would skew the season so that all the big events are at the end (unless they move the cc final to the May bank hol)

The 1v2 format brings tight games, forfeiting your extra home game is a small sacrifice in a silly convoluted system anyway.

Is there a way of timing it so that the first fixture of the 2nd half is the magic extra uneven fixture?

That gives teams technically 3 weeks to sort out tickets and fixtures for the fans

My preferred new system was a league of 12 with that old top 5 system and relegation being brought back in to play. That would have brought back more competative fixtures throughout the season and given everybody something to at for.

The questions you raise above are all concerning and are the sort of things you'd think the RFL would have answered in that press release yesterday but they basically just reiterated things that a lot if people already knew.

Hopefully this gamble works out.

Season tickets simply MUST include the post-split matches. They may increase a little as it would include 14 or 15 games, but if they don't then those attendances will be comparable to the currents playoff and challenge cup matches.

I don't really understand the holidays argument, you know from the start we will have a game every week after the split, regardless of finishing position in the first part of the season.

This system isn't perfect but it is definitely better than we have now. If they'd have reverted to a top 12 with one up one down P+R they'd have been slated that it's already been tried before and didn't work. If they'd have stuck with franchising then clubs like Leigh and Featherstone would have little to strive for whilst some established SL teams continue to rest on their laurels and perform poorly both on and off the pitch. This system offers a decent compromise IMO.

If Season tickets just cover the 11 games teams will get at home before the split then sales will drop off dramatically and once teams go in to the groups of 8 they'll be playing in front of half their usual crowds like in the play offs. That simply can't happen and surely won't!

It's an ideal opportunity to work out a new season ticket structure now IMO. A way of incorporating all fixtures in to one ticket. I'd pay more to have that option and save money in the long run.

This is actually the elephant in the room that there has been no information on. Have any of the clubs been asking their existing season ticket holders their opinions? Have the supporters clubs reps been asked about anything? Being cynical, it's a fantastic opportunity to complicate the ticket structure & increase the overall cost.

This is interesting

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned in the press release is the structure for the academy for 2015. It's probably more important for the future of the game than changing to the 12 x 12 to 8 x 8 x 8 format.

The present one system u19's has been an abject failure IMO.

A bit of info about how Leeds' season tickets will be structured next year... www.rhinosmemberships.com/memberships

A bit of info about how Leeds' season tickets will be structured next year... www.rhinosmemberships.com/memberships

I'm all for change but only if the change is for the better and I can't really see where the improvement will come with this merry-go-round. The system isn't new therefore the RL haven't dreamt it up themselves and lets face they never introduce anything new its always hand me downs from the NRL or manipulated from other sports. I won't condemn it entirely but nor will I greet it with open arms. One thing it has guaranteed is that after 35yrs as a Wigan supporter my season ticket won't be renewed as I don't pay super league prices to potentially watch my team play championship opposition at the back end of the season.