The franchise system is now totally discredited. How can the RFL argue otherwise when The Crusaders were to be given a frachise when the RFL knew full well that they were bust. How can Bradford get a grade B licence when they were in financial trouble. As part of the franchise criteria the fianacial stability of the clubs are reviewed by a top 6 company. I do not believe that the financial issues with these two clubs were not brought to the attention of the RFL. It is now the fans that are footing the bill for these 2 clubs financial mismanagement. How can a side finishing 5th then get a franchise. The SL is now having a joke fixture nearly every week when Widnes come into town. Widnes did not start from a solid base as the players they had were average Championship players not the best team that the league could provide.
My point to the RFL would be what is the point of having a ground with 10,000 when your average gate is 2,000 going up to 5,000 when 4 or 5 team come to town. It saddles the club with overheads that are unsustainable for all but 4/5 games a season. See Darlington's precedent in football.
The recent televised game between London Broncos v Wakefield was an embarrassment as all you saw were rows of empty seats when the camera's panned through the stadium.
What Mike's article does not highlight is that the impact of the franchise system on the lower clubs in SL is dead fixtures. London v Widnes is just a dead rubber even this early in the season! Who's going to turn up!
The reason for the franchise system being brought in was to promote youth in the team and stop knee jerk sacking of coaches. The top teams still only promote youth in an injury crisis, see St Helens and Wigan. St Helens still sacked their coach early in the season even though there was no threat of relegation. So in the two main criteria that the Franchise system was brought in to achieve it has glaringly failed.

Come on RFL. Admit the franchise system has failed and do what is best for the game as a whole and go back to promotion and relegation.

Great article,I agree with every word Mike says,could you imagine football getting rid of relegation and promotion,it would kill there game as it has killed ours,it just would not happen.

Its time for all fans of all clubs to unite and mount an organised campaign to take back our game from the bunch of self serving fools that currently run our game.We need a figure head some one who knows the game and knows what the ordinary fans want,somebody who will pull us all in the same direction,for me it has to be Mike Smith,I am sure there will be other people similar to Mike with the knowledge and the tools who are just waiting for the call to arms.

Note to RFL,eventually all dictators end up the same way.

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN !

PS;Note to Dreamer,we need a Tag Line for this Campaign,check out that dictionary of yours and lets get the ball rolling.

Before you can do any of this.
You will need to find out who is running the game.

The RFL?
The clubs?
The chairman of the clubs?

Or how about SKY. If any new plans to not fit in with them then the game is finished.

Can't get hold of the league express in this neck of the woods
Unless there's a link somewhere i'll be left wondering .....

wanders off to scour the t'interweb to try to find the said article

The RFL run the game on behalf of the clubs.
I would speculate that most of the chairman of SL clubs are against the franchise system other than Bradford, Widnes and London. Hethrington and Mc Manus have publicly called for a review.
What will convince everyone is that more money can be generated by the promotion and relegation system. Then the cause wil be won.

Re promotion & relegation being essential to the health of the game - Just ask JD what the occasion was like a few years back when the winner of Wakefield v Castleford match stayed in Super League and the loser was relegated! Fantastic. Promotion and Relegation keeps the game alive - don't need to look further than soccer! Nearly every league match to the end of their season means something and their play-offs are for a real prize: promotion. The Rugby League game doesn't need any more souless new stadia that are too big. Look how much Warrington fans liked coming to a traditional ground at Cougar Park. OK, the traditional grounds still need to be safe and upgraded bit by bit - but they are great. Look at Batley - great little traditional ground where all sides have been improved greatly over the years - and still big enough for any of their likely attendances even if they were in Super League. A tightly packed crowd in a traditional ground creates a great TV atmosphere. With summer(!) rugby, it's not at all essential for all 4 sides of a ground to be covered. Mike Smith for RFL Executive Chairman if he'd do it. You can buy league express online ==> www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine. ... ue+Express

Re promotion & relegation being essential to the health of the game - Just ask JD what the occasion was like a few years back when the winner of Wakefield v Castleford match stayed in Super League and the loser was relegated! Fantastic. Promotion and Relegation keeps the game alive - don't need to look further than soccer! Nearly every league match to the end of their season means something and their play-offs are for a real prize: promotion. The Rugby League game doesn't need any more souless new stadia that are too big. Look how much Warrington fans liked coming to a traditional ground at Cougar Park. OK, the traditional grounds still need to be safe and upgraded bit by bit - but they are great. Look at Batley - great little traditional ground where all sides have been improved greatly over the years - and still big enough for any of their likely attendances even if they were in Super League. A tightly packed crowd in a traditional ground creates a great TV atmosphere. With summer(!) rugby, it's not at all essential for all 4 sides of a ground to be covered. Mike Smith for RFL Executive Chairman if he'd do it. You can buy league express online ==> www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine. ... ue+Express

Boxweir I agree with every single word in your post, (other than I think there should be only 10 clubs in SL as bottom 4 are only making up the numbers, which is just wrong, look at London vs Warrington this weekend, crowd of 2,500)

Since the franchise system came in, it has just felt more and more as the seasons have gone by that the RFL have forgotten that there is rugby league outside of Super League.

Just so you know. That is the article that Mike Smith has in the League express his week.

What happened to boxweir's posts ?? I wanted to read that again this morning but its gone

Some very inspirational words of encouragement spoken and I for one agree not only is it time but long long overdue for an overhaul of the current system.

Promotion and relegation should definitely be on the cards lets give the championship something to play for other than pride. How are the clubs expected to
invest without receiving some potential for promotion. Not to mention retaining players as in the current system these guys are working extremely hard in
order to raise their game, but lets face it without moving clubs how can they raise it much further.

There are a couple of different ways to look at the word league 1League a group of sports clubs that play each other over a period for a championship.
2 In League conspiring with another or others.

I would suggest the current format creates a Super In League which is presently conspiring to keep others out rather than share the spoils.

Looks like the revolution been nipped in the bud,shame rules is rules though. lol
Looking round the other sites before the admin pulled the plugged looked like there were signs of a proper debate opening up,hope you can sort something out boxweir,and get the message out there,but got a feeling it wont be on this forum.
Oh well not to worry there another season ticket offer out there now,so the usual suspects will be declaring open season AGAIN on Mr Fawcett, READY,AIM FIRE,

Copyright law, is copyright law. If someone breaks it this site gets into trouble.

No one is trying to stop debate on this subject. people can discuss the topic all they want there cannot post the whole of the article.

So please carry on.

.

Trying to arrange for Yorkshire Radio to debate this issues on their Rugby League show on Thursday night 6pm to 7.20pm.
Fingers crossed that we can get this aired and a ground swell of support for promotion and relegation. Listen if you can before going to the game.