Promotion and relegation is what we need

franchising is the worstything that this sport could come up with

In the last round of licensing, clubs were initially assessed and awarded points on reaching minimum standards. In this round of licensing, clubs will be assessed against A Grade criteria. These criteria are designed to reflect the advancing standards within Super League, and take account of the feedback received from clubs following the last round of licensing.

How are the applications assessed?

Clubs are assessed on criteria in 5 key areasNew stadiums or redevelopments of existing stadiums will only be taken into account if the RFL is satisfied that the stadium will be open or the redevelopment finished by the start of the 2012 season.

Timeline

December 2010 – Championship club applications due to be submitted
March 2011 – Successful Championship club announced.
April 2011 – Super League club applications due to be submitted
July 2011 – Successful licensed clubs announced.

I would very much doubt realistically that Wake or Cas or Salfords stadiums will be ready for the 2012 season start. We can live in hope i suppose

then they will have to on performance, must do how do you separate them

god knows but i believe its allready been sorted before any of this bull is taking place, Harlequins wil put them in turmoil thats for sure "Lewis's Flag Ship" more like the Marie Celeste..

and the crusaders as well, if they aren't careful they will lose the sport all together

wait while the Scottish and Irish teams get a mention next couple year time

needs to be promotion/relegation every year. this is the only fair way to do things.... league winner goes up. this ensures the best team from the lower division goes up, the rfl can still have a playoff between the rest with a cash prize to make it worthwhile winning. nevermind this franchise rubbish based on crowd figures and stadia.... ditch that, the thing that makes sport worthwhile watching is competition and to be able to play for something worth winning.... as mentioned countless times by others, the lower league sides have nothing worth playing for which is heavily damaging for them. essentialy all they are playing for is a chance,... only for the rfl to turn around and say no if they arent called widnes leigh or tolouse.

an example would be dewbury in 2000 i think,... possibly 2001 when they won the grand final and werent allowed up, there is only one team that will suffer for not having an up to standard ground.... and that is the team who plays there. if there ground isnt big enough, they wont get a large attendence and wont make enough money to afford decent players to compete leaving it down to the club to sort this issue out as they are able. they were a team who deserved to come up yet were denied to due to a substandard ground, unfair in my opinion.

i wonder if enough support came in from us the supporters and ALL the clubs that it needs to be promotion/ relegation wether the RFL would listen?