I think the franchise will work, look at how far Catalans have come, they were given three years to climatise and it has worked. OK they are strugling a bit so far this season but they are a top team now.

so when would the other clubs get a chance, wasn't there a club that bought their way into the nrl,
I personally think it will screw it up if they did, we have more of a chance of reverting to two leagues, but not at least till for the next foreseeable ten years,
if we carry on as we are with the three year franchise it gives other clubs hope, we then could get the relegation/promotion back, its what this country has been used to for years and thrives on the success and heartaches,
we all know that it lacked looking after the supporters, that's why the game failed to entertain, it getting its house in order now.

just take a look at darts super league the top players play off in a mini league but they are not guaranteed to be selected, only the best is picked so it keeps up the quality and now its marketed properly its become more entertaining than years ago

Teams are only added to the NRL when there is need for expansion, remember the NRL also merged some of the biggest clubs in the game to protect there future.

In 2 to 3 franshise picks I cannot see any team realistically not in the top flight getting a chance.

Feeder clubs still source the best local youngsters and would also become A teams for clubs.

The standard of some players playing professionally in the lower leagues is shocking, they are paid to play to make up the numbers.

I think the only opportunity for clubs to get a shot will come when a club goes to the wall and messes up in a big way, we already from a playing point of view have too many fixtures so the only way to add is to remove a team/merge as they did in the NRL.

god havnt we done this before at some point???
i mean its a pressing issue isnt it because they are up for renewal in 3 years!

ok ill answer you
yes it will work because it will be made to work, however you may not like the results, so it may not work for you or your club!

promotion/relegation IT'S SPORT THING ????

Nail on the head. Just what I suspected would happen when relegation would be scrapped and it is coming to pass. Becasuse teams have no real incentive to ensure that they don't finish bottom. When you finish bottom previously, not only were you officially the worst team in the particular division, but you paid the penalty by getting relegated. Although even if the Celtic Crusaders and I do not mean to pick on a fledgling club such as them at all, had been in Super League pre-franchise era, they would still have been given a few handouts from the RFL:

LONDON BRONCOS - When they nearly went into administration in 2005, before NEC Harlequins RFC bought them out and rebranded them, EVERY Super League team was called upon to help bring about a solution to their dire financial status, even Leigh who ultimately only spent one season in the Super League anyway.

CATALANS DRAGONS - Although they are proven success and were rather "conveniently groomed for the franchise era" shall we say, they still had three seasons where they could finish bottom of the table and still be immune from relegation, as demonstated in the 2006 season.

I bet you that in three years time, especially considering the general gloomy picture of the British econonmy, it will be no surprise that the RFL will have realised the mistake they have made and go back to a much more simple and effective PROMOTION/RELEGATION regime. That way may be dog-eat-dog, but its the fairest way to go.

Once again closing, spot-on with this comment, Worskop.

Franchising means all clubs are not safe bar Hull, Wigan, Leeds and Quins.
Franchising means taking a group of individuals to wherever will pay the most, so Saints have a great team and a crap ground. Reading FC say hey, if we can make a go of Irish then if we can have a top SL playing here in the summer it will be a success. At the end of the franchise period what was StHelens RLFC up sticks and move to Reading because they pay more for the next franchise.
Personally this is the way forward, allegiance to your team is old hat, open your eyes, look outside the box, we can have a fantastic product packed with highly paid athletes performing 6/7 live games a weekend on the box. Truly establishing ourselves as the no 2 sport in the world. It will work because we have a more TV friendly product than Union and the TV contract will allow us to buy the best athletes outside soccer

IMO relagation and prom should be brought back. Who comes top of NRL goes up and bottom of SL goes down, end of.
End SL and NRL and start the transfer window market and the same time, which will enable upcomin NRL teams are fair chance of signing players apart from the 1's which are just left over who avent been signed by a SL club and also for the upcomin NRL team's players to know if thier team will be playing in SL or not before the transer window...e.g danny brough left Castleford before the playoff final as he didnt know if Cas would win and get promoted. Im not saying he wouldnt have left anyway..thats just a example.
IMO Catalan should be playing in SL, they should be playing in french leagues no disrepct to them tho. Their saying there could be a Irish team soon then its going to be a Scottish team. U.S.A are starting pro R.L, ay, way not let 1 of there teams in SL.
O.K where trying to expand the game but they should start in the conferance and work thier way up, its only fair. Theres plenty of other teams out there which was once a part of rugby league e.g Fev, Shef, fax and others.

3 years to wait is too long for teams outside of SL and RL's way off saying who can cant play and who cant play in SL takes away all the concept of the game and sport
This is just MO but who am I

It's ok talking Fev this, Widnes that, but they, like ourselves have 100 years or there about to secure a place in the elite. What makes them more special and more worthy than a newer club?

the fact they have survived 100 years may hold some weight with some.

I am assuming thats a P take of my level

Unfortunately it is how the RFL/SL/Sky look at it though

''Look you couldnt get into SL after 100 years because we didnt select you at the start. I know you got nowt for 100 years before that and I know some other clubs who had struggled financially in the past who just happened to be ok when it started, but hey you should be just as strong as those clubs even though we have given them £15m more than you over recent years.
Add to that a new club with no fans and little RL played in the area dont have the baggage you have accrued over 100 years, so they cant start with a clean slate, they have a backer willing to chuck in a few bob and we will find the rest from money we wont pay to the scrotes outside SL in the heartlands''

Not sure how we could have done this before as I specifically referred to being 6 games in to the first season of the franchise.
sorry to hear your ill get well soon.

Personally it wont work for me as we will be kicked out in 3 years.

Well it funny hearing all these comments.If your team got kicked out because stadium crap you be happy been in national league for 3 yrs and a feeder club?I do not think so!I think should be fair for all teams and a promotion and relegation and no cap.On a bias way ste o connor can spend his money and become a great team.lol.Serious now i just get on with it now but i do feel bitter been a widnes fan.We averaged a better attendance last year than salford and celtic.We also have a better stadium and a business team.But hey we dont get a licence.Such is life and that why i want no cap and relegation.