Not going to happen. It would make a mockery of the sport and the new IMG criteria

This season has shown that UK RL isn’t in a position where it has the player pool to support a high quality 10 team league! Any talk of 14 teams is pie in the sky, sadly.

Would be a mockery of the sport next season if the promoted side has a lower IMG score than a championship club.

Up the Trin

There’s 2 rumours doing the rounds. 1) No relegation this season 2) relegation this season with 14 SL teams the season after ( 1st IMG season)

Up the Trin

Despite the current position we are in, I think sport needs promotion and relegation.

It's certainly a difficult one.

With the exception of Leigh this time around, the vast majority of promoted clubs only stay in SL for one season, which doesnt actually help anyone.

IF there was no relegation, clubs would be able to build a squad "without fear", allowing them to make proper long term plans, both in terms of facilities and players.

The panic buys to gain promotion or, to try and stay up would disappear, which has to be a good thing.
However, to have clubs in The Championship, effectively with nothing to play for, apart from the Championship title, isn't a great.

Despite our current position, it's better to be relegated than never to have the chance to be promoted.

Having said that, even now, with IMG making plans, the game doesn't really know what it wants

We pretend that we're a National sport but, at the top level RL is still anchored to the M62 + Catalan (and maybe Toulouse) and to expand, necessarily means that existing clubs would have to lose their place to allow new/different clubs into the top flight.

It's easy for fans of other club to say that the sport doesn't need certain clubs but, would fans of Wigan, Saints or Hull be happy to be replaced by a club from Birmingham or wherever else. Would they hell.

The problem for you guys been relegated means there is no way back into S/L at the moment.
What good does Featherstone replacing Wakefield do for S/L? nada
This IMG no promotion/relegation is nonsense
Cant see IMG lasting more than two seasons when the RFL wake up.
Dont need a think tank.The sport needs private equity funding and much more terrestrial TV coverage at sensible kick off times

IMG IS the way back. Promotion is judged on their score not league position.

which is why its nonsense

The Championship needs to be full time for P&R to work well, but to do that it needs a very good TV deal. But it's not going to get that until it's full time or a better standard, and certainly not whilst SL is struggling to get one.

That may be. But you said there was no way back, which isn't true.

Not sute I trust them with grading. Needs to be watertight and not able to manipulate the criteria.

I seem to remember IMG is a ten year deal?

That will never happen, more chance of SL being part time. We are a small regional sport and that's all we will ever be , nice to dream though

I agree, it won't happen. But I don't see how a part time club like Fev can compete next year. They'll either end up paying the same players more, or take a few of ours. Can't see either way working.