14 Team SL and Merged Championship?

[Pippen94]

Wigan and Warrington aren't much bigger.
York is a growth city outside the m62.
I'm more concerned with getting rid of Castleford, Leigh, Wakefield,Salford in the event of no NRL Europe :
Swap. Salford, Leigh, Castleford, Wakefield
For
London, Bradford, Toulouse and York

NRL Europe probably needs to be bigger than 10 also: Dublin,Cardiff, Birmingham, London Toulouse, Catalans, Wigan, Warrington, Saint Helens, Hull, Leeds, Manchester

I like that 12 you name but the non heartland clubs will need investors and may not take. 10 is right number to start. Manchester will go in at 10th with Roosters backing.
Over time, Bradford provided they get a ground and Nigel departs. I guess York is a chance, but midlands is emerging club and market is so much more important. Can't see Dublin or Cardiff. Ideally, number of new and non m62 teams should be greater than traditional clubs to remove powerbase from North.

 

[Pippen94]

The content of the interview is what matters. I'm all for a London and a Midlands team, but neither are currently Super League ready in terms of:
- Having a strong financial foundation
- Grassroots community support
- A junior pipeline/system
- Certainty in terms of stadium and infrastructure.

Just throwing money in without have a sustainable base will just result in failure as we have seen in previous expansion attempts in the last 15 years (like the Wolfpack and Celtic Crusaders). Perhaps the Midland Hurricanes will be Super League ready in 10 years, but it will take a lot of work to get them to that point, particularly in growing a supporter base that will actually care about the team and its success.

Yeah, I don't see midlands as ready. London might be depending on new backers. If you look at population map of UK they are biggest regions and league has two decent bases to build upon. Heartland clubs should be backbone of comp both in France and UK. Outside of Toulouse and Catalans there's no traditional centre which is big enough for team in France.

 

[BODISGOD]

You are threatened by NRL takeover of UK because village team you love won't make top flight. That is my impression. NRL dealing with top media groups should be positive for fans of the sport..well most

I'm in no way "threatened".

IMO if the NRL are going to come in and write a cheque to buy in, then great. I just don't think they will.

Outside of that, I am not sure what there is to discuss. The NRL/ARLC couldn't even get a French game tacked onto the Ashes this year. Outside of money, you playing games here is all you can really offer as nobody gives a shite about some purveyor of vices in Sydney in London or France.

 

[Taking The Two]

The Midlands Hurricanes are playing in front of fewer than 1000 people with a team made up heavily of Yorkshire based players, with almost no local players. I’ve even heard they’ve held training in Yorkshire a couple of times this year. I’m not sure they’re remotely close to a Super League berth, nor should they be.

 

[Perth Red]

St Helens chairman makes intriguing Super League financial claim

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has made a major admission about how Super League's central distribution for 2026 could be handed out.

www.loverugbyleague.com

 

[Gobsmacked]

St Helens chairman makes intriguing Super League financial claim

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has made a major admission about how Super League's central distribution for 2026 could be handed out.

www.loverugbyleague.com

Saying all the right things

 

[Taking The Two]

How can you vote on admitting more teams if you don’t know how they’re going to be funded? Surely, you need irrefutable information that teams 13 and 14 will/will not be receiving central funding? Surely you would want to know the criteria of how these teams will be measured considering you’re potentially losing a financially lucrative home game against a local rival to play a team from the Championship? It doesn’t comprehend how poor a decision it is to be voting for things without the full details.

It beggars belief really that these chairmen have jumped so quickly into something they want without as much information as possible. Fine, they might want 14 but they’ve voted it in without working out the details of broadcasting the games, how these teams will be funded, if at all, and what criteria will be used to determine who makes the cut. It just looks so poorly thought out and poorly executed. Even from the Championship clubs’ point of view, there will be some that think that with a year’s notice, they’d be in with a far better shout than they are at a matter of weeks notice. How can you prepare to put in a bid at short notice without yet knowing the criteria that you have to satisfy? Even those heavily rumoured to be in, from a sporting standpoint as well, had they been told they’re in from 2027 or 2028, they’d have time to upgrade playing squads, sponsorships, facilities and create a full-time squad, at this rate, we may well end up with more than one part-time team in a supposed elite league.

 

[Pippen94]

The Midlands Hurricanes are playing in front of fewer than 1000 people with a team made up heavily of Yorkshire based players, with almost no local players. I’ve even heard they’ve held training in Yorkshire a couple of times this year. I’m not sure they’re remotely close to a Super League berth, nor should they be.

What was their biggest crowd this year?!

 

[Pippen94]

I'm in no way "threatened".

IMO if the NRL are going to come in and write a cheque to buy in, then great. I just don't think they will.

Outside of that, I am not sure what there is to discuss. The NRL/ARLC couldn't even get a French game tacked onto the Ashes this year. Outside of money, you playing games here is all you can really offer as nobody gives a shite about some purveyor of vices in Sydney in London or France.

If you weren't threatened you wouldn't be here.

 

[Gobsmacked]

How can you vote on admitting more teams if you don’t know how they’re going to be funded? Surely, you need irrefutable information that teams 13 and 14 will/will not be receiving central funding? Surely you would want to know the criteria of how these teams will be measured considering you’re potentially losing a financially lucrative home game against a local rival to play a team from the Championship? It doesn’t comprehend how poor a decision it is to be voting for things without the full details.

It beggars belief really that these chairmen have jumped so quickly into something they want without as much information as possible. Fine, they might want 14 but they’ve voted it in without working out the details of broadcasting the games, how these teams will be funded, if at all, and what criteria will be used to determine who makes the cut. It just looks so poorly thought out and poorly executed. Even from the Championship clubs’ point of view, there will be some that think that with a year’s notice, they’d be in with a far better shout than they are at a matter of weeks notice. How can you prepare to put in a bid at short notice without yet knowing the criteria that you have to satisfy? Even those heavily rumoured to be in, from a sporting standpoint as well, had they been told they’re in from 2027 or 2028, they’d have time to upgrade playing squads, sponsorships, facilities and create a full-time squad, at this rate, we may well end up with more than one part-time team in a supposed elite league.

The only thing that sums this up is it's a GAMBLE.
Upside of the coin:
Attendance increase
Admitted clubs hold their own commercially, financially and on the pitch
Broadcasters see value in the extra fixture and pay extra for the games

Downside risk
Sport England pulls funding
Broadcasters don't pay a cent extra, including the cost to cover the extra fixture meaning it goes unseen
New clubs all get belted each week and go into a financial black hole that they can't recover from

So why the gamble???

Why not give clubs an extra year to prepare, negotiate the the broadcast of the extra fixture first, smooth over sport England first?

All it says to me is these clubs should have no say in the direction of the comp in the same way the drunk at the end of the bar has no say in closing time.

 

[Pippen94]

The only thing that sums this up is it's a GAMBLE.
Upside of the coin:
Attendance increase
Admitted clubs hold their own commercially, financially and on the pitch
Broadcasters see value in the extra fixture and pay extra for the games

Downside risk
Sport England pulls funding
Broadcasters don't pay a cent extra, including the cost to cover the extra fixture meaning it goes unseen
New clubs all get belted each week and go into a financial black hole that they can't recover from

So why the gamble???

Why not give clubs an extra year to prepare, negotiate the the broadcast of the extra fixture first, smooth over sport England first?

All it says to me is these clubs should have no say in the direction of the comp in the same way the drunk at the end of the bar has no say in closing time.

We know why they're doing it..

 

[Gobsmacked]

We know why they're doing it..

Do you mean the thought it's going to hold off the NRL ?
Because I don't think this does that at all. If anything it will make the NRL want to step in.

 

[Pippen94]

Do you mean the thought it's going to hold off the NRL ?
Because I don't think this does that at all. If anything it will make the NRL want to step in.

It'll backfire but moving to 14 was to block NRL. So was Nigel returning.

 

[Perth Red]

Do you mean the thought it's going to hold off the NRL ?
Because I don't think this does that at all. If anything it will make the NRL want to step in.

Neither of those things were necessary, clubs have the voting power to veto anything. If they didn’t want the nrl then they would have just voted no to any proposal.

 

[Pippen94]

Neither of those things were necessary, clubs have the voting power to veto anything. If they didn’t want the nrl then they would have just voted no to any proposal.

Pushed it through before even talking to broadcasters. Rushed for reason.

 

[Taking The Two]

Having been around for long enough, I fear it’s incompetence rather than rushing anything, as has often been the case with this sport and most of these chairmen of Super League clubs. They’re not known for being rational, giving things time or sticking with anything beyond 3 years.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Salford Red Devils make decision on clash with Leigh Leopards

Salford Red Devils have released a statement confirming whether or not they will fulfil this Friday's Super League fixture at Leigh.

www.loverugbyleague.com

I can't believe that this is happening at the same time they're deciding on expansion clubs .
This is nuts !

 

[Perth Red]

Release from rfl

Clubs have been advised of the process that will be followed to determine whether the Betfred Super League expands from 12 to 14 clubs in 2026, and if so, which clubs are added.

The 12 Betfred Super League clubs voted at a meeting on July 28 that the competition should be expanded to 14 in 2026, subject to conditions – with the Club Grading System to determine the first 12 places as previously, and also to form the basis for the considerations of a panel that would make decisions on places 13 and 14.

Now that panel, to be chaired by the RFL non-executive director Lord (Jonathan) Caine, has been confirmed as having seven members.

Lord Caine will be joined by two fellow non-executive RFL directors – Abi Ekoku and Dermot Power – plus the RFL Chief Executive Tony Sutton and interim Head of Legal Graeme Sarjeant; Rugby League Commercial’s Managing Director Rhodri Jones; and Peter Hutton, the senior independent non-executive director of RL Commercial who is also a Super League (Europe) Board member.

In addition to the five pillars under which clubs are judged in the Club Grading System (Fandom, Performance, Finances, Stadium and Community), the panel will judge applications against a further set of criteria relating to Finance and Sustainability.

These include their financial performance in 2025; detailed financial performance and sustainability forecasts for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons; and their ability to field a competitive team in 2026 and beyond.

For the latter, analysis will be provided by the RFL’s England Performance Unit.

Lord Caine said:

"I am honoured to have been asked to chair the panel to determine whether the Betfred Super League expands from 12 to 14 in 2026 and, if so, which clubs will take up the 13th and 14th positions in the competition.

"This panel consists of individuals with the considerable knowledge and expertise necessary to ensure that the process is both thorough and robust. All of our proceedings will be conducted on the basis of absolute fairness, rigorous impartiality between the applicants, total independence and, of necessity, complete confidentiality."

Clubs have until next Tuesday to register their intent to apply.

The timetable will be as follows:

By Tuesday August 26 – clubs must register their intent to apply;

By Friday September 12 – clubs must supply all relevant information in a full formal application;

Thursday October 16 – composition of 2026 Betfred Super League to be announced (the Club Grading scores, and the decisions of the panel).

 

[Perth Red]

Salford Red Devils make decision on clash with Leigh Leopards

Salford Red Devils have released a statement confirming whether or not they will fulfil this Friday's Super League fixture at Leigh.

www.loverugbyleague.com

I can't believe that this is happening at the same time they're deciding on expansion clubs .
This is nuts !

Sometimes you have to pull some weeds to let the flowers grow.

 

[Taking The Two]

What’s a “competitive” team? We already have at least a quarter of the comp who aren’t spending to the cap. I doubt that any of the applicants are going to be willing or able to spend to the cap at a few months notice, so it’s not going to be that. Is it going to be based on what the lowest spend currently is, which is contributing to a bottom three side or some sort of percentage increase on what they’re spending this year?