My question is what happens to the other 14 current professional clubs if the 2 leagues of 12 gets approved.

Please tell they haven't actually put this through????

Got to agree - some teams will get much easier fixtures. It's as stupid as the magic weekend.

I quite like a 2 conferences model - winning the Eastern conference, for example, would feel like a real achievement, whereas even though it is harder to do the hubcap is seen as pretty worthless.

Other things would still need resolving, but it'd help re-balance the league season and the play-offs, IMO.

I am so confused!

Just for consultation at this stage, as I understand it.



Wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't put it out there [ipartly[/i to assess reaction amongst fans on places like this.

This was published last week by Sadler. This is a madness idea.



Changing the structure doesn't address the real issue. If they want to improve the quality of the games they need to improve the quality of teams playing in the comp. The franchise system gives clubs time to build and gives them the stability needed to do so. I fail to see how reintroducing an old system (P & R) that didn't work before is going to improve anything. As a game we need to work harder to market our game and improve the infastructure at all levels. Too many clubs have been tossing it off for years frankly, and as a result are getting left behind by the clubs that are run properly.



Changing the structure is a short-sighted panic measure that will probably be disasterous for the game in this country long term.

But at least six teams from each conference will ony have 9 home games per season, that's a reduction in revenue of over 30%. We need to find a way of extending the season of those that don't make the top four.

Possibly a fair point. What is the future then for those clubs without franchises though? If we're drawing up the drawbridge for good and all, do they become feeder clubs, play in regional leagues

What sizes of conferences are we thinking about? If money were no object 2 x 10 would work as:



Home [uand[/u away against the 9 in your conference = 18 games, 9 home fixtures.

Home [uor[/u away against the 10 in the other conference = 10 games, 28 altogether, with a further 5 at home.



Fewer teams and it does become difficult, admittedly.

That's exactly what should happen regarding the youth set ups. Each club forms a partnership with another, and you could have a carbon copy format, although i'd like to set it as an u23's comp mainly, with a limit on 24+ of about 6-8.

I'd rather we kept it at 18 games each and use the 'free' weekends to have a meaningful four nations competition running alongside the regular season.