Ringfencing NOW upon us ?

[mol2]

Not a fan of ring fencing.

I could make a case for a year or two because of the financial knock on of Covid to minimise the risk of teams going bust.

[JP14]

Covid is very convenient excuse for a lot of things, isn't it?

[ay2oh]

Covid is very convenient excuse for a lot of things, isn't it?

I wouldn’t say that COVID is an excuse just a valid reason for clubs being in deep financial trouble

[johnthegriff]

Covid is a reason for a business being in financial difficulties, it is not a reason for ringfencing and bringing in a policy a few clubs want to suit themselves but not of benefit to the many. I cannot support such a scheme and will cease to be a season ticket holder if it is brought in. I am not saying I will never attend Tigers again but I will pick and choose my matches and may decide to watch a lower level of Rugby instead, maybe even soccer for proper competitive league games.

[Cardiff Tig]

I have no problem with ringfencing. That being said, if they do ringfence then they should at least try and improve the championship as well. I fail to see why it can't be like the Pro D2 in France.

The current championship isn't fit for purpose - the relegated team comes straight back up, or you need a team like Ealing that puts an enormous amount of money in compared to every other team, and still doesn't necessarily beat the relegated premiership team.

[ourla]

I think it's possible to have relegation/promotion but not have a closed door.

So an expansion team could be considered based on their finances, the organisation, their facilities and the level of performance.

Equally there could be some criteria for when a club may be dropped from the League based along similar criteria.

[LE18]

I don't understand the maths, 13 teams, presumably the current 12 plus Sarries? so where does Ealing fit in, that makes 14, or does this coming years relegated club (hopefully not Tigers) not get in?

[ourla]

'Informed' speculation from Neal Harvey in 'The Rugby Paper' (6/12/20) states that a 13 team Premiership with a moratorium on promotion and relegation is realistically set to be announced by January 2021 for the following season(s).Effectively , this paves the way for the return of Saracens plus potentially any other side(s) based on the their ability to meet financial requirements and resting on the purchase of Premiership shares (Presumably Ealing in the foreground of thought)....This latter point/pre requisite due to the fact that any new Premiership participant would be guaranteeing themselves access to future Premiership revenue streams.
Hopefully I have accurately précised the article.
Buying your way to the Premiership ??

Only thing I could fine was this a Neale Harvey conversation with London Irish chairman Allan Robson:

Would you like to see a franchised model or simply a moratorium on promotion and relegation?

Close the league off, moratorium, they’re all of a similar nature. The fact of the matter is there is not one other club outside the 13 who could justifiably say they could compete with those Premiership teams. As much as we’d be quite happy if someone said they could take part, each year at the moment one Premiership club with a top-class structure, that has spent a fortune over many years developing itself, has to spend a year outside the top-flight. Ealing, if they up the ante and recognise the need to buy-in to share what the Premiership clubs have already built, are the only likely people to challenge that at the moment so, yes, a moratorium is sensible. It gives Ealing, Doncaster or whoever the opportunity to build something over a period of time and then get a shot.

[Scott1]

The Championship restart has been pushed back to March from the end of January so at this moment in time there will be no ringfencing this season.

[loretta]

The Championship restart has been pushed back to March from the end of January so at this moment in time there will be no ringfencing this season.

Had a bit of a look around for that one Scott, but can only find reference to the RFL. Do you have a link to the announcement please?

[Scott1]

The Championship restart has been pushed back to March from the end of January so at this moment in time there will be no ringfencing this season.

Had a bit of a look around for that one Scott, but can only find reference to the RFL. Do you have a link to the announcement please?

Can’t seem to find it now. Should have saved the link,it was on Newsnow Rugby Union. I’ll keep looking

[wormus]

The Championship restart has been pushed back to March from the end of January so at this moment in time there will be no ringfencing this season.

Had a bit of a look around for that one Scott, but can only find reference to the RFL. Do you have a link to the announcement please?

Can’t seem to find it now. Should have saved the link,it was on Newsnow Rugby Union. I’ll keep looking

Here Scott1 and Loretta is the normally reliable on Rugby matters article from the Daily Mail.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... March.html

[loretta]

Ta. Looks likely then. Daily Mail's usually well informed on rugby, that and the date.

[Cagey Tiger]

The Times saying postponement until March is expected to be announced shortly.

[kk20gb30]

More on Championship start date:

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/rfu-reve ... -off-date/