Closed league - a good thing?

[Margin_Walker]

So when would you introduce ring fencing?

Ring fencing is the status quo at the moment. We're into the third season now without relegation.

Ultimately an 11 team league doesn't make sense, so I'd like to think people are working hard at the moment on a structure change at the moment. Potentially any of the following scenarios or something completely different.

- Two ring fenced fully pro divisions of 8 or 10 with movement between
- A ringfenced league of 10 or 12 with either the 11th placed team next season being relegated or one up from the Championship
- A return to the previous structure with a 12 team league and relegation in place with an unchanged Championship

Personally I think the last option is least likely, but could be wrong. Any change obviously needs to be signposted well in advance, rather than announced during the season itself.

[Mellsblue]

So when would you introduce ring fencing?

Ring fencing is the status quo at the moment. We're into the third season now without relegation.

I know, but it’s not currently ring fencing just a time limited moratorium on relegation due to covid… when would you bring ring fencing in?

[Margin_Walker]

So when would you introduce ring fencing?

Ring fencing is the status quo at the moment. We're into the third season now without relegation.

I know, but it’s not currently ring fencing just a time limited moratorium on relegation due to covid… when would you bring ring fencing in?

I'd rather a workable restructure at the end of next season. If it is to be ring fencing, then the end of next season too with it announced well in advance. As it would likely be not be 11 teams and the consequences of finishing 1st in the champ or last in the prem should be understood before play kicks off.

I'm not running the PRL or RFU though, so who knows what will happen.

[Mellsblue]

Tbh, even 18 months notice is a bit of a rug pull for a club just on the wrong side of it. If it’s based on league position then, assuming the Champ are included, it’ll be based on which teams have the biggest benefactor this spring. Rather than any reward for slowly building a ground, brand, spectator base etc
It’s one thing knowing the rules before a season starts but it’s quite another to not have time to put yourself in a position to be on the right side of a permanent line.

[Margin_Walker]

Honestly it would be better if it was based on more than league position in one season alone, but that would also be a can of worms. Same for which clubs do or don't make it in to any potential two tier solution.

None of this is easy to solve really, but I think something probably does need to change.

[Mellsblue]

Yep. Something (well, a lot of things) does need to change but I’m against ring fencing being one of those things.

[I R Geech]

The game is at a critical point right now, and the most important thing for the clubs and players is financial stability. The sport is in survival mode. How we got here is irrelevant, as is what we’d love to see happen. It’s all about necessity.

The top tier needs stability and ring fencing so that they can build, plan, and move towards sustainability. The second tier needs to be realistic and redefine its role. All that happens with relegation and promotion is that if an established Prem team gets relegated it comes straight back up having lost significant revenue, and in the rare event that a Championship team gets promoted, they go back down having run up massive debts. Exeter are the only exception.

It’s business. The RFU should be centrally contracting the top 50 players as they are terrible investments for the clubs for starters.