Licence to thrill
Last updated: 15th May 2008
Angela Powers: grading a ground near you
The new Super League licensing system is set to transform rugby league as we know it from next season and beyond.
Promotion and relegation has been removed and from next year places in the top flight will only be awarded to teams who successfully apply for a licence.
Clubs are required to meet a certain standard and in July we will learn which teams have been granted licences to operate in Super League for the three years beginning in 2009
Over the next few weeks, Boots 'n' All will be taking a close look at the clubs competing for a place and up to 14 of the 19 clubs who have applied are expected to be successful. See how your club fared by clicking on the link below...
| CLUB |
|
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| Celtic Crusaders | C | Click here |
| Hull | A | Click here |
| Featherstone Rovers | C | Click here |
| Bradford | B | Click here |
| Widnes | B | Click here |
| Leigh | B | Click here |
| Huddersfield | B | Click here |
| Salford | B | Click here |
| Castleford | C | Click here |
| Warrington | A | Click here |
| Wakefield | C | Click here |
| Halifax | C | Click here |
| Harlequins | B | Click here |
Here's how the criteria are calculated...
Facilities
Teams will get one point for having a stadium with a capacity of 12,000 or more.
Another point will be awarded if the ground meets the standards of a premier competition in the 21st century.
Attendances
A point will be awarded to clubs with an average attendance of around 10,000 spectators.
Another point will be awarded if stadiums are operating at 40 per cent capacity.
Finances
Teams will receive a point if they are solvent.
Another point is up for grabs if their turnover is more than £4million.
Player Strength
Teams earn one point if they are considered to have made a contribution to the competition - that means averaging a place in the top eight over each of the last three seasons.
Another point is available to clubs who make a contribution to home-grown player development. That means at least eight members of a first-team squad of 25 should be discovered, trained and developed in this country.
Salary Cap
One point is on offer to teams who have not committed a major breach of the salary cap in the last three seasons.
Geographical Expansion
The final point goes to clubs who don't have another rugby league club within a 20-mile radius.
Total Score
8 or more points - A Licence
5 or more points - B Licence
Less than 5 points - C Licence
It is thought teams who achieve an A or B Licence will be awarded a place in Super League, while those who achieve a C Licence will undergo further scrutiny before the RFL decide who makes the final cut.
- Video
Comments
David Garner says...
Geographical Expansion i think is a good way of bring other clubs into the super league from abroad,is there going to be one day i will open up my copy of Rugby League World Magazine and see a team from Greece in the Super league table it is after all the company behind the super league is named Super League(Europe)Ltd. Player strength is a wonderful idea why o why the FA can't watch the super league as it prospers in bring to the game of rugby young talent like the hard hitting Sam Burgess. because why i mentioned the FA is because i am sick and tired at looking at football teamsheet and seeing the odd english player take Arsenal F.C. for example there are no english players in that team and there are others in the football league like Arsenal i mean is it time they brought a quota in for foreign players not been nasty or alt but give British young talent a chance like there doing in the super league. Stadium facilitys what happening with Grattan-Odsal Stadium? are they or aren't there redeveloping the stadium thats the question on the Bulls fan lips.
Posted 14:29 22nd April 2008
Greg Matheson says...
It's about time the super league had a licence system, but just having a competition based on clubs from lancashire or yorkshire is only moving backwards. I hope that the super league does not make the same mistakes that the NRL made back in 1999 and not getting rid of the number of sydney clubs, but instead got rid of the clubs from adelaide and perth, by using the same system. The super league has the chance to move into europe and have a competition that would be bigger than the NRL, by cutting some clubs and bring in clubs from wales, scotland, Ireland, Russia and one more french club (in the end it's all about making the international game stronger and selling the great game of rugby league to a new market in europe).
Posted 09:14 19th April 2008
Andrew Jennings says...
I personally don't agree with the whole franchaisng business. I think a lot of teams, especially heartland teams will go under in 10 years or so. There is nothing wrong with promotion and relegation at all. If we are to have it for the long term, I do think that as PAYING speactators they should have a say in it, like a vote. There could be questionaires handed out where fans say whether or not they are in favour, and if they are which teams they would allow and which they wouldn't allow a franchaise for and why. The fans should have a say in this because at the end of the day if a team that should be in it but is not because their stadium isn't up to scratch, or a 20000 capacity stadium is only bringing in 6000 (lets face it there are some 20000+ stadiums out there because they share with a football team) the fans will stay away. At the end of the day I go to watch the game, not to buy a coffee and go to the toilet. I do that before I set off to the game. Just one more thing. How do they decide, if say 8 teams are a grade A or B, and then the next 8 are all a grade C if we are only having 12 or 14 teams in it. We should keep sport with sport and politics with politics
Posted 22:43 17th April 2008
Steve Rowlands says...
I think the only positive I can give to the idea of a franchise is a guarantee of three years RL at SL level. This would atl east give the new club(s) coming up the chance to build and develop a team than can compete with the "Big 6 " I too however feel that the grading system is flawed. Many team's including St Helens have threatened to build a new stadium and demolish the shed for ten years! Wakefields ground is, compared to most others, in the same situation but nobody at the RFL would ever dare leave out Saints. The point has already been made that Wigan have consistently breached the salary cap ( which saved them from possible relegation ) yet will only be deducted one point. Widnes, Salford and Leigh have all at some point put something into the game and yet are being over looked to sell Sky dishes. The Welsh thing was tried before and failed. Catalans were given 3 years in SL to develop knowing they couldn't be relegated and average 7k spectators a match. Would like to know the % of France that represents!!!!
Posted 15:56 17th April 2008
Ken Bentley says...
So looking at the first two points on what you are graded "Teams will get one point for having a stadium with a capacity of 12,000 or more. Another point will be awarded if the ground meets the standards of a premier competition in the 21st century. " Can someone please tell me ANY gorund in the country which is of a premier standard but DOESN'T hold 12,000? they are surely the same thing!!! If a ground holds 12,000+ but isn't a premier competition ground then it still wouldn't be good enough so you shouldn't get a point. For example if Belle Vue held 12,000 would they be able to stay there or would they still need to move to a better ground? I think it would be the latter!!!
Posted 15:16 17th April 2008
Rob Cartridge says...
Having just got upto speed on the points grading system (which trust, didn't take long) the whole process seems to be geared up towards manly financial decisions. This is so dangerous!!! Yes we'll have improved quality in the competition, but at what cost?? In football, the Premier league has developed in to the most successful & competitive league in the world but at a HUGE detriment to the Nation team, with the current coach restricted in his selection of players. Investment to youth development should be given greater rewards along with a limit or cap of foreign players in any one squad. If commercial & commercial decisions alone rule we will only go backwards!
Posted 11:15 13th April 2008
Craig Brownlow says...
Just have a bigger league and let all the teams in that are currently in contention for a place. Im sure we can sort a fixture list, salary cap, and overseas quota to keep the quality of rugby up to standard.
Posted 14:19 12th April 2008
Stuart Acton says...
The whole fracnchising system is flawed - it is patently obvious that the SL have pre-decided who they want in Sl next seasoon and will make sure that thise sides gain sufficeint points. London Skolars within 20 miles of Harleguins - ignored so they gain an extra point, Salford a point for performance when they have not performed to the required standard, Leigh rules bent to make sure they get a "B" grading. No doubt the Celtic and Toulose claims will be also adjusted to maike sure they get in.
Posted 10:29 11th April 2008
Christopher Strettle says...
Looking at Leighs review and its been very poorly thought out. Leigh can either be assessed on their new ground or their old one. So they can either have the 2 points for 12k+ and 21st century stadium OR 40% filled for their old stadium. 4 points = Grade C.
Posted 13:11 10th April 2008
James Bentley says...
Just read the grading Salford, so let me get this straight, Salfords "contribution" is 5th, 12th and 9th which to me is 26/3 an average of 9th! how does that compute to 8th? round down because we need a team from Manchester i the comp? Funny how it is graded over 3 years as if it had of been 4 years wakey would of made a "contribution". It appears that this grading system favours the teams that they want in super league.
Posted 10:57 31st March 2008
Philip Malone says...
Don't be surprised if the final franchise positions are exactly the same as the 12 teams in SL at the moment (plus 2 others if expanded to 14). According to a friend who works in employment law if the a club is relegated all contracts are null and void, but if a club is ejected from the premier comp each and every player at that club (or clubs) would have a very good claim for loss of earnings against the RFL. 20 odd players suing for the remainder of their contracts would be a very substantial sum, one I feel the RFL could not afford and may even lead to bankruptcy. If the RFL have looked at this possibility then the only sensible thing for them to do is not rock the boat with the teams already in and promote two "wild cards". Interesting thought, no?
Posted 15:51 30th March 2008
Nigel Moss says...
I could not believe that Salford gained a point for contribution to the competition as they are currently not even in the competition. I therefore checked their last 3 league placings which were 12th, 5th and 9th. This totals 26 which when divided by 3 to find the average is 8.66. This is not an average position in the top 8. Therfore a point needs to be deducted from their score and their grade changed accordingly.
Posted 15:16 29th March 2008
Michael Farrow says...
If the criteria is biased against anybody, it is biased against teams from the heartlands that are outside Super League and don't have amazing facilities such as Featherstone or Halifax. Look at Warrington, they tick nine out of ten boxes and all the big boys will tick at least 8. I have a little spreadsheet where I grade teams and according to my calculations, Celtic Crusaders would get a B license because they have a 10,000+ ground that was upgraded for Celtic League rugby, they haven't had financial problems as yet, they're bringing through Welsh players, they yet to have had a salary cap problem and they represent a major geographical expansion. That's 6 points. For better or worse, Warrington are to blame for this. This happens a lot in minority sports leagues, who are always trying to grow and develop their base. A team comes along, they have a new stadium, their crowds grow and they start to make some money when they didn't before. It changes the dynamic and makes the league sit up and think this is how they want the league. Warrington's move to the Halliwell Jones Stadium did this. Super League has always had this aim.
Posted 10:21 29th March 2008
Marcus Ellison says...
I agree with most of whats been said here. I'm all for expanding the game and in principle I'm for the franchise system. But clubs from new areas like Wales, France etc should develop in the national leagues first and prove over time that they deserve a place. As long as the games traditional clubs like Castleford, Wakefield and Widnes show a willingness to move with the times then there is no reason why they should be excluded and I think the RFL will have a fight on their hands if they do. Hopefully the RFL would show some foresight and run with a 16 team franchise competition if the number of quality applicants is there, rather than stick rigidly to their 14 team plans and freeze out deserving clubs.
Posted 09:10 29th March 2008
Mike Hargreaves says...
on the subject of the licence system, this is hull krs second season in super league. i think the system is unfair because teams that have been in super league for many seasons have time to esstablish themselves,the grounds,finances and youth development within the club. if rovers was to have more time,than i believe we would tick more of the criteria. so surely this should be taken into consideration and give credit to what rovers have achieved in last two seasons compared to other teams that have come up from national league.
Posted 11:16 23rd March 2008
Andy Holland says...
Chris - maybe it is another 'applicant' club within 20 miles. Maybe there's a loophole there for any 'border line' club to get Scholars to put in a bid just to reduce Quins' tally by one. Also, I think that the criteria are too 'black and white'. By 'facilities', shouldn't playing surface, atmosphere etc come into consideration? Also, if all you need is a third of your squad to be developed in 'this country', wouldn't that give all English clubs a point? - and what about eight English players in a French squad? I would have prefered for the 10 groups to have had 5 points each. Hull KR, Widnes, Castleford and Haven have all contributed 'to the game' in the last few seasons. If I'm not wrong, the game is called Rugby League, not Super League! Also, is it fair to only lose a point if you consistently breach the salary cap? Shouldn't you lose one point for each instance? Thank you for listening everone and sorry for all the apostrophes!
Posted 02:05 16th March 2008
Chris Whitfield says...
How do Harlequins get a point for geographical location?? The distance from The Stoop to London Skolars ground is 19.2 miles according to the RAC
Posted 20:52 10th March 2008
Paul Fitzsimon says...
An interesting set of criteria. I just hope there's some transparency when the final license allocations are made. Will we just be asked to accept the RL's decisions from within a closed shop, or will the points awarded and the reasons for allocating places be fully explained? The big boys obviously have little to worry about (apart from Saints, whose ground wouldn't meet the standards for a sport in the 18th century, never mind the 21st), but the applicants and fans in the 'lesser' groups who will have very similar credentials, will potentially be competing for very few places. To avoid paranoia, suspicion and chants of 'fix', the RL should publish their conclusions in full and leave no room for speculation or hearsay. As a fan, it will be a good idea only as long as you make the cut. Otherwise it will be the death of meaningful national league one rugby for fans of applicant clubs who don't get in.
Posted 18:21 17th February 2008
Pete Bentham says...
I think it was just a northern game fifty years or so ago, but it doesn't have to be now. Especially now the world is shrinking due to better communications and cheap travel. The Catalans are getting 7-9,000 which is more than some of the oldest established clubs like Huddersfield and Castleford. I think we should respect the heritage of the game and the likes of Wakefield and my club Widnes shouldn't be discriminated against because of their location or other factors relating to the SL license. But I say let's let the French, Welsh or anyone else in... but provided they can prove they can sustain themselves. I think maybe it's too soon for Celtic and Tolouse to come into SL just yet.
Posted 18:33 15th February 2008
Geoff Garvey says...
It would appear that the final point (20 mile radius) rules out the majority of clubs that have played in the Rugby League for the last 30 or 40 years, probably longer. This seems to be a blatant bias towards clubs in remote areas - London, Wales, France etc. This is obviously an attempt to get these clubs into the "C" license categoy. The sooner the authorities accept that this is primarily a northern game the better. Look at the failed attempts from outside this region.
Posted 20:03 14th February 2008
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