IT WAS nice to get a dose of early festive spirit yesterday as Super League clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 clubs from next season.
For this really did have the air of turkeys voting for Christmas.
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The last year or so has been dominated by talk of IMG, you know the global broadcasting giant that has negotiated contracts worth billions of pounds?
The firm whose recommendations on grading brought visible improvements to the environment the sport is played in.
To me, this decision screamed: “What do they know? We’re rugby league people.”
Well, ‘rugby league people’, you have opened the door to mediocrity being rewarded.
Run the club you own like it’s an unwanted toy? Have almost 20,000 empty seats at your home matches? Your stadium has one seated and covered stand? Hey, you’re welcome to try and join us in 2026.
The only saving grace is that 12 of the clubs will be decided by IMG’s grading scheme, even then there’s a huge flaw.
An independent panel will put forward the other two clubs – and to think, ‘rugby league people’ moaned about the demise of traditional promotion and relegation previously.
Set criteria will be made clear. Er, they should be crystal clear already. Time is not exactly of the essence.
“It gets rid of loop fixtures,” is seen as one excuse. Fair enough, but what have they been replaced with, more humdrum matches as the gap between top and bottom grows?
What should have happened is contraction rather than expansion. 10 top teams going at it week after week – now that will be something people will want to watch.
Broadcasters want to show the best, not one good side easing past a mediocre one while not getting out of second gear.
I can almost hear the, ‘It’s not enough matches for us,” argument from here. Well, make more of what you have.
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There have been welcome strides in making matches into events at the clubs that get it.
However, not enough have realised it. Being able to read the writing in the stands during a match does not exactly scream ‘Must see.’
Will having more clubs, diluting the talent pool further, change that? I don’t think so.
Maybe, just maybe, England – you know, the team that should be big everywhere and not an afterthought – could have a game or two as the top flight has been reduced.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Still, we are where we are and to quote a phrase heard all too often from ‘rugby league people,’ it is what it is.
And do not even get me started on the away fans argument.
