[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8027116.stm[/url

Has anybody read this?

If the MP's suceed in boosting Halifax to the SL next season doesn't that render the whole franchise system a bit of a farce? Teams like Widnes will be clamouring to be allowed in before the franchises are reveiwed again. And what about the league numbers? there's already 14 teams, by adding Halifax would we have to drop a team?

*Rugbychick*

To drop a team, the RFL would face 14 lawsuits. The Shay is half finished and this is the first time they've challenged the top few spots of the National Leagues for years.

I just find it quite ridiculous that MP's are getting involved like this. By the suggestion of bumping Fax next year they are basically setting a precedence for any club winning a trophy or finishing top of the league to challenge the rule about waiting for the franchise reviews. The whole thing would just be reduced to a bit of a farce. Personally I like the franchise system, I think it really give opportunity to developing clubs and clubs coming up from National Leagues. Look how fantastic our SL is this season, never truly being able to judge who will win what game, it's a real compitition. What right have the MP's got to get involved in a sport they usually just ignore???

Rugbychick

The only way that Halifax or Widnes will get in within the next 3 years is if someone like Celtic or Salford go bankrupt due to the credit crunch!

put them in and kick celtic out they are a disgrace and should never of made superleague how does a team losing all 27 games(which they will do) boost the game???

We can only hope Dessie.

If Halifax can compete at the top of league 1 or whatever it is now called for the next 2+1/2 years and complete the Shay then they should have a good chance of coming up. Add Widnes, Leigh and maybe 1 or 2 others and the next round of licence applications and there maybe a couple of current super league clubs feeling a little upset.

Mps shouldn't be getting involved in this, or any sport it all ways leads to problems.

Agreed, but "Rattling the RLFC`s cage" in this manner, could end up coming back and biting them in the ar$e, when licence applications are up for grabs in the future!!!

Celtic and Salford were both top of NL1 last year though

They might as well scream and scream and scream until their sick, it'll have the same effect. Just politicians starting their elelction campaigns early.

add halifax and widnes (widnes because i want our derby bk



) and have 16 tems

And....breath.

I know what you mean but didn't Celtic and Salford finish in the top 2 last year. So if you were going to promote 2 teams then surely they would merit promotion

Spoke to my missus about this (she is a corporate lawyer) and she believes they may have an opportunity to challenge the franchise system under Articles 81/85 of the European Convention as they could potentially argue the franchise system operates contrary to competition law. Key to the argument would be classifying Halifax RLFC as a business rather than simply a rugby club. Whether they have the will (and pocket depth) to do it is another thing.

If the RFL have writtien the franchise criteria into their bye laws, then they could be on a sticky wicket. I'm pretty sure one of the bye laws is: challenge them; face expulsion.

PS

bye laws should read operational rules.

Any legal challenge, whether backed by MPs or otherwise, would be utterly pointless and doomed to failure. Pathetic attempt at points scoring by the MPs in question.

Apparently on the grapevine of lawyers and counsel that have been party to this now, through the missus, it's created quite a stimulating legal/intellectual debate and by no means black and white. Having said that they are only legal bods specialising in EU corporate law.

Bosman anyone?

I don't see how it restricts competition - the only difference between the old system and the new one is the frequency of promotion and the terms on which promotion is granted. I'd be astounded if anyone thought that the prospects of success were that good that it was worth a challenge, to the EU or otherwise. In any event, as you rightly point out, it would cost a fortune - in the unlikely event that anyone did think it was worth a punt the cost would be prohibitive.

Licence system is here to stay, in one form or another, whether people like it or not.

They'd just look silly to be honest. Those are the rules and everyone must comply. They didn't tick enough boxes to be accepted in Super League, they know what boxes need to be ticked and they are probably going about rectifying it over the course of the next three years.

What shouldn't be overlooked, IMO, is where were these MPs when Halifax were staring into the Abyss of relegation from NL1, the stadium didn't look like being completed and they faced financial ruin?

The issue is that vertical competition would be restricted in that the businesses incorporating those clubs in the lower leagues are restrained from competing with those businesses in the upper league for a specific period of time where that restriction is set by the RFL and not market forces. Therefore the market is distorted on the basis of competition being restricted. This only applies if it can be argued the clubs are businesses and not purely sporting organisations.

Its a long shot and probably not worth it.

Surely the ability to be competitive would form part of the criteria, as subjective an a review it could be.

Long shot being the operative phrase - every promotion and relegation systems imposes criteria, they're just less distinct and open than the RFLs. For example, there are ground criteria for promotion to the FA Premier League. I don't think the specific period of time point makes any great difference - you're still saying Club A you can come in potentially, Club B, you can't because your ground isn't up to scratch, in the Premier League, all seater with specific facilities. The same as franchising.

=A few RL clubs fired off a few speculative letters to the RFL about the salary cap. I suspect they came to the same conclusion - arguable on paper, little or no chance in reality. Interesting stuff though.