Promotion and relegation hanging in the balance for 2022

Members of the rugby league media were treated to ‘an afternoon with Ken Davy’ today, where the interim chairman discussed the problems facing the sport at the moment.

One of those points talked about was the issue of promotion and relegation and whether it would be more desirable – and commercially viable – to scrap the one-up, one-down format.

Davy, however, could see the argument for both sides.

“Changing things like that have been tried before on and off for the last 20 years so I’m not sure that’s what’s required,” Davy said.

“Of course we have had relegation, no relegation, relegation and then no relegation again, but I still believe that realignment between Super League and the RFL is stage one in the process of rebuilding.

“Stage two and stage three are like external finance and game structure, so those will come next.

“Promotion and relegation has some real positives because you’re giving lower league clubs the chance to strive to get to the top echelons of the game.

“But it does create a situation as to how to build strong revenues for a club when the danger of relegation is looming.

“Commercially it’s not attractive so the arguments are finely balanced.”