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#Post#: 153337--------------------------------------------------
Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: Blutakk
Date: April 25, 2026, 8:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
There are lots of reasons not to compare rugby with football,
but two good reasons are worth revisiting after yesterday’s
failure of the RFU to manage change.
In football, there are typically 6 sides fighting relegation
from the Premiership and there are 8 sides fighting for
promotion from the Championship (2 won’t make it to the
playoffs). So there is enthralling jeopardy involving 14 teams
and every English single football fan, whoever they support.
Rugby could have chosen to have 7 or 8 jeopardy teams. But
instead, there’s zero enthralment between the leagues.
Separately, and by way of example, Ipswich Town (a jeopardy
team) will have played 6 Championship games since the start of
April - every week is exciting because of this shifting
momentum! Quins have to look back to Jan 3rd to see 6
Premiership games to end of April. After today, Quins have a 6
week gap until their next game at The Stoop. (Because of
injuries, perhaps we are lucky to play only 1.5 games per
month?)
Advertisers pay small fortunes for access to football fans’
jeopardy and momentum conversations.
There will be disappointing numbers of bums on seats at Quins v
Sharks today, but the real economic costs aren’t just fans at
games. The total lack of jeopardy and momentum also means there
are no rugby conversations for advertisers to buy into.
Heads need to be banged together to introduce 3 Championship
teams asap to fill the calender (ie not Welsh teams), and
introduce meaningful jeopardy before The Stoop is turned into
flats!
#Post#: 153375--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 25, 2026, 11:28 am
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The problem is that, the franchise system has been agreed, as
has entry into the prem, which is likely to via the champ, and
that champ clubs without major investment would be utter canon
fodder.
There would be no jeopardy, just 2 really bad teams and one bad
team added, would do nothing for them or entertainment.
I am not really seeing anything that different this year in the
league to previous years.
Also you are giving away a lot of tv revenue by bringing in 3
extra teams.
#Post#: 153377--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: April 25, 2026, 11:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
A bigger league with promotion and relegation would be optimal,
but that only works with enough teams of sufficient quality.
Rugby Union in England doesn't have that.
We've effectively had a closed shop with Newcastle and Worcester
yo-yoing over the last 20 years anyway.
The argument for ringfencing is that it's allowed investment in
Newcastle with the knowledge that they can build their level of
competitiveness over a few seasons.
#Post#: 153394--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 25, 2026, 1:59 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Counter point to the OP: football is insane and it's the last
place and sport should be taking inspiration from. It's broken
the relationships between the clubs and the fans, it's set vast
amounts of money on fire, it's introduced some deeply unsavoury
people as owners and investors, and it's opened up a yawning gap
between the haves and the have-nots.
Besides, the lack of jeopardy has led to some of the best
seasons of top level English club rugby I've ever seen.
#Post#: 153400--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: Blutakk
Date: April 25, 2026, 2:47 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
>
> There would be no jeopardy, just 2 really bad teams and one
bad team added, would do nothing for them or entertainment.
>
--- End Quote ---
When I'm not at Quins, I've watched Ealing play against
Worcester, Pirates, and Doncaster and there's absolutely no
doubt that any of those teams would be worthy opponents to the
bottom 3 in the Prem. My only doubts arise from watching
everyone raise their game against Ealing, and also whether
they'd have enough puff to see the season out. But then, Quins
haven't enough puff to see the season out either!
#Post#: 153403--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 25, 2026, 2:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
All three of those teams would be getting hockeyed every week in
the Premiership.
#Post#: 153404--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 25, 2026, 3:40 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Blutakk link ---
>
> When I'm not at Quins, I've watched Ealing play against
Worcester, Pirates, and Doncaster and there's absolutely no
doubt that any of those teams would be worthy opponents to the
bottom 3 in the Prem. My only doubts arise from watching
everyone raise their game against Ealing, and also whether
they'd have enough puff to see the season out. But then, Quins
haven't enough puff to see the season out either!
>
--- End Quote ---
They would get hammered, there is a massive gap between the two
leagues, 9 out of the 14 champ teams are semi pro, Ealing have
won the last three champ titles, but were hammered by a weak
Saracens in the playoff in Saracens naughty year.
If they want to be in the prem meet the standards and apply they
don’t even need to beat Ealing anymore.
It is put up or shut up time for them.
#Post#: 153411--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: KiltedQuin
Date: April 25, 2026, 4:47 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
> They would get hammered, there is a massive gap between the
two leagues, 9 out of the 14 champ teams are semi pro, Ealing
have won the last three champ titles, but were hammered by a
weak Saracens in the playoff in Saracens naughty year.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Hardly a weak team. In the second leg Sarries had 22
internationals, including 6 Lions, in their 23, if I recall
correctly.
#Post#: 153422--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 26, 2026, 3:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: KiltedQuin link ---
>
> Hardly a weak team. In the second leg Sarries had 22
internationals, including 6 Lions, in their 23, if I recall
correctly.
>
--- End Quote ---
They had a good team, and yes five lions, but it was weaker than
the previous year and it was 117-15 on aggregate.
The whole concept of promotion is academic anyway, as the champ
go into the pointless 6 team playoff, with the only team
qualified to be promoted not going to be in it.
Much of the noise about no relegation seems to come from champ
supporters but even this year in theory a team could be
promoted, but there is no relegation.
They are not locked out but have to meet the required standards
and now don’t even need to win the champ
#Post#: 153425--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jeopardy and Momentum
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: April 26, 2026, 4:19 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Blutakk link ---
>
> There are lots of reasons not to compare rugby with football,
but two good reasons are worth revisiting after yesterday’s
failure of the RFU to manage change.
>
> In football, there are typically 6 sides fighting relegation
from the Premiership and there are 8 sides fighting for
promotion from the Championship (2 won’t make it to the
playoffs). So there is enthralling jeopardy involving 14 teams
and every English single football fan, whoever they support.
>
> Rugby could have chosen to have 7 or 8 jeopardy teams. But
instead, there’s zero enthralment between the leagues.
>
> Separately, and by way of example, Ipswich Town (a jeopardy
team) will have played 6 Championship games since the start of
April - every week is exciting because of this shifting
momentum! Quins have to look back to Jan 3rd to see 6
Premiership games to end of April. After today, Quins have a 6
week gap until their next game at The Stoop. (Because of
injuries, perhaps we are lucky to play only 1.5 games per
month?)
>
> Advertisers pay small fortunes for access to football fans’
jeopardy and momentum conversations.
>
> There will be disappointing numbers of bums on seats at Quins
v Sharks today, but the real economic costs aren’t just fans at
games. The total lack of jeopardy and momentum also means there
are no rugby conversations for advertisers to buy into.
>
> Heads need to be banged together to introduce 3 Championship
teams asap to fill the calender (ie not Welsh teams), and
introduce meaningful jeopardy before The Stoop is turned into
flats!
>
--- End Quote ---
You forget that Quins are still fighting for a place in the
Senior European Competition next year.
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