RFL Seek Applications for 34th Professional club
The Rugby Football League (RFL) is actively seeking applications from clubs wishing to become part of the sport's professional League structure at National League One and Two level.
The RFL is beginning this process following the admission of Perpignan into the Super League competition from 2006 onwards.
This addition of the French team means that there will be an odd number of professional clubs (currently 32, rising to 33 after Perpignan begin membership). An even number of clubs would better assist any future format changes to the National League structure, which may be appropriate and required.
The process that any successful application would go through will involve a prospective club demonstrating that it can meet minimum standards in the following areas:
Stadium facilities.
A satisfactory business plan which shows evidence of appropriate start-up' funds.
Geographical location.
All other relevant factors will also be considered and, at this stage, no definitive date for the acceptance and introduction of any new professional club can be confirmed.
The RFL believes that recent successful development of the London Skolars and the rebuilding of the York City Knights in the LHF Healthplan National League Two provides an excellent model for any potential new club to follow.
Commenting on the start of the process, the RFL Executive Chairman Richard Lewis said: 'The RFL is offering an exciting opportunity for a club to become part of what is a vibrant and developing National League structure.
'Any successful applicant would join a pyramid system which would offer them the opportunity to eventually progress to Super League level if they aspired to attain such status'.
Lewis added: 'The increasing quality and ongoing development of Rugby League at National League level demands that the assessment process will be rigorous and detailed, but we believe there will be a strong appetite
among many clubs to become part of the professional club structure'.
Further details of the process of receiving and assessing applications will be confirmed in due course.
For more details contact the Rugby Football League Media Department.
Tel: 0113 244 1114
Fax: 0113 244 1110
E-mail: andrew.whitelam@rfl.uk.com or john.huxley@rfl.uk.com
The RFL is beginning this process following the admission of Perpignan into the Super League competition from 2006 onwards.
This addition of the French team means that there will be an odd number of professional clubs (currently 32, rising to 33 after Perpignan begin membership). An even number of clubs would better assist any future format changes to the National League structure, which may be appropriate and required.
The process that any successful application would go through will involve a prospective club demonstrating that it can meet minimum standards in the following areas:
All other relevant factors will also be considered and, at this stage, no definitive date for the acceptance and introduction of any new professional club can be confirmed.
The RFL believes that recent successful development of the London Skolars and the rebuilding of the York City Knights in the LHF Healthplan National League Two provides an excellent model for any potential new club to follow.
Commenting on the start of the process, the RFL Executive Chairman Richard Lewis said: 'The RFL is offering an exciting opportunity for a club to become part of what is a vibrant and developing National League structure.
'Any successful applicant would join a pyramid system which would offer them the opportunity to eventually progress to Super League level if they aspired to attain such status'.
Lewis added: 'The increasing quality and ongoing development of Rugby League at National League level demands that the assessment process will be rigorous and detailed, but we believe there will be a strong appetite
among many clubs to become part of the professional club structure'.
Further details of the process of receiving and assessing applications will be confirmed in due course.
For more details contact the Rugby Football League Media Department.
Tel: 0113 244 1114
Fax: 0113 244 1110
E-mail: andrew.whitelam@rfl.uk.com or john.huxley@rfl.uk.com