Super League to remain a 12-team competition in 2022

Interim Super League chairman Ken Davy has confirmed that clubs have agreed to remain a 12-team competition in 2022.

Davy confirmed that the clubs have agreed to remain at 12 clubs ahead of next season, which effectively means that Leigh are relegated, having won just one of their 19 matches so far.

“The principle of promotion and relegation hasn’t changed,” said Davy, who says the Centurions will be eligible for a parachute payment.

Davy also confirmed talks are ongoing for a restructure of the competition from 2023, with a proposal for two divisions of 10 clubs on the table.

“I believe there does need to be significant change,” he said. “We’ve got a tremendous product and we need to widen the appeal of the sport.

“I produced a paper about six years ago that was based on promoting essentially three leagues of 10 and so one can see a lot of logic in two divisions of 10.

“In an ideal world, we want to have a structure that gives the ability for promotion and relegation to take place more easily with less draconian impact, particularly on the part of the relegated club.”

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Davy says a domestic calendar has been provisionally drawn up for 2022, which will take into account the re-arranged World Cup next October and November.

The calendar, which is likely to see a return to the traditional Easter double header, is due to be revealed in Grand Final week in early October.

More immediately, Davy says Super League is bracing itself for bumper crowds for the Dacia Magic Weekend, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday in Newcastle.

The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic and put back from May in the hope of attracting an unlimited attendance which, after two successive disruption-free weekends, looks set to be the case.

Officials are not expecting to reach the 40,871 that watched the Saturday of the 2015 event or the record aggregate of 68,276 set in 2016 but are looking to draw between 50,000 and 60,000 fans to St James’ Park.

“The return of crowds has been sluggish but all the indications I’m seeing are positive,” Davy said.

“We underestimate the excitement the Magic Weekend generates amongst the players, the coaches and the supporters. I am not aware of another event in sport that can match it.”