Champions Cup 2023

Very much this. I sometimes watch an Irish broadcast and ask myself it the commentator actually likes the sport.

Having groups of 4 playing home and away for 6 rounds followed by a 2-leg Rof16 would add 2 more rounds so completely unsuitable.

If having 6 rounds in the pools it would have to go straight to the quarters, so with 6 pools that would be top teams only plus 2 runners-up, so most teams would be out with a few rounds to go and loads of dead rubbers so 6 pools of 4 with 6 rounds is a non-runner.

If shrinking the teams back to 20 would then have to figure out how to keep the 3 leagues happy with that. Maybe achievable by having 7 URC, 7 Top14 and 6 Prem teams if the leagues would agree to it.

Then would have all the old problems again of teams not bothering for 6 rounds as they have no expectations of qualifying, or half-way through realising they can’t qualify and putting out B teams for the final rounds, and close-fought groups get less chance of qualifying, any pools with teams not bothering will benefit and get best runner-up not on merit, no round of 16 possible to fit in as the pools would take up too much time, ranking determined more by getting an easier pool draw than the teams’ relative performances, and due to there being 3 leagues and 5 pools trying to fit them in inevitably leads to lop-sided pools, and then pools of 4 require that teams from the same league will end up playing each other twice on top of playing in their own league, and then the chances of meeting again in the playoffs are higher (could have a pool where a team tops it and ranks 3rd, with second place ranking 6th, (or 2nd & 7th, or 1st and 8th) and then meeting directly in the quarters again) and topping your pool is no guarantee of getting a home match in the quarters. Also have to squeeze 6 rounds into the earlier part of the season, instead of two blocks of 2 weeks would need either 2 blocks of 3 weeks or 3 blocks of 2 weeks, and then a long wait to the quarters, whereas a round of 16 or 2 rounds of the round of 16 can be pushed back to April which fits the schedule a bit better.

Yeah, people who go looking can find them. But you don't grow the game by relying on people who already are big enough fans to do that. You grow the game by putting it in the spotlight and showing casual viewers what it has to offer week on week.

The GAA are doing it right. They have the Live games, the streaming and the highlights broadcast packages sorted from now to 2027

To me, I think the Euro competition as it stands is somewhat doomed. Not by format, but by attitude of the non URC teams.

The French have been entirely consistent over the past 10 years, some teams take it, others leave it. They're all happy to cash in and fill their boots to varying degrees.

The English have flipped and flopped, when they were doing well, they made a power play to tear up the old competition and start again. (Safe to say the commercial projections haven't worked out as they said). And now they are not doing well, its all about how the tournament is broken, the salary cap impedes them, the URC teams get to rotate, why should we care etc etc. Which again is a back handed power play for money, the stance will be to keep them in, it needs to be commercially attractive because the emotional connection is weak.

And then at the back of the queue, you have the URC teams who are so keen to have pan "Europe" competition, that they have to accept a lot of the terms thrown at them.

I am just glad the SA teams have made the URC a much better competition so if the European Cup gets sidelined, the provinces are in a league big/good enough to justify their existence.

With no relegation?

He says the english clubs are against adding more fixtures.

I cant see that being the case when they have lost up to 3 home game as it currently stands…

Whoever said it the point is still valid, the GP doesn't seem to be doing any talking about getting clubs back for next season so they should have no problem playing 3 European fixtures.

The coffers of any of the English sides would welcome Irish opposition with open arms.

You would hope that the URC and the EPC put their heads together on fixtures.

With most pools having a SA team you cant expect them to fly north 3 times for Europe and a few more times for URC fixtures, and expecting URC teams to fly south for one european game and separately for league games is a bit much.

There is a logistical nightmare to be worked through.

I wonder could something like a festival weekend work twice in the group stages Where all teams go somewhere like Paris / london or barcelona with its many stadiums and play a group game at a neutral venue. Friday / sat / sun games for all teams in two venues.

Could be a big novelty for travelling fans.