It is astonishing I agree. Some neighbours may like to tell us we aren't a big club anymore, but we still have a genuine pulling power to sign local lads. Our production line will be the envy of plenty of SL clubs. In fact its that good that some of them appear to view our academy structure as their own production line....

It was a typo. They've put a revised table up now.

Following quote taken from t'other site is a little worrying. Could this be a pre-cursor to stripping away our academy if we remain outside SL?. that really would be final nail in coffin IMO.

Just re-reading Widnes's statement, and a part I missed while skimming through it is this

"Current Academy licenses across the sport are due to expire at the end of 2021, and it has been indicated that Super League membership and the ability to draw players from non-heartland areas will be integral to successful reapplication."

Suerly to god the sport isn't thick enough to not grant us an academy license because we're not in SL.

Already asked this been told we are keeping ours

Well, as we know, the RFL aren't above ignoring their own rules, as and when. It's a wonder they aren't in government...

SL denied Fev running an academy a lot of years ago

Really?! That's bonkers. Any progressive club has to harness the production line of young lads. How.can SL. dictate what we do at our level?

The funding ultimately comes from the SL tv contract. It’s matched funding, up to £100k max.
I think at the moment the money goes to the RFL as part of their 20-25% and is then given back to clubs with academies. The new TV contract changes things obviously.
I don’t know how the voting works . London & Newcastle academies must get a bonus due to geography. I assume that went against Fev at the time. Maybe Widnes got tipped off the same would happen to them.
I can only assume Bradford get to continue due to results, infrastructure and population and junior club density.

It’s about money, any team with an academy was/is paid 100k for doing so. And SL don’t want to give that to the second tier since they might find a player that SL have miss (like Zak Hardaker).

I assume that Bradford have managed around it these last few years by bringing in “non heartland” players, which would apply to London, Newcastle & Toulouse, otherwise I’m sure that other off our forum brothers would be shouting about Bradford bias again.