CONFERENCE NEWS

NEWS Saturday 1st December 2007, 5:10pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The BSPA Conference is completed and a number of announcements have been made.

The most important Premier League news is:

** There will be at least 17 teams in the Premier League. Last year's sides plus Reading and Scunthorpe are certain starters, and it is possible that Oxford may be added if they can agree terms with their landlords.

** The PL points limit is 41.5, which is 1.5 points up from last season.

** There will be promotion and relegation between the Elite and Premier Leagues. The Playoffs remain in both leagues but will also include promotion/relegation playoffs. To move up from Premier to Elite, the PL winners would have to beat the losers of a race-off between the bottom two in the Elite League.

** Aggregate bonus points have been scrapped, but teams will now gain three match points for an away win.

** Alex Harkess replaces Neil Machin on the BSPA Management committee.

** There is no change to TR and TS rules.