WPL Promotion/Relegation

Dear Women’s Rugby Player/Supporter,

In the interest of keeping women’s clubs and players informed about Women’s Premier League qualification, below is the promotion and relegation policy.

To stay up-to-date on the WPL results and stats, visit the USA Rugby Scores and Stats page.

Thank you for your continued support of USA Rugby.

Regards,
USA Rugby

Introduction
This document details the newly developed policy of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Committee for providing an opportunity for Division 1 (D1) club teams to move into the WPL. At this point, the WPL committee believes that the number of teams in the WPL should remain at 8 until the match scores are consistently closer. This policy provides an opportunity for D1 teams to move into and compete in the WPL, which should raise the level of play in the D1 teams as well. Another key point is that the final policy includes input from WPL and D1 teams and will be in place for 2 years, at which point the current Promotion/Relegation policy and the opportunity for Expansion will be re-visited.

Process
The WPL Expansion/Promotion/Relegation Committee met five times between June 8, 2010 and August 2, 2010 to identify the issues, draft communication material, develop options, discuss input and ideas on other approaches, and develop this policy. In late June, USA Rugby sent a press release to all Territorial Union presidents and contacts at all WPL and D1 women’s clubs, announcing the committee’s work and asking for input from D1 teams. During late June and the first few weeks of July, the committee solicited input from WPL and D1 teams on a fair way to determine which teams should move into the WPL and whether the challenging teams meet the stringent WPL administrative and financial criteria. On July 21, the WPL Committee met to discuss the input collected from the WPL and D1 clubs, developed several options and identified outstanding questions. The WPL Committee solicited input from WPL and D1 clubs on these options by continuing to reach out to them and during an open call on July 27, in which a number of women’s clubs participated. On August 2, the WPL Committee met to narrow down the options and to develop this final policy.

Policy Summary

The WPL is the top level of women’s club rugby in the USA. The League was created to foster the highest possible level of competition and to that end, has implemented a number of very stringent administrative, financial and competitive requirements. These requirements are vital to the success of the League and are voluntarily agreed to and adhered to by all WPL member clubs, each of which has committed to working very hard to fully participate, for the mutual benefit of all. Execution of these WPL requirements is not easy and represents significant adjustments for any teams moving up into the WPL. Therefore, development of the WPL’s Promotion/Relegation Policy was dependent on addressing three key issues: determining whether the challenging teams meet the WPL’s administrative and financial criteria, determining which teams should move into or out of the League, and determining when and where the challenge matches should occur. The resulting policy is as follows:
Every year, the lowest two teams in the WPL can be challenged by the top two Division 1 teams. The challenge matches will take place within 3-4 weeks of Nationals at a site in a warm location. This will begin following the 2010 WPL and D1 National Championships (i.e., to determine the WPL teams for 2011) and each year after that. As stated above, this policy will be reviewed in two years to make any needed adjustments.

Key Issue#1. Determining whether the challenging teams meet the WPL administrative and financial criteria

Immediately following the D1 Playoff weekend and prior to the final round of championships (i.e., Nationals) the four D1 teams will be asked: (a) if they finish first or second, whether they will challenge for a WPL spot; and (b) if so, the team will be asked to review the WPL agreement and a summary of other key WPL obligations (such as the estimated total cost per team to travel for the WPL season) and sign a document that commits the team to play in a challenge match at a specified location and specified date within 3-4 weeks of Nationals (if the club finishes in a position to play in a challenge match) and to fulfill all of the obligations in the WPL agreement (if they win the challenge match).

Key Issue #2. Determining which teams should move into or out of the WPL

As above, the bottom two WPL teams can be challenged for their spots. At the same time that the top 4 D1 teams are asked to sign their intent to challenge, the lower four teams in the WPL will be asked to sign their intent to meet a challenge. Specifically, if they finish 7th or 8th in the WPL and are challenged, whether they will commit to play in a challenge match at a specified location and specified date within 3-4 weeks of Nationals. If a WPL team that finishes 7th or 8th does not play in the designated challenge match, it is a forfeit and that team will play in the D1 league the following year. The D1 team scheduled to play that team wins the challenge match by forfeit and moves into the WPL the following year.

Assuming that both of the top D1 teams want the opportunity to play in the WPL, the top D1 team would play a challenge match against the #8 WPL team. Similarly, the #2 D1 team would play a challenge match against the #7 WPL team. Between the winners of the challenge matches, the higher ranked team would become the #7 WPL team. (The teams are ranked WPL #7, WPL #8, D1 #1 and D1 #2 from highest to lowest.)

If the top D1 team did not want to challenge or could not meet the administrative/financial WPL requirements, the #2 D1 team would challenge the #8 WPL team and the #7 WPL team would not be challenged.

Key Issue #3. Determining when and where the challenge matches should be played

Challenge matches would take place at the same site on the same day in a warm climate within 3-4 weeks of Nationals. The WPL or USA Rugby will be responsible for identifying the city and date of the challenge matches during the fall season, so it is known before Nationals. In addition, this site will be the location of the end-of-season WPL meeting and all WPL teams are required (as per the League Agreement) to send at least 1 and up to 3 representatives to observe the challenge matches and to the WPL meeting. The meeting itself will be held after the challenges matches (e.g., Saturday evening and Sunday morning) so representatives from the teams that win the challenge matches can participate.

Timing and location was the most difficult decision and the WPL Committee reached consensus that keeping the challenge match within 4 weeks of Nationals offered the best combination of: maintaining play at a high level for the challenge match, after peaking throughout the fall for Nationals; playing the matches in a location that provides a good chance for reasonable weather; preventing teams from having to practice indoors or in freezing weather for more than 3-4 weeks; ensuring continuity of rosters from Nationals; and, determining the teams in the WPL and D1 early enough to allow clubs time to get fields, fundraise and plan for the WPL season as well as the clubs’ development in the spring.

Schedule

-August: The policy is reviewed by the WPL teams and sent to the USA Rugby Competitions Committee

-September 1: Announce the approved policy to all women’s club teams. Ensure that all WPL teams and top D1 teams understand the policy and the schedule and are prepared to act quickly in November, once specific standings are known.

-September & October: WPL Governing Council and USA Rugby work together to identify a site and date for the two challenge matches.

-November 1 (The day after the USA Rugby D1 Round of 12 tournament): The top four D1 teams are asked: (a) if they finish first or second, whether they want to challenge for a WPL spot; and (b) if so, the team will be asked to review the WPL agreement and a summary of other key WPL obligations (such as the estimated total cost per team to travel for the WPL season) and sign a document that commits the team to play in a challenge match (if the club finishes in a position to play in a challenge match) and to fulfill all of the obligations in the WPL agreement (if they win the challenge match). Teams must respond by November 11 (day before Nationals begins).

-November 1 (the day after completion of the WPL regular season): The teams ranked #5 -8 in the WPL are asked a) if they want to stay in the WPL; and (b) if so, the team will be asked to commit to play in a challenge match. Teams must respond by November 11 (day before Nationals begins).

-December 4 or 11: The two challenge matches will be played at a specified location set up by the WPL Governing Council and/or USA Rugby. In addition, the WPL will have its end-of season meeting at this location.