The Central Bay and Eastern Bay sub-unions, which represent 22 rugby clubs, have made it clear they will leave the Baywide competition if their proposal is not accepted by the rugby union.
Rugby union chief executive Mike Rogers said the first step in responding to the proposal was to find out if all the clubs in the Eastern Bay and Central Bay were, in fact, behind it.
He said a small number of representatives from the sub-unions presented the proposal but it was not clear how many clubs were actually behind it.
"We have received nothing from the Central and Eastern Bay clubs about this," he said.
Rogers said all the teams who were in the premier grade at present had earned their place there, through the relegation and promotion system.
He said bringing in teams who were not able to compete at that level would not be good for the competition, and teams could end up losing by 50 or 100 points. He said if teams were good enough, they had the opportunity to gain promotion, like Eastern Bay side Paroa this year.
However, the Central Bay and Eastern Bay sub-unions told the Rotorua Daily Post they had full support of the clubs in their region, and they would start a new competition if the proposal was rejected.
According to the two sub-unions, the proposal will better represent the whole Bay of Plenty region and will give equal opportunity to rugby players in all three sub-regions.
"If the Bay won't look after us then we will need to do it ourselves," Central Bay of Plenty spokesman Trevor Albert said.
"Should the BOP Rugby Union reject this proposal, both sub-unions have declined to participate in the Baywide club rugby competition. [But] we have not withdrawn from the Bay, we can't, we are the Bay."
Whakarewarewa coach Ngarimu Simpkins agreed that something needed to be done to give Rotorua and Eastern Bay rugby more support.
He said Whaka supported the proposal, but he would also like to hear any alternatives from the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.
In terms of the proposal, Simpkins said it might take a few years for some clubs to become competitive but in the long run it would be good for Bay of Plenty rugby.
"The example is Greerton Marist, who were in the lower grades for a number of years and they have been given support and now they are right up there in the premier division," he said.
"It's like the saying goes, if you keep on doing what you have always done you will get the same results. It is time for a change and if we don't do anything the rugby community here [in Rotorua] will die."
Eastern Bay spokesman Waata Heathcote said they were simply asking for equality.
"All we are asking for is equality, in terms of a format," he said. "That is all we want."
Heathcote said they were not supported as well as Western Bay clubs and this was a step towards equality.
