The top flight league has evolved over time since beginning in 1987 when the Courage Leagues were formed - a league pyramid that had more than 1,000 clubs playing in 108 leagues - each with promotion and relegation. Previous to this, only friendlies were played and a regional cup competition existed.
Initially two teams, Bath and Leicester proved to be head and shoulders above anyone else in the Courage League and between them dominated the top of the table, with Wasps the only other side to be crowned champions in the first ten years.
Leicester were England's first official champions when they beat Waterloo on the last day of the 87/88 season.
The following year regular fixtures were introduced and Bath started their reign of domination, going on to win six titles in eight years as the men from the Rec took the English game by storm. Wasps interrupted their run in 1990 and Leicester won in 1995 - with Wasps claiming their second title in 1997.
By this stage the concept of professionalism was gaining momentum and the changes spread through the sport rapidly, altering the face of rugby from a game to a business.
The Courage League had been very popular but the league really took off when Allied Dunbar took over the title sponsorship of Division One in 1996.
Newcastle was the first of the "professional" clubs as Sir John Hall dug deep into his pockets and made the club, formerly known as Gosforth, into the 1998 champions.
Leicester then flexed their considerable muscle and went on one of the greatest winning streaks ever. From 1999 to 2002 they were almost unstoppable as they claimed four consecutive titles. What was so impressive was their 57 unbeaten home wins that stretched from 30th December 1997 to 30th November 2002 and included 52 successive wins. So great was their superiority that they only lost 14 games out of the 92 games played over the four seasons.
By the end of the 1990s the Premiership had become the Zurich Premiership and had developed into the most competitive club competition in the world.
Over the years the format of the league developed and evolved, with the play-offs and a wildcard introduced.
London Wasps played the competition format to perfection, peaking at the right time to be crowned English Champions in 2003, 2004 and 2005 under the expert guidance of Director of Rugby Warren Gatland.
Guinness took over the title sponsorship from Zurich for the 2005/6 season and were rewarded with a new name on their new trophy as Sale Sharks won their first ever Premiership title.
London Wasps beat Leicester Tigers the following season as the first ever sell-out crowd saw England legends Lawrence Dallaglio and Martin Johnson make their final appearances.
Leicester Tigers then won three straight titles as they defeated Gloucester Rugby, London Irish and Saracens.
In June 2010 Aviva took sponsorship of the tournament now known as Aviva Premiership Rugby.
Courage League began. 12 clubs played each other in just one League fixture per year, with no set date for fixtures: Bath, Bristol, Coventry, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester, Moseley, Nottingham, Orrell, Sale, Wasps, Waterloo
Relegation and Promotion: Two clubs up, two down.
Relegated: Coventry and Sale
Promoted: Rosslyn Park and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Leicester
12 clubs. Fixed Saturday League fixtures were introduced.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Waterloo and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Saracens and Bedford
Champions: Bath
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One down, two up to expand to 13 clubs for the following season.
Relegated: Bedford
Promoted: Northampton and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Wasps
13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Moseley and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Rugby and London Irish
Champions: Bath
13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Nottingham and Rosslyn Park
Promoted: London Scottish and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath
13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Four down, one up to make a 10-team division for 93/94.
Champions: Bath
10 clubs. Home and away League fixtures were introduced for the first time.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: London Irish and Newcastle-Gosforth
Promoted: Sale and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down.
Relegated: Northampton
Promoted: Saracens
Champions: Leicester
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: No relegation and Northampton and London Irish came up to form a 12 team League for 96/97.
Promoted: Northampton and London Irish
Champions: Bath
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down, plus introduction of two-legged playoffs between 9th and 10th in Premiership one and 3rd & 4th in Premiership Two.
Relegated: West Hartlepool and Orrell
Promoted: Richmond and Newcastle Falcons
Champions: Wasps
12 clubs. Sin bins introduced 1 November 1997 denoted by a white triangle.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic Relegation. Top two clubs from Premiership Two were automatically promoted. Playoffs see bottom two in Premiership One take on 3rd and 4th in Premiership Two over two legs, making a 14-team Premiership for 98/99.
Promoted: Bedford, West Hartlepool, and London Scottish
Play-offs: London Irish retain their Premiership One status, Bristol relegated,
Champions: Newcastle Falcons.
14 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down, plus play offs where 13th placed team in Premiership One take on 2nd in Premiership Two over two legs. Premiership reduced to 12 teams for 99/00 when Richmond went bankrupt and London Scottish merged with London Irish.
Relegated: West Hartlepool
Promoted: Bristol
Champions: Leicester Tigers
12 clubs. Sin bin yellow cards introduced. Points increased to 3 for a win after the World Cup in November.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic relegation, but playoff between top team in Premiership Two and bottom team in Premiership One
Promoted: Rotherham
Relegated: Bedford Blues
Champions: Leicester Tigers
Title changed to Zurich Premiership. 12 clubs. Bonus point system introduced. Zurich Championship introduced with end of season quarter-finals, semi-finals and final at Twickenham. Bath beaten by Leicester in the final.
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Promoted: Leeds Tykes
Relegated: Rotherham
Champions: Leicester Tigers
12 clubs. Zurich Championship end of season quarter-finals, semi-finals with Final at Twickenham. Gloucester beat Bristol Shoguns in Championship final.
Relegation and Promotion: Leeds escape relegation after Rotherham refused promotion due to facilities failing to meet Premiership criteria.
Champions: Leicester Tigers
12 clubs. New format for deciding the Zurich Champions introduced. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Wasps beat Gloucester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down
Relegation: Rotherham Titans
Relegation: Bristol Shoguns
Champions: London Wasps
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which London Wasps defeat Bath.
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Relegated: Rotherham Titans
Promoted: Worcester Warriors
Champions: London Wasps
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which London Wasps defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: NEC Harlequins
Promotion: Bristol Rugby
Champions: London Wasps
12 clubs. New title Sponsor, Guinness®. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Sale Sharks defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Leeds Tykes
Promotion: NEC Harlequins
Champions: Sale Sharks
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Leicester Tigers defeat Gloucester Rugby.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Northampton Saints
Promotion: Leeds Carnegie
Champions: Leicester Tigers
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which London Wasps defeat Leicester Tigers.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Leeds Carnegie
Promotion: Northampton Saints
Champions: London Wasps
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Leicester Tigers defeat London Irish at Twickenham to become Premiership Champions.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Bristol Rugby
Promotion: Leeds Carnegie
Champions: Leicester Tigers
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Leicester Tigers defeat Saracens at Twickenham to become Premiership Champions.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Worcester Warriors
Promotion: Exeter Chiefs
Champions: Leicester Tigers
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