Currently, two of the three promoted clubs from the 2022/23 season are in the relegation zone of the Premier League, while all three relegated sides from that year occupy the top three spots in the Championship.
It's not just by chance either, particularly in the second division.
Leicester have been riding the crest of a wave all season and are on track to smash the current points record of 106 (the Foxes are on course for 112 at their current points per game).
Meanwhile, Southampton just saw their run of 24 league games unbeaten come to an end and Leeds have won seven on the spin conceding just once to take them to second in the table.
Only Ipswich have been able to get close to the consistency of the top three teams across the campaign.
What causes the gap?
The untold riches of the Premier League mean sides can largely build high-quality teams, even more so in recent times with more money available.
That money doesn't just go away following relegation - clubs that drop into the Championship get 'parachute payments' of around £30 million a season for three years from the Premier League, intended to cope with the significant loss in revenue from playing in the Championship.
On top of that, they usually have numerous sellable assets in their playing squad to then reinvest into building a side for promotion.
Leicester sold James Maddison (£39.5 million) and Harvey Barnes (£37.5m), Southampton got rid of Romeo Lavia (£53m), Valentino Livramento (£31.7m) and James Ward-Prowse (£29.7m) and Leeds shipped off Tyler Adams (£23m) as well as numerous players on loan-to-buy deals.
All three clubs spent big by Championship standards too - the Foxes signing Harry Winks from Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton bringing in Shea Charles and Ross Stewart for a combined £20m and Leeds recruiting Joel Piroe and Ethan Ampadu for hefty fees.
With parachute payments, some player sales and holding on to a few quality players (which all three relegated clubs have done while adding to their squads), each side is pretty well set for an instant return to the Premier League.
That makes it all the more difficult for teams chasing behind them to challenge for automatic promotion and leaves a select few fighting in the play-offs.
The gulf in quality between the top teams and those behind means the Championship is as hard as it has ever been to get out of.
What highlights this further is how little there is to separate the rest of the league - only 12 points between West Brom in fifth and Cardiff in 14th.
The growth of the Premier League coupled with the advantages those relegated already have to get back into the top flight makes it very difficult for those in the second tier to compete.
How about the other way?
The bottom three in the Premier League consists of Everton, Sheffield United and Burnley, with Luton in 17th.
Only a 10-point deduction for the Toffees prevents the Hatters from falling into the relegation zone.
While Luton have impressed this season, both Sheffield United and Burnley have struggled and already look set to drop back down.
That would suggest that adapting to Premier League football is equally difficult - largely due to the growing gulf in class between the two leagues.
Even still, all three sides possess players capable of challenging at the top of the Championship next season, and Burnley in particular have money to throw around as well as a lot of decent young talent.
That's without considering the potential relegations of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace who have squads in a similar makeup to those of Leicester, Southampton and Leeds.
The worry is that similar scenarios will continue to arise in the future as it becomes both harder to get out of the Championship and establish a team in the Premier League - meaning clubs will need to find a way to break the mould if they are to continue to progress.
What can teams do to gain an edge?
Of course, the most direct way to compete in the Championship is to throw a lot of money at it.
For example, Hull have several quality players on loan in a bid to aid their play-off push and have also spent on permanent arrivals.
Key players like Fabio Carvalho, Liam Delap and Tyler Morton are on loan from Premier League clubs while decent fees have been spent on mercurial talents like Jaden Philogene-Bidace (£4.95m).
This puts them in a good spot to challenge for promotion via the play-offs - currently outside the top six on goal difference with a game in hand.
However, their recent accounts have revealed major spending on wages and that they are operating at a hefty loss, which could put them in trouble further down the line if they were to remain in the league for too long.
Not to mention, loan deals only last for a season and they will be looking at replacing up to eight of their current squad regardless of the division they find themselves in next term.
That sort of spending spree can also backfire, like with Stoke who had a huge squad overhaul but languish in 19th, just six points above the relegation zone.
Another way to do it is through buying and developing cheaper, unknown or unfulfilled prospects before selling them on to reinvest and gradually get better - seen from Brighton, Brentford and now Sunderland.
The Black Cats will be looking at serious money for Jack Clarke if they don't go up, as well as other talented players like Dan Ballard and Dan Neil.
None of them cost any more than £2m and all three will be valued at £20m-plus.
At least one will be sold and the money reinvested to build another promotion push.
Different clubs have different methods of trying to achieve promotion, but it's clearer now that getting into the Premier League - and staying there - is harder than ever.
