So lets say Wigan come bottom of SL for the next 3 years (i know its not going to happen, just a e.g) and Castleford come in top 4 for the next 3 years.
Would it be fair to swap Castleford for toulouse, because them and wigan would bring a bigger TV deal?????

RL seems to be more akin to a super market 'Pick And Mix' than a genuine sporting contest.

The constant willy waving that goes on on these threads is creating a lot of bad feeling and discontent amongst fans, particularly for those fans which feel their club is most at risk and are having to defend their club against the constant snipes of the smug s who know they are safe.


I used to be proud of this sport.

Are you haveing a laugh, So Leeds UTD are not suffuring.

So Wigan or Leeds wouldnt suffer either? erm yes i think they would

If our clubs do what they say they're going to do, meaning get stadiums sorted they'll be fine, if either club fail to do so come next round of licenses then it's their own failure, they know the rules, and the RFL told them what needs to be done.

I tell you what, there are so right dark-age thinkers on this forum!

A Super League consisting of 13 Yorkshire/NW clubs! Deary me!

As for the next round of franchises:

Toulouse in, depending on how competitive they prove to be in the Championship. If they fail to attract players of a fairly decent standard or produce any and cannot compete (as well as drawing in the crowds and the finances through sponsors, etc.) then there is no point in adding them just yet.

Widnes or Halifax in. Widnes should not be a given. Halifax are pushing them for their money and putting pressure on them. They will also have a decent stadium. Just depends on whether they can get the fans in. If they both come out with a similar on-field record then I reckon Widnes will get the nod. But all depends on whether Widnes can win some trophies for me. They need to start making noise on the field again.

Well said m8,

Football is a much bigger sport and the Champo is professional, the Champo is RL is much different, and there is a shot of promotion in football, which is what makes it what it is, again RL does not offer this, all the Champo seems to be is a business proving grounds for Super League.

I agree with everything you say.

But I would add that the increased TV rights will include a trickle down to the Championship -- which will likely retain a TV contract of its own with Sky. If the quality of the Championship TV games continues, at its current entertaining level, I think that the RFL can negotiate even more money for the Championship clubs. It willl be even more valuable financially if you start getting more of these SL candidate expansion clubs into Championship chosen, from either continental Europe, or the Celtic nations, or the Midlands, London etc.

Of course the likes of Cas and Wakey in the Championship will lose most of their foreign players, but they will be forced to promote their home grown English players more, which is exactly what English rugby league, and the national team, needs. Personally I would like to see a Calder United club in Super League, with Cas, Wakey, Fev, Halifax etc in the Championship, as groomers and feeders of their junior talent to the Calder Super league club.

Are they?

You would like to see. Yeah well ask fans from cas, wakie, fev halifax etc to see what they think.

What about Lancashire UTD windes, Warrington as feeder clubs.. wold you agree...I dont think so

oh and Cas and Wakey in the Championship will lose most of their foreign players, but they will be forced to promote their home grown English players more...What about Westerman, Shenton, Huby, Owen etc. I think we alread are promoting home grown talant......like you say exactly what English rugby league, and the national team, needs.

Im going for Toulouse for SL big French city will add a bit more weight to the competition and create a massive french derby for added fun.

Would love to see a team from Belfast in the championship(s) though that really is just dreaming.

Irish or Scottish sides in SL is probably a long way off, but they can realistically get something together and start in the championship 1.

Aren't they?

Does Leeds United get smaller or bigger crowds than the Rhinos do? Is their income lower or higher than the Rhinos' is? Is their profile lower or higher? In short, are they worse off being at a lower level but in a much bigger pond, or better off?? I strongly suspect the latter.

You tell me, you're the expert?

I have been to Headingley and unless you want to play some cricket it aint much better.

If they score lower on the criteria, then yes it would be fair. The RFL has to look out for the health of the game and that means maximizing both audiences and income so the game has the resources to prosper.

Good call on Bramley. Surely they deserve to be reinstated into the pro leagues. I know there are a lot of people that want to see new teams from expansive areas (including me) but a traditional team like Bramley does deserve to be included.

I've already said what I think. If I'm the expert, why question me?

You can't act like a clever clogs and then play stupid. It adds nothing. You've obviously questioned something I have said. Add something to it...

classycas2009 wrote: Are you haveing a laugh, So Leeds UTD are not suffuring.

So Wigan or Leeds wouldnt suffer either? erm yes i think they would



You got me wrong.

Leeds utd are not leeds rhinos....football is not rugby.

Leeds utd are getting smaller crowds then when in premership...their income is lower than when in premership...their profile is lower than when in the premership..They are worse off for been in the D2.

So leeds rhinos wouldnt get lower crowds in NRL1? So rhino's profile would be just as high in NRL1? So rhinos income wouldnt be worse off in NRL1?

So your point of Cas wouldnt be worse off if they wasnt in SL is funny at the best

You mentioned that they were better on the field at the moment and that would normally do for me, I like P&R. But that is only on small part of the licence application isn't it?

So...?

I'll answer it for you. Halifax arent even in the same universe in terms of current finances, and the history of crowd sizes or playing success just doesn't bear comparison either.

If the sport grows so that the Championship in 2020/30/40/whatever is bigger than SL is now, then no they will not. Which is the point. They are trying to grow the game, grow the revenues, grow everything so that the sport is bigger and it is better at all levels.

Is it better to be a big fish in a small pond? Or a smaller fish in a bigger pond?

If it means competing at the highest level then Small fish please

Oh, that's just the tip of the ice berg, but lets hear what Wellsy has to say first.

Every team in the NFL is a franchise awarded to an owner(s) based on a competitive bidding process. There was never any promotion from a lower tier, nor was there in any other North American pro sport -- there is no such thing as promotion and relegation here, never has been and never will be. It does not follow that there isn't a genuine sporting contest in these leagues, just ask their players about their training regimen and the competitive nature of their games. RL remains a very genuine sporting contest, and will remain so regardless of whether it has promotion and relegation.