Lol, that is definitely a dangerous forum!

More info on the budget of French clubs. It is said (rumors on French forum) that the SF would target a 1 million euro budget for next year.

This is to be compared with the budgets of other French teams in euros (source goldrugby.com)

Lezignan: 700,000
Pia: 600,000
Carcassonne: 550,000
Avignon: 450,000
Limoux: 450,000
St Gaudens: 350,000
Villeneuve: 350,000
Carpentras: 330,000
UTC: 270,000

With those sorts of budgets the teams should be a hell of a lot better than they are.
They should have better players in the leagues than they do

I am not sure the budget definition is restricted to the wage bill.

The fact is also that they have indeed good players in French Elite (as you could see in the Four Nations). Toulouse is not able to afford all the best French players at the moment with a Championship budget because French clubs are able to pay their best players quite well.

It is also something to keep in mind when we talk of the pool of French players for 3 teams in SL. There is more talent in France that what is seen in the Dragons and Toulouse. A Paris team with a big budget would be able to get all the best players in the French Championship.

For what? to sustain a sl side instantly, perhaps not, to build from and turn into a much larger figure that can sustain much more? yes there is.

I've answered you once , so i'll repeat myself

Actually that wasnt an answer you gave to me.

So you agree with my point now then

I do agree that setting clubs up at semi pro level first is the way to go yes, i would aim to be creating a new team every franchise period, the sport needs more semi pro and pro teams, whether they be bramley or scotland or nottingham. To make this possible though we are going to need sky money for the lower tier in order to make it a more attractive proposition to investors.

They're called ' central funds '

We dont need more F/T teams , we cannot support the ones we already have and the cost is too great , P/T semi pro teams however cost a lot less to set up and the risk is much less , and we do need more of them , another 6/8 by my reckoning

I'm pretty confident that one of those teams you mention will be in the Champ 1 sooner rather than later...

In the long term i would disagree, with a small proportion of the sky money given to the lower leagues we should eventually hope to see a fulltime championship, with championship 1 being semi pro, that might take ten years but it should be something we are aiming to do.

Considering the recent comments regarding clubs financial positions you see this as a possibility ? , well I hope you are right , but I wont be holding my breath

If we can get more money from the sky deal again i dont see why not, the sl clubs would still end up with more money that they have now and the championship would be more stable.

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Sorry but not that good a plan , sure you dont work at the RFL

The rfl havent had problems with increasing the sky deal the last few times, and its not as if rating for rl on sky arent good.

Not a lot of options though is it , so basically the whole sport is controlled by SKY television and our future is at their whim , scary having all our eggs in one basket isn't it

Yes but after more than a decade i'm used to the idea.

Which is part of the reason we are in the mess we are , until the sport can change this reliance it will not move forward

Like most of what you write this is absolute bollox

The game is healthier than it has been for a long long long time. It is growing, and has been growing and has been for the last 7 years. The sport will always be reliant on one sports network offering more than the others. In fact its how we sell our rights.

The game is fine, it is in rude health and is now correctly looking to expand.

We were in a mess pre 96. the last 13 years or so has been an unequivocal success

PSG
Oldham
Workington
Gateshead twice
Sheffield
2000 WC
London Bronco's tax bill
Celtic,Newport,Wrexham Crusaders
SL clubs losing £500,000 ave per season
Clubs cheating salary cap
Visa gate
Several lower league clubs in administration

So not quite

There have been some successes , yes , but we are a healthy sport

I think Smokey is talking about Leeds RLFC. Isn't he?

Doubtful , He is an Arsenal fan apparently

8 years of continual growth,
The return of international RL
Profit making Tri-nations having just been expanded to the quad nations, still making a profit.
The Multi-million pound profit making 2008 world cup.
Massive increases in average crowds,
more amateur players than ever before.
The amateur game played in more areas than ever before.
Les Catalans.
More money invested in the grass-roots of the than ever before
The Grand Final
The RFL clearing its multi-million pound debt
The RFL making a profits year in year out
French RL
Selling the TV rights for SL to NZ, Australia, The US, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia
The WCC
More development officers than ever before

go wash your mouth out