We have all ready gone bust! What's going on in Wrexham can only be described as shambles. Everything is about the Stadium and the land it's built on. The owner of the Crusaders and Wrexham fc biggest ambition is to build more flats in the middle of the pitch, line their own pockets whilst running the two clubs into the ground

which leaves them with going back to south wales really. cant think of anywhere even slightly viable in north wales outside of wrexham.

i know, lets 'save' them by doing the old Sheddersfield Egliants switcheroo with my beloved widnes. Crysaders will basically cease to exist and everything at Widnes will carry on as normal, same name, same staff, same stadium, sam kit colors etc. but just like the aforementioned example and GatesHull Thundarks we will actually be 'saving' crusaders.

Simple solution is the RFL actually back this "franchise" nonsense and take on the crusaders themselves. let the RFL buy the club and run it ( insert jokes about RFL not being able to run a bath etc)

They take on the club parachute in their own chosen staff to coach/manage/direct etc Let the RFL use their own contact to get in big name sponsors etc and build up the club then later flog it on lock stock and mop up a tidy profit which they can use for something useful like providing funding to get RL promoted in schools etc

This would open a huge can of worms. How could they be expected to treat other clubs impartially when they have a direct interest in one club?

They already have direct interests in a few clubs

Surely only a conspiracy theory spread by people on internet forums.

The RFl would have to do the same with London if they did this with the Crusaders. I dont think it is a bad idea. But could the RFL afford to run/fund 2 clubs?

I thought I had read that somewhere, not my eyes playing up then!

IF this is the case yet again how are Cru a viable club?

Good to see the RFL learnt its lessons from the Gateshead and Paris fiascos!

At this point of time we're not


We need someone to buy the stadium off the jokers who own us and the football club.

Don't think they should be saved. I don't think moving the WCrusaders back down south would be a goer. Supporters from Bridgend and potential supporters from Nooport were both screwed over by Turnip. Apart from those dhimmis who followed them North, I reckon they'd struggle for support back down here. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Wrexham had a ready made SL team handed to them. They didn't build up a loyalty over years which could see them through the lean results. So it is no surprise that support fell right off on the back of a handful of kickings. No emotional bond there.

FAR better to leave the WCrusaders to stand or fall on their own merits. Like the WWF and pandas. You can spend millions on trying to save a species that would rather eat sugar cane than breed, but eventually, if they are determined to become extinct, they will.

Let the WCrusaders fold if that is the way they are heading and let other clubs in Wales form or move to more suitable leagues and gain promotion WHEN THEY ARE READY AND VIABLE.

Still, saying that, it seems Wreham football fans are working to buy out their club with tranny businessmanwoman Stephanie Booth and she seems interested in making the crusaders a success too. She's apparently enjoyed league ever since she was a little boy.

On a point of total pedantry - pandas eat bamboo not sugar cane.

I don't think the RFL have that kind of cash. Hence they were fairly keen on getting their £701k back.

The RFL should not be expanding into new areas unless it has a war chest to support the new clubs. Why people think in this day and age you can put a RL team in an area with little interest and expect a new owner to somehow find 3million quid a year + to keep the team going is beyond me.

Put the 'expansion' clubs into the Championship and sell the rights to a terrestrial TV company. Limit the number of live games to, say, one a month but show extended highlights at a decent time (Saturday or Sunday evening). Given time, this will generate interest and encourage attendances. It worked when Channel 4 did this for American Football years ago - to the extent that they now put on a game at Wembley each season, which is very well attended.
The biggest danger with this is that the Championship may well become more competitive and entertaining than SL - just like in football!

And which terrestrial TV company is going to pay for the rights to the 2nd division of rugby league?

Depends how well the RFL can sell it - thats their job, isn't it?

Not with the way things are with TV rights for other sports. If they couldn't sell Super League, then there's a problem, but not the 2nd division, we're lucky that we get one game a week from the Championships on Sky, not many other sports outside football get that.

Chances are, much like Elite League ice hockey on Sky, the league would have to pay for the production costs and give it away free. Then clubs will moan about a reduction in funding!

I love it how people think C4 or 5 or Eurosport are falling over themselves to bid for the rights to Rugby League

My thoughts as well JB , thats why I've suggested expansion at Championship 1 level within reasonable goegraphical distances to get the most for your dollar and give new clubs the best possible chance of surviving and building

I love it how the RFL think professional RL will take off in London/Wales just because they want it to!

No-one says they are - thats why the RFL need to earn their money and sell it to them. Its got to be worth a try, and better than keeping clubs with gates below 5000 in at the expense of other clubs who are better supported. Its all well and good talking about potential, but Quins and Crusaders don't seem to have any, except in Lewis's fevered imagination. Catalans has been a good result, but they should be looking to expand the French RL - hopefully in the future we'll see a strong league in France with the potential for a competitive European trophy, but that is a long way off.

IMO the real potential remains in the M62 corridor, and we should be looking to expand from that firm base in a measured manner and not trying to force-feed RL to an audience that doesn't want it. The key to succesful business is to identify your customers and then create and build on a sound customer base - not go piling into an area where your product isn't in demand, or even wanted!

The RFL dont sell the rights. IMG do.