I agree with that. They are certainly going to have to be careful here and they don't instil much confidence with me. The crux of it all is 'making it work for everyone' and the safeguards there are for the current game. I expect another American team to apply shortly and then for me its also a question of the amount of quality players that are in the game at present being able to spread so much more thinly across the game. The lure of North America for players is already proving strong, and who can blame them, the American sports market is massive with their TV networks actively looking for other directions to go in.

As these teams progress they will want a higher standard of player and instead of it benefiting the British game it could actually lower the standard even more in this country, particularly when you note the demise of the amateur game here. So I guess personally I greet this news with cautious optimism but as PC says there won't be room for everyone currently in Super League in a new Transcontinental top tear into which I expect any American team will have bought their way quite easily. But as Mrs B says as a panacea for the game going forward it is a great concept and pretty exciting but some of the devil will be in the detail I guess. As she intimates Franchises are on the way back I feel, but there was a lot of interest about this from some owners here at the last meeting of Clubs to discuss the way forward.

It would certainly make an odd business model for sport and one that I think would be unique. Is there another sport where there is an international league with no underpinning domestic league?

If and it is a big IF RL takes off in north american then it would eventually just take over the northern hemisphere and the uk input would just reduce as LA, chicago el al come on board. I still struggle to see it having much of an impact over there, football has struggled for years to effectively make an impact an add in the concussion element then i think it will probably either rely on someone propping it up money wise or go the way of London / Paris

Can't help but thinking the american Canada project will wither and fail. But we gotta try I suppose. Just can't see it working long term

Same here.

Same here, apart from the "But we gotta try I suppose" bit.

Bloody pessimists



All evidence for Toronto so far shows that they're serious, ambitious, enthusiastic for RL, display a high level of commercial acumen - and so far they've delivered.

They've managed to build a professional RL club from scratch, with no central funding, playing in a league 3,000 miles away, and averaged over 7k attendances against some pretty poor sides. I think that has to be applauded.

Indeed, contrast that to Salford who can't get the fans to travel 30 miles for games.

This.

Name one side that could do that. Take the 3,000 miles away if it helps. We have clubs that couldn't and still can't do that in SL.

Despite your moniker, you’re always upbeat.
At Wembley 1985, I sat next to an American, who was floored by the game, watching 2 halves of non stop collision, as opposed to 1 hour stop/start in 4 hours, NRL. He said “if I could import this to the US, it would go like wildfire”, he was also amazed that I was in tears after another defeat!!!
If franchises were awarded to North Amerca and Canada, I’m pretty sure they’d be allowed to sign as many Aussies as necessary, a la Catalan, so can’t see it impacting the UK player pool? I think it would impact NFL more. As you say, Toronto have worked wonders in 12 months, so business acumen won’t be a problem. Don’t think you can use Football as a model for growth because it was foisted on the US by FIFA as part of the World Cup deal.

I try to see the positives I suppose. Maybe it's time for an avatar change?



Of course as a lifelong RL fan I'm biased, but despite the frustrations we have with the sport, we do have an excellent "product". I don't think there's a more entertaining team sport on the planet. World class athletes, big collisions, skill, high tempo, plenty of tries, and simple enough to understand fairly quickly. It's a true family sport too. It should be exactly what North America has been missing, we've just got to open their eyes to it. It's rare that I'll watch a game with a non-RL fan and they won't enjoy it.



Toronto have to abide by the same "Non-Fed" rules as the other UK clubs (same as Catalan currently). Canada falls under the same Federation as the UK & France (the RLEF) so will in theory be able to sign as many British players as they want (Salary Cap permitting). Similarly, we could go out & sign 10 French players, or 10 Canadians in 20 years time, and it'll have no effect on the Non-Fed limit.

Short-term it will impact the UK (& potentially French) player pool, in that the current talent will be shared between more clubs, but the flip side of that means there's another pathway open to UK talent to play at a high, professional level. For instance, Westerman leaving Warrington may mean that a door is opened for a young UK back rower to stake a claim for a shirt.

Long-term, Perez has said he'd like to have a TWP academy up & running within 3 years time. This is very ambitious, as there's very little junior RL being played in Canada currently, but one things for sure - Perez meets his ambition with actions. They also had I believe, 6 North Americans in their squad this year, with their first genuine Canadian youngster, Quinn Ngawati, getting game time. We also have to think of Melbourne, who in their 20(?) years have been very successful, but have only brought through a handful of genuine Victorian youngsters in that time. It takes time to set up the grassroots infrastructure & get it to a good enough standard. We're extremely lucky to have a number of excellent amateur clubs on our doorstep.

Impact the nfl ? Seriously , they college game is bigger than the super league

divide that figure by 10 for a lot of their fans

The College game is bigger than the NFL!

Ha yeh crazy ain't it, kind of like it though

we were in London the night before the Dolphin's game, a group of about 20 Americans were watching it in the pub, and we even managed to bump into some of them at Wembley the next day, it was manic, the size of the crowd etc. (the college game)

I was only saying there would probably be more American footballers poached into the game than UK players, I made the mistake of labelling the whole game NFL. I can see supporters of NFL swapping codes because of the constant impact but I know they do make a family day out of there spectacle but the London franchise died out, lets hope if it does come off we succeed.

Could certainly see some very good americans who dont make it in the nfl, becoming exciting rugby league players, I'm all for it to be honest

The Football season is a fairly short one too I believe, Autumn to Spring, so there's plenty of potential to tap into the fan base & player pool (at various levels) during the RL season.

Well Gary Hetherington's said there's not chance of SL expanding to 14 so it looks like we're retaining P&R via the MPG.

he alsp said there wasnt any truth in leeds signing briscoe too!

wouldnt trust a hetherington when it comes to them spouting off

What a rant that was!! I don't trust him either! A few of the other owners have been saying one or two Clubs are purposely holding up changes taking place It wouldn't surprise me if there isn't a bit of sour grapes about it all here, perhaps he's feeling a bit marginalised and he's a bit peeved that a few of the other owners have risen through the ranks now and are taking the initiative in a field that he considered himself the top dog in!

Many would argue that college football is indeed bigger than the NFL.From a live attendance point of view,way bigger.
There are around 8+ colleges with ground capacities of 100k plus and lots with 90k plus stadiums and in most cases they sell out.
From a television point of view,monies generated from advertising and viewing figures,the NFL.
As regards the Super League,high school foofball is massive with school stadiums having 50K stadiums,and again sell out in lots of games.

The point about rugby league taking off in the US is questionable,they do have some teams in the US but as far as i know,and i will stand corrected,it is not played in schools or colleges.I think the yanks would television wise enjoy it but as far as taking off as a school participation sport,not much hope.
There is a growing trend in the US that parents are steering there kids away from "football" due to the high number and frequent head injuries that are being highlighted.So i cant see many parents wanting to see there offspring playing an equally brutal sport without all the padding.

RL is not equally brutal. Almost every professional football player carries a serious brain injury. Our sport doesn't come close.

For this reason you can see the gap in the US market. A low cost contact sport that doesn't maim every single participant but can be picked up quickly by football players could be popular. The talent pool in the US is vast but there are few opportunities for athletes that don't make it at the top level.

ryan mason who plays for hull city had to retire today because of his head injury sustained in a game last year v spurs, heading the football also brought into question too, so yes your right it isnt just rugby or nfl

I very much doubt that every player carries a serious brain injury in fact I'm certain your very wrong on that