The 'reduce it 12' brigade, with Jamie Peacock as their cheerleader, seem to think that Sky will pay the same for a reduced number of televised matches and thus, the 'big' clubs can funnel more of the Sky money to their own coffers and I guess by extension, increase the SC. Both are far from dead certs and any arguments about standards and the health of the game will fall on deaf ears - Sky don't give a shiz about any of that.

I'm afraid my view is that despite a flurry of publicity recently and some good stuff happening off the field, Fev won't see SL unless a) they do so as a merged entity with an existing WY club or b) Cas or WTW are ejected for failing to meet their franchise promises. Even b) doesn't guarantee it, as either could lodge in the others stadium and deliver on their promise by the back door.

Featherstone just doesn't make business sense - the catchment area is too small and it doesn't have the potential to add any value to the SL as a commercial proposition.

They make far more commercial sense than London do, granted they are substantially propped up, but Fev clearly know what they are doing.

Sorry, but not in any way, shape or form do they make better commercial sense than London; with a proper marketing strategy, the potential of a London side is massive - granted, they haven't got it right up to now, but the prospect of cracking the London market is mouth-watering to the RFL and to Sky.

Featherstone could just possibly scrape in as a replacement for WTW or Cas, but that's a slim chance; I expect the 'final solution' at Red Hall is still a merged side, taking the best of all three.

I'm sure that given the forty years on unmitigated support from the RFL that London have had, Featherstone even taking into account its size would be in a far healthier state then what we see in London.
As it is you are right they could only scrape through as a replacement for us or Cas or Salford for that matter, as could Leigh and Halifax, and all of those clubs make more commercial and common sense than London.
The potential of London is all in the hypothetical, all the others are real, and are possible on a self sustaining level.
Come what may, one of Featherstone, Halifax and Leigh are in with a good shout come the next licence period unless the RFL plan some monumental back stepping if one of the SL clubs isn't delivering.
Fingers crossed its not us.

I agree Kinleycat...but you can't stop people from dreaming about London. 20 or 30 years on and it is still a dream though unfortunately!! I would absolutely love to see a figure for the money that has already been spent by the RFL and their money man, to give London an opportunity. I'd then like to have the same amount of money made available to invest in the future of the Championship, Championship 1, amateur and junior teams in the north of England. The realists and dreamers could then compare the outcome, 30 years down the line.

+1 for give Fev a chance!

I make no comment on the fairness of it, perceived or otherwise, I'm simply being realistic; I'd bet the farm that another club from a small northern town does not figure in the RFL's plan for the future of SL. Quite the opposite in fact - I'd imagine they would prefer to see fewer. With Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford in situ and safe as houses, they would much rather WTW and Cas absorbed Fev and took up one spot between them, so they could a) leave London in to continue their field of dreams project and b) include another 'expansion' club, without actually adding any teams to SL.

I say again - none of Fev, Leigh or Halifax will see SL, other than on Sky on a Friday night.

The sad thing about the last line is that only the clubs dreaming about getting in SL don't realise how much truth there is in it.

Just give it 2 more years then the cas, fev wakey derbies will be back on a regular basis and in a more honest league. Face it, superleague doesnt want this area unless its under one name , and on evidence on here only the wakey supporters would go for a merger. I suppose they have the most to gain

Will you still think we have the most to gain come a positive outcome to the PI on the 19th of June?
I accept that at the moment cas have the edge by the way, but things will take a drastic swing if/when NM gets a green light.
Cas have really got to come up with the goods IMO or it may well be Cas with the most to lose.
I think in the eyes of the RFL two teams from the area is a struggle, three is a no brainer, so whatever plans/hopes Featherstone have they don't include both of us, and finally just to reiterate I never suggested a Merger!

I don't think either of us will get a stadium

Why do you think that?

just dont think we will

You can do better than that!
Why do you think you won't?

cos our CEO is a bullsh*tter

Ok, that'll have to do.
Why do you think we won't?