Quote: HXSparky "A very sensible and thought-provoking post, bramleyrhino (unlike the original that started this thread). What you say makes a lot of sense, but I'm not sure that the world at large will ever want to welcome the game we love with enough enthusiasm to make it work? It's not that we shouldn't try, but the game's administrators have demonstrated a large degree of ineptitude to be able to progress in any meaningful or strategic manner for many a year. Everything we do seems to be a knee-jerk based on who has a few pounds/dollars/euros to flash around.
I still maintain (and I've said this before) that expansion and licensing is the bees knees for many fans... just so long as "your" team is included in the party. What would a poll of all SL fans be if the question was whether they supported licensing or not if their own team was deprived a licence? An easy response here of course would be "of course we'd be in support", but if it was for real...?
As an example, if we take expansionism to it's extreme, let's assume that West Yorkshire has just one licence in the new world order of rugby league. Given recent history, the RFL may decide that Odsal is where the West Yorkshire team should play. Would Cas, Leeds, Wakey and Huddersfield fans all be happy to abandon their team to trek over to Bradford? I think not.'"
"Assuming that west Yorkshire had only one licence" is not what expansionists are aiming for. Serious expansionists want to see a strong roster of west Yorkshire teams like Leeds for certain, and some out of Bradford, Huddersfield, Castleford, Wakefield. But we don't need all of them, esp when there are two strong Humberside teams, and strong teams at Wigan, St Helens and Warrington to be accommodated. Expansionists can tolerate 8 M62 teams, but demand at least two French teams, and two north American teams, with more to follow.
Ideal 14 team Super League for 2021Wigan, St Helens, Warrington,
Leeds, Huddersfield, Castleford,
Hull FC, Hull KR,
London,
Catalans, Toulouse,
Toronto, New York, Montreal[/i
Ideal 16 team Super League for 2025Wigan, St Helens, Warrington,
Leeds, Huddersfield, Castleford,
Hull FC, Hull KR,
London,
Catalans, Toulouse, Paris
Toronto, New York, Montreal, Boston[/i
The latter will provide the ideal setup for the 2025 World Cup, which will have to start in mid-October to avoid the snow.