Quote Bulls Boy 2011="Bulls Boy 2011"
The game is the European Super League. That's why SL was created in 1996 to create a brand that had European teams.
You are mistaking SKY subscriptions with the viewing figures of games. No-one has cancelled SKY just because Bradford aren't in Super League. So there is no lapsed TV subscriptions. The 8,000 Bulls fans will still have SKY as there are other things to watch such as Movies, TV Shows, other sports etc. Having Bradford in SL won't increase subscriptions but it may increase the games viewing figures if they have a Bradford vs Leeds match on.
If Toulouse are a good business, get decent crowds and earn their place. Then yes. Get them in. Catalans vs Toulouse in the top tier has the potential to be a 10k gate. Not many get that other than your top 5 teams. Who knows, with two top flight French teams, the derby, there might just be an interest from France to get those games shown over there. Has there been damage by excluding us? Maybe to the viewing figures by losing the Leeds vs Bradford derby. I think SL would be better having us in but not at the expense of Catalans. Maybe at the expense of a team with sh*t crowds who never seem to increase.
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In 1996 at the creation of Superleague Lyndsay & company spoke of the following potential clubs...Toulouse, Barcelona, Rome and Paris
So they added the word Europe to the new entity "Superleague". Only Paris joined but collapsed in 1997 so I don't agree that that original name confirms there is any policy to become a European League. I suppose they could have changed to name to "Superleague (Transatlantic) Ltd" last year if that had been the case
People have constantly suggested that we may see a French TV deal if both Catalans and Toulouse were to be in Superleague. The first issue is do we block Bradford and put Toulouse in instead on a wing and a prayer that a French TV company can see the value of two French clubs playing mostly English clubs?
It has been noted that SKY will not countenance any less than nine English clubs in Superleague, Adam Pearson said this when he was interviewed by the RL press when TWP won promotion. They understood our policy to try to expand the game. However North America failed, and France has failed as Les Catalans aren't a French team any more and Toulouse only got 2,300 crowds, before their last two play off games attended by only 1,000. It's clear there isn't enough interest in France for their TV companies to provide a paying TV contract
Look at it this way. If we only had Warrington and York in a French Superleague what contract would SKY give us then? Giving SKY 12 English clubs would be excellent business at a time they are looking to reduce their contract with us.
As for your assurance all the Bradford people who were paying for SKY when Bradford were serial trophy winners and big time charlies, are all still paying for SKY then forgive me but a crowd drop from 15,000 to 4,000 probably indicates they are not?
