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Exactly- a tv deal exists- so why are Toulouse expected to bring one when Fev aren’t - they have to travel a lot more than once a year and yet are prepared to bankroll that cost without moaning on the same sky money. Sky don’t have to travel if they don’t wish- As Hetherington has already said smart clubs could use it as a way to make money so I really don’t understand this argument.
Having Fev or Toulouse visit makes little difference to any individual club -- the smart clubs are looking towards corporate to make up the numbers anyway. Crowds are down even at clubs winning.
Catalan developing players hmmm. Wakefield have been in SL from the start, in a “hotbed” of RL- where is their conveyor belt of players playing at the highest levels? Why expect this if “foreign” clubs but not domestic- has the standard gone up or down in the game overall.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be striving for any or all of those things but this xenophobic demand on Toulouse or Catalans by fans of teams who aren’t bringing what they demand is laughable. It’s not based on truth. It wouldn’t occur with a UK based team so what is it?

wish pillocks like you stop using xenophobic when taking about clubs out of this country its economics that's is the problem and when you lose your sugar daddy your club will be the next to go

continue living in your little bubble

The off season is a long period for changes but I don’t currently see Toulouse as being much weaker in terms of playing squad than Salford Wakefield or Huddersfield.

Leigh were hamstrung this year but I don’t think it will be quite as comfy at the bottom next year.

Relying, definitely not.

good gawd do want some squirty cream with that waffle

On the topic of why fans attend/support certain teams. It's the same over here. You'd think that The Warriors would be the only team for Kiwis to support, but the reality is they're only 26 years old and there's a whole generational thing to get past. Plenty of Manly shirts on view down here in Welington because the Sea Eagles ran training programmes down here.....it's hard to change allegiances just because a new team comes along. The Dolphins are gonna have to work hard before they join the NRL, but the Warriors are basing themselves there in 2022, so they'll get plenty of tips on local fan engagement.....but supporting NRL sides is never an exact geographical thing, especially outside Sydney.

Back to Toulouse. Depending on which game is first, you'd fly in to either Barcelona or Bordeaux.....Hire a campervan (or car and book hotels) and I reckon (looking at ruinair and uneasyjet) you'd be looking at about 2 grand between 4 of you before food and drinks for the week. If (and I have seen the number 1,000 used here a few times) a thousand fans booked their trips through their clubs, with the clubs getting say 5%, then that's £10,000 for your club. that's 500 "away" fans revenue.

I really hope Toulouse do well. This isn't another PSG, or even London Broncos. This is a club, with a plan, backing and a town that supports ALL sports. Of the 12 SL sides next year, I suspect they won't have the lowest average attendance....not by a longs stretch. As for their games in the UK? These are the ones where UK clubs need to dole out free FAMILY tickets like confetti, especially in 2022, because a lot of people will be vying for the ever reducing disposable quid and RL needs to step up is game!

Thanks for that. I don't believe that people who live in Castleford or Wakey were all born and brought up there. People move around a lot and whilst you may note people can be seen going from Wakefield to a Leeds game at Headingley, does that automatically pinpoint them as Wakefield born??

Over the years Cas have really entertained the fans. As a town it's only a 40,000 population, so I don't believe an 8000 crowd is a fifth of the town going to Wheldon Road. One Cas poster from years ago said most of the lads he went to games with weren't Cas born. Wakefield is five times bigger than Cas but as the RL club has lagged behind them for years and as Soccer is the much preferred game to Rugby anywhere, then I can agree that maybe "sizeable" wakefield numbers support Leeds United, but I would suggest this is not in preference to Trinity, it is more that Rugby league never floated their boat anyway as Soccer lads.????

I guess in 1947 those record crowds were "locals", but today with a car and a handy motorway supporting your favourite club is easier to do at a distance than queuing for local trams......

Sorry atmosphere and Huddersfield should not be mentioned in the same sentence

As Snowey said it's not the X word........

We know Superleague was launched as a European competition that TO tried to join, but Paris got the nod. We know Paris failed and TO still didn't get the nod as the "Superleague Europe" title indicated they should have done. But what's in a name. Years on including a great win over the "cup kings" Widnes TO still didn't get the nod when Les Catalans did. It may be by then the criteria for entry may have included a rich owner and Bernard has been just that.

The TV deal thing was highlighted when this last deal just ending was negotiated and SL took the stance that French clubs were "guests" of Superleague and not members. Indeed Gausch did not disagree and didn't vote on that last deal. Gausch has understood the need for French SL clubs to try to get French TV deals from French TV channels and ultimately French subscribers. He also understands he can't and (AFAIK) doesn't) really argue he is "entitled" to a penny of the SKY money.

So the fact is as it stands TO are guests. As guests they have been allowed to take a Superleague place by invitation effectively.......That is very kind of Superleague, and it was also kind of Featherstone not to complain that they have more of a right to an SL place than Toulouse regardless of results and regardless of more SKY subs being collected by SKY in Featherstone than in the whole of France .

I'd add how much it will cost TO to come and play here isn't anything to do with Superleague either, I don't think London Broncos got an extra travel allowance either . Asking the English clubs to sub French guest clubs travel isn't fair, they didn't have to let them in, and you may not find Toulouse disagreeing which is perhaps the key point. As for the future if we dreamed of an Anglo French league of big clubs that would certainly need a big French TV deal. As per McManus SKY must have at least 9 English clubs to get the subs in.......

So the bottom line is unless the two big French clubs can (1) use their SL membership to boost the number of quality French players and (2) Use their status as Superleague clubs to attract a French TV deal to add to the English one, then there will be no Anglo-French league of big city clubs..........