Widnes have always had an independant board, much like when we used to have an official forum and the one on Rivals.Net before they booted off all the RL sites - we did have about a year with two forums until RLFans won the battle for viewings if memory serves me right. That said, there are some right numpties on TIW so I'd much rather the Widnes forum stays as is as at least they know their stuff (never thought I'd say that!)

You say that but you have zero proof and this annoys me.
Why do you think Sky would be so insistent on a London franchise and not on a Halifax one? Think before you type next time

im sorry if it annoys you

however....most rugby league fans would agree with me.

do you not get the feeling that everyone is getting a little bit fed up with 'babysitting' Harlequins.

i attended a pre season friendly at the stoop with Halifax a couple of years ago. a nice setup to be honest.

its just a shame noones interested in going to watch them!

Hitler had the support of the majority, didn't make his ideas or opinions any more valid or reasonable than yours.

Remind me again what happened to the likes of Fax and Leigh the last time they were in the top flight?

Certainly in Fax's case they didn't manage to stay "solvent without handouts from the RFL", did they?

Ouch, burned.
No need for me to press submit on another comment I was about make in another thread in retort to one of your comments I found both amusing and daft

So once again we see the opinions of the sport split due to the issue of licencing , now my opinion is quite simple , I either want traditional yearly Promotion and Relegation or if that is not to be the case and we have a licence system

If we do have a licence system then what I do expect is more than what the RFL currently do to help its member clubs outside SL , and that doesn't neccessarily mean just cash given to clubs , but help on marketing at local level , because these clubs are essentially ' local clubs of a local sport for local people ' , they are not going to draw multinational blue chip companies for sponsorship and are unlikely to get the next arab shiek or russian billionaire deciding to fund them , they will survive or fail depending on the amount of local people and businesses they can draw through the doors

A token french club excempt from relegation and the occaisional appearance on TV wont make one iota's worth of difference to them financially

Which "handouts" are those?

Fair points, but would imposing a marketing strategy from the top down really be useful?

The clubs - you would imagine - would be better placed to know what does and doesn't work in their local area in terms of marketing. Wouldn't it make more sense for the RFL to give them a marketing budget (ring-fenced so it can't be spent on anything else) and any logistical assistance they need, rather than taking over their job for them?

I just want to say this first, I agree with franchising and what comes with it.

The problem for me lies with the RFL. It might be reviewed but an "Independant Panel" but this panel is made up of RFL employees.
The franchinse decision for me should be made by a totally impartial review panel and the results should be published as soon as the decision is made for all to see.

Im hearing this phrase "Rugby is a business now", well if rugby is a business why arent the RFL running it like one. It a professional sport run like amateurs. Theres isnt enough transparency at the moment and the decisions from top to bottom smack of one rul for one and another rule for others.

Right back on topic, I do agree with franchsing and i do believe it will benefot the sport in the long run, I think my club are a shining example of how it can work, all we need now is the stadium. But even though we are doing so well in every aspect bar the stadium, i still will not sleep easy until i see the Cas badge on Lewis' 10 pence slide show on tuesday morning......if it does......

More helpful than a French club that is excempt from relegation and the NRC 9 s , yes

What actual ' marketing strategy ' do you think a championship club actually has ?

Do they have anybody to actually put together a ' marketing strategy ' ?

Do they actually have anybody to action this ' marketing strategy ' ?

Do they actually know what a ' marketing strategy ' is ?

How many spare people do you think these clubs have that can be used for a ' marketing strategy ' ?

So the answer to your questions is

yes

no

Two things Mr Bug.
Are you exactly sure on what assistance clubs receive? Only reason I ask is that in interviews club chairmen seem to give praise to the RFL and their hands on assistance.
Secondly doesn't the old phrase 'live within your means' ring true? If you cant afford it don't do it? It does seem to me that clubs seem to be getting themselves into financial hardship then complaining about it. None of us have the answers but if you're in debt.. scale back. If you cant afford to dine at the top table then dont. FWIW I would like to see Chp clubs receive more from central funding. Despite still posting losses at many clubs SL clubs receive enough from the Sky pie already

They recieve money for one ' marketing ' person , which is pretty pointless unless that person has a fairly decent marketing budget which would allow them to employ people as and when needed to action marketing initiatives

Other than 4 or 5 clubs, most in SL are suffering financial hardship. Are you suggesting they should drop
out of SL?