Maybe he does

Maybe he does indeed, and occasionally Sandal RU (I know, but they do play an attacking game!), and Pledwick Cricket Club, occasionally Hall Green FC. Many years ago (30 odd) I used to watch Leeds Utd, but I became severely disillusioned when footy got commercialised and the players became somehow remote from the fans and the club became more interested in the contents of the fans wallets than their loyal support.

Thats what I dont want to happen to RL - for it to be engulfed and destroyed by an unthinking and uncaring monster (hence the use of the word phagocytosis - dramatic I know, but I dont know that many big words and I like to use them when I can!)

if he does, then his If hypothesis was nonsense.

I go to EVERY Trinity home game, and just the occasional game for the other clubs mentioned - if I were single and not weighed down by a ball-and-chain it would be many more, AND away games for Trin. If Trinity were no longer, I would have lots more time on my hands....

I note that as well as an intellectual you are a pedant! I suppose I could work out a formula to demonstrate that the time available for watching sport is finite and limited to how much in the wifes good books I am (not much, usually) and that this is divisible by the number of matches I wish to attend for the various clubs divided by the amount of cash I have multiplied by the ratio of jobs outstanding at home/jobs done which may prove my hypothesis, but I strongly suspect you would refute this proof (proof in the mathematical sense rather than the legal).

'kinnell, did I write all that?

you think it would dispute that there is a finite amount of RL you can possibly watch? On the basis i dispute you would simply give up on the game at a pro level because your team changed its name?

The concept that you cannot seem to grasp is that my team would not simply change its name!! It would be 'incorporated' into a larger concern, and in doing so would lose its individuality and its identity. The 'new' team might be more succesful, but it wouldn't be 'my' team. If success were the only yard-stick for support I'd be a Rhino or some other teams fan. I don't know who you follow, but would you switch allegiance on the basis of your team success?

i wouldnt on the basis of its success, however if my club was struggling and merged to be part of another club which was stronger, yes i would go watch them.

I enjoy watching RL, i enjoy it more at Pro level, I would still enjoy it if my team was called Leeds Rhinos, or the West Yorkshire terriers or something else.

So say, if Leeds got merged but then someone decided - like us, that they couldn't support the newly merged team and decided to create another side at a lower-league level called Leeds Rhinos - which would you support?

Because I can GUARANTEE that is what would happen. If Cas and Wakey merged, fans would work together to create a newly born club called Castleford Tigers/Wakefield Trinity. and go watch them.

[iwhy[/i are people wasting time on this?

Do you think the RFL would let them in? do you think the merged club would simply give up their rights to the names?

Yes the RFL would let 2 new Championship 1 teams in.

It doesn't have to be Tigers & Wildcats, you can't stop a team being called Castleford RLFC & Wakefield Trinity.

Yes you can, Castleford RLFC was the name of the tigers before they were called the tigers, unless they were idiots they will have kept the rights to that name. Similarly with Trinity.

And why do you suppose the RFL would let 2 new clubs in the Championships whose sole reason for existence was to take away from one of their member clubs?

Indeed. Just look how they stopped Gateshead and Sheffield.

I think we are all well aware, Hull/Gateshead and Hudds/Sheffield werent really mergers

And are you saying that Gateshead are in competition with Hull for fans?