Quote: Legionited "In my opinion, yes. I believe I'm entitled to that?
The Super League is a primarily English competition as evident by the number of English teams in it. '"
The Super League is a European competition with a majority of English teams in it. Don't get confused between the two. Super League is not an English competition. Otherwise, I could argue for the last few years that SL has been primarily a Yorkshire competition.
Quote: Legionited "The RFL have shown willingness to expand the competition by allowing the likes of Catalans and Crusaders to compete in it and fair enough it hasn't been a complete disaster.[/quote]
The jury is still out on Crusaders (although this year the signs are good), but Catalans have been an undoubted success.
[quoteThe problem with increasing the number of teams from mainland Europe is that most fans cannot afford to be travelling all over Europe multiple times during the course of a season. '"
What do SL clubs make more money from? TV money or away fans buying tickets? If you can make more TV money from having a better spread of clubs, then it doesn't matter how many away fans you get.
Quote: Legionited "Also, you don't see many Catalans fans coming to games over here, so why would it be any different with a further 2 French teams? Attendances will be affected for all teams which is a real negative.'"
Catalans replaced Leigh. Leigh may have taken roughly between 500-1,000 fans to away games, compared to Catalans 5-10.
Leigh averaged 4,700 in their one year in SL. Catalans averaged 6,500 in their first season, and 9,100 last year.
If Toulouse can come in and do a similar thing by replacing someone like Salford (who average less than Leigh and take less to away games) then how are attendances dropping in the league as a whole?
Away following means squat if these clubs aren't bringing in any home fans.
Quote: Legionited "I'm looking at this as a Rugby League fan and nothing more. Just like everyone else wants to do, I want to follow my team in the top flight wherever I can and opening the competition up to more teams in France restricts that.'"
No, you're saying this as a fan of your club, not a fan of your sport. You want to follow your team wherever YOU can, which is a pretty selfish attitude to the growth of the game. You don't want the game to outgrow your club.
Just be glad your not a football fan. How many trips to London? Champions League, you're having a laugh?
If you only want to watch games that are close to you, go watch the Pennines League or something.
Quote: Legionited "I can't understand why any fan of rugby league in the UK would be happy enough to see more French teams joining the league at the expense of existing clubs or otherwise.'"
I'd rather see my side win a competition with credibility than a small-time North of England competition that's why. Why do you think Man Utd would rather win the European Cup than the Premiership?
If the other clubs aren't pulling their weight then do they deserve to be in the competition?
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but yours is very narrow-minded it would seem.
