I see you have 10 reputation points, who gave you them, JEANIE WEANEY?..

...BTW - JEANIE WEANEY has 10 as well, bit of a coincidence don't you think?

1. International RL isn't International at all, but instead you have 14/16 sides where the vast majority of their squads come from the 2 Pro comps we have and either speak with a Kiwi, Aussie or Northern English accent. This will remain the norm until we get a much better foothlod in France and expand into North America.
2. NFL doesn't have a healthy International game either, but it seems to do OK. The NFL played 4 games in London last year and attracted 320,000 paying fans........what they do have is media reach and it is what we need more than anything. Toronto v London delivers interest to casual sports fans, Dewsbury v Batley doesn't!


...on the point about "at the expense of heartland/traditional clubs"....these clubs have had 100+ years and still they struggle to attract cash or more than a few hundred fans. They are now considered surplus to requirement by the SL clubs and as such, will either need to evolve or die

A/
How do you think Cricket and RU would be fairing it it wasn't for there International calender?
In my opinion, alot of there marketing, sponsorship and media coverage. Is down to this, as well as getting alot more casual observers for these reasons.

B/
You're right about the NFL'S media reach.
But they have also had highlights on British tv for over twenty years. With the SB live for most of them. So they already had not just a presence, but had built up a support already before they tried over hear.

C/
Just after we play in Denver. USA are playing a RU international in the same city. Which of these games is already being marketed? Not ours.
Just goes to show, how far behind we are in regards to other sports over there.

D/
Youth could be right about the casual supporter and those 2 games you mentioned.
But to be honest. RL has fallen so far down the pecking order that neither would attract any casual observers.
I was at the York/Toronto game last year, which was very well marketed by both clubs. But most of the extra crowd were supporters of other clubs (it was played on the Sunday of SF weekend when other than Salford/Wigan no other SL or Championship games were on), come to see the fuss with Toronto. We don't appeal to casual observers because of our lack of media and marketing.

Club Union had nothing the year we started SL. The then 5 Nations was a "crown jewel" and attracted interest, but Leicester v Wasps would attract 5k at best.....the fact that Lecester now attract more than any Rugby Club has little to do with the 6 nations and more to do with how that game is run....from the top down. Same in Cricket.....they faltered and T-20 came to the rescue.....the ECB/RFU run their sports well....the RFL don't run Rugby League.....the SL chairmen do.


So a sport from across the pond with a highlights show on C4 has marketed itself better than we have? We've had live club games on FTA for decades......


We don't exist and wo't properly until we are a game played in colleges.....it took soccer 40+ years....



London v Toronto will be of interest. It may well be attended so long as David Hughes isn't still paying for things in London.....if he is then it wouldn't be marketed.


I agree and I believe that the SL clubs should collectively drop 100k into a marketing pot each........

Read the bloody article you lot!

It doesn't say that the RFL has decided on 10 x 2. It says that 10 x 2 is one possibility, but that a stronger possibility is a move to 14 SL clubs.

I favour 14 clubs if they include, Catalans, Toronto, Toulouse and London. But there must be a mechanism for admitting New York and other north American clubs as well in future years, otherwise rugby league will never grow its fan base or its players base, or its funding, and will eventually collapse from its global irrelevance.

The clue is in the thread title, did you not see the "?"

You are talking about jean lol

Why does that clown think Toulouse deserve SL. What have they done ever in the championship. Catalans are dropping faster than a prostitute drops her knickers.

And the comment on Toronto v London is attractive wait till they play each other and will see which game got the biggest attendance that or Dewsbury v Batley I can guarantee will be the local derby

If you all think Toronto will go up this year I would look at here last 2 games and think again no where near what hull kr were last season leigh again look poor. I will not be writing London off this year think they could be the team to make the step up

The Dewsbury v Batley match rarely pulls in a crowd of more than a 1000 these days

still more than tornoto v London would draw

Given that Toronto have been getting crowds around 8 times what that Dewsbury - Batley figure, I think you're a bit off the mark.

You are right, Leigh do look poor, but your last paragraph is only on current form after only 3 games. It's the business end that matters........I'm just praying we are up there in with a shout TBH.