Not official yet, but it seems France 3 Sud has agreed to show the French Championship & Cup Final this season. A regional channel, but free-to-air. It's not that long since the federation had to pay for tv coverage.

French clubs never really bothered too much about attendances in the past - members get in free, there's very few people who pay on the gate and most of the money came from grants from local government. Crowd figures often come from journalists rather than the club.

RS is right - Toulouse do have about 1000 regulars at the moment, compares well to clubs like Lyon who have more like 50 or 60. The question is really whether they could emulate Catalans and turn that into a much bigger number in SL.

I don't think the actual aim is to be like the Champions League as that is a different kind of competition (i.e. group stages into a knock-out) whereas ours is a league with a play-off. But agree with the point about it not being an English league though as much as the parochial few would like to think.

There is a HUGE flaw in anyone's argument at the moment that adding more English teams would be a good idea. We're struggling to find enough talent for 12 at the moment. How would adding more make this any better?

That wasn't an idle wish, it was a statement of fact. It is due to open at the end of January. All the seats have virtually gone in in the last 2 weeks and the interior is virtually completed.

Take a lookhttp://www.calderdale.gov.uk/webcam/shaycam.jpgrl

rlhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/halifaxrlfc/sets/72157622576012214/rl

And likewise, there isn't enough talent in France to satisy one Super League team and one Championship side at the moment.

It seems that the Cataland method, 2 years warning that they'll be moved up, followed by 4 years bedding in, seems the most sensible model for expansion. as stated elsewhere, expansionism will not happen over night. it has to be a slow process. baby steps all the way.

i agree there isn't the talent pool to accomodate 2 pro teams in SL at present. What you will get is NL1 players, playing at a higher level. the few naturally gifted and talented players may rise up, but what kind of development from them can you expect if they play in a beaten team every week?

But you have to bear in mind that Catalans had a number of years preparation beforehand in the Elite league; any UK-based should establish themselves at a lower level (on a level playing field, I might add) before being pushed down the SL route.

I disagree, there are enough SL players for 2 French teams, as long as both teams have 8 ozzies in the 17. Catalans alone have about 20 French SL grade players, what would be lsot would be depth, but the greater reliance on academy players would mean twice as many players developed every year.
From a Catalan fan pov I would rather we stay a top club than be diluted to having us and TO in the bottom half of the table, but the players are there.

Selfish flatcapper

The players might be there but Toulouse don't have them.

UTC had the pick of the French players but Toulouse haven't.

I agree that TO are far too fearful to stretch themselves to signing the players they should, but a year's notice and they will be able to challenge the "financial might" of the Catalans and sign their share of top players - Frankly there are enough SL quality forwards who are not getting first-pick in the side.