Expansion is working nicely now,unless your talking about forced expansion

You've just got to take it on the chin, Chief. Either that, or continue to make your point. Like you say, Widnes are taking some stick; some of it justified, some not. We have issues that certainly need to be addressed. If we don't do that, we will be harshly judged on boards like this.

London's attendances have been unsustainable for a very long time. They can only survive thanks to the incredible generosity of one man. I know that most clubs are in that position, but I bet they don't have to put in anything like the amount Hughes has to put in. What happens if he doesn't support the Broncos financially after the next round of licences?

I don't think these threads are all about knocking the Broncos. I think many are genuinely concerned for them and the game as a whole. I think most RL fans understand that a game based entirely round the M62 corridor will become a national irrelevance. This could see TV deals and sponsorship vanish from the sport. With RU now in the ascendancy, this could soon see us being a part-time sport again.

So, it is important that the Broncos get people to their games. If sub 2,000 attendances continue, people will, quite rightly, question their viability, in the same way Widnes will be questioned about their lack of competitiveness. Both clubs have work to do.

while I agree some people are just concerned about broncos there is no doubt that their is a fair few who just wanna see London gone no matter what. They would be moaning about something else if it wasn't attendances.

Fair point, can't say I've had any trouble getting around London late in the evening on the trains/tube myself, but it does depend on exactly where you're going to I suppose, leaving you at the mercy of the timetable.

My bit of "London" is Wiltshire.

With the lack of stability they have had over the past decade its not a shock. They have moved half a dozen times. They really need some stability.

Most of us want a good solid team in London. The trouble is at the moment, the skolars seem to be the better bet. Decent results, crowds are up and decent club marketing especially cup final weekend. Time for a swap?

errr no. Skolars are doing everything the right way for any club to properly set down roots in a community, if they grow until eventually being capable of meeting SL criteria, then it will be on the merit of their own history and damn hard work and of organically growing the love of the sport [first] followed by a community love of the club. What the Skolars can do is look at the "growth" of the knowledge of the sport in the South and cut their cloth accordingly within their own community.

Rugby League as a sport will never break into the mass psyche of the southern sports fan, there are too many ingrained alternatives, based mainly around the territory football teams which is the heritage equivelent of a Hull or Leeds resident growing up with a love of League. We cannot even blame Rugby Union as their support is also based in small pockets around the greater London area with most permiership teams playing outside the M25.

The sadness about so called RL supporters wishing that the Broncos would fold flat and die isn't one of those people cast as flat cappers who could probably see how difficult it would be to seed a regional sport into a metropolis and expect a growth, it is those who supposedly love the sport yet will willingly be joyful about it's demise in any area of the country for the simple reason " it shouldn't be played there". That is what will ultimately cause a sport we love to become even further marginalised than it currently is.

I agree Homer, that is an excellent post.
I started this thread, nothing personal against Bronco's really !
It's not like they are staying in Super League on merit, if they avoided relegation (albeit with a generous overses quota) then fair enough. More of a dig at the RFL/SKY who feel the need to have a London team in our top division,
but I really don't see why we HAVE to. If the people of (a particular district) of London want a team fair enough, but it doesn't look like they do. Look I'm not being daft here, if my team Leigh were in SL, we would only have about 3500 home fans, but crowds would be boosted by the 'local' away support.
London is a 'long trek' in the Rugby League world, doubt many teams take 1000 fans down south.
For what it's worth, I don't think Catalan's should be in SL, it just gives it that European flavour, even though there is no welsh team in there at the moment. 12 English teams in SL, and bring back promotion/releagtion.
People forget that years ago, the team that WON promotion, didn't automatically get relegated the next season, about 10 years ago, Widnes (under Neil Kelly) finished 6th in their 1st season in the top flight.
London Skolars are having a great season at the moment, only get crowds of 300, but local lads who want to play Rugby League, now these guys I have nothing but admiration for, even signed Michael Worrincy, who played well for us earlier this season. It' about 30 years since Fulham had over 10,000 fans at their game v Wigan, now what has happened ??? Like I said 'nothing personal' that's why I didn't start this thread on their rlfans site, anyway time for my 'curry' - just thought I'd explain myself.

no place for Catalan! Thats madness!!

And you did that very well. You're an anti-expansionist who won't travel past his garden gate because he doesn't understand the "REAL WORLD" and he likes it the way it is

What you have said and what hundreds if not thousands of narrow minded idiots have said before you, is that you'd rather have not had in excess of 300,000,000 in TV money injected into the game in the UK, but rather be planning a trip to Wembley this year to see Wigan continue their 25yr unbeaten run in the Challenge Cup

London take 1.3 million of the SKY money every year......pro-rata, that's 22,100,000 over 17 seasons.......with almost another 270,000,000 distributed to the other clubs over the same period.

Superleague was created in conjunction with SKY TV, who it is said, wanted a team in the South East. In 2005, it is rumoured that when we were "voted back into SL by democratic ballot", SKY money was again muted as a deal clincher....in 2007 we lost our owner to Wigan, in 2012 we are 100% debt free.......we have NEVER received a penny in assistance from the RFL.

London RL has, indirectly contributed the funds to RL that have enabled the sport to go from a laughing stock with Wigan winning everything, to a relitively competative league with about 7 teams in with a chance of winning it in 2012.

Yes, RL in the UK isn't perfect, but because of Londons ESL team, it's in better condition than it was in 1995!

On the other hand, remember in 2013, there are a number of 'new' clubs entering League 2

In terms of relevance to London, not-so-very-far up the M1 is Hemel Hempstead, who have been doing their thing for 20 years now and started from little more than a pub team to something that has their own ground, club house etc.

Less than 60 miles up the M1 will be Northampton and let's face it, there are plenty of people that commute from Northampton to London each day.

What I am saying is, that with a number of additional pro clubs within easy travelling distance of London, there is a wider scope to unearth a Louis McCarthy Housebrick on their own doorstep or a route for players who have come through the London youth system, failed to make the grade and will not be lost to the pro ranks, as they will have Skolars, Northampton or Hemel to go play for.

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Did you have to make a personal comment !

There is NO need for any Rugby League club in London - end of.

Sorry but are you suggesting Skolars and all the amateur, junior and school sides should pack up?

no, sorry. That is doing very well, no need for one to be kept in Super League.