How are we supposed to promote the sport, or get new sponsorship into the game. When no one knows what format the leagues going to be for 2019. If us as RL fans aren't sure what's happening, what format it's going to take, with the new season just over 6 weeks away. How can we get new long term sponsorship.? How can lower SL clubs progress if they're not sure if they'll be there or not? Weather it's p&r, carry on with the 8'same or licencing. We should now know.'"

I'd be interested to see your working out on that one. How would Featherstone develop the revenue, the commercial income, the ticket revenue and the talent required to become a sustainable, competitive and above all, growing, Super League club?

I also agree on this. We're six weeks away from the start of the season and, as of yet (unless the future is known privately), nobody knows what the model is in the immediate term, never mind the medium and long term.

My worry is that the RFL is simply trying, once again, to appease all parties - who are all pulling in different directions based on the needs of their clubs, the size of their markets and the state of their on and off-field situations. It's right that they want to protect their interests, but this is where leadership from the RFL.

Ultimately, what is needed is for the RFL to say "this is the model we are persisting with, this is the minimum standard you have to meet today, and these are the minimum standards you need to reach in a year, three years, five years, and ten years." You can address a failure to meet those standards in a number of ways - you can have an absolute criteria (meet the standard or you're out if somebody else does), or make aspects of central funding performance-related, for example.

It will upset some people, but the current system isn't making anyone happy.

This is spot on.
There should be a clear plan to progress the sport and then allow those that are able, to get on and take us to "the promised land".
Another French club in SL would be ok and one would expect this to help the ailing French National side.
However, the inclusion of any North American clubs is a pure leap of faith.
The logistics are far from straight forward and "we" see to be hoping it will bring some benefits rather than there being ant certainty.
Yes, it would boost RL in N America but, it has the potential to massively de-stabilise our domestic game, which is not exactly setting the world alight.
Quite simply, if we cant secure sufficient extra funding from Sky (or any other broadcaster), I dont believe that we should be continuing with the N American experiment.
IF, on the other hand, we are sat with the promise of greater sponsorship and a Us/Canadian TV deal, then, yes, lets go for it and realistically, the only way that it can work is for the "expansion clubs" to be protected from relegation, which probably means the return of franchising/licensing.'"

There is another factor to be taken into account when we're talking about expansion in North America: rugby union. I see there are plans for a 9 team Major League Rugby competition (note the just "Rugby"icon_wink.gif in 2018. Mike Ford has signed to take charge of Dallas Griffins.
Once again, we will have to fight for space and recognition. I just hope the American rugby league promoters have more about them than Red Hall or the ventures are doomed.

Good article this is, expansion lover.

PROMOTING expansion or supporting the existing grassroots?

[iIt seems that this is the one question that constantly sends the game up a cul-de-sac and never really gets resolved to anyone’s satisfaction.

The argument raged again this week when it was announced that Toronto would forfeit their home game against Toulouse and play it as a curtain raiser at Magic.

You would have thought this game should be seen a positive – the punters get to see an extra game involving the team that seems on a headlong mission to Super League.

It will also, in a quirky way, bring in more publicity than sadly one more domestic fixture would not do.

However, that is not how it has played out across towns across the heartlands.

And just like when London Broncos and Paris St Germain leap-frogged Keighley to get into the inaugural Super League, or when Catalans’ elevation to the top flight and subsequent protection from relegation, there is a cry of preferential treatment.

The Magic selection is an interesting one - not least because Bradford Bulls had already been allowed to peep through the cracks of St James Park that weekend with their Championship 1 fixture at Newcastle.

If they wanted to sell more tickets and maybe boost rugby league in the north east (and I assume that was one of the early points of Magic) then putting that clash on would have killed two birds with one stone.

If handled well the Toronto experiment has the potential to bring something different to our game that is crying out for innovation.

But we still need a strategy to monetise their presence (and Catalans’ for that matter) rather than it being just another novelty outpost.

Not only that, those clubs need to grow the game and develop talent on their own patches not simply trawl the world — and the northern heartlands in particular — for off the peg talent.

Rugby league cannot afford to have too many teams — and I don’t mean just outpost organisations – creaming off talent without doing anything to top up the playing well.

If the game eventually withers in traditional heartlands — because their pro teams have been sidelined — then where are those players going to come from?

You can see why fans of say Halifax, Leigh, Featherstone and Batley can be irked by Toronto.

But the potential problem for the game is more long-term than simply a few noses being put out of joint.[/i

Firstly, I don't understand why you think "expansion lover" is some sort of insult. It really isn't.

Secondly. It's not a good article. It's a rant. For starters, it calls out expansion clubs for their contribution to the talent pool, yet there have never been more professional French players than there currently are.

If you're trying to convince me that Featherstone could sustain a competitive and growing SL club, you're failing miserably.

D-: Must try harder.

Try telling that to a Keighley Cougars supporter.....expansion lover/football fan

The Cougarmania craze swept through the town in the mid-90s and crowd attendances increased to over 5,000. The head coach steered the club to promotion into the top flight but due to another re-structure within the leagues the Cougars were denied promotion (despite, some would argue, being an influential force in the creation of the Super League).

I agree with this. I really don't see why Budgiezilla has to throw around "expansion / football lover" (where the latter came from is only his guess) as its some sort of put-down.

I'm a fan of the sport first and foremost. I have my personal views on the state of the sport and I have my personal views on what I think needs to be done to address those issues. I've worked in marketing for a long time, and I've also worked with professional sports clubs, so I come from at least some position of experience.

I know my views don't always meet universal agreement, which is sort of what makes internet forums what they are, but I'm happy to put my reasons out there. If I felt that this sport could prosper by focusing its efforts in the heartlands, then I'll be happy, but my view is that the realities of modern sport don't allow that. Modern professional sport relies too heavily on television and commercial revenue, and we simply don't provide the audience that businesses want to (or at least, want to pay to) reach - that harms commercial income coming directly into the sport, and it harms our value to TV broadcasters. Yes, Keighley got shafted, but that was more than two decades ago. The realities of professional sport have moved on at a pace far greater than we have.

What I want is to see the best players possible, in the best facilities possible, and where those players are earning a fair income from their efforts. At the moment, we don't offer that. It's why we aren't attracting and retaining top talent, it's why clubs still aren't able to invest in facilities and why we have a salary cap that is around £1m less in real terms than it was in 1999.

The best way to address that in my view, given that the heartlands clubs clearly can't market themselves appropriately, is to tap into new audiences and new markets. Whilst America does represent a leap of faith, it is currently one of few viable options that we have.

"I agree with this. I really don't see why Budgiezilla has to throw around "expansion / football lover" (where the latter came from is only his guess) as its some sort of put-down."

Sorry, I'll stop it now.....

Well done Keighley....attracting 5 gates of over 5k for games against Bradford (9 miles) and Halifax(12 miles).....outstanding work.......but in terms of expansionism, as much use as a chocolate tea-pot

What type of expansionism do we want......?
a/ Bigger TV deals and sponsors with very little substance and youth development and average crowds of 5k
b/ Youth development and more local interaction but with crowds in the 3/4k region?
c/ Billionaires throwing cash at the game but with no plan other than "if they watch it once they'll be hooked"?

Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away

Looks like Toronto might have another "home" game here in blighty in 2018:- https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/article/5 ... fpack-away

By the time Toronto play their first match in Canada in 2018 on May 5th half of their supporters will have lost interest!