We'll see how easy those points are. 2 challenge cups in a generation, and suddenly you are Brazil...

As an example( I havn't listed all the clubs attributes as Wakey clearly beat us on some just saying that just using the grades is far too simplistic).
Who should go out of these 2.
HKR Average over 8k attendence for the last 3 years, Top 7 for those same last 3 years, Improving NCP AGAIN.
Or Wakey Average just under 6k in the last 2 years and just under 7k in 2008, 8th,5th and 11th in the last 3 years, And roundly slated for doing nothing to BV apart from building a pointless holiday apartment village when they have had 10 years of SL money.

What will Quins do when their sugar daddy pulls out?

Why would 40% of SL viewers stop watching Rugby League if the Harlequins dropped a league? Do that many people watch SL because Quins are in it? The answer to that is simply no.

I believe there might be a place for RL somewhere in and around London, but it's not at the stoop IMO. Trying to sell Rugby League to Union and Football fans has proved far too difficult and that has showed with the crowd attendances over the past few years. Which is a shame because the RL on the pitch isn't too bad and the stoop is a nice little ground.

People bang on about 'Northern Mill Towns' and 'Chemical Towns' but these aren't Mill towns any more they are towns which are looking to attract business and visitors into the town, with some having important regeneration projects flowing throughout the towns and cities. You may think of these northern towns to be full of idiots but the fact is things are changing, and to some towns Rugby League and more importantly Super League is just another way to bring prosperity, jobs and various other business opportunities their way.

People often seem to confuse things in the context of Quins. There is a plentiful active market for RL in the "South" - in quotes because that pretty much includes all the Midlands too.
The amateur and youth games are of a good size, growing, and producing players.
It's just that because those interested in the sport in the "South" are spread over such an area, many prefer to watch their top level RL on TV, rather than in person. The fact that they do that, and contribute their £ to the sport via Sky doesn't make them any less important or less valuable. Whilst many might still maintain an interest without Quins in SL, that flagship club is actually vital to all those levels: SL (via Sky), Amateur and Youth.

Sorry but had to amend.

Did you know, for example, the World club challenge is this Sunday?

Did you know the Super league season had started?

Not via the mass media you didn't

I think, 'for the good of the game', Widnes and Barrow would come up. Barrow are not ready though, for mine. Not least because of their insane chairman. Obviously, I'd always choose good times for my club over those of any other, but I would like to see a London franchise remain in SL. Harlequins Rugby League just reaks, however. No identity, no fanbase, no direction off the field and more than anything, the whole concept of them just seems false to me. Stability is what London RL needs, but maybe one more rip-up and review of everything going on down there is what they need.

Of all the places 'London' have played rugby league since 1980 the Stoop is by far the best place to play.

Nice stadium, good links, purpose built for the game.

Compare that to places like Griffin Park

Corporate facilities?

Wakey thought that was the first thing that needed sorting out at BV
Kinda proves my '10 years of SL money' point then.
Although this wasn't my point of course.

Expansion of the RL internationally is vital , and the involvement of SkySports equivalent in France could play a part aka the "millionaire" . SL has to look at the market / business sustainability side as well.

As an Aussie where we suffer from too much sporting competition in a small nation, I've observed RL , RU and AFL struggle to establish themselves outside their heartlands. A lot of time and patience needs to be applied and the rules relaxed if SL wants to invest in growing it's market. Money alone can do this, as it buys players in.

The NRL premiers ( and subsequently disqualified for salary cap breaches ) Melbourne Storm and the newly formed RU franchise Melbourne Rebels are examples of what it takes to grow the RL /RU sportung market. In AFL it can take as long as 4-5 years to establish a team.

Personally, I'd like to see greater geographic involvement in SL comprising 16 clubs, and for further enticements to involve Championship clubs like TO , Featherstone etc. to have a limited interaction with the top clubs. I'd also like to see the rulles relaxed about international inclusions and the ability for UK/France based players to be more involved in AU/NZ.

We need to be focused on making this a global game whilst supporting the heartlands. Sadly RL isn't and RU is ( even in AU wher RL is bigger ).

Come on girls and boys .... knock on some doors

I believe that the 2nd and 3rd highest average attendances achieved by the London Franchise have been at the stoop. The highest was in SLI.....and after that, the club have struggled. For instance, the average gates at Griffin Park (4 years) as the London Broncos is only 29 higher than the last 5 years as Harlequins RL at the Stoop.

The reason that the club get no fans is because they can't /don't know how to market themselves...it has SFA to do with the name, the shirt, the ground or anything else that the anti-union brigade come up with.

I hate to agree with PHIPPS.....but The Stoop is the best ground they have played in.

As for what to do when David Hughes decides to walk away......I would suspect that by then, the club will either need to be averaging 8,000 a game, A new benefactor will need to be found, SKY will take over control like they do with the storm in the NRL or the club will simply fold.

Whilst some of the flat earth society would like the last of these to happen, I doubt the RFL and SKY would let it happen.......the kids are starting to come through...would any fan of English Rugby League like to see all that hard work undone?
For the record...over 15 years of SL, the London Franchise has performed better than some heartland teams on the pitch and do not hold the record for the lowest average gates for a season. They have never finished last, have visited Wembley and have now seen young cockneys picked for England and snapped up by St Helens.

Yet, the pre-occupation with our crowds and finances is rolled out as a reason to boot us out of the comp.

I would suggest that a club with no debts, the second most english squad in the competition, a young English coach, an U20's team doing well and a community team building a massive conveyerbelt of talent for the future has little to worry about when it comes to licences.
I would also suggest that any club that is in debt or has recently been in administration, has a ground that isn't up to scratch or doesn't even have a ground and has a team with more than the suggested number of overseas players in it might want to start planning for life outside SL.

Hey...I could be wrong. London may get kicked out in June....but I very much doubt it.

Nah, RFL conspiracy to put you top of the league is in full swing at the moment.... Can't kick out a team at the top of the league...

Are we really expected to believe that a bloke who's younger than some of the leeds squad can coach a team of nobodies to a win at headingley and 1st place in the league. One who only started playing when he went to uni in Newcastle and got his coaching start at South London Storm?

Seriously, though, I don't think RL is anywhere near being important enough to Sky in the UK that they would take a stake in a club.