Is it possible for Toronto lovers not to type the words TV DEAL ? How about typing the words 'Grass Roots Rugby/Canadian Juniors & Academy set up' instead....whoops !

Would half an academy team be enough? You know like the hull clubs.

I've no idea if Toronto will make it or go the same way as the crusaders. But RL in England is moving in ever decreasing circles at present. Turning away the chance to grow the game on the basis that in two years they haven't a team full of Canadians is complete cobblers.

1. Is 3 years years enough to implement an Academy set up or talent pathway for local talent? Has there even been a discussion in those 3 years towards plans to implement such a set up?

2. Will Toronto have to run a reserve set up as every other SL club has to from next season?

3. Do you know how many Fev academy products are playing there trade in Super League?

Yeah franchising and TV deals are the end product but to produce the vast amount of players they need for they're major sports they have a monster size school sports system from High school to University, producing all the talent for the NFL, NBA etc. Ateotd you still have to get kids playing and invested in RL long term, whether that's at school or through Community Clubs to have any long term success. How does that fit in the North American system I don't know and I haven't heard anyone talk about it either.

The Aussies use a similar system to us and they're very successful, the difference is RL over there is the main sport.

The main reason that RL is in such a poor state is that, since Union came out of the closet and became a pro sport, we have not been able to plunder their talent at will and their version of Rugby, with a far better national and international spread, dwarfs RL in just about every aspect of the game and it receives mass coverage from most media outlets and RL has been shoved down the pecking order.

"Grassroots" is a different problem altogether and with the "playstation generation" more happy in front of a screen, than they are in the real world, participation numbers are falling, although this is not by any means exclusive to RL.

These issues, together with the sports abject inability to promote the sport effectively mean that our sport has become even more marginalised.
Although I have issues with Toronto's inclusion, they may well help with our profile but, this still doesn't make them a sensible addition to SL or to the competition over here, which, for me, is just plain bonkers. Around 3500 miles in each direction for a weekly round of SL is just crazy.
Perpignan is far enough and that's roughly 1000 miles (each way).

There are now 4 amateur clubs in Toronto. This is the same number as you will find in Leigh and Warrington.
However, Toronto have only been in existence for 3 years not 100.

If we are going to have a “grass roots” discussion is should be aimed at the heart lands where the game is on its arris at grass roots but then that wouldn’t fit the narrative would it

Yes Leigh has 2 amateur clubs, but I don't think there could be 3, as there aren't any more playing fields in the town, unless a school one was used.
p.s. Wikipedia might be wrong about 4 in Ontario, it could be more or less....the wonders of Google, eh Steph
Did you know Serbia has 17 teams, well you do now !

Warrington has rylands, woolston, crosfields, latchford, culcheth eagles and burtonwood Bulldogs. Pretty sure that's 6.

Bank quay. 7

Well said, but Culcheth is nearer to Leigh, than Warrington !

Believe (happy to be corrected) that there were 4 Amateur Rugby League Clubs in Toronto at the time of the birth of the Wolfpack. This isn't to take anything away from Toronto on their fantastic achievement thus far and it is my belief that next year SL will be better with them in it and the Championship better without them.

It's a huge city, with the largest population in the country (around 2.6million). You'd be disappointed if it didn't have those sports on offer.
We played 8 or 9 at our school and there were only around 1000 pupils there

It's utterly irrelevant how many sports are on offer. I'm more concerned with the 7000 mile round trip, just to play for 80 minutes - it's just not sensible and probably not sustainable in the medium to long term..