You have to ask yourself how have we ended up in this situation? It is the 'becoming second best' part that people are worried about. Despite the Salford council money it seems that Sale already have primary tenancy so will have first choice on fixtures etc and thats before they have even moved in. How exactly are we in the box seat? What 'small print' are you expecting to be in there that will turn this into a good deal for us? There are no positives in this for Salford from what I can see.

Can you list some of these opportunities?

Considering Sale are likely to drop the 'Sale' tag from their name to appeal to a wider audience, can't see why these people would then attach themselves to a team called Salford?

Supporting League or Union is not just about watching inferior/superior products as we all wish it would be, it is about many social factors and the history of both sports feeds into that. There is a large amount of people who simply prefer Rugby Union over League come what may and vice versa. On a simpler level many people prefer to watch good teams. There is little doubt over the last decade who has had more success between us and Sale and in the decade to come that is unlikely to change.

Nothing is more unlikely than Sale coming to Barton leading to a large influx of new Salford supporters coming from the Union ranks. Salford don't have the skill, resources or nous to do it. The much more likely outcome is any wavering supporters who are not particularly wedded to one code will be attracted to Sale by their superior off the field operation coupled with a decent side and their crowds will be blossom while we continue to stagnate.

Taken from the union thread (yes, there is one),

Interesting stuff - Sale must feel confident they can withstand any loss of supporters by attracting enough news one with the move. They are probably right.

rlThey're After World Dominationrl

Lots of blue seats at Ibrox and Scottish rugby league players coached by McCormack to poach.

Walshy I rarely disagree with your posts but I do on this as I think there are boundless opportunities especially IF the two clubs can bury hatchets and work together. Plenty of opportunities to increase our fan base.

Sorry EB. Don't agree, please tell me a successful union / league combination that works and exists today.

Now I'm not one to be usually called a conspiracy theorist (though I do believe the UK secret services did for Princess Di!) - BUT - isn't it a tad strange that the rebuttal of Steve Diamond's outburst comes not from the SRLFC board, but from the coach of the academy side?
Not one board members name on the article on the Reds official site ?
mmmmm - if you sup with the devil, use a long spoon!

I'm not convinced about fanbase for the same reasons that Walshy has pointed out - many people simply dislike the other code. Once ace up the sleeve we do have though is that we'll probably be significantly cheaper to watch for a floating fan.

I can see potential benefits from the corporate side if any of Sale's corporate guests like the facilities and want to entertain people year round.

Walshovski / Karlos13: I don't disagree that rugby league is by far the best game but if people don't want to watch the sport & prefer to watch football from the pub then time will not stand still, remember in the hey day Salford average was only around 5500!
We can all go on about the board of Salford but the reality still remains the Salford public will not come to watch?
If we cannot fill the stadium or we have no money, either someone else needs to have deep pockets & so far only Salford council have put the money in to make it happen. I would dearly love Salford to own the stadium. I don't have any answers but I will continue to support my club in any way I can, however it is clear Salford are broke & it needs fixing & I for one live life in the real world & would always look at the small print before taking as gospel what was said at a forum meeting.
I am not saying it is untrue but what do we all suggest, this is a business & Salford council remain the only serious investor, we have less than 2 percent of the Salford public interested enough to watch, this does not in my books put us in a good position for future survival of the club as we know it.

Sale have made no noises about working together, in fact quite the opposite. If sport is business as people quite erroneously keep saying on this and other threads then Sale have more to gain by attempting to sideline us. Would you find it acceptable if we have to start shifting games for Sale? What if Sale are not happy about two games being played on the pitch a week and we have to play at our 'new home' of Heywood Road now and then? Or we are told our junior sides can't play there? As people are at constant pains to point out Wilky doesn't have enough money to stop this and we certainly don't have enough control over the ground to prevent it either.

People will accuse me of scare mongering but just take a look at Stockport County if you doubt it. Where is Michigan 'Sale and Rugby Union is brilliant, we've got loads to learn from them so let's merge tomorrow' Red on this thread?

Leeds work well with their union counterparts!

Not successful though is it....