I just commented on another thread about something that made me think and worry.

Is the current three year franchise system to be repeated after the next round of choices? as I can see that a further three years down the line the RFL 'createing' teams in Scotland and Ireland with the very great possibility of another team on the continent to compette in Super League meaning in effect that the league will become a closed shop ALA the NFL in America leaveing the teams not involved by that time from the lower leagues to be nothing short of feeder teams and in effect needing a different governing body and structure as a whole.

Possible going to deep there. American sports franchise is a lot different to SL Europe there is just not enough interest and money for that to happen,

Doubt that a team from Halifax, Widnes, Leigh, Fev et al could attract sponsers to match a team in say Dublin that would attract millions of pounds worth of toursism revenue over the course of a season.

i can see your point but i dont think you'll get many fans being able to afford it. If the rfl get there way, we'll have two french trips, irish trip and a scottish trip. Where will it end?

they should make it like the NFL, with different conferences and only a certain amount of games a season it would be awesome like that

what a crap idea just like NFL which has more airtime on Sky than Rugby League even though its teh close season.

No, no, no, no, no.

Why don’t we have the same transfer ideas like American football where the bottom teams get the best pick of players games will be much closer and different winners of cups.

Where exactly are they going to be picked from?

Players are drafted from the college system in US sports - they're unaffiliated with any professional team.

When there contracts are up, the bottem are to be first to pick.

another thing we should crap Salary and make a rule no aussie to be bought or foreigners in teams. just an idea

The RFL would have no legal right to do that.

why, they have that rule in italy in football about a limited non-europens players and if football can have rules like that so can rugby league.

and it will help england team aswell.

Having restrictions on numbers of players is different to forcing a player to play for another team as well as not allowing them to sign a new contract. Workers (which is essentially what they are) have rights.

how can they have this rule in Italy when it is illegal in England under European Employment Law.

Seeing as Richard Lewis said following the last announcement that one of the teams playing currently in the Championship WILL be promoted via the next round of franchises then I don't see that this needs to be an area of concern at the moment.

Whilst it's early days I think that with the imminent completion of The Shay & the quality of their squad & coaching staff this year that we will be nervously looking over our shoulders at Halifax come the next round of applications

I was more meaning in 5 years time, I think unless they start the building work soon or we get a sudden wind fall or massive new backer we will seriously struggle to get the franchise renewed. That means we would have to reapply in 5ish years time and by then I think the RFL will want it's own manufactured teams in and then will pull the drawbridge on future admissions.

I would also doubt that the club that drops out of the league in 3 years time (if indeed any do) would be that dependant on being full time profession team that they would struggle to cope with the lower leagues and I fear struggle to survive.

Whilst halifax has a good case I think Mr Lewis was thinking more about Toulouse when he said that a championship side would get in SL.

With absolutely no-one watching in the stadiums. The current members of SL won't be voting for many more clubs who are weak on the travelling support. There is absolutely NO evidence that people in Scotland or Ireland would pay to see a game of RL. They're just not interested. We can't bust out of the M62 corridor, let alone taking it to Scotland & Ireland.

"how can they have this rule in Italy when it is illegal in England under European Employment Law."

What has European law got to do with Italy or France?

Exactly, I can't honestly see any side being put straight into Super League now without a spell in the Championship first to test viability.

The american draft pick doesn't work anyway as the best players still end up at the wealthiest clubs because they trade them almost as soon as the draft is over. It is open to coruption and we have enough of that in our game already with teams getting past the salary cap.

As someone who actually watches American sports, I can say that this post could not be any more further from the truth.

you have no idea what you are talking about