Couldnt the fact we have two french teams hinder sponsorship? There was the issue where we had Magners as a sponsor and the sponsorship had to be covered due to French advertising laws.

If you are looking to do sponsorship and your logo is covered for some games due to these restrictions. What about say a mecca bingo, i presume they have no presence in France. Paying for sponsorship for potential clients and the target audience has no chance to use the brand. Just a thought, i have no idea how commerical activities work and sponsorship. It may help Bet Fred, potentially expanding into another country getting them brand recognition over in France?

On a national/international level ,RU has a conveyor belt fetching homegrown players through its systems to produce good national teams. In RL ,everything is geared to a few clubs trying to win a domestic league & bringing in what imports they can to try & win that league, How can RL hope to compete at international standards with RU when it doesn't provide enough home schooled players to raise standards ? Get away from England RL & the other 3 home nations are relying on lower division players.
I remember France having a decent RL team but they don't seem as effective these days, in times of injecting imports into Catalans & Toulouse to climb up their respective leagues.

There are issues for Alcohol & Gambling companies advertising in France I think, but it is SL / RFL's job to attract partners who would find this attractive. I guess Hoover would find it beneficial to have some exposure to France's 4th biggest city as would many other brands. Why can't we get airlines / hotel chains on board?

I'm delighted that Toulouse have won promotion and it feels like a step forward, however we need to be careful how we develop this.

I think talks of 3 or 4 French teams in SL are a non starter until they can deliver a TV deal, currently Catalan pay for their games to be televised, we need a deal that brings in at least £2m per year for both Catalan & Toulouse, that way they are 'paying their way'. Its the only way an increased French presence in SL can work. We need to be developing relationships with the French TV companies and talking to them about what 2 / 3 / 4 teams in the SL structure looks like in terms of investment. To get a TV deal like that I would assume a French TV partner would want some sort of assurances that French teams will remain in the upper leagues, so maybe its a point when SL will again look towards a closed shop in terms of relegation for either an expanded SL of 14, or a SL1/SL2 scenario. I'm sure there will be a minimum number of English clubs Sky would want in the competition before it starts to harm the Sky Contract.

Someone touched on youth development and opportunities for French players, I'm not going to use it as a stick to beat them with as they are in a competition that will relegate them if they don't get their squad right. I think we have more French players in SL/ Championship now than we ever have, but I'd agree its still not enough (Although how many Warringtonians are knocking around SL?) So we need to look at the bigger picture in terms of French players in the comp, rather than at these sides specifically - but its certainly an area to work on.

What happens if a Catalan v Toulouse Grand Final comes about.

Then we will have a Grand Final played out in front of one man and his dog.

Imagine how progressive that will look to your neutral onlookers looking to possibly invest in the game?

The world ends as we know it.

Doubt Betfred being allowed to open shops in France as there aren't any (as far as I'm aware), as all betting is done through the PMU that is state controlled. Not sure how online stuff works across the channel, but I'm fairly sure that the French government would resist any English bookies plying their trade over there.

You what ?? Where do you get that figure from ?.

I appreciate that whatever the figure might be it will be a lot more than Toulouse but 2500..... not sure about that

Quote RogerMoore="RogerMoore"What happens if a Catalan v Toulouse Grand Final comes about.'" Does the final have to be held at Old Trafford? Can we take a Grand Final across the channel? https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... tch-report The RFL / SL need to start selling it as an event and not relying on 50k from the finalists.

Quote RogerMoore="RogerMoore"What happens if a Catalan v Toulouse Grand Final comes about.'" Does the final have to be held at Old Trafford? Can we take a Grand Final across the channel? https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... tch-report The RFL / SL need to start selling it as an event and not relying on 50k from the finalists.

Quote Alffi_7="Alffi_7"Does the final have to be held at Old Trafford? Can we take a Grand Final across the channel? https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... tch-report The RFL / SL need to start selling it as an event and not relying on 50k from the finalists.'" I'd suggest they have to plan it with plenty of notice, so yes, they could have it across the channel, but what would be the point of a Wigan/Saints final being played in a stadium in the south of France?

Quote Alffi_7="Alffi_7"Does the final have to be held at Old Trafford? Can we take a Grand Final across the channel? https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... tch-report The RFL / SL need to start selling it as an event and not relying on 50k from the finalists.'" I'd suggest they have to plan it with plenty of notice, so yes, they could have it across the channel, but what would be the point of a Wigan/Saints final being played in a stadium in the south of France?