Isn't there already a team, the White Plains Wombats? Are they looking to push cash into that team or create a new one, based more where the current NYC sports teams are based?

I wouldn't get too excited just yet. The guy bankrolling Toronto has always said he wants a north American (continent) league. So I'd see this as a speculative expansion, using SL & the NRL as names to bolster interest, then in a few (5 ?) years time break away & create a new league. Not sure how that would work in the long term, with the established "sports" having such a stronghold in (if not strangle-hold on) the broadcast media.

New York City vs Wigan Warriors

What an away game that would be!

You would think that the RFL would look to schedule Superleague clubs away games on consecutive weekends v New York and Toronto, but it's the RFL we're talking about so it probably won't happen.

They would need to be in the same division first to be fair, which rules out the first season at least. Agree it would make sense for SL clubs and full time Championship clubs though if they eventually get to the same division.

It's exciting times!! They will bring money to the game they will add to viewing figures and raise the profile of sl outside of the UK. If as posted above they end up with a north American league it will eventually create a larger pool of talent with sl seen as the step up??

The concern I have about a north American league is the salary cap question, will they have one? If so it's not beyond belief that afigure of say 10m a year could be afforded by wealthy owners and their own TV deal? Meaning they could just import best from sl and the nrl

Could be a huge pool of talent out there - think of the American Football players that don't make to the NFL!

All those high school kids and college kids that play the game across the country, but only 240 odd get selected to play in the NFL each year, and not all of those actually end up on a team - so RL could be the perfect place for them to move into. They won't obviously get the financial benefits that the NFL offers, but if it's the physical/skill side of the game they are interested in, they have some amazing athletes that could fit right in to most positions on an RL field.

In that way, I'm surprised RL has never really hit American shores until now...

Charlie (Chuck) Wiseman anybody?

We have.

There have been many attempts to promote the game over there. For example ; I also recall a promotional game between us and Wire in IIRC Milwaukee, and where there was a bout of fisticuffs on the field between Ellery Hanley and Les Boyd in 1989.

Trying to promote over there with American football and baseball is like our constant problem here trying to eclipse football.

I hope they succeed and build.

My old Dad said he was rubbish !

I don't recall him playing first team, mabe a couple of "A" team games.

You could well be right. My old Dad used to work as ground staff many years ago including on turnstiles and later, on the seats on the Douglas stand. He would have worked there for free , such was his love for the club which lasted his whole lifetime. So he might have just seen him in training ? IIRC, a novelty he said.

Try the book "No helmets required".