Nobody thought the timing is not a little strange just after the fixtures released. I am sure the RFL have been kept informed but still released them including London.

As far as i can see, either the RFL are complicit or London have stitched them up.
Perm one from two bent or incompetent.

In a nutshell, these!!

Is the London owner backing the RFL into a corner? They have made complaints about various aspects of the governance of the game unfairly disadvantaging them, so perhaps this is an exercise in forcing the issue?

Either way, the RFL would have had no choice but to include them on the fixture list; they were still a SL club when the fixtures were announced and remain one today.

If they allow Toulouse in wonder what fev/fax/leigh/sheff will say. Doubt they will roll over just like that.

None of the championship sides you mention are capable of filling a spot in SL based on the recruitment they have for next season and none of them would have anywhere near a big enough infrastructure to cope IMO.
Promotion the following year would be the aim and that would even be a financial gamble too far for some.
Toulouse could be the right fit (with the neccessary support) for those with a vested interest.

To be honest, I'm not sure anyone would lose money if they made each London fixture a Bye.
There is surely no profit when you play London, certainly for the bottom half ofthe league

I don't think that MC would agree with you on this one Pop Tart.
IF London were to disappear, they would need to replace them with, either another team or, an additional fixture.
The attendance given out last season at BV was just over 8200 and even though the majority of those people would be low price S/T holders, it still represents significant income, especially when you take into account the current financial state of the game.

I'd forgotten we got a big attendance.....ok, maybe I take that back

Also if London disappear it could leave a potential issue with season ticket holders across super league.The ones that have already purchased season tickets,shelled out on the basis they would be getting a ticket to 13 home games - not 12.

Tbf, London at home probably does get one of the lower attendances (usually) but, as we are struggling for income with the current number of fixtures, we certainly don't want any reduction.
Unless they can find a solution quickly, which IMO will be some sort of major support from the RFL, then there would be severe ramifications next season, especially as we haven't even agreed the structure for the 2015 season.

A while ago, there was talk of Fev, having been put "on stand by", I wonder if they actually were asked to get ready for SL ?

Yes the London gate was high but weren't the tickets only £5/£10?

I don't think Sheff would be allowed up as they are moving to Owlerton Dogs, capacity won't be that high.

The only option is Featherstone but it is highly likely the RFL would go with just 13.

This.

I don't see them going with 13.
If we have a league format, then there has to be a balanced fixture list.
Just supposing Catalan were awarded the 2 league points for their "game" against London and they then qualified into the playoffs by 2 points or, secured home advantage in the play offs by 2 points, there would be an outcry (and rightly so).

I know that we don't always take a lead from other sports but, is there any kind of precedent for this ?