Spot on Trinity. I agree 100%. If Rugby League is what they want then start their own league and play their games on an alternate home and away basis like the rest of us. Haven't they heard of underground heating over there?

I guess you could have argued that about catalans and London. Even now all the pivotal positions (1, 6, 7, 9, 13) at Catalans are mostly occupied by non-french players in their games.

Give them time and they will produce their own as Catalans and London have

No Canadians in their team and still failed so I’m sure there’s not going to be any in what you believe is the not too distant future. I think it’s back to the drawing board and get the cheque book out, I’ll be gob smacked if any are involved if they pursue super League ambitions.

This is the real issue for ANY overseas expansion clubs.

Unless they are ultra successful or, can somehow convince schools and clubs to take up RL, they will never produce their own players, which just leaves them as a team of mercenaries pulling on a shirt.
They could be successful while they are winning plenty of games but, they have to have some roots, which will help create genuine interest in the game if not, as soon as the going gets tough they risk disappearing into the ether and we've had enough of those clubs already.

It's a strong argument for slowly building, rather than trying to buy instant success; but if you're a wealthy backer with an eye on future revenue, why would you do that, unless you've got Elon Musk levels of spare cash and you just happen to love RL - an unlikely combination in any part of the world, let alone North America, where you have no cultural or historical connection to the game.

I'm very much in favour of expansion - but it has to be done right; by all means put together a team of all-stars to demo the product, but at the same time, launch a community league, promote the game in schools in and around your local area, set up scholarships and an academy and promote the sport as a spectacle. If you don't, it's very much a short term project that is built on sand; wealthy backer fails in his bid for instant success - pulls out - everything collapses in a heap.

And therein lies the problem.
Will schools and clubs in N. America adopt RL as a new sport, in an already overflowing myriad of sports to occupy young people ?

It's a real tricky on because, IF there was a way of bringing Canada and The USA on board with our sport, even if it was a peripheral pastime, it could catapult the games profile way higher than anything we could do in the UK but, its a huge IF and despite Eric Perez enthusiasm and drive (assuming he's still involved), I dont think it can ever work and that's before we talk about the rights and wrongs of these clubs being involved in "our" comp.
They have done remarkably well to generate the level of support for a sport which is totally alien to them but, it looks doomed to fail.

You say that - *but* - hasn't American Football taken quite a foothold over here? It's aired on TV, there are teams at several levels and it seems to have entered the sporting pantheon for many people - so it is possible. Granted - the NFL has a much more sophisticated marketing machine - and shedloads more cash than the RFL could ever dream of - but it does demonstrate that a 'new' sport can be introduced into a market with good effect.

With sustained investment, just about anything can succeed and this has been RL's problem.
We are a relatively poor sport and although the sport has come up with some decent ideas, they are never followed through properly or for long enough periods of time.
As you say, it's possibly but, it does seem unlikely

It is but also, on the other hand, American football over here has had a bit of an up and down relationship over the years. I remember as a kid when it started on C4. it gradually got bigger and bigger as far as TV numbers, especially when it came to Superbowl nights. Even before that American Football was played for years previously over here by American and Candian servicemen in a league they created. But once popularity took off in the 80's British teams popped up & jumped on the bandwagon and created their own version of the NFL the BAFL.

After it went off C4, although Sky was showing games if I remember right, there was definitely a downturn in the popularity of the sport for a number of years. As times changed and the world became smaller due to technology, more games started to get broadcast due to more channels and another generation have bought into the razmataz of the NFL and its popularity took off again and the NFL has ceased on that momentum and poured some right money into it getting a proper foothold this last decade or so.

I always thought that the early foothold it got in this Country was vastly helped because football over here had become a horrible game both on the field and off the field. With all the tragedies, Hooliganism and being banned from Europe. People were looking for something different and fresh, I certainly was at the time.

Yes, how ridiculous that this rugby league loving billionaire has dug into his pocket and tried giving our great game a platform and exposure on another continent.

So what if he’s a billionaire if it’s not right it’s not right. He isn’t the first, Branson flirted with it for a bit and then we had mad Marvin - but money doesn’t mean success. Let’s also not forget spearman and Glover!

Carter isn’t poor but he’s not serious rich and although he’s put his hand in his pockets on occasion it’s not his cash that’s transforming us it’s his business acumen and general nous that’s really doing it.

I too, am glad they didn't come up, though I am all for expansion, provided that it is done in the right way, and that heartland clubs don't suffer as a consequence.

As for Toronto, I don't have anything against them, though I think the RFL need to be a little bit more transparent regarding them.

If our sport grew across the pond, I feel, that, given the money America pumps into it's sport, rugby league over there could give the sport a global shot in the arm. There has been talk recently of the sport being played in some of the larger cities over there, and reading articles in recent RL publications, the sport is growing throughought Central and Southern America. I think a league over there, covering North, Central and South, would be a good thing. Toronto could be a front runner and leading light in this.

On top of the above paragraph, with the recent news regarding Belgrade, I would do something similar throughout Europe, to cover other emerging nations, and including French clubs.

If all of this was a goer, and worked, then you could have a 4 way tournament, featuring a UK Super League, NRL, America and Europe

I too, am glad they didn't get promoted.

Having said that, I am all for expansion, provided it is done correctly, and that heartland clubs don't suffer as a consequence.

I have nothing against Toronto, and think that they have a place in the sport globally, but I do feel that the RFL need to be a little more transparent on some of its processes.

Well done to London, very well deserved, and is an example that hard work does pay off and you don't always have to splash the cash. I do think, although it has taken over 35 years, it is starting to work down there. Over the past few years, the grassroots down there have unearthed 3-4 quality players, who have gone on and carved out good careers. The next challenge would be creating more, and managing to keep hold of

This is where Toronto come in now

There has been a lot of talk recently about the sport being played in some of the larger American cities I also recently saw in an RL magazine that this interest had spread to Central and South America. Given the money that America invest in sport, if it is taking off, then why not create an American League covering North, Central and South America. This could give the sport a real shot in the arm. Toronto could be pioneers of this.

Over and above the last paragraph, and given the recent news regarding Belgrade, I would do the same in Continental Europe, which would cover new teams from the emerging nations and French clubs.

Should that take off, you could then have an end of season, four way tournament featuring the league leaders of a UK SL, NRL, America and Europe

I'm not glad they didn't get promoted; I'm just satisfied that the team that won promotion did so on merit.

If the Toronto owner takes the failure to achieve SL in good faith and continues to invest and build, and they enter SL in a future season on merit, then I'll be equally satisfied; and if that's at the expense of a 'heartland' club - then they'll have lost their SL place because they weren't good enough on the field, which seems ok to me.

Yes but, it still wouldnt answer the $billion question as to whether Canadian / N.American clubs are sensible addition to Super League.
For me, this is THE main issue, although, as we have seen with MarwamK, sometimes the big players are a little too impatient and if this means the Toronto may fail at some point in the not too distant future, having put a "heartland" club in jeopardy then, it's a definite NO from me.