I understand what you are saying and as you say, we were "relegated" when SL was formed and I was one of the many that "disappeared", until a pal of mine persuaded me to come and watch a cup match at Bradford, which we lost) but, I was hooked again instantly and I've had a season ticket ever since etc, etc.

It would be helpful if Big Nige and his cronies at Red Hall would share their "vision" of where they are trying to take the game.
Personally, I could live with a couple of N. American clubs in an expanded top flight but, I'd have little interest in a 10/12 team SL, half of which were overseas.
Trinity have had a great season and look as though we are finally making progress towards a new (upgraded) stadium but, IF there are plans to axe a number of heartland clubs just to replace them with new franchises then, like you, I would be looking for something different to do on Sunday (Friday, Saturday and Thursday) evenings.

certainly not depressed, angry no, more frustrated as I feel it could just all be taken away from us.
the further afield teams are will make game days at home with no away support just bland, you only have to experience the catalan game at wakefield to know what its like, every one take their home games as a chance for an holiday,
ok for them that can afford it bring in more long distant teams and then that would reduce our away support to each game

I will never understand why some people want to prefer to shoe horn in foreign teams nearly 4,000 miles away yet we had a Fev fan on here asking for players for Fev Lions u14 so how exactly is the latest cash cow going to solve the problems HERE. It's a combination of sticking head into sand and pound signs in the eyes.

I'm with Snowie on this one. Okay with Toronto in Super League given the right cost measures for clubs going over there as now, to help establish the game in US/Canada. Any more North American teams in the European Super League and it starts to get daft. If we got booted out in favour of New York or whoever that would be it for me. They need to get their own North American Super league.

I'm not sure I'm even OK with Toronto. At the end of the day I want to be able to watch my team play home and away. It's completely unrealistic to expect an average fan to be able to fly to Canada every year for a super league fixture. Catalans fair enough it's an affordable weekend away once a year.
If New York want a team great let's support them setting up a US/Canada version of the league. Invite them to the world club challenge. Maybe even challenge cup.

Well one things for certain. I wouldn't be flying to Toronto and there's also the fact that they will bring zero support. Could Super League really afford this? Let's see, a Wakey v Cas derby or a vist from Toronto?

I'm very much with you on this one, foxy. By all means let the US and Canada start their own leagues much as they have in the round ball game. I don't see the need for foreign clubs to infiltrate our league. I'm not over happy at Catalans playing in our league at the expense of clubs like Leigh, Fev and Halifax. Why does expansion of the game (which I'm all for) have to include foreign nations in a domestic league, and why don't New York and Toronto apply to join the NRL?? The answer is that they wouldn't have them!!!

Be careful re: Away support comment. You will have the Rhino expansionist group here telling us how we
shouldn't rely on away support blah blah blah

That's an interesting use of language; your flat cap must be chafing!

I'm fully in favour of SL supporting the development of new league structures in other countries - we should be mature and established enough by now to be able to do that - but as stated previously, I don't think that should be at the expense of existing clubs. I don't count Catalans in that by the way - they've earned their place and for me, stinky season aside, they add value to SL in their own right.

It will certainly do no harm, if a North American league takes off, for ESL to be their new BFF's, because it has the potential to be way more successful and powerful than SL ever could be, purely on the basis of scale. It's a longer term project of course, and that requires vision and patience.

Sadly Bren, the game has supporters who want to maintain a "local" M62 league. Forget New York, they wouldn't want to travel to Edinburgh, Bristol or Exeter for example.
Such a big shame we could not make Ireland work for us, North or South. Canada is on my bucket list thank goodness!
The NFL is massive and they run budgets based on home support due to the size of USA. Even though the game may be sheiite to us, there is still a massive atmosphere on match day.
RFL needs new visionaries looking at marketing us in a better way, then again, we all know this and all agree on this.
Image is massive.
Fat Nigel and the Invisible man looked embarrassing at the G.F.

That's an interesting use of language; your flat cap must be chafing!

Dictionary definintion of the word "Infiltrate", Bren : "To enter or gain access to an organisation or place surreptitiously and gradually". I have a distinction in GCE English and have NEVER worn a flat cap!!!!



I even followed Trinity to Kent Invicta, Southend etc back in the day, but d,
But seriously, I have no objection to expansion in this country or abroad. I even followed Trinity to Kent Invicta and Southend back in the day, but would just prefer countries to nurture their own leagues.

A bit of terrible typing editing there, I think!!