lampyboy wrote:
I doubt very much it will come as a great surprise to the vast majority of RL fans. Its a shame but you have to question the decision in the first place. With all the best intentions in the world by the owners and R FL it was in my opinion a bridge too far , Logisticaly a night mare . TORONTO received some great headlines and promotion for the sport but they will be well forgoton and sink in to insignificance over the next couple of months.
Surly before any such expansions take place in the future it must involve an area that can
1 sustain at leadt 50% of home grown talent.
2 offer an affordable transport link.
3 prove itself in the lower leagues before entering what should be the sports show piece.
I would go futher and base promotion and relegation over a three season period .
I agree with the decision to allow Toronto into the "Eurpoean" RL pyramid being flawed. Something that Nigel Wood should shoulder most of the blame for.
Getting RL properly established in N . America WOULD have been a major coup but, the logistics, especially for a small sport are and have been quite ridiculous.
There has to be some sympathy for the current Covid situation but, the wheels were already coming off and they were looking nailed on for the wooden spoon.
Perhaps now would be a good time to think about just where the sport is going and what will be best for the long term good of RL (which should have been the case all along)>
Although many dont agree, I think that Catalan, on the whole, add something positive and different to the sport, as would Toulouse if they made it into SL but, there has to be a major re think over the N. American "dream" and if there is going to be RL played over there, "we" need a different plan, I dont think that it can be part of the Championship and / or SL.
Just on the 3 points that you made about homegrown talent, affordable transport and proving themselves in the league structure.
I dont know how ANY new club could achieve those things in the professional arena, especially the 50% homegrown talent.
Would "homegrown" be from the country that they were based in or more directly from within the club itself ?