Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:26 am  

1315trinity wrote:

,

The worlds going mad.
Unless.......there was scope somehow for a SL1 and SL2 involving some of these impostor clubs, and bringing in the likes of Halifax, Leigh, Featherstone and Bradford into the fold.....No, now I'm getting carried away.

SL1 & 2 is just SL and Championship with a different name - all of the interest would still be in SL, just as it is now.
If there was SERIOUS commitment to generate interest and have junior development etc, etc, it could be a goer.

However, if this is just replacing UK based clubs with a N. American club - in name only then, what the hell are we doing.
Toronto can only play 3/4 of their home fixtures at home and Ottawa is further north than Toronto

The logistics and costs of going over there, even if paid for by the new club, are just prohibitive - not to mention the issues surrounding part time players needing to take increasing amounts of time off work to travel etc

It's certainly a world away from the "northern union", although some of the sports mad investors over there have way more money to throw at these things than even the wealthiest of the British clubs.

The million dollar question here is still the TV deal next season which, you do worry, may be significantly less than the current deal.

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:27 am  

Halifax, Leigh,Featherstone sounds a better idea .than USA, and clubs from Canada

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:33 am  

My wife’s observation is that clubs such as Wakefield are signing their own death warrant , and that the newcomers will be a ‘flash in the pan’, leading to less viable clubs. That is an observation from someone with zero interest in RL, and just looking at the practicalities of it.

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:39 am  

Your wife would appear to be more astute than some of the "powers-that-be" at RFL HQ

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 11:46 am  

alegend wrote:

Getting fed up of the R L waisting £ on Canada They are giving them so many advantages ,beside the one when they play at home ,were teams will have to travel thousands of miles in a week play over there then be ask to play a week later again or maybe less. Why are they on the TV every week .And if they are going to charge 30 £ to watch them at York ,I think it's disgusting .Get the money pumped into the game over here A SL team from Barrow, Whitehaven ,Ext .Would be a start

What money, its not the RFL money thats being pumped into Canada, Ottawa and Toronto are privately funded teams.

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:08 pm  

FIL wrote:

Your wife would appear to be more astute than some of the "powers-that-be" at RFL HQ

I suppose the RFL are between a rock and a hard place.

You have someone with money saying to the RFL, "we will invest in your game, provide a window into north america. We will fund it properly. Can we join League One and earn our way to the top flight?'

If the RFL say, "no, because you are in North America, it just isn't practical, or may hurt heartland teams," an opportunity to grow the game to a new audience dies, a new audience with money.

If the aim of the RFL is to promote the game and spread it, it is almost impossible to say no, because that is exactly what they are being offered.

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:15 pm  

FIL wrote:

Your wife would appear to be more astute than some of the "powers-that-be" at RFL HQ

TBH though FIL, and no offence to thebeagles missus, that wouldn't be difficult.......
A blind man on a galloping horse could see it......

Re: Ottawa aces : Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:55 pm  

So, for some the plan would be to tell all overseas millionaires/ billionaires with an interest of developing the game to b*gger off while we look after our own self interest. Stay as we are and develop the heartlands. How has that gone in the last 125 years then? As I said, Newcastle show the way ahead. Just because Sheffield are in Yorkshire doesn't make them a good example, the amateur game around there is not massive and does not seem to have expanded much down the years. The New York backer is an RFL fan by the way.
It seems that a pivotal factor is the new t.v. deal and reading between the lines, it will be reduced. People can't get their heads around Toronto and Ottawa being self funded or just prefer not to listen.
Seems to me an international league will develop at some point with a couple of U.K. clubs joining the party and two,or maybe three championship sides moving up to S.L.
Hard to believe though with all our feelings towards the RFL that there is a grand plan though!!

As a fan though, my main hope is that we don't get Toronto off to their winning ways!!