Re: New York : Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:21 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

THe solution to the North American clubs wanting to play RL and promote the game in a new country is to help them get the game off the ground and if necessary, temporarily, increase SL to allow this to happen, with a long term view for the game to stand alone in a North American League or, something along those lines.
It should not be as a direct detriment to the "domestic" game.
So, why not ad one or two new clubs to SL, it doesn't seem that difficult but, there MUST be additional revenue, from either TV or other external sponsorship, to make it worthwhile for everyone, if not, we are burdening all SL clubs with additional cost and with nothing in return.
Of course there are significant logistical issues, especially at the end of the season with play offs etc.
However, IF RL could establish itself in Canada and/or the US, it could be huge for the game, huge and let's face it, RL could do with a boost.
The key is not to move forward with the "experiment" for free, there has to be some significant financial benefit to the game and not just crossed fingers.

Great post with many good points,
A proper league in the states can do nothing but good for the game, if we needed to help nurture that by having a couple of teams in the league I would be all for it, as longs as it was adding them and not at the expense oh heart land teams

The talent pool and sponsorship over there could be almost endless which would benefit us as well as America, we need to embrace this

Our sport really deserves a break, maybe this is what we have all being waiting for

Re: New York : Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:22 am  

musson wrote:

Great post with many good points,
A proper league in the states can do nothing but good for the game, if we needed to help nurture that by having a couple of teams in the league I would be all for it, as longs as it was adding them and not at the expense oh heart land teams

The talent pool and sponsorship over there could be almost endless which would benefit us as well as America, we need to embrace this

Our sport really deserves a break, maybe this is what we have all being waiting for

My position exactly; if we can support the development of a genuine North American league, we should - and if that means fast-tracking some teams into SL, why wouldn't we do that - provided it's *in addition* to existing clubs rather than instead of?

Re: New York : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:07 pm  

bren2k wrote:

My position exactly; if we can support the development of a genuine North American league, we should - and if that means fast-tracking some teams into SL, why wouldn't we do that - provided it's *in addition* to existing clubs rather than instead of?

I couldn't agree more! Is this expansion or a takeover? Some people need to be careful what they wish as if this does take off, my small town mentality has a real bad feeling.

Re: New York : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:34 pm  

Lockers700 wrote:

I couldn't agree more! Is this expansion or a takeover?

Would that be such a bad thing? This Perez guy has vision, resources and a strategic eye; all of which appear to be lacking aboard the Red Hall gravy train...

Re: New York : Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:49 pm  

bren2k wrote:

Would that be such a bad thing? This Perez guy has vision, resources and a strategic eye; all of which appear to be lacking aboard the Red Hall gravy train...

Vision, resources and a strategic eye just aren't lacking at Red Hall, they IMO non-existent! If it took off with the number of North American teams suggested plus Toulouse, you'd have to look at a two tier SL, but that would be offset as quoted by an increase in TV revenue.

I just can't get a Maurice Lindsey quote out of my head from 1995, 'of course there is a place for Wakefield v Featherstone, just at the appropriate level!'

Re: New York : Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:31 am  

Lockers700 wrote:

I couldn't agree more! Is this expansion or a takeover? Some people need to be careful what they wish as if this does take off, my small town mentality has a real bad feeling.

Exactly my fear. I’m certain the goal is a largely franchised based, two-tier superleague of around 10 teams each by the end of the next tv deal. I’d bet the grand plan doesn’t have us at the top table.

Re: New York : Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:05 am  

Sacred Cow wrote:

Exactly my fear. I’m certain the goal is a largely franchised based, two-tier superleague of around 10 teams each by the end of the next tv deal. I’d bet the grand plan doesn’t have us at the top table.

It would be interesting to know whether a Super League consisting of say, Leeds, Wigan, Saints, Warrington, Hull plus Catalan, Toulouse, Toronto, New York and Boston (or whoever) would have the "draw" that some in the game think it should and what would happen to the rest AND what the longer term plan would be.
Personally, while I@m in favour of expansion and "helping" the game break new ground, I dont see how a league made up of the above, or similar, would work.

Even in football, which is light years ahead of RL in every department, would struggle with such a diverse competition.

Although it would be superb for RL to actually succeed in somewhere new, it really does need some though to get this right.

Part of supporting your club is being able to watch them play as often as possible (every game would be the primary option)). However, if the season was 24 games, with 5 or 6 opposition clubs bringing 0 fans and it not being possible to make half of the away games, fans would find something else to do with their time.

THere is a really delicate balance to be done here and it is imperative that the domestic game is not wrecked by chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Re: New York : Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:56 am  

The expansion things been on the agenda for donkeys The RFL got taken years ago by a guy in the states wanting to build his own comp.
The Rfl don't have a clue how to develop the game in Wales Scotland , the Midlands or the north east I think we can still sleep at night while any development remains in the hands of that organisation.
I can however see mergers back on the agenda in the not too distant.

Re: New York : Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:03 am  

lampyboy wrote:

The expansion things been on the agenda for donkeys The RFL got taken years ago by a guy in the states wanting to build his own comp.
The Rfl don't have a clue how to develop the game in Wales Scotland , the Midlands or the north east I think we can still sleep at night while any development remains in the hands of that organisation.
I can however see mergers back on the agenda in the not too distant.

Think he was called Mike Meyer or something like that.

Re: New York : Wed Oct 11, 2017 11:18 am  

The RFL need to go learn some lessons from the RFU... lots of support for grassroot clubs, lots of work done on ways to get people engaged with the game. Yes they have show piece events but at the end of the day they don't neglect to build from the bottom up. To me the RFL seem to concerned with vanity projects that Sky can squak about rather than doing some graft at grassroots level.