and? What are you trying to say? HKR couldnt sustain themselves in the top flight and wasnt in it for a very long time. I didnt demand they should be in. They earnt their place, are in now, and flying, as they finally got their sht together and earnt the right to be there.
London, Toronto, Dublin, Newcastle who pays for them? Reality is the central funding isnt enough to pay for 30+ years expansion projects. SL clubs rely on gate takings and sponsors to pay the bills. If you cant get 8-10k+ through the gate and have a healthy local sponsorship support then you are reliant on an owner pouring money in every year forever. Thats the cold hard facts of life in SL. When London, Dublin or Outer Hebrides can manage that then sure come on in.
I think you've summed it up perfectly and highlighted the major flaw in this system.
Gate taking and local sponsors will NEVER EVER grow the game.
It will stay local, funded by locals. If the locals are having a hard time, so do you. Don't perform , don't get the gate, don't get the sponsors- bust.
Of course, you can't all sit top of the table and if it weren't for a good coach and some form players.. it might be kr we are seeing struggling to pay players..and it's just a couple of years and a form slip away from happening to your club...
What we're saying is, grow you reach, grow your audience, grow your television deal! Get a national, if not international presence!
In business, you grow or you die.
You hated Vegas but ask yourself this: we're there people watching outside of the heartland? Did they sell merchandise outside of the heartland? Subscribers?
The NRL are growing beyond QUEENSLAND and NSW .
There was a time it was just NSWRL..think about that.
It's now the biggest Rugby comp on the planet.
You have to grow.
You're right though in a way because the NRL did it also- try to grow too fast.
There needs to be a balance. Like the NRL had to have a team in Melbourne- because if you ignore a city that size, your competition as whole is a joke. Forget about the club itself, Melbourne ran a loss for decades but the comp HAS to HAVE a presence in a city that size to be considered RELEVANT!
Big cities BIG RELEVANCE.
Yes it cost money! Growing a brand cost money.
London is a must.
Toulouse is sustainable if not it marginal.
Become relevant to a larger audience and you won't need to worry about your week to week gate takings.