SL Franchise Bids list revealed

[Brycey]

The RFL can confirm that the following clubs have made applications to be awarded three year licences to participate the engage Super League in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.

The 19 applicants are listed below in alphabetical order:

Bradford Bulls
Catalans Dragons
Castleford Tigers
Celtic Crusaders
Featherstone Rovers
Halifax RLFC
Huddersfield Giants
Harlequins RL
Hull FC
Hull Kingston Rovers
Leeds Rhinos
Leigh Centurions
Salford City Reds
St Helens
Toulouse Olympique
Warrington Wolves
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Widnes Vikings
Wigan Warriors

Each club's application will now be assessed in detail by the RFL in the next three months.

Clubs will be assessed against the agreed criteria which relate to stadium facilities, playing strength and player development, business performance and marketing and community activity. Each of these areas will be assessed.

Commenting, the RFL Chief Executive Nigel Wood said, "The engage Super League licensing process has already had a tremendously beneficial effect for the whole sport as clubs have undergone their own searching assessments of their organisations in order to make progress and deliver significant improvements."

Wood added, "Licensed clubs who expect to compete in the engage Super League competition will need to demonstrate that they will deliver across all aspects, producing quality teams, containing substantially home produced players in 21st century facilities for supporters to enjoy."

Also commenting, the RFL's In-House Lawyer Rod Findlay added, "We thank all those clubs who have made submissions to us and even an initial overview of applications shows that all clubs have invested a great deal of time and resources in their submissions.

"The RFL will now carry out an exhaustive assessment of each application using the criteria and methods agreed by the clubs during an extensive consultation period. This process will include detailed financial analysis of all clubs business plans and visits to each club to review their stadium and other facilities.

"A final decision on the membership of the engage Super League competition will be made by the RFL Board of Directors and the announcement of the clubs admitted to the competition will be made in July of this year."

 

[Brycey]

In a perfect world:

Bradford Bulls
Catalans Dragons
Castleford Tigers
Celtic Crusaders
Harlequins RL
Hull KR
Hull FC
Leeds Rhinos
St Helens
Tolouse Olympique
Warrington Wolves
Wigan Warriors

 

[dallymessenger]

you left out huddersfield - your dreaming.

the club from the birthplace of RL, new ground, rich backer, average crowds around 8000, they are a shoe in.

it will more than likely be 14 teams so hudds will be there.

salford will probably be there too - new ground, manchester market and bbc moving offices to salford.

wakefield in for cas (close call) - wakey as bigger population but cas new ground is much further advanced than wakeys

 

[Brycey]

Fair enough, take out Castleford and bring in Huddersfield.

This is a great thing for RL. IMO Sydney clubs in the NRL need a shake up like this. Grant 6 licenses to Sydney, watch them all fight it out, others are either forced to relocate or face expulsion.

 

[bartman]

19 into 14 doesn't go and there will be some disappointment. I can't help but feel that some clubs have applied more to register their interest for the future and the next round of franchises more than being a serious proposition this time around.

My prediction: I can't see them dropping any current SL clubs just yet, and Salford are kind of on a par with Castleford and Hull KR for inclusion. That leave one "expansion" spot this time, which I think might go to Toulouse over Celtic Crusaders.

Bradford Bulls
Catalans Dragons
Castleford Tigers
Huddersfield Giants
Harlequins RL
Hull FC
Hull Kingston Rovers
Leeds Rhinos
Salford City Reds
St Helens
Toulouse Olympique
Warrington Wolves
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wigan Warriors

Wakefield, Castleford, Salford and Hull KR all needing to keep an eye over their shoulder in 2012 for:
- Celtic Crusaders (especially)
- Widnes Vikings
- Halifax RLFC
- Leigh Centurions
- Featherstone Rovers

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Surely if they want a bigger tv deal from Sky they'll get Celtic in there asap.

 

[bartman]

I'm not sure the population of Wales outweighs the potential viewers that Toulouse would potentially bring? And there's a risk that opting for Celtic at the expense of a more popular northern club might actually decrease Sky viewership not to mention crowds, until the Crusaders are more established within Wales?

I admire Crusaders for what they've been able to achieve in a few short years, seem a very professional off-field outfit. But I'm not sure of their future stadium plans and I'd be surprised if the current one in Bridgend cuts it for Superleague standards.

 

[nadera78]

About 50% of sky's RL audience lives in the south of England. Bringing in expansion teams won't force the viewing figures down. (the sh*t, half-arsed coverage sky are giving us now might do it though!)

I like Cas, always have done, but I don't think things are looking good for them right now. Just a feeling I'm getting at the minute.
Widnes went bust last year, they're going to need one hell of an application to overcome that. Halifax and Fev are doing it purely so that they can register their interest with the RFL and know exactly what they need to do for 2012. Leigh have got no chance, not after the way they perfomred in 2005, both on and off the pitch.


I can see Salford, Celtic and Toulouse getting in.

 

[dallymessenger]

I'm not sure the population of Wales outweighs the potential viewers that Toulouse would potentially bring? And there's a risk that opting for Celtic at the expense of a more popular northern club might actually decrease Sky viewership not to mention crowds, until the Crusaders are more established within Wales?

I admire Crusaders for what they've been able to achieve in a few short years, seem a very professional off-field outfit. But I'm not sure of their future stadium plans and I'd be surprised if the current one in Bridgend cuts it for Superleague standards.

toulose bring in no viewers to Sky as they dont get shown there, the local company is Canal +.

Sky sports people have said so much in the past - they dont care if there is a french team in SL because it doesnt add to viewers but a welsh club would.

with a backer now with a ground, crusaders would offer sky what they want.

many english fans feel its too early for crusaders and their crowds in NL so far are around 1300. compare this to widnes and salford in the same division who are at 3000 - 5000.

i hope crusaders get in

 

[bartman]

About 50% of sky's RL audience lives in the south of England. Bringing in expansion teams won't force the viewing figures down. (the sh*t, half-arsed coverage sky are giving us now might do it though!)

Fair point N78. I was just thinking that including Celtic won't necessarily boost viewing figures down South or anywhere by much either, if at all.

Fair enough too Dally. But surely the French channel pay RFL/SL for their broadcasting rights as well?

with a backer now with a ground, crusaders would offer sky what they want.

I must've missed this, been offline a fair bit of late... what's Celtic's ground proposal?

 

[dallymessenger]

its the same ground before at brigend.

there has been talk of some games in cardiff and maybe doing up the ground, but it meets on the criteria in franchising in that capacity is > 12,000

 

[deluded pom?]

Sky sports people have said so much in the past - they dont care if there is a french team in SL because it doesnt add to viewers

Then why did Sky insist on the PSG club when SL first began? There must have been some incentive for Sky otherwise why push for their inclusion?

 

[dallymessenger]

Then why did Sky insist on the PSG club when SL first began? There must have been some incentive for Sky otherwise why push for their inclusion?

maybe it was lindsay who wanted them there?

theres a book on SL called 10 seasons in the sun i think it was and vic wakeling from sky made the comment re wales.

 

[Corbin]

Bradford Bulls
Catalans Dragons
Celtic Crusaders
Huddersfield Giants
Harlequins RL
Hull FC
Hull Kingston Rovers
Leeds Rhinos
Salford City Reds
St Helens
Toulouse Olympique
Warrington Wolves
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wigan Warriors

That would be my list for sure. take celtic and toulouse!

 

[deluded pom?]

maybe it was lindsay who wanted them there?

theres a book on SL called 10 seasons in the sun i think it was and vic wakeling from sky made the comment re wales.

I don't think Mo had that much clout with Sky.

 

[dallymessenger]

I don't think Mo had that much clout with Sky.

read it somewhere i think that he was the one pusing the idea of PSG very strongly

 

[The Tank]

Fev & Leigh = No hope in hell!

 

[The Tank]

I just hope either Toulouse or Celtic get in (I don't think both will). At this stage I think Toulouse would have the edge leaving Celtic open for promotion in 2012.

 

[marv]

Leigh = No hope in hell!

Do you not think their new stadium could make a difference?
It looks pretty good, they have never been to far away on the field in NL1 last few years

for what its worth I reckon RFL will go with Celtic and Salford.

My choice would be Salford and Widnes ATM, let Celtic grow in NL1, Toulouse seem to be getting further away every week!

 

[nadera78]

If we're expanding the top level comp I don't quite see the point of simply including another two northern towns. We need to think bigger.
We need someone in the Manchester area, so Salford (with the new stadium, etc) fit the bill. For the sake of international development we need to consider Toulouse.