Stade Francais RL?

[jim_57]

Nothing confirmed yet but I found this on a forum elsewhere

By DAVID PARKER

Published: Today
Add a comment (0)
IT could soon be Paris here we come - again!
Max Guazini, the multi-millionaire owner of the Stade de France, and the casino-owning Patouche family want the 13-a-side code back.

The job of returning Super League to the French capital - Paris St Germain lasted three seasons from 1995 - has been handed to Bernard Laporte.

I understand Laporte, the former French Minister of Sport and French rugby union international coach, was in England this week to meet the Rugby League International Board to update them on the project.

Stade Francais, the union team also owned by Guazini, recently pulled in 80,000 for a Top 14 fixture with Toulouse. And Guazini is convinced 'the other code' would be equally successful in Paris - though probably in a newly-built 30,000-40,000 capacity venue.

He and the Patouche family would also entirely fund the new team, which would more than likely be fast-tracked into Super League rather than having to come through the other two divisions.

At the moment the Catalans Dragons receive huge financial assistance from Super League Europe and the English RFL fund Championship club Toulouse as well.

A source close to Laporte said: "A new team is the buzz word in Paris. The money men are convinced they can make a go of it."

Nothing official but alot of rumours seem to be doing the rounds...

 

[adamkungl]

good news...a second pro French team would boost their international standard a lot.

 

[Ari Gold]

Awesome

 

[babyg]

Pretty cool. Could see union players coming to to th league team.

 

[pcpp]

It definitely sounds very exciting but I wouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves...

I mean, Paris got a crowd of 500 in its second year of Super League, I think they got about 4,000 in the test earlier this year and now they're talking about 40,000 for a Super League team.

 

[jim_57]

It definitely sounds very exciting but I wouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves...

I mean, Paris got a crowd of 500 in its second year of Super League, I think they got about 4,000 in the test earlier this year and now they're talking about 40,000 for a Super League team.

They got about 7,000 to the test and I don't think anybody is realistically talking about 40,000 crowds, that was refering to the size of the stadium.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Exciting news.

 

[nadera78]

It's an interesting story, and could potentially be a good move. But I'd add that the two people pushing these rumours - Dave Parker in that article and Albert Rosenfeld on the internet - have a strong track record of making up crap and passing it off as fact.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Better contacts exist on the french forum and apart from the 'interesting meeting' that i have alluded to their is no concrete evidence.

 

[krudmonk]

SF is a pretty lavish brand. That could carry a team a bit, but what is league awareness like there?

 

[SteveM]

There is nothing on their website. SF RU are due a move to their new stadium so why on earth would they want a RL side ?.

Only a few sports sides in the world make a decent profit. I don't think a RL team in Paris would be good financial sense. You just have to look at the crowd for the roos test. Toulouse would be better, but even that is a risk.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

There is nothing on their website. SF RU are due a move to their new stadium so why on earth would they want a RL side ?.

Because SF RL would play in the same stadium in the offseason (NH summer), thus hopefully providing revenu instead of an empty stadium.

Other theories suggest that the team could be used as a SF RU B team to train players for the firsts.:x

 

[aarondoyle]

I reckon a Paris team is a must at some stage. Would prefer to see Toulouse in first though... and knowing business people, they aren't likely to wait around for another set of admissions (if they are indeed interested).

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

It's an interesting story, and could potentially be a good move. But I'd add that the two people pushing these rumours - Dave Parker in that article and Albert Rosenfeld on the internet - have a strong track record of making up crap and passing it off as fact.

Could you enlighten us all with a concrete example? Or is that just a rumour that you picked up on the internet?

 

[RedVee]

So, do you guys relly think it is likely that France could end up with 3 teams (Catalan, Toulouse, Paris) in ESL?
I have my doubts. What about Scotland, Ireland, Italy???

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

So, do you guys relly think it is likely that France could end up with 3 teams (Catalan, Toulouse, Paris) in ESL?
I have my doubts. What about Scotland, Ireland, Italy???

One step at a time mate.

The big opportunity at this time is Paris and Toulouse. Let's see how they go.

The RFL has already asked Scotland and Ireland each to offer a candidate for the Championship.

 

[jim_57]

So, do you guys relly think it is likely that France could end up with 3 teams (Catalan, Toulouse, Paris) in ESL?
I have my doubts. What about Scotland, Ireland, Italy???

France will have 3 SL clubs before either of those 3 have any IMO. Whether that be in 2012, 2015 or beyond. Scotland and Ireland have been rumoured to be having teams entering Championship one but nothing concrete yet. Hopefully they get in by 2012 at the latest but it will be hard to do with this economy. Those two will be looking at 2018 at the earliest for a SL team IMO. It's not even confirmed Italy have a domestic comp so they're a while off. Maybe if a Union club in Padua gets interested but I'd siggest they'd play Elite not Championship it would take a long time before an Italian SL club is a realistic option.

 

[nadera78]

Could you enlighten us all with a concrete example? Or is that just a rumour that you picked up on the internet?

You're the expert in internet runours, infecting every website you visit and being offensive to everyone who disagrees with you.

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

You're the expert in internet runours, infecting every website you visit and being offensive to everyone who disagrees with you.

I'll ask you again:

Could you enlighten us all with a concrete example? Or is that just a rumour that you picked up on the internet?

 

[Teddyboy]

God this talk is like 14 years to late and Paris failed the first time.
I would love to see Rugby League do well in France but i just don't see it.I often wonder where the money comes from to pay for the Dragons.