What do you want to see in the world of rugby league in your lifetime?

[obelix]

Don't see Treviso in anyone's lists :shock:

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

London II and Paris are highest priorities for expansion of rugby league for several reasons.


London needs two teams because:

(i) Two London teams guarantees that there can always be a game on in London each weekend. The two clubs will share a portion of spectators in common, who will relish the regularity of the weekend experience of rugby league.

(ii) with two London teams there can be a local derby;

(iii) London is the centre of national media, which will give the game more attention if it includes two London clubs;

(iv) London is the centre of political power and much of the nation's wealth; this is very important for increasing sponsorship;

(v) London contains a large youth population, especially immigrants and their families, not able to or else not interested to play soccer



Paris needs a team soon because:

(i) All the national media is centralised in Paris; as of now the national media can ignore the game played only in a southern enclave of France;

(ii) Much of the wealth and all of the political prestige is in Paris; this is crucial for sponsorship;

(iii) There is a huge class of unemployed and underemployed young immigrants and their children, living in the banlieus (outer suburbs) of Paris, who can provide a massive player pool;

(iv) National credibility for a sport requires a team in the national capital.


A growing sport must first establish a solid foundation in its region of existing strength. But once that is achieved, in medium sized unitary states like the UK and France the sport's developers must move quickly to create a strong presence in the national capital.

 

[bowes]

The most important thing is to have teams where it is sustainable.

RU didn't lose any profile the year there weren't any London top flight teams, what matters is a national spread.

England is SO much more than M62+London, just putting every expansion team here in London wouldn't work, especially as both sports struggle there. In your list you have 3 London teams before any midlands teams which would be stupid, a 2nd London team is probably similar priority to a midlands team, but a 3rd one would be a long way behind. Also think there's too strong a French bias in your list, that many teams won't be sustainable, at least before some described as later. Also not sure why Bordeaux would be higher priority than Coventry/Birmingham

 

[teamGB]

i think we need to get a cumbrian team in asap! they are probably the 3rd largest rugby league area (after yorks n lancs) and a superleague team up there would do the world of good. the only problem is gettin whitehaven workington and barrow border raiders to either merge or agree on who is to go into super league!

 

[teamGB]

so, ideally i would want....

2009
Wigan
Saints (with a new stadium)
Bradford
Leeds
Quins
HullFC
HullHR (with a new stadium)
Salford
Warrington
Catalans
Huddersfield
Castleford (with a new stadium)
TOULOUSE
CELTIC CRUSADERS

Then, 3 franchises awarded every two years. The possible franchises would have had to aplly 2 years previous and be getting ready, like catalans had to. these would go hopefully to

2011
Cumbria
Leicster
Sheffield


2013
2nd London,
Dublin
Edinburgh

2015
Bristol
Paris
Cornwall

etc etc

At the same time things should be done to strengthen the french domestic leagues, and when they are strong enough begin Super League France, taking out Catalans, Toulouse and Paris. these will be replaced by three new British franchises.

I dont really like the idea of one league for all of europe. i would prefer strong leagues in each country!

I like the idea of the national leagues sides playing the french teams at the end of the yr. we could have a 12 team national league 1 and 12 team nl2. the top 6 of nl1 could play top 6 of french in european cup, bottom 6 of nl1 play bottom 6 of nl1 play bottom 6 of french league in plate. something similar could be set up for national league two teams against russian/italian/german/whatever teams. give these teams a reason to live!!

 

[bowes]

i think we need to get a cumbrian team in asap! they are probably the 3rd largest rugby league area (after yorks n lancs) and a superleague team up there would do the world of good. the only problem is gettin whitehaven workington and barrow border raiders to either merge or agree on who is to go into super league!

Barrow is out of the question as it is a long way away from Whitehaven and Workington, but those two merged would be a possibility, neither on their own would be worth considering.

 

[teamGB]

50 odd miles?? an hour in the car?? i travel more than that a week for superleague. if we could get a combined cumbria team, with whitehaven, barrow and workington feeding into them, i think we could be onto a winner!

 

[Kurt Angle]

50 miles :lol:

I know of Townsville fans who will travel to Brisbane for every Cowboys @ Lang Park game...

 

[Thomas]

50 miles :lol:

I know of Townsville fans who will travel to Brisbane for every Cowboys @ Lang Park game...

I work with a girl who travels from Brisbane to Townsville for nearly every Cowboys home game.

For those not in the know, thats around 900 miles or so.

 

[teamGB]

thats what im aying. cumbria need a superleague team. there are three semi pro teams up there. 2 eams very close together, and one team around 50 miles south. heres feirce rivalry but, for a chance for top quality rl, it would be worth it in my opinoin.

 

[bowes]

Yeah but noone from Barrow would want anything to do with a team based on West Cumbria. In the UK 50 miles is seen as a lot further for most people than it is for Australians, far too far to associate with a team from that far away, unless you're from there originally or a glory supporter, and also Barrow is a Lancashire town so there isn't the joint identity

 

[teamGB]

oh, i always thought barrow was in cumbria.... shame. anyway, whitehaven n workington should pool resources. stuff barrow!!!! haah

 

[nadera78]

Barrovians still like to think of themselves as in Lancashire, not cumbria, so there is no chance of them joining the other two in a merged entity. Having said that, there is very little chance of getting worky and haven to come together, they just don't like each other. Would be interesting if they did, but it's unlikely.

 

[deluded pom?]

If we are merging teams within a 50 miles radius imagine the superpower you'd have in west Yorkshire/east Lancashire. A pity it would wipe out about 12 teams though.

 

[teamGB]

we should make scum helens re locate to cumbria....