Evxcolt

[Excolt 1]

Four clubs voted against the North American bids. Widnes and Leigh maybe because it would hinder their hopes of promotion. Hornets and Hunslet are the other two. I would like to know Hornets thinking on this. 

[DiddyDave]

Why?

[The Lad]

Its an interesting time for rugby league and it needs to be handled right. The expansion  idea has been done before with differing success, Catalan dragons and London broncos have show it can work although without any substantial silverware for long periods. But Toulouse Olympique,  Paris Saint-Germain and Crusaders have failed for various reasons. 

Toronto Wolfpack have proven that they can be a successful team on the field racking up big wins and not really having any competition until they play full time opposition. And off the field they have made good deals with TV and seem to market themselves really well and that is something that all clubs could learn from. If the two north american clubs can do the same and build the fan base and make TV deals then thats all good.

The problems come when you add all the other clubs in the league, we have no TV deal and we wont be getting one anytime soon, it seems that all the attention is put on these expansion clubs and not on existing teams that maybe having problems, also the Wolfpack have had no real competition, the only losses come with super league teams, what happens if they go up and don't do well?, will that fanbase stay?. i don't think rugby league needs another Catalan or London, teams that have become stagnant or yo-yo, let alone three so these north american clubs will have huge pressure to do well. What happens if they don't go up?.

Also there is the debate on where to place them, do we let them start in super league or league one or championship?. League one will be to easy and  super league will be to hard so championship seems the best option, but if a team can just come into the league and pick where to go that is disrespectful to the the league and will change an already ever-changing league structure.

Another problem is fixtures, Wolfpack have had to have all away games and then all home games because of the weather but that is an advantage so this year they have more of a list like ours but they still play their "home" games in London or hull that is not a home game, they are not fulfilling their obligations, the new clubs must have an indoor pitch that can be used for games too cold to be played outside.

Player availability is another problem, Wolfpack have not added to the player base they have weakend it by stretching an already thin playing pool across an ocean. They said they would be bringing in Canadian players where are they?, they said there was already a pool in Canada where are they?. The new teams have to be bringing talent over, apparently this is one of the reasons why Eric Perez left Wolfpack.

There is no easy answer to the question as a fan more fans are a good thing, more money is a good thing, more TV deals are a good thing, but these things have to work for all and a team can not just say we bring a TV deal and get in they have to be more than that.  

[Heywood Tiger]

The game is dying in the heartlands, how many amateur sides used to play in Rochdale? How many are there now? Even Mayfield are struggling to field an A side. How many pro/semi pro clubs have gone into administration or are struggling financially? Bringing new logistical costs and implications to these clubs plus home fixtures with no travelling fans is ridiculous.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I don't know what " Hornets thinking " was but my thinking is how will the admittance of New York and Ottawa benefit my club ? I'm struggling to see the positives in this. Two costly journeys to North America for part time players to make and just the players wives and families in attendance for the home games.

[Anita Bath]

If they are going to introduce new teams from other countries there needs to be a salary cap, based on part time playing staff, that produces a level playing field. Toronto entered with oodles of dough and full time players playing against part timers who stuggled to get time off work, adjust to time difference and meet the fitness standards of FT wolfpack.

 

Also any team entering from another country should be required to guarantee no opposition player will be prevented  from playing through the failure to be granted a visa. The Canadian immigration authorities have in effect been influencing player selection of the wofpacks opposition. They need only issue temporary visas for the period of a matter of days or if not be required to play the game in UK.

 

If we think getting players visas has been problematic for Toronto games, just think what it will be like satisfying Trumps immigration standards. You can forget selecting anyone with links to muslim countries, or mexico.

 

Like so often in thepast the tail is wagging the dog