Ottawa will not enter the British league structure next year, TotalRL understands.
Founder Eric Perez met with senior figures at Red Hall last week in an attempt to thrash out the final issues that prevented them from joining the league setup next season.
However, it’s believed a resolution was not found, and as a result, the Canadian club will instead enter the league structure in 2021.
It’s thought discussions will continue to take place moving forward, but with no resolution in sight, it has made entry next year unfeasible.
Perez attended the recent Championship & League 1 meeting in Doncaster, where it was suggested they had one final hurdle to clear.
While Ottawa aren’t thought to have assembled a squad, TotalRL understands they had secured the services of a coach well-known in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s uncertain whether their delay will put that agreement in jeopardy.
It means two new North America franchises are set to enter the league structure at the same time, with New York also preparing for their arrival in 2021.
