Been a few snippets of expansionist positivity this weekend; wins for London (OK, against lower level opposition) and Toulouse, great opening effort from Toronto and rumours of a potential application to the third tier by a Florida based team in the next few years. Wonder whether in 5 years the SL will still be M62 + Catalans, or whether somehow this paradigm will be broken..

The only way to compete with RU is this route imo. As cruel as to is, RL needs money and needs to grow and a trans Atlantic is the way forward imo.

6 or 7 big teams in the UK, 2 from France and 2 or 3 from Canada USA.

I agree FWIW. Making it happen is so challenging, but the prospect of contraction/stagnation isn't appealing. Somehow the spark of that night of Paris v Sheffield needs to be recaptured.

Well having seen this afternoon how far Toronto have come in a few months and the sponsorship deal they have done with an airline plus listening to Eric Perez their CEO talk about their plans, it is all becoming real and I can see them doing well. The great thing is everything including finance in place is phased over three years. in fact I think if the RL had grown some and put them in Bradford's place in the Championship they would have worried a lot of teams. If it works and I think at present it might, I can see the Florida thing happening and Toulousse coming through as well.

However I fear that if the big blue print comes to pass then it will be curtains for a lot of traditional clubs who have struggled year on year and the game could become unrecognisable. Or like so many other attempts in the past it could just collapse on the rocks of distance lack of progress and the amateurish way we organise the game. But I think that something has to happen to the game because it is now largely dependant on TV money and we desperately need new audiences. its an interesting one though isn't it?

Sorry, but what's the big attraction in playing 5 teams from France/Canada/USA ?

Look at Wakefield. Then look at Toulouse.
Look at East Hull. Then look at Toronto.
Look at Manchester. Then look at Florida.

If that doesn't help, the potential in sponsorship and income increases should help you see. Not to mention expanding the player pool into areas with loads of cast-off athletes with nowhere to go after NFL.

You're living in dream land.
So you'll be making 7 or 8 trips abroad every year? Don't make me laugh.
It's financially unsustainable.

Great interview with Perez in League Express tonight. Passionate man with a plan.

Same, such a shame that multiple ventures in London and Wales haven't taken off.

You want league to survive, grow and be on a par with union? Think big or would rather us moan about low salary cap, attendances, TV money and be a minority sport in the eyes of the media?


To grow big you got to think big, thank God there is someone like perez in our game now and not the chairman who hold us back knowing that they will never get more than 1500 at home games