At least *Something* seems to be happening, just feels like
the game has been in a slow decline for so long.


 


There is a debate to be had on Catalans, I'm very much in
favour of them being in the competition, but they have received significant
investment from the game in terms of TV revenue and its difficult to quantify
financially what they have given in return, there is an argument that a club
that generates 12-14m Euros in revenue could do without the TV money coming
from the UK given the 1,000 of fans that travel over and support the local
economy in Perpignan.  I'm a big fan of Catalan, and further French involvement
in the league, but without a paying French TV contract we need to look at the
financials carefully in terms of what is 'fair'.


 The suggested model seems to be 8 teams from the UK Wire,
Pies, Saints, Leeds, Hull FC, Hull KR, with 2 'others' from Leigh, Wakey, Cas,
Huddersfield, Salford, London, Bradford and two from France, Catalan &
Toulouse presumably.  With the ones missing out playing in a ten team
second tier.  Can't say I'm a fan of a ten team comp, 14 is the ideal
number for me but I accept that there isn't enough money in the game to support
that it seems.  Ultimately we need to provide what the broadcasters will
pay for I guess.


 I'm wary of the NRL coming in if I'm honest, I accept the
way they run the game is FAR better than the RFL ever has, but I'm just
concerned about what we give up and losing any element of control - there would
have to be some form of break clause involved I guess, which would obviously
mean paying back any sort of NRL investment.  Not sure where this leaves
IMG either? We brought them in 18 months ago to turn things around, we're
ripping that up now?
The one thing NRL involvement may bring with it is further investment in clubs from Australian sources I guess...

I don’t believe that at all, how do 35% not want the NRL involved. Was this vote led by Wood and Beaumont. The sport in this country will die if we do nothing, we have been doing nothing for what feels like forever.

The results from the readers of League Express have been voting for what role they would like to see the NRL have in British rugby league.




The NRL to have no role whatsoever in British rugby league – 35.67%
The NRL to take total ownership and control of British rugby league – 25.80%
The NRL to replace IMG as a consultant to the British game – 15.30%
The NRL to invest money into British rugby league but not to exclusively manage it – 13.28%
The NRL to manage the British game but not own it – 0.94%



The NRL involvement may be our last chance saloon to maintain a fully professional league. I suspect the vote was hammered by Cas, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Salford fans. 

Well that’s 20 fans accounted for

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cqxee1v7d53o

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cqxee1v7d53o

Hope this is another stepping stone towards NRL involvement with us.