Yep, Widnes's stronger financial position has bugger all to do with franchising and everything to do with going bankrupt, having the slate wiped clean and getting cheaper deals out of all their previous partners/stakeholders etc.



Widnes, I WILL remind you, was one of the clubs earmarked for EXCLUSION from SL (the original plan from SLE was a "merged" Mersey Outfit, probably called St Helens).



So PLEASE, can you all STOP pointing at Widnes as your shining example of how well FRANCHISING works. They are an example of how clever people, thinking on their feet can wipe out debt and screw better deals out of Landlords/suppliers etc. Well done to them, I think it's great but is NOT an example of "franchising" success!!!!!!!!

Strange comment this, how can the village mentality of the fans kill pro RL? Doesn't matter what the views of the fans are, they have very little influence over Super League and RFL. Even if a fan is completely against expansion, they would still turn up and support their team if Catalan are in town. Or is it the village mentality of some fans and owners that are preventing fans from London turning up to watch their team? I would say its more the RFL's fault of not being able to implement a plan to expand the game that actually works. Fast tracking teams from Non RL heartlands to SL didn't work, franchising didn't work because it wasn't implemented properly. If Cats and London finish in the bottom two this year the only people to blame are the owners of those clubs and possibly the RFL. Village mentality of fans from other clubs is irrelevant.

I'm definitely in the 'if they're the bottom two, they go down' camp. However, although I think that the Catalans could make it back, I doubt if the Broncos would. I've never really believed that there's a market for top level RL in London, regardless of whatever might be spent on marketing (shut up, Fluttergax!) and it would probably be better for there to be two French teams in the top flight.

If Catalans did go down, where would they go down to?



Could the UK part time clubs in the lower division actually afford to have a French team in their league?

Good question. Could they also afford to have London in their league?

Widnes themselves argue they are an example of how franchising works. Im not sure 20 year old plans that never even came to fruition are much argument against that.

yeah, going bust the day after losing the Grand Final was just a complete coincidence

I'd worry about your own "super franchised" competition instead if I were you.



[uNRL Total Attendances Round 1 & Averages[/u

=#FF00002014: 126,590/8 = 15,823 =#FF0000<----------------------



2013: 158,678/8 = 19,834

2012: 149,888/8 = 18,736

2011: 201,205/8 = 25,150

2010: 165,554/8 = 20,694

2009: 168,483/8 = 21,060

2008: 183,627/8 = 22,953

2007: 185,051/8 = 23,131

2006: 161,353/8 = 20,169

2005: 159,614/8 = 19,951

2004: 138,214/7 = 19,744

2003: 123,405/7 = 17,629

I think the opposite. There's a massive market for RL in London because there's a massive market for sport in London, and particularly a market for new or 'event' sports as the Olympics have shown. However, it will take an owner who understands marketing and a governing body with a long term view who want to invest in it. You only have to look at the impact the NFL, or even major RU games at Wembley have in the City at drawing attention (and corporate sponsorship).



The problem with RL in London is there's been no ambition shown. Why the RFL aren't either taking Magic Weekend or a nines tournament to the Olympic Stadium, or working with the Broncos to take a double header there of teams that non RL fans will recognise (Broncs vs Leeds, Wigan vs Saints for example), to get in there before RU and create another showpiece to draw the attention of corporates (in addition to the Challenge Cup Final) is beyond me.



Unless RL cracks London it will not crack the media or sponsorship, and what pains me is that the RFL are no where near doing the things that are needed to come close.

It's a great idea to throw away years of investment on the roll of the dice of one poor season. Hopefully the refs will "favour" the dragons enough to see them safe and the development of the game in France not pished away.

Don't know if anyone saw BBC2's Mind the Gap: London vs the Rest? Worth a watch on iplayer, especially the bit at the end about the potential super city of Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds combined.

Less Groupon, Wowcher and BOGOF cheap ticket offers?