I get your sentiment on this and whilst I agree that big footy clubs like Utd don't have a given right to success on pitch, they do have claims to wanting a bigger share of the financial pie.

Quite simply you lose a big team and everyone suffers. Take someone like myself who isn't really a footy fan, but I will tune in for the big game i.e Utd Vs Liverpool etc. Casual fans like me that push ratings up by watching the big games drive the £££ on the TV deals with sky.

I know loads of people who aren't RL fans, but they will watch the big matches on a Friday night or over Easter. SL imo can't afford to lose 6 games or so that would be Leeds Vs another top team.

One thing they can't do is change the rules mid season. If Leeds finish bottom they should go down (and it would be funny if nothing else to see Sinfield's face!) but my preference would be we go to 14 teams in 2021. Would be good timing for a potential TV deal.

they bring nothing to away grounds especially in Lancashire their travelling support is awful for a big club

But have the biggest social media following of any rugby league club in the world. It’s not all about away attendances, Leeds do bring a lot to the league, love them or hate them. (I hate them).

who cares about how many social media followers they have really? What do they bring to the league ? Think every one secretly is chuckling at them at the moment they certainly were on wish fm and that was just the saints commentary guys

You are joking? No offence but that’s a very outdated view, in this day and age social media is absolutely huge.

Go have a look at the followings of United, Barcelona, Patriots etc. It’s indicative of the size of the club but also a correlation with how many viewers they bring to the sport. Everyone is hung up on away support but in terms of Sky funding that means nothing in comparison to viewers.

I am outdated !! Social media been there done it don't use it anymore I'm too old

Also with all that social media support where are they every week for Leeds atm? Glory hunters spring to mind

Can't wait for Leeds to finish bottom and see all the excuses from their arrogant fans (not all of their fans), It will be comedy gold, Then the RFL can swoop in and announce they won't be relegated as they are expanding SL to 14 teams. They will be safe I have no doubt but the stigma of finishing bottom and getting saved from relegation will be a gift that keeps on giving for many a season

Could say the same for us. I despise Leeds but I fully respect what they bring to the competition and success they’ve had. I really believe the competition needs Wigan, Saints and Leeds.

For the sensible posters that realise what SL would be like without the Rhinos in it



For the fans that want the Rhinos relegated....Be careful what you wish for

Besides we're not down yet!

I love the rivalries that we have with Wigan,Saints,Warrington,Hull FC etc but I miss most the big derby crowds and games against the Bulls when most of our games had 20,000 fans in the grounds both home and away,and look how worse SL is without the Bulls in it

Unless we get a vastly inflated Sky TV deal next time round which makes the competing clubs totally irrelevant (Which won't happen) then IMO we need the big clubs in SL,If only so you could keep your hatred up of them, like I did when you sent Cas down and I was glad that I could carry on hating Wigan

nON Of the big 4 clubs will ever be relegated, The end

bradford were

They weren't really though where they, Top 4 yes Big 4 no, Bradford where knackered with debt and probably wouldn't exist now if they hadn't been relegated

Bradford were massive in the early years of super league drew great crowds and won plenty of big trophies they definitely were a big club

There where succesfull for a few years, In the 89 years before Super League they won 5 trophies so how can they be a big club?
Having the awesome foursome and creating Bullmania does not a big club maketh, They found out how big they where when they signed Iestyn Harris , They bought their success and paid the price

in the SL era they were the most successful club early on. they had the crowds, team and trophies. They went bust due to Iestyn Harris and how much it cost them. for me the were the big 4 with Leeds, Wigan and Saints at that time and went down

Pi$$ on the SL era bollox that Hemmings and Stevo have tried pushing down everyone's throats, The sport I watch is RL Which existed long before 1996, I'm sick of all the bigging up of clubs as being the most successful when in reality they aren't, In the history of RL NOT SL Bradford are not or never have been a BIG club, For a short time they where a top club but not a big club, A big club would have been able to deal with the aftershock of the Iestyn Harris incident

ah ok so Hunslet, Oldham and Swinton are one of the big 4? They were the best teams

I wouldn't miss them...and it would be a fantastic boost to the championship game.

Only because it would give one of the smaller teams a better chance of winning the league at long , long last .

What do you mean 'smaller team'?
Smaller club?... lessor reputation?... lower fan base?

Leeds would be back in no time, and it wouldn't do too much damage to them in terms of fanbase/what they'll bring to the game. It might even invigorate them with a clean break with what has been all in all a dreadful few years of drift for them.

Undoubtedly bad for the game's appeal to a mass audience, but I wouldn't entertain any ideas of changing the structure to keep them in. Same with a lot the discussions with licencing a few years back, we have to ask some of the fundamental questions about what sport is there for. Fair competition, rewarding success without prejudice. I said the same when we almost got relegated, it would've been a disgrace if it was manufactured that we stayed up just because of our name.

It would be hilarious for a few weeks, bad overall, but ultimately I don't think it will happen anyway. We had quite a bit more than them at headingly the other week, but they had some big physical units which caused us some real problems, even if the quality wasn't there. The likes of Merrin, Hurrell, Singleton, even Cuthbertson will see them over the line in my view, still worry for London over the course of a full season.

Hand on my heart I think I'd prefer a closed shop like the NRL.

The yoyo effect of P&R isn't good for anyone apart from a very small minority of clubs who can handle it. Teams like Leigh, Widnes and Bradford have all heavily suffered because of it (not the only issue they all faced tho).

I'd ideally like to see 12 or 14 teams all playing out of decent modern stadiums, with academies and enough revenue to support a decent & competitive playing squad. The only way to get that imo is by making some tough choices, closing the doors and letting them strengthen. A competitive league that's of a decent standard will increase viewing figures and in turn the revenue generated by it.

I'd agree with this, maybe close it at 14 for now, and say to those outside if they really REALLY want to sit at the top table, they need to take some time to take it seriously, likewise to certain others in SL.

The problem we've had in recent past is teams that were lurking around outside SL promotion were flawed, fev would never have succeeded in SL, whitehaven (going a bit further back)were planning on staying part time if they got promoted.

Start taking your business seriously.(not yours, the royal your)