A lot of talk on here now regarding Toronto, and expansion etc, but my son gave me some info on RL in North America, and I think this needs a thread of it's own.

I mentioned earlier that I'm all for expansion, but done in the right way. I feel if this happens, theres no reason why it cant be a success without having a negative impact on other clubs.

If a new club is formed, let's say Hemel, a team of experts,employed by the RFL, if there is any, are employed and based in that area, driving marketing, coaching and finance etc, and not move on to the next project until the club they have been working with are stable.

As for teams like Toronto, and given the interest in sport over the pond, and the money they invest in it, would the sport not benefit more with an American SL, the same for some of our European ventures, such as Catalan, Toulouse and the newly formed Belgrade.

You could have a 4 way world club challenge

A list of North American RL teams, not quite sure on standards and facilities, and this is just North America. Add Central and South America

Toronto Wolfpack
New York Knights
Jacksonville Axemen
Atlanta Rhinos
Brooklyn Kings
Central Florida Warriors
Tampa Mayhem
Boston Thirteens
San Diego Legion
Seattle Saracens
New Orleans Gold
Delaware Black Foxes
Utah Warriors
Bucks County Sharks
Washington DC Slayers
Northern Virginia Eagles
Rhode Island Rebellion
White Plains Wombats
Chicago Stockyarders

Food for thought

What an imagination how long did it take to invent that lot, can't wait for the names you've come up with for the rest of the america's

Little Wayne, do you really think I've nothing else to do but make up imaginary rugby teams, really. Just googled one at random www.mayhemrl.com Come back when you've something constructive to say

Little Wayne, do you really think I've nothing else to do but make up imaginary rugby teams, really. Just googled one at random www.mayhemrl.com Come back when you've something constructive to say

Pretty sure they're all real teams. Jacksonville, Boston and Brooklyn are prob the more "well known" of the NA teams.

Peter Lupton was playing for Boston not so long ago.

My thoughts on expansion have always been that it's fine if done in the correct way. You don't expand the game by filling our domestic league with the odd clubs from other countries -even continents!
I'm personally more in favour of starting the game at grass roots level and other countries building their own leagues.
I've said it before, as daft as it seems, what will happen, if one day there are no British clubs in SL?

If you exclude Toronto from your list, the clubs mentioned are all at a pretty low level compared with the "professional" sport in the UK and are probably on a similar level to the French National league, maybe just below it.

It's great that the game is being played over there and surprising that Toronto couldnt "borrow" some of the local players when they started off in League 1.
Unfortunately, I dont know the full politics behind what was there pre Toronto's formation but, surely, an opportunity was missed.

As for Toronto, you have to say congratulations and see what they bring to SL.
You feel that they will spend big and could bring in some proper big name signings (Sonny Bill was muted a couple of months back).
There is a fundamental issue of geography that makes their inclusion bonkers but, for now, we should embrace them and see where it all ends up.
I just hope that there isn't a plan for 4/5 N. American clubs in SL at the expense of some of the current sides, which would be disastrous for the game over here.

They may be pretty low level but a league has to start somewhere Wrencat, sure when we all started in 1895 it was pretty much low level.

As for your last paragraph Wrencat, I fear that's the way it will go, especially with what Brian Mac was saying.

Wakefield Trinity were formed in 1873, just saying like. As for Toronto, it’s early days & I’m personally yet to be convinced about this North American lark.

He’s currently coaching them!

Meanwhile Oldham, Swinton, Workington, Doncaster et al struggle to exist
Expansion??? Not for me I'm afraid.

I'm all for expansion Redscat, but not with teams from overseas.

Let the American sides have their own leagues etc.

If done right and expansion was just nationwide, to me theres no reason why those heartlands clubs cant continue.

You could equally say that those clubs have had a good chance and not made it happen.
Oldham is a good example. Massive industrial area in its time with big factories and lots of young athletic people looking for something to so.
It isn't like that any more.

Doncaster has potential but will take some doing.
None of those listed will bring in any significant crowd or sponsorship.

I think Toronto should be playing in a North America league but unfortunately we need people with money to be attracted to the game. I haven't seen a better idea recently.

I'd love to see York, Newcastle or Sheffield as big city clubs but they just aren't.

To be fair to Oldham here, they were once a big club, with a rich history.

Without putting us down at the same time, they won the league in the 1980s, much more recently than we have

I think if the RL management put the same effort into making our heartland clubs stronger as they have trying to expand the game in foreign parts, perhaps some of our own clubs would have prospered.
What people can't seem to see is that if we're not careful clubs like ours,and the likes of Huddersfield, Hull KR etc will not be in SL.
It will be an international set up with the likes of Brian McDermott spurring it on.
The people with the money are not attracted to our SL they are attracted to one they want to mould and we would be no part of it and sadly neither would I.

If we can't get more than 5k people to watch and other teams can bring 10k, they will always get the place.
Trying to block them coming in is short sited. We'd be better concentrating on making our club and game better so that we are not pushed out.

Agree pt.our own back yard needs more attention, yes our fan base is poor

When? Can’t recall them winning the league. They were always yo yoing Up and down with us.

More like 1880's



They were decent when they had Mick Morgan though.

Existing clubs struggles are nothing to do with expansion. I would also argue the sport has made very little effort in expanding the game, other than let a few stand alone clubs be the trailblazer at their own expense and failing. I don't have an issue with looking to grow the game outside of its origins but it needs a focused and coherent strategy. Sadly this is lacking and the expansions seems to be ad-hoc. Sport is about survival of the fittest and if we are not one of the strong ones we will fall by the wayside. That's not the fault of new clubs but our own.

They had a good team but they weren't champions.
Andy Goodway's era was good in early 80s and DTs era in mid 80s but they went up and down a few times.

Sure they won the league around 1985, Leigh also did around this time too I think

Oldham won the 2nd division in 1987, they haven't won the top league since 1956–57. Leigh won the league in 1982.

I can't do anything to prevent clubs such as Toronto entering SL, I was just theorising as to what is a possibility for such clubs as ours.
I get your point, they are well supported and we aren't.
The same may be said for Barcelona and any other international outfit that joins, so IF we cannot improve our attendances - and it would not be fair on our current owners to suggest no effort has been made, then get ready for the championship, unless of course that/s full of French clubs !

We’ll only really see how well supported they are when they’re losing more games than they’re winning.

Anybody know how many season ticket holders they have?