Possibly more Woe For Toronto

Rest assured it's not Salford although that's where he's living at present

Just another RL tragedy this story, and along with far too many other events makes you wonder, why you bother?

Toronto expect to be booted out. Reading between the lines if they then don’t get allowed central funding that will be the end of them. inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/toronto-wolfpack-super-league-out-2020-season-558314

JJR - a big reason sponsorship is so difficult is because no one is that interested in advertising to relatively small, relatively low income towns within spirting distance of the M62, M6 and A1(M). We need a wider footprint or we will never be financially viable. It’s that simple.

There is undoubtedly more that could be done to grow the game in the heartlands - Invest in grass roots, get more kids playing and watching. But there’s so little money in the game that no one is prepared to share. Toronto not having a share of TV money was always a bad idea but it was the only way the existing clubs would accept them in the RFL and SL

Catalans won the challenge cup a couple of years back and have been a top half of the table team more years than not. Toulouse have been one of the best teams in the championship for years. Why would you want them to both to be reduced to 9s teams?

What is needed is a proper long term strategy that all clubs have to sign up to rather than all the clubs looking after their short term interests and listening to too many fans who think that an approach that worked in the first half of the 20th century is still appropriate now

RUTB I agree with a lot of what you say but all the hurdles with Toronto, which we all know made it to me unfeasible.

RL in the 'heartland' used to be massive. Leigh Oldham Swinton Widnes etc used to draw massive crowds but I agree that greed from one or two clubs and total mis-management from the Lords of RL have all but killed these teams off. And the schools tournaments in most areas have gone.

My view, for what it's worth is, as you identified, keep putting money/ effort into the grass roots...schools, the fringes of the present areas, and new areas in the U.K first. When kids play, friends, families want to watch and it grows. Wales, South West, London, North East are starting to grow and Cumbria has always been there. Money should be spent on Development posts.

With France, yes keep Cat/ Tou in the game but why not work from a 9s tournament upwards to develop RL throughout France and make it self sufficient. It's strange RU have developed schools RU massively and now have a thriving world 7s tournament, with countries like Portugal, USA, Georgia etc all taking part. Italy and now Georgia are not bad internationally.

Sadly we seem to always go for the golden bullet, which seems to always fail. Has Catalan, Toulouse increased sponsorship? I don't think so, in fact they caused financial mayhem when they got to Wembley

Interesting RUTB. I think I prefer developing a firm base as opposed to the Big Bang which, to me, always seems to end like the Toronto story, bad news.
But I think we're both right in one way that we need bright unselfish people spending time drawing up a long term sustainable pls. Is there a plan, I very much doubt it.

Spot on bonita it's not about a choice or having to make one between the two things.

And of all the expansion ideas,clubs and opportunties TWP was the best one for taking the sport forward and now that's gone and there's unlikely to be a chance like that ever again I'm afraid.