I wonder if the RFL's masters SKY will allow Catalans to be relegated should they loose to Leigh on Saturday

How many French Sky subscriptions would be lost.

All of their home games are broadcast by a French sports channel, its not Sky.

It's been said that next years format is set, regardless of who goes down.

Well its sport and it happens - teams with decent squads fail all the time for a multitude of reasons. If Catalans go down I'll shed no tears.



It will be a disaster for the RFL master plan though and will leave Championship clubs which are run on a shoestring facing at least one trip to Toulouse, Perpignan and Toronto. I'm sure the clubs will find a way but some part time lads are going to need very understanding employers.

Is that part of the Sky global organisation

If catalans go down then the RFL will have to give some assistance to some of the Championship clubs. 3 'overseas' travels is going to put a massive financial strain on some of them, plus are they all going to be able to have their best sides available to travel? Getting that amount of time off work could be an issue for some

Yep, throw in the lack of away support given Hull KR's promotion and Bradfords relegation to be replaced by Catalans and Toronto along with Toulouse, London and a Cumbrian club in the division and it will be tough on the finances of many.

And good reason to revert back to domestic leagues. If the powers that be want an international league/competition then why not adopt a competition a bit like the football Champions League, the winners of each domestic league then meet in a competition. This means the people who can afford it take part and takes away the strain from the clubs with more limited resource.

I've heard that if they do go down then they will play in the French league, save me some money if they do,not going to watch Dewsbury away

It really would be a pity if Catalans go down, I've always enjoyed our trips to France, but as they say, ce la vie, sheet happens.

Quote Don Fox Fan 1="Don Fox Fan 1"Is that part of the Sky global organisation'" It's Bein Sports that show the games, part of the Bein Media Group who acquired the Al Jezera rights when they decided to dissociate themselves from sport in 2013 https://beinmediagroup.com/the-group/ Nothing to do with BSB murdoch empire

Quote Don Fox Fan 1="Don Fox Fan 1"Is that part of the Sky global organisation'" It's Bein Sports that show the games, part of the Bein Media Group who acquired the Al Jezera rights when they decided to dissociate themselves from sport in 2013 https://beinmediagroup.com/the-group/ Nothing to do with BSB murdoch empire

There must be some collusion between the broadcasters as Sky show some Catalans home games too

Sky have an arrangement to show all Catalans home games.

This x1000. Sadly the idiots at Red Hall and some on the VT want to be seen as "progressive", despite not realising that away fans make up decent income for at least half of SL and the entire championship, away fans that Catalans, Toronto and Toulouse have or will seldom bring.

Although it would be great if France, Canada and the USA could miraculously start up pro RL and have competitive leagues, it will never ever happen.

Personally, I think the Catalan inclusion in SL has been very good for the sport and IF Toulouse were also in the top flight, it would be improved further.

As for Canada/North America, I agree and the logistics of playing there are a step too far.



Fundamentally, it's down to whether you want RL to be played anywhere other than the M62 corridor and 2 provinces in Australia (plus part of NZ).



If you could wave a magic wand, it would be great if RL was played in every major country across the world and we could have a meaningful international fixture program.

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand and it's either expand or die.

It may even be expand and still die or, reverting to a smaller semi pro game, which may still be where we end up.

I do not go to France I disagree with the concept of them being in SL. Sadly the powers that be will reap what they sow if they go down today, basically an International Divisional of mainly semi pro clubs playing below the full time outfits. The people in the RFL should be held to account for this mess. Catalans should be part of a thriving French League, after all they play in the World cup etc, with only 1 pro team its a joke. As for Canada again not for me a complete joke. Time for Red Hall to grow a psir and sort the sport out. Its dwindling on the vine at the moment.

RL is in a catch 22

Without a higher profile it will continue to struggle to gain the kind of Sponsorship/ TV deal that it needs to maintain the sport at the current level.

And, in order to improve its profile it could be risking its pro status and ultimately have to revert to being a semi pro sport.



England (or GB) have struggled to compete with the Aussies for 50 years and we dont look like catching up anytime soon.

A stronger French opposition is seen as one way to help the cause and whilst there has been little improvement in recent years, surely, an increase in full time French players will help and they are just not in a position to have full time players without outside help.

As you infer, we could just say, unlucky and let them play amongst themselves or we could assist by allowing some French clubs to compete in The Championship and SL and rather than the "French clubs taking the place of "heartland" clubs", I believe that they enhance the competition AND lift the profile of the sport. A win/win, unless you are a Leigh fan, of course.

afraid to say but that game was dire, Catalan don't deserve to be in super league, all they bring is a holiday for them that can afford it and bring nothing back, it showed after the final whistle when the ground was silent with the crowd, good on Leigh at least putting some music on in the background or it would of been like a morgue

this desire to bring in money into the game at the expense of others is tunnel vision

I am led to beleive it cost in the region of £30,000 for clubs to go over to play catalans, that money would could be spent on a reasonably good squad player, and like snowie says catalans bring nothing to the table. Alot of clubs will miss the support Leigh bring! money down all around.

Correct. With the difference in away support today's result will cost the Club at least £40,000 but c'est la vie, we had no influence over the result.



Disappointing from a financial point of view but I'd rather spent a weekend in the South of France that Leigh.

Dont think Michael Carter would!

It won't cost the club £40k+, the revenue brought in from the other 11 teams will be fairly comparable to this season as Hull KR have replaced Leigh. Had Catalans gone down then we may have gained a bit of extra revenue, but that's not the same as losing money

What we are talking here is to take a team over to catalan ! You dont just fly 17 players over on easy jet it costs 30,000-40,000 to play over there. Now this is the simple bit ! When we play Leigh away we go by coach say 110 miles tound trip no stop over must cost alot less. Now when we play Leigh at home they probably bring say 500 fans at say £20 per person thats 10,000 now when we play catalans at home if we are lucky they might bring 10 fans thats £200 and you think we are better off without Leigh.

Presumably we would lose a lot more than £30,000 if Catalans weren't in Super League as there would be no French TV deal.

I believe the Academy have to go as well, 40ish players altogether, just the air fares alone start to add up.



It as become common to do it in the day since central funding stopped.