What sized economic margin are we talking when comparing the income from the magic weekend and, say, an 8th-place play off qualification?

I still think its a development event. After all there are no Rugby League clubs in the city of Manchester.



This is a polite request for someone to fall into my trap.

[urlhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/11/12/01/RUGBYL_Northampton.html&BID=480[/url



this is what is going on to expand outside the heartland, one step at a time, but lets hope that there are away games at Coventry, Northampton, Bristol etc in the not too distant future.

Be very careful what you wish for

I didnt say winning away games, one step at a time with both developments, the Bulls and the game. On the Bulls, fighting talk from Platt and Donaldson in the T&A today, so I wish that it turns into good games for them both this season.

This year CC1 consists of Doncaster,Rochdale,Oldham,Gateshead,South Wales,North Wales,London Skolars,Barrow,Whitehaven and Workington. That's one hell of a lot of travel fore a semi pro league. The top four teams will be promoted to the Championship at the end of this season to make way for four expansion teams, the first of which being Northampton. For the unlucky northern team who does not make the 'four' this is virtually a death sentence. They will be left in what amounts to an amatuer league, with huge travelling commitments and also have the added benefit of zero away support at their home games.

Not much difference from the semi-pro blue square north football league which has similar away trips and similar attendances.

No it isn't. Workington to London? Whitehaven to South Wales? Add to the list four more back of beyond places for 2013. Can you imagine the expense involved following a CC1 team from 2013 onwards? But as usual if the RFL deems it is 'for the good of the game' then the loyal fans of existing CC1 teams will just have to lump it.

You could always move to Toulouse . . .

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the soccer people have north and south versions of their 'conference' leagues, which I'd think would be the equivalent, in the sense that they are part-time, of the championship teams. Difficulty for RL would probably be the lack of clubs to make up two regional divisions. It's big price for the Championship teams to pay though.

Workington to Bishop's Stortford, Blyth to Gloucester.. its not far off. Though Bishop's Stortford are in there because of an administrative mess up, Gloucester genuinely are in the northern part of football at that level.



I wouldn't call Northampton the back of beyond either, can't get much more central than that in England!

I don't see how they cant have a northern conference and southern conference could pave way for more teams to join, or RU teams forming RL teams as the competition for places wont be as fierce.



Then the winners of each division have a playoff and they winner of that goes into the championship. Have a money prize depending upon where they finish in the league would be more appetizing for amateur teams to compete.



I also have a sneaking suspicion that the ticket prices will increase now it is going to be in Manchester only due to the face fair amounts of the support wont have to fork out for accommodation.