GCBRONCO
International Captain
- Mar 4, 2008
- 22,242
- 20,567
https://www.sportingnews.com/au/lea...itchie-rugby-league/g3zusaq3q2wl1t67v67a2phms
Rugby league is a constantly evolving and expanding game - and now the world's most famous city, New York, is setting their sights on the Super League by the 2023 season.
A team from the 'Big Apple' are set to join England's third division competition (League 1) in 2021 - meaning they could realistically be in the top flight by 2023. According to senior journalist Dean 'Bulldog' Ritchie on Tuesday morning's Big Sports Breakfast, the reality is starting to set in.
They’ve got all their ducks in a row at the moment - money, home ground, sponsors – and I think by Christmas the RFL will formally approve New York for 2021," he said.
"This gives them a year. There is no definitive answer, but considering what they did with Toronto and Toulouse it would be into League 1.
"The budget compared to other sides in that division would be big, so you’d think they would go through that fairly well, go into the championship and within three years they could be in the Super League.
"This is not a pie in the sky anymore – this is real, it is happening and is going to change the face of rugby league."
The success of the Toronto Wolfpack has been sensational - and in 2020 they will join the Super League and become a force to be reckoned with.
Ritchie also explained that while the New York franchise won't be going after a Cameron Munster or Kalyn Ponga-level player just yet, they do have cash to splash.
“What they said to me yesterday was that if they are in League 1, they aren’t going to offer $1 million to a marquee player because the division is too low," he said.
"An elite player would get bored – but when they go higher and higher, perhaps into the Super League – they are claiming they would have $1 million a year to spend on a marquee player and a face of the franchise to attract crowds.
"They will look at players towards the end of their careers. Some names in the paper today included the Morris brothers, Darius Boyd, Kieran Foran, Benji Marshall – people in that ilk.
"It has been ridiculous the amount of enquiries we have had from players and officials to go to New York."
Rugby league is a constantly evolving and expanding game - and now the world's most famous city, New York, is setting their sights on the Super League by the 2023 season.
A team from the 'Big Apple' are set to join England's third division competition (League 1) in 2021 - meaning they could realistically be in the top flight by 2023. According to senior journalist Dean 'Bulldog' Ritchie on Tuesday morning's Big Sports Breakfast, the reality is starting to set in.
They’ve got all their ducks in a row at the moment - money, home ground, sponsors – and I think by Christmas the RFL will formally approve New York for 2021," he said.
"This gives them a year. There is no definitive answer, but considering what they did with Toronto and Toulouse it would be into League 1.
"The budget compared to other sides in that division would be big, so you’d think they would go through that fairly well, go into the championship and within three years they could be in the Super League.
"This is not a pie in the sky anymore – this is real, it is happening and is going to change the face of rugby league."
The success of the Toronto Wolfpack has been sensational - and in 2020 they will join the Super League and become a force to be reckoned with.
Ritchie also explained that while the New York franchise won't be going after a Cameron Munster or Kalyn Ponga-level player just yet, they do have cash to splash.
“What they said to me yesterday was that if they are in League 1, they aren’t going to offer $1 million to a marquee player because the division is too low," he said.
"An elite player would get bored – but when they go higher and higher, perhaps into the Super League – they are claiming they would have $1 million a year to spend on a marquee player and a face of the franchise to attract crowds.
"They will look at players towards the end of their careers. Some names in the paper today included the Morris brothers, Darius Boyd, Kieran Foran, Benji Marshall – people in that ilk.
"It has been ridiculous the amount of enquiries we have had from players and officials to go to New York."
