Talking RL: 'Ottawa, New York, a bright future? I hope they've learned lessons of the past'

Super League’s highest-profile star is playing for Toronto Wolfpack.

The second highest-profile star is playing for Catalans Dragons.

On Monday, we heard Ottawa's bold plans and the following day, New York officials waded in with their American Dreams. The Challenge Cup draw will even take place in the Big Apple next week (and I bet the RFL didn’t struggle to find staff willing to make that trip).

Having ushered Toronto Wolfpack into the British league set-up little more than three years ago, the RFL has now given the green light for a club in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, to join League One next year.

A club in New York is set to join the following season but - start spreading the news - will still be up and functioning in 2021, apparently, with plans to enter the Cup, welcome three NRL clubs and play up to 20 friendlies and exhibition games over several months.

It all sounds rather exciting, doesn’t it?

On the surface. And who, as a rugby league fan, wouldn't want the sport to expand into new markets?

But I just hope lessons, rather painful lessons, have been learned.

Toronto’s rise to Super League has not been without problems and now they have reached the top-flight, they have attempted to claim some of the central funding other clubs receive – despite either the previous assurance, or assumption, they would be self-funded. Talk of negotiating their own TV deal Stateside seems to have gone quiet.

No doubt, they have spent big-dollars – Canadian and Australian – to get to this point.

And for someone who is all for growing the sport, I have to say I like the idea of the Wolfpack.

They’ve brought more to the game than many UK clubs, their recruitment of superstar Sonny Bill Williams has increased the kudos and credibility of Super League and – here’s the bit which gets lost on critics – they haven’t cost the RFL anything.

Those who ask ‘why not invest in Cumbria instead?’ miss the point; Toronto are self-sufficient, relying on the deep pockets of David Argyle and others.

And yet still, I’m cynical.

History has made me this way.

Rugby league’s track record with expansion is woeful.

Catalans wasn’t an expansion club, really, in the sense that rugby league was already there; same as when Auckland Warriors were admitted into the Australian competition.

And I’m old enough to remember the promises and predictions made when Paris, Gateshead and two Celtic ventures – south and north Wales – were in Super League.

Remember, too, the heartache and embarrassment caused when they collapsed.

Trouble is, you dare question if rugby league has done its due diligence and you risk being accused of being an anti-expansion dinosaur who gets a bloodied nose at the prospect of leaving the M62 heartland/hidey-hole.

I took a hammering for raising my suspicions before England’s Test against New Zealand in Denver two years ago, and what happened? The sport was left out of pocket and a plan to stage the 2025 World Cup in America was aborted.

But games in Toronto, Ottawa and New York will cost a lot of money. Who’s funding it? For how long?

What assurances have they had that those bank-rolling the club won’t get bored and withdraw?

Is there a plan? If so, what is it?

Amid the hype, they seem like fair, sensible questions to ask.

New York bid leader Ricky Wilby says the RFL are happy with the due diligence done on the New York investors. But they did due diligence on Bradford, too – and Crusaders, presumably – and so you can see where the cynicism comes from.

Wolfpack coach Brian McDermott, in an excellent podcast on the Super League site, suggested the answer to strengthening the competition doesn't lie with men who run clubs along the M62. And I'm inclined to agree. Which is why I hope these new ventures - and Toronto - succeed.

Ottawa and New York have both done really well to get to this point. And, sincerely, I wish them well.

If they’re self-funded additions to the league structure, then there’s little to lose and a lot to potentially gain.

But still, I’d love to know if this sport has a plan for expansion, or will it just welcome anyone, from anywhere, with money to spend?

And I’d be interested to know Super League’s thoughts on this development... and what Sky Sports would think about having, potentially, a top-flight in which four clubs – a third of the competition – are based overseas.

That prospect is at best (or worst... delete as appropriate), a long way off.

New York haven’t even been given the green light to enter the league structure yet, so one step at a time.

But as league chiefs prepare for next week's Cup draw in the city that never sleeps, I hope they go with their eyes wide open.