Have your say: Should New York and Ottawa be accepted into RFL competitions? 

Drew Darbyshire

Plans were announced last week for teams based in New York and Ottawa to enter RFL competitions, and we want to know if you think they should be accepted.

The Rugby Football League will ask the consortia behind the bids to create rugby league teams in New York and Ottawa to present their proposals to existing Championship and League 1 clubs to gain support.

Following the success of Toronto Wolfpack, a New York bid have been vocal in their desire to join the RFL.

Eric Perez, who helped set up Toronto and is still on the Wolfpack’s board, has revealed that he wants to bring professional rugby league to Ottawa next season.

The entrepreneur has acquired the Hemel Stags’ licence and hopes that this will help to fast track his new project to League 1. 

Perez has confirmed he will leave Toronto if the Ottawa plan comes to fruition. The Canadian has submitted the relevant paperwork to the RFL. 

The RFL’s strategic vision includes creating new players pools, bringing in additional revenues and commercial partners and extra viewers to increase the game’s visability and profile, and a new spectator base. 

Championship and League 1 clubs will hear presentations from the New York and Ottawa franchises ahead of their proposed move into the RFL’s pyramid in 2020.

We want to know what the ultimate decision should be…