Off the Record: Rugby League Rumours and Gossip #191
Will the Championship be televised? What is the latest on Valencia? Which Wigan youngster is off to Leigh? Find out in the rumour and gossip column.
Sky may not show Championship
Sky Sports may not show any live Championship action in 2020, with plans in place to make coverage on the Our League app more regular.
Toronto Wolfpack covered the costs of all their televised games last season, as well as the Summer Bash.
Another Wigan youngster to make Leigh switch
Wigan Warriors full-back Craig Mullen is set to join Leigh Centurions for the 2020 campaign.
The 21-year-old has made three first-team appearances for the Warriors since making his debut in 2018. Mullen has been training with John Duffy’s squad alongside fellow Wigan playmaker Josh Woods, who enjoyed a season on loan at the Centurions last season. Mullen will provide plenty of versatility for Leigh, with him being able to play full-back, wing, centre and half-back.
What happened to Bristol?
The prospect of having a Bristol-based club in the Rugby Football League pyramid in the next couple of years is highly unlikely.
In 2017, Gloucestershire All Golds and Oxford decided they would fold in order to build a new club that would be based in Bristol. The Bristol club were meant to enter the RFL ranks in 2019 but the idea fell away because the RFL had put them under pressure in regards to their application. The Bristol club didn’t step up when they were put under pressure.
Spain confident to host Super League
Officials in Spain are confident that they will host Super League teams in the near future, despite running out of time to get the suggested pre-season clash between St Helens and Salford on as part of a double header with Valencia and Featherstone.
Dialogue remains open about future opportunities.
Odsal costs for 2020
The running costs of Bradford’s Odsal ground next season will cost around £130,000.
At last week’s media briefing, the Rugby Football League revealed the income they believe will be made on Odsal next year is £70,000. The RFL also insist that International Rugby League chief executive Nigel Wood is entitled to be involved with the Bulls moving forward.
RFL not keen on fast track process
The Rugby Football League have attracted plenty of interest from other countries who want to enter the professional game.
Teams from Valencia, Dublin and Barcelona have been linked with entering the RFL ranks in the near future, while New York and Ottawa are expected to enter League 1 in 2021. The RFL don’t like the idea of having a fast track process for teams though and they believe that League 1 is a good competition for clubs to start in and learn things from. Starting from the bottom like Toronto Wolfpack did is the right model, according to RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer.
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