Ottawa bid accepted by RFL for 2020 but New York made to wait
Ottawa’s bid to enter the Rugby Football League pyramid for 2020 has been accepted – but New York will have to wait a further 12 months for their chance to enter League One.
The governing body has confirmed that Ottawa, who Eric Perez will relocate from Hemel, will be given the go ahead.
However, New York will not enter until 2021 at the earliest. The RFL deemed changes in the team’s ownership structure as a reason for the delay.
In a statement released by the RFL, it read: “Last month, the Rugby Football League was asked following a meeting of member clubs in Salford to conduct further due diligence on two overseas applications to play in Betfred League One from 2020 – one to relocate the Hemel Stags club to Ottawa in Canada, and the other for a new club in New York, USA.
“The RFL Board today informed the member clubs, and the consortia behind the applications, of its decision.
“The application for Hemel Stags to be relocated to Ottawa has been accepted in principle – although both the RFL and the consortia have agreed that some further work is required before it can be confirmed that the Stags will be ready to start the 2020 season in Ottawa.
“With regard to the New York bid, the RFL and the consortium have agreed that entry into League One in time for 2020 is not achievable without placing the club under undue pressure, because it is a start-up operation without the benefit of existing operations already being in place, and due to some change in the ownership structure during the process.
“The RFL has therefore encouraged the club to work towards entry into League One in 2021.”
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