A N.Y. team is "set to join the Rugby Football League" by '20 with the aim of reaching Super League, according to George Clarke of the London DAILY MAIL. A consortium was asked to submit a business plan to the RFL last month and the "unveiling of the side is set to take place in October," ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The new club, as yet unnamed, is set to be managed by former Super League side St. Helens coach Mick Potter and has "already held discussions" with the mayor of N.Y.’s office regarding potential stadiums. The move comes after the Toronto Wolfpack was "admitted to the British leagues earlier this year." Toronto CEO Eric Perez is "believed to be fronting the consortium leading the bid for a side" from N.Y. The Wolfpack negotiated its own TV deal and home crowds "have at times been over 7,000 despite a relative lack of intimate knowledge of the sport among locals." Toronto lodged a bond of around £300,000 with the RFL earlier this year to "help cover costs of travel and accommodation for the clubs flying to Canada to play." N.Y. is "close to signing a sponsorship deal with an airline" and is expected to follow a similar process by "guaranteeing the RFL cash to give to clubs to travel over the pond." As it stands, neither Toronto nor N.Y. "receive RFL central funding" from the TV deal in the U.K. with Sky Sports. Toronto’s current broadcast deal in the U.K. is with Premier Sports, while the club holds an agreement with GameTV in Canada. If both sides were to be in Super League, Sky Sports and sister company Fox Sports are "likely to increase their current broadcast package with the clubs" (DAILY MAIL, 8/25).
