Mailbox: Unbe-Leigh-vable choice for Super League
Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com
Dear Editor,
This Monday, the most ambitious expansion club in the history of professional sport was officially replaced by a Championship-level team with an underwhelming 8-1-42 record over two previous Super League seasons. Leigh’s facilities are very good and they certainly have an established fan-base.
But they are also within 12 miles of four existing Super League clubs, including three of the top four clubs in the competition (Wire, Saints, Wigan). How are Leigh expected to grow the game given how hemmed-in they are? And, with all due respect, the traditional Wigan-Leigh derby will not be a huge draw if each club performs as expected.
Meanwhile, Toulouse Olympique boasts an even newer stadium and comparable fanbase, especially considering the number of away fans each team can expect. (Avg. home attendance in 2019: Leigh – 3,259; Toulouse Olympique – 2,488.)
More importantly, Toulouse is both a traditional heartland club AND a tremendous growth market. Toulouse is close enough to Perpignan to solidify the existing rivalry with Catalans, but far enough away that the club has a large catchment area for acquiring new fans. A second French club in the “European Super League” is so obvious a decision, only the people in charge could fail to appreciate it.
Leigh may have been the “safe” choice, but it was also the uninspired choice. I honestly hope they have a great season and cause a lot of upsets, but I don’t expect many people to be watching when they do win.
Best,
Uninspired in Illinois
Editor’s comment: The fact Sky Sports referred to the competition as the English Super League didn’t fill me with confidence. Perhaps if Toronto’s application to re-join was as thorough and of the same high quality as Leigh’s apparently was, then maybe this whole situation could have been avoided.
Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com