Hemel Stags' Ottawa move accepted in principle by RFL
Monday 20 May 2019 16:02, UK
Ottawa could be staging rugby league matches in League One next season after the RFL granted permission in principle for the Hemel Stags to relocate to Canada.
Eric Perez, the founder of Championship side Toronto Wolfpack, has been told he can compete the move in time for the 2020 campaign, as long as some final matters can be resolved.
But New York have been told they must wait another year to follow Toronto into the English game, after it was decided they are not yet ready to take up a place in the league.
"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," read a statement from the RFL.
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"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."
Ricky Wilby, the Huddersfield entrepreneur behind the New York bid, indicated his consortium are content to wait for another year before attempting to take their place in the league.
"We are pleased to have got this far," he said. "In terms of timing, 2021 is the right decision."
Ottawa will be hoping to emulate the achievements of Toronto, who won promotion in their first season in League One in 2017 and narrowly missed out on promotion to the Super League last year.
