New York rugby league backers want decision sooner rather than later

Toronto Wolfpack earned promotion to the Championship in their first season after joining League One in 2017

Organisers are pressing ahead with plans to take a Super League fixture to America but admit they face a race against time to enter a New York club in English competition in 2019.

It is six months since a consortium submitted an application to join the Championship for next season but they are still waiting to get the go-ahead.

A Rugby Football League delegation, led by former chief executive Nigel Wood, visited New York in January and has asked for more details about the business plan of the proposed new club.

Ricky Wilby, the Englishman fronting the bid, says the consortium need an answer by the middle of June if they are to make the start line for 2019 but is keen to stress any further delay would not kill off their interest.

"We need time to organise pre-season and arrange players' visas and green cards and so on," he said.

"If we get an answer sooner rather than later, then 2019 is still the preferred option, the longer it goes on, pushes us closer to 2020."

Salford Red Devils are among clubs to express an interest in hosting a game in New York

Wilby says he has lined up a prospective coach and is fielding plenty of interest from high-profile players keen to become involved in rugby league's latest trans-Atlantic project.

Meanwhile, talks are ongoing with both the Red Bull Arena and US broadcasting companies about taking a Super League game to New York later this year and Wilby says the consortium will cover all costs of the travelling teams.

The USA is the host nation for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup

Salford have expressed a willingness to switch one of their home games to the Big Apple and, although an initial proposal to move their Good Friday fixture with Catalans Dragons has fallen through, Wilby says there are two other Super League clubs keen to become involved.

"Taking a game there this year is vital," Wilby said. "We need to demonstrate that we can get the logistics right and that we can market the sport over there."

Wilby says the consortium has been promised the support of the Mayor of Harrison, the district of New Jersey which includes the Red Bull Arena, home of Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.