Re: Toronto's first home game : Wed May 10, 2017 10:30 am  

mapleyther wrote:

I am in the (probably unique) position of being a Leigh fan and living in Toronto (well, just west of), and the Wolfpack are my second team. I was there at the Oxford game and thrilled to be there on what will hopefully prove to be an historic occasion and not just a flash in the pan. snip........

Thanks Mapleleyther a good review.
I think as the project develops the club and match day experience will learn and grow especially in the warmer months. Maybe the crowd will get more into the game if they had some form of pre-match entertainment. The commentator remarked how the Canadians come into a game late, I have experienced that having attended sporting events in Toronto. My last experience of the blue jays I was so bored I considered leaving at half time and with a final score defeat by 1-0 in a 40000 stadium with an attendance of about 5000

Rather than compare to the Blue Jays who have previously been World Series Champs in a fantastic all seater stadium I would make more comparison to how Toronto FC are developing in the MLS albeit being soccer, people will turn up to watch a professional team but they have not reached the heights yet but maybe in the near future. If the Wolfpack make a success of it hopefully they make a move to BMO field which is a nice stadium with both standing and seating and plenty of space for corporate/hospitality and merchandising and refreshments stalls. Due to the influence of European and South American expats the atmosphere that FC supporters generates is similar to what we are used to. Maybe the Wolfpack could learn from FC and how they marketed their games.

The scheduling of games and keeping the fans interested will be a big challenge basically starting in May and ending in September will give a long close season for the home fans.

Good luck to Wolfpack, spread the word and enjoy your visits to the games

Re: Toronto's first home game : Wed May 10, 2017 11:34 am  

mapleyther wrote:

You are right of course that each club faces a different set of circumstances, challenges and opportunities - but I think the key here is the innovation which the management has employed - they are business savvy, creative and thinking intelligently. Take the Air Transat deal for example - people were bemoaning the cost of transporting players etc. and it was dealt with very cleverly. They are also prepared to think differently, who else would have gone with Kappa? Being a new sport can be seen as an advantage, it could also be a disadvantage. You try selling ice hockey in Leigh! It's difficult for Leigh fans especially (given the history), and perhaps many existing rugby league fans in general, to consider the possibility that this might actually be a brilliant thing for the sport and that the sport can actually learn a heck of a lot from this process - not necessarily the specifics, but the general approach. I cannot think of any other sporting fans in the world who would be viewing all these developments with such skepticism, pessimism and tribalism.

Are you seriously trying to give Toronto credit for choosing Kappa?

London Broncos and Skolars both had Kappa in 2016 and Workington, Oldham and Keighley all had deals signed before Toronto even approached us about doing a deal with Kappa.

Not to mention Brentwood Eels wearing it for 2 years before Toronto

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 9:36 pm  

by the looks of it they seem to be packing them in again for the second home game. much better weather by the looks of it. 40 to 2 at halftime

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 9:46 pm  

the artist wrote:

by the looks of it they seem to be packing them in again for the second home game. much better weather by the looks of it. 40 to 2 at halftime

Which is a huge problem. They're playing the best side in their division and are up by that score. How do you develop interest in a new sports venture when the games are so one sided? If I were the Wolfpack, I'd be looking to fill at least the bench with Canadian or North American players, both giving them a chance to develop and reducing the scores at the same time.

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 9:55 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Which is a huge problem. They're playing the best side in their division and are up by that score. How do you develop interest in a new sports venture when the games are so one sided? If I were the Wolfpack, I'd be looking to fill at least the bench with Canadian or North American players, both giving them a chance to develop and reducing the scores at the same time.

Yes but, just look at the demographic when it comes to winning big.

Whilst they're winning & giving "us" a thrashing they'll lap it up, but if things get tough they'll be off like a flash I.M.O.

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 10:02 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Which is a huge problem. They're playing the best side in their division and are up by that score. How do you develop interest in a new sports venture when the games are so one sided? If I were the Wolfpack, I'd be looking to fill at least the bench with Canadian or North American players, both giving them a chance to develop and reducing the scores at the same time.

You obviously don't know Paul Rowleys mindset ?

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 10:28 pm  

attendance 7144 - bigger than the opening home game

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sat May 20, 2017 10:40 pm  

the artist wrote:

attendance 7144 - bigger than the opening home game

Really good news because RL has seen big opening crowds before in Paris and Wrexham only for crowds to dip once the free tickets and promo drops off for game 2.

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sun May 21, 2017 12:06 am  

Bored stupid watching that. I Just about made it to halftime, but then switched it off. I'll try watching again next year when they go up to the championship.

Re: Toronto's first home game : Sun May 21, 2017 9:01 am  

UllFC wrote:

Really good news because RL has seen big opening crowds before in Paris and Wrexham only for crowds to dip once the free tickets and promo drops off for game 2.

Yep. It's fantastic news. Let's face it half the SL clubs would be fairly happy with a crowd that size and some would be delighted.