Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:58 pm  

bonaire wrote:

“Its findings were unanimous - that operating a team in a fiercely competitive North American sports market was non-strategic and added no material incremental revenue to Super League in the short or medium term.

Does it make sense then to allow Ottowa into League 3?

Apart from it having nothing to do directly with Super League, who knows?

[Chris71]

Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:00 pm  

With the current pandemic alone I think the decision to reject Toronto’s re application was inevitable.

Questions need to be asked why they were allowed in as due diligence sounds like it hadn’t been done correctly reading parts of the full statement.

The sport could not take the risk of the same thing happening again and as no guarantees could seemingly be made by Toronto’s representatives then it’s the right decision.
Maybe if Toronto could have played with an indoor stadium so fixtures could be played in the winter months too it may have helped their cause who knows.
There is very tough competition for sports fans in Toronto with the Leafs, Raptors & Bluejays who have much greater pull and money to market. So could the Wolfpack compete with that and get the needed exposure for their cause and the game?
If any other club had failed to honour fixtures and pulled out they would have to earn their place again.
11 team SL just isn’t going to work so who do they have as the team to replace Toronto? Or do they expand to 14 teams?

Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:02 pm  

Rugby league never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.....As the saying goes .

Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:20 pm  

ccs wrote:

Apart from it having nothing to do directly with Super League, who knows?

It could do if they get back to back promotions so what do they say then?

Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 10:31 pm  

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Toronto imploded when the club ran out of money and their owner stopped paying up or paying wages when you heard what went on or didn't go on before they were allowed in in the first place. Back then the due diligence needed to research the potential market TV deals etc to protect the game and the other clubs was down to the RFL and we were assured that it was done.

“Separately, it was also apparent that no assessment of the scale and accessibility of the commercial growth that might accrue to the sport from entering the Canadian market was ever completed prior to the club’s first entry into the sport.”

Re: Toronto : Mon Nov 02, 2020 11:04 pm  

Well thank god thats over - Toronto offered nothing to SL - im sorry but this game is a game played in the north of england, a few areas of France and a few areas of Australia and thats where the game needs to concentrate

Moving forward id go 14 team SL inc London, Toulouse and then either York or Bradford and then shut up shop

Re: Toronto : Tue Nov 03, 2020 11:15 am  

If what John Davidsons is saying on Twitter about the proposal the clubs have made the right decision. I was never a fan, I just dont think a team that far away is viable with the money in the sport.

Re: Toronto : Tue Nov 03, 2020 7:51 pm  

The Dentist Wilf wrote:

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Toronto imploded when the club ran out of money and their owner stopped paying up or paying wages when you heard what went on or didn't go on before they were allowed in in the first place. Back then the due diligence needed to research the potential market TV deals etc to protect the game and the other clubs was down to the RFL and we were assured that it was done.

“Separately, it was also apparent that no assessment of the scale and accessibility of the commercial growth that might accrue to the sport from entering the Canadian market was ever completed prior to the club’s first entry into the sport.”

This is RL's perennial problem, decisions are rushed and the next big thing hyped up with no follow up.

Examples include: Celtic Crusaders started in the wrong place, Wrexham was always the far better option being away from the Union heartland and near our heartlands but the damage had already been done and the debts racked up. Then instead of backing them after a good season on the field and a decent fanbase built they were cast adrift.

Magic Weekend is another, started as an opportunity to make money from Cardiff and spread the game. Now just advertised to season ticket holders with discounts. We were told 10k Newcastle postcodes had booked tickets to the first one there but haven't heard numbers like that since, I bet noone has asked them did they enjoy the day? did they want to go back next year? etc

They bought Odsal to save Bradford but didn't do much due diligence on several owners and now they don't even play there.

Started SL in Paris when a team in South of France always made more sense.

Bristol got 7k to a dead duck midweek America-Cook Islands World Cup game but we haven't bothered going back with even a minor event. England had a great 2013 world cup then they didn't play at home for 2 years. They built up the Exiles but ditched it quick after a bad crowd or two when they didn't market it.

Most fans would like a 14 Team league but instead we getting Wigan - Warrington about 6 times a year.

And that's just off the top of my head...Would love to see the Union management swap places with League for a few years and see what happens.

Re: Toronto : Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:46 pm  

UllFC wrote:

This is RL's perennial problem, decisions are rushed and the next big thing hyped up with no follow up.

Examples include: Celtic Crusaders started in the wrong place, Wrexham was always the far better option being away from the Union heartland and near our heartlands but the damage had already been done and the debts racked up. Then instead of backing them after a good season on the field and a decent fanbase built they were cast adrift.

Magic Weekend is another, started as an opportunity to make money from Cardiff and spread the game. Now just advertised to season ticket holders with discounts. We were told 10k Newcastle postcodes had booked tickets to the first one there but haven't heard numbers like that since, I bet noone has asked them did they enjoy the day? did they want to go back next year? etc

They bought Odsal to save Bradford but didn't do much due diligence on several owners and now they don't even play there.

Started SL in Paris when a team in South of France always made more sense.

Bristol got 7k to a dead duck midweek America-Cook Islands World Cup game but we haven't bothered going back with even a minor event. England had a great 2013 world cup then they didn't play at home for 2 years. They built up the Exiles but ditched it quick after a bad crowd or two when they didn't market it.

Most fans would like a 14 Team league but instead we getting Wigan - Warrington about 6 times a year.

And that's just off the top of my head...Would love to see the Union management swap places with League for a few years and see what happens.

Maybe that’s why Super League are pushing for a break. Apparently talks with Sky on reduced money and nothing going to the RFL.

Re: Toronto : Wed Nov 04, 2020 12:18 am  

For me their replacemnet has to come from London, Leigh or York, think they are the best placed sides to did it a go next year, I would have done for Toulose but with covid, it's hard enough with one French team.

I think there has to be no relegation next year.