The Toronto Experience

[Exiled Wiganer]

9 hours ago, Jim Prendle said:

Is that just the last 5 years though? I thought the "Wigan Walk" had been around since the dawn of time?

 

No - it is an urban myth made up to make losers feel better about themselves... in their imaginations there were neanderthal paintings showing it in the water caves by the Dougie. 

On the main point - this is Newcastle playing Toronto in front of a huge crowd televised internationally. How good is that, and how far we have come! 

[Bearman]

I'm glad you are enjoying your trip. It's a great city and a great experience,

I am not complaining because I had a great time there too but ( there is always a but!). 

They have put you up in the same place as the match officials and the Toronto team stay. That is not the same place that they tried to put Oxford in. Nor is it the same place that they did put Barrow and Coventry. To be fair Oxford ended up where you did and the accommodation that Barrow and Coventry had was acceptable. (Not what was promised but nevertheless ok ), Please don't think I am being churlish because it seems to me that week by week that Toronto are putting things right and to me that's a good thing.

i do have some concerns over a lot of things re Toronto. But, I honestly believe that Toronto and more particularly their fantastic fans can be the catalyst for moving our game forward.

 

[Captain Survival]

 

HI Walter.  The official capacity is listed as 9600. 

The stated attendance at this game was 7522 so they have a bit of room yet.

I mentioned in another post we would much rather it snow.  Besides which we Canadians are trained from birth to settle it on the ice - need to blow off some steam or take issuance with an indiscretion of an opposing player? -  find a patch, first one to pull the jersey of the other over or first one down, its done and all settled according to the rules..... ice is the key!

Lake Ontario is a honking big deep lake - if a bad storm comes off the lake I imagine it rivals what you might get in the North Sea - the lake has claimed many a ship over the last couple of centuries.

 

1 hour ago, Bearman said:

I'm glad you are enjoying your trip. It's a great city and a great experience,

I am not complaining because I had a great time there too but ( there is always a but!). 

They have put you up in the same place as the match officials and the Toronto team stay. That is not the same place that they tried to put Oxford in. Nor is it the same place that they did put Barrow and Coventry. To be fair Oxford ended up where you did and the accommodation that Barrow and Coventry had was acceptable. (Not what was promised but nevertheless ok ), Please don't think I am being churlish because it seems to me that week by week that Toronto are putting things right and to me that's a good thing.

i do have some concerns over a lot of things re Toronto. But, I honestly believe that Toronto and more particularly their fantastic fans can be the catalyst for moving our game forward.

 

While I am hopeful that TWP management became aware that their actions were not living up to their promises, I suspect the realr cause in the change in accommodation is that the university residence where I believe Barrow and Coventry stayed is not available now as fall term is soon to commence.  I know TWP mentioned that the original reason for the university residence was the high quality of the training facilities but it really was not adequate for grown men in a professional league.

So hopefuly the remaining visiting teams will all enjoy the same quality of stay as TWP and refs.

[Genghis Campbell]

12 hours ago, RobertAM said:

It is said to be 9600 plus I guess whatever number squeeze into the north end beergarden as they tend to stay there for the entire game..we're lucky not to have had any rain except for a misty drizzle at the Oxford home opener which was a chilly day as i recall. I think if there is heavy rain forecast the lack of cover would keep some fans away (not this expat though!) so it remains to be seen what would happen..I anticipate if the beer wallahs keep everybody watered no one will care.

I think the low attendence was the Canada Day game....we were leery of the weather, because it was really heavy rain in the morning.  Cleared up by game day, but they were about 5K plus on that day.  Has been climbing ever since, but the weather has been good.

They seriously need to sell rain ponchoes, because at some point it is going to really rain, and I cannot see where 7K plus people are going to go if the heavens open.  Perez has said Lamport is a 'fixer upper', makes sense to me.  Am sure they know the atmosphere at BMO would suck with the numbers they draw at present....

Cannot stress just how good the atmsophere is at a game compared to my memories of the UK in the 80s/90s.  Lamport stadium is totally different to the sanitized stadia you see in the rest of the continent, and it just seems to keep growing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Captain Survival]

Lamport Stadium could be expanded, and I am sure the city would love an outside party to come along and put some money into it, although TWP already apparently did spend some dollars.  I think it could be expanded up to about 12K-14K and still keep the beer garden.

Again, as i did stress in a comment in the Toronto sub forum, for anyone watching from the UK - notice how much of the audience were women and chlldren.  Its not just die hard old sods coming to these games. 

And traditionally, in North America, going to a game most often is not viewed as a hit and run experience, but an event.  You should see what occurs at an NFL game, although that to is different to the fact TWP are running a beer garden with entertainment, including family friendly activities.

[Genghis Campbell]

38 minutes ago, Captain Survival said:

Lamport Stadium could be expanded, and I am sure the city would love an outside party to come along and put some money into it, although TWP already apparently did spend some dollars.  I think it could be expanded up to about 12K-14K and still keep the beer garden.

Again, as i did stress in a comment in the Toronto sub forum, for anyone watching from the UK - notice how much of the audience were women and chlldren.  Its not just die hard old sods coming to these games. 

I look at NRL games and I see 'family hills'.  I wonder if that is feasible for the South End?  Not sure, but it would certainly fit the vibe.

[Jim Prendle]

17 hours ago, snapski said:

I have no problem with Toronto. I have a problem with folk trying to fast track them. They will get promoted anyway in the next few seasons, just how it should be. I think they will be a credit to Super League when they get there.

I didn't realise that they had been fast tracked.

[amm]

The first thing I've read this morning and it makes such a refreshing change 

[Just Browny]

1 hour ago, Jim Prendle said:

I didn't realise that they had been fast tracked.

To a proper RL fan, any visible improvement or progress over a hundred year period counts as unacceptable fast-tracking and the club should be held back to 'earn their place'.

[Wolfpack john]

When did York university become not suitable for grown men.

Card board cut out crowd? Sorry don't make enough card board to make a cut out of me

[brooza]

3 hours ago, Jim Prendle said:

I didn't realise that they had been fast tracked.

They should have started at the bottom of the North West Men's League

[Jim Prendle]

40 minutes ago, brooza said:

They should have started at the bottom of the North West Men's League

I actually played 3 years in the bottom division of the North West Open Age league back in the early 80's. Division 6 I think.

Even FFMM would have found that tough going. In the 3 years before I moved up to the next level, I think I witnessed about 3 tackles that could have been deemed "Marginally legal". The rest of it was like a horror movie.

I wouldn't wish that on our new friends from Toronto.

[Tongs ya bas]

some outstanding work from the green ink fraternity in this morning's League Express letters page. The usual one eyed  drivel is rounded off by the information that the Wolfpack use Leigh Centurions 'tackle bags' sic. has this person, who I won't name not heard of Cwenturion brand rugby training equipment..

[Spidey]

39 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

I actually played 3 years in the bottom division of the North West Open Age league back in the early 80's. Division 6 I think.

Even FFMM would have found that tough going. In the 3 years before I moved up to the next level, I think I witnessed about 3 tackles that could have been deemed "Marginally legal". The rest of it was like a horror movie.

I wouldn't wish that on our new friends from Toronto.

Watching pro games of that era had similar questionable tackles 

[Bob8]

22 hours ago, snapski said:

I have no problem with Toronto. I have a problem with folk trying to fast track them. They will get promoted anyway in the next few seasons, just how it should be. I think they will be a credit to Super League when they get there.

Who is trying to fast track them?

I was not aware of any statement from the RFL suggesting it would not be normal promotion and no-one on this forum is arging for that.

[Jim Prendle]

7 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Watching pro games of that era had similar questionable tackles 

That they did. However, some of the thuggery was at least toned down by the presence of several thousand people, and a half competent ref and linesmen. 

Some of the refs we had, and I realise that they were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, were borderline atrocious. There was one ref in the Wigan area, who I still see around the town sometimes, who wouldn't have penalised someone for murder. I know his name, but I shall keep it to myself so as to protect the innocent, which, incidentally, is something he never did during his refereeing career.

[Tongs ya bas]

23 hours ago, snapski said:

I have no problem with Toronto. I have a problem with folk trying to fast track them. They will get promoted anyway in the next few seasons, just how it should be. I think they will be a credit to Super League when they get there.

who is doing this?

[Scubby]

9 minutes ago, Tongs ya bas said:

who is doing this?

I think the folk he means are perhaps people supporting their existence on this board. I can't remember anyone mentioning fast tracking them. The fear for many smaller clubs in the Championship and SL is that they will be rapidly fast-tracking themselves through the structure (on the field).

[Just Browny]

If anything, the only people I have seen suggesting fast tracking for Toronto are a number of Champ 1 fans saying it was unfair for them to enter at that level given the quality of players they had.

Let's be honest, short of refusing entry to Toronto at any level, the RFL couldn't won on this one. I have some sympathy with the governing body.

[Ullman]

On 20/08/2017 at 1:51 PM, Scubby said:

Toronto fans do the opposite. They just saunter in after 10-15 mins lol. 

I love what looks like a conga that forms in front of the stand opposite the cameras and seems to go on for the first twenty minutes or so.

Their fans always seem to be having a great time.

[Krzzystuff]

On 8/20/2017 at 8:41 AM, walter sobchak said:

Can anybody tell me what the official capacity of lamport stadium is and is having no roof on the stands a big issue with fans when it's raining?

it;'s 9,500 officially but it think it's probably closer to 12,000 if you add all the bodies that sit in the beer gardens...that why the stands seem a bit empty at times on TV.

[Scubby]

5 minutes ago, Krzzystuff said:

it;'s 9,500 officially but it think it's probably closer to 12,000 if you add all the bodies that sit in the beer gardens...that why the stands seem a bit empty at times on TV.

When watching on TV you often see fans pouring through the stands (East) after the kick off. Is there stuff going on behind that stand too - as well as the ends - or is it just the entrance?

[CanaBull]

There wasn't much this week but in previous games they have had some sponsors displays on that side of the ground outside the entrance.  The club shop is across the street on that side as well and is usually heaving with a lineup to get in, a fair few latecomers will be those folks.

[Cameron Highlander]

9 minutes ago, Scubby said:

When watching on TV you often see fans pouring through the stands (East) after the kick off. Is there stuff going on behind that stand too - as well as the ends - or is it just the entrance?

Scubby, on the East side under the seating (in the Stadium bowels as it were) are 3 or 4 food concession counters plus a couple of mini bars selling the beers and ciders also available in the beer garden. So, there is a constant trek back and forth of fans re-fuelling on food and drink.

Also to Ullman, the Conga Line thing is just a Canadian fan experience thing.  All match long there are likely ~1,000 fans just wandering the grounds, socializing with acquaintances and strangers alike, and generally having a good time. From time to time they may cast their eyes in the direction of the scoreboard to see what's happening on the field, then again they may not. As I've commented before on another thread, when you take the 1,000 or so "wandering", + 500-700 perpetually in the beer garden, +200-300, in the VIP area at the other end from the beer garden, + another couple hundred in the Stadium bowels re-fuelling, then at any given moment there are probably ~2,000 fans not sitting in the stadium seating. Partly the reason for the stands looking somewhat bare in places and for the howls (non-wolf variety), from certain posters (M of K anyone), regarding the attendance numbers at the games.

[DoubleD]

5 hours ago, Tongs ya bas said:

some outstanding work from the green ink fraternity in this morning's League Express letters page. The usual one eyed  drivel is rounded off by the information that the Wolfpack use Leigh Centurions 'tackle bags' sic. has this person, who I won't name not heard of Cwenturion brand rugby training equipment..

Don't buy it then, you know what you're going to get, stick to RLW