It’s Ottawa in 2020 says Eric Perez

[Kayakman]

9 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

They will need to be a winning team to get from the Championship into Super League 

Its either League 1 or Championship for me...I think its up to the RFL and the Clubs.  I f League 1 wants it they should probably get it to help them out with a home gate and renewed interest in their seasons in the local area....we can't afford to forget League 1 in all of this...Toronto promised they would never do that...they deserve and need our support...they are the lifeblood of our veins.

"Go Pack!"

[The Parksider]

15 hours ago, Big Picture said:

The clubs voted in favour by a comfortable majority. Parky won't be pleased.

Right at the start I suggested the NA clubs stopped talking Superleague and buckled down to developing the actual game in North America in the Championship. I suggested TWP kept their North American players and added to them as best they could but they sacked them. One big Superleague Chairman in Saints Mr. McManus has made it clear he didn't favour phoney baloney clubs in Superleague because they don't develop any players nor do they offer anything to the TV audience here. Now we see a second big SL Chairman in Mr. Pearson adding his criticisms, and you can bet his colleague Mr. Hudgell at Hull.K.R. will be taking exactly the same line. 

The nonsense about away fans not mattering is laughable. When Leeds and Bradford or Hull and HKR or Cas and Wakey pull their biggest crowds of the season then that is because of "away" fans. Who are we going to say doesn't matter next? Casual fans?? A 20,000 crowd is just that no matter where these people come from. A customer is a customer in business. They are NOT going to break up the Hull Derby for a phoney club to come in and that was evident when SL clubs were looking to increase the size of SL to be able to re-admit HKR when they got relegated had they not won the MPG.

After their return SL looked to decrease to 10 clubs in SL1 and the Championship clubs vetoed that. The decision to admit more phoney clubs by the Championship to their competition merely underlined how far apart the RFL/Championship and Superleague still are, but fair enough if the Championship clubs want to go Transatlantic then that is their choice, but at least it has become clear that Superleague are against becoming Transatlantic because these clubs offer no new player pools nor any new TV money.

Just "Glamour" and the demise of our own clubs here who they may replace.

The massive rift between SL and RFL continues and the next major moment will be if Toronto win the Championship and get a promotion place. Do they get promoted? Superleague have variously indicate both "No they offer nothing" and "Yes we don't have a problem". What Superleague wanted out of this meeting was the Championship clubs to do the dirty work of putting a stop to the Transatlantic dream and they have clearly refused to do so. The game remains completely split.

So as we move forward by kicking the North American can down the road what else will be a major issue? How about Salary caps? Is the Championship going to still be a competition where you can spend the same as Superleague clubs? I don't know who actually decides salary caps but the decision to take the brakes off Championship clubs spending was made to allow Mr. Beaumont at Leigh not to be Hamstrung in his attempt to make Leigh a Superleague club. It would be good if the Championship Salary cap was put back down to the £300,000 it used to be, but as I say I do not know who has the power to decide this aspect of the game? 

Anyone know?

What I do know is the impending new Contract with SKY is likely to be smaller for 2022, but will be entirely in the hands of Superleague who are clear that overseas clubs offer nothing much in terms of additional subscribers to SKY. SKY may show free championship matches but those who buy the subscriptions want to watch Huddersfield, Castleford, Wakefield etc not the same players dressing up as New York and  Ottawa. So is the next issue a complete break between the RFL and SL? Do we end up with the game torn completely apart because of a salesman called Eric Perez, and a spiteful Nigel Wood??

[Michael1812]

16 hours ago, The Dude said:

Why doesn't Perez and all these guy just make a North American league if they can get all these sponsors?  

 

Because these sponsors don’t want to invest in a new North American league, they are investing due to the ties to the U.K.  

[Dave T]

13 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Its either League 1 or Championship for me...I think its up to the RFL and the Clubs.  I f League 1 wants it they should probably get it to help them out with a home gate and renewed interest in their seasons in the local area....we can't afford to forget League 1 in all of this...Toronto promised they would never do that...they deserve and need our support...they are the lifeblood of our veins.

"Go Pack!"

Whilst rich clubs stepping through the pryamid via League 1 has some problems, I am a fan of that approach. I think it gives a minimum of two years grounding to iron out any problems that they may face.

TWP have already been around for longer than Paris and Gateshead were, and getting bigger average crowds. 

I also think it shows a level of commitment, and takes away some of the criticisms of favourtism. IMHO there can be no claims of RFL favouritsm towards TWP, they have had to pay for everything themselves, and really have gone above and beyond. I see that as the cost of buying in, or a goodwill gesture. 

[Kayakman]

34 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Whilst rich clubs stepping through the pryamid via League 1 has some problems, I am a fan of that approach. I think it gives a minimum of two years grounding to iron out any problems that they may face.

TWP have already been around for longer than Paris and Gateshead were, and getting bigger average crowds. 

I also think it shows a level of commitment, and takes away some of the criticisms of favourtism. IMHO there can be no claims of RFL favouritsm towards TWP, they have had to pay for everything themselves, and really have gone above and beyond. I see that as the cost of buying in, or a goodwill gesture. 

Plus it shows the seriousness of the bid...looking at a long term window and not some flash in the pan like the failures in the past.  Its not a perfect system but it does seem to have worked with Toronto.  The really important thing is that the Clubs should debate and decide for themselves...nothing should be imposed by the RFL...there has to be a buy in by all involved.

[Jayme2020]

Would not shock me if Rugby Canada fully backs Ottawa as the clubs development plan is what people here have been calling for as it gives young players a chance to play at a high level.

[Jayme2020]

UK fans

For those calling for a North American league that would do massive damage to the RFL.

[TheReaper]

31 minutes ago, Jayme2020 said:

Would not shock me if Rugby Canada fully backs Ottawa as the clubs development plan is what people here have been calling for as it gives young players a chance to play at a high level.

Why do you think they'd do that? They've shown for years upon years that they are happy to let the talent come to them out in BC. And now that MLR is an option they can direct players that way.

[Jayme2020]

1 minute ago, TheReaper said:

Why do you think they'd do that? They've shown for years upon years that they are happy to let the talent come to them out in BC. And now that MLR is an option they can direct players that way.

RFL is more main stream and with Ottawa/Toronto its makes life easier for many players.

[Chamey]

43 minutes ago, Jayme2020 said:

RFL is more main stream and with Ottawa/Toronto its makes life easier for many players.

It's also the small matter of a completely different sport.

[Jayme2020]

30 minutes ago, Chamey said:

It's also the small matter of a completely different sport.

I also think having a league 1 team and SL team in Ontario will appeal to many young players.

[Kayakman]

55 minutes ago, Chamey said:

It's also the small matter of a completely different sport.

We are doing things differently over here Chamey...not bringing over the Old Wold grudges....whole new way in Canada.  We will lead and show you folks how it is done,,,no worries.

[Chamey]

1 hour ago, Jayme2020 said:

I also think having a league 1 team and SL team in Ontario will appeal to many young players.

I'm unconvinced that doing it the 'good' (from a M62 perspective) way, i.e. slowly building youth links and community outreach is sustainable given the constant flights over the Atlantic, and presumably few travelling fans, ideally the RFL would sanction a NA conference for League 1 that only plays vs L1 for promotion playoffs. That would make it much easier for clubs to slowly build.

[PatrickB]

 I`m brainstorming names of the new future rivals.
Currently, I favour:

New York Cheesecakes 

Ottawa Beavertails

Anyone have anything better?

[Oxford]

Okay this has gone far enough with none of you willing to quote or take on Parky about this so I guess it's all up to me yet again! Don't say I didn't warn you .....

 

8 hours ago, The Parksider said:

I

Steady on Parky that's far enough and far too strong for the fragile types on here to come to terms with.

There's no need to thank me, it's just someone needed to stand up and be counted and I was available that's all.

[Tre Cool]

1 hour ago, PatrickB said:

 I`m brainstorming names of the new future rivals.
Currently, I favour:

New York Cheesecakes 

Ottawa Beavertails

Anyone have anything better?

New York City Knights

 

[Oxford]

25 minutes ago, Tre Cool said:

New York City Knights

So good they named them twice!

[Oxford]

6 hours ago, Dave T said:

and takes away some of the criticisms

Sorry Dave I had to take this out of context because this idea on this forum, in this sport, with these fans and then there's Parky who'll still be typing not to let the ants in when there's only him and the cockroaches left!

[TheReaper]

4 hours ago, Jayme2020 said:

RFL is more main stream and with Ottawa/Toronto its makes life easier for many players.

Like I mentioned,  Rugby Canada doesn't care, for decades they've made people move to BC to get a look. By comparison telling guys from Ottawa to move to Toronto to play Ontario Marshall Premiership so the Arrows can check them out is nothing. 

[Angelic Cynic]

4 hours ago, PatrickB said:

 I`m brainstorming names of the new future rivals.
Currently, I favour:

New York Cheesecakes 

Ottawa Beavertails

Anyone have anything better?

  With Rhinos,Wolves and Wolfpack keeping on the animal theme - New York Yaks - and Ottawa Lynx

  though the Lynx didn't fare too well close to their M62 friends - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorley_Lynx

[GUBRATS]

4 hours ago, PatrickB said:

 I`m brainstorming names of the new future rivals.
Currently, I favour:

New York Cheesecakes 

Ottawa Beavertails

Anyone have anything better?

' Liberties ' ?

[TIWIT]

25 minutes ago, Angelic Cynic said:

  With Rhinos,Wolves and Wolfpack keeping on the animal theme - New York Yaks - and Ottawa Lynx

  though the Lynx didn't fare too well close to their M62 friends - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorley_Lynx

The Ottawa Lynx were a AAA baseball team from 1993-2007